Eating healthy food, drinking plenty of water, and working out every day but still not fitting into your favorite dress is a painful feeling. Those pesky pounds have found a way to creep into your body and you are now looking for an effective weight loss diet that actually works. We talked to a bunch of expert fitness trainers and they told us some of the weirdest reasons that your waistline can increase and fail some of the most effective weight loss diets out there.

1. A Sluggish Thyroid

If you haven’t been paying attention in biology class at school, the thyroid is a gland in the neck just above the Adam’s apple. It regulates a number of functions in our body including the metabolism. For some reason, if thyroid starts underperforming, our body suffers from a condition called hypothyroidism. Weight gain is one of the major symptoms of that condition. According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, if you are gaining weight as a result of hypothyroidism, it’s time to see an MD. Once an individual develops hypothyroidism, no matter how diligently you follow a weight loss diet and work out, shedding those extra pounds will always be extremely difficult.

2. Overeating Healthy Foods

Like everything else, balance is key. Even if you are eating healthy foods like oatmeal, avocados, quinoa, and nuts, it is important to take them in their respective recommended portion sizes. Even the food items on your weight loss diet can fatten you up when eaten in excess. Remember to have a helping of nut butter or piece of cheese the size of a ping-pong ball. Any serving of rice or pasta shouldn’t be larger than the size of your fist. The appropriate size of your lean meat intake should be same as the size of a deck of cards.

3. Depression

You don’t need a doctor to tell you that depression not only disrupts your overall metabolism, it also causes several mental health issues. Plus, if you are taking antidepressants for it, then you’ll may gain up to 10 pounds. According to Dr. Alissa Rumsey, registered dietitian:

“Some medications may cause food cravings, especially for carbohydrates, and some find that their medication increases their appetite. The drugs may affect metabolism negatively as well.”

Switching your meds after consulting with your physician can definitely work in this situation.

4. The Spinning Obsession

According to recent research, many people keep consuming carbs and other junk food thinking they’ll burn it in the next spin class. A good workout is indeed a major factor that contributes to losing weight, but overeating in hopes of burning it all away because you are a spin-devotee can have adverse effects. The best thing to do is plan your workout sessions and pre-workout snacks either by yourself or with the help of a fitness trainer. Once you’ve got it written in the books, do not stress over your next spinning session.

5. Staying Up Late

All the effort you put in following a weight loss plan and work out sessions would amount to nothing if you stay up late night regularly. According to Dr. Rumsey, staying up late increases the level of ghrelin, the hunger hormone in the body. As a result, sleep deprivation leads to higher BMI levels and we begin to crave junk food. The clear solution is to have a good night’s sleep of 7-8 hours – whether or not you are on a weight loss diet plan.

6. A Stressful Job

Earning a living in this economy is definitely hard. People who feel stressed at their workplace tend to gain weight quicker than those who have a less stressful working environment.

In light of Dr. Rumsey’s explanation, you need to take steps in order to make your job less stressful. Coming in early when little to no people are around to get a head start can help.

There are a number of other reasons like aging, eating too healthy, using medication, and lack of proteins in the diet that result in weight gain. However, if you are guilty of having one or more of these weird habits, now you know where to restart.