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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........