The goal of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a common concern for many people. However, it can be frustrating when you pay attention to your diet and commit to exercise, but the desired results don't show up.
The question arises spontaneously: “ Why don’t I lose weight even if I eat little? ” Let’s look together at the causes and how to solve this common problem.
Metabolism and its influence on weight loss
Metabolism is the process by which our body converts the food we eat into energy.
It includes several phases, including digestion, nutrient absorption, and energy production.
Metabolism can vary from person to person and can be influenced by factors such as age, gender, body composition and physical activity.
A very common idea is that eating less automatically leads to weight loss.
However, when you drastically reduce your calorie intake, your body can enter a state of adaptive metabolic response , slowing your metabolism to conserve energy and adapt to the calorie restriction for survival.
This can make it more difficult to lose weight despite reduced calorie intake.
Simplified model of energy balance components during calorie restriction interventions. Caloric restriction (CR) begins at month 0 by prescribing an energy intake (EI) of 75% of baseline energy requirements (100%). Adherence to the CR regimen (“adhered EI”) is highest during the first 3 months (~21%) and decreases to ~10% after 12 months. The compensatory decrease in total daily EE (TDEE) is less than the decrease in energy intake (EI), which induces an energy deficit (gray) and weight loss (phase 1 and 2). After 12 months, CR daily energy intake approaches total daily EE and weight is maintained at a 12% reduced energy balance level, which defines CR during weight maintenance (phase 3).
Caloric Restriction: Beware of Essential Nutrient Deficiencies
Studies on calorie restriction have clearly highlighted the importance of ensuring a complete and balanced diet that provides both the necessary macronutrients such as proteins , carbohydrates and fats, as well as crucial micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
The famous "Minnesota Starvation Study" conducted by Keys et al. in 1950 demonstrated that severe caloric restriction, characterized by a diet deficient in many nutrients, led to serious physical and psychological consequences such as chronic weakness, cardiorespiratory problems and mood disorders.
Conversely, more recent studies have highlighted that a moderate caloric reduction of 25% with adequate micronutrient intake through vitamin and mineral supplements is essential to ensure a healthy approach to caloric restriction.
This controlled approach has been shown to be safe and effective, without causing significant adverse events such as those observed in the Minnesota Starvation Study.
In particular, maintaining a correct balance of macro and micronutrients during caloric restriction is essential to allow for healthy and sustainable weight loss, avoiding nutritional deficiencies that could interfere with the desired weight loss.
Body Composition and Muscle Loss
Body composition plays a major role in weight management. Our bodies are made up of different compartments, including muscle, fat, water, and bone.
Muscle is a metabolically active tissue that burns calories even at rest, so a reduction in muscle mass or the sugar stored in it can negatively impact your metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight.
When you restrict your caloric intake excessively without adequate carbohydrate intake and a training program aimed at preserving muscle mass, you risk losing lean mass , glycogen, and intracellular water.
As a result, your metabolism may slow down, making it more difficult to lose weight and promoting greater storage of body fat.
Calorie intake and portion size misjudgements
A possible explanation for eating little but not losing weight could be errors in assessing caloric intake. It is possible to overestimate the amount of calories burned through physical exercise or underestimate the caloric intake of the foods consumed.
This can lead to an unbalanced energy balance, where you consume more calories than you burn, even though you think you are eating less.
Additionally, portion sizes can be misleading because you may feel like you're eating less, but you're actually eating more calories than you think.
It is important to pay attention to portion sizes and read food labels carefully to get a better idea of the caloric intake of the foods you consume.
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Stress and sleep can affect weight loss in some truly surprising ways.
Chronic stress can trigger a hormonal response that can affect your metabolism and promote fat storage , especially in the abdominal area.
Additionally, insufficient or poor-quality sleep can affect the levels of hormones involved in appetite regulation, leading to increased feelings of hunger and decreased insulin sensitivity.
Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy hormonal balance, and sleep deprivation can lead to elevated levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and reduced levels of leptin (the satiety hormone), thus increasing appetite and cravings for high-calorie foods.
Finally, lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels , which promotes the accumulation of body fat, especially in the abdominal area.
The importance of carbohydrates
Another factor that we often don't consider, because we are too used to demonizing sugars, is the right amount of carbohydrates .
When you restrict carbs too much, especially in the evening, your body can react by increasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol . This can trigger a mechanism called the “ reset drive ,” where the reptilian brain (the most primitive part of our brain) takes over the rational part.
This urge creates an irresistible attraction to foods high in carbohydrates, sugar, and fat, leading to binge eating episodes that can sabotage your eating strategy.
The quality of the food
Not all foods are created equal, and the quality of the food we consume plays a fundamental role in metabolism.
For example, 100 grams of pasta made with ancient varieties of durum wheat have a significantly better metabolic efficiency than 100 grams of pasta made with modern varieties.
Ancient wheat varieties tend to have a lower glycemic index and may be more nutritious, improving the body’s metabolic response.
In general, foods rich in carbohydrates with fiber that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are essential to achieve our goal in terms of weight loss.
Hydration and mineral balance
Hydration is another factor that most people overlook, as they are often chronically dehydrated at the cellular level, which can negatively impact metabolism.
To restore proper cellular hydration, it is not enough to simply drink more water . It is also important to reduce sodium intake and increase potassium intake .
This can be done through diet or supplementation with micronized potassium bicarbonate, such as the POWERDAY product.
A proper balance of sodium and potassium is essential for cellular function and can improve the body's ability to metabolize nutrients.
Deep breathing
When the diaphragm is contracted and does not supply enough oxygen to the mitochondria, the cellular energy production process may be compromised, negatively affecting metabolism and weight loss, since the diaphragm plays an essential role in breathing , facilitating the intake of oxygen and the expulsion of carbon dioxide.
If the diaphragm is tense or contracted, breathing capacity can be compromised, reducing the supply of oxygen to the tissues and, consequently, to the cellular mitochondria, where energy production occurs.
When mitochondria do not receive enough oxygen, their ability to generate energy through the process of cellular respiration can be compromised.
This can lead to a decrease in metabolism and metabolic dysfunction , which in turn can hinder the weight loss process. Additionally, a constantly contracted diaphragm can lead to muscle tension and dysfunction that affects breathing and the normal functioning of the body.
To counteract this situation, it is important to adopt practices that promote relaxation of the diaphragm and improve breathing , such as diaphragmatic breathing, muscle relaxation, stretching and regular exercise, which can help reduce tension in the diaphragm and improve the supply of oxygen to the mitochondria.
The 7 most frequently asked questions about weight loss
1. Why do I eat little but can't lose weight?
The body can slow down metabolism to conserve energy when calorie intake is too low, making it difficult to lose weight despite a low-calorie diet.
2. What causes a slow metabolism?
A slow metabolism can be caused by genetics, physical inactivity, a diet poor in essential nutrients, and prolonged caloric restriction.
3. How can I increase my metabolism?
To increase your metabolism, it is important to exercise regularly but at an intensity appropriate to your physical shape, eat foods or take supplements rich in nutrients, maintain good hydration and get at least 7 hours of quality sleep per night.
4. Why does stress affect weight?
Stress affects weight because it can increase cortisol levels, which can lead to increased fat, especially visceral fat, and cravings for foods high in sugar and fat.
Remember that even high-impact training is a stress factor, so if you leave work in the evening feeling particularly stressed, it is better to opt for a low-impact workout called aerobic, such as walking, yoga, pilates, etc.
5. What are some common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight?
The most common mistakes when trying to lose weight can include overly restrictive diets, lack of physical activity or excessive intense physical activity in the evening hours, excessive reduction of carbohydrates, but also not considering the quality of food, the quantity and especially the quality of sleep , optimal hydration and the ideal time to take the various nutrients.
The largest amount of calories and carbohydrates should be preferred at breakfast and lunch, so that during dinner it is possible to consume few calories, especially from whole grains and vegetables*. It has been shown that, given the same amount of calories, people who consume a larger amount during the first part of the day are significantly less hungry than those who eat the largest amount of calories during the second part of the day, and have a better metabolic response.
6. How can I get past a weight loss plateau?
To overcome the plateau, it can be helpful to vary the type of physical exercise and the intensity of the workouts, preferably with intense sessions in the morning and low intensity ones in the evening, and to review the diet to ensure that you are not consuming too few calories.
If you realize that you are eating too many calories, you need to do a “metabolic reset” or a period of a few weeks to increase your calories and then start a correct weight loss program.
7. What should I eat to lose weight healthily?
Do you want to lose weight in a healthy way? Then it is important to consume a diet with quality carbohydrates with fiber and polyphenols (which do not raise blood sugar levels excessively after ingesting them), consume foods or supplements rich in essential nutrients, use mainly extra virgin olive oil with a high polyphenol content as fat, favor vegetable proteins and ensure the right amount of fruit and vegetables.
Losing weight is not just a matter of eating less. It is essential to consider the adaptation of metabolism, the importance of carbohydrates, the quality of food, hydration and the importance of adequate sleep.
Consider these factors and you can make the difference between a failed diet and a successful weight loss strategy.
Remember that our body is complex and requires a lot of patience and a non-exaggerated and always balanced strategy to reach and maintain the ideal weight.
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Nutrients. 2022 Apr 5;14(7):1509. doi: 10.3390/nu14071509.; Impact of calorie restriction on energy metabolism in humans
Exp Gerontol. 2020 May; 133: 110875. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.110875 ; Tissue losses and metabolic adaptations both contribute to the reduction in resting metabolic rate following weight loss
International Journal of Obesity volume 46, pages1168–1175 (2022); The "Senobi" breathing exercise is recommended as first line treatment for obesity
Biomed Res. 2010 Aug;31(4):259-62. doi: 10.2220/biomedres.31.259.; The Role of Intermittent Energy Restriction Diet on Metabolic Profile and Weight Loss among Obese Adults.
