Why can't I lose weight even with a lot of exercise

Exercise, whether it's walking, cycling or exercising in sports clubs under the guidance of a coach, is a good way to keep your body in shape and burn excess calories at times. In a medium-intensity workout, you can burn about 300-600 kcal (about 1 lunch) in 1 hour. Looks like what could be better for losing weight? But there are more common myths that hinder the desired goal - to lose weight.

I play a lot of sports and I have a huge appetite

This is very important - weight loss is not due to exercise, but from calorie deficit. If you exercise a lot, but at the same time you eat, for example, 500 Kcal more than you consume - the weight will not decrease, but will even increase. Physical activity is a good way to burn calories, but you should not compensate with food to lose weight.

I eat very little

Due to malnutrition, your body gets stressed, and at every opportunity, even the smallest opportunities begin to accumulate reserves and are very reluctant to waste them. In addition, "fasting" regularly leads to overeating and as a result you compensate for all the accumulated "calorie deficit" with one or a few excessive meals.

I trained hard, but there is no effect

During intense physical activity, energy is produced mainly in an anaerobic (that is, anoxic) way - this type of energy exchange involves glycogen rather than fat. Of course, if you maintain a calorie deficit after such activities, it will promote weight loss, but it should not be expected that increasing the intensity of exercise will directly lead to weight loss.

I focused on digital scales

Muscles are denser than adipose tissue, which means they are heavier. With regular exercise, muscles develop, so weight can increase. Body composition can change - your muscle mass may increase, fat mass may decrease and the number on the scales may remain the same, but you will probably notice that your body circumference decreases because 1kg of fat takes up much more space than 1kg of muscle. Increasing muscle mass also helps speed up basic metabolism, as muscle tissue consumes much more energy than adipose tissue.

I quickly gained weight while playing sports

This situation is not uncommon, but remember - weight gain is not due to an increase in adipose tissue mass, but due to the accumulation of water. Water is needed for muscle regeneration as well as nutrient absorption. In addition, as the body loses a lot of fluid during physical activity, it begins to store it for future use. This problem usually occurs when you start exercising and over time the weight returns to normal. Read more about the role of water in our body here. 

My physical activities are monotonous

The human body has a great ability to adapt to the conditions, and if your physical activists are monotonous and uniform, after a while your body gets used to them, which then negatively affects both athletic performance and the loss of extra pounds.

I want fast results

By weighing yourself every day, you do not track the increase or loss of fat, but only random fluctuations in the amount of water and intestinal contents. It is much more useful to set long-term goals and focus on steady weight loss. My experience shows that the best way to keep track of weight changes is to weigh in once a week, in the morning, after going to the toilet, and before breakfast.

How to train to lose weight? What are the main rules for weight loss?

1. Keep track of your intake to ensure a real calorie deficit. You have to understand that there are no "magic pills" to lose weight "effortlessly", and physical activity cannot be. Loss of fat is solely due to a lack of calories - when the number of calories you have consumed in a certain period of time (for example, 1 day) is higher than you have eaten. Calorie deficiency that does not cause severe hunger is in the range of 10 - 20%.

2. Train with low intensity. In order to reduce fat during physical activity, it must take place in the aerobic zone, ie at the pulse where energy is exchanged using oxygen and the body uses fat to "fuel". It is individual for each person, but it is usually a load below the aerobic threshold. Often these are at least 40 minutes of low-intensity training - walking or running. However, your individual performance may differ significantly from the average. In addition, some people burn fat above the aerobic threshold. Read more about heart rate zones here. 

3. Diversify your physical activity. Change, learn new exercises, diversify your load - if it is, for example, running - sometimes run faster, diversify your run with bounces or jumps, etc. This will prevent the body from getting used to the monotonous load and will develop other muscle groups that will lead to higher calorie intake.

4. Exercise from time to time in the morning and on an empty stomach. The body will be particularly active in using adipose tissue as an energy source during low-intensity physical activity on an empty stomach. The fact is that after sleep, blood glucose levels are low, and with a low-intensity load, the body will consume mainly fat. This is especially effective if you have had strength training the night before and your muscle glycogen stores are low. Exercises on an empty stomach should not be a problem - they are effective if used infrequently. In addition, before such a workout, which could last 30 - 40 minutes, it is mandatory to drink a glass of water.

Key takeaways

Don't expect quick results. Of course, a lot depends on the initial parameters: a person with overweight on the street will lose it faster at first than someone who wants to get rid of only a few extra pounds.

Regular physical activity is more important than just a weight loss tool. They have a positive effect on health, well-being, appearance, endurance and gradually change lifestyles and even values. It is a whole world full of self-knowledge, adventures, active lifestyle, new acquaintances, emotions 

Remember that physical activity should not be "hard work". Over time, they will become an integral part of your life, and then you will enjoy the process instead of looking at the clock and waiting for the end of your workout.