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Trying to lose weight can be a struggle even if you do cut calories and exercise regularly. This is because weight loss isn’t just about calories and physical activity. Factors like stress, sleep and the medications you use can influence how fast or slow you lose weight.
We'll provide some insight into how controlling your weight can be more or less difficult based on lifestyle factors, medical conditions, age and health status.
Calorie intake and physical activity both affect your body’s ability to lose weight. Generally speaking, weight loss requires you to eat fewer calories than you burn. At the same time, it’s not healthy to create an excessively large calorie deficit, says Dr. Gary Foster, chief science officer at WeightWatchers.
Make sure to set realistic weight loss goals at the start of your weight loss journey. Most experts recommend a pound or two per week as a reasonable amount of weight to try to lose.
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Physical activity helps burn fat and preserve muscle mass, which helps the body burn calories more efficiently. Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate heart-pumping activity, which could be 30 minutes, five times weekly. The guidelines also recommend muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week for major muscle groups such as the arms, shoulders, abdomen and legs.
On a given day or week, weight loss may fluctuate based on humidity, how much salt you’re eating and digestive health. This is one reason many health experts say it’s best to focus on changes in behavior versus changes in body weight to ensure long-term success, Foster says.
Other factors that contribute to how fast or slow you lose weight include:
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Are you getting enough shuteye? If not, it could affect your ability to lose weight. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, according to the National Institutes of Health. Sleeping less than the amount that you need can make you feel less motivated.
“If someone doesn’t get enough sleep, it can be more difficult to eat well, move regularly and be in a helpful mindset to reach weight loss goals,” Foster says.
Sleeping fewer than six hours of sleep a night can also impact the hormones that regulate appetite and energy metabolism, causing you to eat more than you normally would. You also may find yourself craving higher-carb, less healthy food. All of that could lead to the body storing fat instead of burning it.
The bottom line is that prioritizing sleep might make your weight loss journey a little bit easier.
Many Americans face mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression, which can affect your eating habits and your ability to lose weight.
“It’s not unusual to use food as a coping mechanism for stress, depression or anxiety,” says Kelsey Sackmann, a registered dietitian and owner of Kelsey P. RD in Butler, New Jersey.
In addition, the relationship between diet and mental health can work in the other direction. Scientific evidence shows a correlation between diets high in fat and sugar and an increased likelihood of depression and anxiety.
Although using food for comfort when depressed is common, some people also lose their appetite and experience unintentional weight loss, says Erin Palinski-Wade, a Sparta, New Jersey-based registered dietitian and author of "Belly Fat Diet for Dummies" and a consultant for MyFitnessPal.
If you’re having trouble losing weight, you can slightly blame your genetics, but not entirely.
While genetics play a role in determining your weight and your ability to lose weight, there's still a lot in your control.
“In general, behavioral changes can affect your body weight no matter your genetic predisposition,” says Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, an obesity and lipid specialist and medical director at WeightWatchers. “But genes can make weight loss more or less difficult depending on a person’s genetic makeup.”
Your diet and your activity levels are key.
“It just might be harder to implement these changes for those who are genetically predisposed,” Sackmann says.
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Several medications are associated with weight gain, including:
“If you see the scale start to tick upward and think it’s related to your medications, don’t stop taking a drug or change the dose without consulting your doctor,” Nadolsky says.
You should speak with your health care provider to discuss what options you have or possible strategies to counteract this effect.
Certain health conditions may contribute to weight gain or slow down your ability to lose weight, including:
“Addressing the underlying health issue, adopting a healthy lifestyle and working with healthcare professionals can help manage weight effectively for these,” Sackmann says.
If you’re feeling stressed, it’s so much easier to reach for high-carb, high-calorie comfort foods. As you might imagine, that doesn’t exactly help you conquer your weight loss goals. Stress also triggers the release of hormones like cortisol, which raises your hunger and cravings. Stress also can lead the body to store more fat.
While avoiding stress may be impossible, you can work on ways to better cope with it. Some suggestions from Foster:
As you get older, it can be harder – but not impossible – to lose weight. There are a few reasons why weight loss becomes more challenging with age:
Even with these extra challenges, you still can aim for nutrient-packed meals and more physical activity to lose weight.
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The journey to weight loss has its ups and downs, and that’s perfectly normal. Here are a few parting words of advice to stay focused and help you reach your weight loss goals:
David LevineOct. 11, 2023
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