There aren’t many more frustrating things than eating a healthy diet and working out but not losing weight. Understanding six factors with the potential to block your success can help you achieve your weight-loss goals.
You skip meals, then end up overeating.
“Many people sprint through their day and end up so hungry when they finally make time to eat, they overeat,” says Sarah B. Starr, a registered dietitian (RD) with her own practice in Vero Beach.
“Our bodies are primed for survival and extreme hunger is a natural response to what they see as deprivation. Food is a basic need, and our brains tell us to fuel up when we’ve not eaten for hours.”
Intermediate meals to stave off extreme hunger don’t have to be fancy or time consuming – fruit and yogurt or toast with peanut butter can be a start. If you find you’re experiencing symptoms of low blood sugar, like shakiness, headache or light-headedness, talk with a registered dietician or doctor for support in finding ways to eat adequately and in a timely fashion.
The National Library of Medicine explains that skipping meals reduces daily energy intake and may harm your health over time.
You’re getting older and losing muscle.
“Many of us tend to lose some muscle mass and bone as we age, as well as gain more body fat,” says Starr. “Nutrient requirements are still high, though. This presents a wonderful opportunity to prioritize our aging bodies and make shifts in our diets, if needed.
“Studies show it is important for older adults to increase protein intake to prevent age-related muscle and bone loss. While individual needs vary, consuming high-quality protein foods throughout the day can provide the body with amino acids it needs to preserve muscle tissue and support immune function. Animal-based proteins like eggs, meat and dairy tend to be absorbed more efficiently than plant-based proteins like beans, nuts and seeds, but a well-planned vegetarian diet has a multitude of benefits, too.”
MD Anderson Center adds that it’s no secret that your body changes as you age. Whether you are moving more slowly or having more aches and pains, all of this can impact your ability to lose weight.
Active muscles burn calories and muscle loss that leads to inactivity can contribute to weight gain.
Is your medicine cabinet to blame?
Starr explains that some medications can affect appetite centers in the brain and may result in weight changes. For example, certain psychiatric medications, corticosteroids and even antihistamines can increase appetite, so you may not feel as full or satisfied with your typical portions.
“Other medications can cause drowsiness, which could indirectly cause weight gain because normal activity levels decrease,” she says.
“And some medications can result in fluid retention, making you feel as though you’ve gained weight when you really haven’t.”
Certain beta-blockers and steroids also can interfere with your ability to lose weight.
“It’s important to talk with the prescriber of your medications and discuss risk vs. rewards,” says Starr. “A registered dietitian can help you strategize ways to eat well while taking these medications.”
You underestimate portion sizes.
“We are all born with appetite mechanisms that enable us to match our food intake with our energy needs and activity levels,” says Starr.
“Certainly, there are many variables that influence what we eat and how much, and it’s also true there are some foods that are delicious and entice us into eating larger portions. Eating out is challenging because many restaurants serve bigger portions than they used to.
“Picture a standard dinner plate and divide it up: About 30 percent to 50 percent of it should be starchy carbohydrates, about 25 percent to 30 percent of it should be proteins, and the remainder, vegetables and/or fruit.”
Healthline, a digital media company that provides health and wellness information, says paying attention to food portions helps reduce overeating. Ask for smaller portions when you eat out and practice mindful eating.
You eat mindlessly or when distracted.
“If we eat when we’re distracted, we typically eat faster and tend to not notice hunger and fullness cues, leading us to overeat,” explains Starr. “Also, we tend to eat more highly processed foods because it’s much easier to eat a bag of snacks or other handheld fast food than to use a fork and knife to eat a piece of meat or fish, salad, and potato! Sometimes just aiming to eat while sitting down is a great way to start being more mindful.”
Harvard Health explains that if you’re worried about your weight, paying more attention to where you eat could reduce overeating. Multitasking – like eating while watching television or working – and distracted or hurried eating can prompt you to eat more. Slowing down and savoring your food can help you control your intake.
Genetics aren’t always working in your favor.
“If a new client tells me they need to lose weight,” Starr says, “usually my first response is, ‘Well, why do you feel you need to lose weight?’”
Starr explains that while many people’s health may benefit from weight loss, there are circumstances out of our control when it comes to body size and weight.
“Just like genetics play a significant role in our individual risks of disease or other inherited health conditions, body size and composition are influenced by genetics, too,” she says.
“Nutritional genomics studies how genes can affect the ways our bodies utilize and store nutrients. Dietary choices and lifestyle habits influence how those genes are expressed in terms of nutrient absorption, metabolism, appetite, and body composition.
“This means that several people could generally follow the same diet and exercise plan and see different outcomes in terms of weight, muscle growth and body fat changes,” Starr says. “Both nutrition and environmental factors, dating back to pregnancy, can influence our body size and susceptibility to disease.”
Starr suggests that a good way to approach weight loss is to consider your overall health patterns, putting the pursuit of wellness ahead of weight loss for its own sake.
Mayo Clinic concurs, stating that genetics play a role in determining our weight and also make a difference in the type of weight-loss strategies that may work best for you. When deciding how to move forward with achieving weight loss, all of these factors should be considered for optimal success.
Sarah B. Starr is a registered dietitian practicing in Vero Beach and a Vero native. She studied nutrition at Simmons College in Boston and completed a 1,200-hour dietetic internship with the University of Delaware. She specializes in adult and pediatric eating disorders, pre- and post-natal nutrition and sports performance nutrition for teens and adult recreational athletes. Her practice is located at 847 20th Place, Vero Beach. Call or text 772-226-0664 for an appointment.
