“Why am I not losing weight?” It is a question that many ask themselves and few find the answer. I do.

Given the serious problem of overweight and obesity that we suffer today in Spain (more than half of the country has a problem related to their weight), the main objective of many people is weight loss . The most common is to look for the quick and easy way, even if this implies making a significant investment in different formats, sizes and designs of products or miracle formulas. And one after another, until they totally lose confidence in themselves – and in nutrition – and assume (wrongly) that they cannot lose weight, that they are doomed to have that excess fat for life.

And then they ask themselves that question: “Why don’t I lose weight?” and also usually has the tagline added “if I have tried everything.” I have to tell you (tell you) that you have not tried everything, you need to try the slow and costly but lasting way, which will change your (your) lives forever. They will (achieve) a healthy weight and best of all, for life!

However, it may be that, having chosen the right path: eating healthy, leading an active life and practicing physical activity, do not smoke, in short, do the diaita, continue without losing weight. And that’s why today’s post. I want to tell you about the main reasons that lead us not to lose weight even “doing everything right”.

“For a day nothing happens” 

This is another phrase that we hear – or say – very often. It is a phrase to justify ourselves and to be able to feel good about ourselves when we are committing a bad habit, such as eating an unhealthy product or drinking alcohol. It is also useful for those who say they do not eat ultra-processed products. The question is not what, but how much. Are we really talking about a day? Or is there something every day that nothing happens? Let’s analyze:

• Monday: Fulanita brought crusancitos to work because Saturday was her birthday and I took one, not to make her look ugly. Another phrase that serves to cleanse our conscience.
• Tuesday: What a bad day you hear … and what happened in front of the bakery and said, with all that I work and drink, I deserve it!
• Wednesday: My son insisted that I buy him the chipirifláuticos cakes, and in order not to hear it… well, I ended up eating them myself, because he only wanted the chrome.
• Thursday: Menganito called me, and with the time that we had not seen each other, how could I refuse to have a beer with him?
• Friday: I’m looking forward to getting out of work and meeting friends for a coffee… and a sweet.
• Saturday: My in-laws and brothers-in-law to eat at home and of course, how can I not get everything, they talk a lot later …
• Sunday: Today is the only day I have to rest and hey, after all week, I deserve a whim, I have behaved very well …

Wow, it turns out that in a week, there isn’t a day that we haven’t eaten or drank something outside of a healthy pattern . And this without counting holidays, vacations, work trips, meetings, impromptu visits, sick relatives, emergency visits … there is always something, it only depends on you to let yourself go or not.

So that this does not happen to you and you know how to manage it, I advise you to write down everything you eat and more when they are unhealthy foods. At the end of the week, analyze and think about what you could have saved (if you have 5 events, choose the essential ones) and on the days when you had to go, what choices you made and what substitutes you could have chosen.

“I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit”

Here comes the misperception of reality. How many people tell me “I eat a lot of fruit” or “I feel like a rabbit, all day eating vegetables” … And then you go deeper into their habits. And you realize that suddenly, anything goes like fruit: fruit cakes, flavored yogurts, fruit juices (natural, of course), fruit gummies … I’m sorry to tell you, as I explained in this post , that does not count as fruit. Not as a half portion. A portion of fruit is a whole piece , and possibly with skin, of any piece of natural fruit. For the most scientific, between 150 and 200 grams of chewy and natural fruit. And to be able to be seasonal and proximity.

And the same goes for vegetables. Having a plate with 4 side vegetables is not eating vegetables. Eating 4 green beans with 2 huge potatoes is not eating vegetables, having vegetable soup or consommé, it is not eating vegetables. Eating vegetables is that the main food of your lunch and dinner is vegetables . Make sure your plate is green (or colored) both in the morning and at night. And always doubling the proportion with the rest of foods, as the Harvard plate represents. Again, for the more technical, 400 grams per day only of vegetables.

“I don’t have time to eat.”

Eating fast makes you fat. So plain and simple. Eating under stress, in a hurry, thinking about other things, standing up, in less than 20 minutes, with the TV or without dedicating a minimum of attention, makes you fat. Eating that way doesn’t give your body time to react and send you signals of satiety, so you eat even when you’re not hungry (but you don’t know it because you haven’t left time), and then you feel heavy, uncomfortable and bloated. Because you have eaten too fast and too much. You also favor eating anything or even skipping the intake. You also favor being hungry before, and pecking. It even causes you anxiety, which you end up calming down with unhealthy products. And all that leads you to gain weight.

At lunchtime we must be in a relaxed, calm environment, without distractions and disconnecting from everything and everyone. It is your time to enjoy food, to savor it, to feel it … it is the best time of the day to connect with food, understand what you eat and why. The main basis of this philosophy is Mindful Eating , derived from Mindfulness. And works.

To achieve this, you must be clear about one thing: power is wanting. If you don’t have time, it’s because you don’t want to. If you can’t eat quietly, it’s because you don’t want to. Block your agenda , half an hour or whatever. At twelve, at one at two or at five. But allow yourself 30 minutes of relaxation to eat, because you do deserve it. If you still can’t, eat with a small fork, keep the food in your mouth until it has a pureed consistency, and leave the cutlery on the table with each bite . It is a matter of learning to eat, changing the habit and re-educating the way you eat.

Alcohol: the invisible calories.

Putting aside that alcohol kills, let’s talk about the calories it contains. We are talking about alcohol, but we could include here any soda or sugary drink, including tonics, energy drinks, aquariums … They are invisible calories, since they go completely unnoticed, but there they are. And besides, the more you take it, the more you want and the less you care.

As I detail in the post ” Alcohol is not healthy, not even a glass of wine “, here you have the approximate calories (may vary depending on the brand) of some alcoholic beverages, so you can see the calories they have. We must bear in mind that not all you consume alone (each soft drink is + 100kcal) or in these quantities, calculate well:

• Cava or champagne (one glass, 100 ml): 71 Kcal.
• Lager beer (individual bottle of 320 ml, “medium”): 105 Kcal.
• Liquors (a “shot”, 40 ml): 90 Kcal.
• Sangria (one glass, 150 ml): 107 Kcal.
• Vermouth (one glass, 100 ml): 139 Kcal.
• White wine (one glass, 100 ml): 70 Kcal.
• Red wine (one glass, 100 ml): 63 Kcal.
• Vodka (one glass, 50 ml): 117 Kcal.
• Whiskey (one glass, 50 ml): 119 Kcal.
• Gin (one glass, 50 ml): 111 Kcal.
• Rum (one glass, 50 ml): 117 Kcal.

To solve this, it is enough to drink other drinks such as infusions, coffees, infused waters, water, sparkling water and if we want to feel more integrated, beer without alcohol, soda or tonic without sugar, even a light or zero soft drink.

And much more

The truth is that I have only detailed those questions that seem most important to me to explain “why I am not losing weight” and that I think are the ones that escape us the most. But there are quite a few more factors that influence weight loss not being achieved . The best and most important thing and my last advice today is that, if you want to lose weight, choose the right path, the long and difficult but lasting one. And if you still do not achieve your goal, get in touch with a dietician-nutritionist (remember that you have the first free visit in my office) who will analyze your case and customize a diet plan for you. With their help, you will surely succeed.