10 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight - Made Fit TV - Ep 49

Need ideas, I've been stuck in a plateau (range of 6lbs) for the past year. I not sure how to get past it. I started in '08 and have lost over 50lbs, I burn anywhere from 2000 to 4000 calories a day depending upon my schedule. I've tried rest and do a variety of activities (HIIT, yoga, pilates, taebo, running, walking, kickboxing, strenght training, step, etc.) I vary my daily caloric intake according to my acitivity level. I am still overweight (5' 6", 172, and a size 12), just turned 30, and not sure how to get pass this plateau.

You may just need to alter the macronutrients you are eating (carbs/fats/proteins). Adding more healthy fats and cutting back on fructose, sugar, and a little on the carbs may help. But if it's 6lbs, that may just be where your body is SUPPOSED to be. There is no set chart on who SHOULD be what weight. We are all unique and as long as we take care of our bodies through activity, recovery, and nutrition, our bodies find where they are supposed to be : ) xo

hey Jenny, I think the one that I need to work with the most is number4 and I also need to switch up my workout and try new things thanks this video was very helpful

Hi Tom, I'm so glad you found the list helpful and found some ideas to cope with your obstacles. We all have them and the best way to deal is to first acknowledge it and then have at it. I hope I have ideas on my site to have you try in your quest to mix up your program : )

Hi Jenny, you have just woken me up from the weight slumber I've been in for the last 15 years! I am so excited to start my new life and can't wait to finish this e-mail, to go out and start enjoying myself, by taking a nice long walk with my 15 year old and talk about the importance of health at all ages! I saw your program accidently while surfing the 'net and spent more than 30 minutes listening to what you had to say. Years ago, I used to be an amature body-builder and trained with Antonio "The Snake" Adgers, and his then girlfriend, Angela Argentieri. I started working out at a gym in the Bronx. I read voraciously all the magazines from "Muscle and Fitness", went from gym to gym, the Pelham Racquet Club, Eastcoast Gyms, Omni, Bally's and eventually the New York Sports Club. I loved them all. An incident at work left me with a collaspsed lung, and I developed double-bronchial pneumonia. I was put on steroids for years. I gained over 100 pounds. During this time there were several life altering experiences I went through. My youngest daughter's birth, a new house, divorce, the death of over 20 members of my family and depression. Like you said in episode 49, life happens! Thank God, I'm still standing! I joined Weight-Watchers and finally managed to lose 32 pounds but the old competitive feeling came back, and I was competing with a 20 year old on the eliptical and severly injured my feet, (tendonitis, achilles tendonitis, and heel spurs) from over-pronation. Back to square one! I am on HBP meds, which when I lost the 32 pounds, my Doctor cut in half, but now I've gained back 21 of those unwanted pounds. I noticed a pattern after watching your episode 49, "10 Reasons why you're not losing weight" and realised that #7, peer pressure, #3, you're giving up too soon, and last, #1, you're not consistant, applied to me to a "T!" The nutrition part, I know I can conquer because I don't have diabetes, my cholesterol is 120, my triglycerides are 63, and my sugar is 90, I eat very healthy, but when I go out with freinds and family they all say well, we don't go out often, not with them I don't, but yes with Hubby, kids, etc, and that adds up! From now on, my life-style change will be exactly what I wrote down, "I might not go out with you every day, but I do go out with the kids, hubby, etc. and that adds up so NO Thank you! About the giving up too soon? (#3), I will do this weight program for three months, 1-2 pounds a week, and keep blogging about it, till I've lost a realistic at least 20 pounds, give or take a pound. I know I can do this but will not put myself on a guilt trip if it doesn't happen by at least one pound! I am setting a goal I know I can accomplish as of now! And lastly, #1!!!!!!!!! I will be consistant in my efforts to do this program by maintaining good nutrition, cardio workouts of more than 30 minutes a day, even if I have to break them up druring a 24 hour period, I will lift more than 5 pounds at slow increments, and I will set my mind to this in spite of life getting in the way! LOL. This is my pact with myself and I promise to let you know how this worked by March of this date 2011, God willing! Of course, I will continue reading your tips and blogging as a way to keep on track and motivate myself! So thank you from the bottom of my heart. I would also like to send you before and after pictures. Thank you and congratulations on providing a service like this the world can benefit from!

Hugs,
Lucy aka Latinfire531

WOW, Lucy!! You truly are an amazing individual who has experienced the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows! It is very inspiring to know that through all of that, you are still in CONTROL of yourself, no matter where you are with your weight, fitness, and emotions. For all you have been through, you have always been aware of what is not quite right and what you want to improve on or make better. I feel honored to know that I have helped you, just a little, in some way. Thank you for watching, taking the time to comment on this post, and for being an advocate for not only health and fitness, but wellness in your body, mind, and spirit! And you have a ton of spirit to keep you going, I can tell!! I wish you all the best and look forward to your before and after pics and your story : ) xoxoxo

My reason is #1 I'm eating too much recently and secondly, I've reduced my exercise routine so I guess I'm not pushing myself enough, though I work out very hard, I switched it to dancing, and dancing isn't the same as running on a treadmill for about 10 minutes at 5/6kmh.

My sis offered to sign me up to a gym, and I refused because I prefer to dance at home, and run on the treadmill occasionally, but I'm not losing anything SO I will be upping my game, I've just text her (probably woken her up @ 4am that I'm down for the gym - I'm the type that likes to start changes immediately).

Hello Jenny!! Great video! :)
I am to blame for all 10 points!! LOL

I have an issue with nutrition. I am the opposite of a vegetarian....yea..I eat a lot of meat and grains, and just a few vegetables. It's not that I'm pik¡cky, but I've never been able to eat them, I get nausea :S ...any ideas on that??
THANX
Paula

You may want to try taking some fiber supplements to make up for the fiber you are lacking from not eating vegetables. For some people, they are hard to digest. You can maybe make them in a soup so they are softer on your stomach. You have to get those nutrients in some how, so start slow and work your way to increase your intake over time. You can do it!

I would say that I'm guilty of 3(or soon going to be guilty, that is). I've never had a habit of exercising all my life and I wanted to lose about 3-4 kg(My BMI is about 21.1). I've been exercising for 3-4 times a week for the past month, trying to eat healthier and I haven't lost any weight at all. I was going to give up pretty soon until I saw this vid. I agree with the other comments below, extremely inspiring and motivating :)

Keep up the awesome work - you can do it!!!

i love this video, its like a year old but every time i watch it i feel like going to the gym and moving in, paying them rent and living there until i can walk out looking like the hulk! ha ha

Great advice Jenny! very inspirational!

Know how sometimes you come across things at the moment when you most need them? Just happened. Actually I came across this video b/c it was mentioned in today's 5/12/2010 video on food addiction. I also needed that video today as sometimes I just get out of control with eating.

Anyways. Regarding the 10 top reasons, I honestly think I'm guilty of all 10. From 2000-2003, I managed to lose about 85lbs but still 20ish pounds away from my goal. I hovered here for the next 6 years. Got married last fall and in the past 6 months, have let 15 lbs creep back on! Now I am 35ish pounds away from a goal I never met. It makes me sick and sad and disgusted. I'm good about exercise, logging 1+ hour 5x a week most weeks, changing it up when I get bored. But I can probably lift more weights, log more intervals, etc. What seems to be my undoing is #1 - overeating. I basically undo all my progress on the weekends creating my never ending plateau of frustration. And now I have to lose 15 lbs just to get back to my old plateau! And what is so aggravating is I know that I do this. I log my calories. I log my exercise. I can see the patterns. I consistently see that I am eating way too much on the weekends. I consistently say "This is the week for change!" and yet the cycle repeats. I am 30 years old. I have literally been at this weight battle for 22 years and I am very very tired of it. I've had success with the weight I've lost but to some degree, I think that success caused me to let up a little - oh, I worked hard so I deserve this or I already lost so much so I can eat this, etc etc. Well here I am 7 years after I've lost any significant weight, still not at my goal and now even being further from it.

So Jenny, I want to thank you for this reminder list to help me clean up my act. Someday I'll get there.

Hi Jamie, thank you so much for being so candid. What you say can really help others feel as though they are not along. That is so strong of you to identify what the main cause of what is keeping you from your goal. But you just have to be strong and really embrace those small goals and victories. You WILL get there and I am honored to play at least the tiniest part in helping you get there! XO

dear jen, I would probably say my main reason is #4 I havent challenged myself higher,It was a challenge to loose the 75 pounds but now i need to go higher.I also feal sorry for myself sometimes and have maybe a cookie or two 2 many. gerat video thank you, Angela

Hi Angela, Glad you found the video somewhat helpful. Just remember that you're not alone when you feel that way - we all feel it from time to time. Just stick to your guns and know that you lost 75lbs! Giving yourself a bracket with your weight to stay within is much healthier that placing a number on where you should be. Best of luck to you!

I agree with the fact that mixing up of exercise is been mixed as my body is changed I need to change my exercise.

Absolutely! It's almost like your body becomes a different one as you lose weight and become stronger. So, changing intensities and mixing up the pace is a great way to get over that hump if you hit a plateau.

Very good Jennifer! Consistency and making the commitment to fitness is the key!

I agree with the others this is a great video! Everything from people just not "getting" that they can't workout for 2 hours then eat whatever they want and lose weight to not training beyond the bare basics were great points. At my gym there I used to personal train there'd be what seems like 90% of all the members who look the same after 5+ years of being there -- and I doubt they all are content at where they are in terms of how they look.

I also like #2 and #4 together .. my Mom is someone who enjoys the belly dancing and those aerobic workouts because she just likes to have fun and stuff which is great but for people that want to lose more than the initial 5-10 pounds consistently they have to make love to a cardio machine as well! :D

#6 is also HUGE! I have so many friends that will make ridiculous goals and then after 2 weeks of not achieving them or seeing progress they give up, eat a lot of cookies, then ask me for advice. Of course I give it, yet they don't listen. Lol.

The fitness industry is so convoluted with mis-information and myths that for beginners it could take years for people to start to grasp the truths and swim through the BS. Magazines are the WORST place to get pointed in the right direction. Sure some of them can be decent and have some good articles but for the most part they're all ads and articles paid for by supplement companies, etc.

Nice job!

I'm glad you see where I'm coming from, X. It's like people ask for the answer, we give it to them, then they say "no, really, what's the real answer."

Information, whether it comes from trainers, doctors, or books are tools to use as launching pads and for knowledge - and that the real motivation has to come from within. Health and fitness is a choice and we have the power to choose how far we want to take it.

Hi Jenny,

Congratulations on yet another excellent video, they never fail to entertain, educate and inform me every week!

I have an issue with my training. I find it hard to know the dividing point between not pushing myself hard enough and overdoing it.

I find this only to be a problem with weight training. During some sessions I don't do enough, but in others I end up nearly injuring myself! Is there any way of determining how much to lift and for how many times? Thanks again for the videos, a real source of inspiration for me at all times!

im gonna go by "10 reasons why i cant do a show" #8 #3 #1... need to stop looking up at the bodybuilding stuff i need to do figure..

hi jenny,
that was a great vid, i would say that i am not consistent and my portions would be way over the limit when i am tired. i do my cardio and strenght but as i say i am inconsistent. i am taking yoga classess to increase my concentration and to motivate me. my real problem will be my diet .

Thanks for your honesty, Millie. Nutrition accounts for 75% of the results you see from exercise. Controlling nutrition is something so simple, but requires hard discipline for some. Just do you best and know that the cravings only last a few minutes - your body lasts a lifetime, so do what's best for it : )

I so agree with Chris on this one. #4 and #1 are my fav. reasons why people don't lose weight.

So true, Matthew. It's so easy to over-eat! It takes you 5 minutes to eat something that could take you 5 hours to burn off!

I completely agree with #4 - People don't challenge themselves. I look at it like this. You've worked yourself up to start working out and eating healthy, which takes a lot a courage...then when its time to start pushing it, people give up and go back to poor health habits.

I promise, once you get past the rough first four weeks, it doesn't get easier, it gets interesting because you'll find that your body can do so much more than it used to, your clothes will fit you better, you'll run faster, jump higher and have more energy...just tough it out!