Why Can't I Lose Weight? 6 Factors That Sabotage Weight Loss

Most people will find themselves asking the question; Why can't I lose weight?, at some point of their lives. Even if you believe that you are doing everything right, weight loss is a very complicated matter. Here are the most common causes of your inability to lose weight:

Not eating Right

Having a healthy diet is very important. Even if you are burning calories by working out, having Mc Donalds afterwards, is still not healthy. Watch your fat and sugar content and try to adopt a more healthy, clean and balanced diet.

Not drinking enough water

If you don't drink enough water, your body is going to store the amount of water it has in your abdomen, hips, thighs etc. So the weight you can't seem to get off might just be water weight! Also, low level of water also means low metabolism rate.

Solution- Drink more water

Thyroid problems

It is estimated that about 5-10 percent of adults suffer from hypothyroidism. An under active thyroid can lower your metabolism by up to 40%, which can result in significant weight gain. If you experience symptoms, such as loss of energy, hair loss, joint pain, dry skin, muscle weakness, sensitivity to cold or depression, then you may be suffering from hypothyroidism. To find out if this is the case, you need to take a TSH screening to measure the levels of the thyroid-stimulating hormone.

Polycystic ovary syndrome

About 10% of women of childbearing age suffer from a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome, in which the ovaries produce excessive male hormones. This syndrome is associated with insulin resistance, which may increase fat storage, especially in the area around the waist. You can ask your gynecologist to test the levels of sex hormones in your body for an imbalance of estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.



The use of certain medications

Medications such as steroids, anti-depressants and certain birth-control pills may lead to weight gain. If you notice that you started to gain weight a few weeks after taking a new drug, then you may ask your doctor to prescribe an alternative.



Underestimation of caloric intake

People are notorious for underestimating their daily food intake. You may think that you are eating 1,500 calories a day, but you could be wrong. Eating just one donut or an extra tablespoon of olive oil per day, can cancel your caloric deficit without you realizing it. To make sure that you are doing everything right, it may be a good idea to keep a record of every single food you eat during the day and to measure portions by using a kitchen scale.

Thus, I hope this article gave you some insight as to why you might not be able shed those pounds.