Reason #1: Your Are Using Low Intensity Cardio
Low Intensity Cardio has shown the least amount of overall fat loss in every scientific study that I've read. The problem is that it supports a slow metabolism and low muscle mass. This makes it hard to bust through weight loss plateaus and keep your body in a fat loss state. But the real scary part of slow cardio is its effects on beginners! In a study done by the U.S. Army they found that 60-90% of beginners starting a cardio program get hurt!
We've all done it before. You start a running program and go too far too soon and are left with shin splints, knee problems, hip problems and even stress fractures. We need to stop this cycle by strengthening our bodies first and gradually increasing the intensity of our workouts. This allows us to continually advance and break into new levels of fat loss!
Reason #2: Insulin Resistance - The Secret Behind Weight Gain
You don't usually hear people talking about insulin resistance and its connection to weight gain. Insulin Resistance is the cause of Diabetes. While you may not be in danger of diabetes, insulin resistance may be stopping your weight loss goals in their tracks. Most overweight men and women who train with me have trouble losing weight. They workout like crazy and don't lose weight. Most of the time they are building muscle in the first couple months which fuels a dramatic drop in weight as their metabolism sky rockets. But some also have a problem with high carbohydrates and insulin resistance.
If you are doing everything you can to lose weight: eating healthy, working out, lowering stress, etc. And the weight just isn't coming off you may want to take advantage of the Paleo eating style. According to a study by Lund University the paleo diet improved glycemic control (insulin resistance) and several cardiovascular risk factors in comparison to the Diabetes Diet. What does this mean for people suffering from trouble losing weight? It means that the Paleo Diet may be the best diet for resetting your system so you can lose weight again!
Reason #3: Starvation Diets Are Destroying Your Metabolism
The worst diet for long term fat loss is by far a starvation diet. A starvation diet is any diet that lowers your calorie intake too low for long periods of time. Lowering calories over time destroys your metabolism and muscle mass. Leading to skinny-fat bodies with no definition. The worst part is that most people gain even more weight back after stopping the diet! They are losing muscle mass and fat at the same time which lowers their metabolism in the process!
Losing fat isn't just about lowering calories. Its about tricking the body into a fat loss state by building healthy lean muscle, working out the right way, and eating the right foods at the right times.
Reason #4: Never Changing your Workout System
This is by far one of the biggest mistakes in fitness. You have to change your workouts to maximize muscle growth and fat loss. Its simple, if you do something too long your body adjusts to it and no longer has a reason to adapt. But we want our muscles to constantly be adapting so that we can get the fat loss, conditioning and strength we need to have the body we want.
We've all done it. You go to the gym spend 30 minutes on the elliptical, use a few machines, and maybe some free weights. You do the same thing day in and day out and you wonder why you can't lose anymore weight. You need to break this cycle by reaching new levels of fitness.
Reason #5: The Wrong Foods for Fat Loss
A calorie is a calorie right? It may not be so simple. Different foods effect us different ways. Each food actually effects our hormones in different ways. So while you may be able to go low-fat for a little while the complete avoidance of any one nutrient causes hormonal imbalances in your system.
So having a balance of all three is actually the easiest way to eat. People have been eating this way for thousands of years. So throw out zero carb, high carb, low-fat diets and eat a balanced diet containing fat, protein and carbs. Don't get caught listening to the biased media tell you what to eat. Most of the foods they push are full of sugar.
