Maybe you are one of those people who have been struggling to lose weight for a long time and do not know why you cannot achieve it.
Many obstacles can stand in your way when it comes to achieving a goal such as losing weight , since there will be different factors that you will have to fight; however, sometimes you will not know they are there.
If you went on a ketogenic diet, changed your bad habits for healthy ones, included a specific routine to burn fat and in the end you could not lose weight, you are probably facing other barriers that you do not know and must break down.
4 barriers to losing weight and how to break them
1. Physiological barriers
While some people seem privileged by the way their body assimilates food and exercise (positively), another large number often make a plan to lose weight without satisfactory results, just because they suffer from physiological problems.
An example of this is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (which affects every one in ten women); and that it can be difficult to lose body fat , even when it includes a better diet, exercises and supplements, since this syndrome causes relevant hormonal changes
On the other hand, conditions such as diabetes make weight loss difficult , since it directly influences processes such as insulin production. Other conditions such as hypertension and the side effects of some treatments also prevent you from achieving the goal of losing weight or defining your muscles.
1.1 How to solve the physiological problems that prevent you from losing weight
The first thing you should do is consult your trusted doctor, so that you can treat the disease or condition that leads you to gain and maintain excess weight. This is because in most cases, just by solving the original problem, you will have already broken down the barrier that prevents you from losing weight , that is, the positive results will be very close to you.
On the other hand, you should check if the treatment you are receiving does not produce negative side effects that alter your hormones and cause involuntary weight gain , as occurs with some tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotics such as clozapine and olanzapine, among others.
2. Physical barriers
At other times, there are physical problems that directly prevent many weight loss activities (mainly exercise). The most common barrier is body pain, the result of diseases such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, flat feet, neck problems or persistent injuries that will limit the way you exercise, and even cause depression.
Unfortunately, some people may experience other conditions that complicate their performance, as in the case of those who suffer from sleep apnea, which complicates the flow of the airways while they are sleeping, producing risks of heart disease and making it difficult to fall. weight according to recent studies, which have corroborated its intervention in the fat loss process.
2.1 How to overcome the physical barriers that prevent weight loss
First of all, if you suffer from constant muscle and joint pain that makes it difficult for you to exercise regularly , it is best to go to a physiotherapist who can help you with different therapies, so that you can move around again without pain or discomfort.
If it is other conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia, it may not be possible to eliminate the pain completely but only to reduce it. In these cases, it is important to seek therapeutic help to improve behavior, so that you learn to live with the pain and be able to bear it without obstructing your training to lose fat. Sometimes the use of magnesium-based supplements can remedy arthritis and fibromyalgia.
When you cannot lose weight due to sleep apnea, you should first consult with your trusted doctor. The use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device is also recommended to keep the airway open at night.
3. Financial barriers
For many people, eating high-quality protein, fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, coupled with paying the monthly gym fee, can be a huge challenge to their financial budget and of course, an uphill mountain to lose weight. weight.
Adding to it the place where you live, the high costs of living, the weekly hours that you dedicate to your work and any adverse economic situation, are factors that end up demotivating you and exhausting you mentally and physically, taking as much time as possible that you can dedicate to yourself.
3.1 How to overcome financial barriers to lose weight
If you’re on a budget, try buying inexpensive, high-quality protein like eggs or sardines when in season (which are also a source of omega-3s). Also try the use of vegetables such as sweet potatoes, green vegetables such as broccoli or kale, which will surely not decapitalize you but will feed you properly.
Also, you don’t need a gym if you have enough will. Spending at least an hour exercising at home will not be a difficult task if you have a computer with internet; you will be surprised at the amount of exercises you can do from the comfort of your home.
Finally, keep in mind that good management of personal finances will give health to both your body and your pocket. Take a few hours on the weekend to honest your income and expenses, compare the invoices and record your purchases. Market in places where there is supply and minimize those unnecessary expenses; you will realize that, many times, the deficit depends on yourself.
4. Psychosocial barriers
There are many psychological disorders related to the difficulty some people have in losing weight . For example, in the case of those who have symptoms of depression (or have verified that they suffer from it) it is very difficult to get out of that state of mind to eat healthy or exercise; in fact, as you may have heard before, most of the time they tend to take refuge in unhealthy food.
On the other hand, there are psychosocial barriers that often stop you when you are close to your goal. A very clear example of this is the celebration of Christmas, in which different dishes with excess calories typical of the holiday are usually eaten; Obviously you would look very bad with your family if you do not share the same food at the table on Christmas Eve, right?
In this way, social pressure can make you change your mind even when you are determined not to fall again. For example, doesn’t it happen to you that you are invited to eat hamburgers right in the first week of your diet? On many occasions your friends may see you strange while they eat fried food while you eat a low calorie salad; however, it is the price you must pay to achieve your goals.
4.1 How to overcome psychosocial barriers
When it comes to depression and other psychological disorders, it is important that you see a doctor who can help you overcome what is holding you back. Many times some drugs are used to improve the condition, while in others only a few therapies will be necessary.
As far as psychosocial barriers are concerned, it is advisable to strengthen yourself mentally to be able to face all the attacks that come; In the end, the decision to meet your goal will be yours and not society’s.
Conclution
Remember at all times your goal and the things you must do or not do to achieve it. The most important thing is that you learn to give more importance to your own personal opinion than to what others say about you; This way you can overcome the barriers that get in the way of your goal of losing weight .
Reference
- Mark Young. “The 4 Barriers to Fat Loss and How to Fix Them.” For Livestrong [Revised February 2017]
