5 things that stop you losing weight

The 'New Year New You' messaging is making me rage, but I can't get away from the fact that most of my clients are also adding 'weight loss' into the things they'd like to do this year.

If fat loss were just about “calories in vs calories out” most people I work with would be effortlessly lean by now.  

They’re already eating well, moving their bodies, and doing “all the right things”… and yet nothing shifts.

That’s because fat loss isn’t just about counting calories. 

It’s a biological safety decision.

Here’s what your body actually cares about:

1. Inflammation stops fat loss

Fat tissue isn’t just passive storage – it’s biologically active and closely linked to the immune system.When inflammation is high, fat switches from “fuel” to “protection”.

Until your body feels safe, it will resist letting fat go. This is survival, not stubbornness.

2. Your nervous system decides whether fat is allowed to leave

If you’re stuck in fight-or-flight (busy, stressed, under-rested), your body hears:“Energy is scarce. Hold onto reserves.”

Fat loss happens in a calm, regulated nervous system – the same state needed for good sleep, digestion, muscle building, libido, and mood. 

3. Eating less can make fat more defensive

Severe restriction raises cortisol, slows thyroid conversion, and increases inflammatory signalling.

Yes, you might lose weight briefly… and then your body puts it back on, and often more. 

4. Poor sleep blocks fat loss more than imperfect food

Disrupted sleep and low daylight exposure affect how well you can handle carbohydrates, your hunger hormones and how well you repair cells that make energy.

5. Gut issues can directly prevent fat loss

Bloating, reflux, constipation, loose stools, food reactions, or histamine symptoms all signal stress to the immune system.

When digestion is inflamed or inefficient, the body tightens energy output.A calm, well-functioning gut sends the opposite message: it’s safe to use stored energy.



So - when clients come to me with weight loss they are often surprised when I don't start with calorie counting and weighing food.



But if you aren't sleeping or your digestion is up the spout no amount of measuring and weighing will lead to sustainable weight loss without making yourself poorly and miserable in the meantime.



If you want some support with any of these challenges please book in for a free chat and make 2026 the year you sort this stuff out once and for all - imagine if you didn't need any new year's resolutions in 2027?