FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT GAIN

Trying to lose weight can be a struggle even if you do cut calories and exercise regularly. This is because weight loss isn’t just about calories and physical activity. Factors like stress, sleep and the medications you use can influence how fast or slow you lose weight.

We'll provide some insight into how controlling your weight can be more or less difficult based on lifestyle factors, medical conditions, age and health status.

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Weight Control Factors

Calorie intake and physical activity both affect your body’s ability to lose weight. Generally speaking, weight loss requires you to eat fewer calories than you burn. At the same time, it’s not healthy to create an excessively large calorie deficit, says Dr. Gary Foster, chief science officer at WeightWatchers.

Make sure to set realistic weight loss goals at the start of your weight loss journey. Most experts recommend a pound or two per week as a reasonable amount of weight to try to lose.

Weight Loss and the Impact of Exercise

Physical activity helps burn fat and preserve muscle mass, which helps the body burn calories more efficiently. Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate heart-pumping activity, which could be 30 minutes, five times weekly. The guidelines also recommend muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week for major muscle groups such as the arms, shoulders, abdomen and legs.

On a given day or week, weight loss may fluctuate based on humidity, how much salt you’re eating and digestive health. This is one reason many health experts say it’s best to focus on changes in behavior versus changes in body weight to ensure long-term success, Foster says.

 Other factors that contribute to how fast or slow you lose weight include:

• Sleep.
• Mental health.
• Genetics.
• Medication use.
• Health conditions.
• Stress.
• Aging.

Sleep

Are you getting enough shuteye? If not, it could affect your ability to lose weight. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, according to the National Institutes of Health. Sleeping less than the amount that you need can make you feel less motivated.

“If someone doesn’t get enough sleep, it can be more difficult to eat well, move regularly and be in a helpful mindset to reach weight loss goals,” Foster says.

Sleeping fewer than six hours of sleep a night can also impact the hormones that regulate appetite and energy metabolism, causing you to eat more than you normally would. You also may find yourself craving higher-carb, less healthy food. All of that could lead to the body storing fat instead of burning it.

The bottom line is that prioritizing sleep might make your weight loss journey a little bit easier.

Mental health

Many Americans face mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression, which can affect your eating habits and your ability to lose weight.

“It’s not unusual to use food as a coping mechanism for stress, depression or anxiety,” says Kelsey Sackmann, a registered dietitian and owner of Kelsey P. RD in Butler, New Jersey.

In addition, the relationship between diet and mental health can work in the other direction. Scientific evidence shows a correlation between diets high in fat and sugar and an increased likelihood of depression and anxiety.

Although using food for comfort when depressed is common, some people also lose their appetite and experience unintentional weight loss, says Erin Palinski-Wade, a Sparta, New Jersey-based registered dietitian and author of "Belly Fat Diet for Dummies" and a consultant for MyFitnessPal.

Genetics

If you’re having trouble losing weight, you can slightly blame your genetics, but not entirely.

While genetics play a role in determining your weight and your ability to lose weight, there's still a lot in your control.

“In general, behavioral changes can affect your body weight no matter your genetic predisposition,” says Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, an obesity and lipid specialist and medical director at WeightWatchers. “But genes can make weight loss more or less difficult depending on a person’s genetic makeup.”

Your diet and your activity levels are key.

“It just might be harder to implement these changes for those who are genetically predisposed,” Sackmann says.

Medications

Several medications are associated with weight gain, including:

• Antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants
• Antipsychotic medications, such as olanzapine and clozapine
• Beta blockers, like metoprolol
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Diabetes medications, such as insulin
• Hormone-suppressing treatments for breast and prostate cancer.
• Hormone therapy, such as certain birth control pills.

“If you see the scale start to tick upward and think it’s related to your medications, don’t stop taking a drug or change the dose without consulting your doctor,” Nadolsky says.

You should speak with your health care provider to discuss what options you have or possible strategies to counteract this effect.

Health conditions

Certain health conditions may contribute to weight gain or slow down your ability to lose weight, including:

• Cushing’s syndrome, which is when the body makes too much cortisol.
• Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. Weight gain may occur because an underactive thyroid can lower your metabolism, or the rate at which your body burns calories. However, getting the right medicine for hypothyroidism can help counteract weight gain, Nadolsky says.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS, can disrupt your hormones and appetite, making it harder to lose weight.
• Sleep apnea, which can affect your sleep patterns and appetite hormones.

“Addressing the underlying health issue, adopting a healthy lifestyle and working with healthcare professionals can help manage weight effectively for these,” Sackmann says.

Stress

If you’re feeling stressed, it’s so much easier to reach for high-carb, high-calorie comfort foods. As you might imagine, that doesn’t exactly help you conquer your weight loss goals. Stress also triggers the release of hormones like cortisol, which raises your hunger and cravings. Stress also can lead the body to store more fat.

While avoiding stress may be impossible, you can work on ways to better cope with it. Some suggestions from Foster:

• Establish a weekly and daily routine that builds in time for physical activity, relaxation and enough sleep.
• Replace negative self-talk with more positive messages. Instead of telling yourself, “I can’t cope” or “I’m too busy,” which may raise your stress further, try soothing statements like, “I’m coping well, given everything I have on my plate.”
• If you're prone to eating to cope with stress, find new habits, like taking a walk or reaching out to a friend.

Aging

As you get older, it can be harder – but not impossible – to lose weight. There are a few reasons why weight loss becomes more challenging with age: 

• You may have less muscle mass, and that slows your metabolism and makes it harder to burn calories.
• Hormonal changes, such as a decrease in testosterone or estrogen, affect your body composition and ability to burn calories. For instance, hormonal changes associated with menopause in females make weight loss harder.
• With age, you may be more likely to have medical conditions that affect your body weight or need medications that are associated with weight gain.
• Your body needs fewer calories as you get older, but you may not adjust the number of calories you eat, leading to weight gain over time.

Even with these extra challenges, you still can aim for nutrient-packed meals and more physical activity to lose weight.

Extra Weight Loss Motivation

The journey to weight loss has its ups and downs, and that’s perfectly normal. Here are a few parting words of advice to stay focused and help you reach your weight loss goals:

• Celebrate your non-scale victories. Choosing to be active and overcoming cravings are daily victories in the weight loss journey. These signs of strength and determination are sometimes better benchmarks than staring at the scale.
• Practice self-compassion. “The practice of self-compassion and shifting your mindset away from perfection is the biggest step you can take to achieving your weight loss and health goals,” Palinski-Wade says.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re struggling to lose weight, there are many people who can help, including health care providers and registered dietitians.

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2023-09-22T15:21:30Z dg43tfdfdgfd