There are many reasons why you may be struggling to lose weight, and “lack of self-control” probably isn’t one of them.
I struggled with my weight from my preteens to adolescence. I did all the diets – and sure they helped me lose weight, but every time I stopped the diet I would gain it all back (and then some!).
The emotional, mental, and physical toll those years took on me were hard to recover from.
But it was this very struggle that taught me that my weight was not my actual problem … it was a symptom, but not the root cause. That realization is what started my journey to discover what my body needed for health and balance, and the weight began to fall off.
Only then was I able to address the root cause and change my emotional, mental, and physical habits to get my body healthy – for the first time in forever!
Now this happily-ever-after story is not without its struggles to get there, but it’s also the reason why I became a nutritionist and focused on weight loss for many years.
So if you’re struggling to lose weight and you’ve tried all. the. things. – this article is for you!
Maybe you’ve thought for years that you just don’t have the self-control of others and you’re doomed, but that’s just not true. There are many reasons why you could be struggling to lose weight that have nothing to do with your self-control. Remember, your weight is a symptom – and it’s worth digging around to find the root cause.
So let’s dig in to ten of the most common root causes of weight loss resistance, and you may find that one of them is the answer you’ve been looking for.
10 REASONS WHY YOU’RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT
STRESS
According to a 12013 study where 5000 participants were observed from 2000 to 2005, they found that psychological stress did contribute to weight gain and an increase in BMI.
A 22017 study published by the journal Obesity compared the amount of stress hormone cortisol in hair to weight, BMI, and waist circumference and found that cortisol was significantly elevated in those with a higher BMI.
Try reducing your stress by getting out with friends, finding a hobby to get involved in, or exercising regularly.
SLEEP
Evidence also supports the importance of sleep for weight loss, as shown in a 32012 study by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, which found that getting fewer hours of sleep does affect your ability to lose weight. It also suggested that sleep quality and age may also play roles.
If you struggle to get a good sleep – this should be your area of focus.
The average person requires 6-9 hours of sleep each night, with 8 being a pretty universal number. Are you getting enough zzz’s?
HORMONES
Everyone is talking about hormonal imbalances right now, and I discuss it more in depth in this article – but how does it impact your weight?
There are several hormones that play a role in weight gain: 4estrogen, 5testosterone, 2cortisol, 6thyroid, and 7insulin. While focusing on one particular hormone can be helpful – it’s the balance between them all that can be the greater concern.
A hormone panel is a great way to see exactly where your hormones are at, allowing you to address your body’s needs without the guesswork. Contact me if you’d like more information on this test.
FOOD SENSITIVITY
A 82007 study found a positive connection between IgG antibodies, inflammation, and weight in children. Though more research needs to be done in this area, we do know that eating foods you are sensitive to does cause inflammation – so it would make sense that this could be a reason why your weight isn’t moving.
An IgG Food Sensitivity test is also simple to do and a great way to skip the elimination process and get all the information you need to start making changes – contact me if you’d like to learn more.
You can also skip the testing and do a full elimination diet to help learn what foods you may be reacting to without the expense of the test.
INFLAMMATION
As mentioned above, inflammation is known to impact your weight. A 910 year study of over 7000 students showed a significant difference in weight gain of those who followed an inflammatory diet, compared to those who followed an anti-inflammatory diet.
The Standard American Diet is an inflammatory diet, changing to a more whole-foods diet can help to reduce inflammation and improve weight loss. However, if chronic inflammation is already a problem for you – more digging will need to be done.
Start by eliminating gluten, dairy, and sugar to reduce inflammation and see if that helps kick start your weight loss.
BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE
Your glucose levels can increase weight gain and impact your ability to lose weight. A 102008 study by the University of Alberta showed a correlation between glucose homeostasis and the ability to predict weight gain – helping us understand that by keeping your blood sugar levels balanced, you can prevent weight gain and improve your ability to lose weight.
Eating more healthy fats and proteins can help to balance your blood sugar levels.
NUTRIENT IMBALANCE
The 11World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that over two billion people worldwide have a nutrient deficiency – despite the fact that 12over 1.9 billion adults and 340 million children and adolescents are overweight. More food does not guarantee more nutrients.
Balancing nutrients can be as simple as eating a variety of whole foods, but can be more complicated if there are already imbalances or deficiencies that need to be sorted out.
Eating more fruits and vegetables is a simple way to improve your nutrient composition that may help with weight loss.
BAD HABITS
Though bad habits aren’t the most common reason for weight loss difficulties, they can be for some people, or may be a secondary symptom for others (bad habits formed through the process of trying to lose weight).
An easy way to check your habits is to track your food and lifestyle patterns by keeping a food journal. This allows you to take an honest birds eye view to help you see if there are any tweaks you can make to get that weight moving again.
Keep a 7 day food and lifestyle journal to help you see if bad habits could be stalling your weight loss.
EATING DISORDERS
Regardless of what kind of eating disorder, it can still lead to weight loss resistance due to it’s impact on your gut health and nutrient, hormonal, and bacterial balance.
It’s important to remember that eating disorders aren’t the root cause either, they’re a symptom. Understanding that it’s not your fault and hiring someone to help you determine the root cause is the best way to stop the pattern and help you understand where it’s coming from.
The first step in treating is to seek help from a psychologist experienced in helping with eating disorders. The food part is secondary!
POOR GUT HEALTH
The condition of your gut impacts your weight, partly due to all the reasons above (as those all impact the health of the gut), but also due to your gut bacterial balance.
In a recently released 13study by Lund University in Sweden, they found a connection between amino acids in the blood that are also connected to obesity and the composition of your gut microbiota.
Focusing on healing your gut and balancing your microbiota can play a large role (and seems to with most of my clients!) in aiding with weight loss. Leaky gut, SIBO, candida, parasites, and many other conditions are related to the health of your gut.
If you’re struggling with weight loss resistance and want to find out what steps would be best for you, book in a FREE 15 minute consultation with me where we can discuss your options.
Until we chat, these 5-Ingredient Pancakes are great for health and weight loss … and are ready in 7 minutes!
