Hi, I’ve been on a plan of eating clean and exercise for the last 8 weeks. I have been doing at least 30 minutes of either strength training, cardio, dancing or HIIT (high intensity interval training) each day and still haven’t seen ANY results. I drink quite a bit of water as well, but I only get 7 1/2 hours sleep. Why haven’t I lost weight yet?! – Alisha A.
The answer may lie in the total caloric change from your previous diet and exercise routine. Just as going vegetarian doesn’t equate to weight loss, eating clean can still include an abundance of calories. Clean foods – those that are raw or minimally processed – include energy dense foods like avocados, banana, coconut, fatty fish, meats, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, poultry dark meat, seed butters, and soybeans. Cutting out packaged foods means replacing them with something and if that something is as high or higher in calories you won’t lose weight.
You still need to watch portions and consider beverages. Often people who start working out unknowingly eat more volume to satisfy a greater hunger level. Sometimes a workout snack, shake or bar is introduced, adding calories unexpectedly. Try leaving the last few bites that you’d normally eat at each meal. Aside from water, look at what else you’re drinking. A homemade smoothie made with fruits, vegetables and walnuts is easy to drink down in 2 minutes, whereas chewing the raw ingredients may take a while… long enough to make you full before you finish.
I really praise the idea of short workout bursts for conditioning and establishing a routine. Your body just may need more to make a change in physique. A half hour workout may burn 250 calories, but so does an hour of gardening or cleaning house. Experts advise focusing on cardiovascular training (aerobic exercise) or HIIT and changing up your exercise every 3-4 weeks. If you’ve only got a half hour, check out our article on The Next Level 30 Minute Body-Defining Workout to make the most of it!
– Debbie J., MS, RD
Check out some of our other articles right here at LIVING HEALTHY for more tips on reducing body fat percentage.
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