OK, you have tried it: the fat burners, the fad diets, eating clean, exercising. And still it feels as though you might as well be eating whatever you want because the scale and mirror do not seem to change. So you return to the old ways and it becomes solidified in your mind that you just can’t lose weight, so why bother? You think it may be your thyroid so you go to the doctor and all of your labs come back normal and they say your A-1 C is normal too. So what is going on? Is it impossible to lose weight?
There are many different reasons why you may not be losing weight. The first reason is that you’re taking in too many calories. Our portion sizes have increased astronomically since the 1980s. We have stretched our stomachs and we use larger plates. Our perception of what is a proper portion is completely misconstrued. The food industry fuels the fire with tricky marketing techniques. We also seriously underestimate how much we are eating. The first step to making sure you are doing what you need to do to lose weight is to start tracking your food. Even if it’s just for a little while. Try it; it might seriously open your eyes! And please remember that you CAN overeat healthy food too.
Moving Right
It may be that you don't move enough. Low day-to-day physical activity lowers your metabolism rate. That means that your body needs fewer and fewer calories to survive (that means you have to eat less and less too or you gain weight). Find a way to get more activity in each day. Start with small goals like taking the stairs, going for a walk around the block a couple times or finding a weekly Zumba class. If you set your goals too high, you may never get started at all because it will feel too overwhelming (Unless you are ready for a serious lifestyle change, then go for it! Otherwise, start small). Do what you actually like and you will find it is easier to get yourself to actually do it. Exercise isn’t a chore: It should be fun and leave you feeling happier!
Watch those calories! You can overeat healthy food too.
Eating Right
Another reason you may not be losing weight is that you don’t eat frequently enough or the right kinds of foods so that when you do you eat, your meals are very high-calorie. Waiting too long to eat causes a dip in blood sugar. Your body is smart; it knows that if it craves sweets and salts, it will get what it needs quickly. The cravings have you reaching for carbohydrates and high-caloric salty foods (think chips, candies and burgers). Carbohydrates are easily and quickly broken down and turned into energy. So if you take in a lot of carbs, the body may get what it needs but then you may have consumed 2000 calories in one meal. After you may not eat for many hours, thus continuing the cycle. This method slows down your metabolism. That, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, is a recipe for obesity. Try eating frequent small meals to rev up your metabolism. The secret to small healthy frequent meals is to be prepared. Keep an apple and some almonds on you, a stick of cheese, a protein bar. Definitely do not drink drinks with sugar! Little tweaks like this will help you to start losing weight.
Sleeping Right
Are you getting enough quality sleep? Getting behind on your sleep affects cortisol levels. Cortisol is your stress hormone and high levels are linked to obesity. Depending on your personal makeup, you need anywhere from 6 to 9 quality hours of sleep a night. Check out my sleep blog for more information on how to get the refreshing sleep your body craves.
Fighting Stress
High stress levels wreak havoc on your body! Your stress level could be why you are not losing weight. Your physical health is an outward representation of what’s going on inside of you. If you are stressed and unhappy your body will reflect it. Find ways to de-stress and calm your mind. Do things that make you happy. Life is too short to be unhappy. Sometimes we just got to get up and decide that we want better for ourselves. We can get up and change! Exercise, meditation, and other calming activities such as gardening or are important for your health. You can put on 20 pounds of stress weight very easily, especially around the stomach.
And now for the reason you have been waiting to hear: It’s your hormones. No, not your thyroid. It’s a major problem we call insulin resistance and it is not something usually tested for. See, for many people, diabetes is in the genes. Once you become overweight from a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition choices and too much stress, your hormones are affected. A dysfunction in our GLP1 hormone levels and a rise in our insulin levels, among other issues, cause our appetite to crank on high (unless you are too sedentary and eat giant high-caloric meals, but that is another topic). The signal to stop eating and the signal that you are full and satiated is lost. That’s why you are always hungry!!! (Phew! It’s not just my lack of discipline). High insulin levels in the beginning of the diabetes disease process cause a normal A1C, the typical diabetes marker. This does not mean that there is not an insulin resistance issue, it means that it’s not found in typical laboratory values. High insulin levels also PREVENT FAT FROM BREAKING DOWN!! (“Finally! I knew there was something wrong” - actual quote from many of my patients). The good news is we can stop diabetes in its tracks. We can reverse this insulin resistance AND you CAN lose weight. Come see me for a weight loss consult and get your hormones checked. We may finally get you on the road to real weight loss before insulin resistance turns into full-blown diabetes.
The journey to a healthy body can be frustrating, especially after having babies or stressful periods in your life. The good news is that by becoming conscious of some of these factors, you can have more power over the struggle. There IS treatment for an excessive appetite, swelling, and low energy levels. And although you may have given up in the past, you and your body deserve another shot.
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