Many people want to lose weight for their physical and emotional health, but some find it trickier than others. It ain’t easy–even with regular exercise, that extra weight just won’t go away! Luckily, we’ve compiled 18 reasons most people can’t lose weight, so hopefully they help.
They’re Overeating
It sounds obvious, but overeating can sometimes be difficult to spot. It doesn’t mean constantly gorging on unhealthy food daily; it can be as simple as eating too fast or feeling like you must finish everything on your plate. Don’t count every calorie. Instead, structure your meals to prevent unconscious overeating.
Slow Metabolisms
Your metabolism is the most valuable player when it comes to losing weight. Having a slow metabolism means you’ll lose weight at a slower rate, and dieting can actually further slow it down. According to Harvard Health, metabolism slows dramatically in response to weight loss, so you’ll burn fewer calories.
Lack of Cardio
All types of exercise are good, but cardio is one of the best ways to burn calories and shed unwanted weight. You probably won’t notice much weight loss if you’re not getting your heart rate up and working your muscles while you exercise. Regular cardio, like jogging or swimming, is key.
They’re Stressed
Unfortunately, stress is a frequent factor in daily life. People are juggling jobs, families, social obligations, and chores, so they create coping mechanisms. For many, their coping mechanism is overeating, which sabotages weight loss. Stress also leads to the overproduction of cortisol, which makes your body hold onto fat.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Some people wrongly and dangerously believe that not drinking water aids weight loss when, in fact, the exact opposite is true. Staying hydrated stops your body from confusing dehydration with hunger and encouraging you to eat when you’re not actually hungry. Drinking water also makes you feel more alert and ready to exercise.
Poor Sleep
Sleep is essential to your mental and physical health, including healthy weight loss. A lack of good sleep causes an increase in appetite and metabolic dysregulation, so your body will consume more and burn fewer calories. Constantly feeling fatigued will also put you off exercising, so you’ll likely gain weight, not lose it.
It’s Genetic
Though exercise and a healthy diet are essential to losing weight, having genetics on your side makes it easier. National Institutes of Health explains that eight genes have been reported as causes of obesity, so genetics absolutely tie into weight gain. They also make weight loss more difficult for some people.
Undiagnosed Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is underactive and doesn’t produce enough hormones. As a result, the body stores excessive salt and water, increasing its weight. Until hypothyroidism is diagnosed and treated with hormone replacement pills, affected individuals will struggle to lose that excess weight.
Too Much Snacking
Skipping meals isn’t recommended for healthy weight loss, and it’s also utterly pointless if you’re snacking more to dissipate hunger. Eating small snacks might seem like an excellent way to diet, but many snacks contain more calories than you might think. Too much snacking also prevents a nutritious, balanced diet.
Medication Changes
If you’re struggling to lose weight after recently starting a new medication, that could be the culprit. Medications, including birth control, antidepressants, insulin, sleeping pills, and blood pressure medicines, all make it harder for your body to shed excess weight. Sometimes, you’ll even gain more weight.
Mental Health Struggles
Trying to lose weight is hard enough, but it’s almost impossible when battling mental health struggles. For example, depression makes it harder to find the motivation to cook healthy meals and exercise regularly. If you aren’t in a good place mentally, your mind is more likely to sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Lack of Fiber
Fiber is essential for gut health, so if you aren’t getting enough, you’ll struggle to lose weight. Gut bacteria help break down things your body can’t digest, promoting weight loss. Many high-fiber foods, like carrots and broccoli, are packed with nutrients, so increasing your fiber consumption is an overall good idea.
Drinking Too Much Alcohol
If you’re on top of what you eat and still can’t seem to lose weight, check your alcohol consumption. Drinkaware reminds us that alcohol contains almost as many calories as fat, as well as lots of sugar. This is disastrous for weight loss, and many people don’t realize just how unhealthy alcohol is.
Poor Meal Planning
Meal planning may seem tedious, but it’s an easy way to help regulate your diet and prevent you from eating too much or missing out on important nutrients. Planning meals makes you aware of how many calories they are so that you can avoid certain foods as part of your diet.
Fast Food
It’s self-explanatory that you should avoid unhealthy food when trying to lose weight, but many people underestimate fast food. Most fast food items have high-calorie counts and contain copious amounts of fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol, all of which negatively affect your body’s health and weight loss abilities.
Extreme Dieting
Dieting is the best way to lose weight, but don’t go overboard. Extreme dieting is terrible for your health and also halts weight loss. Healthline warns of the dangers of your body entering ‘starvation mode’ due to long-term calorie cutting. Your body burns fewer calories to conserve energy, so you’ll lose less weight.
Hormonal Fluctuations
Your body’s hormones are directly linked to weight changes, so hormonal fluctuations could be to blame for your inability to lose weight. When women reach certain points in their menstrual cycles, they become bloated and struggle with weight loss efforts. The same is true for men with low testosterone levels.
Unrealistic Expectations
Ultimately, successful weight loss depends on your mindset. Many people think it’s as easy as jogging daily and eating vegetables, but it’s so much more. Weight loss requires consistent effort and motivation, even after you’ve shed the pounds. Being unrealistic makes it easier to give up or put the weight straight back on.
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