Reason #1: Long Workouts

It makes sense that the longer you work out, the more weight you lose…

Right? Wrong.

Long workouts can make you plateau in your weight loss, actually making it harder to lose that stubborn fat.

It has to do with the way that your body burns fat. There are different types of fat on your body. Different fat deposits serve different purposes. Some fat just seems to fall off, where as other types of fat sticks around no matter what you do.

The fat that stays around is what we call “stubborn fat.” These are the reserves that your body keeps around in case of emergency. Think famine or war—times of hardship. Your body wants to hang on tight to these reserves, just in case something bad happens.

However, the fat just looks like ugly flab to us and we want it gone!

You have to trick your body into getting rid of those reserves. Long workouts do the opposite of getting rid of it. They actually make you hang onto these fat deposits even more strongly because it thinks you need them.

The real way to ditch the fat is to trick your metabolism with short, intense exercise sessions. Shorter exercise sessions will get your body burning fat without turning on its alarm bells.

Reason #2: Starving Yourself

Starving yourself is bad for you and it doesn’t work.

If your body thinks you are starving, it will do whatever it can to keep you alive. That means it goes into preservation mode. It starts burning calories at a much slower rate, trying to make up for any potential shortages.

Have you ever heard people complain that they’re practically starving themselves and still nothing’s happening? I have. They don’t know why it’s happening, but there’s a reason—your body’s starvation mode kicks in.

By continuing to eat, your body has the fuel it needs to keep burning that fat.

A low-carb diet that is full of healthy fats and proteins is your best bet for weight loss. You shouldn’t be going hungry while you’re trying to transform your body into your ideal.

Although starving yourself is bad for losing that fat, doing a short fast to kick your metabolic changes into high gear can be really beneficial. Just make sure to keep it brief. It’s important to keep your body from going into that dreaded starvation-mode limbo.

Reason #3: Trying "Target" Workouts

Targeted workouts are common for people who feel self-conscious about specific problem areas on their bodies. It makes sense to think that doing an arm workout will make you have better arms.

Really, the secret behind weight loss is to get your body’s systems working. Things like your metabolism have way more of an effect on your fitness than flexing one specific muscle can. If you can get your system burning more fat, every area of your body will benefit—including your problem areas.

Isolated exercises ignore the reality of how the body works. It is about the whole, not just specific parts. The best way to improve your problem areas is to burn through the fat!

Reason #4: Focusing on Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is popularly considered to be the best kind of exercise, but it isn’t true. Cardio raises the amount of a harmful stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is your body’s reaction to danger. Because you’re working your heart so hard, it sends out cortisol to preserve your stubborn fat reserves.

Cortisol actually stands in the way of weight loss. That’s why cardio workouts eventually lead to a plateau effect, where you can’t seem to make any headway.

In addition, cardio causes a lot of stress on your body. Over time, it can lead to inflammation, severe joint problems, and even cell damage.