4 Reasons You Can’t Lose Weight That You May Not Be Aware Of

For many, weight loss is a struggle and it isn’t for lack of trying. If you have been doing everything you are supposed to do to lose pounds such as watching what you eat, restricting calories and increasing the amount of exercise you do; and you still can’t lose weight there may be a hidden reason why.  Here are 4 reasons you can’t lose weight that you may not be aware of, and some suggestions on how to deal with these issues:

Reason #1 – Food Allergies

Usually when we think about food allergies we call to mind the symptoms. These can take the form of diarrhea, bloating, upset stomach or even a rash. What you may not be aware of is that some food allergy reactions can cause you to gain weight or stop you from losing weight. When the body has an allergic reaction, it will affect your immune system. The body sees the food as a toxin or intruder and starts to work overtime to fight it off. This means that the rest of you stops working in the way you would expect while your immune system is in overdrive. This can lead to bloating and weight gain or a reduction in digestive enzymes as the body strives to prevent the toxin from entering the system. If you suspect you have food allergies, make an appointment with your doctor and start by eliminating the foods you suspect. Gluten and dairy are the most common allergies, with around with 1 out every 10 people being allergic.

Reason #2 – Emotional Health

If you are under stress, upset or depressed, your body could create a reaction that can lead to difficulty in losing weight. Emotional health isn’t just a mental state.  Emotions can cause a hormone reaction in the body. If your hormone begin to become unbalanced, it can lead to weight gain or make weight loss difficult. To complicate this, if you aren’t feeling emotionally well you aren’t going to be as consistent with your diet and exercise routines. A third element that can come into play is if you are taking any medication to help promote emotional health, some of the side effects may include weight gain. Start by working to reduce stress in your life and bring in practices such as keeping a journal, yoga or meditation that let you begin to control your physical reactions to stress better. If you are on medication that is causing weight gain, ask your doctor if there is something else you can try that doesn’t have that side effect.

Reason #3 – Wrong Work

What you do for a living can be contributing to weight gain or preventing you from losing weight too. The work lifestyle with its rushed eating and bad eating habits is a big contributor. So are the stress levels caused by frustration, boredom or resentment on the job. How much you sit during your work can also impact your ability to lose weight. Try getting up and moving around at work as often as possible.  Choose to take the stairs and not the elevator. Pack your own healthy lunch to start gaining control of your eating in the workplace. If stress and job dissatisfaction is a factor, look to gaining new skills so you can seek a job you like better.

Reason #4 – Undiagnosed Illness

If none of these things apply to you and you are still having serious problems losing weight, or are experiencing unexplained weight gain you should see your doctor to determine if there is an undiagnosed illness present. Bloating, gas, diarrhea, water retention and weight gain can all be signs of problems like hypothyroidism, diabetes and certain cancers.  These symptoms alone may not say that you are ill, but they can be one of many signs.  There are also a lot of digestive illnesses that can develop as you age that may be preventing you from losing weight. The important thing is to not guess what is wrong with you but to go but to see your doctor and have tests done to find out what the problem is. Once the illness is found, there may be treatment options that will allow you to get better, and lose weight.  If you can’t lose the weight and are trying everything, always see a doctor to help you begin to eliminate the possible reasons why.