Have you lost a few pounds in the beginning and now is it stalled? Perhaps you have been doing everything right, but still, you are losing weight very slowly. It can be discouraging and make you feel like giving up. But don’t despair – we’ll discuss a few reasons why does it take so long to lose weight along with some tips to speed it up.
As we all know that losing weight is a long and difficult process, but it’s important to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Some overweight people stated no weight loss after 3 weeks of exercise and diet. However, according to scientific studies, it is better to lose weight slowly and steadily. Rapid weight loss not only weakens the muscles’ tissues but also can cause various health issues.
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Why Does It Take Long To Lose Weight?
Weight loss is not an easy process. It takes time, patience and a lot of hard work. The weight loss process slows down after losing a few pounds, below are a few reasons;
1. Not Enough Calorie Deficit
The basic rule behind losing weight is, “burn more calories than you consume”, or “consume fewer calories than your body requires”.
In order to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. This means that you need to burn more calories than you consume. However, most people don’t create a moderate calorie deficit, which can stall weight loss.
Try avoiding large or severe calorie deficits as it signals the body to preserve energy. So, the body starts storing the calories instead of losing them.
The professional dietitians recommend creating a 500 calories deficit per day, which can help you lose 1 to 2 lbs per week. There are multiple weight loss diet plans that you are follow such as Ketosis, Nutrisystem, etc.
2. Loss of Muscle Mass
As we all know that muscles help to burn more calories than fat. So, when you lose weight, you also lose muscle mass along with fat. Strengthening your muscles will help to lose weight slowly but surely.
The body starts burning calories slowly as the number of muscles decreases. This makes it harder to lose weight and easy to gain the weight back. So, it is advised to engage in physical exercises for strength and muscle gain.
Read where you start losing weight to estimate your weight loss journey.
3. Change in Hormone Levels
Hormones play an important role in regulating body weight. There are various hormones responsible for appetite, hunger, metabolism and fat storage.
An imbalance in hormone levels can lead to weight gain or difficulty in losing weight. For example, women tend to gain weight during pregnancy due to the high levels of estrogen hormone. Similarly, menopause can also lead to weight gain due to the decrease in estrogen levels.
Read tips on how women can lose weight faster.
4. Genetics
Never ignore the role of genetics in determining or losing our body weight. Some people are genetically predisposed to being overweight or obese. This is because they have a slow metabolism or their bodies are more efficient at storing fat.
Hence, they find it difficult to lose those extra pounds. Initially, they drop a few points on the scale – which is mostly water. But when it comes to burning fat and cutting down weight, they only lose half a pound a week and achieving the weight loss goal seems tough and almost impossible.
5. Medical Conditions
There are certain medical conditions that can cause weight gain or make it difficult to lose weight. These include hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), sleep apnea and insulin resistance. If you are struggling to lose weight, it is important to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
6. YoYo Effect
Yo-yo dieting or weight cycling is when a person loses weight and then gains it back. This can happen due to restrictive diets or fad diets that are not sustainable in the long term. Yo-yo dieting effects negatively on slow and steady weight loss process. In fact, it can make it harder to lose weight and can also lead to weight gain.
7. Age
As we age, our metabolism slows down and we lose muscle mass. This makes it difficult to lose weight and easy to gain weight accumulated from fat. So, it is important to make healthy lifestyle choices at a young age and eat a balanced diet as we age.
8. Stress
Stress is a huge psychological factor that slows down weight loss. This is because stress increases the levels of the hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a stress hormone that increases appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods that can lead to weight gain. So, it is important to manage stress in order to lose weight.
Tips to Speed Up Steady Weight Loss Process
We highly discourage rapid weight loss as it is dangerous for health and body strength. However, following a consistent and slow process ensure steady weight loss. In fact, it is better to lose weight slowly as it is more likely to be maintained in the long term.
There are certain things that you can do to speed up the slow and steady weight loss process.
1. Eat a High-Protein Diet
Protein is the most filling nutrient and it helps to reduce appetite and promote weight loss. A high-protein diet can help you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake and increasing your metabolism. Try to include protein-rich foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes and nuts in your diet.
2. Increase Your Fiber Intake
Fiber is a nutrient that helps to promote weight loss by increasing satiety and decreasing calorie intake. Soluble fiber is especially effective at promoting weight loss. Try to include high-fiber foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes in your diet.
3. Eat More Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are essential for weight loss. They help to reduce hunger and promote fullness. Try to include healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds in your diet.
4. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and it has been shown to promote weight loss. It also helps to increase metabolism and fat burning. Try to drink green tea regularly to boost your weight loss.
5. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is one of the best ways to lose weight. It helps to increase metabolism, burn calories and promote weight loss. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. You can also try different types of exercises such as cardio, strength training and HIIT to lose weight.
Ways to Improve Metabolism and Weight Loss
The Benefits of Losing Weight Slowly
1. It’s Sustainable
Losing weight slowly is much more sustainable than crash dieting. When you lose weight too quickly, you are likely to gain it all back – and sometimes even more – once you go back to your regular eating habits. Losing weight slowly allows you to make healthy changes that you can stick with over the long term.
2. It Reduces the Risk of Weight Regain
Losing weight slowly also reduces the risk of weight regain. When you lose weight quickly, your body starts to conserve energy by slowing down your metabolism. This makes it more difficult to maintain your weight loss in the long run. Losing weight slowly allows your metabolism to adjust to your new weight, making it easier to maintain your lost pounds in the long run.
3. It Can Help Prevent Hunger and Cravings
Hunger and cravings are one of the main reasons why people fail to lose weight and eventually give up on their diets. Losing weight slowly can help reduce hunger and cravings, making it easier to stick to your diet plan.
4. It Helps Keep Your Motivation High
When you are trying to lose weight, motivation is the key. Losing weight slowly can help keep your motivation high, as you’ll be able to see gradual progress rather than dramatic changes. This can help keep you motivated throughout your weight loss journey.
Final Words
Weight loss is a slow and steady process. It is important to be patient and consistent with your weight loss journey. Try to avoid fad diets or crash diets as they can stall your weight loss. Also, don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. It takes time to lose weight, but it is possible with dedication and hard work.
In addition, losing weight slowly has a number of benefits, including being more sustainable than crash dieting, reducing the risk of weight regain, preventing hunger and cravings, and keeping your motivation high. So if you are finding it difficult to lose weight, don’t give up – just focus on making small healthy changes that you can sustain over time.
Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQs)
How long does it take for weight loss to show?
This depends on a number of factors, including how much weight you want to lose, your starting weight, your diet and exercise plan, and your metabolism. Generally speaking, it takes most people several weeks to start seeing results from their weight loss efforts.
A general study indicates that losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is a healthy weight loss.
Why does it take so long to lose weight but easy to gain?
It can take a long time to lose weight because the body is very efficient at storing energy (in the form of fat). When we go on a diet and start eating less, our bodies will initially resist losing this stored energy by burning fewer calories. Over time, though, as we continue to eat less and our bodies adjust to this new normal, we will start to lose weight.
It’s easy to gain weight because, again, the body is very efficient at storing energy. When we eat more than we need, our bodies will readily store this excess energy as fat. And once this fat is stored, it’s very difficult to get rid of – that’s why it can be so easy to gain weight but so hard to lose it.
Why is weight loss so hard?
There are a number of reasons why weight loss can be difficult. One reason is that the body is very efficient at storing energy, so when we start eating less, our bodies will initially resist losing this stored energy. Another reason is that it can be hard to stick to a diet and exercise plan over the long term. And finally, our metabolism – the rate at which we burn calories – can also slow down as we lose weight, making it even harder to shed those unwanted pounds.
