Are you trying to figure out why you’re not losing weight? What would you give to see that number move? Or maybe the question is, what have you given to see it move but to no avail?

Although the scale doesn’t give us a complete picture of our body transformation, we still seek it to tell us SOMETHING. Before you throw out your tennis shoes and workout spandex, see if you might be actually sabotaging those weight loss goals.

Here are the top 3 reasons why you aren’t losing weight:

1. Not enough sleep

The National Institute of Health tells us that the average American gets less than 7 hours of sleep. We are supposed to get 7-9 hours, aka most of us are in sleep deprivation mode. Beyond the physical issues that loss of sleep has (irritability, higher levels of cortisol, foggy brain activity) it also messes with our hunger hormones. This leads to sugary cravings or just the feeling of being hungry more often during the day. Big picture result: less sleep means more caloric intake.

2. Improper portions of alcohol

A true serving of wine is 6 ounces, not the to-the-brim-one-glass-a-night regimen that you might follow. After a long day at the office (feeling tired due to lack of sleep) we feel we deserve that “glass” of wine but our pouring hand seems to be a little heavy.  Try to keep that night cap to a one SERVING maximum and see how the scale changes.

3. Not enough fiber

You might eat chicken for every meal but if you aren’t in-taking your greens or supplement with fiber you may be prohibiting your weight loss progress. Suggested intake amounts are 25 grams per day for woman and 38 grams per day for men, or 14 grams per 1,000 calories you eat. Currently the average intake is around 15 grams per day.