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Still No Weight Loss Despite Rigorous Training?"I work out a lot, and I watch what I eat; but I just can't shed those extra pounds!"
We've all repeatedly heard this or seen clever advertisements promising dramatic weight loss in a short amount of time - most of which turn out to be disappointingly false. Understandably, people who struggle with their weight are likely to believe in any quick solution promising to end their dieting woes. After all,
many people are lured to the gym on such promises. But this often leads to false or exaggerated expectations of an individualized training regime, causing frustration and bitter disappointment. Some blame their trainer, while others lose confidence in themselves. Both can lead to resignation, and the well-known chorus:
"I just simply can't lose weight, no matter what!"
 The next common step is a trip to the pharmacy for the latest miracle weight loss formulas. When this last-ditch effort fails, so too fades away the dream of having that beautiful body everyone wants.
Where There's a Will There's a Way
The most fundamental basis for changing one's lifestyle includes a balance between exercise and nutrition. It is quite normal for the body weight to actually increase in the beginning of any weight loss programme. However, weight gain does not necessarily equal an increase in body fat. Often, the imbalance in body fluids and changes in muscle tone represent how the body is adapting to the training. Not surprisingly, the first visit to the scales can be a hair-raising shock. Conceivably, two people with the same
fat to muscle ratio can end up with two different readings on the scales. The role of physical activity in accelerating weight loss lies in the increased rate of metabolism which, combined with a low-calorie diet, leads to a reduction in body fat.  Unfortunately, the amount of extra calories burned with certain activities is often overrated. This means that a single full course meal can be enough to counteract all the benefits of a week-long exercise regimen. Obviously, the 'secret formula' to reasonable weight loss lies not only in your diet, but also in a series of lifestyle changes involving nutrition and exercise. Pills and potions to reduce your appetite, nutritionally unbalanced diets and other weight loss tips found in magazines seldom lead to any permanent weight loss. So if you are serious about losing those 'love handles' once and for all, then you need to take action immediately to change your entire lifestyle.
Consider the following important points:
1) Before you start it must first be established whether a change in your diet will lead to a decrease in total caloric intake while increasing nutritional density. It is not enough to change your diet: you have to eat healthier. If you deprive your body of adequate nutrients for an extended period of time, you will risk starving your system of essential vitamins and minerals, which in turn may lead
to serious health problems. Read more on this topic in: Basic Nutrients, Vitamins, and Minerals.
2) You have to choose a sport you enjoy. Which brings us to the topic of motivation. If you participate in sports only as a means to an end, (i.e. 'to lose weight'), then you will be more likely to give up if you don't see any immediate and measurable results. If, however, you like the sport you're doing, and actually look forward to every training session, then you are much more likely to persevere.
3) Keep a diary that documents your weekly sports activities to get an overview of how much you are actually doing, and to be able to see your new body 'taking shape'. Don't just write down that you were in the gym for 90 minutes! Track your actual activities, including type, intensity, and duration. For example: 30 minutes bicycle at 145 THRZ (Training Heart Rate Zone), 4x30 reps of abdominal crunches, etc. This is how you can determine how much of this "90 minutes in the gym" was actually proactively used!
4) Make a conscious effort to put more
 'movement' into your daily life. Don't take the lift - take the stairs, ride a bicycle instead of driving the car, and so on. This advice might seem simplistic, but it can really make a difference.
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