Why can’t I lose weight?

Published: 01/22/2013 - Updated: 09/23/2018

This question lives in many people's mind, and you may already be tired of diets that do not work, and your slow metabolism. When the weighing scale is not moving, you may probably blame your diet, hormones, or your metabolism, however, the real cause could be something that you don't imagine. We will review some of the causes of this stagnation of weight we fear and suffer.

The wrong diet

Did a friend recommend you a diet? Did you choose a diet to lose weight quickly? If you have chosen a diet without consulting an expert, it is likely that this does not meet your needs, and you run the risk of unbalance your body, depending on the case. If you want a safer weight loss, then search an individualized diet that is made for you.

The habit of craving

If you are carrying a diet, you may experience the inevitable cravings. If your diet does not include smallf oods between meals, you're bound to experience anxiety and eat cravings. You may think it's so little, that will not affect your diet, however, is certain that these food you are eating have extra calories, products like fried food, chocolates, etc., and the total results won't let you lose weight. To fix it, be conscious, better choose a fresh fruit or a cereal bar before resorting to high-calorie foods.

Fluid retention

It often occurs especially in women with hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, however, this can be corrected with natural diuretics such as tea, pineapple, among others. The key is patience, fluid loss is not difficult to overcome. If you notice that your hands and feet are swollen, blame the liquid, but do not stress, this condition is temporary and will not affect your size.

The impact exercise

It's the exercise that aims to develop the muscle, unlike aerobic exercise, it makes us win "weight". But before you panic and opt for a sedentary lifestyle, you should know that the weight you gain is muscle, which is not considered overweight, on the contrary, accelerates your metabolism building muscle naturally. So keep that in mind the next time you get on that scale. Impact exercises require muscular exertion, such as lifting weights.

If your desire is to lose weight and speed up the process, aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming, and jogging is perfect.

Abuse of fast diets and drugs to lose weight

Unfortunately, most people prefer to opt for the easy way out, and prefer do a diet for one or two months to lose those extra kilos, before changing habits permanently. However, fast diets burn muscle, and consequently while losing weight, there is sagging, rebound effect, and a slow metabolism. So that we develop resistance to diet.

The good news is that all is not lost. If this is the case, change behavior on this occasion, do a joint exercise routine that combines both cardiovascular exercise and impact. At first you may find it difficult, and you will not see significant changes, but do not stop, your body will react positively with constancy.

No breakfast or dinner

If you've ever thought on fasting to lose weight, I assure you that its effect will be fleeting, and soon you will go to a phase of stagnation in which, some people even gain weight. If you avoid eating at least 3 times a day, your body goes into stress, activating defense mechanisms, to retain and better absorb the "few" food you consume. The best is to eat 5-6 times a balanced meal to maintain an active metabolism and burn fat.

Poor digestion

Digestion plays an important role when it comes to losing weight, if you are not absorbing the nutrients you need, your metabolism will slow fat burning. Constipation is often the culprit of this problem. To fix it, change your diet to one that is rich in plant foods and drink enough water.

Abusing of "healthy" food 

You might think that eating more fruits you will lose weight, but not necessarily. We can even win weight with fruits and some vegetables. It's best to eat approximately 5-8 servings daily of them.

About the author
  • Miriam Reyes

    Miriam Reyes is a professional expert in nutrition and dietetics. She has more than 12 years of experience in caring for patients with overweight and eating problems. She studied at the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), where she obtained a degree in nutrition. Linkedin profile.