The top 10 weight loss challenges revealed

No, you’re not crazy and you’re not alone – losing weight continues to be a struggle for many Americans.  

A poll of 2,000 Americans who have tried to lose weight at any point in their life found that 95% have tried to lose weight within the last five years. And 44% have struggled so much over the past half decade, that they’ve ended up gaining 21 pounds or more.

For the year ahead, 62% said they are planning to lose an average of 22 pounds to reach their goals. Over half (58%), however, recognize their weight loss goal is ambitious.

And though 72% said losing weight this year is a major priority for them, nearly as many (71%) believe there are a lot of challenges making it difficult for them to lose weight.

Commissioned by Nutrisystem and conducted by OnePoll, the study revealed the biggest challenges people face while trying to lose weight: maintaining willpower (28%), lack of motivation (27%), eating healthy foods (27%) and overcoming hunger (27%).

Other major challenges people said they face include the pure difficulty of losing weight (26%), the expense associated with weight loss (25%) and even finding time to work out (25%).

Many placed the blame on distractions in their lives — health issues (25%), money problems (23%) and social media (19%).

Even where people work was found to impact eating habits. Out of the 27% surveyed who said they work in a hybrid environment (half work-from-home, half in an office or on-location), 69% eat more frequently at home than they would otherwise do at their workplace.

“Losing weight may seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it doesn’t have to be,” said Courtney McCormick, corporate dietitian at Nutrisystem. “The best way to conquer your weight loss goals and overcome challenges is to find an affordable program that will help you every step of the way by providing things like real-time support, an intuitive app and meals that are portion-controlled, but protein-packed to help you stay fuller longer.”

The study also revealed 73% of Americans said losing weight is “great at first,” but then it slows down and plateaus. Similarly, 72% claimed it “feels like forever” before they see any weight loss results. Even then, the average person can only tell they’ve lose weight after 20 pounds.

The reasons why people choose to lose weight are more personal such as to improve their appearance (43%), feel more confident in themselves (39%) and to address major health concerns (39%).

When it comes to discussing their weight loss journey, 44% tend to keep the goal to themselves, while 40% don’t mind sharing their journey with others.

“Losing weight can come with its share of setbacks,” added McCormick, “But the best thing you can for your future self is make a commitment today to your present self. Weight loss is a journey, not a sprint. Aiming to lose a healthy 1-2 pounds per week will set you up for lasting success.”

TOP 10 WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGES:

• Maintaining willpower - 28%
• Lack of motivation - 27%
• Eating healthy foods - 27%
• Overcoming hunger - 27%
• The pure difficulty of losing weight - 26%    
• The expense associated with weight loss - 25%
• Finding time to work out - 25%
• Not having access to a gym/exercise equipment - 25%
• The amount of time it takes - 23%
• Not having a support system - 22%

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 Americans aged 30 and above who have tried to lose weight in the last 5 years was commissioned by Nutrisystem between Jan. 18 and Jan. 23, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).