You’ve started a workout plan. You’re eating right, and exercising as much as possible, so why is the scale not budging?

One of the biggest issues with starting a diet and exercise plan is overestimating the calories burned during exercise, and underestimating the intake of your total daily calories. This can actually keep your body at a plateau or worse, cause you to gain weight.

The best way to keep track of your daily meals is by writing them down. Get a journal or use an online tool such as www.livingstrong.com. Writing your food down has been known to speed up the weight loss process. Foods can be deceiving. It could be as small as adding extra butter, drinking another soda, or pouring too much dressing on your salad that could cause you to pack on the pounds.

When exercising, you want to make sure you are working out to your full potential. Taking a twenty-minute stroll around the neighborhood is good, but if you’re looking to change your physique, then you need to add more strenuous activity to your workout. Interval training is a great way to burn the most amount of calories in the least amount of time. By adding a few three minute bouts of high intensity exercises (ex. jumping jacks, jump rope, running, or walking fast) into their normal workout routine. This will challenge your muscles and burn fat more efficiently while helping to eliminate boredom.

The bottom line: If you expend more calories then you consume, you will lose weight. Be aware of the foods you eat, and make the most out of your workouts.