You exercise, drink water, watch what you eat, use portion control and still are not losing a pound. How could that be? Here are 8 reasons why your body is not behaving the way you want it to.

1. Lift Weights

If you are not lifting weights, it makes it much more difficult to lose weight. Building and maintaining muscle is so important because the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just sitting here. It is one reason why men lose weight faster than women, they have more muscle mass. Alternate lifting weights one day and doing cardiovascular work the next day.

2. Fidget

Thin people fidget much more than obese people and this simple activity can burn almost 350 calories per day. Weight training and fidgeting will both help increase your metabolism.

3. Fill up on Low-Calorie Foods

Like non-starchy vegetables. Snack on broccoli, tomatoes, celery, carrots and take advantage of the pre-cut vegetables available in your grocery stores' produce section instead of processed carbohydrates.

4. Eat Meals at Home Instead of Relying on Drive-Throughs

Fast food can sabotage your weight loss efforts very quickly so find meals you can prepare quickly and easily at home.

5. Savor Your Food

This means place your food in a bowl or on a plate and sit down and enjoy it. No bags, cartons or fistfuls of food allowed.

6. Cheat Once a Week

It is important to not feel deprived and if you go way too long without enjoying some of your favorite foods, it can backfire on your diet efforts. No more dieting! Focus on foods that are good for you and enjoy them 90% of the time. That way, the 10% of junk food you may indulge in will not matter.

7. Stop Rewarding Yourself With Food

Instead find activities and ways to treat yourself daily. Take a Yoga class, get a manicure, pedicure or facial, meet a friend for some green tea or read a good book.

8. Are You Taking Too Many Medications?

There are all sorts of drugs to treat diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, high blood pressure and depression, to name a few. Some medications will make you hungrier while others still stimulate your body to store fat. Ask your doctor if you can go on a lower dose or better yet, find a Natural Medicine Doctor who can help you find alternatives and wean you off your medications. But please do not change your medications without consulting your health care provider first.

Losing even a few pounds makes you healthier and less likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or even cancer. You do not have to be super skinny to be healthy. If you lose 5-10% of your total body weight, it may be enough to get off high blood pressure medication. Find ways to incorporate exercise into your life, especially weight bearing exercises. It is a great way to control your weight and maintain good health.