Weight Loss- Why You May Be Stuck
If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me ‘I can’t lose weight because I have a slow metabolism./ bad genes’, I would be the proud owner of a waterfront property in Sydney. The inability to lose superficial fat does not necessarily mean that the metabolic rate is an issue. Or perhaps there are things you are doing that slow your metabolism. Surprised? Read on.
Stress
When we put our bodies under stress, both mental and physical, we release a hormone called Cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone made by adrenal glands, designed to protect us during times of stress, however, levels are supposed to drop after the ‘emergency’ situation our bodies believe we are in subsides. Current lifestyles are not friendly to levels dropping as we are often always in a state of emergency, so often we maintain high levels, which leads to inflammation, disturbed sleep, insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunction and therefore the body’s ability to burn fat for energy. If the body feels like it is in a constant state of emergency, it is going to be holding on to anything and everything (especially around the belly and vital organs) so it can deal with the ‘attack’ it believes it’s under. You can ask your health practitioner to test your levels.
It is important that you do not eat foods that are difficult to digest during times of stress, as the body’s energy is focused on places other than the digestive organs. Try using breathing techniques to calm the mind, and consume comforting foods, such as soups, broths, softly cooked vegetables and seafood.
It is also very important to notice wether your current exercise regime is over stressing your body. As a Personal Trainer, I have seen how exercising at high intensity on a daily basis can do more harm than good, so alternate with lower intensity movement, and don’t ever be scared to listen to your body and rest.
Lack of Sleep
Sleep, my sweetheart, how I love thee. Things like stress, using technology before retiring to bed, mental illness, caffeine or alcohol consumption and work and social requirements can interrupt this wonderful time of recovery and repair. Think about what would happen if you didn’t recharge your phone- it would stop working. We don’t stop working completely, but our mind and body can not function properly without rest, and that includes the effects of coping with stress as discussed above, as well as recovery from physical activity. Lack of sleep can also increase appetite due to an increase of ghrelin, the appetite-stimulating hormone. The way to solve this problem is to find the root of the issue and fix that, instead of taking sleeping pills to knock your self out, which can lead to larger problems.
Malnourishment
Thanks to the many, many fad diets that have appeared over the years and lack of correct information and education, we, as a society, have developed the belief that certain food groups are bad, and have a fear of eating. Guess what? Depriving yourself of important food groups/food in general will slow your metabolism down AND prevent you from functioning properly, as we can not get everything we need from one or two food groups, or processed food replacement drinks and caffeinated stimulants.
Failing to eat every 2-3 hours slows our metabolism down, as we train our bodies to forget how to efficiently use food for energy. The same goes for depriving ourselves of food groups. Each food group plays a vital role in the correct function of our mind and body.
We should not fear food, it is our medicine and our life force. You have the choice to consume what you want, so make it count! Eat vegetables that make up the colours of the rainbow, a variety of good quality protein, wholesome ad unprocessed carbohydrates, and beautiful, nature given fats.
Sweet Nothing
The dirtiest words known to all of mankind- sugar and artificial sweetener. Are you adding these to your coffee and tea? Buying powdered supplements with a high amount of sweeteners, such as Sucralose, Aspartame or Aceulfame Potassium (Ace-K)? If you are…stop.
Lets talk about sugar first. Table sugar (also known as sucrose, which is glucose+fructose), is that powdered white stuff (or brown raw… same difference) that we traditionally add to baking, tea, and coffee. It’s in lollies, chocolate, alcohol, and products that are marketed to be ‘Low Fat’. Humans are not designed to consume such high amounts of sugar, and when we do, not only is the unused energy stored, but our bodies don’t know how to handle it. To cope, the body secretes a large amount of insulin, and when that stops working, it tells our fat cells to stop being used for energy because there’s all this leftover sugar floating around, which leads to increased fat storage. Unfortunately, natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, agave) have this effect too, so although they do contain some nutritional value, use in moderation.
Artificial sugars are not all created equally, and as a general rule of thumb you should stay away from anything that has been that highly processed, but there are commonly used ones that you want to watch out for and keep at a minimum or avoid completely. They include (but are definitely not limited to) Sucralose, Ace-K, Stevia (yes, you read right) and Aspartame. These highly processed substances are much sweeter than sugar on the tongue, and as the brain does not know the difference between sugar and an artificial sweetener, when tasted, a large amount of insulin is released. Since there is no energy in the body from these calorie free sweeteners, it once again leads to an increase in fat being stored, and therefore insulin resistance.
The best way to beat this issue is to train yourself out of a sweet tooth! Instead, eat small portions of good fats (avocado, nuts, coconut oil) with some protein and vegetables with every meal. All fruits contain different amounts and types of sugars, but you’re generally safe with berries and citrus fruits. Eating your fruit with nuts is a good idea as it decreases the insulin spike, and will keep you fuller for longer.
Hormonal Imbalance
We all need the correct ratio of oestrogen to testosterone in our bodies, but thanks to the way we live and eat, it is not hard to suffer with oestrogen dominance. Oestrogen boosting culprits are known as Xenoestrogens, and are found in plastics, cosmetics, pesticides, growth hormones and medications, as well as genetically modified foods, such as soy.
For the ladies, holding excess and stubborn weight around the upper arm, hips, lower abdomen and thighs , or for the men around the hips, lower abdomen and chest (commonly known as man boobs, or as I like to call them, ‘moobs’), and for both, mood swings, worry, water retention, bloating, anxiety and panic, indicate a heightened level of oestrogen built up in the liver. If there is an imbalance, you can normalise hormonal levels with the help of a nutritionist or naturopath quite simply, and although this process can take some time, the improvements will be well worth it.
Maybe It’s none of the above..
Maybe you drink a lot of alcohol, or have a food intolerance and continue to eat that food…If this is the case, go and see a health practitioner that you trust and who understands you. Running to your nearest supplement store for a ‘fat-burning’ pill loaded with caffeine and other ‘miracle’ substances will, in most cases, make your issue worse in the long run. Find the real problem, work on that, and the rest will become so much easier.
Good vibes all!
Nanci
