Surprising things preventing you from losing weight

Are you struggling to shift those extra pounds? Understand what is stopping you from losing weight with top weight loss tips from our experts.

While a healthy balanced diet is the foundation to good health, the efforts of eating well don’t always equate on the scales.

You may invest heavily in a fridge full of healthy foods but after days of following a strict regime, find that you’ve barely lost a pound. Or you may see some weight shift at the beginning without much effort, but this may slow down or stop altogether before you’ve reached your desired weight.

Reducing calories will help, but for some this may not be doing the trick.  So, why isn’t your weight loss plan working as well as it should?  We speak to our experts to find out!

Evie Whitehead – Nutritional Therapist – “Many of my clients come to me saying that whatever they do, they struggle to shift pounds. If you wish to lose weight safely and effectively, there are lots of things you can do to ensure success.” 

1. Balance your blood sugar levels. If you suffer with energy crashes after eating and/or commonly between 3-4pm and if you crave carbohydrate/sugar to keep going, you may have a blood sugar imbalance that needs to be addressed.
2. Mindful eating – Eat without distraction – eating on the go, whilst sending emails, watching TV, scrolling through your phone, often means that it is easier to eat more than you need, overriding your satiety signals (think how easy it is to eat large amounts of popcorn at the movies) Take time to sit down and enjoy your food and listen for the fullness signal. Chewing your food 20-30 times per mouthful before swallowing can help slow you down so you can recognise when you have had enough.
3. Get rid of the processed/packaged food – Most food that can be purchased in a packet /can that is ready to eat or drink i.e. cereal bars, fizzy/energy drinks, ready meals, crisps etc., are high in sugar, and often high in trans-fats. These work against weight loss as they are harder for your body to process and utilise, leading to fat stores and energy crashes. Choose wholefoods in their natural states to cook with or eat raw.
4. Hydration! Keeping hydrated is key to losing weight for a few reasons. Firstly, your body sometimes confuses hunger with thirst, so try a glass of water before reaching for something to eat. Secondly, water helps your body to eliminate toxins and keeps the balance of water inside and outside of your cells optimised. If you suffer from water retention and notice puffy hands and feet drinking more water can help.

Emma Burwash, Naturopath – “There are many reasons people hold onto weight. It’s essential to look beyond what we are eating and analyse our lifestyles as a whole.”

1. Never skip breakfast! Load your breakfast up with protein and healthy fats. As well as helping to prevent your sugar levels from spiking, protein helps you feel fuller for longer and you will be less likely to snack between meals
2. Do you perceive your life as stressful? Research shows that stress can wreak havoc with your metabolism. Why? Because high levels of the stress hormone cortisol increase appetite, drive cravings for junk food, and thus make it easier to accumulate belly fat. If you’re able to lower your stress levels you could lower your weight at the same time.
3. Try intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting helps balance your insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body’s cells absorb glucose from the blood and use it for energy. The higher your insulin levels, the harder it is to burn fat and lose weight, as your body constantly tries to shunt energy into your fat cells. Recent research shows intermittent fasting may reduce insulin levels as it helps blood sugar levels to naturally reduce and you will lose weight as you lose fat. Symptoms of high insulin levels include fatigue, fat around the middle, bloating, sugar and carbohydrate cravings and fluid retention, especially around the belly and ankles.
4. Have you ever cleansed your liver? While most people don’t think about liver health in terms of weight loss, the fact is that the liver is responsible for helping metabolise fat. Therefore, flushing the liver of toxins can help improve metabolism and thus aid weight loss.

Clive Colman, from the Yummy Juice Company – “Intermittent fasting and internal cleansing are scientifically proven methods for aiding successful weight loss.”

1. Many people overeat unnecessarily, even when they are on a perceived ‘diet’. So, an intermittent fast or juice cleanse helps to reset the appetite and curb overeating.
2. Mindless eating is another issue that stops people from losing weight as effectively as they could. If you deny your body solid foods for a set period of time it can help you to become more aware / conscious of what you’re putting in your mouth when you start eating again.
3. Do you eat late in the evening? If so, your body has to work harder to rest and digest. Following a fast or cleanse means the body is only consuming liquids and gives the digestive system a much-deserved rest from breaking down solid foods. This in turn helps to rejuvenate and rebalance the body so it can function more optimally.
4. The body needs a full range of nutrients to truly thrive. A juice cleanse is one way to ensure the body is getting the nutrients it needs whilst abstaining from solid foods, enabling healthy weight loss.

Debbie Dean – Colonic Hydrotherapy – “Do you poo every day? It takes an average of 33 hours for food to be processed into poo and pass out of your body. Undergoing a colon cleanse through hydrotherapy or other cleansing technique can help as follows:”

1. Waste equals weight! When the body is not eliminating waste effectively, it stores in the intestine or colon and can show on the scales. A colon cleanse helps make the digestive system more efficient, helping waste move through the system more easily.
2. Clears the way for optimal nutrient absorption. This in turn helps to boost energy and vitality – one of the most reported benefits of a colon cleanse!
3. Kickstarts your metabolism as well as refocuses your attention on better food choices and whole-body wellness.
4. Helps maintain regularity and prevent constipation. Constipation causes a sluggish digestive response, which in turn leaves waste in the system for longer. This increases the likelihood of certain conditions and irritations leading to weight gain.

A combination of a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise is key to feeling happy with your body weight, shape and size. Our experts work both independently and collectively to address individual health concerns. If you need help identifying why you’re struggling to lose weight, please contact info@www.seed-yoga.co.uk.

To contact our individual therapists, please see as follows:

Evie Whitehead – Nutrition – http://www.seed-yoga.co.uk/evie-whitehead/
Emma Burwash – Naturopathy – http://www.seed-yoga.co.uk/emmaburwash/
Clive Colman – Juice Cleanse – http://www.seed-yoga.co.uk/theyummyjuicecompany/
Debbie Dean – Colonic Hydrotherapy – http://www.seed-yoga.co.uk/debbiedean/