Do you feel like you eat well, exercise regularly, and still don’t see changes in your body? This is a common source of frustration for many people. And far from being a matter of willpower or not trying “hard enough”, the underlying causes may be physiological, hormonal, or emotional.
As a nutritionist, I see this pattern frequently in clinic: individuals who are committed to their health, but feel like their body simply isn’t responding. And here’s the truth — our bodies don’t operate like calorie calculators. Fat loss is influenced by a number of interconnected factors that we need to address. nuestro cuerpo no funciona como una calculadora de calorías, y hay muchos factores que pueden influir en la pérdida de grasa y qué debemos atender.
1. Hypothyroidism and Hormonal Imbalances
The thyroid gland plays a key role in regulating metabolism, body temperature and energy levels. When it doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones (a condition known as hypothyroidism), your body’s energy expenditure slows down, fluid retention increases, and symptoms like fatigue, constipation or feeling cold may appear.
While clinical hypothyroidism is diagnosed through blood tests (TSH, T3, T4), there’s also a subclinical form, where values are still within range but symptoms are present. This is especially common in women and can be influenced by stress, inflammation, and nutritional deficiencies (such as iodine, vitamin D, zinc, selenium or iron).
If you suspect this may be affecting you, it’s important to work with a qualified professional who will look beyond standard lab values — taking into account symptoms, deficiencies, and your medical history.
2. Gut Inflammation and Dysbiosis
Your gut microbiome is made up of thousands of bacterial strains, each with different roles — and it has a direct impact on overall health. These bacteria don’t just help digest food and produce nutrients: they also regulate immune function, produce neurotransmitters and influence metabolism.
When the balance of your microbiota is disrupted (known as dysbiosis), beneficial bacteria decrease while inflammatory or gas-producing strains dominate. This can lead to bloating, poor nutrient absorption, and increased intestinal permeability (commonly referred to as “leaky gut”).
Common causes of dysbiosis include:
Repeated use of antibiotics or antacids.
Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation.
Diets low in fibre and protein, and high in ultra-processed foods or refined carbs.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Lack of dietary diversity (monotonous eating habits).
This can contribute to low-grade systemic inflammation, increase insulin resistance, disrupt hunger and fullness cues, and promote abdominal fat storage. It can also affect your mood, since a significant portion of serotonin is produced in the gut.
3. Chronic Stress and Anxiety Disorders
Stress isn’t just mental: it’s a complex physiological stateregulated by the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. When you live in a state of constant alert, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone that can: raise blood sugar and insulin levels (promoting fat storage, especially around the abdomen); disrupt sleep quality; and affect your appetite and food choices.
Chronic stress also impacts thyroid function, suppresses sex hormone production, disrupts the menstrual cycle and weakens the immune system. It alters the gut microbiome too, making it harder to digest food, absorb nutrients, and maintain a healthy metabolism.
People with anxiety disorders may be under constant stress, even if they’re not aware of it. This often leads to physical symptoms like muscle tension, digestive issues, sleep disturbances or chronic fatigue — all of which can make fat loss more difficult.
On top of that, many people with anxiety use food to self-soothe, eating in response to emotions rather than hunger or satiety cues. This creates a vicious cycle of emotional eating and difficulty losing weight. el resultado es un círculo vicioso que dificulta la pérdida de peso y aumenta el malestar emocional.
4. Overly Restrictive Diets
If you've tried every extreme diet under the sun — from the "pineapple diet" to the "artichoke diet" — the truth is, you've probably just ended up undernourished, losing water, muscle, and fat, resulting in quick but unsustainable weight loss.
Ironically, eating too little can actually lead to weight gain in the long run. Why? Because when you drastically reduce your energy intake, your body doesn’t know you’re dieting — it thinks you're in a famine. To survive, it activates protective mechanisms:
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Lower energy expenditure: Think of your body like a phone. If you only charge it to 40% each day, eventually you’ll need to switch on battery saver mode. Your body does the same — if you don’t fuel it properly, it will cut back on “non-essential” processes like hormone production, protein synthesis, and even heart rate. Over time, this leads to a slower metabolism and fewer calories burned at rest.
- Increased fat storage: Imagine your body is a traveller lost in the desert — it doesn’t know when food will come again, so it stores as much as possible in the form of fat, the most efficient and long-lasting fuel source.
Además, una dieta muy restrictiva puede producir a largo plazo déficit micronutricionales que pueden acabar afectando a la función tiroidea, cardiaca y hepática. Empeorando en muchos casos el propio metabolismo. También se asocian a un mayor riesgo de atracones, ansiedad con la comida, pérdida de masa muscular y alteración en las señales de hambre y saciedad.
This is why my approach as a nutritionist focuses on nourishing the body — not punishing it. We work on helping the body feel safe again, moving out of survival mode. If you feel your health or metabolism has been affected, it’s worth consulting a registered nutrition professional. Enseñar al cuerpo a confiar de nuevo y salir del modo de alerta constante. No dudes en consultar un profesional de la nutrición si sientes que tu salud y metabolismo están comprometidos.
5. Healthy Eating That Isn’t Personalised
It’s essential to understand that for fat loss to occur, there needs to be a slight but consistent calorie deficit over time — meaning you consume less energy than you burn. Without this, even the most nutritious and balanced diet won’t lead to fat loss, as your body has no reason to dip into its fat stores. This is why working with a dietitian or nutritionist is so important — to ensure you meet your nutritional needs while creating an appropriate and sustainable energy deficit.
And remember: a flexible mindset is just as important. Fat loss should fit into your lifestyle — it should be compatible with your social life, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Missing your deficit for a day won’t ruin your progress. Consistency over time is far more powerful than daily perfection.
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