Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts when trying to lose weight. The fact is, it can be challenging to find the much-needed internal willpower when it comes to losing weight. As the old adage goes, losing weight is simple, but it certainly is not easy.
One primary approach for weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you eat. However, many overweight people struggle with an undiagnosed metabolic disorder, which often makes them feel hungry, even when not eating at a deficit. In these instances, the standard feedback channels that say your stomach is full no longer works as expected.
Even if you’ve been white-knuckling your urges to enjoy your favorite foods, you may still find the pounds stubbornly refusing to fall off. In these instances, there are a few other reasons why your weight may not budge. And you guessed it: you and your willpower might not be to blame.
You Lost the Genetic Lottery
In body structure, genetics play an essential role, especially in body fat. Depending on gender, age, and family genes, your body is built to store fat in specific areas. Somebody who is predestined genetically to gain weight would be having a more challenging time regulating their appetite.
Genetics can make a person resistant to the starvation-suppressing leptin hormone. For these people, losing weight is much harder. Nevertheless, while genetics play a role in your health, it can’t be denied your way of living affects your health more.
Even if you have obesity in your family, it’s not guaranteed that you will have to be overweight, as well. It’s ultimately your healthy lifestyle, diet, and physical activity that decides your health, although it can’t be denied that some people tend to lose weight easier due to their genetic advantage.
You Have an Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune disorders can occur when your body’s immune system mistakenly targets and attacks healthy tissue, liver, tissue, or cells. Several autoimmune disorders, such as Hashimoto’s disease and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.
For example, insulin plays an integral part in how your body utilizes and absorbs glucose for energy. This can cause weight issues for individual patients with undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes, resulting in unwanted weight gain.
Rheumatoid arthritis can also make it harder to lose weight. While it may not directly affect your metabolism, people with rheumatoid arthritis may have difficulties maintaining a good weight or losing weight. This is because getting exercise can be quite difficult due to joint pain and tiredness, which will affect the efficiency of doing fitness-related activities.
Addison’s disease is another autoimmune disorder that affects your adrenal glands. If the glands do not sufficiently produce these hormones, untimely appetite, fatigue, and weight loss may be reduced.
If you’ve been doing everything right and your weight still refuses to budge, it’s possible that you may have one of these underlying medical conditions. If this sounds like you, then a simple blood diagnostics test can help rule this likelihood out for you.
You’re Dealing with Excess Stress
Stress may significantly affect your ability to have a balanced weight, too, negatively affecting your ability to shed unwanted weight. An increase in cortisol, a stress hormone, can absolutely contribute to weight gain. During periods of high stress, your adrenaline and cortisol are released into your bloodstream, increasing glucose supply.
Ironically, your body is mistakenly trying to help you by doing this. It’s releasing these hormones to provide you with the energy to escape from what it believes is a dangerous situation. Higher cortisol levels not only can make you want unhealthy food, but it can lead to excess adipose tissue around your waistline.
Stress may also lead to irregular sleep cycles, making you more tired and hungry, which can also lead to obesity. If you are frequently stressed, introducing ways to help yourself relax (such as meditation, yoga, and even therapy) can help you finally lose weight for good.
Keeping a Positive Attitude
Weight loss is almost as much a physical challenge as it is a mental game. Committing yourself to diet and practice requires discipline, determination, and a fair bit of mental effort. It would be difficult to lose weight for an indefinite period if you lack the motivation to achieve that goal.
Ultimately, you need to have patience while losing weight. You did not gain all the unwanted weight in just one day, and you certainly won’t lose it in only a day. It’s important to remain motivated through the whole process, from start to end, and recognize that it’s a lifestyle change — not a quick fix. And by taking a closer look at your lifestyle and risk factors, you can finally lose weight for good.
Reply