Although it sometimes takes longer than you’d like, losing weight is a process. While safe, healthy weight loss does take time, there are some possibilities that should be taken into account as you monitor your development.
Your body retaliates when you lose weight.
At initially, you might be able to shed a significant amount of weight effortlessly. After some time, however, weight reduction may begin to slow down or cease altogether.
There are numerous factors that can affect weight loss, some of which could stand out more than others. As you work to make changes that will yield results, it is worthwhile to take all of them into account.
Common Reasons You Might Not Be Losing Weight
Internal health is one of the most overlooked aspects to take into account while developing a fat loss strategy. The body retains extra weight for a variety of unacknowledged reasons.
Following are 20 typical explanations for why you may not be losing weight.
1. There’s a chance that you’re losing weight covertly.
Don’t worry just yet if you believe you are at a weight loss plateau.
The scale will frequently remain stationary for several days or even weeks at a time. This does not imply that your fat loss is stopping.
The average person’s weight varies by a few pounds. How much water your body retains relies on the meals you are eating and hormones, which can also have a significant impact (especially in women).
Additionally, you can shed fat and build muscle at the same time. This is especially typical if you’ve just started working out.
This is advantageous since body fat, not simply weight, is what you should decrease.
It is a good idea to assess your progress using a method other than the scale. Take monthly measurements of your body fat percentage and waist size, for instance.
Additionally, how your clothing fit and how you appear in the mirror can say a lot about you.
You generally don’t need to worry about anything unless your weight has remained constant for longer than 1-2 weeks.
2. You’re not getting enough sleep.
It’s important to get enough sleep if you’re attempting to lose weight because it affects your physical and emotional health.
Lack of sleep can make you moody, disoriented, irritated, and it can even exacerbate melancholy. Your level of activity and dietary preferences may be impacted.
establishing a regular wake-up and bedtime, staying away from stimulants like caffeine Even if getting more than 9 hours of sleep per night may make you the envy of your friends, getting less than 5 hours per night might lead to weight growth.
Both have the potential to alter how your body produces the hormones that regulate your hunger and appetite. Additionally, you might skip your workouts if you don’t feel rested.
3. You don’t hydrate yourself sufficiently.
Drinking 2 to 6 cups of pure, clear water daily can aid in weight loss. Water quenches your thirst without making you gain weight because it contains zero calories.
Additionally, if you drink enough water, you might be less inclined to go for sugary beverages like soda, juice, or coffee. Sweet drinks with high calorie counts might result in significant weight gain.
4. Excessive stress.
Weight gain or failure to lose weight and stress are mutually exclusive. Constant stress can interfere with your weight loss regimen and cause a number of health issues.
- Cravings: Many of us turn to “comfort meals” that are high in sugar and fat when we’re anxious or upset.
- Cortisol: Too much stress triggers the production of cortisol, just like lack of sleep does. This can not only make you hungrier but also lead to the storage of excess belly fat.
- Motivation: A workout may seem too difficult if you’re feeling low, exhausted, or pressured.
Your attempts to lose weight are thwarted in the following ways. Since blood glucose and insulin are linked, this process may cause the body to retain fat, particularly in the abdominal region (the fat-storage hormone.)
5. You delay eating for too long.
Your metabolism slows down and is unable to burn off all the calories you consume at your subsequent meal when you spread out your meals excessively. The increased calories might result in weight gain. And if you’re too hungry, you might overeat.
Consider eating more frequently and in smaller portions.
6. You don’t consume whole foods.
Both quantity and quality of food are equally important.
Eating complete foods can enhance your health and assist in controlling your hunger. Compared to their highly processed equivalents, these foods typically pack a lot more of a punch.
A lot of manufactured foods marketed as “health foods” aren’t actually healthy, so keep that in mind. Make sure to check the ingredients list on the container and keep an eye out for foods with too many carbohydrates.
Make careful to incorporate whole foods into your diet. Eating an excessive amount of processed food may hinder your efforts to lose weight.
7. Eating excessively.
A lot of people who struggle with weight loss just consume too many calories.
The concept of calories in vs. calories out, also known as calories in vs. calories out, is one of the most crucial elements in weight loss.
We frequently overestimate calories burnt during activity while dramatically underestimating the number of calories we ingest.
Try weighing your food and keeping track of your calories for a while if you are having trouble losing weight.
8. Not enough exercise.
Exercise is obviously essential for weight loss, but it can be challenging to determine whether you’re engaging in the proper exercises or burning enough calories.
Experts frequently advise 60 to 90 minutes of brisk exercise each day for weight loss. When you work out hard, that time can be as little as 30 minutes.
Try to be as active as you can, in addition to exercising: Take frequent breaks from the computer, go for walks whenever you can, stretch, use a pedometer to track your steps, watch less TV, etc.
9. You spend the entire day sitting.
You might find it more difficult to lose those troublesome pounds due to your desk job or TV addiction.
When you spend most of your time sitting, your body may lose the ability to recognize when you’ve had enough food; as a result, you may overeat and put on weight. You may maintain your health by taking even small pauses during the day to exercise. Take three, 10-minute walks while attending meetings or watching your favorite TV shows.
10. You are not doing weightlifting.
Exercise that involves resistance, such as lifting weights, is one of the most crucial things you can do to lose weight.
This can assist you in preserving your muscle mass, which, if you aren’t exercising, is frequently burned together with body fat.
Lifting weights can also assist keep your metabolism from slowing down and keep your muscles toned.
Fat loss with strength exercise is effective. It helps maintain long-term fat loss and prevents the loss of muscle mass sometimes linked with weight loss.
11. You frequently overeat.
Binge eating is consuming a lot of food quickly, frequently far more than what your body requires.
For many people trying to reduce weight, this can be a serious issue. Others may binge on reasonably nutritious items like almonds, nut butters, dark chocolate, cheese, etc. while some people may binge on highly processed foods. Even if something is considered “healthy,” it still has calories.
If you frequently gorge on food, it could be the cause of why your efforts to lose weight seem to be coming to a halt.
12. You are not engaging in cardio.
Any exercise that raises your heart rate is considered cardiovascular exercise, commonly referred to as cardio or aerobic exercise. It involves exercises like cycling, swimming, and jogging.
It is one of the best methods for enhancing your health. Additionally, it works wonders at shedding visceral fat from the abdomen, the kind that accumulates around your organs and leads to sickness.
Consistently try to do cardio. It aids in fat loss, particularly around the abdomen. A weight reduction plateau could have several causes, one of which is inactivity.
13. You continue to consume sweets.
Sugary drinks are among the food products that contribute the most to weight gain. Your brain doesn’t make you eat less of other foods to make up for the calories in them.
This applies to all sugary beverages, not just Coke and Pepsi. It also applies to smoothies and “healthier” drinks like Vitaminwater, which are laden with sugar.
Even fruit juices should not be taken in huge quantities because they pose health risks. One glass of liquid can have as much sugar in it as many pieces of full fruit.
Eliminating all sugar-sweetened beverages is a great way to lose weight. They frequently account for a large percentage of a person’s daily caloric consumption.
14. Alcohol in excess.
No matter what kind of alcohol you prefer—wine, beer, or mixed drinks—it has calories that count toward your daily limit. No matter what kind of alcohol you drink, if you frequently consume 3 or more drinks each day, you run the risk of gaining weight or becoming overweight.
Limit your drinking to light or moderate amounts, such as one glass of wine with dinner. That could really prevent you from putting on weight.
15. You make hasty meal choices.
To avoid the temptation to grab anything on the move, it is essential to schedule your meals and healthy snacks. Even if you exercise enough, if you frequently consume fast food, sugary snacks, or sodas, you risk gaining an additional pound or two.
These calories appear to be treated differently by your body than the energy you obtain from nutritious foods because they are broken down too quickly. Additionally, they are low in fiber, which makes it more likely that you will continue to eat and drink thereafter.
16. It’s possible that a health issue you have is making things more difficult.
Even with proper nutrition and exercise, several medical conditions can make it very difficult to lose weight.
Additionally, where your body stores fat or how much weight you have may be influenced by your genes.
If you just can’t seem to lose weight, talk to your doctor. If tests reveal a health issue that makes losing weight difficult for you, you may be able to seek medication or other support to deal with it.
17. Thyroid?
Because their thyroid is no longer producing adequate thyroid hormone, some people gain weight or are unable to lose weight despite their Herculean efforts.
You could put on up to 5–10 additional pounds if this little gland at the front of your throat isn’t functioning properly. Your thyroid produces hormones that regulate your metabolism and how much energy you have. It may be difficult to lose weight if you don’t produce enough of them.
Additionally, if your body is retaining too much water and salt, you can feel bloated. Consult your doctor if you suspect you may have a thyroid issue. Drugs can be beneficial.
18. Meds you take.
Some medications you take for health issues may cause you to put on a little weight. For instance, steroids may alter your metabolism and increase your hunger, causing you to overeat and put on additional belly fat.
Even hay fever-relieving medications may make you gain weight. You might sneeze less but eat more as a result of their lowering a chemical your body produces to regulate your appetite.
19. Menopause is upon you.
You might notice that your weight creeps up throughout menopause if you’re like most women. Additional weight can result from hormone changes, a loss in muscle mass, and inadequate sleep due to hot flashes.
You’re more likely to need munchies for an energy boost later in the day if you wake up exhausted. Additionally, having a “spare tire” may be more likely for you genetically.
20. You devote too much time to dieting.
Diets almost never work long term. If anything, studies show that people who diet gain more weight over time.
Instead of approaching weight loss from a dieting mindset, make adopting health-promoting habits your primary goal. Examples include eating a nutrient-dense, balanced diet, exercising as much and as often as possible, and doing those things that make you happy on a regular basis.
Focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it and let weight loss follow as a natural side effect.
Final Thoughts
It’s not always simple to lose weight, and a lot of things might make it stop.
The simplest explanation for why you might not achieve your weight loss target is when your calorie intake is greater than or equal to your calorie expenditure.
Consider using techniques like mindful eating, food diaries, consuming extra protein, and strength training.
In the end, it takes grit, tenacity, determination, and patience to change your weight and lifestyle.