6 Reasons You Aren’t Reaching Your Weight Loss Goals (3 of 4)

4. Your Taking Certain Medications

If you’re treating diabetes, depression, blood pressure, epilepsy, or are taking antipsychotic medications, this often has a way of screwing with your metabolism, can make you feel hungrier, increases water retention, or makes you feel fatigued, which in turn means you’re less active.

The Solution: If you’re finding yourself gaining weight as a result of medication or treatments, don’t stop taking them. Instead, talk to your doctor and see if there are solutions such as changing medications or adjusting the dose. If none of this is possible, meet with a registered dietitian to work on a healthy diet plan.

5. Your Portion Sizes are Great Than You Realize

When you look at the portion sizes on packaging, you’ll notice that they can be pretty random. Although there has been a movement to modify what constitutes a serving size to more realistic levels (for instance, identifying two-thirds of a cup of ice cream as one serving versus a half-cup), it bears no relation to your appetite or what your body truly needs.

The Solution: Planning out your daily meals is important. In fact, apps such as Lose It makes the process easier by tracking your calories, goals and progress. Determine how many calories you’re consuming and make appropriate adjustments. If necessary, work with a registered dietitian to develop a meal plan that is easy to follow.