Are you struggling to lose the pounds but only to find all the latest workout and diet have not made any difference? Dr. Libby Weaver in her Accidentally Overweight takes diets out of the picture to explore 9 other reasons you cannot put together your weight-loss jigsaw. Check out  these 5 solutions to find the missing piece of your weight-loss jigsaw.


#1 - When your diet is heavy in carbohydrates, you might be having too much insulin in your body.
Carbohydrates refers to anything that can be broken down into glucose (i.e. cakes, biscuits, pastries, dairy, fruit, pumpkin, and sweetcorn). Insulin will transport the carbs which later turns into glucose to your muscle and liver but the transported to your fat cells which have an infinite capacity to expand. Thus, cutting out refined sugars, alcohol, and cow's milk are the the best solutions. Load up on lentils, root vegetables and berries. Try to limit fruit to 2 portions per day to reduce your requirement of insulin.



#2 - When you're always grouchy, it means your liver has been mistreated.
Tell-tale signs of liver mistreatment include a short-temper, impatience, and disturbed sleeping patterns. The liver is a saviour to the human body as it transforms substances that can be harmful into a less harmful form and works to excrete fatty substances, which is more commonly known as detoxifications. Mistreating your liver can kill cells, and fat will take over where these cells once were.



#3 - Sex hormones imbalance can make you suffer with regular bloating and headaches.
If you're having problems with your menstrual cycle or reproductive system, take a 4-week break from alcohol to detoxify the liver and rebalance the hormones. While oestrogen ensures there is adequate body fat every month, progesterone works as an antidepressant and a diuretic by breaking down this body fat for energy. Thus, an imbalance of the sex hormones could result in progesterone breaking your muscles down for energy rather than burning fat which in turn causing fluid retention, weight gain, migraines, and other problems. Swapping coffee for green tea can help to support oestrogen metabolism.



#4 - Choose a wise relationship with food by looking at the portion sizes.
When food is so immediately accessible, it's easy to forget that food is all about fueling for our body and not simply a treat. This is why your diets don't work. Food is never the problem but there's a need to adjust the food portion. Make sure you eat enough protein and/or starch and greens with a high water content such as radish, celery, green cabbage and broccoli. It usually take up to 20 minutes for our brain to register that our stomach is full. The easiest ways to avoid over-eating is to serve meals on a smaller plate and eat slowly.



#5 - Love Coffee so much? You might be stress.
Stress is more psychological and we each have our own way of dealing with it and this might include running, writing, reading, chatting or drink a coffee. However, caffeine stimulates adrenaline and causes insulin to turn excess sugar into fat. Take 5 minutes out of your day to breathe and think about what you're grateful for. Restorative yoga is amazing to relax the body and mind, too!