5 Things That Prevent You From Maintaining a Lean Figure

Weight loss is not a complicated process, but it is a demanding one. It requires discipline, consistency, and an appropriate amount of knowledge about what you are doing. Anyone can lose weight, but not everyone can maintain their lean and beautiful physique. This article will explain Why You Can’t Stay Lean: 5 Reasons are sabotaging your efforts, allowing you to finally recognize and overcome them

This is precisely what most people struggle with today. In the sea of information, it is difficult to discern what is good and what is not for us, or which information is useful and which is not, and what we should focus on when it comes to our health.

When it comes to the fitness industry, we will agree that we cannot agree on anything. Some claim that the keto diet and LCHF are the best solutions for fat loss, while others argue that a low-fat diet is a better approach.

Then, on the other hand, we are bombarded with advertisements for magical fat loss drinks, detox teas, detox programs, appetite-suppressing chocolates, various tools for local fat loss, muscle stimulators for use while sitting on the couch, etc.

In this article, I will list some frequent habits that can be counterproductive to what you want to achieve when it comes to weight loss.

 

1. Severe Calorie Restriction

You start a new diet, you place restrictions on all the tasty things you love to eat, and you try to adhere to something that is unrealistic. Instead of creating such an unsustainable diet plan, let’s create a diet that will be sustainable in the long run—something that will become a lifestyle. Something you can always stick to.

The solution is not to completely eliminate everything you love to eat from your diet, because an occasional chocolate bar, a slice of pizza, or a carbonated drink are not the culprits for your excess weight. The culprit is your frequent habit of consuming them, which, on a weekly basis, created an energy intake much greater than your expenditure.

We want to have a body and metabolism that can “accept” these foods occasionally without the fear of gaining weight. Therefore, large calorie deficits will lead you to a situation where your new metabolic rate (the amount of calories burned at rest) will be lower than when you started the diet.

Let’s create a greater need for food.

 

2. Perfection Instead of Progress

Trying to make your training and nutrition program perfect in every way is irrelevant if you cannot adhere to it. Focus on programs that will give you progress and that you can stick to. As long as you are making progress, there is no need to look for the perfect plan.

The perfect plan is the one you can follow daily. Not for three months, not for six months—for life. Remember, this is a lifestyle, not a short-term fix.

 

3. Motivation at the Beginning

If you decide to dedicate yourself to something, you must be disciplined, because you will not be equally motivated every day. It is easy to train and eat broccoli when you are motivated. It is very difficult when you are not, and you don’t have a strong reason to continue. This is where you need to question yourself and see what you actually want. If you know what you want, discipline will lead you forward.

Forget motivation, discipline is the focus. When motivation fades, the only thing that will push you forward is your discipline to stay true to yourself and your goals.

 

4. Blind Focus on the End Goal

If your goal was to lose 20 kilograms, and in the first quarter of adhering to your diet and training program you only lost 5 kilograms, there is no need to panic. Just because you thought it would be gone in 6 months, and it wasn’t, doesn’t mean you should give up.

Focus on small victories. Minus 5 kilograms is good. That is several clothing sizes, that is easier climbing of stairs, that is a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases. Now is the time to set some other goals for yourself.

You can set goals on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. You will reach your goal much easier if you break it down into smaller parts, or smaller goals that you want to achieve in a given period.

Be realistic with yourself. You most likely did not gain the accumulated kilograms in 6 months, so do not expect them to disappear in that period. Give yourself time and focus on smaller goals that will lead to the big, final goal.

 

5. Sleep is Not a Priority

If you exercise hard, you must give your body adequate time for rest and recovery. Perfect nutrition and your consistency in training will not yield sustainable results if you do not prioritize your sleep.

Sitting on the couch in front of the TV late into the night will not contribute to your goals, but it can sabotage them. If, like most people, you have to wake up relatively early, you know your priorities. Believe me, this is one of the items that is extremely important if you want to have a beautiful and lean figure.

They don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothing. Until next time!