Why do some people diet and not lose weight?

Weight loss involves many factors including your environment, behavior change, physical activity, diet and genetics. Reducing calories in your diet is the most effective way for most people to lose weight. It is important to see your doctor for physical exams and medical tests to determine if hormones or any disease process may be a factor in an inability to maintain a healthy weight.

People who need to lose weight don't take in their full capacity of oxygen. Some might argue it’s the extra weight that causes them to breathe less fully than their skinny counterparts, but the truth is skimpy breathing is the catalyst for the weight problem.

Diets do not result in weight loss unless the person is consuming fewer calories than they’re expending. Therefore, the people who don’t lose weight on a diet need to reduce the calories they take in and boost their activity level. Research shows that most people underestimate the calories they take in – by at least 20%. That is, they think they’re eating less than they actually are.  

Unfortunately, most people want a quick fix so they go on a diet. This results in weight loss initially, but weight rebound inevitably follows once they return to their normal eating habits. Instead of going on a diet, I recommend people get more informed so they make better food choices, get educated on their body’s unique needs, get adequate sleep and incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.

The answer is very simple -- they are still eating too much. What we call eating restrictively is very different person to person and a very subjective experience in and of itself. One person will say they are on a diet and instead of overeating and their weight continuing on an upward trend they have truthfully cut their calories but now they are eating exactly what they need to maintain their respective weight. The only way to know for sure is to track every calorie you take in. Learn what you need to take in to lose weight and then count those calories. Everything else in my experience exposes an individual to bias and underreporting of intake.

One thing I know for sure with my clients, if they say that they are eating the caloric limit I have placed them on and no more and they still are not losing weight then they are eating more than they say.

There are so many factors to look at when someone does not lose weight on a diet program. Bottom line, though, is you have to burn more calories than you are eating. So if you are not tracking what you are eating, getting a good resistance program and cardiovascular program, you might not be hitting your goal that you want to. A lot of people think that if they just exercise they will lose weight. However if you are not tracking what you are taking in compared to burning, you won't know if you are on the right track. In the end this is why sometimes diet programs don't work.