If you are one of the many, many Kiwis who finds it difficult to lose weight, hearing the benefits of weight loss touted everywhere can be frustrating. Wanting to lose weight and being motivated to lose weight is not always enough to make it happen.

Dr Daniel Mafi at Tauranga’s Bay Surgery knows this. He performs weight loss surgery to help people lose weight who otherwise cannot. Here’s a look at why losing weight can be so difficult.

The benefits of weight loss are real

The benefits of weight loss are many, and if you’ve been trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard them all before. There’s increased mobility and energy, less joint pain, healthier blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugars. You have a lower risk of chronic disease and better sleep. And then there’s the benefits that aren’t physical – the improved self-confidence and mood that come along with weight loss.

But being motivated to lose weight is often not enough

So, you know the benefits of weight loss. You’re ready to make the lifestyle and diet changes. You’ve bought the right clothes, running shoes, food; you’re moving more, eating less. You’re doing everything right…so why isn’t the weight shifting?

Unfortunately, wanting to lose weight – and even making significant diet and lifestyle changes – is often not enough to make it happen, especially once your BMI reaches the obese category.

Science is still trying to understand why weight loss becomes so difficult over a certain threshold, but there are a few theories:

• Evolution – historically, food was hard to find, and humans moved around regularly, so holding onto weight was good for human survival. But while our lives have changed, our bodies have not, which might explain why weight loss is so difficult.

• Biology – genes dictate a lot from eye colour, to height, to body weight. For some people, weight loss is biologically more difficult than for others.  

• Metabolic – you’re told to eat less to lose weight, but your metabolism has different ideas. When you limit your food intake, your body simply slows down your metabolism, holding onto every calorie you consume.

• Hormonal – there are hormonal factors at play that can make weight loss extremely difficult for many people.

• Emotional eating, stigma, shame – some people eat to fuel their bodies. Some have to be reminded to eat at all! And still others have emotions tied up in their eating habits, which can stem as far back as childhood, making it incredibly hard to stick to a healthy diet. When stigma and shame around obesity are added into the mix, it can make weight loss through food and diet alone near impossible.

When weight loss surgery is your only option

When nothing else has worked, there is an option – weight loss surgery. Through either a gastric bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy – alongside diet and lifestyle changes – you can achieve the ever-elusive weight loss you’ve been seeking.

If you are struggling to lose weight and it is affecting your day-to-day life, book a consultation with Dr Daniel Mafi at Bay Surgery in Tauranga, and let’s discuss your weight loss options.

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