Further Things That Inhibit Weight Loss

You are stressed

Chronic stress increases the hormone cortisol. Cortisol makes it more likely that you will store fat, especially around your waist. Not only does cortisol predispose us to store fat, stress predisposes us to crave sugar.

When we are stressed, our "fight or flight" mode is activated. In order to be able to fight an enemy or flee them, we needed to be full of energy. This means that, in "fight or flight" mode, we crave sugar. Lots of sugar. To enable sugar to go to the muscles that - according to our body - need it, all the cells are opened to allow sugar to seep in.

This causes weight gain.

It's in your genes

Here's some bad news: if you can't lose weight, your genes may be to blame. Our metabolism is, to a large extent, predicted by our genes. So, if you have portly parents, you are likely to find it harder to lose weight.

It's in your jeans

Ladies: some more bad news. How easy or hard you find it to lose weight is partly predicated on gender. Women find it harder than men to drop the pounds. The good news is that, if women do manage to lose weight, they are less likely to put it back on.

You may also find that the man in your life loses his tummy-fat before you. Women struggle much more with this area.

Too few calories

Believe it or not, eating too few calories may make it harder to lose weight. Low calorie diets are typified by bad nutrition and a daily intake of around 800 to 1200 calories. If you're on a diet like this and are not losing weight (or your weight loss has stopped), it's time you look at adding more healthy calories to your diet.

Low calorie diets increase cortisol in the body, making fat more resistant and making it harder to lose weight. A review found that 30-64% of dieters on a low calorie diet ended up gaining more weight than they had lost; the longer participants were followed, the more weight they gained.

Poor health

If you have certain health conditions, it may be harder for you to lose weight. These conditions include:

• Eating disorders, such as Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia
• Heart Disease
• Hormonal disorders
• Sleep Disorders, like sleep apnoea

If you have any of the above conditions, it's important you tackle your health condition, before you worry about your weight. Instead of focusing on dieting, focus on eating healthily and having a sensible, doctor-approved exercise-programme.

Certain medicines

As with poor health, certain medications will destroy your attempts to lose weight before you even take that first glug of kale smoothie. These medications include:

• Birth control pills (Levonorgestrel)
• Anti-epilepsy medication (valproate, gabapentin, carbamazepine)
• Antihistamines (Diphenhydramine)
• Beta-blockers (metoprolol)
• Anti-psychotic or schizophrenia medications (chlorpromazine, thioridazine)
• Anti-depressants (Amitryptiline Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft)

If you're taking these medications and your weight is causing you problems, have a word with your doctor; your doctor may be able to change your medication to an alternative where weight gain is not so problematic. Even if that's not possible, eating a healthy diet and taking gentle exercise could still limit the effects your medication has on you.

READ Best Way to Maximize Weight Loss through Exercise?

Conclusion

Although these problems make it hard to lose weight, don't give up. By sticking to a healthy, balanced diet and following a sensible exercise programme, you can make a difference to your health. Remember, if you have a medical condition, you should be carefully monitored while you're attempting to lose weight.

Remember, don't be ashamed. Your medical condition is not your fault. The best thing you can do is try to take care of your health, and talk to your doctor about any alterations that can be made to your medication. Perhaps ask for a referral to a qualified dietician who specialises in offering advice on healthy eating to people with medical conditions.

And don't worry: although all these conditions may make it hard to lose weight, it's not impossible. There's help out there for you.