Here are some reasons you’re not losing weight despite your efforts… and they might surprise you.
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RDReviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
If you’re pursuing weight loss, there might be a variety of reasons why, from wanting to keep up better with your family to improving a specific health biomarker. No matter what motivates you, it can be frustrating when the scale just won’t budge despite your dieting and exercise efforts.
You came to learn about the sneaky reasons you can’t lose weight, but here’s the twist: instead of pushing for those short-term weight loss goals, we’ll explore why focusing on sustainable, health-promoting habits is actually a much better idea.
Forget about restrictive diets and unpleasant workouts—it’s time to look at how you can support your long-term health and find a healthy balance with food in the process.
6 Sneaky Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight
1. You’re Focusing on Elimination and Restriction.
Most people quickly eliminate foods and heavily restrict calories to lose weight, but being too restrictive can often backfire and prevent weight loss—or even lead to weight gain.
“Restriction often leads to feelings of deprivation which can trigger binge eating or overeating. Instead, focus on balancing your meals with plenty of protein, fiber and foods you enjoy eating,” Jessica Barron, M.S., RD tells EatingWell.
Focusing on what you can add to your diet is a much more sustainable way to promote health and well-being. Take a bird’s eye view of your eating habits and look for what might be missing. Are you getting enough protein? Fruits and veggies? Look for opportunities to add more nutrient-dense foods to your diet instead of focusing on what you need to eliminate.
2. You’re Skipping Meals.
While you may think skipping meals will help you lose weight, it often increases overall calorie intake later in the day. Skipping meals or going too long without eating often leads to intense hunger and cravings. This may cause compulsive eating, eating too quickly or eating more than what feels good to your body. And overeating might lead you to feel shame and want to skip meals, and so the cycle can go. Overtime, this can lead to problems for your health and make it difficult to honor your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
Instead of skipping meals, “Tune into hunger and fullness cues, and focus on adding more nutritious, satisfying foods to improve your relationship with food and support a healthy weight,” says Cayleigh McKenna, RD, LDN.
Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Skip Breakfast
3. You’re Chronically Dieting.
Chronic dieting and undereating calories can slow down your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight and easier to gain it back. When you’re in an extreme calorie deficit for an extended time, your body’s metabolism slows to conserve energy.
Researchers studied metabolism changes in participants from “The Biggest Loser” competition, where rapid weight loss significantly slowed their resting metabolic rate (RMR). Six years after the show, participants had regained most of their weight loss and their metabolisms remained suppressed, even though they maintained their physical activity regimen.
If you’ve been dieting for a while and you’re not losing weight, your body likely needs a break and time to recover from being in a calorie deficit. Talk to an expert like a registered dietitian to find out how many calories you need and what is a safe deficit to support weight loss for you.
4. You’re Eating Too Few Carbs & Not Enough Fiber.
Low-carb diets, keto and carnivore are all fad diets that many people claim helped them lose weight—and fast! But the science suggests that going too long without eating carbs, or eating too few carbs, can lead to increased cravings and excess calorie intake.
“Carbohydrates are essential for energy and brain function. Low-carb diets can lead to fatigue, poor concentration and nutrient deficiencies,” says Andrea Hinojosa, M.S., RDN, LDN, CLC, founder of Honest Health & Wellness. Instead of avoiding carbs, aim to include a moderate amount with each meal.
If you’re not eating enough carbs, chances are you aren’t getting enough fiber either. “Fiber is crucial for digestive health, regulating blood sugar levels and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. Eliminating whole food groups can significantly reduce fiber intake, impacting overall health,” Hinojosa says.
Fiber slows digestion, increases feelings of fullness and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Research shows that consuming about 30 grams of fiber daily can promote a healthy weight, lower blood pressure and enhance insulin sensitivity.
5. You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep.
Sleep is important for so many aspects of health as it helps regulate hormones related to appetite, stress and metabolism. “While sleep itself doesn’t cause weight loss, insufficient sleep can disrupt your metabolism and has been associated with greater caloric intake throughout the day, making it more difficult to lose weight,” says McKenna.
Hinojosa says that poor sleep “can disrupt these hormonal balances, potentially leading to increased cravings and challenges in managing healthy eating patterns.”
“Insufficient sleep affects cognitive function, mood and overall well-being, which can further complicate efforts to maintain a balanced and supportive relationship with food and body image,” Hinojosa adds.
6. You’re Focusing Too Much on the Scale.
“Focusing too much on the scale can negatively impact your health,” says Kourtney Johnson, RD, a registered dietitian and writer. Research has shown that weighing yourself daily can lead to depression and anxiety, decreased self-esteem and decreased body satisfaction.
Using weight as the only marker of progress isn’t helpful. Weight fluctuates daily for many reasons, including bowel movements, hormones and carb or salt intake. “Fixating on the scale can diminish your motivation causing a vicious cycle of food restriction and binging,” says Barron. “By shifting the focus away from the scale, you can take a more holistic approach to your health and well-being,” she adds.
Related: I’m a Dietitian & This Is What I Wish People Knew About Eating Disorders
Other Tips for Healthy Weight Loss
“Research also shows that only 20 percent of people who intentionally lose weight keep the weight off for one year, and that number drops further by the second year,” says Johnson. Loss of muscle tissue, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, decreased metabolism and other negative side effects have all been connected to weight cycling.
The best way to achieve a healthy weight for you is to not focus on just your weight. Instead, focus on habit changes you commit to long-term.
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Get moving: Do some type of movement every day. Bonus points if it’s a type of movement you enjoy. Whether it’s walking, bicycling, swimming, dancing, roller skating or something else, daily movement has been shown to promote healthy weight maintenance and improve cardiometabolic health.
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Get strong: Strength training increases lean muscle mass and has been shown to reduce body fat, increase metabolism, lower blood pressure and increase insulin sensitivity. Whether it’s through lifting weights, pilates, yoga or body weight exercises, building strength is a great way to promote overall health and a healthy weight.
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Eat a balanced diet: Including protein and fiber at meals and snacks can increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction. Aim to include a variety of food groups—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats—in each meal to ensure you’re getting a broad spectrum of nutrients. “This approach supports not just physical health but also helps promote a more positive and balanced relationship with food,” says Hinojosa.
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Incorporate foods you enjoy: Instead of restricting them, eat foods you previously viewed as “off limits” with your meals and snacks. Eating foods that are less nutrient-dense with foods that offer more nutritional value can increase satisfaction. Aim for a variety of nutrient-dense whole foods in balance with foods that offer less nutritional value.
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Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water. “Proper hydration supports digestion, helps regulate energy levels and improves skin health. It also plays a role in maintaining a healthy metabolism,” says Hinojosa.
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Try Intuitive Eating: Intuitive eating is not a free-for-all. “When you honor your hunger with gentle nutrition, you can actually eat more mindfully. When you eat mindfully, you can better identify when you are full,” Barron tells EatingWell.
Related: I Tried Intuitive Eating for 2 Weeks—Here’s What Happened
The Bottom Line
Weight is only one indicator of health, and a variety of factors affect our weight over the course of our lives, from our habits and behaviors to our genetics. If you focus on sustainable, health-promoting behaviors—like eating a balanced and variety-filled diet, engaging in regular movement, getting adequate sleep and managing stress—you can improve your overall health and well-being, and likely settle into the weight that’s healthiest for you.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
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