How Do I Lose Weight?
Have you every wondered why you just can’t seem to lose weight despite your efforts to diet and exercise? There are other factors that can impact your weight besides diet and exercise – these five common factors may just be responsible:
I exercise and eat right – why can’t I lose any weight?
5 common factors beyond diet and exercise underlie your ability to lose weight. So many of us have played by the “eat right and exercise” yet failed to lose that “5 pounds”. Let’s look at some of the metabolic issues that may get in the way.
- Sleep – Restful sleep is critical and can be achieved with a few simple changes. Drink ½ ounce of water for every pound you weigh. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Get off the computer at least 2 hours before bedtime. The bright light of the computer interferes with our own melatonin production.
- Adrenal stress – Mental, emotional, physical, environmental, dietary stress all create inflammation in our body triggering a cascade of events that actually cause weight gain.
- Thyroid abnormalities – Low thyroid function is a very common disorder that often goes undiagnosed. There is a common test called the TSH we often get yearly and it may actually be normal but the thyroid may still be under-active. There are further labs to test so if you feel lethargic and are gaining weight – it requires a further evaluation.
- Hormone imbalance – Our hormones begin changing as early as age 35 in women. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA are all a web of interactions that when not in balance create a number of symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, insomnia. There are specialized testing to measure hormone levels as well as the ratio to make sure they are balanced.
- Insulin resistance – Our pancreas releases insulin as a response to food intake. However, if your body is insulin resistant, it sends the signal to all cells to store fat. Lack of exercise, eating high glycemic foods like bread and pasta will drive glucose up rapidly and with it goes insulin. This is a reversible state that can be remedied by lifestyle and diet changes, along with a few simple nutritional supplements like chromium. Making your insulin receptors more responsive will reverse this trend and aid your efforts to lose weight.
