Problems Losing Weight

Some people think they are simply weight loss resistant. No matter how hard they workout or how little they eat, they are unable to shed those extra pounds. Often, a situation in which a person puts lot of efforts to lose weight and gains no results, is enough to push him into a depression. This may actually trigger weight gain, thereby worsening the condition for the individual. One may also find it difficult to lose weight after pregnancy or a prolonged illness. However, simply pushing yourself too hard will not give you the desired results. Instead you should find out the root cause responsible for the problem. The following points may help you to find where you are going wrong in your efforts.

Identify If Your Efforts are Directed Correctly

Many a time, people copy a celebrity's diet or workout regimen. What they do not understand is that, the particular diet or exercises may not work out for their individual body type. Some people claim they walk for an hour everyday and cannot even lose an ounce. This is because they may not be walking the way they are supposed to. You can benefit from walking only if you walk briskly and alternate it with jogging. These intervals of walking and jogging are more effective than the two individual exercises. Same applies for gym workouts, where people spend hours on treadmill without any results. However, you might benefit from some other form of exercise and that too by working out for half the time. Hence, it is best to let your fitness instructor decide which are the best forms of exercise for you. Similarly, your nutritionist may suggest you a proper diet plan.

Check If You Have an Underlying Medical Condition

Certain medical conditions prevent you from losing weight. These conditions slow down your metabolism which makes it difficult to burn fat. A general principle of weight loss is that, if you burn more calories than you eat, you are likely to lose weight. However, due to these medical conditions your rate of calorie combustion is likely to be very less than your rate of calorie consumption. Hence, no matter how less you eat, your body will tend to store the calories in the form of fat. The various medical conditions that affect metabolism are hypothyroidism, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOs), Cushing's syndrome, metabolic syndrome (syndrome X) etc.

Hormonal changes in women may play havoc with their metabolism and lead to excessive weight gain during major transitions such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause etc. If you wish to keep your weight in check, it is imperative that you address these medical conditions first. Long bout of illnesses also interfere with your metabolism, thereby forcing you to gain weight. However, this is most likely to be a temporary problem, which may disappear on its own once you get into your routine.

Know Your Body

If you are eating right, exercising the correct way, have no medical concern but still have trouble losing weight, then you might have to accept your body as it is. Just like we have a body temperature set point, we also have a weight set point. Hence, no matter how hard you push yourself, your body will simply refuse to lose weight beyond a point. No amount of dieting or exercising can help in such a condition. If you diet excessively, your body might fear that you are going to starve. As a protective measure, it stops burning calories and begins to store whatever little calories you are providing it with. A good solution to this would be to have occasional treats or overeating sessions, so that you force your body into believing that you are not going to starve. Continue with your diet, so that your body begins to lose weight fast. Genetic predisposition also plays a vital role in deciding your weight. Hence, you are likely to be obese if you have obese parents, siblings, uncles and aunts! In that case, just make sure you stay fit and healthy.

Weight issues are directly concerned with metabolism, which differs for every individual. Since it is a natural phenomenon, you cannot do much about it. However, visit your doctor to rule out any possibility of metabolic disorders.