Have you ever wondered “why am I not losing weight” despite your best efforts? If you’ve realized that you’re not losing weight no matter how hard you try, it can be really frustrating. 

And you are not alone.

Studies show that the average person tries 4-5 diets per year without seeing major results.

If millions of people are trying to lose weight and over 40% of the population is considered obese, then it means something is wrong.

The fact is that most diets don’t work, and that there are different situations where losing weight  is harder for some persons.

Here are 11 reasons why you’re not losing weight and how you can make some changes to bring your weight in the right direction- down.

11 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight

You’re Hopping Between Diets

One of the biggest obstacles that you might face when trying to lose weight is how to find the right diet for you.

Let’s be real. There is no shortage of weight loss tips and dieting information online. 

What many of us struggle with is finding the right one that you can stick to without feeling like you’re sacrificing your love of good food.

If you’re not losing weight because you’ve tried too many diets (or you’ve given up on dieting completely), the key is to start by eating healthy foods and cutting out the junk.

You know- sugar, processed carbs, processed dairy. Eat more whole foods and exercise at least 3 times weekly.

This is by far the simplest and most effective approach to weight loss that you can find.

You Don’t Get Enough Sleep

Not getting enough sleep may be the reason why you’re not losing weight.

Lack of sleep puts your body into survival mode so it craves more carbs and fat. Remember that if you’re tired, you might have less will power and energy so you’ll eat more unhealthy foods just for the convenience.

Studies actually show that women who sleep for less than 4 hours eat 300 more calories and 21 more grams of fat. 

Solution

Get at least seven and a half hours of sleep each night and try to wake up before your alarm. If your alarm goes off and you hit snooze, you may need up to 8 or 9 hours of sleep before you feel fully recharged.

You’re Focusing on The Scale

The term ‘weight’ in this article means ‘fat’. Whenever you’re on a weight-loss journey, it’s best to measure the amount of body fat that you lose instead of your overall weight. 

Getting rid of some bloating and water weight can reduce the number on the scale and you might think it’s progress when it’s not.

The scale doesn’t tell you the whole story. If you’re losing weight and building muscle, you might see a physical difference but it won’t register on the scale.

Alternatives

Track your body fat percentage using this body fat loss monitor, and remember that the scale only measures the total mass of your body at one given time. 

You can also measure your body circumference using a tape measure to know exactly how your body is changing.

You Aren’t Lifting Weights

 While dieting and cardio are both great ways to lose weight, your weight loss can stall if you don’t start to use weights.

If your main goal is fat loss, running and hiking are helpful ways to sweat, but real results will start to show when you use weights to build lean muscle.

You Go Overboard On Cheat Days

If you follow a diet or fitness regimen that allows cheat days, it’s possible that this is slowing down your weight loss.

If you’re heavily overweight and have a slow metabolism, this is relevant because a whole day of unhealthy foods can set you back.

Solution

Reduce your cheat day to one cheat meal or ignore cheat days completely.

You can confidently enjoy cheat days when your metabolism is higher and your body burns fat and carbs more efficiently.

You’re Only Focused On ‘Low-Calorie Foods’

If you buy packaged foods but you try to stick with healthy alternatives, you may be getting tricked by labels that promise ‘low fat’, ‘gluten-free’, ‘low calories’, or ‘low sugar’.

Food manufacturers market their food to be healthy but you have to read the labels to ensure that the product is actually healthy.

A common example is when persons buy bottled fruit juiced instead of soda without realizing that they often have the same amount of sugar (which is a lot).

If you want the convenience of packaged foods while you’re trying to lose weight, keep it simple and read the ingredients.

You’re Eating Too Many Processed Foods

If you’re not losing weight quickly enough, then you should stay far away from refined foods.

Foods like crackers, cookies, bread, pasta, and snacks that contain all those sneaky sugars should be off your plate. 

These unhealthy foods increase weight and inflammation, which affects your ability to lose belly fat.

Solution

Stick to whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. For healthy snacks that won’t make you fat, you can consider nuts, fruits, and other options.

You’re Drinking Extra Calories

One 8 ounce drink can add hundreds of calories and dozens of grams of sugar without you noticing. This happens because your brain doesn’t register the calories you drink like the calories you eat.

The best way to avoid this is by drinking water, but you can still enjoy low sugar drinks occasionally. 

Here’s a list of low carb drinks that you can enjoy.

Also, remember that most fruits are high in sugar (fructose) so too many fruits or fruit juices mean more calories and therefore extra pounds.

You’re On Medication

One of the unfortunate effects of some medication is weight gain. Antidepressants, steroids, and even the pill are some of the medications that are necessary for your health but bad for your weight.

Research shows that persons may start gaining weight after 2 or 3 years into treatment, so don’t ignore this reason if you’ve been taking pills for a while.

Sometimes weight gain happens because the medication affects the body’s electrolyte and water balances. And other times, weight is redistributed so you look heavier than you actually are.

Solution

If you think you’re not losing weight because of medication, just knowing that this is a possibility can help.

With this knowledge, you can talk to your doctor about the best medication options and start to incorporate the right diet and exercise into your lifestyle.