Poor sleep can increase daily calorie intake by three hundred calories

Fat loss is a comprehensive process requiring consistent effort and time to yield sustainable results. While many individuals trust traditional methods, it can remain difficult to lose weight despite a disciplined approach to nutrition and exercise.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, Dr Thomas Paloschi, a longevity medical doctor specialising in preventive age management, observed that weight regulation is influenced by factors far beyond simple calorie counting. If progress has stalled, he suggests evaluating deeper biological mechanisms.

Seven factors slowing down fat loss

Dr Paloschi identified several causes that can hinder progress for even the most disciplined individuals:

• Moving less without noticing: Reductions in walking, standing, and spontaneous movement diminish the necessary calorie deficit.
• Losing sleep: Sleep restriction increases hunger and can lead to consuming an extra 300 calories daily.
• Consuming ultra-processed food: These foods weaken satiety signals, often leading to an intake of 500 additional calories per day.
• Experiencing insulin resistance: This hormonal imbalance impairs glucose control and encourages the storage of visceral fat.
• Hormonal shifts: Conditions like PCOS or menopause can shift fat storage toward the abdomen and alter metabolic response.
• Medication side effects: Antidepressants, glucocorticoids, and certain blood pressure medications can make weight loss clinically challenging.
• Impaired mitochondrial function: Poor cellular energy regulation is often linked to broader metabolic health issues.

Ultimately, Dr Paloschi emphasises that when progress stalls, the solution is not always to push harder. Instead, it involves correcting the underlying biology that may be holding the body back.