It's hard to lose weight. Many people will tell you that what matters is the number of calories you consume compared to the number of calories you burn, as if your body were a simple math equation. But if it were that easy, everyone would have no trouble maintaining their weight.
Amy Gorin, RDN, who specializes in plant-based eating in Stamford, Connecticut, says that there are many more factors that influence weight management than most people realize, including genetics, environment, sleep habits, and muscle mass.
It's tough to lose weight, but it's not impossible. The key is to celebrate the small successes (eating more vegetables, walking more) and identify the factors that are standing in your way or causing a plateau.
If you are aware of these 10 common roadblocks, you may be successful at losing weight.
1. Your Gut Health Is Interfering
The collection of bacteria in your gut, known as your microbiome, may have a significant impact on your health and weight. A review published in 2020 found that probiotics, prebiotics, and synbionics (a combination of probiotics and prebiotics) may help prevent weight gain. The review also found that people with less diversity in their gut microbiomes were more likely to be overweight or obese.
Kirby Walter, RD, who owns The Nourish RD in Chicago, suggests increasing the prebiotics in your diet to help improve gut health. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut. If you don't consume enough prebiotics, the good bacteria may not be able to proliferate and overtake the bad bacteria in your gut. To increase prebiotics in your diet, focus on eating more fruit and vegetables. Embrace variety to give your gut a range of prebiotics that will keep it healthy.
2. Genetics Aren’t Working in Your Favor
Though it may be difficult, it is not impossible to land on your desired weight through diet with the right effort. Jason R. Karp, PhD, author of Lose It Forever, says that body weight is mainly determined by genetics though many people do not want to hear that. Dr. Karp references a study done on Swedish twins who were raised together or separately. The study found that genes account for about 70 percent of the variation in people’s body weight.
There is a theory called the set-point weight range, which is the range that your body is essentially happy at. If you try to reduce your weight too far below your set point, your brain will respond to weight loss with powerful tools to push your weight back up to what it considers normal.
The key to not gaining weight back after losing it is to continue eating fewer calories, at a slow rate. For example, a 160-pound woman should only lose 16 pounds in six months.
If this seems tough to accept, keep in mind that this knowledge can have a lot of positive benefits – it can actually make you feel free. It can allow you to be more forgiving towards yourself for not having reached a goal weight or other aesthetic goal, and stop punishing yourself because you lack willpower. You can use this knowledge as reinforcement to help you practice healthy habits that make you feel good, regardless of what size clothing you eventually wear. A study published in March 2021 in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that weight-inclusive interventions can improve cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar, as well as body image, self-esteem, and some mental health conditions. This shift might require a lot of self-work, but a dietitian specializing in the health at every size (HAES) approach can help you make this change.
3. You’re Getting Older and Losing Muscle
As women age and enter menopause, their estrogen levels dip which causes them to slowly lose muscle mass. According to research, muscle mass decreases 3 to 8 percent every decade after age 30. This is significant because muscle burns more calories than fat.
New research indicates that post-menopausal women are more likely to gain body fat, and require fewer calories as they age. In addition, natural changes to fat tissue associated with aging can cause weight gain, as described in an article published in September 2019 in Nature Medicine.
You can lose weight and keep it off by making healthy habits and having a plan for when you slip up. Karp advises making nutrient-rich foods the basis of your diet, limiting empty calories, and adding resistance training to your weekly routine.
4. Your Medicine Cabinet Is to Blame
Some medications can cause weight gain by interfering with your metabolism, affecting your appetite, causing water retention, or making you feel tired and less active.
If you notice that you have gained weight, talk to your doctor about it. Do not stop taking your medication just because you have gained weight, as this could be dangerous. In some cases, your doctor may be able to change your medication or dose. If this is not possible, speak to a registered dietitian, who can help you make healthier choices in your diet.
5. You Underestimate Your Portion Sizes
Portion sizes on packaging are random and don't correspond to what people actually want to eat or how much their bodies need.
According to Gorin, the best way to start planning your meals is to figure out how many calories you're consuming on a daily basis, and then adjust your portion sizes accordingly. If you're having trouble doing this on your own, she recommends reaching out to a registered dietitian for help creating an easy-to-follow meal plan. If you want to use a meal-planning app to make things even easier, she suggests checking out Lose It, which is free to download on both the App Store and Google Play.
6. You Eat Mindlessly or When Distracted
If you often find yourself snacking mindlessly while watching TV or scrolling through your phone, you may be wondering afterwards what you just ate. A meta-analysis published in September 2022 in the journal Appetite found that distracted eating is associated with a higher BMI. However, when you're aware of what you're eating and pay attention to it, you can make the connection between your full stomach and satisfaction.
When possible, it is best to prepare your own meals according to Gorin. This way, you know the care that goes into the food and are more likely to take the time to enjoy it. It is also recommended that you set aside a few minutes away from electronics to eat.
7. You Skip Meals, Then End Up Overeating
Or if you find yourself crying over a pint of ice cream. If you want to cut calories, you might be tempted to go through the day eating as little as possible and skipping meals. But if you do this, your body will make you eat – and this deprivation can backfire, says Walter. “Ninety percent of my weight loss clients are not eating enough during the day, and then they end up bingeing,” she says. If you restrict yourself all day, your body's protective mechanisms will kick in – the ones that drive you to get food, adds Walter. So it's not surprising if you eat an entire bag of cookies quickly late at night, or if you find yourself crying over a pint of ice cream.
8. You need to see your doctor.
If you're not losing weight despite your best efforts, there may be an underlying condition that your doctor can help you manage. Bring your food diary to your next doctor's appointment to see if they can help you identify any issues.
If you're not seeing the weight loss results you desire, it may be due to the medications you're taking, such as antibiotics, says Lee. Stop by your local pharmacy and ask if they can help you determine if your medications are hindering your weight loss.
9. Where you live and work is making it hard.
The same goes for the type of television shows you watch, the websites you browse, and the people you spend time with. If you're only option for lunch is the Wendy's near your work, you'll probably end up eating there more often than if you had other choices. If the nearest grocery store to your house doesn't have many healthy options, you'll probably buy and eat less healthy foods. The same goes for the type of television shows you watch, the websites you browse, and the people you spend time with.
Many people struggling to lose weight make the mistake of thinking that it is entirely their responsibility. However, Lee suggests taking a systems approach to weight loss instead. This means examining the systems and factors in your life that are preventing you from losing weight. By looking at the bigger picture, you can figure out why you haven't been successful in your weight loss attempts and make the necessary changes.
Assessing your environment means taking stock of the things around you that you can control. This might mean making small changes like taking a walk during lunchtime, packing a lunch instead of eating out, or starting to eat breakfast. These changes can have a big impact.
Lee says that there are three factors which affect weight: diet, physical activity, and metabolism. It is likely that you can change some aspects of your life to impact all three, but Lee says not to be too harsh on yourself as it is not possible to control everything.
10. You need a little help from your friends.
When it comes to changing your habits, you don't have to go at it alone. Having friends that participate in those habits with you can actually help you stick to the changes. For example, if you and your friends usually meet up for wings night, try mixing it up with a healthier option. Or, better yet, go play some pick-up basketball. Not only will this help you lose weight, but it might also encourage your friends to lead healthier lifestyles as well.
Eating on a predictable schedule will help your body anticipate being provided with adequate nutrition, says Walter. Even if you're trying to lose weight, she says, you should plan to include a variety of foods in your day so you don't feel deprived. For example, can you have an Oreo after lunch, or a scoop of ice cream when you go out with the kids on Saturday?
8. You Overestimate Your Calorie Burn
According to Karp, when trying to lose weight, what and how much you eat is more important than your exercise habits. However, he also says that “exercise is the secret to keeping weight off”. This is because exercise stimulates the synthesis of mitochondria within muscles, which research has shown. (Mitochondria are the energy powerhouse of cells, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute.)
Karp says that being successful in weight loss comes down to two things: exercising and being a fat- and carbohydrate-burning machine. According to Karp, the people who are most successful in weight loss are those who exercise regularly.
According to Gorin, you shouldn't punish yourself with exercise after eating something. Instead, try to find ways to enjoy physical activity and make it part of your life. This will help you stick to a routine, as shown in a study published in August 2016.
