Why you're not losing weight

You’ve relaxed your diet

Chew on this: There are only so many times you can say no to seconds, or request salad dressing on the side. As a result, your weight has plateaued. 

Work it out: While it’s natural for your willpower to wane after a prolonged period of restrictive eating plans, nutritionist Kristen Beck from beckhealth.com.au says a bit of prep means you can have your cake (double choc) and eat it too.

“If you actually plan to eat small amounts of your favourite indulgence foods, you’re less likely to feel the burden of being ‘on a diet’ and you’ll stick to your healthier eating habits in the long-term.”

Other tips to keep your cheating in check: Keep a food journal, so you’re conscious of what you’re eating; review your portion sizes at meals; and be careful not to “reward” your workouts with no-good grub or overestimate the kilojoules you’ve burnt doing crunches.

You’re counting kJs way too carefully 

Chew on this: While it’s important to cull any unnecessary kJs, as Beck notes, there’s no need to go all Victoria Beckham and  opt for the big chop. “When you seriously reduce or restrict your energy intake, your levels of thyroid hormone fall, which slows metabolism and also causes you to lose your lean muscle when you burn energy.”

Work it out: The food fix-it?  Eat more (no, really!). Says Beck, “You need to make sure you’re consuming regular balanced meals, otherwise you’ll actually gain more
weight than ever.”

You’re working out less 

Chew on this: It used to be that you’d rather cancel a date with Chace Crawford than miss your fave Spin class, but suddenly hitting the gym has lost its appeal. 

Work it out: While a dwindling devotion to sprint drills is normal, you can keep fitness fun by trying something new. According to Raymond Younis, head trainer at Rush Hour Australia Boot Camp, “Variety in exercises is essential. I recommend adding outdoor circuit classes, interval training, calisthenics and fartlek sessions to your workouts.” Younis also suggests “training in pairs, keeping a diary on performance and monitoring progress every few weeks with a health and fitness assessment”.

You’re stressing about that stubborn fat

Chew on this: Yep, it’s true, apparently worry can shoulder some of the blame for your bloated belly. How? According to Younis, “Over-anxiety can increase the production of the hormone cortisol, which causes an increase in appetite as well as extra fat storage around the abdomen.”

Work it out: Calm down your frazzled mind by reminding yourself of your fantabulous achievements to date. Feel free to throw in a non-food-based treat (such as some shopping or a scheduled massage) to reward your efforts in dropping a jean size/eating more asparagus/just doing a sit-up.

You’re doing the same old routine

Chew on this: When your body accustoms itself to an exercise and eating pattern, you may find that losing those last few lumps becomes as hard as listening to
a Paris Hilton CD.

Work it out: It’s time to mix it up and update your exercise routine or change your eating habits. As AVH personal trainer Adam Vine-Hall says, “When you haven’t changed the stimulus of exercise, your body will adapt so that it’s no longer placed under stress during the session, which is needed in order for it to make a change.”

Some suggestions? Up the intensity, duration, or frequency of workouts. Or add strength training. As for food, Beck says, “When weight loss continues, the body becomes more efficient at storing fat by increasing the enzymes that are responsible for storing fat in our fat cells.

Reassessing your diet, depending on your level of weight loss, is important to ensure further improvement.” The easiest way to trick your bod? Vary your daily kJ intake and change meal frequency. Boosting your metabolic rate is the aim here for both food and exercise.

You’re perfect just the way you are!

Chew on this: Apparently the healthier you get, the healthier you stay. How does it work? Well, as you get into better shape, your body becomes more efficient and, with a lower resting metabolic rate, uses fewer kilojoules to operate.

Work it out: Congrats! You’re officially in shape.