Why aren’t you losing fat?
You’re not patient enough – dieting for four days and then jumping on the scales to check how much “weight” you’ve dropped is not the key. Ditch the scales. Focus on consistency and judging progress on how you feel, how your clothes fit and by comparing progress photos.
You’re comparing yourself to others – focus on what YOU are doing. Not what anyone else is doing.
Your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) has dropped. As you drop body fat, your NEAT tends to decrease due to calories being lower which in turn, means you are more lethargic and more likely to want to spend a bit of extra time on the lounge. In order to help counteract this, a STEP TARGET is created, which ensures you are consistent with your total daily energy expenditure, and more likely to get up and move in order to hit your target, rather than sitting on the lounge being lazy. This has a HUGE impact on energy expenditure.
Water retention – dieting is a stressor. So is exercise. This is why its important to take rest days from training, and to incorporate diet breaks when in a calorie deficit for an extended period of time (e.g. greater than 8 weeks, consistently). High stress = cortisol increase = water retention. Keep in mind, water retention is not body fat. But, it does make you look “fuller,” which in turn, makes people assume they’re not seeing progress. In order to help lower cortisol, take a rest, make sure you get enough sleep, supplements such as fish oil tablets, along with Reset Adrenals, which has the herb Ashwagandha, which helps to lower anxiety and stress levels, which in turn, reduces cortisol and therefore, water retention.
You’re focusing too much on “weight loss.” Lift weights, be in a sustainable calorie deficit and have an adequate protein intake instead. These three factors are key to dropping fat.
Weekend inconsistency – you NAIL your macro targets and training during the weekdays but go off track every weekend. This adds up and sends your weekly calorie average into a surplus VERY easily.
