The holidays are almost here and some of you are already thinking about ways to detox from all the extra treats you’ve enjoyed throughout the season. That means weight loss is on your mind. You’re probably thinking about what kind of weight loss plan you want to follow and ways you can make your choices more long-term. If you are, then you might want to read on.

Things That Impact Your Ability to Lose Weight

There are people who do all the seemingly right things and still struggle with weight loss. They count calories, exercise a few times a week to try to stay active, but they still yo-yo. This can be frustrating and a recipe for giving up. The thing is, there are many other factors outside of your control that can hinder even the most faithful people trying to lose weight. And until you recognize them, it’ll lead you down a cycle that can lead to frustration and yo-yo dieting. Here are some of the most surprising factors that can hinder your weight loss efforts.

Genetics

People like to blame habits for a lot of things, and weight is one of them. They sometimes believe that their weight issues are only due to genetics and that there is nothing they can do to fix it, so why bother. In a lot of cases, the issue is that there are habits that have been passed down through family traditions and if most family members are obese, they automatically chalk it up to genetics.

However, even with knowing this, there are people who are more genetically predisposed to being overweight. Their bodies process foods and their components in such a way that their metabolism slows to a point where they might be able to maintain and stop gaining weight, but losing it becomes a challenge. The key here is to look for genetic markers and then follow an eating and exercise plan that’s proven to work for people with the same markers.

Hormones

If weight loss and weight gain were simply about calories in and calories out, then we would be having an entirely different conversation right now. But hormones are powerful, and men and women’s bodies have varying levels of hormones that impact their ability to lose weight. Women have more estrogen which makes them more prone to storing fat. This is in part a feature designed to help them be more fertile during lean times.

Since the western world doesn’t experience famine like in other parts of the world, these people instead pack on the pounds. Hormones like vitamin D, insulin, endorphins, and testosterone all play a role in how the body builds muscle, stores fat, and helps the body access that fat when someone wants to lose weight.

Sexual Health

This one is in part related to hormones, so it’s critical to think about your sexual health. If you have any kind of infection, you’ll only know if you get regular STD testing. Hologic health screenings are one of the many options available to get these tests done privately from your home. Additionally, if you struggle to feel aroused or participate fully in sexual intercourse, there may be health reasons behind it. These health issues can impact your weight loss greatly.

Food Sensitivities

Different from a food allergy, which mounts an immune response, some sensitivities can impact weight loss. For some, dairy leads to constipation. Other people experience insatiable hunger and thirst when they eat gluten. These things can hinder weight loss because in one instance, the body will hang on to weight. And on the other hand, people will struggle with overeating.

Medications

Some medications make it challenging to lose weight. People on insulin for diabetes for instance struggle to lose the extra pounds. While they need the insulin to process the sugar in their bodies, so they don’t die, insulin turns off the body’s ability to burn fat. The more often there is insulin, the less likely people will be able to lose the extra pounds.

Good habits are critical for weight loss, however, even people with the best habits can struggle to get rid of any extra weight. This can be frustrating and discouraging. It’s important to look at all the different facets of your health to discover if there is anything else standing in the way of you and your weight loss goals. There are ways to overcome each of these issues if you know they are a problem.