Weight loss can be tricky. While we are all well aware of what we need to do to shed a few pounds it can be a lot easier said than done.
Sometimes you can cut back on your eating and exercise more and still not see the results you were hoping for. With this in mind, one expert revealed the reasons you might be struggling to lose weight.
Senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Victoria Taylor explained what might be holding you back. Speaking to the BHF’s magazine Heart Matters she also encouraged people to “keep going” with healthy changes to their diet and lifestyle.
She said: “Even if you’re not losing weight as quickly as you like, you’ll still improve your health.” But what are some key factors that could be slowing weight loss?
Only focusing on exercise
Ultimately to lose weight, you need a calorie deficit, which means using up more energy than you get from eating and drinking. Victoria said: “It’s possible to do enough exercise to achieve this. However, it’s hard to keep this up.”
She recommended keeping a food and activity diary to confirm that you are consistently doing what you need to. “More exercise can also increase your appetite, making it harder to reach this goal,” Victoria said.
She also advised finding a physical activity you enjoy rather than one that burns the most energy as you are more likely to stick to it. This could be something like gardening, walking or dancing.
Restricting your diet too much
In your eagerness to eat less you might be depriving yourself of some of the nutrients you need. Victoria continued: “Be wary of any eating plan that does not include all the main food groups. An unbalanced diet can leave you feeling unsatisfied after meals, making you more likely to snack later.”
She told people to still include some of the foods they love so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.
Drinks
We might be so focused on cutting back on calories in our food that we forget drinks too.
“Across a day the sugar in drinks like soft drinks, fruit juices and in tea or coffee can easily add up to the equivalent of three extra chocolate biscuits,” she said.
Victoria advised choosing sugar-free versions of drinks and swapping out juice for the fruit itself.
Stress
Victoria warned: “Stress can lead us to eat more, or change the types of foods we eat. You might find that you snack more or that you’re eating more than you normally would because you’re not as mindful at mealtimes.”
To combat this she recommended trying to change your habits in response to stress. This could involve writing, drawing or filling out a crossword puzzle instead of snacking.
Lacking sleep
According to Victoria, we tend to reach for foods higher in sugar and fat when we’re tired. She said: “Being tired can make it harder to stick to a healthy eating plan.”
To improve your sleep she recommended tactics such as reading a book instead of looking at screens in bed, and avoiding caffeine in the evening.
Medical reasons
There can be medical reasons why you might find it hard to lose weight or have gained weight. Victoria said: “If you have been consistent with your changes but are still struggling, talk to your GP. They can see if you need any further tests or if there could be other options to help.”
Expecting too much too soon
She added: “You may have gained weight over time. It can also take time to unlearn habits and lose weight. It can feel frustratingly slow when you want to lose weight quickly. But, to keep the weight from coming back you need to make changes you can stick with in the long run.”
Healthy weight loss is considered to be around 0.5 to 1kg (1 to 2lb) per week.