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In a world where diets are changing every day in such a highly competitive industry, weight loss can seem a bit daunting. Especially, if for a variety of reasons you cannot lose the weight or simply having trouble maintaining the weight. Here are 15 common reasons why you cannot lose weight and how to find a better solution.

15 Common Reasons Why You Cannot Lose Weight:

1. Only focusing on the scale weight

When trying any workout regimen we are all tempted to look at the scale numerous times a week and obsess over the progress. This is where anxiety and your own self esteem can take a huge hit. As with anything in life anything worth having is worth working for. This also applies to the weight loss journey. We might get super excited to lose the first 6 pounds only to find out that the scale has not moved an inch. I know what you’re thinking: “how can I possibly do all of this work and sweat and nothing is happening?!” Well, you might be losing fat rather than water. A woman can initially lose weight one week and all of a sudden gain it all again the next week, the culprit? Estrogen. This lovely hormone can retain water like a sponge and that can put a damper on their weight loss progress.

However, if you’ve been working out on a consistent basis, you may be gaining muscle and losing fat. Which can also result with not seeing the scale move or even worse, the weight going up. This is why it is imperative that you first take any pictures before you decided on this weight loss journey and have a measuring tape in your possession. As the days go by and you peek and peek and see that there is no progress being made because the scale is not budging, you may be in for a huge surprise. This is where measuring becomes your best friend. When losing inches instead of weight it is still a huge accomplishment is means you are doing something right. Clothes may start feeling looser with less pinching and more comfortable. Your lovely lumps are smoother and weight more cinched in, this is all because of the loss of inches.

Do not let the scale be the culprit of your disappointment or even worse a dip on your self-esteem. Remember, you are just starting this journey and the hard work will pay off. All you need is a bit of patience and knowledge that water retention, hormones and fat loss on the backend may be why your scale is not moving. 

2. Eating too many or too few calories

In many weight loss programs, they all have the same “secret”: the key is to eat less and move more. This creates a calorie deficit in which you can really see your results much sooner. It holds true that abs are made in the kitchen, but the right food and the right caloric intake for your body is where things may vary from person to person. It was once stated that an adult should have a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories a week to lose 1 pound but in fact, this was so wrong!

There was a 2 week case study in which ten obese adults participated and were reporting that they were eating 1,000 calories a day. In fact, when the case study was over they were really consuming 2,000 calories a day. This is where calorie counting goes wrong in so many ways. For example, low calorie foods like&nbsp nuts and cheese can boost your calorie intake if you are not careful of the portions. On the other hand, consuming too few calories can also sabotage your weight loss, it also slows down your metabolism which again can hinder your weight loss success.

Be aware of your body and how you feel when you lessen your caloric intake. Not everyone’s formula will work with your body so experiment and listen to your hunger cues and body. Not having a tracking system will definitely make your weight loss much more difficult. Please do not forget to portion your food as well. Having the right calorie deficit for, you will yield wonderful results. Do not starve yourself and consume less than what your body needs which can also slow down your metabolism, which equals to no fat loss.

3. Not exercising or exercising too much

Cannot lose weight even with exercise? The great saying that goes “a body in motion stays in motion” reigns true. Now that you’ve got your food on track you may ask yourself “how about working out”? You can eat well and even hire a chef to do all of your cooking, but if you’re not moving you will lose muscle instead of fat. What is so wrong with this picture? Well, muscle burns more calories than fat, so therefore you are not doing yourself any favors by not exercising. Weight training is the perfect example of how the muscles are still burning fat even when you remain stationary after your workout. Also, cardio has always been a good fat blaster and you will attain that lean mass that you’re working so hard to obtain.

However, if you do decide to follow a work out regimen and have that “work out high” and you exceed your limit you might get yourself into trouble. It is very easy to believe that the more you work out in excess like for example 2 hours a day you can accelerate weight loss. Please debunk that belief or thought and your adrenal glands will thank you later. Just like lack of exercise deters you from losing weight so can a large amount of exercise. Your body will go into defense and your adrenal glands will be highly affected. It will set an alarm and signal that your body is undergoing huge stress. The more stress the more cortisol you produce, which in turn another hurdle you would have to cross in order to achieve your personal goal.

Set a small goal every week and build yourself up so that your body does not burn out. Moderation is key when you are starting to work out. Be consistent but also listen to your body. One more hour or an additional rep might wreak havoc as your body goes into stress mode. Also, muscle burns more fat and don’t forget about cardio.