We have many clients come through our doors with goals in mind to lose weight, especially now as it’s coming to that ‘summer body’ time of year.

Many professionals have you believe that calories in minus calories out will give you either a surplus or deficit of energy that equals your weight loss or gain. For some this may work, but for others it can be a slippery slope.

Weight loss is completely individual and what worked for someone may not necessarily work for you. There is not one correct diet, or one correct number of calories (e.g. 1500 calorie diet) that will make your weight melt away. For some people, despite how hard they train and how little they eat, they still cannot lose weight.

Here are some of the common reasons (from a Naturopathic perspective) as to why you can’t lose weight.

1/ You are not eating enough

We often find ourselves in the trap of the weight loss algorithm of calories in vs calories out, meaning that if we eat less and exercise more it will equate to weight loss. Whilst for some this may work, for others it can be detrimental on your metabolism. When we restrict calories more than we need to function, it leads to nutritional deficiencies.

The common deficiencies that I see in my clinic from people trying to lose weight are zinc, fat and protein. These deficiencies can make you feel like a crazy person as they make your blood sugars irregular, affect your moods and neurotransmitter production and it can cause MAJOR fluid retention that looks like fat.

2/ You don’t actually need to lose weight

After your DEXA scan with us, it will reveal your Lean Mass Index. This index is basically telling us the amount of lean muscle you have compared to your weight, for males and females, and if you have ENOUGH. We have many people coming through our doors who are UNDER what is considered a healthy amount of muscle, but their goals are to still lose weight.Moving away from cardio and those treadmills, and focusing on strength training and muscle building will in fact, help you to get your muscle up to scratch. Having a good amount of muscle will increase your metabolic rate and in turn will help you burn fat better.

3/ You have a hormonal imbalance

Did you know that your hormones play a crucial role in your metabolism and fat burning capacity. When your hormones are imbalanced it slows down your fat burning capacity and can lead to obesity. Some common hormonal imbalances that lead to weight gain/difficulty losing weight are:

  • Diabetes
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
  • Cushing’s Syndrome

4/ You are chronically stressed

Did you know that being chronically stressed can impact weight loss? That is because stress puts pressure on our hormones and can cause hormonal imbalances mentioned above.Being stressed also leads to falling out of your normal routine, leading to poor sleep habits, unhealthy food choices (more takeaway), less exercise and mood imbalances. This can put a wedge in weight loss goals.

5/ You have digestive issues

Did you know that having a poor gut health can impact your weight loss? That’s because an imbalanced gut may impair your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar and store fat.Specific gastrointestinal conditions that can impact your goals include:

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • Low stomach acid
  • Constipation/Diarrhoea

As we mentioned above, weight loss is completely individual and what worked for someone, may not work for you. That’s why it’s important to seek support from an experienced practitioner such as a Naturopath, who can look holistically at your body to ensure you are meeting your goals.

If you’re interested in getting to the bottom of the root cause of your weight issues, then book an appointment with our experienced Naturopath & Nutritionist Melissa, who can help guide you in the right direction.