10 shocking reasons you can’t lose fat/weight

You’re doing all the healthy things out there to lose weight. You follow the trending diet on your social media feed, you read all the articles on the internet about ways to lose belly fat. And if that wasn’t enough, you workout hardcore everyday to get “ripped”. But despite all those efforts, you still can’t seem to lose weight. Because of this, your mind is going crazy, maybe thinking that you still need more discipline or “willpower” to achieve results. What’s really going on? If you’re feeling stuck and frustrated with your weight loss journey, here are some reasons you can’t lose fat/weight that might surprise you. 

Losing fat/ body weight is a combination of lifestyle factors

Exactly! Sorry, but I wasn’t going to come up with one of those “best diets for weight loss” or hacks to lose fat that you’ve already heard about. In fact, many people still ask me, what’s the best diet? Well, let me break down this for you. 

There’s no such thing as a best diet that works for everybody. You see, our bodies are complex, we all come from different cultural backgrounds and even eating habits. Because of this, there’s no “one size that fits for all” rule. Are there different strategies that work? Yes! So which one should you try? Well, that’s where it all depends and why you should look for professional advice. 

The thing with the trending strategies to lose weight, especially those that you see on social media, is that they promote something that can work for everybody. Besides, there’s too much conflicting information out there about different types of diets. You name it, low fat, low carb, intermittent fasting, keto, vegan, paleo, and the list goes on and on. So to answer your question about what’s the best diet, simply stick to a regular regimen that works for you and is sustainable in the long term. 

So, back to the reasons… Basically, I just put together a list of 10 reasons you can’t lose fat/weight. Hold tight! Some of these will surprise you!

Reasons why you can’t lose fat/weight

Extreme dieting

Now, I put this as the number one reason because people still tend to think that depriving themselves of certain foods will work. Eh, wrong! Your body needs nutrients, it doesn’t need to be deprived! I know it may sound contradicting, but cutting out food groups, starving, restricting too many calories is not only obnoxious but is ruining your metabolism. Seriously!  A great example of this is eating salads all day.. smh! Like, come on, your body needs to have enough protein, fiber, healthy fats from all food groups. Choosing wisely and having a balanced eating regimen is more effective and sustainable not only mentally, but physically, as it will boost your metabolism to lose fat. Also, skipping meals. You do your body no good by either eating tiny meals all day or not having certain meals, you’ll affect our metabolism for weight loss or even to build muscle. 

Not eating enough whole foods

Basically, just like the fact above, not eating enough whole foods is why many people still struggle to lose weight. Your body needs enough protein, healthy fats, and good quality carbs like fiber. Whether you follow any of the trending eating lifestyles or not, you should always include these nutrients in your day to day. You shouldn’t be afraid of carbs (not all are bad), there are many types of quality protein to choose from and you shouldn’t be scared of healthy fats either, they are essential to keep a good metabolism.  

You can also take advantage of superblends or superfood smoothies. These foods are packed with so much nutrition value and benefits, that you won’t want to miss including these in your healthy eating regimen. I tried Splendid Spoon superblends, and I love that they have superfoods, are fully plant-based and help boost your metabolism. You can easily have them for a quick meal replacement, post-workout smoothie, or simply as a complete snack. These smoothies are perfect for busy people, who are always on-the-go. Splendid spoon offers many flavors and bundles, plus deliver right to your door. Get 15% off here.

Eating too many low-fat, low-calorie processed foods

Another reason why you can’t lose fat/ body weight is eating too many “diet” products. Unfortunately, the diet culture has caused us to indulge in many foods that are pricey, highly processed, and with minimal amounts of whole nutrients. It ‘s sad but true. Your body also needs vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And, the truth is, some of these so-called “diet” products like teas, cleanses, artificial smoothies, detoxifying foods, lack some of these nutrients. I’m not saying that all products are bad, but some are expensive and not even necessary.

Others claim they are good sources of protein, but have too many artificial sweeteners or added sugar. I’ve seen this too many times, there are hidden calories in some of these products. I’m just giving you a few examples. But, that’s just another reason why you need to read food labels and make sure that you’re spending on a product that’s really worth it. 

Hardcore workouts is one of those reasons you can’t lose fat/weight

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of doing workouts regularly. But my fitness regimen doesn’t include working out more than 4 days a week. I know it depends on each person and fitness goals, but basically, you get the point. There’s no need to go through exhausting long hours of workouts a week to get good results.

The focus should be targeted workouts for burning fat, building muscle, rather than just doing extenuating hours of cardio each day. You don’t need to run a marathon to stay fit. There’s no need to run on a treadmill for more than half an hour to lose weight. You should do a combination of exercises that feel good for you, that you can follow regularly and give you results. Over exercising can cause your body to release stress hormones, which cause your body to store fat. You can try these types of workouts, which include HIIT, that are good to tone, build muscle and burn fat. 

Not lifting weights

One of the main reasons you can’t lose fat/weight, is because you may be still scared of lifting some weights. Believe it or not, lifting weights will help your body to burn fat and lose that stubborn weight. The more muscle mass you develop, the faster your metabolism will be, to start dropping some pounds. Seriously, you won’t look like a bodybuilder overnight by just lifting some weights. Many women still think that lifting weight will make them lose their feminine body, when it’s all the opposite. In fact, my fitness routine includes mainly more weight lifting and functional exercises, than cardio. Lifting weights tones your body, helps you lose that belly fat and keep those nice curves. 

Hormone imbalance is one of the main reasons you can’t lose fat/weight

Hormones can also cause you to struggle with weight loss. It’s not the main reason in most cases, but it also has an important role there. If your body is releasing more fat storing hormones, like insulin, cortisol and ghrelin, for example, then you will have less chances of losing weight effectively. There’s a way of eating, working out and following other health habits to prevent this from happening. I’m here to help you improve your metabolism and boost your weight loss. 

Gut health problems is one of thosee reasons you can’t lose fat/weight

Believe it or not, gut health can affect your weight loss journey. Unfortunately, we often overlook our gut health, unless we are constipated or bloated. As a matter of fact, inflammation can cause your metabolism to slow down, absorb less nutrients and therefore affect our weight loss or body fat. If you’re looking to burn more fat, focus also on gut health. 

You’re not sleeping enough

Another main reason why you can’t lose fat/ body weight is because you may be sleep deprived. Actually, too many times we forget that sleeping enough is the key to effective weight loss and toning our body. There are studies that explain how important it is to sleep at least 7-9 hours, so you can have a good metabolism and lose weight. Being sleep deprived causes our body to release more fat storing hormones, raises our sugar cravings and causes us to binge. As a matter of fact, having a good night sleep should be part of your wellness routine in general. 

You’re way too stressed

When you’re stressed, your body releases more cortisol, which causes you to feel more hungry and hang on to body fat. Focus on managing stress effectively, so that this  doesn’t affect not only your mental health but also your weight loss journey. And, if you’re not overweight but still looking to burn fat, especially trimming down your waistline, this also applies. I put together some stress and anxiety management hacks here. 

Tracking your food calories (ditch that app please!)

If you’re addicted to those fitness apps that track all your macros and count up to the last calorie you drink, think twice. You may want to get rid of that app… Yes, I just said it, lol! Really, counting calories rarely works, and to be honest, it causes more stress and anxiety than anything else. First, calories in food nowadays are not accurate, and second, our bodies are not math equations, we are complex. Therefore, you want to get rid of the counting calories mentality if you want to stay sane and have lasting results.

That ‘s why I help people develop intuitive eating and to have a healthy relationship with food. Tracking calories is just another strategy for a fad diet that may fail. So please, do yourself a favor and get rid of food obsessions! Your body will thank you… I’m a living proof of that!

Finally…

Some of the main reasons you can’t lose fat/weight have to do with things you do that may be considered “healthy”, but in fact are not. So, today, I encourage you to start changing your mindset to have a long term lifestyle that gives you results, not quick fixes. Also, you need to have a life, duh, so thinking about food all the time and not enjoying treats, is not healthy and does your body more harm than good. If you want to know how you can truly get fit without obsessions, hit me up! I’m here to help! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Sharing is caring!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.