5 Common Weight Loss Roadblocks & How to Overcome Them

Have you been on your weight management journey for a while, and you’re not seeing the results that you hoped for? Felix is here to help you better understand why weight loss can be more challenging for some people than others.

If you’ve been asking “why can’t I lose weight?”, or “why am I having a hard time losing weight”, this page will cover some of the factors that could be contributing to the obstacles you’re facing in your weight loss journey.

Are you interested in talking to a healthcare practitioner about whether weight loss treatments could benefit you as part of your weight management plan? Complete an assessment to get started today.

Why am I Having a Hard Time Losing Weight?

This is a question that will have a different answer for each person. “Why can’t I lose weight?” is a question many people wonder when trying certain weight loss tactics that aren’t working. Unfortunately, there are a number of different factors that could be impacting your ability to lose weight.

For some people, genetics and biology plays a large role in their body size. For others, living in an obesogenic environment can result in a less healthy diet than is necessary to lose weight or maintain weight loss.

Certain medical conditions can also lead to challenges in losing weight, due to restrictions in movement, flexibility, or energy levels necessary to exercise for long enough periods of time.

Additionally, living a sedentary lifestyle (i.e., sitting all day, not exercising, etc.), can play a role in your health and can affect  your ability to keep weight off.

What Factors Make it Hard to Lose Weight?

Despite what some people think when they wonder “Why can’t I lose weight?”, not eating enough can actually cause you to have trouble losing weight.

When your body goes into a significant calorie deficit, it starts to naturally try to hold onto as much energy as it can (i.e., fat stores), so that it can maintain the energy balance your body needs to function properly.

Apart from this, the reasons we already discussed, such as medical reasons for not losing weight, biological or genetic dispositions, as well as diet and lifestyle can all contribute to the inability to lose weight without medical intervention.

If you’d like to talk to a healthcare practitioner about whether weight loss treatments may be the right choice for you, just complete an assessment to get started.

What Should I Start Doing Immediately to Help Lose Weight?

The easiest way to get started is to take a look at your diet.

Meal planning is a great way to ensure that you’re getting enough of all the necessary food groups, fiber, and protein in your diet. Also, it can be a great way to reduce the temptation to eat fast food or junk food.

Exercising regularly, within your physical capabilities, is another great way to support weight maintenance and health, while also avoiding muscle loss and strength loss that can happen with age.

Are There Medical Reasons for Not Losing Weight?

For many years, people simply couldn’t understand “why am I not losing weight?”, when they were trying to eat right and maintain regular physical activity.

The truth is that there are legitimate medical reasons for not losing weight, (i.e., the biological or genetic factors we mentioned), which the ‘move more, eat less’ mindset simply cannot fix.

“Many people believe that the amount of fat in your body is only determined by what you eat and how much you exercise. But the reality is that obesity is a complex illness caused by a number of different factors, including your environment, genes, emotional health, lack of sleep, medical problems or even some medications you may be on.

Even with the same diet or the same amount of exercise, people will vary widely in the amount of body fat or weight at which their bodies settle.”  - Obesity Canada

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Want to talk to a practitioner about whether weight loss treatments could be beneficial for you to try? Complete an assessment, and you can get started today.

How Long Does it Take to Noticeably Lose Weight?

Again, this is a question that will vary widely from person to person.

Some people struggle for months or years to lose relatively small amounts of weight, while others can notice a substantial difference in just a few months.

This can be especially true of those who are using weight loss medications, alongside an improved diet and more regular exercise; although, results from using weight loss medications also vary widely.

Can Weight Loss Medication Make it Easier to Lose Weight?

Yes, weight loss medications can often help those that are struggling or unable to lose weight; especially those who are already living a healthy lifestyle, eating well, and getting regular exercise, but still struggle to maintain a healthy weight.

There are a number of different weight loss medications available, and it’s important to find one that is appropriate for you, based on your individual needs.

This is why the first step to requesting weight loss medications is talking to a licensed healthcare practitioner. They can evaluate your health and lifestyle to determine whether weight loss medications might be right for you, prior to making a recommendation.

Non-Medication Lifestyle Changes That Can Help

There are a number of helpful ways that you can improve your weight management plan, without necessarily having to involve prescription medications.

Here’s a list of some great lifestyle changes that you can make, which could assist with your weight management goals, but don’t require prescription treatments:

• Meal plan to avoid making unhealthy dietary choices
• Set alarms to remind you to eat three healthy meals a day and include some exercise into your regular routine
• Find a workout routine that’s enjoyable for you, as well as healthy. You’ll be a lot more likely to stick with it if you’re having fun too
• Include your loved ones in your plans, so that they can be supportive and avoid making unhealthy suggestions that could be tempting to you
• Try to get between 6-8 hours of sleep every night. The more rested you are, the more easily you can follow your daily schedule and find the motivation to do things like workout

When Should I Talk to My Healthcare Practitioner About Weight Loss Medications?

If you’ve been on a weight loss journey for a while, and you’re finding that the diet and exercise you’re doing isn’t helping, it could be time to talk to a healthcare practitioner about whether weight loss medications could be right for you.

Talk to a practitioner at Felix, and they’ll be able to determine whether they believe weight loss medications could help you with your weight management goals.

With Felix in your corner, you can take back control of your weight and your health, so that you can get back to living life on your terms - the way it should be.