5 Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Weight

You’re disciplined.  You work hard.  Even after a long day in the office, you still manage to find time to squeeze in a workout at the gym.  You’re not a slacker either.  You push hard and are constantly breaking barriers.  By the end of the workout, you are probably so glad you forced yourself in the door because you feel so much better.  The only problem is that darn scale, it just won’t budge and you don’t understand why.

If you feel like you are working hard in the gym and not getting the results you want when it comes to weight loss, here are 5 reasons fitness might be making you fatter and 5 tips to help you get better results.

1. Too Much Cortisol

Your workouts (or just life in general) are causing your body to release too much cortisol, which may be causing the wrong hormone response. 

An occasional HIIT workout is great, but if you are doing that back to back without much recovery, your body will shift to constant cortisol release, which will affect digestion, immune function, sleep patterns, and fat storage.

Notice if you feel wired but tired.  If you don’t have a lot of energy to do things but you can’t shut down and just go to sleep, then spend some time focusing on recovering. 

2. Not Digesting Enough Nutrients 

If your digestion is off, you won’t be absorbing nutrients optimally, which means even if you are eating clean, your body isn’t getting the full effects of the food or possibly not exactly what it needs to recover

Finding a balance between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems is crucial for optimal fitness. When your parasympathetic system takes the reins, digestion gets a significant boost. Cycling between these states not only enhances your gym performance but also benefits you outside, offering a competitive edge in overall fitness endeavors.

Notice if your digestion is off and take steps to repair your gut health. Try eating more bone broth soups and probiotic foods.

3. Your Carb Timing Is Off

Exercising intensely often ramps up your appetite tremendously.  When you train hard, or for extended periods, you use up all your sugar stores and so your body needs to replace that as quickly as possible.

The only problem is that right after a workout is when you are most motivated to not eat and you might be thinking that you are saving yourself calories, but that’s actually when you need to be eating the most carbs.

It’s good to train hard, but if it causes you to eat excess calories the rest of the day, then that might not align with the intention of the workout to begin with.

Notice how long it takes for you to be hungry after a workout and try to fuel your body right after your training session.  And don’t forget, not all calories are created equal so instead of counting calories, keep a food log and look at the types of foods you are eating instead.

4. You Are Overtrained

If you are following the “more is better” mentality, it may have led you to overtraining, injuries, and inflammation.  Constant inflammation can also cause you to release cortisol which as I mentioned in number 1, sends a signal to your body to store fat. 

Notice how much your joints hurt.  If you have injuries that just won’t go away, or how quickly you can recover from a training session, don’t just work out through the pain. 

5. Your Adrenals Can’t Keep Up

Stress is stress whether it’s from work, working out, or relationships, it doesn’t matter. Too much stress for too long will eventually take its toll on your adrenal health. 

When your adrenals aren’t functioning properly, it will be very hard to tip the scale.

Even worse, all that stress will start reversing your androgens, meaning too little testosterone and too much estrogen.  This inverted effect on hormones will often show up as an extra layer around the midsection. Notice if your libido is low or, for women, if you’ve had changes in your periods. 

It’s great to work hard and to push yourself, just don’t do it on too many days back to back. When it comes to fitness, your workouts must energize and invigorate you. They should leave you feeling empowered, not drained, and in need of a nap. However, if you’re training for a competition, following a periodization program becomes essential to optimize your performance and results. So, while enjoying your fitness routine is key, specific goals might require a different approach.

You have to learn to shut it down.  It doesn’t have to be yoga, but you need to find a form of restorative exercise that flushes the system of lactic acid and preferably helps to maintain good joint integrity.

In the realm of fitness, discipline, and routine are invaluable, yet listening to your intuition is crucial. If you’re fatigued, consider easing up—lower weights, a partial workout, or a breather. Cycling intensity avoids burnout, empowering peak performance on intense days.

Time your nutrition right.  Feed your workouts and starve the sedentary parts of your life.  The Golden Rule is to “Train, Don’t Drain.”

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