Always Sleepy? Always Hungry? Can't Lose Weight?....Here's Your Checklist

Not at your best? Sleepy? Constantly hungry? Not losing weight? Answer these questions to help you figure out why…

Am I sleeping enough? Other than the obvious, feeling tired, lack of sleep can increase hunger, cause depression, erratic mood swings, digestive problems and increased cortisol which will cause the metabolism to slow and your body to store fat, especially around your midsection.

Am I drinking enough water for my needs? Dehydration can cause fatigue, muscle weakness and/or cramps, sluggish metabolism, “brain fog” and digestive problems.

Am I consuming too many carbohydrates? Especially in the form of simple sugars (which includes things like fruit juice, fruit snacks, bottled teas and many forms of bread and crackers). These break down quickly in your bloodstream resulting in insulin spikes followed by fatigue, digestive upset, cravings and headaches.

Am I consuming too little healthy fats? Healthy fats can actually contribute not only to weight loss but improved brain function, better skin, hormonal balance and feelings of satiety after eating.

Am I eating too many processed “food like substances”? When we eat close to nature, our bodies know exactly what to do with these foods. When we eat science experiments in packages, not only does our body not know quite how to process this fuel or any vitamins or minerals it may claim to have but it also is busy processing the toxins in this stuff. Yes, occassionally we all will grab something less than ideal. But if you find yourself constantly exhausted, not able to use the bathroom (or, on the flip side, not able to stop using the bathroom) or completely stagnated in your weight loss efforts, try turning to nature for the solution and start eating more of the good stuff.

Am I always stressed out? If you are chronically stressed out this results in cortisol always being present in your body which results in lower metabolism and encourages your body to store fat, especially around your midsection.

Am I tending to my emotional and spiritual needs? If you aren’t taking time for yourself, to do things that bring you peace and happiness, you are sending the message to your subconscious mind that you are not worthy of the effort it takes to make these positive, lifelong changes.

Am I fueling my motivation? We all have those days where we just don’t feel like doing the right things for ourselves. This is when we have to step up our motivation. Online support groups, motivational media (movies, youtube, podcasts, magazines, etc.) and your trainer (that’s me) are excellent resources to keep you inspired. Use them!!

Am I consuming artificial sweeteners? This is HUGE mounting evidence that artificial sweeteners actually cause our bodies to store fat! It is a combination of lowering our metabolism, spiking our insulin and actually assisting our bodies in recovering more calories from every meal to store as fat. I have stalled on my weight loss and/or actually gained weight every single time I’ve fallen off the wagon and gone back to these sweeteners. Oh! And they are absolutely toxic for your body and brain.

Still not convinced? So did you find the item on this list that is responsible for your troubles? And maybe you still don’t feel quite motivated enough to do something about it? That’s where educating yourself on that subject comes into play. Knowledge is power! The more you know, the harder it is to bury your head in the sand so get to learning!