Why Is It so Damn Hard to Lose Weight?
The best ways to lose weight, why they suck, and helpful hints
I am not happy with my weight. At 42 years old, I am still searching for the magic wand I can wave each morning to see the body I want looking back at me in the mirror.
If you have a fancy wand like that in your possession, please let me know. I can be discrete, a private message will do. I will even pay for shipping.
No wand? Okay, the griping continues.
I have never been happy with my weight. There have been times in my life I was at a healthy weight according to my doctor, but I was still always chasing that last five pounds. There have also been times, like now, when I need to lose a significant amount of weight to be considered “healthy.”
Information is everything, right? Let’s take a look at some common ways to lose weight and the difficulties faced in succeeding.
The best ways to lose weight
I think that I have tried everything out there to lose weight at one point or another. I have tried healthy methods, like cutting calories and exercising more, and I have tried some less healthy ways, like taking phentermine. I’ve broken down two of, what I consider to be, the best ways to lose weight.
- Eat less, move more
Easy enough, right? On paper, yes. Creating a calorie deficit is the scientific approach to weight loss. Use more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. Creating the deficit can come from a combination of eating fewer calories and burning more calories.
Most folks need to keep track of the foods they are eating when they are trying to eat less. Using a calorie counting app like, My Fitness Pal, is great because it gives the calorie counts of almost any food and lets users keep a food diary to keep track. The app also has great features that can be used to calculate the ideal number of daily calories to eat based on current age, weight, lifestyle, and goals.
A calorie deficit can also be created with exercise. Exercising burns calories. If enough calories are used during activity, it can cause weight loss. The calories burned with exercise are usually underestimated by people, so trackers like fitness equipment screens, heart rate monitors, and My Fitness Pal, help calculate calories burned.
2. Keto diet
The keto diet seems to be all the rage these days. You can’t browse Facebook or the magazine speed racks at the grocery store without seeing a Keto success story or recipe. There are many different versions of the keto diet, but they all work using a low-carb approach.
Some people follow a keto diet that consists of mostly clean foods. They are consuming a diet of meats, seafood, vegetables, limited dairy, and some nuts and seeds. These folks avoid processed food. Many of these individuals count the total carbs they consume each day and try to stay under a carbohydrate goal of 25–50g. Many of them also maintain a moderate calorie count.
Just focusing on eating foods low in carbs can be considered a keto lifestyle. Folks that choose this way of eating are not concerned with calories and focus only on eating a low-carb diet. Their diet may consist of meat, seafood, vegetables, some fruits, dairy, and processed “keto-friendly” foods. This type of keto dieter usually only counts net carbs, which is the number of carbohydrates in food after subtracting fiber and sugar alcohol grams.
Why it all sucks
Losing weight is an achievable goal. Eating less and moving more work for weight loss. Following a low-carb or Keto diet works, as long as you stick to it.
So, why is losing weight so damn hard?
Because sticking to a healthier way of eating is challenging. The goal is always to be a healthy weight where you consume a balanced diet and indulge in an occasional treat. But just like everything else in life, the hard part is often getting the ball rolling.
Food is addicting, especially sugar. Lifestyles can also be addicting. Breaking habits are tough. As an overeater, you always want to put change off until tomorrow. People can always justify just one more fast food meal or box of donuts.
Why isn’t easier to lose weight?
Having an “all or nothing” personality makes it especially hard to stick to a diet. People with this mindset see everything in black and white. You either eat a healthy diet or you don’t. That makes it very hard to enjoy treats in moderation. Someone with good intentions may start a diet, have a cookie, and then say, “screw it, I’ll keep eating, and start over tomorrow.” The problem is that there is always another tomorrow.
Helpful tips
- Get a support system — having a friend to hold you accountable is a helpful motivator when you are trying to reach a goal. Some people attend Weight Watchers, or similar programs, because of the support their meetings offer.
- Set attainable goals — you cannot lose 25 lbs by next Monday, no matter how determined you are. To avoid getting discouraged by slow progress, set smaller goals.
- Be kind to yourself — Learn to see yourself as more than your weight. Don’t beat yourself up when you stray from the plan. Just shake it off and start again.
Final Thoughts
Losing weight is tough. There are many diets to follow where people can successfully reach a healthy body weight. Some popular ways of healthy eating include counting calories and the keto diet. At the end of the day, the best way to lose weight is to find a way of healthy eating you can stick too. Losing weight requires a lifestyle change. It is easier with support, attainable goals, and self-love.
A sincere thank you for reading.
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