One of the greatest frustrations can be when you are committed to losing weight, you join a plan, you workout, but you don’t lose any weight. Or you lost the initial pounds, but the last 5-10lbs are just not melting off. Here are the top reasons you aren’t losing weight:

1: You aren’t eating the right amount of calories.

This can go two ways. Either you’re eating too little, or you are eating too much. Everyone has a certain number of calories they “need” in order to maintain daily function (get out of bed and get through the day). However, if you are on a weight loss program, and you start eating too little for too long, your body will plateau. For example, if you are on a plan eating exactly 1200 calories every day for 3 months, you might be doing more harm than good. You will likely need to asses your caloric intake and readjust and cycle your calories.

Most often, people don’t realize how much they are eating and eat too much. Its easy to understand that if you eat too much, you won’t loose weight, but sometimes what seems like 1500 calories is actually 2000 calories. So make sure you count everything from the teaspoon of sugar to the 1 strawberry you picked up!

2: You are eating all the wrong foods.

Ok so lets face it. 1200 calories could mean that you are indulging in a big mac extra large meal and that’s it. Or it could mean you are eating tons of sugar, along side your salads. Proper nutrition that includes nutrient dense foods, that will allow you to sustain energy, allow time for proper digestion and keep you full are key to your weight loss goals. You need enough energy to get through the day, but also cut the foods that are spiking your energy and making you crash. Nutrient dense foods, along with proper multivitamins is key!

3: You are exercising too much

So you got excited and decided to implement a 7 day workout program and saw great results for about 4 weeks and then suddenly nothing is budging on the scale. You might be overdoing it and not getting enough rest. Your body requires a recovery period to rebuild and reenergize from the stress that you put on yourself. If you are a beginner, it is best to start with 3 days a week, for about 2-3 weeks, then gradually add either a) an extra day on a week or b) add intensity to your workout. If you are a gym rat, then you need to learn new programs and cycle the programs every 3-4 weeks and ensure you get adequate rest in between.

4: You are inconsistent

So you worked out for the first day, didn’t workout for the next 3 days, and then went back for 1 day, and then took another 4 days off. Your body needs constant change and commitment. Missing a day in between is okay. But once you start missing more than 3 days in a row, you are basically starting from the beginning. Not only has your body recovered from the previous workout, it has adjusted to the calories you are taking (too much or too little) and you aren’t utilizing your fat stores efficiently. Try to be consistent and don’t take more than a day off in the middle. This does not mean endless hours of working out. A fast paced 10 minute workout will do.

5: You are exercising too little

This may not seem like the case, especially if you are going to the gym consistently, everyday. But this is an easy thing to overlook. If you go to the gym and find that you pretty much finished each rep without a sweat or with relative ease, you are likely not pushing your boundaries. Pushing your boundaries means, that if you are doing 15 reps in a set, then the 12th rep should be so hard that you can barely finish it, but you keep trying till you get to 15. It should feel hard. You should feel frustrated. You should be trembling by the time you’re done. That’s a workout!

6: You aren’t getting enough sleep

You have a busy day, you work 12 hours a day, put the kids to bed, then try to get a quick workout in before bed and before you know it, you’ve only had 4-6 hours of sleep before your routine is back on. When you are working out, you need solid rest and recovery. Stress, whether physical or mental will raise your cortisol levels and prevent you from loosing weight. Find time to meditate, relax your mind and try to get 6-8 hours of REM sleep. You might need more sleep than normal when you first start working out, and this is normal.

7: You’re dehydrated

Dehydration can cause digestion issues and also cause excess bloating. Its critical for nutrient absorption and a healthy digestive tract to be well hydrated. Hydration will also give you energy throughout the day and as a bonus make your skin look great! You will be “regular” in the bathroom and feel much lighter!