You’ve waved goodbye to cookies, chips, and everything else that comes in a shiny wrapper, but the scale refuses to budge. It can be disheartening when cutting out processed foods doesn’t translate into immediate weight loss.

While eliminating junk food is an essential first step, weight loss often requires more nuanced adjustments. Studies, including a 2019 publication in Cell Metabolism, reveal that processed foods can lead to increased calorie consumption — about 500 extra calories daily compared to whole, unprocessed diets. While cutting out junk food is a commendable step, achieving sustainable weight loss requires a holistic approach.

But sometimes, ditching junk food isn’t enough. Here are five key reasons why your weight loss journey may be stalling, and how you can get back on track.

1. Your Sleep Schedule Is Sabotaging Your Goals

The connection between sleep and weight is often overlooked but crucial. Both too much sleep (over 9 hours) and too little (under 5 hours) can disrupt your body’s production of appetite-regulating hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin. This hormonal imbalance can increase cravings and overeating, particularly for high-calorie foods.

Additionally, poor sleep can leave you feeling fatigued, making it harder to stick to exercise routines.

How to Fix It: Aim for 7–8 hours of quality sleep per night. Establish a consistent bedtime routine and minimize screen time before bed to improve sleep hygiene.

2. Liquid Calories Are Sneaking Into Your Diet

You may have switched to a "healthier" drink lineup, but beverages like fruit juices, sugary coffee drinks, and wine can contain hidden calories that derail progress. Even organic fruit juices, often marketed as healthful, are loaded with sugar and lack the fiber found in whole fruits.

How to Fix It: Stick to water, unsweetened tea, black coffee, or sparkling water. To manage hunger, drink two cups of water 30 minutes before meals—a strategy backed by research in the Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine. Treat calorie-laden drinks as occasional indulgences rather than daily staples.

3. Meal Timing Is Working Against You

When and how often you eat can significantly influence weight loss. Skipping meals can lead to overeating later, while constant grazing throughout the day can result in unnoticed calorie overload.

Studies show that front-loading your calories, with a substantial breakfast and lighter evening meals, promotes greater weight loss. Research published in the journal Obesity found that individuals consuming larger breakfasts lost twice the weight compared to those who favored bigger dinners.

How to Fix It: Stick to eating every 3.5 to 4 hours during a 10–12-hour daytime window. This approach stabilizes blood sugar and encourages fat reserves to be used for energy between meals.

4. You’re Overcompensating for Exercise

Exercise is a cornerstone of weight loss, but it’s easy to overestimate the calories burned and indulge in post-workout treats. That post-spin class protein shake or granola bar may negate your calorie deficit if not balanced within your daily intake.

How to Fix It: Plan snacks strategically. If your workout falls within two hours of a meal, skip the extra snack and refuel during your regular meal. If you need a snack, opt for small, protein-rich options like Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts.

5. Water Intake Is Falling Short

Water plays an underrated role in weight loss. Staying hydrated helps control hunger and reduces the temptation to reach for sugary drinks. Dehydration, on the other hand, can be mistaken for hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking.

How to Fix It: Drink 2–6 cups of water daily to satisfy thirst without adding calories. Carry a reusable water bottle as a visual reminder to stay hydrated throughout the day.

What Other Factors Can Hinder Weight Loss

Sitting for long hours, whether at a desk or on the couch, can slow your metabolism and disconnect your body’s natural hunger cues. Incorporating even short bursts of activity, like three 10-minute walks daily, can reignite your metabolism.

Stress often leads to comfort eating, favoring calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation or journaling, can help address the emotional triggers behind overeating.

Medical conditions, genetics, or hormonal imbalances can also impede weight loss. If your efforts yield no results, consult a healthcare professional for tests or guidance tailored to your needs.

Weight loss isn’t linear, and small, consistent adjustments are more effective than drastic overhauls. By identifying and tackling these hidden barriers, you can set yourself up for lasting success on your health journey.

Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain. Cell Metabolism. 2019

Effect of excessive water intake on body weight, body mass index, body fat, and appetite of overweight female participants. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2014

Urgent action is required to strengthen diagnostics and vaccines to address gaps in dengue treatment, public health experts said.

The experts, including scientists and policymakers, were speaking at a day-long dialogue hosted in New Delhi by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) in collaboration with the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the WHO South-East Asia Region.

The convening assumes significance ahead of the monsoon season, which historically sees a rise in Aedes aegypti mosquito populations and dengue transmission across health systems in South and South-East Asia.

"The WHO South-East Asia Region alone accounts for more than half of the global dengue burden, with 1.3 billion people living at risk across 10 endemic countries," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer in charge, World Health Organization, South-East Asia Regional Office.

Dr. Boehme called the rising burden of dengue both an economic crisis and a social crisis. She noted that beyond health system costs, dengue often leads to "lost productivity, lost wages, lost futures".

"To change this trajectory, we must close the gap on diagnostics, on vaccines, on therapeutics, and on health system resilience," Dr. Boehme said.

Also read: New dengue vaccine over 80% effective, prevents severe disease for up to 5 years

India Advancing in Dengue Fight, Gaps Remain

India reported over 2.89 lakh dengue cases in 2023, though experts believe the actual burden could be significantly higher due to underreporting and surveillance gaps.

Taruna Madan Gupta, Scientist G and Head, Development Research Division, ICMR, called dengue an "unequivocally a national health priority for India."

Gupta noted that "India is advancing on multiple fronts—from strengthening public health systems to enabling public-private partnerships, including Phase III trials of an indigenous tetravalent dengue vaccine with over 10,000 participants, and regulatory progress on global vaccines".

However, the expert flagged a critical gap, which is "the absence of an effective therapeutic" for the mosquito-borne disease.

The experts noted that even though there are improvements in surveillance and scientific understanding, patients still lack access to specific treatment options.

“Addressing this gap requires sustained commitment from governments, funders, and partners," said Dr Sanjay Sarin, Continental Lead Asia and Director South Asia, DNDi.

What Is Dengue?

Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are most active during the daytime. Dengue fever typically has minor or no symptoms, but it can occasionally result in severe sickness, hospitalization, and even death.

Common Symptoms include:

• Sudden onset of high-grade fever.
• Intense headache
• Severe muscle, joint, or bone pain.
• Skin Rash that often appears 2–5 days after the fever starts
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Fatigue

It estimates that:

• About 390 million dengue infections occur annually worldwide
• Nearly 100 million people develop symptoms each year

These vaccines are designed to protect against all four serotypes of the virus, with a focus on reducing severe disease and hospitalizations.

In today’s fast-paced, wellness-driven world, looking fit does not always translate to being reproductively healthy. Currently, even fit and active individuals are facing fertility challenges due to hidden hormonal and metabolic imbalances. Hence, it is necessary to focus on reproductive health. Dr. Meenu Handa, Director of Fertility & Head Academic of Reproductive Medicine, Motherhood Hospitals, Gurgaon, decoded the link and listed some of the common fertility issues that most people overlook.

Now, a large number of people are opting for various activities such as yoga, Zumba, Pilates, the gym, and kickboxing to stay fit. Those who are health-conscious are also maintaining an optimum weight with a proper diet. These habits, in turn, can help to ensure good fertility. Shockingly, many people who are perfectly fit and fine on the outside may also struggle with fertility problems. Yes, that is right! This is also a common occurrence nowadays. Couples are panicking as they seem to adhere to a well-balanced lifestyle but still fail to conceive. So, this can be referred to as “invisible fertility issues," where underlying hormonal or metabolic imbalances silently affect reproductive health.

Decoding invisible fertility issues

Dr Handa said that many men and women who exercise regularly may suffer from issues such as hormone imbalance, fluctuating insulin levels, poor thyroid function, and compromised reproductive organ health. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, and even chronic stress can exist without obvious physical signs and can take a toll on fertility. The expert also shared some of the common hidden infertility issues.

Even couples who are physically fit today often deal with high mental stress due to demanding jobs and poor work-life balance. This ongoing stress can quietly disturb hormonal balance in the body. Increased cortisol levels may affect ovulation in women and sperm production in men and, over time, can impact egg and sperm quality—making natural conception more difficult. That is why managing stress is just as important as staying physically fit when planning a pregnancy.

Women may have issues like poor ovulation, compromised egg quality, or hormonal imbalance, even if their menses tend to be regular. In some cases, even subtle symptoms like fatigue, acne, hair fall, or mood swings may be overlooked but can signal deeper hormonal concerns. Men can struggle with low sperm count, which can affect their fertility. Even insufficient sleep, excessive exercise, or extreme dieting can increase the chances of hormonal imbalance and fertility issues. It is necessary to consult an expert and seek timely help. Pollution and lifestyle stress also contribute to the trend.

Couples should not just plan a pregnancy because they are fit and exercise daily. Pregnancy should not rely only on outward fitness as a sign of reproductive health. Regular health check-ups, including hormone tests and fertility assessments, can help identify hidden issues early.

Follow these tips

1. Couples should eat a well-balanced diet, exercise daily, stay stress-free by practicing yoga and meditation, and get enough rest.
2. It is also imperative to maintain blood pressure and blood sugar levels within the recommended range, include healthy fats and proteins in the diet, avoid overtraining, and manage stress through relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation, which can support hormonal balance.
3. If a couple is unable to conceive even after 6–12 months of trying (depending on age), a detailed fertility evaluation is recommended.
4. Seeking timely medical advice is equally important if conception is delayed.
5. Couples who find it challenging to conceive may be advised to use ARTs, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

So, awareness, balanced lifestyle choices, and timely medical support can make a huge difference in improving fertility outcomes.

A heatwave is getting worse with each passing day, and with it come dehydration, stomach flu, and sometimes even mood swings. But little do people realise that the risks associated with a heatwave could be much worse - it turns out that exposure to extreme heat could also give you a stroke. Dr Deep Das, Consultant - Neurology, CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI, in an interview with Health and Me, decoded the link between heatwaves and the risk of stroke.

How does a heatwave affect stroke risk?

Dr Das said that in very high temperatures, the body does not always cope in predictable ways. The brain is particularly sensitive to these shifts. One of the concerns is stroke. In the heat, people tend to lose fluids without realising how much. Blood volume drops, and circulation is affected. In some cases, the blood becomes more prone to clotting. At the same time, blood pressure can fluctuate. This combination increases the chances of a disruption in blood flow to the brain.

Can extreme heat give you a seizure?

Seizures are another risk, especially in those who already have epilepsy. Even when the condition has been stable, heat can unsettle things. Dehydration and changes in electrolyte balance make the brain more reactive than usual. A person who has been well-controlled for months may still have an episode during a prolonged heatwave. What makes this difficult is that these changes are not always gradual. Symptoms can appear suddenly.

What are the symptoms of a stroke?

A stroke refers to a potentially fatal medical emergency. It can be sudden or gradual, and it is characterised by a blockage in blood circulation to the brain. It can result in rapidly dying brain cells and requires immediate medical attention. The symptoms of stroke can be identified as FAST:

1. Face: Face drooping on either side
2. Arms: Weakness in the arms or inability to move the arms
3. Speech: Slurred speech
4. Time: Time is an important factor; immediate action can be life-saving for stroke patients

Apart from this, other symptoms of a stroke are:

1. Severe, unusual headaches
2. Confusion
3. Loss of consciousness
4. Dizziness
5. Loss of balance
6. Inability to see clearly from one or both eyes

How to dodge a heatwave-related stroke?

In this weather, small precautions matter more than they seem. Some of the best ways to dodge a stroke amid a heatwave are:

1. Drinking water regularly helps, even before you feel thirsty
2. Staying indoors during peak afternoon hours reduces strain on the body
3. Living spaces need some form of airflow, even if it is basic ventilation

It also helps to keep an eye on people who may not notice these changes early—older adults, those living alone, or anyone with an existing medical condition.

Should you be worried?

Some people are more prone to stroke risk than others. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the risk factors, especially during a heatwave. If you are dealing with any of the following comorbidities, think twice before stepping out amid a worsening heatwave:

1. Hypertension
2. Diabetes
3. Irregular heartbeat
4. Sleep apnoea
5. High cholesterol

Furthermore, people who are 65 years and above must avoid stepping out from 12 noon to 4pm. Even people who have a family history of stroke must not step out during these hours.