Changing the way your body looks and feels is rarely an easy process. It usually requires changes to your overall diet and lifestyle, and even when you’ve made drastic changes in these areas, sometimes you just can’t lose weight. It’s frustrating when you’re striving for a change like losing weight that seems healthy to you and your body doesn’t cooperate.
However, it’s important to remember that losing weight doesn’t happen overnight, and the rate at which you lose weight will also vary depending on your gender and age. Also, losing weight isn’t always a good indication that you’re living a healthy lifestyle, especially if you’re following a diet that restricts the amount of nutrients your body gets or if you’re not eating enough to maintain your daily energy. levels
But if you’ve been trying hard to stick to a healthy diet and haven’t noticed a change, there may be some other parts of your lifestyle or routine that are keeping you from losing weight. We asked Dr. Richard Allison, a registered dietitian at herbalife nutrition (opens in a new tab)to share eight reasons why you may not be losing weight.
1. You are not eating in a caloric deficit
“A calorie deficit is key to losing weight,” says Dr. Allison. Eating in a calorie deficit means that you burn more calories than you take in each day. If you are eating more calories than you are burning, it will be very difficult for you to lose weight.
“When eating in a calorie deficit, you still want to make sure you’re getting all the key nutrients and hitting all the key food groups,” adds Dr. Allison.
our guide on How to create a calorie deficit. can help you if you have problems. Or maybe you prefer to learn how to calculate macros to lose weight.
2. You have underlying thyroid problems
Thyroid problems are very common, since Dear (opens in a new tab) have found that 1 in 20 people have a thyroid problem in the UK alone. This could be one of the reasons why you can’t lose weight.
“If you have an underactive thyroid gland, your metabolism will slow down,” explains Dr. Allison. “A slow metabolism will often result in you gaining weight more easily and make it more difficult to lose weight at the same time.”
People with thyroid problems have many different symptoms, including tiredness, constipation, and depression, so it can be hard to tell if this is something you’re experiencing. But if you suspect that you have thyroid problems that could be preventing you from losing weight, you should talk to your doctor.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
3. You are taking certain types of medication
Many types of medication can cause weight gain, so it’s worth checking with your doctor if any of the medications you’re taking might be preventing you from losing weight.
“Certain medications often have different effects on people, but antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia, including chlorpromazine (such as thorazine), are known to make it more difficult to shift excess weight for some people,” says Dr. Allison.
This is not to say that you can’t lose weight with these types of medications, it just might take a little longer. Do not stop taking or change your medication without talking to your doctor.
4. You are gaining muscle
If you’ve started exercising more regularly than usual, your muscle mass may have increased, especially if you’re following a high-protein diet. If this is the case, it is possible that your weight on the scale has increased or at least stayed the same.
“If you’re shedding body fat and gaining muscle, then you won’t notice a significant difference in overall body weight,” says Dr. Allison. Gaining muscle can improve your overall health as it speeds up your metabolism, which can help you lose weight faster in the future.
Instead of weighing yourself to track your weight loss, Dr. Allison recommends measuring your waist circumference. “If her weight is increasing or flat but her waist circumference is decreasing, this is a good indication that she is losing fat mass,” she explains.
(Image credit: Getty)
5. Your macronutrient balance is off
“Energy balance is key to weight gain or loss,” says Dr. Allison. This is particularly true when it comes to carbohydrates, proteins and fats. “You need to have a balanced diet that includes all the macronutrients,” Dr. Allison emphasizes.
The amount of macronutrients you need or want to consume will depend on your goals. For example, if you want to increase your muscle mass, you may want to eat more protein. Read our guide on how to trace macros for more.
6. The quality or quantity of your sleep is off
There is a lot of research linking lack of sleep with weight gain and inability to lose weight, hence negatively impacting your metabolism (opens in a new tab) still 2015 study (opens in a new tab) which found that lack of sleep can slow weight loss.
“Sleep is one of the most important aspects of both cognitive and physical recovery,” says Dr. Allison, explaining that in addition to affecting your body’s ability to function, lack of sleep can also affect your appetite, which could make it difficult. for you to follow a diet or maintain your caloric deficit.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
7. You are not drinking enough water
“Dehydration is one of the main causes of overeating,” says Dr. Allison. “Many people often confuse thirst and hunger signals, resulting in unnecessarily overeating.”
Staying hydrated is important to all aspects of our health, so it’s no surprise that this can also affect weight loss. “Stay hydrated and let thirst be your guide. Whenever possible, have the best water bottle or a glass of water on hand and aim for two liters a day in general, more if you exercise or are hot,” advises Dr. Allison.
8. You are drinking too much alcohol
It’s easy to ignore how much alcohol you’re drinking when you’re trying to lose weight, especially if you’re out on the weekend and having fun. You don’t have to stop doing the things you enjoy when you’re trying to lose weight, but it’s important to be mindful of your alcohol intake.
“Alcohol provides a significant amount of calories at seven calories per gram,” says Dr. Allison. “Alcohol is easy to consume and rarely promotes satiety, so it’s easy to over-consume calories from alcohol. You also need to consider the calories in mixers and anything the alcohol is paired with.”
According to Dr. Allison, drinking alcohol can also affect the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, as they are put on hold while the body focuses on metabolizing alcohol. These changes in the way your body stores energy can also make it much harder to lose weight.
