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5 Reasons Your Weight Is Stuck


Stuck in a weight-loss rut? Turns out you're not alone. Those last 5-10 pounds are often the hardest to lose. MyFitnessPal – the largest digital health company with more than 50 million users -- surveyed its users to find out what's keeping them from reaching their ultimate goal. Turns out there's five primary reasons those last few pounds seems to stick around longer than the ones before.

Elle Penner, MyFitnessPal's registered dietician, came up with tips to combat each and every one of those pitfalls that's keeping the number on your scale from going down. Click through the next few pages to find out how to get out of the rut and back to losing weight.

Strong sweet tooth

54 percent of MyFitnessPal users say dessert is a major obstacle to weight loss. Penner said it's important to keep a tally of miniature treats. 3-4 "snack-size" treats and a handful of M&Ms can quickly add up to the fat and calories of full-size desserts. "Even if you don't have time to track every morsel of food you eat throughout the day, a little snacking insight can go a long way in preventing sneaky weight gain."

People hate veggies.

Nearly 1 in 10 people said not eating vegetables is the culprit. Try to get your fruit and veggie servings in early in the day, said Penner. "The oh-so-popular green smoothie is the perfect way to get in a serving of veggies before you even get to the office. Try adding low-fat yogurt, milk or nut butter. It will up the protein and help keep you satisfied and focused throughout the morning."

Carbs are the devil.

47 percent say love for bread and pasta keeps them off-track So, Penner said, consider taking a temporary weight loss vacation. Put it on the back burner for a week or so, just aim not to gain any weight, and come back with a fresh mind to reset your habits, she said. "When life gets really busy or stressful, avoiding additional weight gain is an achievement in itself," she said. " Set yourself up for success and pick back up on your weight loss efforts when you have the time and energy to dedicate to doing it healthfully."

Emotional eating.

Turns out more than half of us blame binges on mood swings. Penner said getting new workout gear could help. It sounds superficial, but nice workout gear really can make you feel better during a workout, and be an incentive to get you moving. "Rather than rewarding yourself with an indulgent meal when you hit a new health goal," she said, "invest in your next one by adding a new item to your workout wardrobe."


No me time.

More than 20 percent of users report they don't have the time to cook or exercise. Penner said to stock the pantry. "When they're on sale, stock up on canned beans and tomatoes, herbs and spices, nuts and whole grains like quinoa, rolled oats and whole wheat pasta. Having a stash of healthy pantry staples will save time and money." Instead of buying packaged convenience foods, filling your pantry with these healthy staples will give you a solid foundation for preparing more nutritious meals at home.

Source:  abcnews.go.com

8 comments:

  1. All these reasons are great and most people don't think about them.

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  2. Losing weight is harder than one might believe with so many obstacles!

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  3. Those all make sense and are reasonable reasons.

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  4. Too bad we don't have vegetables that taste like chocolate.

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  5. People are often surprised once they start a food diary as to just how much they eat during they day!

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  6. This is an informative article but I am surprised there is no mention of a common problem in weight gain which is simply eating too late at night.

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  7. There are so many factors that affect weight loss in people you really have to take time and look into it instead of doing one diet after the other.

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  8. It also helps not having a spouse who's trying to gain weight... :(

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