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Can't Lose Weight? The Secret Reasons Behind Why Some People Find It Harder Than Others.

Updated on February 25, 2013

The reason behind it might surprise you.

Weight loss is something that most people strive to attain probably on and off for years. In some cases maybe even most of their lives. We often hear about the frequent promises made for instant weight loss, all the lotions, potions, pills and seemingly endless products that are available on the market, all claiming quick, easy weight loss.

We also hear about numerous tips, tricks and techniques from people all the time who profess to know, the miracle of how you can lose ten pounds in a week or two stone in a month, unfortunately the majority of these allegations are empty, unrealistic and often even wildly exaggerated.

Yet we try them anyway, with all the best intentions and in the vain hope, that this time you may have found something, that might actually work.

However the sad truth is that although you stick to the diet rigidly, follow all the rules religiously, fully embrace the diet and follow it to the letter. Rather depressingly and inevitably it seems the second a morsel of food passes your lips, after the diet is over. Not only do you quickly gain the weight that took an eternity to lose, you also find yourself weighing more then you did before you started the diet in the first place, leaving you feeling that all your hard work and deprivation has gone to waste. It's all very depressing and frustrating.

If you can identify with this, you are in good company, it is not unusual and you are by no means alone in this experience with dieting. It is estimated that as many as 80% of people that diet regularly say this is true in their previous participation of diets and in their pursuit of weight loss.

You can lose weight.

Although there are a lot of unsubstantiated and unfounded dietary claims made, that's not to say that this is true in all cases.

Fortunately there are a lot of very good solutions to not only help you to lose weight but also to keep it off, for good. It's all about finding out what's right for you.

I have listed below a few of the more common reasons why people generally can't lose weight or find it difficult, and that might just be whats holding you back from discovering your ideal weight. You can acheive the body you want and be comfortable with the numbers on the scales.

Are you drinking enough water?

This is a very common inhibitor of weight loss, for a few reasons. One is that if you are dehydrated your body may trick you into thinking your hungry, so you eat. When in fact it's because your thirsty and needed a drink. If you feel hungry try drinking a glass of water first and wait to see if you still want to eat, you maybe surprised to find that most of the time you won't.

If you're dehydrated you will also feel tired and energy zapped. Again this will lead you wanting to reach for food, only this time you will crave something sweet, as your body will want for a quick energy fix, in the form of sugar.

Water also helps to expel toxins from your body and will improve the appearence of your skin.

So how much water should you drink? It's recommended that you drink, eight pint glasses or two litres a day.


Your bodies gone into starvation mode.

It's advised by the government and experts that for optimal weight loss, to eat little and often.

Most of us skip breakfast, which means we are running on empty right from the beginning of the day, this puts our bodies under added pressure and tricks your body into thinking it's in starvation mode.

When we leave lengthy amounts of time in between meals or snacks, are body thinks we are unable to obtain food, or it is in limited supply and prepares us for a famine. This means that it holds on to the fat reserves we have and slows our metabolism down. Making it increasingly difficult to lose weight later on.

Are you doing enough exercise?

It's an old cliche and something we hear a lot, but that's simply because it's so true.

Exercise is extremely beneficial in so many ways, not only is it good for the body, but also the mind and soul too. When participating in active pursuits, you're burning calories, toning muscle, increasing the production of happy hormones and gaining confidence. Leaving you looking and feeling great.

Twenty minuets a day is recommended in any form, weather it be walking your dog, cycling along the local bicycle route or taking up the latest celebrity fitness craze. What ever gets you moving and you enjoy.


Do you have food amnesia?

We live very busy lives, the consequences being that most of the time we don't know whether were coming or going. We are juggling more commitments and filling more roles then you can shake a stick at and on top of everything else you're on another diet. Trouble is your not entirely sure what time you're meeting is tomorrow, let alone remember what you have and haven't eaten all day.

The culmination of this means that you've either eaten very little and your bodies gone into starvation mode or you have eaten more then you think. A biscuit here, a piece of cake there, maybe a chocolate bar or two and then there was that double chocolate muffin you had with your coffee to go this morning, because you missed breakfast, again. All those calories soon add up.

You can help combat this by keeping a food diary and pre-packing your lunch. This way you are giving yourself more time to make informed decisions and noticing where all the extra calories are sneaking in from.

Are you overriding your bodies natural signals?

It takes up to twenty minutes before your brain registers that your stomach is full, if your eating fast or on the run, you may not notice that you've already eaten all you need. Your then expanding your stomach before your next meal or snack, which will mean it will than take more food to fill you up, the next time you eat.

By eating more slowly and conscientiously, you will be better aware of what your body is trying to tell you and you can then change your eating habits accordingly.

Food is meant to be enjoyed, if you can find time to eat as a pleasure and not just as a neccessity your body will thank you for it.


Do you have food ignorance?

When I started to take a closer look at my diet and exactly what I was eating on a daily basis. I was really shocked about some of the things I came to discover and that what you would assume is good for you, may well not be the case at all.

Products that are low in fat, are often high in sugar and similarly those low in sugar are often high in fat. Many products are packed with artificial colours, flavours and additives. Foods designed to aid weight loss are for the most part not so much healthier, just smaller and just because a product boasts that it is natural, does not technically make it so or at least not in the true sense of the word anyway. In short, it's always worth reading the label.

Fast food, take away meals and processed foods are also not the friend of a person trying to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle.

Are you getting enough sleep?

If you're bodies not resting and recuperating properly at night, you'll still be feeling drained and tired during the day, your then going to be filling up on snacks for energy to see you through the day. You will crave sugar for a quick fix and be less alert to noticing your bodies natural signs and increasing your chances of over riding them.

Eating late at night will also put added strain on the digestive system and will not allow you the time needed to burn off any access calories. Again it's about awareness and education, once you have mastered this you can acheive your weight goals with greater ease.

Is your diet varied enough?

The government advises that we eat at least five different fruit and vegetables a day. Most of us do not manage to reach this recomendation, are you one of them?

However did you know that drinking five glasses of orange juice a day is no more beneficial than drinking just the one? The emphasis is to keep the range of fruit and vegetables you eat varied, not to actually to eat as much as you can.

Try to include as many different coloured food as possible, as they all have different beneficial properties, including things like vitamins, minerals, iron and antioxidants.

Do you have an undiagnosed medical problem?

If after reading all the above suggestions, you still can't really figure out why you are struggling to lose weight, you may have an undiagnosed medical problem, like an under-active thyroid or depression, which maybe the cause. If you think this is the case, see your local GP and they will be able to assist you. The medical sector are implimenting many new ways to help people in the pursuit to shed some pounds and they will be more then happy to listen to your concerns and to try and assist you. The more we learn about the human body the more we discover about the way it functions, and what we can do to 'fix' it.

Are you restricting yourself too much?

When we hear the word diet, we associate it with deprivation and denial. We are told so often about all the things we can't have and very little about all the wonderful, foods we can have in abundance. Certain foods are branded as bad or sins and all the pleasure is taken out of food, therefore eating becomes yet another chore. This is detrimental in many ways, either temptation gets the better of us and we monumentally fall off the wagon, indulging in a long overdue binge.

We may also find that we don't end up eating enough and overriding our bodies signals by ignoring our hunger. This also tends to lead itself to resenting the diet, feeling it's really not worth it after all and subsequently quitting. If you feel like a cream bun or a portion of chips, then by all means treat yourself. It really won't hurt every now and again, as long as it's in moderation.

Are you being realistic?

Sustainable, long term weight loss takes time, there really is no two ways about it. The best and most successful dieters, are the one's that set realistic and achievable targets. Although 1 to 2 pounds a week does not sound like a lot, it will make a noticable differnce in the long run.

The healthiest way to lose weight is little and often, extreme weight loss that is acheived quickly is often followed by just an extreme and speedy weight gain. Don't think of it as a quick fix, view it as a long term lifestyle change.

What is your ultimate goal, are you expecting to much of yourself? By setting your goals to high you could be setting yourself up for failure, go easier on yourself and make the process of losing weight more obtainable.

Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to be happier and healthier, or is it because you think you should be supermodel skinny.

Everybody has a different body shape and sometimes the body you think you want is either extremely difficult to uphold or attain. Go easier on yourself and be realistic.

How many diets have you tried?

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