Why can’t I lose weight? 10 reasons that will surprise you!

We’ve all heard – or experienced it ourselves – someone telling us that they can’t lose weight despite dieting and exercising!

Why can’t I lose weight no matter what I do?

The truth is that there are several reasons that could make it difficult to lose weight, some of which are less known than others. For example, almost everyone knows that frequent large meals, rich in fat and sugar, can lead to weight gain and should be avoided.

But what else can negatively affect our body weight and how should we act in each case?

1. Poor sleeping habits

Sleep habits significantly affect – whether positively or negatively – both our mental and physical state. [1][2]

Numerous studies have shown that not only insufficient but also excessive sleep can lead to an increase in body weight and fat, making it difficult to lose weight. [1][2][3]

In particular, it has been shown that 7-9 hours of sleep per day, ideally at the same times every day, contribute to maintaining a healthy weight but also to easier weight loss and long-term weight-loss maintenance. [1]

On the other hand, too little sleep can affect the hormones that regulate feelings of hunger and satiety, usually leading to weight gain. Additionally, low energy levels from insufficient rest are likely to lead to less physical activity during the day, making weight loss even more difficult.

2. Anxiety

Another factor that can make weight loss more difficult is stress and mood swings. [4][5]

Daily stress leads many people to frequently consume junk food and unhealthy snacks in order to temporarily soothe negative emotions. But this can prevent weight loss, even for people who are very careful about what and how much they eat during the rest of the day. [4][5]

Stress also affects the hormones that regulate our sense of hunger and satiety, making it significantly more difficult to lose weight. [4]

3. Insufficient water consumption

Many people try to follow a balanced diet, choosing healthy foods in the right amounts for them, but they do not do so well with the amount of water they consume daily.

Water, vital for the body, has zero caloric value and seems to facilitate weight loss, by enhancing thermogenesis and reducing calories consumed during the day. [6][7]

Specifically, it has been shown that drinking half a liter of water before a meal significantly reduces the size of the food portion consumed. [6]

Additionally, people who drink enough water throughout the day are less likely to feel the urge to consume beverages high in calories, sugar, and/or fat (sodas, chocolate, juices, etc.).

4. Sedentary lifestyle

As mentioned above, many people find it difficult to lose weight, even though they watch what they eat. Often, the reason this happens is a lack of physical activity. Irregular exercise combined with long hours of sedentary work (e.g. home office) is something that characterizes many people nowadays.

As is well known, physical activity leads to energy consumption (burning calories) and at the same time boosts metabolism, greatly facilitating weight loss. In fact, it has been shown that people who do frequent aerobic exercise manage to lose weight and belly fat more easily. [8]

5. You’re not having enough protein

Diets for weight loss should not only be based on the total amount of calories consumed, but also on the type of food we consume.

Protein in particular can contribute to weight loss. It makes us feel full faster and stay full longer, compared to a meal that contains mostly carbohydrates. [9][10][11]

Studies have shown that people who eat a protein-rich breakfast (eg eggs) eat less throughout the day, lose weight more easily, and maintain weight loss longer. [9]

6. You underestimate the value of what you eat

Many people think they are taking in fewer calories per day than they should, when in fact they are doing the exact opposite. [12][13]

This can happen because they do not have a good knowledge of the caloric content of different foods or because they consume larger portions of food than they should, considering they want to lose weight.

In addition, many people snack during the day (binge eating), but do not take these snacks into consideration when organizing their daily menu.

In these cases, it is good to keep a record of the food consumed (food diary) for a few days, in order to have a clear picture of what one eats and to identify the possible cause that prevents weight loss. [14]

7. You don’t organize the meals of the day

It is important to have a general plan regarding what we will consume in the following days, in order not only to make our grocery shopping more organized but also to be sure that each day will include a variety of foods and a multitude of nutrients.

However, many people are not used to being organized when it comes to planning their daily meals and snacks in advance.

This can result in one running out of food at various times, often supplementing caloric needs with junk food, sweets or soft drinks. Even without particularly unhealthy choices, one is still more likely to gain weight or not lose weight despite trying.

In addition, meals prepared at home are generally healthier, rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Thus, we are full faster and for longer, facilitating weight loss, and at the same time we meet the body’s needs for essential nutrients.

8. You eat distracted

The way we eat and the circumstances in which we consume our meals seem to play a major role in the total consumption of food and calories during the day.

Most people nowadays eat on the go – in a hurry and without sitting at the table – or eat for hours while watching a movie, show, etc. In any case, such behaviors affect the amount we eat and our digestive system function, while limiting our ability to understand when we are hungry and when we are full.

Research has shown that it is very important to follow some important rules regarding how we eat, but also to pay attention to the environment we are in during the meal (Mindful Eating). [15][16]

It is recommended to sit at the table without doing anything else at the same time (e.g. talking on the phone, watching a movie). In addition, it is of great importance to eat slowly, to chew our food well and to stop eating when we start to feel full.

9. You eat out quite often

Often, despite the great effort to avoid eating unhealthy food, we fail to lose weight. In many cases this is due to regular dining out or the habit of having our meals delivered instead of preparing them ourselves.

Although it is perfectly normal that sometimes we do not have time to deal with the preparation of our food or we simply want to enjoy something different and ready to eat, it is important to remember that food from restaurants is most of the times bigger in size and higher in calories & fat than the meal one would prepare at home.

Therefore, without of course having to rule out going out to restaurants or having food delivery, great importance should be given to maintaining moderation in terms of frequency, as well as choosing as nutritious & light meals as possible.

10. Diseases and medications

Even if you are not characterized by any of the above, it is possible that the unsuccessful attempt to lose weight is related to one or more diseases or to taking medication, but also to certain major changes (e.g. menopause).

A number of pathological conditions have been associated with high rates of overweight and obesity, due to changes involving the hormonal system, metabolism, body fluid balance, intestinal function and more.

There are also several medications that are likely to adversely affect weight loss efforts, for example by increasing appetite or causing severe fluid retention and/or constipation.

Some conditions that seem to make weight loss more difficult include: [17][18][19][20]

• Hypothyroidism
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Don’t forget

You may often wonder how to lose weight fast, but in fact this effort is not characterized by a single change that we ‘ll need to make for a short period of time, but by many small things that will gradually improve the quality of our lives and help the body to find the right weight! In addition to a balanced diet, exercise, good psychology and adequate sleep are just some of the things that help our body to balance.

Furthermore, nutritional supplements can help us, which either increase the metabolism, or help us deal with fluid retention or even the tendency to snack.

Find at Vita4you.gr a great variety in supplements for slimming!