1. You don’t have enough muscle.The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Fat and muscle tissues consume calories all day long whether you’re running, reading or sleeping. No matter what you’re doing, muscle rips through more calories than fat. That's why men burn calories a lot faster than women; they have more muscle. What to do: Lift weights. You don’t have to get huge, but building and maintaining muscle week after week, year after year makes a difference in the long run.
2. Genetics: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.If both parents are obese, you are much more likely to be obese. Researchers estimate that your genes account for at least 50% - and as much as 90% - of your stored body fat. What to do: You’re not doomed. Your weight-loss challenge is just 10%-50% greater. Losing even just a few pounds makes you healthier and less likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
3. You’re getting older. A sluggish metabolism is a common aging problem. And we encourage it by sitting in traffic, long hours at the office and in front of computers. All this inactivity means we gradually lose muscle and increase body fat, resulting in a metabolic slump. But it’s not unbeatable. What to do: First, lift weights. But don’t underestimate the power of just moving. You faithfully walk the treadmill for an hour each day or go to yoga class, but what are you doing the other 23 hours? It’s a no-brainer: Folding laundry, walking to a co-worker’s desk and cooking dinner burn more calories than just watching TV, emailing your co-worker or driving to the pizza joint. Thin people fidget and move (called non-exercise activity) more than obese people, research shows. In fact, such antsy behavior might burn as much as 350 more calories per day – the equivalent of two doughnuts.
4. Your body can’t keep up.The intestines make about two dozen hormones – some that stimulate eating and others that decrease the need to eat. The sophisticated hormonal response can’t cope with our sedentary lifestyle and all those tempting Twinkies, potato chips and frozen dinners we gobble. So it’s harder to maintain ideal body weight. What to do: You can’t fight evolution, so you have to focus extra-hard on those things you can. Be active every day and fill up on low-calorie foods, such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, green beans and other non-starchy vegetables.
5. Your medicine cabinet is to blame. A host of drugs that treat diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, inflammatory disease and more affect weight regulation. Some will make you hungrier and others stimulate your body to store fat. And if a drug affects the brain, there’s a good chance it affects weight. What to do: Ask your health care provider if an alternate drug or a lower dose could work, but don’t change your medications without discussing it first.
6. You underestimate portions and calories.Even dietitians underestimate calories – and by huge amounts! One study found that women and overweight people miscalculate more than others. Other studies suggest that the greatest underestimating occurs when the meals are the largest, and that it doesn’t have anything to do with how fat someone is. What to do: Follow the portion guidelines at mypyramid.gov for several days. Use measuring spoons, measuring cups and a food scale to guide you. Then plug in your food choices on that site or another reputable one to calculate your calorie intake. And read every food label for serving size and calories. Need more help? Visit eatright.org to find a registered dietitian in your area.
7. You eat mindlessly or when distracted. Do you eat dinner in front of the TV? Do you stop eating when you’re full or when the show is over? If you’re munching from a bag of chips or a box of crackers, you can’t keep track of how much you’ve eaten.
What to do: Make it a house rule to eat from a dish. Always. No bags, cartons or fistfuls. Put it in a dish, sit down and savor the taste as you eat – without distraction.
8. You deprive yourself. Your list of can’t-have foods is so long. So what the heck, you think: You’ll just eat everything on your forbidden list to get it out of your system. You’ll start your diet over again tomorrow – or next week. Problem is, you can’t get it out of your system. It just doesn’t work that way. What to do: No more setting yourself up for feeling deprived. In fact, no more dieting. Take the focus away from that list of bad foods and emphasize those that are good for you. If 90% of the time you eat a wholesome diet of ample fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, lean meats or other sources of protein, then the other 10% doesn’t really matter.
9. You’re usually good, but… You always watch your portions. You start every morning with a healthful breakfast and eat only baked chicken, not fried. Consistency is key to dropping pounds. Researchers involved with the National Weight Control Registry found that those who eat similarly day after day are more likely to maintain weight loss than others. What to do: Again, stop dieting and start making small changes you can live with.
10. You overestimate your calorie burn.
Gym machines are notorious for overestimating the calories
burned by exercisers, and dieters can easily out-eat their workouts.
Your 30-minute power walk might burn 200 calories, but that won’t make
up for your after-exercise power smoothie. What to do: Exercise
is an important tool in controlling your weight and maintaining good
health, but stop rewarding your good work with food. If you’re tempted to follow a sweat session with a smoothie or muffin, consider these numbers first:
* based on average 180-pound person
For more information, visit this Weight-Loss Healthy Eating Guide.
| Food/Calories | Activity/Time to Burn Calories |
| Medium nonfat latte and blueberry muffin (605 calories) |
Walking 3.0 mph (20-minute mile), 2 hours, 14 minutes Walking 4.0 mph (15-minute mile), 1 hour, 29 minutes |
| Large bagel with cream cheese (430 calories) |
Jogging 5.2 mph (11.5-minute mile), 35 minutes Aerobic dancing, low impact, 63 minutes |
| 22-ounce strawberry smoothie with artificial sweetener (250 calories) |
Weight training, light, 61 minutes Circuit training (includes aerobic activity), 23 minutes |
| Fast food sausage and egg biscuit (500 calories) |
Gardening, 92 minutes House cleaning, heavy, 2 hours, 2 minutes |
For more information, visit this Weight-Loss Healthy Eating Guide.
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