Common Reasons You’re Not Losing as Much Weight as You Expected

1. You’re not sleeping well

One of the most important things for your weight, health, and mind is getting enough sleep.

Not getting enough sleep is one of the main reasons people become overweight. Studies show that being overweight is linked to both not getting enough sleep and getting too much sleep.

7 to 8 hours of sleep a night is best for adults, 8 to 10 hours for teens, and 9 to 16 hours for kids and babies, based on their age.

2. Experiencing Too Much Stress

The processes that give your muscles the energy to move are affected by too much cortisol, a stress hormone.18If you are exposed to cortisol for a long time, it can also make you feel bad, like making it take longer to lose fat. Your body might make too much cortisol

You feel a lot of stress or worry at work or in your personal life.
Either you don't take enough days off or you work out too hard.
You're not getting good enough sleep.

"Stress less" isn't always good advice, but if you think stress is making you gain weight, think about how you can start to deal with it. Talk to a mental health professional if you feel like your stress or worry is getting out of hand.

3. Doing Too Much Cardio

You need to do cardio as part of your workouts because it keeps your heart healthy. Aerobic exercise makes your heart stronger, lowers your risk of diabetes, Alzheimer's, and some cancers, helps you sleep better, and makes you feel less stressed.

Still, if you don't eat enough and do too much cardio, your body may slow down your metabolism because it thinks it needs to save energy.

For best health, the American Heart Association says you should do 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise every week.

4. Not Doing Post-Workout Recovery

It's often more important to recover and rest than to work out. Taking enough time to recover lets you get ready for the next workout. Not taking a break can make you do worse later.

Every day, work on a different set of muscles. Like, you could work out your bottom body on Monday and your upper body the next day. Or, make a workout plan that includes working out your whole body every day. After that, rest, do light exercise, or stretch the next day. 

5. You’re not drinking water

Staying refreshed can help you lose weight, and drinking water can help you do that.

When you drink more water, you lose an average of 5.15 percent of your body weight, according to a review of six studies. At least in one study, this had to do with drinking water instead of drinks high in calories.

Because of this, drinking regular water instead of other drinks can help, and you should drink a glass of water before you eat.

6. You’re drinking alcohol

You may feel hungrier after drinking booze because it can make your appetite worse. Research also shows that cutting back on drinking can help people lose weight, especially those who have diabetes.

7. You’re not eating enough protein

To lose weight, protein is a very important food. A high-protein diet has been shown in several studies to help people lose weight and lower their risk of heart disease.

This is because protein can make you feel fuller for longer and help keep your resting energy expenditure (REE) steady. This is partly because protein affects hormones that control hunger, like ghrelin.

A lot of energy also helps keep the weight off.

However, eating protein might not help adults who are overweight or obese who are intermittently fasting. More study is needed to find out when a protein diet can help people lose the most weight.

8. Having a Health Condition That Affects Your Weight

Some health problems can make it harder to lose weight. Some examples are

Cushing syndrome, a hormonal disorder that develops after long-term exposure to high levels of cortisol
Depression
Hypogonadism, which occurs if your gonads (sex glands) make little or no hormones
Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid (the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck)
Menopause
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which happens if the ovaries or adrenal glands produce more androgens (male hormones) than usual

9. Taking Medications That Cause Weight Gain

If you are on certain medicines, you might not be able to lose weight as quickly as you'd like to. Beta-blockers, hormones, and insulin are some examples.

Weight gain is a regular side effect of the following drugs:

 
Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Anti-diabetics: Rosiglitazone
Anti-epileptics: Valproate
Antipsychotics: Clozapine, olanzapine, and risperidone

You should talk to your doctor before starting or stopping a drug. If you think your medicines are making you gain or lose weight, talk to a doctor.

10. Experiencing a Weight Plateau

Even if you eat well and work out daily, the numbers on the scale may not change. A lot of things can cause your weight loss to stop moving forward.

 
As an example, if you cut back on calories, your body may quickly lose weight as it burns stored glycogen (sugar) for energy. Along with fat, you might lose some muscle too. To lose weight, you might need to change how many calories you eat or do more physical exercise.

Your weight isn't always the best way to tell how healthy or fit you are. For instance, the scale might stay the same or go up because you might be building strength at the same time you want to lose fat. Besides that, losing weight doesn't always mean you're healthy. What is a healthy weight level for you? Talk to a doctor or nurse you trust.

Lesson Summary

Here are common reasons why you might not be losing weight as expected:

• You're not sleeping well, which can lead to weight gain.
• Experiencing too much stress can hinder weight loss progress.
• Doing too much cardio without adequate nutrition can slow down your metabolism.
• Not prioritizing post-workout recovery can affect your performance in subsequent workouts.
• Not drinking enough water can hinder weight loss efforts.
• Alcohol consumption may increase appetite and hinder weight loss.
• Not consuming enough protein can impact weight loss and energy expenditure.
• Having health conditions like hypothyroidism or PCOS can make weight loss more challenging.
• Taking medications like antidepressants or antipsychotics may lead to weight gain.
• Experiencing a weight plateau despite efforts may indicate a need for dietary or exercise changes.

Remember, weight isn't always the best indicator of health, and it's essential to consult with healthcare professionals for personalized guidance.