Try as hard as you might but still not seeing any changes in your waist circumference, let alone the scale? You already know diet and exercise are key in promoting changes in your body, but you may not have considered some not-so-obvious factors that could be jeopardizing your efforts.
Here are six to put on your radar:
1. You’re Skipping Meals
Whether you’re doing it intentionally or because time slips away from you and you just forget, skipping meals can create a vicious cycle that’s tough to break. “When you skip meals, it leads to grazings, cravings and overconsumption, especially at night,” says Kim Rose, registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist in Sebring, Florida. When you wake up in the morning, you may not be hungry, and you’ll be likely to skip meals again and again. Doing so not only has the potential to pack on more pounds but also will sap your energy, which could impact your exercise and rob your body of the nutrients it needs. To remedy this, aim to eat three balanced meals around the same time every day. Can’t go more than three or four hours without eating? Have a preplanned snack option at the ready.