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4 Surprising Reasons Why You Can't Lose Weight

By Diane Hanson

You’ve been really good; you haven’t had a bite of pizza or a sip of soda for months but you still can’t even shed a pound. So, what went wrong? Let’s look at a few possible reasons why you can’t lose weight and what you can do to turn things around.

Why Weight Loss Is Difficult

1. Sleep

Do you have enough sleep everyday? If you want to lose weight, experts say you need to have a good night’s sleep.

A lack of sleep will interfere with your body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and cause high blood levels of glucose, which in turn leads to higher insulin levels and greater body-fat storage.

In addition, insufficient sleep lowers your leptin levels, a hormone that plays a vital role in appetite control, metabolism and weight reduction. When your leptin levels are optimal, you tend to eat less food, and also make healthier food choices. So that means you consume fewer calories than you normally would. Furthermore, leptin speeds up metabolism and increases thermogenesis (fat burning). Hence, weight loss becomes a whole lot easier if you snooze enough – 8 hours of restful sleep every night.

2. Medication

Are you taking any medicine? Certain prescription drugs such as steroids, hormone replacement therapy, diabetic drugs, anti-depressants and oral contraceptives can make you fat.

You may want to ask your doctor to switch you to another medication that has the same desirable effects but will not cause weight gain.

Also, undiagnosed and untreated thyroid problems (Hypothyroidism) can contribute to weight gain and make weight loss difficult.

3. Age

Are you 35 years old and above? While postmenopausal women gain weight because of a lack of estrogen, men may experience weight gain due to a gradual decline in testosterone.

Less testosterone has been shown to reduce muscle mass, causing your basal metabolism rate (BMR) to slow down so you burn less calories.

What you should to do is to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, at least 3-4 times a week. You may also want to include strength training since it develops muscle, which will raise your basal metabolic rate and help you burn off more calories even at rest.

4. Depression and stress

Are you depressed or under a lot of stress? Studies have shown that people who suffer from depression, anxiety or other mental health disorders are more likely to gain weight.

Have you ever noticed that when you feel depressed or stressed, you just want to eat? And, very likely you’ll reach for comfort food that’s usually high in sugar and fats rather than snacking on celery sticks? Sugar-rich and fat-drenched junk food causes your blood sugar to plummet, making you feel sluggish and want to eat again.

A better and healthier alternative to unhealthy, highly processed nibbles is to have a high protein snack such as hard boiled egg or have something rich in fiber, maybe a small fruit like apple or banana. Bananas contains tryptophan, which can help alleviate the symptoms of depression because it is a type of protein that your body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax and feel happier.

Learn to manage stress through deep breathing exercise or yoga, and avoid anti-depression medications if possible.

All the above are possible causes of why you gain weight. Work on them and you should see significant improvements in your weight loss plan.

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