Motivation to lose weight: Why you can't lose weight www.fionamccallion.co.uk /blog/motivation-to-lose-weight/

The motivation to lose weight can be very hard to find, particularly when you've often tried and failed before. Or whenyou've tried, done it ... and then put it all back on again.

Comes a point when you just give up, accept that you are the weight and size you are and you're stuck with it.

But the truth is that this is the best time to understand why it is that you can't lose weight - or keep it off when youhave.

People tend to scoff when you say "it's my hormones". But your hormones have a huge effect on your motivation,metabolism and mood. You know this.

If you're under long term stress at work or at home, your body releases a type of adrenalin called cortisol, a hormonethat affects their body shape. You show me an apple shaped woman and I'll show you a woman who has beenunder long term stress either currently or in the past

And the problem is belly fat tends to stick around even if the original stress has passed. Why?

Because by that time, your stress is about your body shape, but your hormones can't tell the difference between theoriginal stress and the stress about weight gain, so it just keeps pumping out the cortisol.

But don't just believe me. A study of 6,700 nursespublished in the International Journal of Obesity byOvergaard et al (2004) indicated that stress and itsaccompanying hormone changes - due to workload in thecase of those nurses - is a major contributor to weightgain, particularly around the abdomen. So there you are.

It really is your hormones.

Anxiety and weight loss

Anxiety, a close relative of stress, also affects hormones.

Stress and anxiety tend to go together and as a resultyour body shape changes over time. The more anxiousyou are, the more it affects your hormones.

Weirdly anxiety can also result in weight loss. Ever heardthe expression "she lives on her nerves" about a very thinwoman? Yeah. That's the anxiety - and that's not healthyeither.

Medication and weight loss

Sometimes it feels like you just can't win.

Many people do not understand that when you say "my medication makes me fat", you are telling the absolute truth.

But when you have a life threatening condition like diabetes, auto inflammatory disease or epilepsy, it's important1/3

that you keep taking the medication to keep you alive.

Anti depressants, birth control pills and antibiotics are also necessary for your health in certain circumstances

Unfortunately, that same medication makes you ravenous. All the time.

The reason farmers fill their animals with antibiotics? It makes them gain weight. It also makes you gain weight.

And there's nothing like having a baby to make you gainweight.

Metabolism and weight loss

Some are born with a slow metabolism.

Some have slow metabolism thrust upon them.

Some people just have slower metabolisms than others.They are born that way. Which means that the "average"calorie intake for an adult tends to put weight on them.

Which is not helpful.

Alternatively, those who originally had averagemetabolisms and gained weight, lost it, gained it backagain (and more) - known as yoyo dieting - tend to develop slower metabolisms through dieting.

Yep. A recent study from the National Institutes of Health on contestants from The Biggest Loser indicated that thosewho lose a lot of weight are more likely to gain most of it back and can even put on more weight than before they lostit.

The reason for this? Their bodies went into famine mode and never came out again.

What's the answer? How to lose weight

The answer lies in preparing your body through addressing your stress, balancing your gut and letting your bodyknow that this is not a famine.

Stress can be reduced through gentle movement or stretching like yoga, Tai Chi or Chi Gung. Meditation can alsohelp.

You can begin to balance your gut through adding a probiotic to your diet. My favourite is Bio Kult, but there areother brands. Make sure you choose one with many strains, rather than just one.

Living food can also help: bio active yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir are some examples of living food.

Add a fresh juice or smoothie to your diet. Not bought from a store, but made at home in your own juicer or blender.Fresh fruit and vegetables are incredibly nourishing. Nourishment tends to reduce hunger.

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I've developed a program that addresses your motivationto lose weight, your body's tendency to go into faminemode and the stress of resistance to any change. It'scalled Effortless Weight Loss and can really help you onyour journey. Check it out here.

About the Author: Fiona McCallion

I'm Fiona McCallion, Health and Personal DevelopmentCoach with 20 years experience supporting people likeyou through challenging times.

I lost 35 pounds on my own weight loss journey withouthunger, exercise or deprivation. Check out my methodhere.

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