Not Losing Weight? Here Are 7 Possible Reasons Why

You’re doing everything right. You’re on a safe, sustainable eating plan. You’re exercising. You’ve even taken up meditation! But with every weekly weigh-in, you find yourself feeling more discouraged.

Why am I not losing weight?

As obesity medicine specialist Peminda Cabandugama, MD, explains, weight loss isn’t a simple or uniform process. Dr. Cabandugama shares seven possible reasons you’re not getting the results you want and what to do about it.

7 possible reasons you’re not losing weight

Before you put on your detective hat and try to puzzle out why the number on your scale isn’t changing, Dr. Cabandugama suggests checking some other metrics, like:

• How your clothes fit
• Your waist circumference
• How much physical activity you can tolerate
• Your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol

If you’re seeing changes in these areas, it’s a sign that you’re making meaningful progress.

“The goal isn’t just weight loss, but an improved quality of life,” Dr. Cabandugama emphasizes. “So, maybe the number on the scale didn’t move as much, but look, metabolically, at how much your health is improving.”

But what if you’re not noticing changes on any front? Here are a few reasons why you might be struggling to lose weight.

1. You’re not actually in a calorie deficit

Counting calories may sound like a simple task, but it can get really tricky really fast. Is the nutrition information on that restaurant menu accurate? How do you account for those family favorites you cook entirely by feel? Who eats exactly 1 tablespoon of ketchup?

If you don’t see any signs of weight loss, consider keeping a food journal. It can help you:

• Monitor your caloric intake
• See patterns in your eating habits
• Uncover sneaky sources of calories

Just remember: Your journal is meant to be a safe, personal space. If recording this information brings up feelings of guilt or shame, put the journal away.

2. You’re losing fat and gaining muscle

If you’re working out a lot and putting on muscle, the number on the scale may stay put — or go up — even though you’re burning fat. That’s because your body composition is changing.

“Muscle is denser than fat tissue,” Dr. Cabandugama explains. “If you notice that your clothes are fitting better and your measurements are changing, that’s a good sign that your health is improving.”

3. You’re trying to lose weight through exercise alone

Physical activity is a healthy habit that any medical professional can get behind. But it’s not the standalone key to weight loss you may think it is.

“Exercise is mainly for weight loss maintenance,” Dr. Cabandugama clarifies. “Studies show that it’s actually kind of hard to lose weight with exercise, unless you’re exercising for two or three hours a day.” And that’s not realistic for most people.

4. Stress and poor sleep are getting in the way

Life doesn’t stop when you start a weight loss plan. If you’re dealing with chronic stress or a lack of sleep, that could be a reason you’re not losing weight.

“If you’re not sleeping well, your body responds by releasing stress hormones like cortisol,” Dr. Cabandugama says. High cortisol levels make weight loss harder by:

• Raising blood sugar levels
• Increasing stress and anxiety
• Worsening sleep issues

5. You have an underlying health condition

Certain medical conditions can make it difficult to lose weight by causing issues like insulin resistance, hormone fluctuations and more. Examples include:

• Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Cushing syndrome
• Thyroid disease

If you haven’t been diagnosed with a health condition that affects weight loss, your provider may want to run tests. If it turns out that’s what’s making it so hard to lose weight, starting treatment could make all the difference.

6. Your biology is working against you

Sometimes, reasons you can’t lose weight are entirely beyond your control. Examples include:

• Sex differences. Women often have a harder time losing weight than men for many reasons, including frequent hormonal changes, differences in body composition and more.
• “Among the women I see, the most common cause of weight gain is pregnancy,” Dr. Cabandugama reports. “The second most common cause is menopause.” These hormonal shifts can also make weight loss harder.
• Dr. Cabandugama notes that genetics do seem to influence your ability to gain and lose weight, although the jury’s still out on exactly how.

7. Your body adapted to your weight loss plan

When you diet and activity levels change, your body may take notice — and not in a “Hey, good for you!” kind of way. Rather, your body might see weight loss as a threat to your survival. If it does, it will do its darndest to stop it in its tracks.

“We now understand that certain hormones and proteins in our body help regulate what we call your weight set point,” Dr. Cabandugama explains. In other words, your metabolic system may make adjustments to prevent further weight loss.

When to get help

There’s no set timetable for healthy, sustainable weight loss. But if you’ve made significant lifestyle changes, it’s fair to expect noticeable results, on or off the scale, at the three-month mark.

Reach out to a healthcare provider if you haven’t:

• Lost 5% of your body weight in three months
• Noticed other meaningful changes, like how your clothes fit or how much exercise you can handle

Your provider may evaluate you to see if there are medical reasons you’re not losing weight. They can also refer you to a weight management specialist, if you aren’t already seeing one. They have the training to help make sure your weight loss plan fits your needs.

“You want to make sure that you’re getting guidance from the right people,” Dr. Cabandugama encourages. “If you had diabetes, you would go and see an endocrinologist. If you had heart disease, you’d see a cardiologist. If you’re having issues with weight loss, seeing a weight loss specialist is the best option.”