You’re eating less. You’re trying to be “good”. You are probably exercising more yet the weight isn’t coming off as easily as it used to!
If this sounds familiar, you’re certainly not alone. This literally describes where I have been myself. For years it felt as though I could sniff my food and put weight on!
For many people, losing weight can be really straightforward as we hear the most annoying words in the world…
“Just eat less. Move more”
But in reality it is not that simple. We are complex, we have hormones, stress, sleep is broken, food noise can be loud and constant, and some of us have underlying health conditions that make losing weight feel impossible!
For most of us we start the week feeling motivated, carefully planning meals and making healthier choices. Yeah! feeling good and a little smug – actually smashing it Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday you’re still doing great. Then work gets stressful, or you had a rubbish night sleep, you’re tired, you’re hungry, and life simply gets in the way.
Suddenly the biscuits are calling and we throw in the towel. By Friday evening, you’re thinking, “I’ll start again on Monday” and the cycle begins again.
But what if the problem isn’t that you lack willpower?
Where can weight loss go wrong?
There are lots of reasons why losing weight can be harder than it sounds.
1. You’re eating less – but not necessarily eating better
One of the biggest mistakes I see is focusing entirely on reducing food. You may skip breakfast, have a tiny lunch or try to survive on salads because you believe eating less must automatically mean better weight loss.
But that can be exactly the problem. If your meals aren’t satisfying, you can end up feeling hungry, thinking about food constantly and reaching for quick-energy foods during the day.
Instead of simply asking “How can I eat less?” it can be much more useful to ask: “How can I make my meals more satisfying?”
Protein, fibre-rich plant foods and healthy fats can all play an important role in helping meals feel more satisfying, especially for women over 40 entering perimenopause and beyond.
2. Your breakfast could be setting you up for cravings
What you eat at the start of your day can influence how satisfied you feel later. A breakfast based mainly around refined carbohydrates or sugary foods may leave you looking for another snack surprisingly quickly. Compare that with a breakfast containing protein, fibre and some healthy fat.
The goal isn’t to find the “perfect” breakfast. It’s to start thinking differently about what your body needs to feel nourished and satisfied right now.
3. You’re trying to be too perfect
“I’ve blown it now.”
“I shouldn’t have eaten that.”
“I’ll start again tomorrow.”
Sound familiar? Then the self deprecating begins – the judgement – the feeling bad about yourself. The all-or-nothing approach can make weight loss incredibly frustrating.
One meal, one takeaway or one weekend doesn’t undo everything you’ve done.
What matters much more is what you do most of the time. Rather than aiming for perfection, I encourage clients to look for small changes they can actually maintain. This is why my method works – it is because its doable. If I can do it – you can too!
Because a plan that is perfect for two weeks isn’t much use if you can’t live with it long term.
4. You’re concentrating on what to remove rather than what to add
Weight loss advice can often sound like a long list of things you shouldn’t eat.
No chocolate.
No bread.
No pasta.
No carbs.
No alcohol.
No treats.
And while certain foods may need to be adjusted depending on the individual, constantly focusing on restriction can leave you feeling deprived.
Sometimes a much more useful approach is: “What could I add to this meal to make it more nutritious and satisfying?”
This small shift in thinking can completely change your relationship with food and you will find that the food noise simply gets quieter until you don’t notice it anymore.
5. Your lifestyle matters too
Weight loss isn’t just about what’s on your plate. Your sleep, stress levels, activity, daily routines and relationship with food can all influence how easy it feels to make healthy choices.
Think about how different your appetite can feel after a good night’s sleep compared with a night when you’ve barely slept. It is part of our physiological programming to drive us to find energy when we are tired and that energy is often packaged up in quick, easy grab and go foods that we know are not the way to go but…we are tired!! We don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, at this point we just need something to keep us going.
It is so much harder to make sensible food choices when you’re stressed and exhausted. This is why I don’t believe there is one perfect diet that works for everyone.
Your body, your lifestyle and your challenges are unique to you.
So what actually helps?
Rather than starting another strict diet, I’d encourage you to start by getting the foundations right.
Think:
NOURISH – Are your meals giving your body what it needs?
BALANCE – Are you combining foods to help you feel satisfied?
MOVE – Are you building regular movement into your day?
CONSIST – Can you repeat these habits without feeling like you’re constantly “on a diet”?
These might sound like simple things.
And they are.
But simple doesn’t mean ineffective.
Often, it’s the small changes that you can repeat consistently that make the biggest difference over time.
Want to try it for yourself?
This is exactly why I’ve created my FREE 3-Day Weight Loss Kickstart Challenge
I’m inviting you to spend three days with me exploring some simple ways to approach weight loss differently. Using the same approach that I have used with hundreds of my clients (and myself) that I know work.
There will be no complicated meal plan, no calorie counting and no expectation to be perfect and no judgement.
Instead, I’ll give you a simple focus each day and one small challenge to try.
Day 1 – Eat to Feel Satisfied
We’ll look at how you can build a breakfast that helps keep you fuller and more satisfied.
Day 2 – Build, Don’t Restrict
We’ll look at how adding the right foods to a meal can make it more balanced and satisfying – rather than simply taking foods away.
Day 3 – It’s Not Just About Food
We’ll look at the role of movement and everyday habits, including a very simple 10-minute challenge.
You’ll also have the opportunity to join me for a live session where we’ll talk about why diets so often fail – and what you can do differently.
You might be surprised by what you discover in just three days.
Perhaps you’ll realise that you’re eating too little during the day and then battling cravings in the evening.
Perhaps you’ll discover that a few simple changes to your meals leave you feeling much more satisfied.
Or perhaps you’ll simply realise that losing weight doesn’t have to mean constantly being hungry or feeling guilty about food.
You don’t need another diet.
You may simply need a different way of approaching your food, your habits and your body.
Come and try the 3-Day Weight Loss Kickstart for yourself.
It’s completely free, and there’s nothing to lose – except perhaps some of the confusion around what you think you should be doing to lose weight.
The challenge starts soon, so come and join me.
Evie Nutrition – helping you understand your body, improve your nutrition and make changes that are realistic for real life.
This challenge is for general nutrition education and is not intended to replace individual medical or nutritional advice.
Contact me today
Call: 07795 411832
Nutritional Therapist Gut Health Specialist
Discover how I can help you or your work team with a tailored nutrition plan or talk. From managing energy levels to improving sleep, my services are designed to guide you every step of the way.
The information contained in this blog is provided for information purposes only. The contents do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a professional before taking any action based on this blog. For personalised guidance, consult Evie Whitehead, a registered and qualified Nutritional Therapist (dipION, mBANT, CNHC). Evie Whitehead disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents.