It seems everywhere we look there is someone trying to lose weight, using fad diets and all sorts of other bizarre methods of losing weight. However, why is it that some of us, try as we might, cannot take that extra weight off? Well, there are several medical explanations that could be used to explain why some people cannot lose weight. Let us look at some of the things that might cause a person to retain weight even after trying hard to lose it.

Thyroid Issues

A simple thyroid test will speak volumes about whether or not there is an issue with that gland. Thyroid problems can lead to people being overweight or underweight. Any malfunction in the thyroid gland can have an impact on how your body metabolises food, so it is important to ask your doctor for a blood test if you are having trouble losing weight.

There are other symptoms of problems with your thyroid gland, such as moodiness, irritability, profuse sweating, and sometimes even delusional behaviour. Many people are misdiagnosed with depression and other mental health issues as a result of a problem with the thyroid gland.

The most common type of thyroid disorder is Hashimoto’s, which is an autoimmune disease. This is where the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland, causing it to eventually stop working. Thyroid disorders are far more common in women, especially women aged 40+.

If you are struggling to lose weight or you’re putting in weight even though you are on a diet, ask your doctor for a thyroid blood test. This measures the level of TSH and T4 in your blood. High TSH and low T4 indicate your thyroid is underactive, which typically leads to weight gain. If you have a thyroid problem, your doctor can prescribe you medication to control it.

Hormonal Imbalances

This is a problem that often occurs in women, although it can happen in men too. One of the chief complaints of women with a hormonal imbalance is weight gain that is unexplained and hard to reverse. Hair loss, depression, psychotic episodes, and many other ill effects can take place because of an imbalance in hormones. Some women experience this during or before menopause, while others experience it much earlier. If you have had a sudden shift in your weight and seem to be having problems losing it, especially around the abdomen, have a hormone test done.

You may find that your symptoms coincide with the menopause. Don’t let your doctor fob you off. Insist on a blood test to measure your hormone levels, and if there are any irregularities, ask for a referral to an endocrinologist.

Not Enough Food

You are probably a bit confused by a lack of food being your problem if weight is what you are trying to lose. However, your body is very complex and can very easily go into starvation mode. This essentially means that, by starving yourself, your body begins to store fat so that it may survive. This is a nifty feature for anyone stuck on a desert island for a couple of weeks with very little food, but for dieters, not so much. You must jumpstart your metabolism by having a nice breakfast every morning, whether you are hungry or not. A good rule of thumb is to eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a pauper for dinner. Limit your in-between snacks to healthy foods like carrot sticks.

Another way to ensure you are getting enough calories is by using meal replacement products. These let you switch your regular meals for a shake or bar. It’s a quick and easy way to ensure you are eating enough calories (but not too many!). Most of the big-name diet companies offer their users meal replacement products. Check out Shake That Weight for a comparison of two popular diet plans.

Don’t forget also that you need to eat enough to fuel your exercise plan. Exercise is important if you are trying to lose weight. It helps to speed up calorie burn and tone you up as the pounds fall off. However, if you don’t eat enough to fuel your exercise, your weight loss will stall completely. You may even put weight on!

Use a tool like MyFitnessPal to monitor your calorie burn versus exercise goals.

It is also important to remember that weight loss can take weeks to see. While you may start your diet at the beginning of June, you may not see any change in weight until sometime during the middle of July. This is true of either losing or gaining weight. Before you give up and start shovelling food in your mouth like it is your last meal, consider your diet might actually be working.