Weight loss can be very frustrating. You can end up investing a lot of time, energy, and money to no avail. This is because diet culture has taught us all the wrong things to do.
For weight loss, many people think it's a simple equation involving “calories in and calories out,” which is not the case. We are metabolic beings with multiple complex organ systems that talk to and influence one another, so it makes sense that it's much more complicated. A primary example is the differences that occur in the body after eating a donut versus a salad, which can both have the same number of calories. A donut is high in sugar and fat but low in fibre and nutrients, which can contribute to energy crashes, poor skin, and brain fog. A salad, on the other hand, is high in fibre and nutrients but low in sugar and fat, which can contribute to improved bowel movements, mood, and productivity.
Many weight loss programs are structured around the outdated calorie model. This may help explain why your results either plateau or weight gain eventually happens again. A more holistic approach to weight loss is the answer.
WHY CAN’T I LOSE WEIGHT?
Trendy Diets
When trendy diets, especially those involving restrictive caloric intake, are practiced, it causes our metabolism to be stunted.
To maximize survival, our bodies adapt to changes in the environment. When the body is consistently in a low-calorie environment, our metabolism adjusts to only tolerate that low-calorie state. In this manner, the body is not wasting additional resources that could be used elsewhere. Additionally, anytime it’s in a higher calorie environment, the metabolism will not process it well, likely leading to rapid weight gain.
Other trendy diets may focus on eating only a specific subset of foods. This can be potentially harmful as well because our gut microbiome changes depending on the foods we eat. An imbalanced gut microbiome, caused by dieting, antibiotic use, pharmaceutical use (e.g., oral contraceptive pills), and infections, can also lead to resistant weight loss.
Stress
Excess stress signals to the body to protect its resources because it thinks it's in danger. Our body's sympathetic nervous system (“fight or flight” response) is part of the autonomic nervous system—the one we don't have conscious control over. This is often activated by a stress response, which in turn releases the stress hormone cortisol.
The sympathetic nervous system and release of cortisol were originally meant to be an evolutionary protective mechanism to help us quickly defend ourselves or escape from danger (e.g., from wild animals). It increases alertness, improves blood flow to our extremities, and increases heart and breathing rate.
While living in modern society rarely involves having to fend off wild animals, our bodies still perceive stress in the same way. This can cause an increased amount of cortisol production leading to more weight deposit, particularly in the lower abdominal region.
Inflammation
“Inflammation” is a general term that typically means something bad. Like most things, it was developed as an evolutionary protective mechanism to help us quickly heal and destroy anything that may be harmful.
When inflammation is triggered in the body, cytokines (i.e., proteins responsible for the activity of our immune and blood cells) are signalled to help move immune cells closer to targeted areas of concern. These are meant to help fight threats and heal tissue.
The issue with chronic inflammation is that frequent activation of cytokines can cause damage. When there is chronic inflammation, the body constantly has to deal with putting out fires. This can take a huge toll on our resources, making it difficult for the body to let them go, which causes weight gain.
Food Sensitivities
The quality of our food matters more than the quantity. Negative food reactions can cause inflammation, which can place the body in the "fight or flight" stress response mentioned earlier.
Types of Food Reactions:
- Food intolerances (caused by a lack of digestive enzymes)
- Food sensitivities (a delayed immune response to food)
- Food allergies (an immediate immune response to food)
Food sensitivities are an IgG-mediated immune response to food. This means that reactions to food can be delayed and have systemic negative responses, such as joint pain, poor skin, headaches/migraines, and digestive upset. These negative reactions are due to an increase in inflammation every time you ingest a food you are sensitive to.
The types of foods a person can be sensitive to vary substantially. The most common are gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, and corn. It’s important to get an individualized assessment (through testing) with a naturopathic doctor for guidance.
Blood Sugar Regulation
Our blood sugar levels fluctuate depending on what and how we eat. Our bodies have developed a system to help utilize the sugars we get from food and turn them into something more useful.
When sugar is detected in the body, the pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that helps our cells absorb sugar to be used for energy production. When insulin levels are consistently high, however, your body begins to store sugars instead of burning them for fuel—making it difficult to lose weight. Elevated insulin levels can be due to inflammation, gut microbiome imbalances, diabetes, stress, and poor diet and lifestyle.
Thyroid Dysfunction
The thyroid gland sits at the base of the neck and plays a role in many different systems, including metabolism, body temperature, skin health, digestive health, and mood. A symptom of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is difficulty losing weight.
The thyroid can be assessed through bloodwork using a measurement called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). TSH shows us how the brain is signalling the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones, but this doesn’t show us the complete picture. To assess whether the thyroid is impacting your ability to lose weight, a full thyroid panel is recommended, including the thyroid hormones themselves (T3, rT3, and T4), and antibodies working against the thyroid (anti-TG and anti-TPO). This is recommended because sometimes, TSH will fall within the normal range while the other values are outside of this range, signifying a thyroid dysfunction.
Poor Sleep
Did you know that sleep is one of the most crucial, yet overlooked aspects of weight loss? Without proper rest and recovery, our bodies are not able to effectively regulate the hormones needed to lose weight; an example of this is found in ghrelin, the "hunger hormone." This hormone is often released in higher amounts in those who are sleep-deprived, causing these individuals to feel the need to eat more than their bodies actually need. Several other hormones, including cortisol and leptin (the "satiety hormone"), are dysregulated with insomnia. Cortisol is often higher, leading to more weight storage (as mentioned earlier), and leptin is often lower, causing difficulties in feeling full.
With the variability in factors that influence the ability to lose weight, an individualized approach is the key to success. And remember: a safe and sustainable way to lose weight is no more than one pound per week.
The most important thing to consider is that the way your body looks does not determine whether you're healthy or not. Your value does not depend on your size, and your weight is likely the least interesting thing about you. Whatever your reason for wanting to lose weight—don't forget that.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
-
Do not calorie count or follow restrictive diets.
- Stress and sleep management are integral.
- Decrease inflammation wherever possible.
- Hormones play a big role in your ability to lose weight.
- Weight loss strategies should be individualized.
