Difficulty Losing those Extra Pounds...

I have heard from many of my clients that even though they are cooking all their meals and eating better than ever during this isolation they haven't lost any weight.  They are walking every day, getting exercise and fresh air and still no results. 

Losing weight is much more complex than just eating less and exercising more.  Here are some factors to consider: 

1. If our bodies are full of toxins we will hang on to weight.  Obesogens are toxins that damage our mitochondria which in turn affects our body’s ability to turn our food into energy.  These obesogens like mercury, environmental toxins and glysophates are found in food, toiletries,  make-up and cleaning products.  These toxic chemicals  interrupt our hormones and put stress on the body.  

 

1. Everything we do influences our hormones.  Food, stress and toxins all increase our cortisol levels and high cortisol makes us hungry and fat.  

 

1. Eating foods high in white sugar and white flour  and  all processed foods increase our blood sugar levels, and high blood sugar levels create more food cravings, high insulin levels, and weight gain.  When insulin is high you will not be able to lose any weight, as insulin traps fat in our cells, slows your metabolism and makes us hungry.  In fact, when blood sugar and insulin is high you will gain more weight from the food you eat.  This is why a calorie isn't a calorie.  

 

1. The health of our gut flora directly affects every process in our body. An unhealthy gut causes food sensitivities and inflammation.  Inflammation, in turn, causes us to hold on to water, damages our mitochondria, and creates diabetics. 

 

1. We are a malnourished society even though food is plentiful.   A lack of proper nutrients, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols,  result in the body's systems breaking down and  food cravings to spike.  We crave carbs but what our bodies need are nutrients.  

  

So what will work if diet and exercise are not making a significant impact:  

1. Shift to lower carbs and more healthy fats.  Eating fat does not make you fat, sugar and starches do.  Your body does not need insulin to metabolize fats.  Fats are more satiating, resulting in less hunger pains and fewer carb cravings. Fat does not put weight on around the waist like refined carbs and sugars do.   Fat actually speeds up your metabolism.  Healthy fats include avocado, olive oil, fatty fish like salmon, nuts, chia seeds, coconut and coconut oil, full fat yogurt, dark chocolate and whole eggs.  Eliminate most grains from your diet as they cause insulin to rise, belly fat and cravings for more of the same leading you on a wild roller coaster ride.  

 

1. Heal your gut.  There is a protocol that I recommend to heal the gut that starts with eliminating foods to which you are sensitive.  Not sure, which foods?  Start with the most popular ones, gluten and dairy,  Remember eating foods that don't agree with your digestive system causes inflammation. If you eat food and then experience gas, bloating, headaches or skin eruptions that is your body sending you a message.  Along with food elimination, taking  probiotics and digestive enzymes are good first steps. 

 

1. Increase your vegetable and fruit intake.  They are high in fiber, feed the gut and are filling.  Probiotics do not work without feeding the bacteria with prebiotics; this is fibrous vegetables.  Also they are  full of nutrients  that  prevent disease, boost immunity and feed the gut.  All systems function better when nutrient  deficiencies are addressed. 

 

1. Find ways to manage your stress.  High cortisol levels make it nearly impossible to lose weight. I know these are difficult times and although it is hard, it is not the time to indulge in unhealthy foods and drinks.  We tend to turn to food for comfort.  Eating unhealthy foods actually increases our stress and cortisol levels. Caffeine and alcohol are not your friend during these difficult times.  This is when we should be turning to a life sustaining diet.  Turning to yoga, meditation, pranayama and relaxation techniques are the key.  Studies have shown that restorative yoga is more effective  for losing weight than hot vinyasa style yoga.  Why? Because restorative yoga addresses the central nervous system and reduces cortisol levels.   Address the causes of your stress to reduce cortisol levels and balance hormones. 

 

1. Try intermittent fasting to enhance mitochondria efficiency, brain function, reduce inflammation, lower insulin and belly fat, develop  more muscles, stronger bones and less oxidative stress.  Research strongly  supports the many benefits of fasting for overall health and wellbeing.   The later we eat in the day, the higher our insulin will peak.  High insulin means holding onto all fat cells. Start with leaving 12 hours between your last and first meals and work your way up to 16 hours or one day fasting.  

 

1. Focus on getting a good night's sleep and dealing with sleep apnea.  If you don't sleep you will get fat even if you eat a perfect diet.  Sleep apnea, a highly undiagnosed condition, triggers insulin resistance and high blood pressure.  Losing weight may help but sleep  apnea doesn't always go away with the weight loss. If you snore, get checked out by a sleep clinic.   

 

1. Lessen your  toxic load.  Eliminate processed foods, toxic household products, high mercury level fish and factory farmed meat.  Buy organic produce whenever possible. 

 

1. Although you cannot exercise your way out of a poor diet. Exercise,  especially movement,  is important for our digestion, immune system and metabolism.   If you are sitting for long periods of time  get up every 20-30 minutes and walk the house, do some stairs or dance to some music.  

We want to be on a diet that we can maintain for our whole life.  The best plan is one full of nutrient dense foods. It's not about being slim, it's about being healthy and strong and productive and avoiding getting conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  Those conditions put us at risk for some many diseases and for suffering more severe outcomes if you get Covid 19.   

Lastly it is a time to be  kind to ourselves, to sort out how we want to live our lives and what matters to us.  I have known since my own health challenge that  nothing is as important as physical and mental  health.   If we don't have our health we have nothing.  
 







​