50 Eye-Opening Reasons Why You Aren’t Losing Weight

The weight loss industry is huge. In fact in the United States alone it’s estimated to be worth more than 60.5 billion dollars per year! Despite this, the ‘obesity epidemic’ is growing and represents a growing health crisis. The burden an obese population place on our health system alone is a scary prospect indeed. For instance, it’s estimated that the annual medical costs for an obese person are $1429 more than that of a person of average weight .

So why is an industry that is failing still growing? Did you know over one-third of children and adults in the USA are now considered overweight?

It’s hardly a strong endorsement of the weight-loss industry.

So where is it all going wrong?

The fact is many of us do attempt to lose weight, only to fail. Those of us that do manage to succeed, often fail over time as we are unable to keep the weight off.

In the following article, I have listed 50 of the most common reasons people fail to lose weight.

At the end of the day, weight loss isn’t as complicated as you might think. But it’s not as easy as the weight loss industry would have you believe.

The 4 Keys to Weight Loss

While there are many pieces of the weight loss puzzle, we can break them down into four broad categories:

Mindset

Ensuring you are mentally prepared to do what it takes to lose your excess weight.

Nutrition

Fuel your body with the right foods for losing weight.

Exercise

Improving your fitness and burning calories by raising your activity levels.

Lifestyle

Adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes elements of each category listed above.

To lose weight and live a healthier life, you need to make sure to address, all these four critical areas. We’ll start with mindset as this is where all weight loss journeys should begin. It is also where most weight loss attempts fail.

Mindset

1. You Don’t Have Goals

Before you even begin to attempt losing weight, you must learn to set goals. Let’s face it, without a destination, it’s difficult to get anywhere. A goal is a dream, with a deadline attached to it.

While just ‘showing up’ is essential to success, that alone is not enough. You need a goal that provides direction. Goals should be challenging yet sustainable. It’s also important upon reaching your goals that you reward your achievement.

Write down a specific goal you are trying to achieve.

2. Your Goals aren’t Crystal Clear

While setting a goal is crucial, having defined goals is even more important.

“Getting thin” or “losing weight” isn’t a defined goal. For goals to be effective, they should be crystal clear, you should be able to visualise the goal.

Instead of making your goal ‘lose weight’, why not ‘Lose 40 Pounds and fit into the same size jeans I did when I was 25’. It’s a more efficient way to think about your goal because it allows you to track your progress. Monitoring your results enables you to reward your efforts.

Make the goal you set yourself in step 1 as defined as possible.

3. You Lack Motivation

Just as it’s important to have a goal, it’s important to stimulate your desire to reach it.

It may surprise you but many people don’t have a tangible source of motivation for long-term weight loss. Motivation can be easy to come by when first attempting to lose weight. Most people lose weight quickly in the beginning and this alone will motivate you. But after a short period of time, the process slows down and results become more difficult.

The key to losing weight for life isn’t finding a source of motivation its sustaining it. A famous quote from Zig Ziggler that drives home this point is:

“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

Find a source of motivation that you can visit often e.g. a series of photos or a motivational speech on YouTube. If you are stuck for ideas, this is a particularly good one .

4. You Have Unhealthy Habits

Everyone knows what it takes to lose weight (i.e. diet and exercise), but few actually make it happen.

Improving your diet and exercise requires replacing unhealthy habits with healthy ones. Eating healthy food and exercising can become a habit in much the same way unhealthy habits can form.

In most cases, it takes approx. 21 days for habits to form. If you find the motivation to push yourself for 21 days, living a healthy life will become easier. It will become a habit, you won’t even need to think about it, you will just do it.

Commit yourself to the time it takes to develop habits (21 days).

5. Poor Scheduling / Lack of Time

It’s essential that you schedule some time to accommodate your weight loss regimen.

To make this happen, you must sit down and create a plan that you can stick to rain, hail or shine.

Most people underestimate the time required to eat healthier. Preparing healthy food often will involve more time for meal preparation and cooking. Shopping for healthy food can also take longer.

When it comes to exercise, you also need to be realistic with your schedule. For instance, you may plan to do 40 minutes of exercise after work each day. To achieve this, you will need to factor in travel (if required) and a shower afterward. That 40 minutes of exercise requires more than an hour of your time each day.

Understanding these types of challenges will help you be better prepared to succeed.

Create a schedule for your weight loss journey, making sure it is sustainable.

6. Your Family and Friends are Holding You Back

“What do you need to lose weight for? You look great the way you are,” is something you may often hear from those closest to you. Many people fear the success of others because it makes them conscious of their current state. So much so that they will discourage others, even those close to them from achieving their goals. This often is subconscious but the effect is the same.

There is also another side to this coin that rarely gets mentioned.

You have probably seen this phenomenon yourself on Social Media. People love telling their friends and family how hard they are working out e.g. “That leg workout today was killer, I won’t be able to walk for a week”. Some people prefer to post a thousand selfies at the gym, giving the impression they rarely leave.

It’s natural to be proud of the effort you are putting in. But giving the impression that you rarely leave the gym will also cause problems for some. Those who are closest to you may accuse you of being too extreme, in some cases, they will even be right.

Make sure you understand the difference between genuine concern and subconscious jealousy. You could also consider cutting down on all the gym selfies.

Be aware of anyone you feel may be holding you back and take their comments with a grain of salt.

7. Fear of Succeeding

Fear of success is one of the most difficult to understand, yet it is all too prevalent. When it comes to losing weight, many people may feel that they aren’t worthy of being thin. They think “That’s not me”.

It sounds crazy, but it’s a real condition. The best way to conquer the fear of success is to convince yourself that you deserve the rewards that will come. It comes back to self-worth, you need to convince yourself you are worth it.

To do this means dealing with the cause and not the symptoms.

If you are self-sabotaging your weight loss, there may be other areas in your life affected.

Speak to your doctor, who in turn may refer you on to a psychologist. It doesn’t mean you are crazy, it means you may need some professional help. We all require assistance in one form or another at different times to get the best from ourselves.

8. You Lack Discipline

Discipline is the ability to do something on a regular basis, that you find difficult. Having the willpower to hit the gym and incorporate a healthier diet epitomizes discipline.

While they are closely related to motivation and good habits, they are fundamentally different. Motivation is ‘why we do something’. Habit is ‘the doing’ and discipline underpins the entire process by incorporating consistency.

Committing to a regular exercise schedule can be daunting. If it was easy everyone would be in great shape. If you want to achieve your goal you need discipline and an understanding there is a price to pay.

If you have defined goals, you will find that price is well worth the effort required.

Remember – motivation will get you to the gym in the first place. Discipline and focus will keep you working months after you started .

9. You Lack Confidence

One of the biggest obstacles to losing weight is the limiting beliefs that we develop. Some of us who are trying to lose weight believe that we just can’t do it. When in fact, many of us are a lot stronger and more capable than we will ever comprehend.

Confidence is somewhat like a Catch-22; the only way to gain it is to do the thing you fear you can’t. When it comes to weight loss, you may look in the mirror and feel that it’s hopeless. But the only way to overcome that hurdle is to bite the bullet and push through.

Do what it is you fear.

10. You Don’t Comprehend the Negative Health Implications

Because obesity is so prevalent in the western world, many people view it as normal. Obesity comes with many health implications such as an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Normalizing obesity is only going to accelerate the problem.

When coming face to face with a disease or condition, we make changes to our ‘unhealthy’ lifestyle. It would be much better to gain this insight without experiencing a health-related problem.

Need convincing? Speak to your doctor about how your weight is affecting your health. For example, did you know those who are obese are at a much higher risk of developing Cancer ?

11. Your Peers are Overweight

Just as friends and family may discourage our health ambitions, they also do it by just being present. If you notice that many in your peer group are out of shape, that can discourage you. You will accept this as a normality. The quote by Jim Rohn:

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”

Is particularly the case when it comes to weight loss.

Ask yourself if the people closest to you are having a positive or negative influence on your life. I’m not suggesting you need to disassociate your friends and family. But you should seek out a healthy balance all the same.

12. You See Weight Loss as a Temporary Challenge

The fact is if you want to be healthy for good you need to stop focusing on ‘getting fit for summer’. Forget Summer, focus on ‘getting fit for life’. Thinking long-term about your health is a significant mindset shift and one you need to make if you are serious.

If you are thinking ‘I can keep this up for the next six weeks’ chances are in 26 weeks you will be back where you started. If you find this concept especially daunting, tell yourself you are going to take it one day at a time. You should also understand there will be occasional setbacks.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.
Lao Tzu

The weight loss industry as a whole is to blame for this mindset. Get fit for summer campaigns might help people lose weight. But the reality is they often end up gaining the weight back because it is short term thinking.

Accept that you need to make permanent changes if you want to lose weight and live a healthier life. Stop taking in short-term thinking when it comes to your health.

13. You Don’t Have a Mentor

If you are struggling or feeling overwhelmed with information, seek out someone who understands your journey. Either they have helped someone just like you or they have lost weight themselves.

Mentors come in different shapes and sizes. You may have a good understanding of nutrition and exercise but need a mentor who can push you e.g. personal trainer. Or it may be that motivation isn’t a problem, but you keep making poor nutritional choices.

It needn’t cost you money or a stalking charge either.

The sheer amount of content available on health and fitness is endless.

Taking in information from too many sources may leave you feeling overwhelmed. You will have to wrestle with conflicting information; my suggestion is Pick and stick!

Find someone who understands your weight loss journey. You can find content via books, magazines, websites and video e.g. DVD’s or YouTube.

14. You’re Taking In the Wrong Information

The amount of conflicting information on health often impedes those trying to lose weight. This condition is also known as ‘analysis paralysis’. Analysis paralysis means you are aware of far too many methods to lose weight and have no idea where to start.

For example, some weight loss experts advocate a diet very low in Carbohydrates. While many of us are aware Carbohydrates are an excellent energy source that allows us to burn fat during the day.

The only way to know what works is to try it for yourself or put your trust in a good mentor as outlined above.

Test what works for you (we’re all different). Avoid taking in too much information from many sources.

Nutrition

15. You’re Eating too Many Calories

The short story to losing weight is to eat fewer calories than your body burns. When eating less than your body needs you will create a caloric deficit. Use an online calculator to look at the number of calories expended daily and eat less than that figure.

One reason we end up consuming too many calories is we consume in excess foods deemed healthy. Health foods like quinoa or brown rice, are still high in calories. Consuming these in limited quantities is smart.

Give yourself a total calories target for each day and do your best not to exceed it.

16. You Don’t Understand the Basics of Nutrition

Eating well requires you to be a good decision-maker.

There is a multitude of conflicting information on nutrition available. To know what’s right for you, you need a basic understanding of nutrition.

You could follow a diet, but what happens when the diet finishes? Step by step plans fails because they don’t arm you with the knowledge you need once you are on your own.

Understanding nutrition will help you become more self-reliant when it comes to nutritional choices. Chances are you won’t have your mentor with you next time you visit a restaurant or ponder a late night snack.

Read up on nutrition. You don’t need to be an expert but learning the basics will help you become more self-sufficient.

17. You Skip Breakfast

Eating a healthy, balanced breakfast is a great way to start your day. By eating breakfast, you curb hunger pangs in the late morning/early afternoon. A substantial breakfast also provides your body with the energy necessary to get through the day.

A side note. The saying ‘breakfast in the most important meal of the day’ is actually not one I tend to give a lot of weight to. There are many people who have achieved great success by utilizing intermittent fasting and skipping breakfast. The lesson here really is to take control of your dietary habits. By having a nutritious breakfast you are less likely to snack during the morning. If however you deliberately skip breakfast as part of a fasting regimen, then lunch would become equally important.

Make sure to eat lots of protein, healthy fats and fruits. Skip the processed garbage and avoid cereals high in sugar. At least 14 popular breakfast cereal currently on the market consist of more than 33% sugar.

Ensure you are eating a healthy breakfast every morning, read the labels on your cereal box.

18. You Have Poor Eating Habits

No, not the food you eat, but the way you eat it.

Eating while standing epitomizes a poor eating habit. When people eat standing up, they are less aware of what they’re doing. Likewise, if you are eating on the run chances are you won’t be monitoring your intake.

Always sit down to a meal, establish a routine. Avoid mindless eating or eating on the run.

19. Your Diet is Too Extreme

“Wait, what? I thought I’m supposed to eat in a healthy way?”

Nutrition may be the most important factor when it comes to weight loss, but it’s a good idea to allow yourself an indulgence on occasion. Cheat meals are when you have a meal (usually once per week) that deviates from your normal diet.

The idea behind the cheat meal is twofold:

1. Allowing yourself to indulge once a week makes dieting more tolerable. Cheat meals make you less likely to cheat on your diet throughout the week, and
2. Consuming more calories than your body uses boosts metabolism for a short period.

There’s also a downside to ‘cheat meals’. I include them here because they do work for a large number of people. But if you’re anything like me I wouldn’t focus too much on cheat meals. You are mentally rewarding yourself with food. You are still putting unhealthy food on a pedestal.

Approaching food in this way can make it much easier to slide into bad habits. Tread carefully, cheat meals may help in the beginning, but try not to rely on them if you can.

Don’t be too extreme with your dieting, especially when first starting out.

20. You’re Not Eating Your Fruit and Vegetables

Your parents had your health in mind when they told you to eat your vegetables a child. Eating veggies are necessary for weight loss and your health for many reasons:

• Provides essential nutrients,
• Keeps the stomach full because of fiber content,
• Fat-burning properties.

It’s recommended that for every 2000 calories you consume you should be eating 2 cups of fruit. You should also be getting 2.5 cups of vegetables.

21. You Dine Out too Much

While dining out is fine, it is not conducive to losing weight. The reality is that most restaurants don’t care about your health and what kind of diet you’re on. Restaurants are more interested in making the best tasting food they can. Unfortunately, this almost always means more calories.

It is important to cook as many of your meals as possible. Cooking gives you a better insight into what you’re eating and allows more control over portion sizes.

Cut down on eating out and learn how to prepare healthy food at home.

22. Your Food Binges Blow Out

We all have moments of weakness that result in unhealthy eating. A special occasion or a weekend away can lead to a lack of discipline resulting in unhealthy eating. Here’s the thing, one bad day isn’t the problem. Developing healthy eating habits for the long term will keep your weight in check.

Don’t let one bad meal lead to many. Time and time again I hear of people who have had a moment of weakness when it comes to nutrition. The same individuals then end up going on a fully fledged food binge. It seems once the door is open it’s difficult to close it for many of us.

If you have a food blowout, don’t beat yourself up about it. Minimise the damage by getting your diet back on track asap. Convince yourself that a minor setback will not define you.

23. You’re Snacking too Much

There are two distinct ways to approach snacking. On one hand eating smaller meals more regularly increases metabolism. It works by denying your body the opportunity to go into starvation mode and slow your metabolism.

But for most of us when we think of snacking we aren’t talking about dehydrated fruits . We are consuming sugary biscuits, chips, cheeses, etc. in other words unhealthy food.

What’s even worse is you will have no idea how many calories you are consuming. While you might perceive these snacks to be small, the food is dense in calories.

The only effective way to counter this is to be aware of the problem and take steps to address it. e.g. introduce healthier snacks such as Almonds, Tuna, Wholemeal Crackers, Smoothies…you get the idea.

24. You Don’t Drink Enough Water

Many of us confuse thirst for hunger.

It’s essential to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated throughout the day. Not only is it necessary for maintaining good health, but drinking water curbs cravings.

When you find yourself reaching for a snack, drink a glass of water first. Water may well get rid of your hunger pangs.

Don’t take things too far. Water fasting is dangerous and leads to muscle wastage and vitamin deficiencies.

Keep a record of the amount of water you consume. Aim for at least 2 liters (more if you are exercising) daily.

25. You’re On a Zero Fat Diet

Low-fat diets have been popular for many years, yet the obesity rate continues to climb. Something isn’t quite right with the ‘low-fat’ approach to nutrition. The facts are:

1. Not all fats are bad. It’s easy to associate excess body fat with ‘fat’ the macronutrient. The truth is though that all macronutrients can cause weight gain.
2. Many Fats are healthy. In fact, fats are an essential part of people’s diets. Meat, eggs, nuts, avocados, etc. are all loaded with healthy fats.

You may have heard the term ‘good fats’ and ‘bad fats’. Fats that are deemed ‘good’ are Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats .

These fats contain many health benefits including improving your cardiovascular health. Foods high in these types of fat include:

• Nuts
• Peanut Butter
• Olives
• Avocado
• Soy Milk
• Fish

The fat you need to limit your intake of are Saturated Fats and Trans Fats. These are actually bad for your heart and increase your cholesterol level. Foods high in Saturated and Trans Fats include:

• High-fat dairy products
• Baked goods
• Butter/Margarine
• High-Fat Meats
• Processed foods

The key is to have a balanced approach to fat consumption.

If you are looking to increase muscle mass fats are essential along with protein consumption. Have you ever noticed how your typical high-fat egg yolk has a border of low-fat egg white? or how lean protein meat cuts have distinct areas of fat?

Introduce fish, nuts and peanut butter into your diet and lose the phobia over fat.

26. You’re Eating too Many Carbs

The main rule to keep in mind when it comes to weight loss is eating fewer calories than your body expends. While this is correct, the problem is that not all calories are equal.

Consumption of Carbohydrates affects hormones like insulin, which causes the body to store fat. It is best to base your meals around protein like fish, eggs, poultry. You can then add vegetables, plus a healthy carbohydrate like brown rice or a baked potato.

Some people choose to go without Carbohydrates entirely. While reducing your carb intake is a smart choice, Carbs are also a source of energy. We require energy to burn calories. As always moderation is the key.

Ensure your carbohydrate intake suits to your activity level.

27. You’re Eating Too Few Calories

I know, I know….you’re supposed to eat fewer calories than you use. However, some people think that starving themselves is the best solution to losing weight.

Eating too little is not only unhealthy but problematic when it comes to weight loss. It is also not conducive to long-term success. Consuming too fewer calories can put the body into a catabolic state and can impact energy levels. It can also harm the body’s immune system.

If you starve yourself, your body will go into starvation mode. Starvation mode results in your metabolism slowing down. A slow metabolism is the last thing you need if attempting to lose weight.

Check your energy levels. If you are low on energy and suspect it is because you are eating too little, try to eating more regularly.

28. You Have a Sweet Tooth

You know that feeling when you take the first bite into a piece of cake or a candy bar? It feels great. The reason for this is the body releases a hormone called Dopamine . Dopamine is the brain giving the body a ‘thumbs up’.

It does this because at one time humans had to forage for food and consume whatever was available. When we came across food high in calories, the brain rewarded us with Dopamine. The problem is that thousands of years ago baked goods or candy weren’t freely available. The brain hasn’t evolved yet to know when to stop sending out Dopamine.

Try using Stevia or another sugar substitute, be wary of ‘reduced fat’ meals, often they are high in sugar.

29. Ineffective Timing of Meals

You should spread out your meals throughout the day. Doing so allows the body to keep a steady supply of energy.

Irregular meal times can lead to cravings throughout the day which in turn leads to snacking.

As mentioned, you should be eating 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. You can also try your three main meals with morning and afternoon tea included.

Always attempt to eat your main meals at the same time each day.

30. You’re Not Counting Calories

While it may seem tedious, keeping track of calories is an excellent way to hit your weight loss goals.

Many of us underestimate the number calories we eat. When we begin to track calories we start to realize how much we are actually eating. The awareness gained means they’re we are likely to make better decisions in the future.

Find a library or database of food and associated calorie counts . Start adding up your total intake for the day. Put measures in place to reduce the number of calories you are eating if you suspect you are over indulging.

31. You Keep Changing Your Diet

People are always looking for a ‘silver bullet’, a quick fix to help them get thin fast. Unfortunately, that’s just not how things work. It takes time and patience to lose weight.

If you plan on improving your health, educate yourself (or take advice from a mentor) and then stick with it. You need discipline, and it’s important you track your progress. Make sure you are not seduced by the lure of the ‘silver bullet’. Most health-related products or programs don’t change a great deal outside of the marketing.

Stop looking for an easier way, there isn’t one. Commit to the basics, they rarely change.

32. You Think Salads are Healthy

Many of us make the mistake of thinking salads are healthy but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s not so much the raw ingredients, it’s what we put on top to make them more palatable.

Salad dressings are almost always high in fat. Reduced fat salad dressings are almost always high in sugar. The Mayonnaise you pour over your salad has about 90 calories per tablespoon. The half cup of cheese you throw on top consists of approximately 19grams of fat.

The real danger when it comes to salads is the misconception that we can consume them in abundance. In some cases, salads can be as unhealthy as eating McDonald’s. This, despite their undeserved ‘health food’ reputation.

Leafy greens such as lettuce also contain little in the way of nutritional value. You may as well be eating cardboard for all the benefits you will receive from some leafy greens.

Salads are tasty even without the condiments. Skip the dressing and mayonnaise. If you do need a dressing, try Balsamic vinegar.

33. You Eat Foods You Can’t Tolerate

While some people have food allergies or issues like lactose intolerance, many of us have more mild reactions. You may not notice some foods can cause you issues like lethargy and stomach pain. Though minor both can indirectly affect your ability to exercise.

Make sure that when eating particular foods you pay close attention to how your body reacts to them. If it helps make some notes and then compare how you feel after eating something else.

Keep a diary for a week and measure how different foods make you feel. Be sure to take into account other variables such as sleep, general well-being, etc. The results may surprise you.

Exercise

34. You’re Not Lifting Weights

People associate lifting weights with gaining muscle. But did you know weight training is highly effective for burning fat?

If you are not lifting weights but instead relying on cardio or just diet, you will lose muscle mass. By doing weights, you will increase muscle mass. Increasing muscle mass in turn, increases your resting metabolic rate. A pound of muscle burns 6-10 calories versus 2-4 calories per pound of body fat.

Weight training also increases your metabolism for up to 39 hours after your workout. It does so because your body is recovering and repairing muscle fibers.

Incorporate weight training into your exercise routine.

35. You’re Not Training Heavy

It is important that when training you use a variety of different weights and rep ranges. It is important however to not neglect training heavy. Lifting heavy weights is the best way to build muscle, which contributes to burning fat.

An important aspect of weight training is the principle of progressive overload . If you used the same amount of weight and rep range on a particular exercise for a month, you won’t make progress. The reason for this is because you’re not giving your body any reason to get stronger. Whether it is an increase in weight or volume, progressive overload should be your goal.

Make sure you are lifting heavier weights when you work out. A good rule of thumb is lifting weights you max out on after 8-12 reps.

36. You’re Doing Too Much Cardio

Again, not only is a balanced workout program important, but too much cardio can be harmful.

Excessive cardio can impact on our hormones. Excessive cardio can also put the body in a catabolic state where it destroys hard earned muscle. Ever wondered why Marathon runners and sprinters look entirely different?

This loss of muscle will slow down the body’s metabolism, as well as reduce strength and vitality.

Mix up your routine by incorporating some cardio and some weight training.

37. You’re Not Pushing Yourself

You don’t have to be extreme to get in shape, but you should be maximising your time invested in exercise. Too many people go to the gym with little more than a half-hearted attempt at working out. That’s better than nothing but you may as well get full value from your workouts by pushing yourself.

Be sure to keep your heart rate up if doing cardio. During weight, sessions make sure you take no longer than 60-90 seconds between sets.

Take advantage of your workouts by ensuring you are pushing yourself further. Improving one’s performance will lead to strength and fitness gains.

38. You’re Not Changing Your Workouts

The body builds muscle and strength as an adaption to a stimulus. When you’re lifting weights you are forcing your body to adapt. But what happens once your body adapts to that stimulus?

The key is to challenge ourselves with different variations. You should be trying to confuse your body and not allow it to settle and become accustomed to what you are doing.

It’s also important to change your workouts because it is healthier for your joints. Subjecting your joints to the same form of repetitive exercise can cause long-term damage.

Try changing your workout every 2-3 months by incorporating different exercises. It can also be of benefit to take a recovery week every 2-3 months to allow your joints time to recover.

39. You’re Doing the Wrong Exercises

Many people believe that by training their abdominals they will burn more belly fat. The idea is better known as ‘spot reducing’. It is completely false logic.

When performing any form of exercise, the body burns fat from a variety of areas, not just one. Make sure to train your body with a mix of cardio and weights for the most efficient results.

Exercise your entire body, forget problem areas, you will burn fat in all areas over time.

Lifestyle

40. You Take Medications or Drugs that Affect Weight Loss

Some medications can affect weight loss by increasing your appetite. Medications can also increase your fatigue levels and can be responsible for fluid retention.

Make a list of any medications you are using and ask your doctor if they are hindering your weight loss efforts.

41. You Have a Thyroid Disorder

An underactive Thyroid can cause health-related issues and is better known as hypothyroidism . This affects the body’s weight, general health, hormones, and energy levels. This condition can also cause joint pain and fatigue.

An issue with your thyroid is not something that you can detect and requires a medical professional.

If you have been working hard on losing weight without success, then it may be something you should investigate further.

Speak to your doctor and explain the reasons you suspect you may have a Thyroid disorder. Your doctor will either ease your concerns or request a blood test to check the thyroid levels.

42. You Have a Hormone Imbalance

While diet and exercise are critical to weight loss, hormones can also play a significant role. Insulin tells the body how much fat to store and testosterone tells the body how much muscle to grow.

When our hormones are out of balance, it affects all aspects of our health. If you suspect this is an issue, seek a medical professional for help.

Take this test . Depending on your results, make an appointment to see your doctor.

43. You Have a Weak Immune System

People have a lot of bogus excuses when it comes to exercising. One of the few reasonable excuses is being sick.

Don’t work out when you’re sick, regardless of what you hear to the contrary. Your body is already under enough duress fighting off illness. Exercising when sick is putting your body under too much strain.

To avoid missing workouts make sure that you’re doing what you can to keep your immune system healthy. Not surprisingly, the things that aid weight loss (regular exercise, proper nutrition, sleep etc.) keep the immunes system strong too.

Don’t allow yourself to get run down, get plenty of rest and maintain a healthy balance.

44. You Have A Metabolic Disorder

Our metabolism is what gives us energy and helps us stay at (or gain or lose) our current weight. When we have a poorly functioning metabolism, it can have an effect on our weight and health in general. A Metabolic disorder (or Insulin-Resistance Syndrome ) is often attributed to obesity.

There are of Metabolic disorders than can impact our attempts at weight loss. Metabolic Disorder is not a condition, but rather a set of risk factors that allow a diagnosis.

Change your lifestyle, become more active and incorporate a healthy diet.

45. You’re Too Stressed

Stress is a much bigger problem than most people give it credit for. Stress is a leading cause of both Obesity and Diabetes.

Stress is a hidden foe. It releases a hormone called Cortisol which has the potential to increase the storage of body fat. Cortisol can also disrupt your bodies natural ability to burn fat.

If stress is an issue for you, consider making changes, don’t underestimate the problem.

46. You Have Poor Sleeping Habits

Sleep is one of the most important, yet underrated aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Getting enough rest is essential for healthy hormone levels and a healthy immune system.

Staying up late at night is often associated with poor eating habits. Go to bed early and good things will happen.

Prioritize your sleep, most of us don’t realize how important it is.

47. You Sit Too Much

It’s said that “sitting is the new smoking”. Sitting is now thought to contribute to many health issues. Do the best you can to get off your rear end!

Not only is sitting harmful to health, but laziness begets laziness. Try and talk a short walk when you find yourself lying like a sloth on the couch.

If your work involves sitting for long periods, look into a standing work bench. If a new work bench is out of reach get up and walk around the office as often as you reasonably can.

48. You’re Drinking Too Much Alcohol

Many people enjoy alcohol on occasion whether it be a cold beer or a glass of wine with dinner. Drinking on occasion is fine. Excessive consumption of alcohol however, is detrimental to a person’s weight loss goals .

Alcohol is problematic for several reasons:

• It contains calories, and a night of heavy drinking can be equal to a whole meal,
• Alcohol disrupts hormonal balances that help us stay healthy and energized, and
• It causes hangovers, which often lead to missed workouts and unhealthy food binging

A lot of people find themselves drinking too much because of their peer group. If this is the case you need to evaluate your lifestyle and see if it’s hampering your goals.

First…..understand how Alcohol affects weight loss. Re-evaluate how much alcohol matters to you in comparison and make the necessary changes. You don’t need to become a teetotaller just learn to consume in moderation.

49. You’re bored

Boredom usually doesn’t give rise to productivity. Rather it leads us to unhealthy habits like eating too much and being sedentary. Many people eat ‘Just because’ which is a precursor to being overweight.

Make sure that you’re living a fun, healthy and active lifestyle. Never find yourself in the position of eating junk because you have nothing better to do with your life.

Find something to occupy your time in a positive way, rather than just killing time. Consider passion projects you have been putting off or reading that book that you never have time to get to. Boredom isn’t easily cured, but awareness will help you stop converting boredom to calories.

50. You’re getting older

Sorry, but someone had to tell you.

As your body ages, it becomes more challenging to lose weight or gain muscle. These hormonal changes have a powerful effect on weight. understanding hormone changes will allow you to get the most out of a weight loss regimen.

There’s nothing you can do to fight aging. But living a healthy, balanced life will help you avoid feeling older than you actually are.

Age should never be an excuse for losing weight. Accept that you can’t stop your body aging and start living every day to the fullest.

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Summing up why you can’t lose weight

It may seem overwhelming at first to go through all 50 points listed above. If you do I guarantee you will find at least one area of your life that is holding you back.

The most important points to remember are:

• Be mentally prepared
  It’s not going to be easy, there is no magic weight loss pill. You must prepare mentally before you begin to accept the challenge. You must accept there is a price to pay. Trust me it’s worth it.
• Change your thinking about food
  Diet is the single most important aspect you have control over when it comes to weight. Stop putting unhealthy food on a pedestal. Stop craving junk food and start embracing healthy food choices.
• Think long term
  Rapid weight loss will always fail. Think holistically, incorporate health and well-being into every aspect of your life. You can then reap the benefits.
• Understand there will be setbacks
  You won’t always have the discipline required but don’t let setbacks derail you. One bad day doesn’t make a bad year.

Remember weight loss is difficult but it is achievable, many people have done it before. If they can do it why can’t you?

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed slow things down and remember this simple mantra. Move more, Eat less.