You watch what you eat and you work out zealously, but still those kilos cling… What gives? And what can you do?

You’ve been pulling out all the stops to get in shape – eating less, focussing on low-cal foods and ramping up your exercise routine. So how come you’re no closer to being able to fit in that bathing suit and slinky party frock you’ve set your heart on?

These could be the reasons why your weight-loss efforts are failing:

You’re eating too little: If you skip meals or don’t eat enough to meet your body’s energy needs, your body protects itself by going into famine-alert mode. Your metabolism slows, your body holds on to fat, and your blood-sugar level dips. The result is that you don’t just fail to lose weight – you crave food, especially sweet, fatty things, setting yourself up to binge. In a study at Cornell University in the US, people who skipped meals bought 31% more junk food than those who had a snack before shopping. Skipping meals also discourages you from exercising, as you lack the energy for it. Even if you start a session, you are likely to feel weak and give up halfway… Rather than skip meals, eat smaller, healthier, nutrient-dense ones to keep your blood-sugar level constant, says Cape Town dietitian Claire McMahon.

You’re eating the wrong foods: Just because labels say ‘diet’ or ‘lite’ doesn’t mean you can eat them with no consequences. Many yoghurts and other foods sold as ‘sugar-free’ can contain unhealthy fats (saturated/trans) or lots of salt (which causes water retention) to make up for lack of flavour. And those sold as ‘fat-free’ often have hidden sugars – check the labels for terms such as fructose, sucrose and dextrose. Aim to eat whole foods in a natural state for the nutrition and fibre your body needs and to help you feel full. Include lean protein, whole grains and some monounsaturated healthy fats (such as olive oil and avocado). ‘There’s exciting new research to show that the type of fat you eat, and not just the total amount of fat, makes a difference to weight loss,’ says Claire. ‘Monounsaturated fats come out tops, with saturated fats being more likely to aggravate not only cholesterol levels and cancer risk, but are more readily stored as body fat.’

Your portions are too large: For protein, a portion is just 90 g (the size of your palm). Have a portion of lean red meat twice a week, fish twice a week, and skinless chicken the same. For the rest, favour lentils or pulses. A portion of those and of carbohydrates (which should be the base of a meal) is a small cup or handful – choose whole grains to keep your blood sugar steady, such as wild brown rice, brown basmati rice, buckwheat
or stampkoring. A serving of fat is a level tablespoon, says Claire – again, select healthy varieties, such as olive oil, or a thin slice of avocado. A portion of fruit is a small apple, small banana or a dozen grapes – ideal for a snack or as dessert.