Why can't I lose weight?

I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone utter this to me or to a friend in the locker room at the gym, or while getting their hair done, or while eating a big plate of pasta (hmmm, ironic). Well, I just watched an interesting thing on the Today Show that might explain why medically some people truly cannot lose weight.

If you can honestly say that you are counting calories, exercising regularly and the scale won't budge or (gasp) goes up, then you might have an underlying issue in which you need to see a doctor.

Here are five reasons why you might not be able to lose weight according to my friends on the Today Show:

1. Sluggish thyroid – The thyroid helps the metabolism by processing food and keeping sugars in check. If you have a thyroid issue you will gain weight and keep it on. Look for weight gain, sensitivity to cold temperatures, dry/brittle hair and nails, constipation, irritability and depression. See your doctor; this can be treated with medication.

2. Hormones Imbalance – Symptoms include irregular periods, excess facial hair and body hair, irritability, acne, unexplained weight gain. You should see your doctor and get levels tested for an imbalance of testosterone, progresterone and estrogen. This can be due to simply getting older, or in younger women, related to fertility problems.

3. Choosing wrong foods – There is a surprising number of people with food intolerance. This is not a true food allergy, but something that does not process well in your system. Symptoms include upset stomach, headaches, fatigue, bloating, water retention. It can be hard to tell what is causing this, so it will be important to consult your doctor and keep a food diary to determine the culprit. However common intolerance can be related to lactose (milk), gluten. Once you find the problem, eliminate it from your diet.

4. Medications - Certain medications can trigger bloating, water retention and ultimately weight gain/storage of fat. The weight gain will be sudden and significant. Anti-depressants, steroids and oral contraceptives seem to be the medications that are likely to cause this. Talk to doctor about changing dose or switching to different medicine. You should never stop or change a dosage without consult your doctor. It's interesting because this doesn’t always happen immediately. It might take a year or two for this to happen.

5. Unexplained weight gain – In some cases, it might just be unexplained weight gain. This is less about trouble losing weight, and more about suddenly start to gain. This could be a serious issue like fluid retention from heart, kidney or liver disease. Symptoms include shortness of breath, leg or foot swelling and skin dimples. You should see your doctor right away.

Now a quick note. The above is not likely to show up as a 1-2 pound weight gain. Your weight will fluctuate based on how much sodium you intake, exercise, monthly cycle, etc. Weight gain is more significant, like 5 pounds or more.

Another less serious reason that the scale might go up a bit is due to exercise. I was chatting with a friend last night that is following a nutrition and exercise plan that I designed for her and she was horrified beacuse after a week and a half of doing really well, she had gained a pound. This can be so frustrating and unmotivating.

What I told her is a very little known fact that will make you breathe a little easier and hopefully not lose your motivation. When you start a new exercise program, you may experience temporary weight gain.

Here is the phenomenon explained by my personal fitness role model, Chalene Johnson (I'm slightly obsessed with her, call me a stalker, whatever...)

The temporary weight gain explained:
When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and “unfamiliar” the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to “protect and defend” the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen with fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.

Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated in those first couple of weeks become discouraged and quit!

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We’re all human and hard work should mean “results”. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break :) Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.

The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!!

So there you have it. Could be a result of you working hard or potentially a more serious issue. And it it's neither, then take a hard look at your diet. Are you honest with yourself about what you are putting in your mouth. Write it down. Be accountable.

No matter the problem, there is a solution! So, whenever I hear "I just can't lose weight..." I now have a very long-winded answer!

Hope to see you in the gym this weekend :)