Woman’s World Readers Shared Their Biggest Weight Loss Hurdles—Here’s How to Overcome Them
Everything from cravings to stress to lack of sleep can derail your goals
Trying to shed extra unwanted pounds or burn stubborn belly fat is rarely easy. And when weight loss hurdles pop up, progress feels even slower. Everything from craving sugar and carbs to not having enough time for exercise can lead to a weight loss plateau. So we asked Woman’s World readers’ what their biggest roadblocks are—and then tapped the experts to find out how to overcome them. Keep reading to learn how to reach your weight loss goal (even when life gets in the way).
Your 4 biggest weight loss hurdles
While every weight loss journey is unique, many people face similar challenges that can make the process feel like an uphill battle. Common weight loss hurdles include emotional eating, unrealistic expectations, lack of support, slow progress and hormonal imbalances, explains Kalyn True, RDN, LD, outpatient dietitian at MHP Bariatrics. Additionally, she says that busy schedules and stress can make it harder to stay consistent with healthy habits.
Here’s what you said are the biggest factors derailing your weight loss efforts:
Woman's World Answers
1. You’re always hungry or craving food
If you constantly crave sugar or carbs, it can make healthy eating feel like an insurmountable challenge. Many factors cause this “food noise,” and the biggest is biology, notes Steve Silvestro, MD, DABOM, FAAP, associate director of clinical content and education at Ro. “Several hormones control hunger, and they can be thrown off balance by challenges with sleep, stress, medications, the types of food you eat and even your current and most recent weight,” he says.
Pro tip: To outsmart the cravings that are leading to weight gain or stalling your efforts, start by keeping a cravings journal. Write down when you feel cravings or hunger and pay attention to what you were doing and anything that helped or made it worse. After a few days, look back to see if you notice any patterns. “Knowing whether you have any hidden hunger triggers can help you prepare for them in the future,” says Dr. Silvestro.
Also smart: Meal and snack prepping. Plenty of popular snacks and processed foods are high in carbs and salt, two things that don’t help you feel full and instead make you crave more. Dr. Silvestro suggests planning ahead and preparing snacks with fiber (fruits and veggie slices) and protein (nuts, yogurt), both of which can help you feel full faster and longer.
2. You can’t get enough sleep
Sleep plays a much bigger role in weight loss than most people realize. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least seven hours of sleep per night for adults, but many of us fall short.
Poor sleep throws your hormones out of balance, says Dr. Silvestro. “It increases cortisol and ghrelin (the hunger hormone) while decreasing leptin, the hormone that helps you feel full. That combination can set you up for weight gain.”
Pro tip: To get your sleep back on track and curb insomnia-triggered hunger, establish a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This helps your body adjust its natural internal clock and keeps your hunger and satiety hormones in check.
3. You don’t have enough time or energy to exercise
Dr. Silvestro explains that it’s easy to fall into a cycle of excuses—feeling too tired to work out and then staying stuck in a low-energy state. But once you take that first step, you’ll realize that exercise actually gives you more energy.
“Physical activity improves sleep and reduces stress, increases oxygen flow to your brain and muscles and triggers a release of endorphins,” he says. “All of this helps you feel more energized—and makes it easier to keep going next time.”
Pro tip: It’s okay to start small and increase your time as you go. Try something achievable (like walking for 15 minutes or strength training using your body weight) and gradually add increments when you’re ready. As for having enough time, Dr. Silvestro suggests sticking to a schedule. Putting it on the calendar makes it “real” and reinforces the idea that this is an important part of your weight loss program and improving your overall health.
4. You’re chronically stressed
When you’re tense or anxious, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol, which can be helpful in certain situations. But when you’re constantly dealing with stress, your cortisol levels stay high all the time, which results in increased hunger and weight gain, according to Dr. Silvestro.
Pro tip: To ease stress and bring your cortisol levels back down, try meditation. “Regular meditation can rewire the brain to improve focus, compassion and feelings of wellbeing—curbing the effects of chronic stress long-term,” says. Dr. Silvestro.
Weight loss is about more than just diet and exercise
Regarding weight loss, True acknowledges that it requires more than just changing your diet or adding in physical activity. “It’s about creating a sustainable, healthy and realistic lifestyle,” she says.
She encourages her patients to reflect on the “5 Ws”: What’s working? What’s not? What’s missing? What’s needed? What’s next? Asking these questions can help you recognize progress, adjust strategies and stay motivated.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
