Why Can't I Lose Weight? Another Diet Won't Solve Your Weight-Loss Struggles (But Here's What Will)
If you've found yourself wondering "Why can't I lose weight?", you're defintely not alone.
Calories in versus calories out does matter, when it comes to weight loss.
But what this explanation often misses is why achieving and maintaining the calorie deficit can be so difficult in the first place!
What if you're sleeping only five hours a night and craving sugar by 3pm just to get through the day?
What if poor blood sugar regulation or insulin resistance leaves you ravenous two hours after eating?
What if you're so mentally exhausted after work that cooking dinner feels impossible and ordering takeaway is the easiest option?
What if emotional eating has become your main way of coping with stress?
If you relate to any of the above and have been told to simply ‘eat less and move more’… I’m sure you know that it feels pretty frustrating.
And this is why a more holistic approach to weight loss is so important (because if losing weight was so easy, everyone would have achieved it already!).
There are other barriers that just aren’t being addressed - and this is where my role as a Naturopath and Clinical Nutritionist comes in.
Here are four factors that can influence weight loss that another diet alone won't fix:
Blood Sugar, Insulin and Cortisol Dysregulation Can Make Your Cravings Impossible to Ignore
Meals that are low in protein and fibre, or rich in refined carbohydrates, will leave you feeling hungry again relatively quickly. By mid-afternoon, your energy crashes and suddenly the biscuits in the office kitchen have become impossible to ignore. If this sounds familar, you aren't alone! Large fluctuations in blood sugar and cortisol lead to energy crashes, brain fog and cravings for quick sources of energy.
And for someone experiencing insulin resistance, this picture can become even more complicated...
Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream into our cells. When cells become less responsive to insulin, the body compensates by producing more of it. Insulin resistance is commonly associated with increased abdominal fat and can make appetite and blood sugar regulation more challenging.
In these situations, simply telling someone to eat fewer calories doesn't give them the tools they need to manage the intense hunger and cravings. And it leaves people feeling frustrated, hopeless and mad at themselves.
Thyroid Health Affects Energy and Metabolism
The thyroid plays an important role in regulating metabolism and energy production.
Hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) can contribute to symptoms including fatigue, weight gain, constipation, feeling unusually cold, dry skin, hair changes and low mood.
With an underactive thyroid, telling someone to eat less doesn’t address the full picture. Hypothyroidism reduces energy expenditure and contributes to fatigue, making weight loss much more difficult to achieve and sustain. In this situation, addressing the underlying thyroid dysfunction is crucial for creating a healthy metabolism and achieving long-term weight management.
Lack of Accountability
Most people already know what they should be doing to lose weight. The challenge is continuing to do it when work gets busy, motivation drops, you're tired, you've had a stressful week or life simply doesn't go according to plan.
A plan that only works when you're highly motivated isn't a very good plan.
This is where coaching, accountability and Naturopathy can make a significant difference.
Having someone in your corner, keeping you accountable, and helping you identify what's getting in the way is far more valuable than another diet plan.
Motivation usually drops around the 8-12 week mark, so we need to build habits for you that are realistic enough to maintain long after this initial motivation wears off.
Not addressing the root causes (so the weight gets regained again in the future)
Many diets can help you lose weight in the short term. But if we don’t address why the weight was gained in the first place, it's very easy to fall back into the same patterns once the diet ends.
Perhaps stress leads you to emotionally eat.
Perhaps you struggle with all-or-nothing thinking and find yourself either being completely ‘on track’ or giving up altogether.
Maybe poor sleep leaves you exhausted and reaching for sugar and caffeine to get through the day.
Or perhaps you've never found an exercise routine or way of eating that you enjoy and that genuinely fits your lifestyle.
If these underlying barriers haven't changed, another restrictive diet will help you lose weight temporarily, but theres a high chance you will regain it.
You Don't Need More Information. You Need Investigation, Accountability & Support:
For one person, the biggest barrier might be insulin resistance and constant cravings. For another, it's poor thyroid health. Someone else may need support with emotional eating, or ADHD, reward-seeking behaviours, or exhaustion.
Everyone has a different story, and my approach is to look at you as an individual and ask: What is actually getting in the way of you achieving your goals?
If you're feeling stuck with your weight, energy or motivation and aren't sure what your next step should be, a free 15-minute clarity session with me can help you explore what's getting in the way and whether naturopathic support is right for you.
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