5 reasons why you aren’t losing weight- although you’re doing everything right
The concept of weight loss is a simple process, you have to burn more calories than you eat. Although the concept is simple, weight loss plans look different for everyone due to age, gender and lifestyle. Before bodybuilding, I never had a strong desire to lose weight aside from vanity. After preparing for my first competition, I developed a better understanding of how to lose weight and how simple things can affect the process.
Even when you finally get them right, other factors may be inhibiting your progress. If you are doing everything right but the scale is not budging, check out these 5 reasons why you might not be losing weight.
1. You’re not getting enough sleep.
A couple of years ago, I experienced a weight jump of two pounds within a week. I knew I did not gain two pounds of muscle or fat but I was confused about this sudden increase since my diet and exercise habits were the same. After taking some time to process this, I realized that I was not getting enough sleep due to work and graduate school obligations. Once I got some sleep, the weight came right off in a couple of days. In my case, I was retaining water when I was not getting enough sleep.
According to WebMD, a lack of sleep can impact your metabolism. When you do not get enough sleep, the body produces cortisol, AKA the “stress hormone” for energy. Your metabolism also slows down in order to save energy. These processes can affect your body’s ability to produce insulin, which helps process fats. When your body does not react to insulin the way it should the body cannot process fats from food properly and begins to store it as fat.
Check out my 9 hacks for better sleep
2. You’re not eating enough fiber.
Toward the beginning my cut last year, I was following my plan perfectly but the weight still was not coming off. After taking a look at my diet, I saw that I was not eating enough fiber! After I increased my fiber intake, the extra weight started to come off. Fiber can also help regulate blood sugar levels and keep you full longer. Try incorporating more complex carbohydrates into your diet such as whole grains, fruit as well as nuts and legumes. Some nutrition bars like Quest bars have a large amount of fiber as well.
3. You’re stressed out.
Similar to when we do not get enough sleep, our bodies produce extra cortisol for extra energy. after the stressor is handled, cortisol levels return back to normal. If you are consistently stressed out and your cortisol levels remain elevated, they can start affecting your digestive and immune systems as well as your sleep cycle. Check out my tips for de-stressing here.
4. You’re not tracking your all of your calories.
One of the most effective ways to lose weight is by accurately tracking your food intake. However, people tend to underestimate food portions and overestimate the amount of calories burned from exercise. In addition, some people forget to include beverages and nibbles of food throughout the day. I track my meals using this app and use a food scale so I know I am eating the right portions. Check out more tips for tracking calories here.
5. Hormones due to age or other factors.
In women, estradiol, a type of estrogen, helps regulate our metabolism. As we age and approach menopause, estradiol levels begin to decline. This is when many women begin to experience weight gain. Other conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can impact estrogen levels.
After starting my prep for bodybuilding competitions last winter (which I ultimately did not do because of the pandemic), I noticed that my body was not responding as much to the drop in calories as the previous year. Although I was a little larger than the previous prep, the major difference was starting birth control. Although my issue is not medically proven, it may be a factor. After losing the initial water weight, it took some time for my coach to adjust my numbers until we found something that worked.
Final thoughts
This blog post is not a substitute for medical advice. For a successful weight loss journey, consult a medical professional, registered dietitian or certified nutritionist.
If you are trying to lose weight but the scale is not moving, examine your methods and consider these factors. I recommend using a fitness journal to help you keep track for a few weeks to see if anything emerges. Also keep in mind that sustainable weight loss is a gradual process. Did any of these reasons surprise you?
14 Comments
Angela Williams
Its amazing how lack of sleep makes such a huge impact! Unfortunately, this is why I am not losing weight. 🙁 Any recommendations on how to manage better sleeping habits?
Sapphire
Something that works for me is creating a nighttime routine and limiting phone use before bed. The routine tells my brain its time for bed.
Sabrina
This explains a lot about my recent weight gain. Age. Thanks for sharing.
Sapphire
You’re welcome.
Lauren
This is a great article! I always underestimate how much stress hinders my progress! These are all a great reminder that everyday life and your mental health are also important when looking to work on your physical health!
Sapphire
Stress is my biggest hinderance to weight loss and always aim to get that under control!
Kathleen Wonders
Thanks for sharing this, Sapphire! I have been trying to shed off a few pounds after purposely gaining weight for my wedding last year, but even though I’ve been eating less and exercising regularly, I find I haven’t been losing any weight at all. After reading your post, I think it’s because I was extremely stressed the last month. It makes sense now. Thankfully I’m feeling a lot better due to a good self-care plan, so I hope I’ll see results soon!
Sapphire
Glad I was able to help and let me know how it goes!
Stephanie
Hi Sapphire!
I love your article. Pre Covid-19 I was dealing with a lot of stress issues: leaving my job due to stress and finishing my degree. I ended losing a lot of weight. I did see my doctor and after some discussion and factoring that I couldn’t stop crying no matter how nice people were being to me we settled on trying medication and therapy. I made a lot of progress! While my weight returned, I also continued to gain. Keep in mind I have been a petit person all my life. After reading your article I am pretty sure that the lack of sleep and stress are the main issues. Just means I need to learn to relax more. Work in progress. Of course stressing about weight gain isn’t the answer. I do plan on talking to my doctor again. Maybe she can point me to a nutritionist for 40 plus women. I am trying to eat better and once winter ends take more walks. I miss the walks the most.
Stephanie
Sapphire
Stress keeps the weight on for me also. Getting a nutritionist is a great idea and you can lose some weight just by improving your diet. Good luck and keep me posted!
Jean Williams
I suffer from several of the things you mentioned. I will check with my physican asking questions. I recently completed 3 weeks of the Daniel’s Fast and although it was sfor religious reasons, not a diet. The fact that I wasn’t eating meat, breads or sugars, I was disappointed not to drop pounds. Thanks for your article.
Sapphire
Definitely speak to your doctor. It may be possible that you were not eating enough calories during your fast and your body was in conservation mode.
Zachary Tomlinson
My colleague is trying to lose weight so she can visit the beach after this pandemic with her new swimsuit. I never knew that stress could affect your weight along with your sleep patterns. Perhaps we should look around for a weight loss expert that can guide her in the process!
Sapphire
It’s amazing, right? Chronic stress often affects other things such as sleep and nutrition. Aside from a weight loss expert, also consider using a health coach!