19 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

There are lots of reasons people pursue a healthier lifestyle. One of the most common reasons people come to me is weight loss! I see men and women all the time who are super motivated and disciplined to hit their weight loss goals, but they don’t see the numbers dropping on the scale.

Does this sound like you? This can be really discouraging and confusing when you feel like you’re doing everything right and following all the rules. After enough trying, many just give up or seek unsafe alternatives. So, before you throw in the towel or seek questionable weight loss methods, let’s explore some reasons you may not be losing weight while dieting and exercising: 

19 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

You’re stressed. 

Insulin resistance is a common reason people gain weight and have a hard time losing it. Basically, it’s when your body doesn’t process sugars correctly, so instead of the glucose being converted to energy, the sugar turns to fat (and raises your blood sugar too.) 

There are ways to lower your insulin resistance, and eating right and exercising are two ways to do that! However, stress plays a role too. When you have high stress levels, the released chemicals can contribute to your insulin resistance and weight gain. This is one reason really strict, stressful diets and workout routines just don’t work! They’re often counterproductive. 

So, take some time and focus on self-care. You can find ways to invest in yourself on the blog. Once you have good stress coping mechanisms, you may see dieting and exercise finally paying off. 

You’re not getting enough quality sleep. 

Just like stress, poor sleep is associated with insulin resistance too. It’s recommended you get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Without it, you could struggle more with cravings, weight loss, and, of course, fatigue! 

Make your bedroom a real sanctuary and try a nightly routine that helps your body wind down for quality sleep. I also recommend keeping your phone out of your bedroom and opting for a good old-fashioned alarm clock instead! (We use the Hatch Restore and LOVE IT.) 

You’re not eating enough. 

We know overeating is a cause for weight gain, but so is undereating. When we’re not eating enough, our bodies don’t get the nutrients and calories it needs, so our metabolism slows way down as a survival instinct. This instinct causes your body to pack one every bit of extra weight it can to ensure it has enough nutrients to get through to the next meal.

So, take a good look at your meal routine. According to the National Institute of Health, a woman should eat around 2,000 calories and men about 2,500 calories per day. However, this can vary based on a few factors, so I always recommend connecting with a nutrition coach. You can use their expertise to understand how much you should be eating based on your activity level, daily routine, and more. 

You’re just dieting or just exercising. 

Only dieting or only exercising may not get you where you want to be, however many of us have a preference. I have clients who have no problem being in the gym 6 days a week, but struggle with the sugar. I have other clients who are rockstars at eating healthy, but even getting them to show up for their workout is a struggle. 

The reality is, you need both. If you’re struggling with getting control of one or the other, consider a personal trainer or nutrition coach. At Core Life Habits, you can get both! So, I can help you out with whatever your shortcomings are. Together, we can reach your goals! 

You’re cutting the wrong foods.

When you think of dieting, you probably think of cutting snacks and sugary drinks. Easy! But, what about the rest? This is where things get foggy. I see people cut out meat, cut out fruit, and even cut out all grain—however, some of these foods have essential nutrients that help reduce cravings and maintain a healthy weight. You don’t want to ditch these altogether!

At the same time, I see people cutting out the wrong foods. They introduce foods they think are healthy, but are just cleverly disguised as health foods when they’re really not. Smoothies, dried fruit, most granola bars, sports drinks, veggie burgers, wraps, and more can hide a lot of sugar and fat. So, do your best research before beginning a diet or work with a coach who can tell you what’s good and what’s not. 

You’re not eating the right foods. 

Dieting is a lot about what you shouldn’t eat, but it’s just as much about what you should eat. Eating the right foods will give your body the support it needs to get healthy and fit. Remember, food should be fuel, meaning it needs to be beneficial to our bodies. 

Cutting a bunch of stuff out and reducing your portion size without considering the benefits of what you are eating could still leave your body starving the nutrients it needs to get fit and lose weight. 

Eating more fish, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, legumes, berries, and more can help keep us full and satisfied while also giving our body what it needs to maintain healthy balance. Oh, and you can’t forget to drink water! 

Your prescriptions may be affecting you. 

If you’re going through this list, and you really feel like these reasons don’t match your situation, talk to your doctor about medications that you’re on. It’s possible that your prescriptions are making it difficult for you to lose weight. Once you know if that’s a side effect, you can discuss options with your physician.  

You haven’t given it enough time. 

I know, you want this now. We all do! But, weight loss really does take time. A healthy goal for weight loss is about 1 lb a week once you get into a good routine. So, if you’ve just started, don’t expect to reach a big goal in a couple of months. Despite what celebrities and infomercials tell you, there is no quick fix to weight loss. 

Since this reality can be discouraging for some, consider other whys you have for eating right and exercising. You want to lose weight, sure, but what else do you want? Do you want to keep up with the kids at the park? Do you want to have more energy? Or, maybe you just want to feel better and improve your mood. Define these goals, because they usually come before weight loss, which can empower you to keep going. 

You’re doing the wrong type of exercise.

There are many types of exercise, and they’re all important for different reasons and work in different circumstances. You don’t want to just dive right back into what you did during your high school conditioning days—it may not be optimal for you as a grown-up.

Lots of people do too much cardio and not enough weightlifting, which can make your body store fat instead of burn it. Or, they always do the same type of exercise, so half the body isn’t getting any time to break down fat. Or, people only do high-intensity workouts, which can contribute more to stress and therefore insulin resistance.

It’s a tricky and delicate balance. Exercise is different for everyone! So, work with a coach or do your research to find the exercise plan that makes the most sense for your situation, body, and goals.  

You’re not being consistent. 

If you’re struggling to lose weight, really try to think back to the last few weeks or months of dieting and working out. How many days did you rationalize breaking your new eating habits? Did you really stay consistent with your exercise? No matter the answer, don’t shame yourself. This is hard stuff! But, understand you’ll only see results with consistency with dieting and exercising. 

You’re focusing too much on the scale. 

Did you know it’s possible to lose inches and not lose pounds? It’s true! The scale can be very deceptive, because even if you’re losing fat, you may be gaining muscle. This may make the number on the scale look disappointing—whether because you went up in weight, stayed the same, or lost only an insignificant amount. 

Let’s also not forget you could lose pounds in muscle if you’re not exercising and eating enough, which could look good on the scale, but not so good in the mirror. (And, definitely not good for our long-term health.) Instead, focus on the way you feel and the way you look. Those will be the best indicators for your progress! 

You can also get a scale that calculates both your body fat and muscle mass. This can be a much better measurement of your progress over a traditional scale. 

You have an underlying medical condition.

There are plenty of health concerns out there that make it difficult to lose weight. If you feel you may have symptoms of insulin resistance, talk to your doctor and describe how you’re feeling and where you are struggling. 

You may find out you have PCOS, prediabetes, hypothyroidism, or other disorder. A diagnosis can help you reframe your goals and take action that will generate the results you’re looking for. (Plus, it’ll probably help you with the symptoms of your new found medical condition as well!) 

You’re drinking the wrong things. 

Cutting foods is one thing, but getting rid of sugary drinks is also essential to weight loss. Research actually shows that consuming sugar in liquid form is much worse for your body than solids. This is because your brain doesn’t register the liquid intake as calories, so your body doesn’t receive the “I’m full!” triggers it does with food, meaning you just keep drinking that sugar AND you still crave sugar from food.

And, I’m not just talking about soda. Sweet tea, fruit juices, lemonades, coffees, and sports drinks all contain a significant amount of sugar. Unsweetened green/black tea, protein drinks, vegetable juice, and water are all better alternatives. 

Your job is stationary. 

Sitting during work can make losing weight difficult, even if you’re working out before or after work and eating healthy throughout the day. If you have a stationary job, consider a desk treadmill, take mini breaks to do light exercise, workout on your lunch break, do desk exercises, and always take the stairs! You could even start hosting walking meetings instead of the usual office sit-downs. 

You’re not drinking enough water. 

The fact of the matter is, your body can’t burn fat when it’s dehydrated. So, even if you’re eating all the correct foods and spending lots of time at the gym, you could still fall short of your weight loss goals because you’re simply not drinking enough water. Try to increase your water intake to half your body weight in ounces to boost hydration and promote your body’s fat burning capacity! 

You’re drinking too much alcohol. 

Alcohol can hinder your weight loss goals in a few ways. First of all, it can lead to dehydration, which we just mentioned can diminish your fat burning potential. The properties of alcohol can also make you feel hungrier and crave greasy, salty foods. Lastly, alcohol tends to have a lot of calories. So, if alcohol is part of a regular routine, it may be time to cut back while on your weight loss journey. 

You’re feeling unwell.

The link between depression and weight gain isn’t a simple cause and effect. However, depression can hurt your motivation, keep you sedentary, and make you crave your favorite comfort foods. Also, the increased stress from the difficulties of life in combination with poor sleep can increase your insulin resistance. 

I recommend working with a professional on your mental health before expecting weight changes. Luckily, exercise and eating healthy have both been shown to help with depression, so don’t stop what you’re doing, but also take time to see a professional about managing your depression. I care much more about what’s going on in your mind before I care what’s happening on the scale.

You’re not eating on a consistent schedule. 

Not eating on a consistent schedule could lead to lots of fluctuations in blood sugars, which disrupts weight loss goals. You may find yourself ignoring cravings and hunger for long periods and even skipping meals, but that can lead right to binge eating. Controlling what you eat is much harder when you’re not on a consistent schedule. 

So, try to stick to a pretty consistent meal and snack schedule to maintain control of your cravings and regulate your blood sugar. 

You’re not practicing mindful eating.

Do you ever scarf down food while rushing to your next commitment? Or is the TV always on while you eat? You may be surprised to find out that these things can actually make it harder for you to lose weight. 

Scarfing down food fast can add stress to the mix, and you already know how stress and weight loss don’t mix. And, multi-tasking can mean you’re not being attentive to your body while you eat, which makes it much easier to overeat. 

Researchers agree that focusing on just eating can help with weight loss by promoting awareness, self-control, and positivity. So, during those scheduled meal times, be tuned in to your food instead of everything else going on around you. 

There are lots of factors that contribute to our overall fitness. 

If you’re ready to lose weight, but you can’t seem to reach your goals, don’t stress! There are lots of reasons you could be having trouble, so don’t lose hope. Go through these tips and see which ones apply to you, and try to make active change. Also, read my past posts on healthy nutrition habits and how to eat well on a budget for more assistance! 

For the most personalized approach, consider meeting with me. I can help you work on both the exercise and nutrition side of your health goals as a certified coach! I know these common weight loss hurdles all too well, and I can help you overcome them and reach your goals. Let’s do it together!