Can’t Lose Weight: One These Conditions Maybe the Issue

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Adhering to a restrictive diet and intensive exercise program can be challenging. It takes a great deal of willpower and motivation to follow a strict weight loss program, and then failing to lose even a few pounds can be frustrating and defeating.

If you have tried diet after diet yet has been unable to lose weight, then you understand exactly how disappointing such a situation can be. However, no matter how unsuccessful you’ve been in the past, there is a way for you to lose weight. Here are some possible causes of your inability to lose weight, plus some potential solutions.

Insulin Resistance and Weight Loss

When you eat, glucose levels rise. The rise in glucose signals your body to produce insulin, which then lowers glucose to keep it at steady levels. Insulin resistance occurs when your body loses its sensitivity to insulin and glucose levels stop responding to its production.

 

When glucose levels fail to respond to insulin, glucose levels remain high. Obesity, hormonal imbalances, and stress are just some causes of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can make losing weight nearly impossible because the resistant cells are essentially starved of energy, so no matter how strictly you diet or how vigorously you exercise, your weight remains the same.

Glucose Levels

The key to losing weight when you have insulin resistance is to follow a low-carb eating plan, such as the Keto diet. Eating low carbs will allow your cells to heal, as your glucose levels will only rise in negligible amounts since your carb count will be so low. You should eat foods like meats, vegetables, cheese, low-sugar fruits like berries, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils. Condiments like vinegar and lemon juice can help keep glucose levels even lower.

If you fail to begin losing weight after about a week or so, you might need to see your doctor for prescription medication. Metformin is a popular diabetes medication that also works for insulin resistance, or you might opt to try one or more of the many natural supplements for insulin resistance. Some popular choices are Berberine, Alpha Lupoic Acid, and Cinnamon.

Estrogen Dominance effect on Weight Loss

Estrogen dominance occurs when estrogen levels are significantly higher in proportion to other hormones. In women with this condition, estrogen and progesterone levels are out of proportion, as estrogen is higher than normal, while progesterone is usually much lower.

 

Some of the many symptoms of estrogen dominance include decreased sex drive, irritability, fatigue, infertility, depression/anxiety, and of course, weight gain. Too much estrogen in the body is not healthy and can lead to a host of potentially dangerous conditions such as fibroids, polycystic cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), ovarian cysts and even cancer. Estrogen dominance has many causes like stress, poor diet, women going through perimenopause, and more.

Why You should Avoid Dairy Products

Dairy Products

It can be tricky to lose weight when you have estrogen dominance because the high estrogen itself makes losing weight nearly impossible. However, with the right plan, it is very possible to reach your goal weight. This weight loss plan needs to consist of plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats.

 

It is essential that you avoid conventional dairy products and meat, as they often contain hormones that can wreak havoc on your hormone levels, increasing your symptoms of estrogen dominance. If you do decide to consume dairy products or meat, you should opt for organic, which does not contain added hormones. You should start to drop weight after you’ve followed the plan for approximately a week or so.

Supplements and Detoxing

If you don’t begin dropping weight after about a week, you may need to add in supplements to assist your body with detoxing excess “bad estrogens”. Diindolylmethane (DIM) and calcium-d glucarate are a couple of effective supplements. DIM consists of ingredients derived from broccoli and other vegetables that assist the liver in ridding the body of excess estrogens.

 

Calcium-d glucarate, a chemical present in our bodies as well as in fruits and vegetables, works in a similar manner to DIM. Simply find the brand that you desire and take as directed. Some people notice headaches in the beginning due to detoxification, but as your body adjusts headaches should subside.

Elevated Estrogen and Progesterone Creams

Some women find relief from their elevated estrogen levels after using progesterone cream. Progesterone cream is rubbed into the skin at certain times based on the menstrual cycle. Progesterone cream can balance hormones by increasing blood progesterone levels, which decreases estrogen simultaneously.

There are many brands of progesterone creams on the market, but it’s important to conduct research so you can locate the best product. One thing to keep in mind when shopping for progesterone cream is that bio-identical is best, as this kind mimics the progesterone naturally produced by the body. Creams made from soy or wild yams aren’t as effective and should be avoided, as they can cause a lack of results as well as unwanted side effects.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism

You may be aware that hypothyroidism causes a sluggish metabolism, making weight loss difficult. However, it isn’t uncommon for a person to present with borderline or normal thyroid labs yet suffer from the same symptoms that individuals with clinical hypothyroidism have. This is often referred to as subclinical hypothyroidism, which is also known as early or pre-hypothyroidism.

While some doctors refuse to treat or acknowledge subclinical hypothyroidism, this is a real condition that often responds well to the same treatment used in clinical hypothyroidism. If your labs are borderline or just above normal, you may want to ask for a trial of thyroid medication. This can help you to shed the excess weight that you’ve tried so hard to lose. If your doctor refuses to treat your subclinical hypothyroidism, you might want to find another physician.

Food Sensitivities and Weight Loss

Food sensitivities are different from allergies because food allergies cause symptoms immediately upon consumption of a food allergen. Symptoms from food sensitivities may not manifest until up to 72 hours after consuming the offending food. Depending on the severity of an allergy, consuming an allergenic food could be life-threatening.  On the other hand, food sensitivities are never life-threatening, but they can cause a host of annoying symptoms. These annoying symptoms could be anything from bloating and gas to diarrhea and nausea, or even constipation.

Food Sensitivities

Food sensitivities can also cause you to retain water, making it virtually impossible to lose weight. You may eat what you believe is a “healthy” food on a regular basis, not knowing that it’s causing a reaction. For instance, if you’re intolerant to broccoli and you eat a large bowl of it every day, instead of promoting weight loss, like it would in most people, it can have the opposite effect in you.

Elimination Diet and Weight Loss

To lose weight when you suspect food sensitivities, there are two options. The first is to follow an elimination diet. An elimination diet requires you to follow a limited diet in which you would avoid consuming food consisting of common allergens like eggs, wheat, corn, soy, dairy, gluten, and peanuts for a few weeks to a month. After you’ve followed the diet for a while, you can then begin adding back in your favorite foods, one at a time. The theory is that you will begin feeling better (and hopefully begin losing weight) while on the restrictive diet.

Adding Back Restricted Foods

After approximately 21 days pass, you can begin adding back restricted foods in your diet, one at a time. For instance, say on Monday after you’ve followed the diet strictly for 3 weeks, you add back in cheese. You should eat a fair amount of cheese on Monday, and no other potentially allergic food until you’ve determined if cheese bothers you or not. Pay careful attention to your body so you can identify any reactions. You should wait at least 3 days before moving on to the next food. If you react negatively to any foods, simply eliminate the food again and move on. You may need to avoid the food for a longer period, or you may be permanently intolerant to that particular food. If you find that you’re permanently intolerant to one or more of your favorite foods, it doesn’t mean you can never consume those foods. However, you will have to eat those foods only occasionally and in small amounts.

Final Thoughts

If you’re overweight and you desire to lose weight, then you absolutely can. It may seem impossible to do so, especially after so many unsuccessful tries in the past, but it is certainly possible. If you’re willing to visit your doctor as well as explore some different tactics, you should be able to achieve success and reach your goal within a reasonable amount of time.

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