You’re doing all the right things; watching your calories, exercising, minding your alcohol consumption, etc, etc, and the weight is not budging. And you’re over it, and end up binging on a jar of Nutella and feeling shit about yourself (or is that just me who did this?!)
“Energy in vs energy out” doesn’t always apply… sometimes (and more often than not as we get a bit older), other factors start to play a part in managing our weight… here are 5 examples…
- You’re eating the wrong diet for your current health status. For example, suppose you’re dealing with gut issues and following a ketogenic diet to lose weight. In that case, you might unintentionally be feeding the harmful bacteria with the high-fat content typical of keto meals. While the ketogenic diet can offer various health benefits, its emphasis on fats can sometimes exacerbate gut imbalances, particularly in individuals with conditions like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or dysbiosis. These bad gut bugs thrive on certain fats, potentially leading to increased inflammation and digestive discomfort, and will impact your ability to lose weight… which leads us to…
- Poor gut health, such as in the case of SIBO, can significantly impact your weight loss efforts. SIBO occurs when there’s an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, where they shouldn’t be in large quantities. This bacterial imbalance causes you to absorb calories and nutrients earlier than normal in the digestive process, which can disrupt your metabolism and hinder weight loss. Additionally, SIBO can lead to an accumulation of fluid in the gut, creating a bloated, uncomfortable sensation that may mimic weight gain, making it harder to achieve your weight loss goals.
- Stress is a significant factor that can sabotage your weight loss efforts, often in ways you might not realise. Chronic stress leads to consistently high levels of cortisol, a hormone that, while essential in small doses, can wreak havoc on your body when elevated for extended periods. One of the MANY ways cortisol interferes with weight loss is through a process called gluconeogenesis, where the body breaks down muscle tissue to produce glucose. This not only reduces your muscle mass, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolism, but also floods your system with glucose, making it more difficult to lose weight, and can lead to insulin resistance. Additionally, high cortisol levels can trigger cravings for high-calorie, sugary foods, leading to weight gain.
- Female sex hormones, particularly estrogen, play a pivotal role in weight management and can significantly impact weight loss efforts. Estrogen helps regulate metabolism, fat distribution, and appetite. However, fluctuations in estrogen levels, such as those occurring during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or perimenopause, can lead to weight changes. For instance, lower estrogen levels, commonly seen during perimenopause/menopause, can slow down metabolism and lead to an increase in fat storage, especially around the abdomen. Additionally, estrogen influences how your body responds to insulin, which can affect blood sugar levels and cravings for certain foods.
- Obesogens are environmental toxins that can undermine your weight loss efforts by disrupting your body’s natural metabolism and increasing fat storage. These harmful chemicals are found in everyday items like skincare products, foods contaminated with pesticides, cleaning products, and even non-stick cookware. Once ingested or absorbed, obesogens can interfere with your endocrine system, which regulates hormones crucial for metabolism and energy balance. By altering hormone signaling, obesogens promote fat accumulation and make it harder to shed excess weight. Therefore reducing your exposure to these toxins by choosing natural skincare, organic foods, and safer household products is always a good idea!
So, what’s the solution?
Well, the first step is to book an appointment with me!!
I will do a thorough analysis of your diet and lifestyle, plus take a detailed look at your nervous system function, digestive health, hormonal health, immune health, and more!
From there I can order any necessary investigations: Gut microbiome testing, full blood analysis to look at things like inflammatory markers, DUTCH testing to look at your cortisol and what your hormones are doing, mould testing, and more! Whatever is needed.
And then I will create an individualised plan just for you to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
To see my prices and availability, click here: https://balance-with-nature-naturopathy.simplecliniconline.com/diary
Love,
Naturopath Erin. x