Why Does Not My Weight Change No Matter How Hard I Try? | Reasons Weight Loss Is Difficult
Why does not my weight change no matter how hard I try?
In my clinic, I often meet patients who sigh in front of the rising numbers on their scales.
They control their diet and exercise consistently, yet they express frustration, saying they do not know why the weight just won’t come off.
The voices of patients who ask, “Director, I’m really trying with all my might, why hasn’t my weight budged at all? It seems like others lose it so easily…” always resonate deeply with me.
Is it really a lack of effort?
Can willpower alone really break through this weight loss plateau?
This post is a journey to find clues for sustainable change by reading the hidden signals your body is sending, going beyond just the difficulty of weight loss.
\n\n| \n “When I wake up in the morning, my face feels like a water-logged sponge. I constantly crave salty foods, and by the afternoon, my body feels so heavy… like a robot with no battery, I should say?” “Even if I increase the intensity of my workouts, instead of body fat decreasing, my appetite just explodes.. I’m terrified of the yo-yo effect.” \n |
The answer to why weight is not dropping lies in the ‘body’s environment.’
When we commonly say, ‘I’ve gained weight’ or ‘the weight won’t come off,’ most people only think of calorie counting or a lack of exercise.
However, the weight loss plateaus of many people I meet in the clinic were not simply a matter of energy balance.
It is like how a field that should be fertile won’t grow good seeds if it is parched or contaminated with toxins, no matter how good the seeds are.
Our bodies also depend on the ‘environment.’
Sleep quality, chronic stress, incorrect appetite signals, imbalances in the internal organs, circulation problems of Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids, and body waste like “damp-phlegm” (痰飮) or edema (浮腫) all constitute the body’s environment and become reasons why weight loss is difficult.
\n\n| \n Patient A was an office worker in her mid-40s. Due to all-nighters and frequent overtime, her sleep quality was extremely low.. She always said, “My body feels like water-soaked cotton.” Even though she exercised more than three times a week, her weight didn’t budge, and her fatigue only worsened. Her body fat percentage was high while muscle mass was decreasing—a typical ‘metabolic decline’ pattern. From a Korean medicine perspective, there was a clear tendency toward ‘Qi deficiency and damp-phlegm (氣虛, 痰飮).’ The difficulty in weight loss was the result of a complex environment. \n |
Sleep, Stress, and Hidden Appetite Signals
There’s a saying that “you can lose weight just by sleeping well,” right?
This isn’t just about comfort.
Lack of sleep increases the stress hormone called cortisol, putting our body in a ‘state of emergency.’
This emergency state creates a strong tendency to store fat and break down muscle.
At the same time, it disrupts appetite signals by increasing ghrelin (the appetite-stimulating hormone) and decreasing leptin (the appetite-suppressing hormone).
The same goes for stress.
Chronic stress over-activates the HPA axis (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis), increasing insulin resistance and ultimately leading our body into a state where it’s prone to gaining weight—a metabolic decline state.
\n\n| \n HPA Axis: An important neuroendocrine system through which our body responds to stress. When this axis is excessively activated, cortisol secretion increases, causing problems with blood sugar regulation, which can ultimately lead to body fat accumulation.. It’s like a sensitized alarm; the body overreacts even to small stimuli and tends to store energy.. In fact, on days with high stress, cortisol secretion can skyrocket up to twice its normal amount.. \n |
‘Organ Imbalance’ and ‘Damp-phlegm/Edema’ from a Korean Medicine Perspective
Korean medicine does not view difficulty in weight loss as merely a problem of calories in versus calories out.
It emphasizes the ‘environment’ inside the body, especially the functions of the internal organs and the circulation of Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids.
For example, when the Spleen and Stomach (비위) functions weaken, digestive and absorption power drops, and damp-phlegm—a waste product—easily accumulates, leading to symptoms like morning facial swelling or a heavy body.
Modernly, this is linked to increased body water variability and a higher Extra-Cellular Water ratio (ECW/TBW) on BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis).
Stagnation of Liver (간) function, coupled with stress, hinders Qi and Blood circulation, while a decline in Kidney (신) function affects water metabolism and energy efficiency.
These organ imbalances ultimately lead to metabolic decline, becoming the core cause that slows down body fat reduction despite all efforts.
Sustainable Weight Management: How Should You Start?
How do you feel?
Now you know that the reason why your weight is not dropping is not a simple problem.
Ultimately, sustainable weight management starts with improving the ‘body’s environment.’
First, check your small habits.
Go to bed at a regular time and try short meditations or walks that help relieve stress.
Second, in your diet, it’s important to increase protein intake and decrease refined carbohydrates to minimize blood sugar spikes.
What you eat is more important than simply reducing calories.
Third, you should find your own correction points by consulting an expert about what Korean medicine pattern (Qi deficiency, damp-phlegm, liver stagnation, etc.) your body has or what characteristics it shows through modern indicators (sleep score, HRV, body composition changes).
\n\n| \n Occasionally, there are those who choose fad fasts like one-food diets or excessive exercise out of an urgency to “lose it quickly.” While this may provide a temporary ‘reward of emptying,’ it disrupts the body’s metabolic system and causes stress hormones to surge,creating a high probability of a long-term yo-yo effect.. You must remember that it is merely temporary water and muscle loss, and it is difficult for it to lead to true body fat reduction.. Always listen to your body’s voice and choose safe and sustainable methods. It is okay if you do not see me. I sincerely encourage you to find medical professionals who will carefully examine your entire body and work together to find the fundamental cause of your weight loss difficulties.. Because your body is not just a number to be reduced, but a precious ‘environment’ to be cared for and understood.. \n |
