7 reasons you can’t lose weight

Are you sticking to your diet, but you still aren’t shifting the pounds? Why not try these 7 simple ways to lose weight.

1. Your diet is too strict

If you don’t consume enough calories, your body goes into survival mode, reducing the number you burn. If you plan to diet for more than 2-3 weeks, simply cut just 500 calories per day and eat enough calcium. In a recent trial, women eating 120mg calcium per day lost 22% more fat than those who didn’t.

2. You don’t eat enough snacks

Did you know that you can speed up your metabolism by eating little and often? So get snacking! Why not try an apple spread with a little peanut butter, a low fat yoghurt with half a pear, or a couple of Ryvitas topped with low-fat hummus. Combine these tasty snack ideas with slightly smaller main meals and your metabolism should rocket!

3. You drink too little

Hunger is often due to thirst, therefore we recommend having a drink before eating. If you are dehydrated, your metabolism slows right down.

4. You need to eat more fat

You need to eat certain fats to speed up your metabolism. Research from the US found that people lost more weight when about 3% of calories came from fat. Choose “good” fats found in oily fish, olives, nuts and avocados, avoiding “bad” fats in biscuits and crisps.

5. Your diet is bland

Research has shown that you eat more of a meal if it’s boring. Testers felt fuller quicker when they added low-calorie versions of strong-tasting foods to meals. Why not try adding garlic, onion ginger, radish or grated parmesan to your food.

6. Your food is too salty

Many of us eat over 50% of the recommended maximum daily salt intake of 6g. Your body retains fluid to dilute the salt if the levels are too high and ready meals and baked beans are the major culprits of this. Eat potassium rich foods such as tomatoes, banana’s and orange juice along with a glass of cranberry juice each day to flush out those toxins.

7. You’ve got high fibre syndrome

If you lose weight when eating wholegrains, fruit and vegetables, but your stomachs swelling throughout the day, the good news is that it’s not fat, but gas produced by fibrous foods. Chewing thoroughly high-gas producers such as onions, cabbage, leeks, Brussels sprouts and cabbage can reduce the effects.