Experts Say These 9 Mistakes Could Be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss
Weight ManagementWeight Loss

9 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

9 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight
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Updated on January 12, 2026
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Losing weight — and keeping it off — is hard. But understanding why it’s so difficult can help you stop blaming yourself for every setback and increase your chances of success.

We’ve rounded up the most common challenges to losing weight and how to overcome them.

1. Your Metabolism Works Against You

It’s not just your imagination: When you try to lose weight, you’re fighting both your cravings and your own body. Weight loss decreases the hormone leptin, which signals to your brain that you’re full, and increases the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates hunger.

According to Everyday Health network site Lose It!, hormone imbalances of leptin, ghrelin, and many others make it even harder for you to keep the pounds off.

Plus, if you cut too many calories too quickly, your metabolism will slow, says Sabrena Jo, PhD, senior director of science and research for the American Council on Exercise in Lawrence, Kansas. “If you cut calories drastically, and as a result you drop a lot of weight fairly quickly, it’s likely that you’re losing some muscle. Muscle is really the engine of metabolism, so that contributes to a lower metabolism,” she explains.

Eating too little also makes you more likely to rebound and go in the opposite direction by overeating because you were restricting yourself for so long.

“We recommend doing things more moderately: Increasing physical activity and decreasing calories have been shown to be what works in the long run,” Dr. Jo says.

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2. Progress Takes Patience

It’s tempting to wish for rapid weight loss in time for a certain event, but healthy and sustainable results don’t just happen overnight.

While certain newer prescription weight loss drugs can help with quick weight loss, they can be expensive and come with unpleasant side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset.

 Plus, they aren’t right for everyone.
Then there are extreme diets, which can wreak havoc on your metabolism and damage your weight loss efforts for the long term.

“When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s hard to be patient,” says Mark Pettus, MD, the chief medical officer of Preventia, an online health technology platform based in Indianapolis, and host of the podcast The Health Edge.

If you’re looking to lose weight through diet and lifestyle choices, healthcare professionals generally recommend a slow and steady pace so that keeping the weight off is more sustainable.

Aiming to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week is the easiest pace to maintain, Dr. Pettus says.

3. Exercise Can’t Conquer All

Yes, exercise helps you lose weight and keep it off. In particular, research suggests cardio exercise like running and cycling is especially effective for weight loss.

But it’s also important to know that it’s nearly impossible to lose weight from exercise alone, Pettus says. Just do the math: A 135-pound person biking 60 minutes at a moderate pace will burn around 500 calories.

 To lose a pound of fat in this case, a person would have to burn 3,500 calories more than they consume.

While exercise can be an important part of your weight loss plan, it’s not the only factor to consider. Instead, you have to be mindful of what you eat and how much you exercise, Pettus says. If there’s any magic to dieting, it’s in that combination.

4. Diet Supplements Aren’t Backed by Science

Those pill bottles on the drugstore shelves that claim to supercharge your metabolism are tempting, but there’s little evidence that they work. One review of more than 1,700 articles on various supplements and alternative therapies, including green tea, acupuncture, and caffeine, found there was little to no high-quality evidence to support their value in aiding weight loss.

Instead of using unproven supplements, try focusing on better-supported weight loss strategies, such as eating less and exercising more.

5. Fad Diets Don’t Work for Long

Grapefruit. Maple syrup. Cabbage. Apple cider vinegar. Juice. All these “miracle” diets are supposed to help you melt pounds and trigger fat-burning. Fad diets may work in the short term through calorie restriction, but they fail to deliver long-lasting results, says Jo.

“The problem is that people typically lack the desire to eschew entire food groups or severely limit their caloric intake, so eventually a more inclusive, calorically dense way of eating returns,” she explains.

Such restrictive eating can also mean you’re not getting the proper nutrients to fuel your body. Instead, opt for a diet rich in whole foods, and work with a registered dietitian to create a custom meal plan for your needs.

6. One Diet Doesn’t Fit All

Everyone’s body is different, so the diet that works for your friend, coworker, mother, or sister might not be successful for you. When trying to lose weight, consider your health and family history, your metabolism, your activity level, your age, your gender, and your likes and dislikes.

When you’re dieting, it’s important to allow yourself some foods that you enjoy, per Lose It!, or else you’ll feel deprived and be less likely to stick with an overall healthy eating plan, Jo says. For weight loss success, you need to drill down on what works for you — not what’s working for the other people in your life.

7. Cardio Is Essential (and Strength Training Helps, Too)

According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week and two or more days of muscle-strengthening activities.

Spread this exercise throughout the week, and try to move more throughout the day in general, even if it’s just a walk around the block.

These guidelines should help most people lose weight, says Jo, but people looking to lose a lot of weight should aim for at least 30 minutes of extra activity per day. Plus, don’t skip strength training, which supports muscle, bone, and joint health and function, adds Jo. Increased muscle mass also gives your metabolism a slight boost and makes you look more toned.

8. Men Can Generally Eat More Than Women Can

It doesn’t seem fair, but men often can eat more than women and still lose weight. That’s because people assigned male at birth tend to naturally burn more calories than those born female. This is thanks to their larger size, muscle mass, and elevated levels of the hormone testosterone, which promotes muscle growth, Jo explains.

Plus, the male body is genetically designed for more muscle and less fat than the female body because it doesn’t need to store the energy required to bear children, she adds. So the next time you’re tempted to compare your weight loss journey with someone else, keep this in mind.

9. It’s Not a Diet, It’s a Lifestyle Change

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to change your behavior until you reach your goal weight — and for the months and years to follow.

Instead of treating healthy meals and frequent trips to the gym as a temporary “diet” you’re doing, think of them as part of your new lifestyle. This can help make your weight loss more sustainable.

The Takeaway

  • If you find losing weight to be a challenge, it’s not all in your head. Understanding how your body works can help you find weight loss success.
  • Your activity level, metabolism, and even your gender can impact how hard it is to slim down. Understanding your own body is a more effective way to lose weight than following the dieting playbook of popular trends, friends, and family.
  • Sticking to a combination of eating less and exercising more is key to creating a lifestyle that will help you lose weight and keep it off in the long term.

Resources We Trust

Additional reporting by Jennifer D’Angelo Friedman.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Ghrelin. Cleveland Clinic. April 21, 2022.
  2. Habib A et al. Unintended Consequences of Dieting: How Restrictive Eating Habits Can Harm Your Health. International Journal of Surgery Open. November 2023.
  3. Ghusn W et al. Glucagon-Like Receptor-1 Agonists for Obesity: Weight Loss Outcomes, Tolerability, Side Effects, and Risks. Obesity Pillars. August 31, 2024.
  4. Jaime K et al. Risks Associated With Excessive Weight Loss. StatPearls. February 29, 2024.
  5. Oppert JM et al. Physical Activity and Exercise for Weight Loss and Maintenance in People Living With Obesity. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders. October 2023.
  6. Physical Activity Calorie Counter. American Council on Exercise.
  7. Batsis JA et al. A Systematic Review of Dietary Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Weight Loss. Obesity. July 2021.
  8. Adult Activity: An Overview. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 20, 2023.
  9. Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories. Mayo Clinic. October 8, 2022.
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Sean Hashmi, MD

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Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Sean Hashmi, MD, is an experienced nephrologist and obesity medicine specialist based in Southern California. As the regional director for clinical nutrition and weight management at a prominent healthcare organization in Southern California, Dr. Hashmi oversees the development and implementation of cutting-edge nutritional programs and weight management strategies. With his innovative approach and unwavering commitment to providing evidence-based solutions, he is a highly sought-after speaker and a leader in his field.

Hashmi founded the nonprofit organization SelfPrinciple.org to provide accessible and accurate health, nutrition, and wellness information to the public. Through this platform, he shares the latest research findings, empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being. Self Principle also supports children's education by providing scholarships, books, and supplies, so that students have the resources necessary to succeed academically and build a brighter future.

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Beth W. Orenstein

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Beth W. Orenstein is a freelance writer for HealthDay, Radiology Today, the Living Well section of The American Legion Magazine, St. Luke’s University Health Network, and others. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Tufts University (1978), where she majored in English and was editor of the student newspaper for three years.

No matter the weather around her eastern Pennsylvania home, Orenstein either bikes 25 to 30 miles or walks at least 6 miles every day. Her one indulgence is blueberry pancakes — but only after biking a long distance.

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