The longer you struggle with being overweight, the harder it becomes to lose weight.

That's because of the underlying cause: your lifestyle. The longer you live a certain way, the more ingrained this behavior becomes, and the harder it is to change. At some point, you start coming up with all sorts of reasons why losing weight is impossible. What makes it even more difficult is that your environment often confirms your behavior instead of telling you the truth.

So let's be honest about losing weight for a change.

Meet the first law of thermodynamics:

“Energy cannot be created or destroyed out of nothing.”

In other words, as the saying goes: “every pound comes through the mouth.” No one is overweight because of too much oxygen. You become overweight when you consistently consume more energy (food) than you expend.

The good news is that if you can successfully gain weight, you can also successfully lose weight. All you have to do is tackle these 12 reasons that make losing weight seem impossible.

1. The only reason you're overweight

Not nice to hear, but in 99% of cases, you are the cause of your overweight. It has little to nothing to do with genes, external factors, or luck.

Your weight is 100% determined by your behavior.

The good news is that you are the one who can ensure you have a lean body. But only if you take full responsibility and do whatever it takes.

2. Focus on losing weight instead of being lean

Losing weight is not the same as being lean.

Just like watching your diet for 1 day, following a diet for 3 weeks, or doing 5 intense workouts makes little difference in the grand scheme of things.

Going from overweight to sustainably lean (a healthy weight) only happens by changing your lifestyle. Not temporarily, but for life.

Stop believing that temporary efforts will yield long-term results.

3. Complaining but not changing

There's nothing more unattractive than people who complain about something they don't change.

Complaining won't help you lose a single pound. The only thing you lose is your credibility and self-confidence. As long as you don't dedicate yourself 100% to solving your problem, nothing will happen.

Save the time spent complaining and use it to change your lifestyle.

4. Not wanting to give up comfort

Let's be honest, we all love good food, and everyone loves to unwind from time to time.

It's easy to say "yes" to something tasty, a night of chilling, or having a drink. It's harder to consistently say no to this and choose a salad, a tough workout, or a soda water.

Life is full of temptations, convenience, and comfort. The more often you choose these, the greater the chance of negative consequences like overweight. If you want a healthy weight, you will have to make sacrifices. In other words, you will have to choose health over comfort.

5. You don't lack information

"I don't know how to lose weight" is like saying you don't know why you're overweight. Everyone who is overweight knows why. You'd have to be the least aware person on earth not to realize it.

You don't lack critical information about losing weight. Eating less (junk) and moving more is not rocket science. Of course, knowledge about nutrition, training, and lifestyle can optimize the process. However, knowledge ultimately depends on its application.

6. The perfect time

"After the vacation then..." or "now I don't have much time, but later then..."

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? They say procrastination is the thief of time for a reason. The only reason you procrastinate is that you just don't want to do the work. You don't really want to change.

But still being dissatisfied. That doesn't quite add up.

The solution is simple: Stop waiting, start today.

7. Tried everything and nothing works

If you struggle with being overweight, then you haven't done everything. It's that simple.

Every method works as long as you do the work. If you give it your full commitment, you can succeed with anything. My mother used to say:

“From trying, you learn.”

Trying is essential to learn something. However, it is ineffective for sustainably changing your behavior. You don't try to lose weight; you take full control of your weight. You make sure you do whatever it takes to transform your lifestyle. The whole idea of trying to lose weight is doomed to fail.

Stop trying and give your full commitment to changing your lifestyle.

8. Unable to lose weight

"I just can't lose weight" is the biggest nonsense that exists. Your body is constantly losing and gaining weight; it's a dynamic process, also known as metabolism. Everyone I've ever coached to lose weight has—guess what—lost weight. You would be the first to break the laws of thermodynamics.

This is also something my mother taught me:

“Can't means won't.”

Observe your own words. Notice how easily you say "can't." Look at it honestly and objectively. Isn't it just a hard "won't"?

You can't lift a 500-kilo stone. But you won't go to the gym after a busy day at work. Or you won't pass on the tasty food when you go to a restaurant.

People who confuse "can't" and "won't" take away their own control. Be honest about what you don't want and what you can't do.

9. It's not fair

“...eats a lot and is still lean, it's not fair.”

So what? Life isn't fair, get over it.

What works for one person doesn't have to work for another.

How much someone can eat without gaining weight depends on various factors. But what does it matter? It's about you, not someone else. The only reason people complain about others is that they don't want to change themselves. It's easy to play the victim, point fingers, and then do nothing to change.

But remember:

When you point at someone else, three fingers point back at you.

And that's good, because that's where you need to be: with yourself.

Look at what you need to change in your eating habits, your exercise routine, your lifestyle. Everything starts and ends with you. If you want to be sustainably lean, focus on yourself.

10. You have to be able to enjoy yourself

You live to enjoy yourself, right? What's the point of life if you can't eat and drink whatever you want without restraint? Imagine having to turn down a glass of beer, eat one less burger, or not have cake at a birthday party. My god, that's tough.

Lean people must have such a terrible life.

Imagine how awful it is to be proud of your appearance. To wear the clothes you like. To wake up well-rested. To be able to handle any physical challenge. To not worry about your health. Who would want that?

Better to have a burger, ice cream, and a beer, right?

11. Ashamed to seek help

Are you afraid of criticism from others? Then you are giving control over your life to others.

Your health is your responsibility. If you get sick because you've been living unhealthily for years, no one can help you.

People can think what they want; everyone has an opinion about everything anyway. But what does it matter? It doesn't change anything about your situation.

No one should be ashamed to invest in their own health. People who discourage others from making healthier choices should be ashamed.

12. Coaching is (too) expensive

Finding something expensive is an opinion, not a fact. Even if all your friends think it's expensive too. It remains an opinion.

• €5 for a box of burgers is worth it, chicken breast is too expensive.
• €50 for the pub is worth it, but a gym membership is too expensive.
• €150 for dining out is worth it, a therapeutic treatment is too expensive.
• €1500 for a short vacation is worth it, but transforming your lifestyle is too expensive.

Don't forget: choices have consequences. Have you ever considered that the choice to do nothing also costs you something?

Imagine what happens if you change nothing. What does your life look like in 5, 10, or 15 years?

Then imagine what's possible if you invest in a coach who helps you get and stay lean for life.

Coaching suddenly takes on a whole new meaning, doesn't it?