If you have been trying to lose weight with no success, try the 5 tips listed below.  When in doubt, the dietitians at Yummy Body Nutrition would love to work with you and help you achieve your weight loss goals.

1.     Lack of exercise and daily movement. Exercising regularly can help with weight loss but can also lower your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, to name a few. If exercise is the missing piece, do not just “exercise to lose weight.”  Remember the steps you take to lose weight must be maintained for long-term success.  Find joy in the process!  Go for a walk, try a new workout video, or buy a piece of equipment for your house.  There are so many ways to be physically active! As for daily activity, set reminders on your work calendar or phone to get up and stretch, or go for a walk to avoid prolonged sitting.
2.     You are not sleeping enough. Sleep regulates your body’s appetite hormones: ghrelin and leptin.  Ghrelin drives hunger and leptin signals satisfaction. One night of poor sleep (could be less than 6 hours), ghrelin can increase, and leptin can decrease.  This can result in feeling hungrier than normal and not as satisfied, resulting in eating larger portions.  Not only that, studies suggest insufficient sleep can increase cravings for less nutrient dense products and can lower inhibitions putting you less in control of your eating choices.
3.     You are not eating enough protein. It is recommended to have 10-35% of your calories come from protein.  If you are eating a 2,000-calorie diet that would be 50-175g of protein per day. Eating enough protein with each meal is helpful for weight loss because it helps with satiety, preventing blood sugar spikes, controlling cravings, and preserving muscle mass.  Start with breakfast – how many grams of protein are you eating?
4.     You are not eating at least 25g of fiber per day. Like protein, fiber helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied. One of the great reasons we eat is to give our bodies energy and satisfy hunger. Adding fiber foods to each meal can help you cut back on portion sizes and even help those late afternoon or evening cravings! Some ways to start – add some fruit to breakfast, switch from a low fiber cereal to a high fiber cereal, swap that protein bar for an apple with peanut butter as an afternoon snack, or swap white rice for a sweet potato at dinner.
5.     Negative mindset.   Do you get upset with yourself for not losing weight? Having a positive mindset is everything.  Successful weight loss takes time. There are no short cuts.  Think about all your accomplishments in life – did you short cut those?  With weight loss, be proud of your journey and how far you have come! If you genuinely believe you will achieve your weight loss goal, what is the point of getting hung up on one meal or one number on the scale? Focus on the positive changes you have made over the course of the week, month, or even in the past year.