Six reasons why you’re failing to reach your weight and fitness goals
A PE teacher has revealed the six reasons why you’re failing to reach your weight and fitness goals.
Belinda Norton, from the Gold Coast, believes there are many reasons why the numbers on the scales might not be moving, but six of them are the most common she has seen throughout her career.
‘These six things are the exact aspects that are stopping us from keeping our body in shape and maintaining our healthy body composition and mobility,’ Belinda wrote on her website.
- Too much sugar
The first reason why Belinda said you’re not reaching your health and fitness goals is because you’re eating too much sugar.
‘Sugar is the number one hinderance of our health,’ the 44-year-old said.
You might not think you eat all that much sugar, but sugar is in everything, from the food and drinks we choose to the takeaways we treat ourselves with on a Friday night.
‘Sugar is an additive in many foods hidden as a preserver,’ Belinda said.
‘The consumption of hidden sugars in our foodstuffs has taken its toll especially over this past year.’
The foods you need to especially watch out for that are those that are listed as ‘healthy’ include acai bowls and packaged food from the supermarket.
‘Read every label and compare brands as cheaper brands are often filled with extra preservatives and sugars,’ Belinda said.
If you can eat raw whole fruit or veg instead of a smoothie or juice, then do that.
Real food is always preferable to anything that comes out of a packet, the teacher added.
- Sedentary lifestyle
The second reason why you might not be seeing results on the scales is down to a sedentary or ‘stagnant’ lifestyle.
‘Our sitting lifestyle has been encouraged and outdoors discouraged due to government regulations,’ Belinda said.
‘New habits have been formed for many and this sitting and viewing the world from a screen has become a routine.’
If you want to get rid of this habit, then try to make a habit to move periodically by setting an alarm for movement breaks every couple of hours.
‘Take the stairs, go outside and walk a kilometre or a mile,’ Belinda said.
You should also challenge yourself to go a bit further and for longer every single week.
- No stretching
When it comes to exercise, the little we do make time for is often rushed, and so we don’t make the time to warm up.
‘Stretching out our muscles has become a luxury time expense, yet it is a free fitness activity and the most effective way of flushing our bodies,’ Belinda said.
If you want to get fitter and lose weight, you absolutely must make time for stretching and flushing the lactic acids and toxins from your body.
‘To ditch this habit, try stretching first thing in the morning or while watching your favourite TV show,’ Belinda said.
You could also try self-massaging with a foam roller while relaxing in the evening.
- Reliance on supplements
While supplements can be the perfect addition to a healthy diet and exercise, relying on supplementation will not make your body function better.
‘Save the money and time, and instead buy quality foods and move every muscle more often daily,’ Belinda said.
‘A supplement is made to boost and enhance the effective habits created with food and fitness routines.’
If you want to be healthy and potentially lose weight, choose foods that best fuel your body and avoid any diet foods.
Vegetables, fruit, high protein and lean meats or fish, zero or no sugar food or drinks and limited alcohol are some of the best dietary decisions you can make for your body.
- Not enough water
Water is the absolute key to good health.
Whether it’s warmed up or cold, the PE teacher said you need to be drinking between two and three litres per day.
‘Drink water if you are happy, sad, worried, fearful, joyous, after training, during and before,’ Belinda said.
If you struggle with water consumption, work on having a glass before and after every meal.
- Limited strength resistance training
Finally, strength training is key to increasing your body mobility and longevity.
Belinda said it will ensure weight management and increase strength and confidence.
‘Use a progressive overload strategy if your strength resistance training is not sparking the system,’ Belinda said.
‘It means an increase in repetition or weight bearing is required. Progress at a pace that makes you feel personal strength.’