Let’s face it: gaining weight is easy, losing weight is hard.
But why’s weight loss so difficult?
Let’s break it down into plain English, with a dash of science, a sprinkle of sarcasm, and the knowledge that your knees would appreciate a little less of “you” to carry around.
Let’s start with a story explaining why it’s so bloody hard to lose weight.
Why Your Body Clings to Fat: The Epic Tale of Your Inner Caveman
Once upon a time let’s say roughly 20,000 years ago, your great-great-great-great (okay, many “greats”) grandcaveman was living the rugged life. No grocery stores, no delivery apps, just wild animals, mysterious berries, and the constant threat of running into a saber-toothed tiger.
Food was not guaranteed. Some days, your ancestor found a feast a woolly mammoth buffet. Other days? A sad little carrot the size of your thumb and some roots that tasted like dirt. So what did the body do to survive this rollercoaster?
It became a fat hoarder.
Fat was the ultimate emergency stash. When your caveman ate more calories than he burned (which was rare, but when it happened, it was party time), the body stored it in fat cells like a squirrel stockpiling nuts for winter. Why? Because famine was real. And running from tigers while hungry? Not a great plan.
Fast forward to today. You’re sitting on your couch, scrolling through your phone, and your body is still that same caveman, clinging to every calorie like it’s prepping for the apocalypse, even though your “famine” is just an empty snack drawer.
So when your body refuses to part with that stubborn belly fat, just remember: deep down, it’s just trying to keep you alive!
Unfortunately, your inner caveman didn’t get the memo that these days, instead of starving through endless famines, we’re just starving for Wi-Fi, and that every corner is basically a snack trap disguised as civilisation.
The Basic Principle (a.k.a. “You Can’t Cheat Physics… Much”)
Your body works on a simple energy balance:
- Calories in (food, drinks, midnight snacks you pretend didn’t happen)
- Calories out (breathing, walking, dancing, running from responsibilities)
If you burn more calories than you eat, your body raids its “emergency pantry” (a.k.a. stored fat) to make up the difference. That’s weight loss.
No special little secrets. Just math and metabolism.
My Weight Loss Journey: The Diet-Only Fail and the Running Revelation
At one point of my life I was let’s say a little bit more portly than I would have liked. And being South Asian those genes didn’t do me any favours. My body was akin to a recently and I mean very recently well fed anaconda, and given 2 months more I might just be able to be ready to deliver. So I decided enough was enough and started my weight loss quest like many hopefuls with the noble, yet naive, plan to “just eat less.” I swapped chocolate and crisps for healthier foods, reduced my total intake and replaced fizzy drinks with water. I was basically a saint of self-restraint for 2 months.
Soon, I realised something. The scale was barely budging. My willpower was doing the moonwalk backward, and my cravings were throwing a party I wasn’t invited to.
Then, I decided to add running into the mix. I laced up my trainers and hit the pavements. But here’s the kicker: combining that running with my sensible eating plan finally kicked my weight loss into gear. The weight started decreasing, and my belly did too.
Combining diet with exercise using simple mathematics would obviously lead to increased calorie expenditure. But I found that it lead to noticeable visible reduction in weight within 2 months of the combination of the two. Why? Because exercise helps burn extra calories, boosts metabolism, and preserves muscle mass, which all help your body shed fat more efficiently.
So for me I found the combination of both was more effective than just diet alone. I even found that running had the added benefit of suppressing my appetite. So for those struggling and physically capable (even if it’s just walking), I would encourage you to try the combination if shedding those pounds is a serious endeavour you wish to achieve.
Diet – The Food Fight
There are many diets out there, and they all have one thing in common: they try to trick you into eating fewer calories without you noticing.
Some greatest hits:
- Keto: Say goodbye to bread, pasta. Say hello to meats, cheese and nuts. Essentially high protein, high fat, very low carb diet.
- Intermittent Fasting: Eat in a set window each day. Spend the rest of the day fantasising about bread.
- Mediterranean Diet: Lean meats, fish, olive oil, vegetables – basically, eat like you own a yacht.
- Plant-Based: Vegetables, grains, beans.
Pro Tip: The “best” diet is the one you can stick to without wanting to slap someone.
Exercise – The Sweat Equity
Exercise burns calories and makes you feel like a functional human instead of a sedentary potato.
Types of movement you can try:
- Cardio: Running, swimming, cycling
- Strength Training: Lifting weights, resistance bands
- HIIT: Short bursts of intense activity
Pro Tip: You don’t need a gym. You just need to move, consistently and intentionally.
Lifestyle Tweaks – The Sneaky Fixes
- Drink more water (sometimes “hungry” is code for “parched”).
- Sleep well (your body’s fat-burning hormones are drama queens about rest).
- Stress less (cortisol loves to hoard fat like it’s saving for winter).
Professional Help – The Upgrade
If you’ve tried everything and the scale won’t budge, professionals exist for a reason:
- Nutritionists (help tailor a plan)
- Trainers (turn “I can’t do a push-up” into “I can do twenty and brag about it”)
- Doctors (medications or surgery if appropriate)
Medications Available for Weight Loss
- Orlistat
- How it works: Blocks fat from being absorbed in your gut, so it just passes through.
- Note: The more fat you eat in your diet the more diarrhoea you gonna get, so if your finding those symptoms intolerable it may be that you need to modify your diet ie reduce amount of fat you consume in your diet
- GLP-1 Receptor Agonists eg. Liraglutide , Semaglutide
- How it works: Mimics a gut hormone (GLP-1) that makes you feel full, slows stomach emptying, and reduces appetite. Also used for diabetes
- Combination GIP and GLP-1 Receptor agonist eg. Tirzepatide (aka Mounjaro)
- How it works: It works by helping your body produce more insulin when needed. It also reduces the amount of glucose, or sugar, produced by the liver, and slows down how quickly food is digested. Also used for diabetes.
- Naltrexone-Bupropion (for patients not already established on it private prescription only in UK currently, as of Aug 2025)
- How it works: Combines two drugs that affect appetite and reward pathways in the brain, helping reduce cravings and hunger.
The Grand Finale
So there you have it, weight loss in all its sweaty, snacky, sometimes downright confusing glory. Remember, your body is basically a savvy caveman who’s a little confused by modern life, your diet is your ally (not your enemy), and exercise is just that little persuasive push your body might need to get into top gear.
Now go forth, move a little, eat a little less – on your way to a healthier future.