Losing weight can be difficult.
Some people try to lose weight their whole lives only to lose and gain the same ten pounds over and over again. I myself have struggled with my weight at various times in my life.
Growing up overweight, out of shape, lost and confused is a big part of why I am so passionate about helping others lose weight.
Shoot, just in the last few years I put on weight and had to lose it yet again.
Sometimes, effort just isn’t enough to cause results that you can see.
What I've learned, and relearned because I am stubborn, is that a lot of effort towards an ineffective plan won't get you the results you want.
Therefore in this article, I’ll try to help answer the question “Why can’t I lose weight?”
So you can make sure you can put your effort in the right areas to get the results you want.
There are five key factors that we’ve included that tend to prevent weight loss, and we’ve included tips on how you can reverse the things keeping you from losing weight.
Why Can’t I Lose Weight
There are many reasons why it might be hard for you to lose weight … notice I said, it might be hard for you to lose weight … NOT impossible.
That is one of the first things I personally had to overcome ... the self-doubting beliefs that I was not meant to lose weight…
I thought I was supposed to be fat…
I thought I was just destined to be fat ... which is not the case.
So yes, you might be struggling to lose weight, but it is not impossible.
We just have to uncover the true reason you are not earning the weight loss results you want, and then make adjustments.
Here’s a guide with five reasons you might be struggling to lose weight.
Reason #1 – Because You’re Stressed Out
If you’re stressed out, and frankly who isn’t these days, it can lead to unfavorably high levels of cortisol.
Cortisol and stress get a bit of a bad rap.
We actually need small amounts of stress in our life.
The problem is that due to the society we live in, we are constantly under stress.
This constant stress is what has the adverse effects and makes it challenging to lose weight due to elevated cortisol levels.
Not only does stress lead to more fat storage, but it will also increase cravings for fat, salt, and sugar. Making it harder to stick to your nutrition plan!
This stress can be physical, mental, emotional ... or a combination of any or all of them!
Therefore a good practice to help lower stress levels is to find what you consider relaxing and implement it into your daily routine.
You can also look into supplementation to help your body deal with stress and anxiety.
No matter what though, allotting yourself some time for self-care and relaxation can really benefit your mental and physical health.
Reason #2 – Because You Don’t Sleep Enough
You sleep to recharge your body. If you don’t get enough sleep, you feel … sleepy.
So far I’ve said nothing that isn’t already obvious, right?
But remember that when you’re tired, your body is much more likely to crave high-calorie foods.
The problem is most people do not need extra calories ... which makes it VERY challenging to stay on track with the nutrition plan.
That’s because your body wants to convert those calories into energy so it’ll feel less sleepy.
Also not getting the proper amount of rest can really mess with your metabolism.
Sleep is an important aspect of your life and optimal amounts are needed to allow your body to work effectively.
Whether it’s decreasing how many calories are burned by your body, increases in hormones that cause you to eat more food or less healthy foods in general, the impact of crappy sleep rears its ugly head in many directions.
Even 30 minutes less of sleep can result in an increased risk of weight gain. You can learn more in this blog.
Reason #3 – Because You Eat Too Much
This seems obvious and should be the #1 point here, but the truth is that many people just eat too much.
Not only that, but most people don’t eat nearly as healthily as they think they do.
Shoot, I know I have fallen into this category.
I would eat peanut butter throughout the day thinking it was a good protein source.
Never taking into account that it has over twice as much fat as protein, the protein isn’t a complete protein source, and that it was very high in calories … but hey, I’m sure we all have some examples of mistakes we have made.
For example, sure you might have a salad every day for lunch, but how many calories are in the salad’s toppings?
How about in the dressing?
How about in the croutons, avocado, and other items?
Certainly, a good salad is a "healthy" option and for getting fiber and protein ... but you may also need to cut back on the calories.
It’s simply very unlikely that you’ll out-exercise a high-calorie diet.
This is where tracking your food for a week can be a great first step to figuring out why you can’t lose weight.
Portion control is important when it comes to weight loss. You may be eating too much of the wrong foods, and the nutrition labels aren’t much help.
Society tells us to eat more than we need which results in excess or unnecessary weight, as well as feeling stuffed or perpetually hungry.
Consider calorie counting, or following a macro-based plan, as the plan to help you lose weight.
Understanding proper serving sizes for YOU and some rough ideas of nutritional values can help you stay on track and have more consistent weight loss.
Reason #4 – Because Your Genetics Make It Difficult
I know before I said I thought this was me, and there is some truth to that.
Not all people have the same body type.
Some people collect more fat around their bellies.
Some people just tend to gain weight more easily.
Some people gain the same muscle mass in months that takes other people years.
So yes, your genetics might make it more challenging to lose weight, but once again … not impossible.
Don’t use this as the reason you aren’t where you want to be.
Instead, use it as knowledge to help you make necessary adjustments to your lifestyle to earn the results you want.
Reason #5 – You’re Missing On The Details
You might be eating right and exercising and yet you’re still not seeing results that you want.
That could come from a host of reasons.
Some might be that you are not fulfilling your micronutrient demands for the day.
Just like hitting your calories and macros are important, getting in the appropriate amount of micronutrients is just as important.
That’s where Micro Factor comes in to be your baseline supplement to your body operating more effectively, by fulfilling your daily essential nutrients.
You might also have some underlying gut issues of poor digestion.
See, eating healthy is great … but if you can’t effectively break it down and absorb it, it’s not nearly as beneficial … which could lead to you struggling to lose weight.
Adding in Opti-Greens 50 can help improve your digestion and overall gut health among many other things.
So your body can partition nutrients properly for a healthy metabolism, energy productions, hormonal production, and day to day operations.
Note: One very important detail that I have not mentioned yet is water intake. A general rule of thumb is to consume at least 100 to 120 ounces of water each day. This is essential for our overall metabolism and just helping us live a healthier lifestyle overall!
Can Supplements Help Me Lose Weight?
But past that, there are supplements that can help optimize your metabolism, cut your calorie intake, and help preserve lean muscle tissue.
1st Phorm's fat burning supplements, meal replacement shakes, and protein supplements can help with this and more.
These supplements will not fix poor, unhealthy habits ... but they will help optimize the good things you’re doing for your body.
You can’t just take a supplement and expect to lose weight, you have to be doing the work with your nutrition and training to effectively lose weight.
If you’re not ready to change and aren’t going to change some habits, don’t waste your money on supplements as they are not magic.
YOU have to do the work.
If you’re interested in learning more about what 1st Phorm can do to help you lose more weight, come and check out our supplements.
We’re proud of our products, yes, but we also know that our team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist can help you lose weight! Oh, and we’ll help you for free!
If you need any help with this, please feel free to give us a call at 1 800 409 9732 or sending us an email.
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