Why is it So Hard to Lose Weight?

If you are determined to lose weight and get healthy, the first step is to identify why is it so hard to lose weight? Then you can devise a plan to overcome the obstacles to reaching your goals. Unfortunately, many of us have the wrong idea about weight loss. We think the only way to lose weight is to do hundreds of sit-ups or to starve ourselves to the point of mental illness. But you don't need to put yourself at risk of mental illness or starvation to lose weight.

The first five reasons why is it so hard to lose weight start before you ever make it to the gym. In fact, the first five things that stop you from achieving your goals are all related to misconceptions. These six mistakes will really stunt your weight-loss progress, but if you move into adulthood aware of them, then you can avoid other common weight-loss pitfalls. You probably have a short-term attitude. Without a long term plan for weight loss, eventually you will shed 10 to 15 pounds within two months and then suffer a huge rebound after you find out that the new regime was not working for you.

You have an all-or-nothing attitude about weight-loss. Your mind says you must be able to lose this much weight or you will die of a heart attack within the next week. And that's just the way it is with your mind.

The all-or-nothing attitude is closely associated with diets. When you tell yourself you must consume X amount of calories or you will die, or that you must eat this type of food or you will develop Type 2 diabetes, then there is no room for compromise. So, once you reach a specific target, regardless of what your original plans are, your diet becomes rigid from the beginning. This can lead to bingeing and yo-yo dieting, two very dangerous things that will derail any weight-loss efforts.

Another reason why is it so hard to lose weight is that all-or-nothing thinking keeps you emotionally busy. There's always something else to do: the shopping, the driving, the kids, a big meeting with the family, etc. And because all you can think about is how much weight you must lose, you never have time for anything else. All your energy is spent on this obsessing about losing weight. Ironically, it makes it more difficult to achieve your goals because you never have enough time to work on them.

All this extra stress and anxiety can be detrimental to successful weight-loss. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Obesity found that those who had an all-or-nothing attitude when it came to dieting were more likely to experience serious diet related complications, such as gallstones, heart attacks, ulcers, and other problems. More serious dieting issues, in turn, can result in health complications, too.

So the next question is, why is it so hard to lose weight? The answer is that with an all-or-nothing attitude you simply cannot make a healthy decision and stick to it. It is unrealistic and almost impossible to think that you will stop eating all your favorite foods or that you won't indulge in unhealthy snacks. When all your choices are black and white, it becomes very easy to say yes or to continue eating whatever it is that you're doing. With an all-or-nothing attitude, not only is weight gain common but it is also very easy to gain just a little weight, and to keep that weight off. If all your choices are black and white, how do you expect to change your behavior and live a healthier life?

The only way to accomplish weight loss is to change your all-or-nothing attitude. Picture yourself at your desired weight and in great physical shape, then picture yourself doing something that will help you achieve that goal. If you have an all-or-nothing attitude, then an eating plan probably isn't for you-but changing your behavior will go a long way toward changing your weight. If you'd like to learn more about healthy behavior and how you can easily change your attitude towards healthy eating, please visit the website below.