6 Reasons You’re Struggling To Lose Weight!  Even When You’re Trying

Trying to lose weight can be frustrating, particularly when you feel you are making consistent changes but the scales are not moving as expected. Body weight is influenced by more than food intake and exercise alone. Genetics, sleep, body composition, stress, daily activity and other individual factors can all play a role.

If you are finding weight loss difficult despite making changes, it does not necessarily mean you are not trying hard enough. Understanding what may be influencing your progress can help you take a more practical and sustainable approach.

1. Genetics Can Influence Body Weight

Genetic factors can influence body weight regulation. Differences between individuals may affect appetite, feelings of fullness, energy regulation and how the body stores fat.

This does not mean your weight is predetermined. It does help explain why two people following similar eating and exercise patterns can experience different outcomes.

For this reason, comparing your progress with someone else’s is not always useful. Responses to changes in diet, physical activity, sleep and other lifestyle factors vary between people.

2. Age, Muscle Mass and Body Composition Matter

It is often said that metabolism simply slows from the late twenties onwards. The evidence is more nuanced than that.

A large 2021 study published in Science examined energy expenditure across different stages of life. After accounting for body size and composition, average energy expenditure was broadly stable from early adulthood to around age 60, with a more noticeable decline in later adulthood.

Body composition can still change with age. Muscle mass may decrease when it is not maintained, and changes in lean mass can affect energy requirements.

This is one reason resistance training can be useful as part of a healthy lifestyle, particularly during periods of weight loss. Maintaining muscle supports physical strength and function and may help preserve lean mass while body weight changes.

3. Sleep May Affect Appetite and Daily Habits

Sleep is an important part of overall health and can also influence eating behaviour, mood and physical activity.

Insufficient sleep may make it harder for some people to manage hunger, food choices, energy levels and activity. Poor sleep can also affect recovery and make healthy routines more difficult to maintain.

For most adults, aiming for around 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep each night is a useful target.

If you regularly sleep for only five or six hours and find hunger, cravings or daytime tiredness difficult to manage, improving your sleep may be one factor worth addressing.

4. Your Intended Intake May Differ From Your Actual Intake

It can be difficult to estimate how much food and drink you consume over the course of a week.

Portion sizes, snacks, alcohol, sweetened drinks, restaurant meals, tastes while cooking and differences between weekdays and weekends can all contribute to total energy intake without being obvious at the time.

Exercise is valuable for cardiovascular health, fitness, mood and maintaining muscle, but it does not necessarily compensate for food intake on a one-to-one basis. For many people, combining regular physical activity with sustainable eating habits is more practical than relying on exercise alone for weight loss.

Keeping a neutral record of food and drinks for several days can sometimes help identify patterns that are difficult to notice from memory. The purpose should be to understand your habits rather than create guilt or encourage overly restrictive eating.

5. Stress Can Affect Eating, Sleep and Activity

Stress can influence eating behaviour in different ways. Some people notice increased appetite or cravings for highly palatable foods, while others experience reduced appetite.

Ongoing stress can also affect sleep, meal planning, motivation and everyday activity. These factors can interact with one another, making healthy routines harder to maintain.

Rather than viewing stress-related eating purely as a matter of willpower, it can be more helpful to consider the underlying pressures and look for practical ways to support sleep, regular meals, movement and recovery.

If eating feels persistently out of control, causes significant distress or affects your wellbeing, consider speaking with a GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

6. You May Be Sitting More Than You Realise

A few exercise sessions each week are only a small part of the total time you spend awake.

Long periods of sitting can reduce the amount of everyday movement you get between planned workouts. This can include walking around at work, standing, taking the stairs, doing household activities or simply moving regularly throughout the day.

Australian physical activity guidelines recommend breaking up prolonged periods of sitting and incorporating regular movement throughout the day.

Small changes can add up. Walking during a phone call, taking movement breaks at your desk or walking for short trips can help make activity a more consistent part of your day.

Why Does Weight Loss Slow Down or Plateau?

A weight-loss plateau does not necessarily mean you have failed or that your efforts have been wasted.

As body weight decreases, the body generally requires less energy to maintain and move its smaller mass. This means that the same eating and activity pattern may produce a smaller energy deficit over time.

Appetite can also change during weight loss, which may make maintaining previous habits more challenging.

Rather than automatically responding to a plateau with more extreme restriction or excessive exercise, it can be useful to review your overall eating pattern, activity levels, sleep, stress and other factors.

What Can Help With Sustainable Weight Management?

Make Movement Part of Your Day

Try to build regular movement into your routine rather than relying on one exercise session.

Walking, cycling, household activities, active commuting and recreational exercise can all contribute to daily activity. Resistance training can also support muscle strength and physical function.

Australian movement guidelines recommend regular physical activity and muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week for adults, while also encouraging people to limit prolonged sedentary time.

Prioritise Sleep

Aim for a consistent sleep routine and allow enough time for good-quality sleep.

A comfortable bedroom, regular bed and wake times, and reducing stimulating activities close to bedtime may support healthier sleep habits.

Persistent loud snoring, breathing interruptions during sleep, waking unrefreshed or significant daytime sleepiness should be discussed with a doctor. These symptoms may warrant assessment for conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea.

Choose an Eating Pattern You Can Maintain

There is no single diet that is suitable for everyone.

A sustainable eating pattern should provide adequate nutrition and fit your preferences, lifestyle, health needs and circumstances. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend a variety of nutritious foods, including vegetables and legumes, fruit, grain foods and a range of protein-containing foods.

Highly restrictive approaches can be difficult to maintain and may make a healthy relationship with food more challenging for some people.

Address Stress

Stress management can be part of a broader approach to healthy weight management.

Regular physical activity, adequate sleep, social connection, time outdoors and activities that help you relax may all support general wellbeing. When stress is persistent or overwhelming, professional support may also be appropriate.

When Should You Speak With a Doctor?

Difficulty managing weight can sometimes be associated with a health condition, medicine, sleep problem or eating-related concern.

Consider discussing your situation with a GP if:

• your weight is changing unexpectedly;
• you have persistent symptoms such as fatigue, unusual sensitivity to cold or other changes that concern you;
• you have irregular menstrual cycles or other symptoms that may require assessment;
• your weight changed after starting or changing a medicine;
• you regularly snore, wake unrefreshed or feel excessively sleepy during the day; or
• eating feels difficult to control or is causing significant distress.

A GP can review your medical history, medicines, lifestyle and symptoms and determine whether further assessment or testing is appropriate.

The Key Point

Difficulty losing weight is not necessarily evidence of a lack of effort. Genetics, sleep, body composition, stress, eating patterns, daily movement and changes in energy needs can all influence weight management.

Understanding the factors that may be relevant to you can help you focus on realistic, sustainable changes rather than simply trying harder.

Health information disclaimer: This article provides general health information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Individual circumstances vary. Speak with a GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, physical activity or weight-management approach, particularly if you have an existing health condition, take prescribed medicines, or have concerns about eating or body image.