5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

Diet tricks that can help you break through a weight-loss plateau.

Beat the weight loss plateau

From Health magazine You’ve been walking the straight and narrow—counting calories, working out—and yet you’re not dropping pounds. What gives? The answer may be hiding out amid the random things you do over the course of an average day—those little habits that have seemingly no connection to weight loss, but may in fact be sabotaging your best get-fit efforts.

Ask yourself these questions, and if you answer yes to any of them, you may have found your personal diet defeaters. Outwit them and you’ll soon be back on track to a leaner, fitter you.

Do you always eat "healthy"?

A funny thing happens when you focus on making careful diet decisions. If you just "think" of your meal as a light choice, it can cause your brain to make more of the hormone ghrelin, reports a study from Yale University.

9 Foods to Help You Lose Weight

Delicious foods that help you diet? It sounds too good to be true.

No doubt: Weight loss comes down to simple math. You have to eat fewer calories than you burn.

"Certain foods can help you shed body weight," says Heather Mangieri, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, "because they help you feel full longer and help curb cravings."

Some even kick up your metabolism. So take this list when you go to the supermarket:

How can you become fit if you are thin?

• Eat balanced and healthy Diet which includes lean protein, more vegetables and fresh fruit, wholegrain services low- or even nonfat dairy to supply the body using the nutrients as well as energy you will need. Restrict sweets or unhealthy foods to occasionally, instead of eating all of them every day.

• Consume plenty of drinking water, eight in order to 10 glasses every day, in order to keep entire body hydrated throughout the day although doing physical exercise.

TheThe Benefit (And Downside) to Eating Breakfast Benefit (And Downside) to Eating Breakfast

According to a new study, eating in the a.m. leads to more activity throughout your day

You've heard it a thousand times: skipping breakfast is bad! But have you ever wondered why? Well, a new study from the University of Bath in England sheds some light on the benefits of breakfast (besides the fact that you get to eat these delicious breakfast bowls).

Researchers looked at how eating breakfast impacted the weight and overall activity levels of obese adults. The breakfast-eating group was asked to consume 700 calories by 11 a.m. while the fasting group was only allowed water until noon. The findings? Eating in the a.m. boosted overall physical activity levels throughout the day. So if you're hoping to have enough energy to bike to work and hit the gym in the evening, the findings suggest that eating breakfast will help keep your energy up all day long.

7 Workout Rules You Can Totally Ignore

They're right up there with texts from your ex.

There are few feelings better than the one you get after conquering a solid workout. And while you might feel great and have been slaying it in the gym even harder than Kylie Jenner on Instagram, there’s one teensy issue—you’re not seeing the rad results you were hoping for. It happens, and it sucks.

There are a few non-negotiables when it comes to making fitness gains: you have to do some sort of training (on a semi-regular basis) and you need to keep up a healthy, balanced diet. But if you’re looking to maximize your next training session, here are seven workout “rules” you can totally ignore:

What's Better for Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

While hitting the gym has many great health boons, it might not be the best way to lose weight

When you set your sights on weight loss, the formula seems easy: work out more, eat less. But a new study in the International Journal of Epidemiology shows that it might be more about what you eat, putting truth to the idiom "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym." (Want more truths? Check out these 25 Inspirational Fitness Quotes to Motivate Every Aspect of Your Workout.)

In 2013, researchers from Loyola University began looking into the relative power of diet and exercise as they relate to moving the scale. They thought they'd discover that exercise would prove to be a crucial component for weight loss. Two years later, though, the science shows that the largest driver behind obesity is not how sedentary people are but instead how poor their diet is.

Lose Weight Fast: How to Do It Safely

Sick of crash diets and fad diets? Follow these healthy tips.

Working on weight loss? Then you probably want results -- fast.

Let me save you some time: skip the fad diets. Their results don't last. And you have healthier options you can start on -- today!

You can safely lose 3 or more pounds a week at home with a healthy diet and lots of exercise, says weight loss counselor Katherine Tallmadge, RD.

How to Lose Weight Fast

If you burn 500 more calories than you eat every day for a week, you should lose about 1-2 pounds.

If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more.

For instance, if you take in 1,050 to 1,200 calories a day, and exercise for one hour per day, you could lose 3-5 pounds in the first week, or more if you weigh more than 250 pounds. It's very important not to cut calories any further -- that's dangerous.

Burn-Fat, Build-Muscle Plyo Workout

Add some jumping to your strength-training workouts for quicker results. Catching air with plyometric exercises means burning more calories in less time. The nine moves in this circuit work your entire body, and half of them are plyo. Learn the details on each exercise below, print the workout, and then get your sweat on. Since no equipment is needed for this workout, you can do it anywhere — so no excuses.

Directions: Warm up with five minutes of light cardio. Perform each three-exercise circuit three times before moving to the next. Cool down with five minutes of stretching.

Circuit One: Jump Squat With Heel Click

We love that this combo activates the inner thighs while working the butt and quads.

• Begin with the feet slightly wider than your hips, bend your knees, and, keeping your weight in your heels, squat.

Pack These Snacks to Lose Weight

Your Snacks Matter

Think snacks are off limits when dieting? Think again. Healthy snacks that have protein and fiber are essential for weight loss to nix cravings and keep hunger at bay. Check out some of our favorite Cooking Light Diet snacks.

First up, we have Pear Slices with Almond Butter

1/2 cup pear slices + 1 tablespoon almond butter

139 Calories

Homemade Guacamole and Chips

1 peeled, seeded avocado + 2 tablespoons chopped onion + 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro + 1/8 teaspoon salt + baked tortilla chips

Combine avocado, onion, cilantro and salt in a food processor; pulse 8 times or until combined. Makes 4 servings (1 serving=1/4 guacamole and 13 chips)

This Is The Last Diet You'll Ever Need

Everything you thought you knew about weight loss is wrong. New science shows that you can eat to reprogram your fat cells and slim down for good.

There's a reason so many of us struggle with losing weight (and keeping it off). Cutting-edge research is pointing toward a surprising new explanation—one that has little to do with lack of willpower. (Thank goodness.) In fact, the problem is that you've been doing what you were told to do—slash calories, cut fat.

Conventional wisdom holds that weight loss is nothing more than simple math. Take in fewer calories than you expend, and the pounds will fall off as predictably as leaves from an autumn tree. But thousands of failed diets have shown that the low-calorie approach doesn't work, says David Ludwig, MD, an endocrinologist at Boston Children's Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School. "When you cut calories, the body fights back, making you hungrier, among other things," he explains. "Weight is controlled by our biology more than our willpower."

At-Home Cardio Calorie Burner

There are no excuses for skipping this workout; it's only 20 minutes, and it requires no equipment, so no matter where you are, you can fit in a sweat session. Quick and effective, this workout is all cardio with no running required. Yep, you can do it in your living room. So learn the moves below, and get at it.

Directions: Perform each exercise for a minute (or as many reps of each exercise as you can in the 60 seconds, taking breaks as needed). Beginners, aim to work for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. Rest for two minutes between each 10-minute set. Cool down with three to five minutes of stretching.

March With Arm Circle

• March in place, bringing knee to the height of your hip, while circling your arms backward for 30 seconds and then forward for the remaining time to warm up your shoulders.

What the "Fat-Burning Zone" Option on Your Favorite Gym Machine Actually Means

So, you went to the gym and picked a cardio machine far from the judgemental eyes of the perfect crew and decided that it's your turn to reclaim your health. That's great! But, with all big decisions come some struggles, sacrifices, and confusion. Why confusion? Glad you asked! If you haven't noticed the "Fat-Burning Zone" on your elliptical, treadmill, or Stairmaster yet, you will — and when you do, you're going to wonder what it is, how it works, and if it's actually effective. Fret not! We looked into it for you. Here's the truth about the Fat-Burning Zone and why choosing your own high-intensity interval path might be a smarter bet.

The Scientific Reason Why You Suddenly Got All Emo During Yoga Class

Your mind and body are really connected.

The lights are dim, the music is peaceful, and your pigeon pose is perfection. Then, out of nowhere, you feel like you're living in an Adele music video. 

As it turns out, muscle release and emotional release can go hand in hand, and they're super common in your go-to yoga class, says Stephanie Johnson, a Chicago-area yoga instructor and Reiki master. "We often don’t have time to really tap into our emotions during our day-to-day, but when we enter the quiet space of a yoga room, we focus on the internal for once.”

3 Ways Maple Syrup Can Help You Reach Your Weight-Loss Goals

The sweet syrupy goodness of maple is not just for a stack of waffles — maple syrup is healthier than you think! Incorporating it as a sweetener can help you reach your weight-loss goals (and we're not talking about the Master Cleanse). Here are three reasons to keep some maple syrup in your pantry.

• It steadies blood-sugar levels: Maple syrup is a natural sugar, versus a modified (agave syrup) or refined sugar (glucose, sucrose, etc). It's got a similarly low glycemic index to honey, and it's loaded with antioxidants to keep you from crashing. This means you're more sustained and less likely to constantly reach for more sweets.

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• It's got high levels of zinc and magnesium: Magnesium is known to up your testosterone, which can help burn fat and build muscle. Zinc may also aid in weight loss; the mineral was administered in supplement form to obese patients in a 2013 study, which consequently improved their BMI and helped them lose weight.

What to Know About LISS Workouts and Why So Many People Are Doing Them

Are you in need of a break from a high-intensity cardio schedule? Maybe you've heard of LISS — a low-key style of cardio training and a fitness term that's been blowing up on social media. We chatted with Jake Peterson, a NASM-certified and Precision Nutrition-certified trainer, about the new fitness trend that's cropping up to figure out what exactly it is.

So, what is LISS?

LISS stands stands for Low-Intensity Sustained State — think marathon vs. sprint. Basically, any cardio- and aerobic-based activity that's performed at a low intensity but for a prolonged period (typically 30 to 60 minutes).

Work Your Entire Body and Never Leave the Floor With This No-Sweat Workout

We get it. Some days you just don't want to sweat. But don't give into the lethargy completely! We created this 15-minute workout for just those days that will not only work your entire body, but also allow you not to leave the floor to do it. Another excuse buster: you don't need any equipment for this workout.

Directions: Repeat this eight-exercise workout twice through. Focus on controlling your movements in each exercise and keeping things smooth and graceful. This will not only help you not sweat, but it will make the moves more challenging.

How Focusing on Goals Can Make You Fail

Say you want to lose an amount of weight. You set a goal in your mind and then work for it and wait until it happens. But what if it doesn't? What if you can't control yourself and you just can't seem to get to where you want to be? What if the amount of weight you wish to shave off of your figure is too much and you just don't have that much discipline in you? Is weight loss a goal you will never achieve?

Keeping one's eye on the finish line can off course be motivating for some but for others it can be intimidating and debilitating. I remember mountain biking for the first time after years, when my legs started to give up on me. I am very strict about covering pre-decided distances when working out so quitting was off the table. If I were to start descending before I reached the top of the mountain I would have felt like I was never on a bike ride in the first place. This is why I stopped looking at the top and would land my gaze at the first tree I would find in my way, then the second, then the fifth and so on. Before I knew it, I had made it.

Jennifer Lopez's Diet and Fitness Secrets Are Worth Taking a Few Cues From

Is it just us, or is Jennifer Lopez going full-on Benjamin Button? The always-on-the-go actress, singer, and dancer wowed at the American Music Awards as its high-energy host, showing off both dance moves and a her strong curves in a series of seriously sheer outfits — check out her best AMA moments here!). With good genes and a tireless work ethic on her side, here's how J Lo stayed healthy, happy, and fit.

Her positive outlook: Turns out even one of the most glam celebs in Hollywood has her off days, but she still keeps her focus on the positive. "Just like anybody else, there are days I feel great when I wake up, and then there are days when I feel more tired or not ready to face the day," Jennifer tells Elle Canada. "To be quite honest, on those days, I really try to think positively. I try to do a lot of affirmations for good health and positive thinking to just get my mind and my spirit in the right place so I can face whatever it is that I need to face."

Her healthy body image: She may be celebrated for her body, but Jennifer also knows what it's like to not look like everyone else. No matter what her shape or size, however, she doesn't let the pressure to be thin bother her. "I remember when I had baby fat and my thighs were so out of proportion to my ankles," she tells The Telegraph. "Then I remember dropping weight and being quite thin. Then, when I got pregnant, I remember watching my back, belly and butt grow and thinking, 'I will never be the same again.' Then I remember right after the twins were born having that weird jiggly belly — and kind of loving that, too. Because I earned that jiggly belly. Then came trying to get my body back into shape and how long that took. A whole year."

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Her willingness to sweat: Give Jennifer a workout goal, and she'll be sure to meet it. She signed up for a sprint triathlon in 2008 to help her drop the baby weight and has become a devoted student of Tracy Anderson to stay in shape. "[I'm like] a fighter, going into the ring. I do my cardio and I do my workouts with the Tracy Anderson Method," Jennifer says. Jennifer is so committed, she hits the gym even when she doesn't want to work out. "Sometimes when I get home and I'm not feeling so great, I make myself go to the gym," she's said in Redbook. "Then I come home and take a shower, put on a great outfit, some makeup, tie my hair up, and I feel pepped up and great about myself."

Her healthy habits: No hard partying here, and it shows. Jennifer maintains her enviable glow (even with 16-hour workdays) with a few healthy habits: following a sugar- and salt-free diet (she's also a "big portion-control person," she says), eschewing cigarettes and alcohol, and getting eight hours of sleep a night.

Her practical outlook: Jennifer knows that if she wants to look and feel her best, it's about putting in the hard work. "You got to work out, you got to watch what you eat," she told Us Magazine. "It's a job — you've got to buckle down." Earlier this year, Jennifer even went on a 22-day vegan challenge in order to reset her eating habits and lose weight.

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