So you started your new years resolution – in December even – and you haven’t lost one pound. In fact, you’ve gained 4 even though you didn’t over indulge during the holidays. You ask yourself why and blame the 2 tablespoons of creamer you put in your morning coffee. Before you make your morning coffee boring, read on to discover 5 reasons why you might not be seeing the results you want.

5 reasons why you may not be seeing the weight loss results you want.

1. You don’t have enough lean muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more calories you tend to burn. This is a major reason why men generally have an easier time losing weight than women.

What to do about it:

Get lifting! If you’re not already using resistance training in your fitness program, now is the time to start. Not only can resistance training such as weight lifting increase your calorie burn at rest, it can stave off conditions such as osteoporosis.

2. Genetics. If both your parents were heavier set, there’s a good chance you will be too. Thanks Mom & Dad!

What to do about it:

Don’t worry, even though you don’t have control over your genetics, you do have control over what you do with those genes! A study published in PLoS Medicine in 2011 found that only about 2 pounds can be blamed on so-called “fat genes”. If you have a genetic predisposition to being overweight, regular exercise will reduce its effect by 27%.

3. You think you’re eating & drinking less than you are. If you are new to portion sizes, you can be quite shocked when you realize how small a proper portion size seems when you are conditioned to societal norms.

What to do about it:

Use a portion size guide - here is an excellent one by eatrightontario.com --> https://www.eatrightontario.ca/getmedia/255dbbe6-23cd-4adf-9aba-f18310f09e3d/Handy-Servings-Guide-English-for-web-FINAL-October-2015.aspx - or a food tracking app like myfitnesspal for a period of time until you become more aware of what sizes your portions should be. It doesn’t take that long to get used to it – you won’t need to track forever. I often return to tracking for a few weeks at a time if I feel my intake gets off track.

4. You think because you can exercise you can eat anything you want.

What to do about it:

Newsflash…although you do burn calories at rest, an average workout burns 200 to 400 calories – not really a huge percentage of an average daily caloric intake of 2000 calories. Also, regular exercise can actually increase your hunger. So – just like in #3, be aware of your daily calorie target and do your best to stick to it. It might mean splitting meals up into 6 instead of 3 so that you are constantly “refeuling”, but the results will be worth it!

5. You are depriving yourself.

What to do about it:

When you deprive yourself of a taste you are craving, you tend to eat calories in other ways trying to negate the craving – this can add up your daily calories significantly. Sit down and make a list of your most common food indulgences. Think about each one and decide if you really enjoy it or just end up eating it due to boredom or some other reason – cross off anything you really don’t absolutely love. Then, of the remaining items, plan to have a small amount each day or every few days. You will feel less deprived, and will be less likely to binge!

What are some ways you try to balance your diet? Please leave a comment below with your ideas!