By There is more to weight loss than just skipping a few meals randomly or haphazardly. This can cause all sorts of reactions to your body, a lot of them being negative, some positive. This all really depends on what you are eating and how much activity is happening on a day to day basis. When trying to work out why your weight loss efforts aren’t working, the need to dig deep and be brutally honest with yourself is key. This is the only way to find a solution, rather than going around in circles.
This in fact, is a very good question, and I gave a few answers that you can explore.
6 reasons why you aren’t losing body fat when skipping meals
- You make up for the loss in calories by overeating during feeding times. I’m not sure if you are trying to use the strategy that Intermittent Fasting provides or not. But one very important fact to understand, is that just because you are fasting, does not mean you can and should over eat when you are in the feeding hour period. This is a recipe for disaster, and will inhibit weight loss. The point of fasting is to give your body a break, as well as your digestion. It does not require you to over compensate in calories because of the fasting window. What you should be doing is still eating the correct foods, whole and natural sources, using proper portion control throughout. I know that when starting out on IM, it’s easy for people to over eat because of the long period of non eating. Everyone does this for a few days or so, but your body is amazing. It will, over time, only require what it needs, and you wont be enticed to eat more than this. Don’t feel bad about this, as it’s a learning experience, that will become second nature over time.
- You are eating the wrong kinds of foods, not realising a calorie deficit is still needed. Despite not eating those two meals, you still need to think about the quality of food you are consuming. Is it refined sugars, breads and pastas? If you want to lose weight and feel great, you will need to adapt a whole-food diet. This mainly consists of fresh veggies, and lots of them in fact. Lean, organic meats such as chicken, fish and eggs. If you are a vegan, opt for eating more vegetables that contain protein and iron. That is basically all of your cruciferous veggies. You can eat some protein filled plant based ‘meat’ like foods, just as long as they don’t contain too many processed ingredients. Always read the label before you make a purchase.
I recommend opting regularly for the low calorie sources, such as the ones I mentioned above, and then swapping then out for higher calorie grades, such as steak or any other red meats.
- You are not using weight training in your fat burning regime. Weight training is king when it comes to body fat loss, and firing up your metabolism. Our bodies respond well to lifting heavy items, and this engages our muscles, increasing our strength, bone density and our overall health. Of course, you will have to train in a specific way if fat loss is your goal. I won’t get into that now, but I will highlight the importance of weight training on a regular basis. Building muscle increases your metabolism, allowing you to consume more foods. It also prohibits weight gain (to an extent). Females, you will not ‘bulk up’ with weights. It’s impossible for us to get as big as a man (naturally) so please, do yourself a favour and consult a professional to familiarise yourself with the magic that weights can do for your physique and health.
- You are doing far too much cardio, diminishing any muscle mass. Doing excess cardio, for long a long duration of time will eat away at any muscle mass you have, making you look limp, lacking energy and exhausted. It also fries your metabolism and nervous system. HIIT is the best form of cardio, because it activates hormones that increase fat burning, even though you are doing this for a shorter period of time. It’s actually more effective than steady state cardio. Another great form of activity is walking. Not only is it therapeutic, but it’s low impact and can be done by anyone of any age. This is a great form of incidental exercise that’s gentle on the body and the mind.
- Not eating enough protein. This is a big one for most people. Protein is essential in our diets, and it helps us to feel fuller for longer, eliminate cravings, and even assists us in burning body fat. It actually takes calories to digest this stuff, which is magical! We do need to make sure that protein play a part in our diet, but we must be aware of the portion we are consuming. Just because it’s a key macro, doesn’t mean you can eat too much of it. As with anything, we must exercise control. If I may suggest what your plate contains, I would say that it most definitely needs to be filled with vegetables, with a small palm size serving of protein.
- Consuming too many carbs. Although carbs are essential, you do have to make sure you are eating the right kind. Past and bread is not an option here, if you want to lose weight. Lean more towards veggies, and carb cycle your sweet potato, oats and basmati rice. Stay away from so called whole grain, as they are not good for your gut health. Always opt to consume carbs on a day you have been training, so that it restocks your glycogen stores. You will notice a difference when you do this.
I do hope these tips help you along your journey.
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