Losing weight is probably one of the toughest challenges on the planet. Millions of people struggle with it daily and it wears them down on a physical, emotional and mental level. While the concepts and principles are simple, applying them assiduously is a Herculean task. You need to eat right, and you need to be at a caloric deficit. Over and above that, you’ll also need to exercise to accelerate calorie burning and boost your metabolism. Eating right is a struggle, and finding the motivation to exercise regularly will require you to dig deep within you.
Most people fail in one or both areas and never see much or any success. However, there are times when you have diet dialed in. You know exactly what to eat and how much to eat… and you’re on track. You’re also working out at the gym regularly and giving it your all. Yet, despite your best efforts, your results are slow to come or non-existent. In this article, we’ll look at 3 reasons why this may occur. Once you remedy these issues, your fat will melt off and you’ll shed the excess pounds faster than you thought possible.
Toxins
The environment we live in, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and many other factors introduce toxins into our body. The body deals with these harmful toxins by binding them in the fat cells. If you are overweight, your body is holding on to a lot of toxins. It will resist burning the fat because it’s trying to protect you. If the harmful toxins are released into your system all at once, you can get sick.
Most people don’t realize that slow fat loss is the body’s way of self-preservation. The first step to fixing this will be to go through a detox process. In fact, many weight loss programs have a 3-day or even 7-day detox program just to cleanse the body and start off on a clean slate.
It may be argued that the liver is more than capable of detoxification. That’s true. However, we’re just giving it a helping hand and helping to speed up the process. There are several ways you can detox, such as:
Going on a 3-day juice fast (only freshly squeezed fruits/vegetables)
Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice every morning on an empty stomach
Consume detox teas sold in health stores
Inflammation
When your body aches and hurts for no reason, you’re probably suffering from inflammation. The cells in your body are inflamed and you absolutely must address this issue before tackling weight loss.
The first step will be to eliminate sugar from your diet. Sugar is highly inflammatory and just 3 days without sugar will really help to mitigate the problem. You may also want to consume foods like pineapples, spinach and broccoli.
Another very useful tool to combat inflammation is turmeric. You can purchase turmeric supplements over-the-counter from most health stores. The active ingredient in the turmeric, which is curcumin, will help to reduce the inflammation.
Once your body has recovered, it will be more responsive to your weight loss efforts. Always remember that the foods you eat will have a direct impact on the inflammation in your body. So, do your best to avoid processed foods and clean up your diet.
Hormones
There are several different hormones in your body and some of them have a direct or indirect impact on your body. Testosterone encourages muscle growth and aids in weight loss. Estrogen encourages weight gain. Foods that are rich in estrogen will make your body gain weight. Foods like tofu and soy products are best avoided. It would be a good idea to avoid milk and dairy products too.
Another hormone to watch out for is cortisol. This is a stress hormone that indirectly causes you to gain weight. It causes the body to store the more harmful visceral fat that is found around the organs. Only exercise can burn off this fat. So, if you’re stressed out at work, or in other areas in your life, do take time out to de-stress.
Now that you know the 3 possible factors that could be impeding your progress, you should analyze and see if they affect you. Follow the tips in this article if they do. Lastly, do know that weight loss is a slow process but a sure one if you stay on the path and do not deviate or quit. Your dream body is well within your reach.