Weight loss can be tricky. While it may seem straightforward enough to adjust your diet and get some exercise, those two factors alone aren’t always responsible for determining your results. If you haven’t found success or are about to embark on your journey, here are some other elements that might play a role in achieving the desired outcome.

What’s Hurting Your Weight Loss Efforts?

1. Medication

Sometimes, medications cause patients to gain weight. Beta-blockers used for heart conditions or hypertension, birth control pills, antidepressants, and corticosteroids used to treat lupus and asthma are just a few common examples.

Some may cause your appetite to increase, while others might impact your body’s ability to burn calories efficiently. Ask your doctor about potential alternative drugs if you’re not losing weight.

2. Stress

When you experience stress, cortisol levels in the body increase. Excess quantities of this hormone also cause insulin levels to spike, bringing blood sugar values down. As a result, you’re more likely to crave foods that are sugary or high in fat to compensate.

Moreover, eating when stressed may prove a source of comfort for some people. But if the goal is to lose weight, it can contribute to a negative cycle. Ask your health care provider to share some stress management tips to efficiently handle your feelings while working on weight loss goals.

3. Age

Natural aging can also affect the ability to burn fat because metabolism slows over time. Muscles also become smaller and less efficient, limiting the body’s ability to burn fat and to exercise at a level that contributes to losing weight. Women experiencing menopause may also notice that weight settles in different areas of the body, like the abdomen, making it more difficult to target fat and achieve results.

Are you ready to achieve your weight loss goals? Visit the Aesthetic Institute of Atlantis in Palm Beach County, FL. The medical team at the clinic provides a variety of solutions to assist you through the process, including fat reduction and cellulite treatments. Visit their website for more information on their services, or call (561) 969-1777 to schedule an appointment. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of their latest news.