By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD  

 Have you made changes to your diet and exercise routine but still haven’t lost weight? Maybe you are eating Healthy for Life Meals or following a meal plan without any results?   

 Making changes without seeing progress can be frustrating. In these instances, there could be something preventing you from losing weight that you may not realize.  

 Here are five possible reasons why you might not be losing weight, even if you are eating Healthy for Life Meals or following a similar meal plan.  

 1 – Drinking extra calories from sugary beverages or alcohol.  

 What you drink is just as important as what you eat when it comes to weight loss. 

 The number of calories in common beverages may surprise you: 

• 8 oz fruit juice = ~100 calories 

• 12 oz can soda = ~150 calories 

• Medium latte = ~200 calories 

• 5 oz white wine = ~120 calories 

 Having multiple higher calorie beverages in a day, or several alcoholic drinks a week, can add a significant amount to your total energy intake. So even if you are receiving the 1200 calorie HFLM plan, your actual calorie intake could be higher that you think. 

 When choosing beverages, go for plain and calorie-free flavored water, tea, or coffee without added flavorings or sugar. If you choose to drink alcohol, try to limit your intake to at most one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men. Even with this limit, remember that if you’re on a 1200 calorie plan, one drink a day will increase your daily calorie intake by 10%. 

 2 – Getting 12 meals from HFLM instead of a full weekly plan, or substituting meals. 

 Healthy for Life Meals are designed to help you lose weight while eating delicious and satisfying meals that have a set number of daily calories. 

 Some people lose weight with a partial plan that includes only 12 meals a week, but the most successful clients are those that commit to one of the full weekly plans.  

 Eating three meals a day, seven days a week from HFLM can help you maintain a consistent caloric intake. If you only receive a partial plan from HFLM or substitute our meals with restaurant or homemade options, you may be eating more calories thank you think. 

By committing to an entire week of meals from HFLM, you won’t need to worry about underestimating how much you are eating or struggle to put together a healthy meal. As a result, you may be more likely to lose weight and experience the progress you want! 

 3 – Adding in extra snacks.  

 Since our meals are balanced and satisfying with the appropriate distribution of macronutrients, most people do not feel the need to snack while following a HFLM plan. But there may still be instances when you want or need a snack.  

 Reaching for snacks that are high in calories and low in nutrients, such as chips, cookies, or candy, can hinder your weight loss efforts. Instead, aim for snacks that are high in fiber or protein, including veggies, cottage cheese and fruit, or hard-boiled eggs.  

 4 – Forgetting about exercise. 

 Even though food choices make the greatest impact when it comes to losing weight, increasing movement also plays a big role.   

 If you are receiving Healthy for Life Meals, incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can enhance your efforts to get healthy and lose weight. Exercise can help you burn some extra calories while reaping other great benefits, such as improved mood, better sleep, and a lower risk for some diseases. 

 Note from Healthy for Life Meals: Our meal plans have helped thousands of people lose weight and feel great! Committing to a full week of our meals and avoiding the common mistakes listed in this article can help you reach your weight loss goals. Get started with one of our plans today.