Number One Reason Why You Cannot Lose Weight

     Difficulty in losing weight can be caused by a metabolic imbalance that forces your body to store body fat rather than burn it for energy. You may also have a tendency to gain weight around your abdomen, have high blood pressure and other hidden reasons why the weight will not shift.

Most people are not even aware of this hidden defeater of weight loss than can cause even the most serious dieter to hit a brick wall in their efforts but they do however, experience its damage.

Sometimes known as 'diet shock' metabolic stress is a condition where your metabolism goes into a kind of shock or fright which is often caused by not eating enough food. It can be triggered by a reduction in glucose such as a reduced carbohydrate intake when trying to lose weight.

The long lasting chemical imbalance caused by food restriction causes the body to worry about the food shortage so it takes action requiring less energy to work and makes do with what is available. The metabolism (the body's engine) is slowed so less glucose is needed so cells become resistant to insulin. This causes the cells to respond less effectively to insulin which is the hormone that removes sugar from the blood.

More and more insulin is then produced to try and get the cells to open up so they can use the glucose that is present in the blood stream. Blood sugar and insulin levels remain higher over time doing damage to arteries and other tissues. This situation is made worse if you slip off your diet temporarily or if you are a yo-yo dieter going on and off diets.

Weight loss attempts are hindered because the chemical imbalance caused by this 'starvation response' creates a vicious cycle that is compounded by two problems.

First, the metabolic rate is dropped to conserve energy in the threat of a famine so fewer calories are needed to keep the body systems running and the rest is converted into fat as a back up supply. So less fuel (calories) is being burnt and more are stored.

Secondly, because you have less energy you cannot do justice to a proper exercise program that includes strength training exercise which is what is needed to increase your metabolism so you can burn off excess fat. You are effectively working against your body not with it and you can never ever win this battle.

The better way to do it is to only drop your calories a hundred or two from your base level which is around 1800-2000 for women and 2200-2400 for men. Eat 5-7 small meals each day with a portion of protein at each of those meals. Get your muscles toned up and in good health with your strength training program and get your body running at its best.

Put all of your energy into these workouts and hold off on any low intensity endurance stuff that takes energy but does not do anything to speed your metabolic motor and help you lose weight long term. This simple formula really works - try it and see the results for yourself.

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