The 3 most common barriers to weight loss are…food types, eating behaviors, and metabolism.
Food Types: Carbohydrates (CHO), Proteins, and Lipids (Fats)
Carbohydrates (CHO): great tasting, same calories as protein, classified into simple and complex, tend to make us hungrier (appetite stimulant)
Proteins: Not very tasty (few receptors on our tongues), same calories as CHO, increase our metabolism, decrease appetite (appetite suppressant)
Lipids (fats): taste wonderful (think butter), more than twice the calories of protein and CHO, large intake can cause heart disease, unknown metabolic effect
Eating Behaviors (Things to avoid if you want to lose weight)
Skipping meals (especially breakfast), portion oversizing, eating late at night, carbohydrate loading, a low protein:carb ratio, lipid loading
Metabolism
Metabolism is notoriously difficult to manipulate. A low metabolism rate can sabotage weight loss, but it is also hard to maintain higher rates for prolonged time periods. Many medications can lower your metabolism rate.
All of us have a BMR or basal metabolic rate. Some of us are lucky to have a consistently high rate that enables us to take in large quantities of calories without producing a lot of adipose tissue (the rest of us hate you people). Some very unfortunate individuals have a very slow rate that makes it virtually impossible to lose additional weight by calorie restriction alone.
Learn More about Metabolism
Calories In vs. Calories Out Is Over-Simplified
Many providers explain weight loss to patients as a simple “calories in vs. calories out” equation. This means that if you utilize more calories on a weekly basis than you take in, the result will be weight loss. Although this is true for the most part, it is an oversimplification of the problem. A person who exercises daily and reduces their calorie intake may find that after initial weight loss success their body weight plateaus and it becomes increasingly difficult to lose weight. A further reduction in caloric intake does not always produce further weight loss and may lead to overpowering hunger and binge eating. This can spiral into frustration and feelings of failure which further sabotage weight loss and may lead to an individual quitting their attempts.
