Why is it so hard to lose weight?

It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Simply cut back on calories while increasing your activity levels and those extra kilos will just slide off. 

For many people, though, there’s a big gap between that oversimplified theory and the reality of losing weight. Weight loss is far more complex than “eat less, move more,” and is influenced by a delicate interplay of biological, psychological and environmental factors. 

Let’s take a look at the whole picture and then outline a smarter approach to weight management. 

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Biological factors in the weight-loss process

Our bodies are biologically designed to resist weight loss. Earlier in our history, this was a survival mechanism. These days, it can be a frustrating obstacle that affects how we burn energy, regulate hunger, and respond to changes in diet and activity.

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Metabolism and energy regulation

When you reduce calorie intake or increase activity, your body frequently adapts by lowering resting energy expenditure. In other words, your metabolism slows to conserve energy.  

Even when you’ve overcome that problem and lost weight, your body may keep trying to pack the kilos back on. It seems fat cells may have a kind of “memory” of previous obesity that drives the body to keep trying to return to its former, heavier weight. 

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Hormonal and neurological mechanisms

Hunger and fullness are regulated by hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. During weight loss, leptin (which signals fullness) drops, and ghrelin (which signals hunger) rises, making you feel hungrier and less satisfied after meals. 

Your brain also responds differently when the body senses energy restriction, driving stronger food cravings and reinforcing fat storage.  

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Genetics and fat-storage biology

Genetic variations influence how easily people gain weight, how efficiently they burn calories, and how their bodies respond to diet or exercise. Moreover, the body’s evolutionary design favours fat storage in times of plenty (as a buffer for scarcity), which makes the act of losing weight and staying there physiologically more challenging.  

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Environmental and lifestyle factors

Beyond biology, everyday habits and surroundings play a powerful role in shaping how easily we gain, lose, or maintain weight.

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Food environment and modern lifestyle

Abundant, high-calorie, ultra-processed foods combined with sedentary jobs, screen time and less incidental movement make weight loss difficult. 

Many social occasions are organised around food, from office morning teas to BBQs, all-you-can-eat buffets and dessert nights. Food is also interwoven with entertainment, from burgers at sports matches to popcorn at the movies.

Modern life is also exhaustingly busy, making it hard to shop for groceries and cook healthy food. It’s much easier to order UberEats.

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Sleep, stress and emotional factors

Stress is extremely common in modern Australian life. Chronic stress can raise cortisol levels, which may encourage fat storage and undermine your weight loss efforts.

Stress can disturb sleep - and poor sleep can disrupt the hormones that regulate your hunger and satiety signals, making it easier to overeat. 

Emotional eating, mood changes and psychological pressures also complicate the weight-loss process.

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Conditions that make weight loss difficult

Certain medical conditions and medications can make it harder to lose weight, including: 

• Type 2 diabetes/metabolic syndrome
• Hypothyroidism
• Polycystic ovary syndrome. 

Certain medications can also have side effects that increase weight gain or hinder weight loss. 

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Why this matters for sustainable change

Because so many systems in the body resist weight loss, the weight-loss process often involves more than short-term dieting. It’s not about a lack of willpower - there are real physiological and medical complexities here.

At Botaniqal, we’re here to help you persuade your body to let go of unwanted kilos by supporting long-term behavioural change, regular monitoring and evidence-based weight loss medication.

We can help you to:

• Set realistic goals such as losing 5-10% of your current weight rather than aiming for dramatic, rapid weight loss
• Focus on sustainable long-term lifestyle changes (nutrition quality, movement you enjoy, adequate sleep, stress reduction) rather than temporary strict diets.
• Recognise and address any underlying health conditions or medications that might be influencing your weight.

Conclusion

If you’re finding it hard to lose weight, it’s not because you’re lazy or lacking willpower. Your body is built to conserve weight, your hormones and metabolism adapt to dieting, the environment actively works against your efforts, and medical conditions may quietly make the process harder. 

Once you grasp those realities, you can shift your focus to make gradual changes, seek professional input, and build a weight-management strategy that honours your individual biology and lifestyle.

If you’d like to explore personalised support and understand whether you’re eligible for a tailored treatment pathway, book a free initial consultation with our team today.

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Disclaimer

All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.  

References

• Richards, L. (2023, April 24). Why is it so hard to lose weight? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-is-it-so-hard-to-lose-weight, [Accessed 5 November 2025]
  
• Kuta, S. (2024, November 20). Fat cells retain a ‘memory’ of obesity, making it hard to lose weight and keep it off, study suggests. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fat-cells-retain-a-memory-of-obesity-making-it-hard-to-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off-study-suggests-180985501/, [Accessed 5 November 2025]
  
• Yeung AY, Tadi P. Physiology, Obesity Neurohormonal Appetite And Satiety Control. [Updated 2023 Jan 3]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555906/, [Accessed 5 November 2025]
  
• Johner Images. / Verywell Health. (2024, December 4). Why is losing weight so hard? 7 factors that play a role. https://www.verywellhealth.com/why-is-losing-weight-so-hard-8746926, [Accessed 5 November 2025]
  
• McKinsey Jordan. (2024, August 27). Why weight loss can be challenging. Health.com. https://www.health.com/why-is-weight-loss-so-hard-8692713, [Accessed 5 November 2025]
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2025, May 20). Stress and trauma. https://www.aihw.gov.au/mental-health/topic-areas/health-wellbeing/stress-and-trauma, [Accessed 5 November 2025]