5 Reasons the Scale Won't Budge l Ways to Lose Weight l Why Losing Weight is Hard l Tips For Weight Loss

The dreaded trip to the scale! You can almost feel your heart pounding in your chest. This time you have a glow of self-confidence as you look down at your adversary. After making it onto the scale, you realize that the needle hasn’t moved! It has to be off or broken, right? This thought is plausible but very unlikely. You are one of the 45 million Americans who started diets only to see them tank after the initial loss. Slate.com reported that 97 percent of dieters regain their weight and more in 3 years or less. Put all the weight-loss studies away and let’s get real. The reason the scale won’t budge may come from you, yo-yo dieting, lack of sleep, being lazy and from genetics. All of these are factors. We ask that before your throw the scale out the door, check out these 5 reasons that it won’t budge. You may be able to make some positive changes.

Lack of Sleep

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If you believe that a lack of sleep won’t mess up your weight-loss goals—think again! When we don’t sleep, the body releases hormones called leptin and ghrelin. These two are brothers when it comes to controlling how much we eat and when we are fatigued they kick in. Notice that when you are exhausted you reach for more sugar and more carbohydrates? That is the body's way of trying to compensate for the lack of energy. What happens is that you snack more often and gain weight. Try to get adequate rest. Another tip is to record what is on your mind on paper. It can help release tension, which impedes sleep for many. If you can't fall asleep talk to your doctor about other alternatives that can help.