why diets fail
Reasons for dieting failure
Health reasons related to the failure of dieting
Having a medical condition that hinders weight loss:
There are many conditions that may cause weight gain or impede the process of losing weight, and the following are some of these cases:
Hypothyroidism:
Hypothyroidism is defined as the body's inability to produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormones; which helps the body burn the fat stored in it; This condition slows the metabolism and stores fat more than it burns it, especially in people who are not physically active.
Polycystic ovary syndrome:
This disease results from a hormonal imbalance in females, and its symptoms include irregular menstrual bleeding, acne, excessive facial hair, difficulty getting pregnant, in addition to weight gain that is not caused by overeating.
Chronic anxiety:
Anxiety, stress, and sadness can lead the body to produce chemicals such as the hormone cortisol, which stimulates the body to store fat in larger quantities, especially around the waist area, which increases the risk of many serious health problems. Cushing's Syndrome, which occurs when the adrenal glands produce large amounts of the hormone cortisol; Which leads to the accumulation of fat in the face, upper back, and abdominal area.
Depression:
Many people with depression resort to eating large amounts of foods to relieve depression.
Hormonal changes in women:
Some women may experience weight gain at certain times in their lives, usually due to hormonal changes at puberty, during pregnancy, and after menopause.
Women reaching menopause:
Women can gain weight during menopause, when hormonal changes, decreased muscle mass, and lack of sleep caused by hot flashes lead to weight gain.
Low levels of some vitamins and minerals in the body:
Obesity is a potential risk factor for vitamin D deficiency, because the body's daily need of this vitamin depends on body size, and it is worth noting that low levels of vitamin B12 may also be associated with obesity and weight gain, as the results of a study published in the journal Medicinski Glasnik showed In 2013, people who were overweight or obese had lower vitamin B12 levels when compared to people of normal weight; However, most studies pointing to the relationship between vitamin B12 levels and weight have been weak and observational, so more studies are needed to confirm this.
Taking some medications that hinder weight loss:
Taking some types of medications can lead to weight gain or prevent losing it, and we mention the following:
Some medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes, such as sulfonylureas.
Antipsychotic drugs or schizophrenia drugs, such as chloropromazine, thioridazine, and olanzapine. Beta-blockers, which are sometimes given to patients with high blood pressure, or those with some heart diseases.
Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, imipramine, and trazodone.
Hormone replacement therapy. Pills. Corticosteroid medicines (in English: Corticosteroids) that are given in cases of asthma or lupus erythematosus.
antiepileptics used to control epileptic seizures; Especially valproic acid (English: Valproic acid), and carbamazepine (English: Carbamazepine).
It is worth noting that the weight gain caused by the use of some drugs varies from one drug to another and sometimes is unknown, and if a person is exposed to an increase in weight when using a certain type of medication, the treating doctor can prescribe a similar drug that does not have the same effect on weight, so it is advised by not stopping the use of a certain medication with the aim of losing weight; It is necessary to consult a specialist doctor.
Reasons related to food and diet failure
Adopting a diet that is not suitable for a lifestyle:
It is worth noting that there is not only one diet that suits the needs of all people, their personalities, lifestyle, and food preferences, and it should be noted the need to stay away from diets that prevent entire food groups, and avoid diets that promise rapid weight loss in excess of Approximately one kilogram per week, and as mentioned previously, a successful diet must be easy to implement and can be adhered to for a long period of time, because it is related to the suitability of a person’s lifestyle with the foods he enjoys eating without feeling deprived.
Getting larger portions than necessary:
Most people miscalculate the size of daily food portions, so it is recommended to use a digital scale to weigh portions, and it is worth noting that more than one portion during the day can be obtained from many foods, especially starches.
Eat plenty of healthy foods:
Many dieters make mistakes in food choices, as some of them consume large amounts of calories from foods that they think are healthy. For example, avocados are a food rich in healthy fats; However, it also contains large amounts of calories, so it is recommended to eat it in moderation for those who want to lose weight, and it should be noted that excessive intake of any type of foods can lead to weight gain, regardless of how healthy they are.
Improper or very severe diets:
There are many diets that are not based on any scientific evidence that proves their effectiveness in losing weight, and following such systems can lead to counterproductive results for weight loss, as many of these diets are very restrictive; Which may cause many health problems, for example, following some diets may lead to weight loss; But in most cases, the weight lost is due to the loss of water and muscle instead of fat, and it may be difficult to adhere to this type of diet, which leads most people to regain the weight they lost shortly after stopping the diet, and the most effective and healthiest diets are distinguished Variety and balance, as it is important to consume fewer calories, but this should be applied without imposing strict restrictions on any of the main food groups, and in all cases it is recommended to reduce the intake of sugars and unhealthy fats such as trans fats.
Eating more or fewer calories than required:
When you want to lose weight; A person should eat fewer calories than the body burns, although many people may feel that they are eating small amounts of food; However, most people cannot estimate the size of the portions eaten, and as mentioned previously, some people may consume large amounts of healthy foods that contain high amounts of calories, such as nuts or cheese, so it is preferable to monitor the size of the portions to achieve weight loss, and on the other hand; Significantly reducing calorie intake may be counterproductive, as some studies conducted on low-calorie diets that provide less than 1000 calories per day indicated that following this type of diet may lead to muscle loss and slow metabolism in the body Significantly.
Reasons related to physical activity and diet failure
Exercising or not exercising at all:
People lose some of their muscle mass along with fat during the weight loss process, and the amount of muscle lost depends on several factors; As not exercising while reducing calories intake leads to losing more muscle mass and lowering the metabolic rate, while exercising helps reduce the amount of muscle a person loses, promote fat loss, and maintain metabolic activity, the more muscle a person loses. The easier it is to lose weight.
However, excessive exercise may lead to many health problems, so trying to force the body to burn more calories by exercising excessively is not an effective or healthy method, and it is worth noting that weightlifting and aerobic exercise Several times a week is a good way to maintain your metabolic rates during the weight loss process.
Rely on exercise only to lose weight without following a diet:
As mentioned previously, when you want to lose weight; A person must eat fewer calories than the body burns, and although exercise is an effective way to burn calories, it is advised to reduce the amount of calories consumed in addition to exercise; This is to ensure more effective weight loss. Although exercising at a very high intensity may contribute to burning more calories, even in this case losing more than 2 kilograms of body weight is difficult to achieve, and some research has shown that some people may resort to eating large amounts of food. Large foods after exercise; This makes it more difficult to maintain weight, so combining exercise and a healthy diet is the best way to achieve weight loss.
The wrong choice of post-workout meal:
As mentioned earlier, exercise helps burn calories in addition to building muscle mass; However, eating a large meal or drinking juices after each exercise can be counterproductive, as the consumption of high-sugar sports drinks and protein bars should be avoided, although these drinks help reduce thirst and boost energy after the completion of the exercise; However, they may contain large amounts of calories.
Other reasons hinder the process of losing weight focusing only on the scale number:
There are many factors that affect weight, and these factors include the difference in the amount of fluid in the body, the increase in muscle mass, in addition to the difference in the weight of undigested foods, as a person may have lost amounts of body fat without visible changes in the reading of the scale number.
Not getting enough protein and fiber:
Eating large amounts of protein helps to lose weight by reducing appetite, increasing the feeling of satiety, in addition to enhancing metabolic rates, and eating sufficient amounts of dietary fiber helps reduce appetite by increasing the feeling of satiety and thus reducing food intake, in addition to that fiber It may help reduce the absorption of calories from foods.
Not paying attention to the contents of different products:
Fat-free foods usually contain large amounts of sugar; Therefore, eating them may lead to an increase in the feeling of hunger and thus eat more calories,
For example, one cup of fruit yogurt made from low-fat milk contains approximately 29.4 grams of sugars, and sugar-free foods may contain high amounts of fat, as one medium-sized piece that weighs about 30 grams contains biscuits. It contains 9.41 grams of fat, regardless of whether it contains sugar or not, so it is necessary to read the food label carefully before purchasing these foods.
Drinking high-sugar drinks:
Excessive consumption of drinks that contain high amounts of sugar may discourage weight loss, as the drinks are usually overlooked as part of the diet; However, many sugary drinks contain high amounts of calories, and unlike many foods with a high calorie content; These drinks do not help reduce hunger, nor do they provide the body with the energy it needs; Which leads a person to consume large quantities of them without noticing it, and it is worth noting that limiting or avoiding sugary drinks may greatly help promote weight loss.
Not getting enough sleep:
The number and quality of sleep may affect the process of losing weight, according to the American National Sleep Foundation, it is recommended for adults aged 18 to 65 years to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day. Older people need 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day.
Entering the stage of stable weight:
This condition usually occurs six months after the start of the weight loss process, according to a review of 80 studies published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2011.
Not getting enough water:
Drinking water helps to lose weight in several ways, the most important of which is reducing appetite, enhancing metabolism, in addition to facilitating the performance of exercise and increasing its efficiency; Which contributes to weight loss. In the end, there are many factors that affect the process of losing weight, and some of them may be more obvious than others, but this does not mean making any of the previous reasons an essential reason for not losing weight, as the main factor for losing weight is the amount of calories it eats A person versus the amount of calories the body burns.
An overview of the diet
The best diet for losing weight is the diet that aims to make all parts of the body healthy, and not only reach the ideal waist circumference, as it must be easy to apply so that a person can adhere to it for a long period of time, and it should be noted that there are many diets that It promises quick results in weight loss, but it may be unhealthy or prevent many foods from eating, which makes it tend to fail in the long term, as the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is not related to short-term changes; It is about following a lifestyle that includes eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and balancing the calories consumed and the calories used by the body.