Losing weight the right Weigh
Every day I see clients who are consumed with the fact that they either can’t lose weight or keep weight off. Our society assumes that if you are overweight, you are sitting on the couch eating out of control. While that may be true for a few of you, as a health care provider, I am seeing a very disturbing trend of clients becoming obsessed with losing weight to the point that “weight loss” has become a full-time job. I have literally seen hundreds of women (and men) over the years who are eating a “low calorie diet” and exercising 1 – 3 hrs a day and still not losing weight. And in some cases, they are actually gaining weight! To add further insult to injury, we live in a society that correlates a woman’s “thinness” with beauty, which opens the door for low self esteem and a host a mental health issues.
So why is it that my friend can eat anything and everything she wants and you gain weight just watching her eat? One of the biggest myths related to weight loss is that weight loss is all about ” Calories in versus Calories out”. On top of that, health experts are telling us to eat low fat – high whole grain diet….which is making many of us even fatter. And the weight loss industry is making big bucks selling us low calorie quick weight loss diets, many of which require you to buy their expensive “fake foods”. Have your ever noticed the many of us that lose weight with these programs eventually gain back all of the and then some.
The most recent survey on the prevalence of obesity and overweight in America is unfortunately not good news. Both children and men are growing fatter in just the last 6 years at an alarming rate, while women’s obesity rates remain the highest of them all.
The disturbing facts on Obesity….
More 35% of Americans are obese, with the obesity rates in women ranking the highest. If you account for the number of overweight Americans, a disturbing 72% of all Americans are above their healthy weight. If we continue on our same path, more than 90% of Americans will be overweight by 2030. Furthermore, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years, resulting in the fact that more than 35% of children and adolescents are at an unhealthy weight (www.cdc.gov). This, in turn, has impacted the rate of chronic disease in our children which is rising at an alarming rate. For the first time ever, children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes! There is a very clear connection between obesity and chronic disease. Current evidence suggests that we are not doing such a great job in the chronic disease department. Multiple studies have connected obesity to higher rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, degenerative joint disease and cancer. And the list continues to grow…
The top reasons you can not lose weight
- Insulin resistance ~reprograms your body to store fat in your belly.
- Hidden thyroid imbalance ~ sometimes you need to go beyond the TSH.
- Micro-nutrient deficiencies ~ vitamins and nutrients are critical for our metabolic processes.
- Food sensitivities ~ gluten, dairy and soy are some of the top culprits.
- Hormonal imbalance ~ need I say anymore
- Stress ~ stress raises cortisol which, in turn, increases inflammation and insulin resistance.
- Following the “it’s all about calories” advice ~ low calorie diets actually slow metabolism and thyroid function.
- Any imbalance that increases inflammation in our body – hidden infections, excess toxins and all of the above.
- The low fat diet myth -Fat is not what is making us fat!
- Last but not least – Chronic gastrointestinal imbalance including leaky gut.
It is time to stop the madness….
There is no magic pill or quick fix when is comes to weight loss. Weight gain is a symptom of an underlying metabolic disturbance. Successful and long lasting weight loss will only happen if we stop listening to the “bad advice” many health and nutrition experts are giving us and start identifying and correcting the underlying triggers for obesity. I know it’s hard. I have struggled with the same issues most of my life. I have been tempted by the “quick weight loss” programs over the years and have probably tried most of them. And every time regaining back the weight and then some. Each time going deeper into the “darkness” because I was using the scale as a measure of my self worth.
So I have embarked on the same journey I am asking you to follow. I have been targeting my underlying insulin resistance, changing my lifestyle by removing inflammatory foods from my diet and healing my gut. I am moving towards my healthy weight and for the first time, not gaining it all back when I “fall off the wagon” for a few weeks. We need to stop the madness and work together on our journey towards our healthy weight. I am not going to lie to you…..it may require to make significant changes in your life, and not just with your food choices. It may feel overwhelming at times, but in the long run, the pay off will be huge.
Join us for Dr. Laura’s upcoming lectures on the Top Reasons You Can Not Lose Weight – Wednesday evening January 31st. The lecture is free but seating is limited. Sign up today to hold your spot!