Are you very careful about your diet, do you exercise regularly, and yet you still can't lose a few pounds? Or do you notice a layer of fat around your waist growing as you get older, slowly developing into a "love handle"? That can be a real mental struggle! Do you often feel like you gain weight just from eating a lettuce leaf and frequently think, 'help, I'm not losing weight'? Read more about it in this blog.
Why look beyond just BMI?
Years ago, the focus was mainly on BMI (Body Mass Index). This is your weight in kilograms divided by your height x your height in meters. Nowadays, there is another calculation that is much more reliable when it comes to predicting health risks such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. This is the waist-to-hip ratio: waist circumference divided by hip circumference. Waist circumference (the narrowest part between the lowest rib and the pelvis) is a good indicator because visceral fat is the determining (risk) factor for health.
Therefore, height and weight alone do not provide a definitive answer. It is possible that you are short, have a healthy weight but a large waist circumference, or that you are significantly heavier with a narrower waist. The second example is more favorable because, despite a higher body fat percentage, there is less visceral fat compared to the first example.
If you are struggling to lose weight, it is interesting to find out the cause of why you are gaining more weight or why you are unable to burn fat. For many people, sugar metabolism in the cells works better than fat metabolism. Simply because this process is easier for your body, and you need to do more for fat metabolism, such as reducing your carbohydrate intake and exercising more (on an empty stomach).
Weight gain and a changing body shape also occur in the aging process. As you age, your basal metabolic rate gradually decreases, meaning that the number of calories you burn at rest is lower than before.
I'm not losing weight, what can I do?
Do you regularly ask yourself, "I'm trying so hard, but I'm not losing weight"? Below, we discuss a number of possible causes.
Hormonal changes
One of the reasons why losing weight doesn't work despite efforts is hormonal changes. For example, as a result of menopause. During menopause, your body changes. For instance, fat storage shifts from less in the buttocks to more in the abdomen. Weight increases by a few pounds, and so does waist circumference.
Not only does fat distribution change, but visceral fat also increases, and lean body mass decreases. This means that fat is stored around the organs in the abdominal cavity. Lean body mass is your body weight minus the weight of fat. Your muscle mass also decreases and is replaced by fat.
Want to read more about hormones and weight loss? You can do so here!
Exercise
Furthermore, the more muscles you have, the more glucose and/or fat you can burn. If you are inactive, you lose muscle mass because 'If you don't use it, you lose it'.
The excess sugars and fast carbohydrates you eat and don't burn are then stored as fat. This decreases your metabolism, resulting in weight gain and increased fat mass. Taking a brisk walk daily and practicing a sport like swimming, Pilates, or cycling weekly is therefore highly recommended!
Stress
Perhaps the most common reason why you struggle to lose weight is stress. During times of stress, your body produces the hormone cortisol, which releases energy because your body prepares for a fight-or-flight response in case of danger. It raises your blood sugar. This is perfectly fine for a short period, but chronic stress causes problems. For example, a constant production of cortisol makes you crave sweet, salty, and fatty foods. You probably recognize that during stressful times, you especially crave quick, carbohydrate-rich snacks.
During stress, your body immediately switches to glucose burning, and fat burning slows down or even stops entirely. Cortisol also increases visceral fat, which widens your waist. And for many people, this is enough reason to become even more stressed.
You can read more about this in this blog.
Sleep
A good night's sleep is essential for burning fat. During the day, you eat fat, which is an anabolic state. This means there is an accumulation of fat. During the night, when you don't eat, you are in a catabolic state. At that point, you break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fatty acids. This, however, only applies if you don't eat too late and/or too much.
So you also need your sleep to avoid gaining weight. At night, there are processes going on in your body that also require energy. For example, your thyroid and immune system need energy to do their work.
Would you like to sleep better? In this blog, we share 4 effective meditation exercises to help you fall asleep better.
Conclusion
In short, we can conclude that if you experience a lot of stress, move little, or sleep poorly, you will not burn fat.
Other causes may be related to hormonal imbalance.
Do none of these causes apply to you? Our therapists would be happy to help you through a consultation!
