You’re busting your ass in the gym, knocking burpees out left and right and you can finally do a push- up on your toes, but alas, the number on the scale won’t budge, and in fact, it may have gone up a pound or two. What gives?
There are so many factors as to why the scale hasn’t moved and I want to go over a few today.
Overindulging- So many people think that when they start working out they can eat what they want, or eat more of what they are already eating.
They think they’re burning more calories then they actually are, thus the weight gain. No amount of exercise is going to compensate for a bad diet. It’s not just about how many calories you are consuming, either. It’s about the quality of your food you are putting into your body. You want foods that give you the energy you need and help you recover. Do your homework and know what/ how much you are eating.
Water weight- Your body can retain water for an number of reasons, sodium deficient (when working out), your period (because of hormone fluctuations) or not drinking enough water (especially during exercise). Don’t sweat it if the scale goes up a few pounds out of nowhere. Give yourself some slack around that time of the month and drink plenty of water!
Frequency of workouts-Overtraining can push your body into survival mode, storing fat for all the energy needed to work that hard, thus packing on the lbs. Give your body a break! You need to give your muscles a full 48 hrs of rest after a workout. Also, make sure your have one rest day a week.
Not eating enough- Coupled with too many workouts, this can be a disaster. Nutrition is extremely important, especially when exercising. You need it for energy and proper recovery. When your body doesn’t have enough calories to function it goes into survival mode (again!) and, like I said earlier, stores the fat. Don’t be afraid to give your body what it needs to survive!
Have you ever tried losing weight, but the scale just wouldn’t budge? What did you do about it, and did it work?
