Why most women have so much trouble losing weight.

kwardklinck

I've been thinking a lot about this and I've been watching my friends and I've come to some conclusions about "diets" and why they don't work.
1. Most women don't eat enough calories when they're on a diet. They restrict their calories so severely they are setting themselves up for a binge eating session which leads to self -loathing and can make them give up before they really get started.
2. Most women say to themselves "Well I'm really craving this but it's not on my diet so I can't have it."
3. Most women say "I work, I have kids, I'm too tired, etc." to keep from getting off that couch and working out.
4. Most women go on a diet then go off.
5. Most women are lacking in calcium and Vitamin D and don't take the supplements they need when they begin restricting their calorie intake.

What can we do about it?
1. Eat the nutrition your body needs. Use the recommendations on MFP and eat what it tells you to. Don't feel bad about needing to eat exercise calories. Your body needs this to keep your energy level and to increase your metabolism. Don't let yourself go hungry. If you're starving you're going to mess up big time. If your meal plan makes you feel like your starving, you need to pack in more nutrient dense, low calorie foods.
2. If you're craving something, eat it. Just make up for it with either less calories for other meals or work it off.
3. Everyone can find 30 minutes to devote to themselves. Stop making excuses and just do it. It will firm up your problem areas and make you feel so much better energy-wise. I have much more energy now than I did before I started working out.
4. If you can't eat this way for the rest of your life, you need to find a different way of eating. Yo-Yo dieting is not healthy for you and it just leads to big disappointments later.
5. Take the necessary supplements if you're not getting everything you need. I take a multivitamin plus and extra vitamin c pill and a calcium supplement with Vit D added. I believe that cravings are the body's way of telling you it needs something you're not giving it. If you take the proper supplements the cravings should be less of a problem.

Last of all, forgive yourself for little mistakes. Overeating one day is not going to ruin all of your hard work. I don't look at it as messing up. I look at it as a small blip in my journey. Good luck to all of you and remember to do this for yourself. This is for your health and to make you look and feel as good as possible.
God Bless!

FabulousFifty

Wow! Thanks for the profound discussion topic. :flowerforyou: I agree! I have trouble with vitamins though. What kind of multi do you take? They sem t make me hungry! I do take calcium and D at night. I also take flax seed oil morning and night. I need to add a multi. Recommendations?

simona1972

Your posting this was PERFECT timing! I read it 1st thing this morning as I was trying to come up with excuses not to exercise. I was tired this morning. That's the truth and I was trying to convince myself it was okay to take the morning off. Then I read your post...and #3. And got off my bed and popped in my DVD and did my workout.

So....Thank you for this post

kwardklinck

I should say I've done all of these things and I've sabotaged my own success over the last 7 years. I've always had some excuse not to do what I should do. I'm learning so much right now and thought I should share with you guys.

OddSquid

Just to summarize something that the other posters have said and applies to both men & women:

Excuses. We all make 'em, and they're easy. Once you recognize that you're making excuses, then it becomes a little easier to blast past them.