Losing weight means having regular exercise, eating enough protein and fiber, and watching your carb and calorie intake, among others.

However, sometimes the scale would just stop budging despite all the weight loss efforts. This is not uncommon and can be absolutely frustrating.

In this article, we will answer these two questions: why many women struggle to lose weight and how to lose weight naturally.  Although we focus on addressing weight loss in women here, most of the principles are applicable to everyone.

Weight Loss Is a Big Business

Weight loss is a billion-dollar industry with its products and programs generating more than $150 billion in annual profits in Europe and in the US alone.

Weight loss programs tend to move upmarket, requiring the consumers to purchase supplements, special food, and other weight loss products.

Diet pills and “fat burners” are also common; however, they may be downright dangerous. Unfortunately, a lot of people, including those who are not overweight, are willing to risk the potential negative effects of taking diet pills.

In fact, a study has found that one-third of those who took weight loss pills weren’t obese in the beginning.

This shows that a lot of people are willing to spend a small fortune just to lose weight—these people invest not only their money but also their time and energy.

Why Many Women Are Struggling to Lose Weight?

Many women invest their time, money, and effort in weight loss, but they seem to only make little progress.

Here are some factors that affect your ability to lose weight.

Age

Aging comes with several challenges for everyone, especially women.  It is one of the many factors that may negatively affect your ability to lose weight.

In addition, women who were thin when they were younger may struggle to maintain their weight as they age, even if they are eating a healthy diet.

This is because the aging process comes with reduced physical activity and muscle mass, which can result in a slower metabolism.

In addition, women in their menopausal stage are most likely to gain weight because of the many hormonal changes.

Dieting and Weight Loss History

If you’ve yo-yo dieted several times in the past, you may find it more difficult to lose weight with each ensuing attempt.

In fact, a woman who has yo-yo dieted in the past is more likely to struggle with weight loss as compared with those who had a steady weight.

This effect stems from the changes in fat storage that happen after calorie deprivation episodes.

When you start eating after a period of deprivation, your body stores more fat so that it has a reserve available if there’s another reduction in calorie intake.

Additionally, yo-yo dieting has been suggested in a recent animal study to cause an immune response in fat tissue that makes fat loss more challenging.

What’s more, yo-yo dieting can cause changes in gut bacteria that lead to increased weight gain in the long run.

Health Conditions

Certain health conditions can also affect one’s ability to lose weight.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Characterized by hormonally driven fat accumulation in the abdomen and insulin resistance, PCOS may affect the ability to lose weight of reproductive-aged women.

Hypothyroidism: Low levels of thyroid hormone can cause metabolic slowdown, thereby slowing weight loss.

Lipedema: Lipedema is a condition that causes a woman’s legs and hips to store excess fat, which is completely hard to lose.

Gestational Influences

Unfortunately, your weight can be influenced by some factors that are beyond your control, such as those conditions you were exposed to in the womb.

These conditions include your mother’s dietary choices and weight during pregnancy.

For example, women who gained excessive weight during pregnancy have been shown in research to more likely give birth to large babies who become overweight or obese as they grow.

Additionally, rats fed a Western diet while pregnant have been found in a recent animal study to give birth to babies with slower metabolisms and became obese at several points during their lifetimes.

Should You Really Lose Weight?

If your size is negatively affecting your physical and mental health, then losing weight is a good idea.

Obesity increases the risk of disease, such as heart disease, and lowers life expectancy. In addition, an obese individual typically experiences low levels of energy, decreased mobility, and social stigma.

Aside from avoiding processed carbs and eating more protein, here are some other best ways to lose weight.

Join a support group: Support groups provide motivation, encouragement, and accountability.  There are a lot of weight loss communities both online and offline.

Set a realistic goal: Instead of pushing yourself to the limit, try taking small steps at a time.  Research shows that losing as little as 5% of your body weight can increase insulin sensitivity, and further loss provides additional benefits.

Recognize slow progress: Make sure to recognize progress, even if slow, because slow progress is still progress, and that is impressive.

Celebrate non-scale victories: Instead of focusing on the scale, try to also appreciate every little improvement in lab values, mobility, energy, and other beneficial health changes, especially when you’ve hit a weight loss plateau.

Although these practices do not guarantee 100% weight loss success, they can help improve your chances.

How to Lose Weight Safely and Healthily: Look Beyond Weight Loss – Aim for Optimal Health

Instead of asking Google “how to lose weight fast” or “what is the fastest way to lose weight”, try to type in “how to lose weight safely and healthily”.

Unfortunately, many women try to lose weight for the sake of looking better, instead of being physically healthy.

Or maybe you are one of them: You may have lost some weight, except those last 10–20 pounds.

If you have tried every weight loss effort, yet still not seeing the desired results, you are not alone. Almost everyone has reached a weight loss plateau at some point in their weight loss journey.

So instead of focusing on the scale, try to shift your focus on being as strong, vibrant, and healthy as you can be.

Aim for fitness: Being fit has been shown in studies to be more important than being thin, especially when it comes to health. Plus, it can provide several other benefits as well, such as reduced heart disease risk.

Build a better relationship with food: Instead of depriving yourself of food to lose weight, try to choose nourishing foods and pay attention to hunger and fullness cues for you to learn when to eat and when to stop.

Look back at your previous dieting attempts: Remember that a weight loss plateau often causes increased fat storage and weight gain over time.

So instead of focusing solely on weight loss, try to aim for optimal health. That way you are increasing your chances of losing weight naturally over time.

Love Your Body

Learning to love and appreciate your body can be beneficial not only to your health but also to your happiness and outlook on life.

Repeated weight loss attempts have been suggested in research to lead to not only weight gain, but also mood changes and increased risk of developing unhealthy eating behaviors.

Being content and happy with your weight, on the other hand, has been shown to result in better overall health and healthier behaviors.

To learn to accept and love your body, avoid comparing yourself to others, stop letting the scale define you, and exercise regularly to feel and become better.

The Takeaway

Since modern-day society values being thin, being unable to lose weight can be frustrating, especially for many women.

While being overweight or obese jeopardizes your health and well-being, losing too much weight or aiming for an unrealistic weight loss goal can do more harm than good.

To lose weight successfully, safely, and healthily, make sure to adopt healthy weight loss practices, such as setting a realistic weight loss goal and learning to love your body.  It will improve not only your physical appearance and overall health but also your self-esteem and quality of life.