13 Surprising Reasons Why Your Diet Is Not Working 

There are many types of diets approved by dieticians to stay healthy and maintain normal body weight.

But, let me tell you that there is no such diet that works for all. As everyone is different, there is no such diet that suits all.

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Whether you are on atkins, paleo, or keto, and if it is not working for you then there might be some surprising reasons behind it.

• Keep in mind that no diet will let you drastically lose weight in a matter of weeks.

According to the Council on Size & Weight Discrimination, within one to five years 95% of dieters regain their lost weight regardless of the diet or exercises that they follow.

• It means that the same diet and same exercising routine stop working after a few years because the body becomes habitual.

If you are on a diet and see that there aren’t any results it could be due to a lot of reasons. Here are a few of them.

Genetics and hormones regulate body weight

Studies reveal that everyone has their own body weight which is regulated by genes and hormones at some point.

| You can understand this by the example of rubber if the rubber is stretched the greater the resistance and it will again come back to its original shape.

similarly when we control weight through food and exercise then we are stretching the body out of our comfort zone then greater the desire to come back. |

This theory proves that the greater we work hard the greater body tries to come back to natural.

Then what should one do?

Follow intuitive eating, eat for physical rather than emotional reasons.

• Intuitive eating: Eat only when you feel hungry and eat as much you want and what you want. But stop when you are full.
• Emotion goes for unhealthy and tasty foods but eats for physical reasons which means eating nourishing food that is required by your body.

This does not mean stopping yourself from desserts or fries but sometimes you can have it in moderation.

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Eat food you enjoy without guilt

Now, it is clear that diets are not linked with long-term weight loss.

This strategy of dieting, and restricting yourself from food will worsen your weight problem.

Though you may see the benefits, in long run this will also fade away as the body will become habitual of the diet you are following and weight will again start increasing.

• The solution is eating everything but in moderation and with limitations.

Keep your stress under control

Keep your stress hormone i.e. cortisol under check. When there is a lot of stress then it triggers cortisol secretion.

The elevated levels of cortisol affect the metabolism and appetite increases.

• Research also reveals that chronic stress pumped the rate at which new fat cells are formed.

Lack of sleep

Sleep deprivation disturbs the hunger hormones (ghrelin) which lead to increased appetite.

This will lead to hormonal imbalance and weight gain. Get enough sleep to maintain weight.

The University of Chicago found that when people are sleep deprived then they eat 600 calories more than usual.

So, the fat cells increases. Also, the Leptin hormone’s secretion is hampered (which decreases your appetite).

• As a result, weight loss progress will be hindered and soon you will be on the path of obesity.

Eating too much sugar and processed food

Never stop yourself from eating anything until you have major diseases like diabetes or heart problem.

But always remember not to indulge in oily, processed, salt, and sugar-based products as they cause high blood pressure, cholesterol, and many other diseases.

Control your salt intake as well if you want to maintain your weight. Too much sodium is also not good for bones and the heart as well.

Eating too much of them will affect your weight and also your health.

• Processed food has harmful preservatives and chemicals which should be avoided for being healthy.

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Lack of exercise in routine

It is very important to burn the calories, the stubborn fat that you consumed.

Exercise is a must even if you are eating healthy. This will help you maintain proper weight and health.

If your main purpose of exercising is weight loss then do not forget to lift weights. Strength training is an actual way to lose fat.

According to the Mayo Clinic leaving exercise is the surprising reason behind weight regain.

• Also, try to do cardio. Studies say that it helps to reduce fat around the midsection.

Check your portion

Eating too much or too less will affect health, even if you are opting for healthy foods like nuts, fruits, seeds, and guacamole.

Consume fats, also carbohydrates, but in required amounts. Research reveals that when you avoid fats than it triggers you to eat more and you binge on junk food instead of a bowl full of veggies.

Bad fats should be avoided and good fats should be incorporated into a diet like avocados, eggs, and nuts.

Checking the portion size of food is essential but if you are relying on sugar-free foods you think you saved calories?

Well, that’s not the case. They also use sugar alcohols, which contain one to three calories per gram compared to carbohydrates which provide four calories per gram.

The serving sizes often list zero calories/grams of sugar because, technically, as long as there are less than five calories per serving the company may put zero on the label.

• The problem with that? The serving size is tiny! In other words, if you’re consuming sugar alcohol in multiple servings per meal and per day, that could quickly lead to an extra 100+ calories per day!

Variety is key

Do not be on a specific diet for too long as it’s all about making lifestyle changes.

Gradually for more sustainable results than just juggling at different times.

• Everybody is unique and their nutrition requirements differ.

Eat sufficient protein and whole grain

Low protein intake can be one reason for weight gain.

• Rich protein diets like fish and whole grains must be included in the diet to maintain proper weight.

Not drinking enough water

This is surprisingly true. To avoid excessive eating it is advised to drink a glass of water before meals.

This will reduce your calorie intake. It will also increase the number of calories you burn.

• So, drink before you feel thirsty.

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Not eating mindfully

Mindful eating is alert eating. Eat with zero distractions.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. This will make you feel full faster.

Stop eating when you feel full.

• This will surely save you from weight gain.

Avoid restrictive dieting

Restrictive dieting in the start will result in weight loss and you perceive the efforts as successful.

But you crave foods that are restricted.

When the gates to restricted foods are open we indulge without thinking and during this break you are likely to gain more weight.

Weight loss and then weight gain is a vicious cycle

And again you go for restrictive dieting and in this way it becomes a vicious cycle.

• Instead. it is advisable to go on dieting which controls your portion size.

Excessive alcohol

Drinking excessive alcohol is one of the reasons for weight gain.

It is high in calories. The alcohol has about 7 calories per gram.

• Limit it for weight loss.

Conclusion:

• Weight loss is not an easy task and many of our daily habits and lifestyle routine can bring it to halt.

• In an easy way, you can understand it as when your calorie intake is higher than the calorie burnt then weight gain occurs.

• Try approaches such as mindful eating, eating more protein, and doing strength exercises.

So, all the above are outer excessive ways to control weight. It’s better to avoid them instead of being too late for them!