**The TRUTH*COLA Blog**

Why Is Weight Loss So Complicated And Frustrating?

Many people undertake weight loss efforts. Few succeed. Fewer are able to manage body weight after successful weight loss. Why is weight loss so complicated and frustrating? You'll want to read this TRUTH*COLA post to get a real understanding of weight loss and how to realistically approach your goals and plans for losing weight or fat.

Why is Losing Weight Complicated?

Burn more calories than you eat. Or eat less calories than you burn. And you should lose weight. At least that would seem to be the simple idea behind losing weight. Fewer calories taken in than being burned.

Reality is way more complicated.

So many factors are at work. From social pressure, to your personal motivations, gimmicks and fads, disinformation, unproven approaches, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalance, underlying medical conditions, genetics, personal mindset, habits, lifestyle, and more, there are myriad factors that come into play that determine whether your effort to lose weight, or lose fat will work or not.

Let's take a quick look at each of these next.

Cultural and Social Pressure is On, and it is Unrelenting

Everywhere you turn, you see a world appreciating slim people with sculpted bodies, and holding that up to be the norm. You look in the mirror and the self-judgment, self-loathing begins. I have too much bulge. My arms have too much flab. My thighs are unsightly. I am too heavy. All entertainment venues, programs, shows, magazines, online sites, social media, everything is there just to brainwash you into believing that beauty is there only along the lines of what the fashionistas and trends point to.

And sure enough, right along with that, there is are industries, including a powerful diet industry, a health supplement industry, and more, that comes along and tell you that you can lose weight in 7 days. That you can get a sculpted body in 21 days. That you can burn body fat fast without diet changes. That you can have incredible weight loss without effort. That you can combat your weight gain with a simple trick. That you don't have to watch your caloric intake to burn all the fat you want. That you can shape just your buttocks the way you want. That you can get rid of the unsightly fat in your arms or thighs. To this industry, you are just a collection of body parts to market to.

Together, the pressure is on. 24x7. Unrelenting. On you. To dance to their tune. To play along with societal expectations.

Show a sign of weakness, and you'll fall into the comparison game, comparing your body to someone else you idolize now, and your life turns into a drive to become like them. If you are driven by this sort of motivation, you are already starting off on the wrong foot, in the wrong direction.

There may be very legitimate reasons to reduce weight and pay attention to weight management. To keep yourself healthy. To stave away the onset of deadly diseases, like heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, and more. To keep yourself fit and energized. To enjoy life without being bogged down by too much weight. If you see your weight loss goals, your desire to drop excess weight, or drop excess fat, in the light of overall health and wellness, then it is a healthy approach.

There is No Easy Fix to Lasting Weight Loss or Fat Loss

There is no easy fix to losing weight and keeping it off. Same with losing fat and keeping it off. Regardless of the heavy advertising that try to tell you otherwise, that promise you the quick fix, the reality is that weight loss, like wealth gain, is done steadily, systematically, consistently, in the way that is suitable for you.

What works for others may not work for you. You see that a friend followed a new fangled diet and lost 10 lbs of weight fast, you immediately think that you should try it. This idea is a bad idea to start with. What makes you think that something that worked for your friend should also work for you? You are different people, with different body-mind make up, different physiology and psychology. Surely you can try what your friend tried, but be ready to realize that it didn't work for you, because the odds are certainly stacked towards that outcome. Your body composition is key to determine what sorts of whole foods are right for you, what type of low fat or low carb diet is suitable for you, what will help add to your muscle mass, and help shed excess body weight or body fat.

Fads and gimmicks promise quick results, but cause psychological harm when they don't work for you. You try out the latest diet fad and a few hundred dollars and few weeks later you find that it didn't work. Wouldn't you feel like a failure? You may blame the product first, or the person who recommended it, but soon enough, that blame game will come home to roost. "I suck at this," you may conclude. And the weight of this judgment will be burden that you'll carry into your further endeavors not just in weight loss, but in life.

Diet supplements promise the world, but are not proven. Some diet supplements may work for some people. And if the product vendor collected testimonials from a 100 people for whom it worked, and even if those testimonials are legitimate (which often, they are not), then it doesn't mean it will work for you. Diet supplements are not like household cleaning products. When a household cleaning product, like a glass cleaner works streak free for a 100 people, then it is likely that for you too, it should work for cleaning the glass you have in your home. Why? Because for the most part, glass surfaces are glass surfaces. See this clearly - your body is like no one's body. Your body-mind-spirit is like no one else's. This is why you should avoid the temptation to jump to the conclusion that something should work for you with diet supplements based on testimonials alone. Surely you can try them, but realize that there is more likelihood that it won't work for you than it will - because the vendor cannot clearly tell you, and won't tell you, that the 100 testimonials of positive results were just 100 from 100,000 units sold.

Exercise alone is not a solution. Many people feel that they can keep eating what they do, and as long as they exercise hard, and regularly, that will result in weight loss. For some, this may be the case, and they may be people with the right metabolism to start with. For others, this is not the case. Exercise is vital, physical activity is important, but is one ingredient in a mix of ingredients that would make a real workable weight loss plan.

Your Personal Health, Your Mindset, Your Lifestyle Matters

Nutritional deficiencies may hinder with your attempts to lose weight. So, a key ingredient in your plan to lose weight, you must also get checked for nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin deficiency, mineral deficiency, phytonutrient deficiency, all these matter. Check for each, and based on your findings, suitable change your food intake, and supplementation, as needed to first fix these deficiencies. Often, this one vital step makes a huge difference to your well-being.

Your present health conditions are vital to note. If you have blood pressure issues, or your blood sugar levels are not normal, or you have known health risks, or have been diagnosed with other medical conditions, or have a diagnosed disorder, this is important to factor into your goals and plans to lose weight. Also, are you stressed, anxious, depressed? Do not overlook these factors.

Your hormone levels are crucial too. In addition to the common hormones that regulate body function, it is important to check on the hunger hormones too. Don't jump to follow a diet advice without first knowing if you have issues in this regard.

Genetics matters. Your genes may impact how you store weight or lose weight. You've certainly seen people in your circles that can eat pretty much anything, and won't gain an extra pound. And in contrast to that, you've surely seen others who can binge just a bit, and add pounds to their waist. Science is continuing to uncover more on the matter of the DNA link to weight loss, weight gain, obesity, and more.

Your mindset and approach make a difference. If you give up on the first failure or two in attempting to lose weight or fat, and you blame yourself for it, you'll definitely experience that failure longer. If on the other hand, you plan this right, have the attitude of looking at this not as a fast fix, but a long-term consistent way to live healthy and lose weight or fat, then, you may not be buried by one failure or two, but rather, you'll take the lessons from each, tweak your plan and keep marching on. In this context, you have to exercise self-control and keep things moving consistently.

Your eating and drinking habits are crucial. It is entirely possible that you some bad eating and drinking habits. Just because you like those, you should not be so attached to holding onto them. If your personal plan to lose weight or fat in the context of returning to and/or maintaining good health, needs you to drop specific eating or drinking habits, you should be willing to do so.

Your lifestyle is important. Sedentary lifestyle is antithetic to wanting a healthy, energetic life experience. For your goals, you should look into your lifestyle choices and see if they are congruent with them. You can't love bingewatching on Netflix, chow down on snacks and fast food, processed foods, king size drinks, and hope to lose weight or fat. Sustainable lifestyle changes or suitable lifestyle modifications, should be part of your overall personal plan to lose weight or fat.

Remember Yourself, Your Whole Self

You are not just body parts, to be sculpted. You are a human being. You have strengths and weaknesses. Goals and aspirations. When you get down to it, your real aim is to be happy, healthy, and at peace. You should not lose sight of it. If you lose sight of this, there are plenty of vultures out there, ready to sell you things for each of your varied body parts, to make it better, to shine it, to improve it. Vultures that will prey on your health, wealth, and happiness. Do you really want to be a cog in this type of commercialized living?

There is no substitute for expertise and experience. You may be a DIY type of person in life. But your body-mind is a complex organism. Are you sure you want to tinker with trying this, and trying that, based on your own beliefs, readings, or those of your circles? This is not a call to blindly follow the doctor. Unfortunately, today's doctors may be cogs in a commercial system too, more intent on pushing product and profit margins, than healing you. They also may not be aware of nutrition, diets, fasting, and the latest research findings either. So, it is incumbent on you to find trustworthy experts, doctors included, who you can follow. And in doing so, always remember the other points noted earlier. What works for one person, may not work for you. In turn, you'll have to dig and find experts who can personalize your plan of action based on you.

Remember the big picture always. You are not your extra fat. You are not your larger waist. You are not your excess pounds. You are the mind-body-spirit who is experiencing those. Stay anchored in this understanding, and you will realize that extra fat can go, just as it came, one day. This will give you the room and space, to stand back, learn, listen, understand, investigate, and get your motivation straight, your plan in place, your diligent execution going, measure, and adapt. In light of this perspective, whatever goal you set, as part of living life happily, in great health, and in peace, you will succeed.

Other Ways You Might Look for this Information

You could have posed your question in any of these other ways too:

* Why is weight loss so frustrating?

* Why is weight loss frustrating? How to overcome it?

* Can psychology help in weight loss?

* Why it's so difficult to lose weight?

* Why losing weight is difficult for so many?

* Why losing weight is difficult?

* Why weight loss is challenging?

* Why is weight loss maintenance the most difficult thing to do?

No matter how you may have posed your question, we hope that this overview article has been helpful to you in gaining a clear perspective on the challenges involved, and how to go about approaching your own weight loss, or fat loss goals and plan.

Interesting Factoids on Losing Fat, Losing Weight

"Scientists have always estimated that in order to lose one pound of fat,

you have to create a 3,500 calorie deficit. "

(health.com)

"We hear very little about how to lose weight and

maintain weight loss all the way to a permanent state."

(patbarone.com)

"For many years, the long-term success rates for those who attempt to

lose excess body weight have hovered around 5 to 10 percent."

(washingtonpost.com)

"For many years, the diet and fitness industry has supplied folks with an unlimited number of different weight-loss programs seemingly a new solution every month. Most of these programs, on paper, should indeed lead to weight loss. At the same time, the incidence of obesity continues to rise at alarming rates. Why? Because people cannot do the programs."

(washingtonpost.com)

"The fact is that experts who work in weight loss management are well aware that weight loss is about far more than simply trying to eat fewer calories. Most overweight people have a metabolic problem, one that makes them hungry all the time. The normal feedback mechanisms that tell you that you are full no longer work. Willpower fails because you are up against one of the most basic drives we have, hunger."

(thebloodsugardiet.com)

"... the body will not let us restrict calories to such a degree that long-term weight loss is realized. The body fights back with survival-based biological responses. When a person limits calories, the body slows baseline metabolism to offset the calorie restriction, because it interprets this situation as a threat to survival. If there is less to eat, we'd better conserve our fat and energy stores so we don't die. At the same time, also in the name of survival, the body sends out surges of hunger hormones that induce food-seeking behavior creating a real, measurable resistance to this perceived threat of starvation."

(washingtonpost.com)

"... if you cut too many calories too quickly, your metabolism will slow, says Sabrena Jo , director of science and research content for the American Council on Exercise in San Diego. "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 has been to shown to be what works in the long run," Jo adds."

(everydayhealth.com)

"It's not your imagination: When you try to lose weight , you're fighting not only your cravings, but also 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, Australian researchers found . This hormone imbalance continues long after you succeed at weight loss, making it even harder for you to keep the pounds off, according to the study."
(everydayhealth.com)

"We were meant to inhabit and enjoy our bodies, to experience great pleasure in the feelings of movement, touch, sensation. The angels, it is said, envy us because we have bodies. Do you feel the envy of angels?"
(patbarone.com)