Why we gain weight back so quickly

Let's face it, the last thing we want to see when we're making progress in a fitness journey is any sign of backtracking. Whether your clothes start to fit a little tighter, the number on the scale increases, or you start to see proof that you've been falling off of your diet, it's discouraging to think we put in all this hard work just to head in the opposite direction of our goals.

So why is it so easy gain weight back so quickly after working so hard to get it off. Well... think about it. Your body is made up of hundreds of thousands of chemical reactions. There are so many factors working together to allow your body to function properly, and fat is one of them.

When your body fat changes, your body has to shift its gears in order to adapt to the absence of something it's been working with for however long. This is why consistency is so crucial to keeping weight off. The more consistent you are, the more time you'll give your body to adjust to its new way of doing things.

You ever see those people who go through extreme weight-loss transformations and then gain most of it back? That's because the time and consistency it takes for the body to adapt and the mind to learn new habits is much longer than a few months, and in a lot of cases can take years. The more you understand that, the less stress and frustration you'll have trying to lose weight.

Ask yourself this question: What am I doing right now to lose weight? Now ask: Is this method sustainable for the rest of my life?

If your answer to that last questions is no, you need to get a real understanding of what lifestyle you want to live, because until you find a routine that fits into your lifestyle, or you change your lifestyle all together, you will be in a constant race with yourself on a hamster wheel.

My suggestion would be to sit down and write out your goals. Then write down some realistic (and I mean be real with YOU) ways to reach those goals. Then break those goals down into a week-by-week agenda. Example:

My Goals

To lose 26 lbs in 2018 by losing 1/2 a pound each week.

How to reach these goals

Eat Cleaner

Workout every week

Spend less money eating out

Only treat myself to one cheat meal a week

Weekly Agenda

Week 1

Sun - Meal Prep

Mon - New Yoga Class

Tues - Stairmaster 20 minutes | Row machine 20 minutes