Feel like your putting in extra time and not budging a lb??

I always like to read the MSN health section that pops up when i open my computer up at work. I don't know how scientifically correct all of it is, but i find it interesting none the less. They listed reasons why you might not being seeing any difference in your weight even though you're putting in extra time. Some of them I found valid...others...not so much. Here were some of the scenarios that I agree with.

You get up at 6:00 AM every morning for your daily run.
- problem?? you aren't going to bed until 12:00 or 1:00. Morning workouts are great if you're able to get in bed in time to log in 7-8 hours of sleep. Not getting enough sleep will hinder your weight loss considerably. Studies show that women who got from 5-6 hours of sleep are more likely to pack on the pounds. That sleep time is your body's recovery time. Without it your body can't perform like it's supposed to. Lack of sleep also leads to an increase in cravings...more munching...more calories.

You are logging extra miles on the treadmill to make up for big meals.
-The problem here is the caloric balance. A common misconception with weight loss is that you can work out and eat all you want and you'll lose weight. If only working out was the sole key to weight loss!! Unfortunately, this isn't the case. A healthy diet supplemented by exercise IS the key to weight loss. The bottom line is you have to have a calorie deficit.

You Ignore Age Related Muscle Loss
- This is definitely a problem, one that I think women in their 30's need to be aware of. Around age 30 women can start to lose muscle mass. This is also around the time when women's metabolism slows down and they begin to hold on to more fat. The more lean muscle you have on your body the more calories you will burn all the time. It increases your metabolism. The solution to this problem? Lifting weights! You don't have to be a body builder. Doing a few sets of weight bearing exercises 2-3 times a week will do the trick. Don't let it intimidate you, it's easy ;)

You think a "water-rich" diet means add more water into your diet. The end.
- Water rich should mean increasing your diet with foods rich in water; namely fruits & veggies. When you fill up on these foods you'll feel more full, you'll increase your vitamin and mineral intake, and you'll increase your fiber intake. ALL good things! The greatest addition to these fruits and veggies??? You guessed it...whole grains!

You have the "one goal at a time" mentality
- " I will only focus on going to the gym this month, next month my focus will be to eat healthy." While the building block approach is a GREAT one, accomplishing one thing and then adding another on top of it, far too often we forget about the first block and only focus on the second. I'm not saying have 15 goals....I realize that can be overwhelming. But, the odds of accomplishing something when looking at watching food, exercise, sleep, etc. is more likely than if you only focus on the gym and eat whatever you want. Makes sense, right?