6 reasons why it’s so hard to lose weight

Genetics, changes in your metabolism, poor sleep habits, and other factors can make it harder to lose weight. But a weight loss specialist can help you understand your body and how to navigate any weight loss hurdles.

Key takeaways

• Weight loss to treat obesity requires more than a healthy diet and lots of exercise, especially because every person is different.
• Many factors can make it harder to lose weight, including genetics, metabolism changes, hormone levels, lack of sleep, high stress, and other health conditions and medications.
• Weight loss programs are designed to help you understand your body and find weight loss options that work for you.

Let’s be real—in New Orleans, we love to eat. At every festival and every function, there’s always food and lots of it. There’s nothing wrong with eating an iconic dish or two. But obesity is a big health problem across our state and region.

Now, we’re not here to preach about eating less and moving more (though diet and exercise are important for overall health). Unfortunately, losing weight and treating obesity isn’t that simple because every body is different.

Learn more as we explain why weight loss can be so frustrating and how LCMC Health can help.

What can prevent weight loss?

Here are six factors that may make it harder to lose weight.

Genetics

Some people inherit genes from parents or grandparents that make it harder to burn calories and lose weight. Researchers estimate that at least 15 genes affect weight gain and obesity.

Even if obesity runs in your family, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to treat. You may just have to work a little harder and try different approaches to treatment.

Changes in metabolism rate

Your metabolism is what turns the food you eat into energy. A high metabolic rate means you burn calories fast. A slow metabolic rate can make it harder to lose weight because you burn calories more slowly.

Over time, your metabolism changes to meet your body’s needs. Extreme fluctuations in eating habits or weight loss can affect your metabolic rate.

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you may have noticed that it was easier in the beginning. The pounds almost flew off. But the more pounds you lost, the harder it became to lose more.

That’s because, usually, the more you weigh, the more calories you burn when you’re active and at rest. So, if you cut calories or move more, you tend to lose weight quickly. As you lose weight, though, your body decides it no longer needs to burn the same number of calories it used to, so your metabolism slows down.

Another reason is that when you fast, skip meals, or eat fewer calories, your body thinks you don’t have enough food available. You may lose extra weight at first because the body doesn’t need it, but soon, your body’s cells will start storing fat to use later. It’s a self-preservation response—but as a result makes it harder to lose weight.

Hunger hormones

Hormones are chemicals in our body that make us feel a certain way. Two hormones, in particular, can affect eating and weight loss:

• Leptin is a hormone that makes you feel full. Your fat cells make leptin, which tells your body when you have enough fat and decreases your appetite. Overweight or obesity conditions can make you resistant to leptin, meaning you may not feel full even after eating.
• Ghrelin is a hormone that makes us hungry. When it’s high, we want to eat, but when it’s lower, we don’t. Certain foods, along with overweight and obesity conditions, can interfere with ghrelin levels. For example, eating high levels of sugar has been shown to keep ghrelin high, so you feel hungry, even if you’ve consumed a lot of calories.

Not enough quality sleep

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, research has shown a link between poor sleep and a high body mass index (BMI). Not getting enough quality sleep messes with hormones that prevent us from overeating (like leptin and ghrelin, mentioned above).

For instance, when you don’t sleep enough or don’t sleep well, the body produces more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, increasing your appetite. When you’re tired, it’s often harder to make healthy food choices. And you’re less likely to move and exercise.

Too much stress

High stress levels impact our overall health, including metabolism. Stress triggers the body to make the hormone cortisol. More cortisol increases your appetite, especially for sweet, salty, and fatty foods. It also causes the body to store more fat. The result? More difficulty losing weight.

Other health conditions and medications

It’s not uncommon for people with obesity to have other health conditions, some of which can cause weight gain. Examples include:

• Heart disease
• Hormonal disorders
• Hypothyroidism
• Insulin resistance
• Metabolic syndrome
• Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, formerly PCOS)
• Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea

Medications can also make it harder to lose weight. Some trigger weight gain by muting the signals that tell your brain when you’re hungry and full. You may experience weight gain if you take medications for conditions, such as:

• Allergies
• An autoimmune disease
• Bipolar disorder
• Birth control
• Depression
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Schizophrenia

Find weight loss support in New Orleans

Weight loss can be challenging for many reasons, but there are resources available to help. The weight loss specialists at LCMC Health take a whole-person approach to treating obesity and other weight loss needs. We focus on:

• Medical support
• Movement
• Nutrition
• Sleep
• Stress

You receive individualized care from a registered dietitian and other providers. We also discuss medical therapies, such as weight loss medication, or surgical options when appropriate.

Explore weight loss at LCMC Health.

Related questions about weight loss

Why is it harder to lose weight as you get older?

On average, your metabolism slows down about 2-8% every decade, which can make it harder to lose weight as you get older. People often lose muscle mass with age, too, which lowers metabolism.

How can I increase my metabolism?

You can’t really control your metabolism or metabolic rate, but you can help your metabolism by:

• Eating regular, balanced meals
• Choosing nutritious foods
• Staying active, especially with exercises that build muscle
• Getting quality sleep
• Drinking water
• Avoiding extreme fasting or diets

What medications can lead to weight gain?

Some medications that can lead to weight gain include:

• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Beta-blockers
• Birth control
• Glucocorticoids
• Insulin

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