Have you tried dieting or reducing calories to find out that it didn’t make a difference in your weight? Maybe you lost a few pounds but found it challenging to keep off the weight. The reason might be that reducing calories is not the solution.
Countless studies have shown that dieting doesn’t work. For example, a recent study comparing 14 diets among roughly 20,000 individuals found that although individuals following popular diets initially lost a couple of pounds over six months, after 12 months, the weight was gained back (1). There are many reasons why this might occur.
It has been known that calories in do not equal calories out. The foods we eat, our activity, underlying conditions, our toxic burden, hormones, gut microbiome, and sleep are all contributing factors to how we use and store calories.
Inflammation could be one of the main culprits. Inflammation and fat cells together create a vicious circle. Inflammation caused by a whole slew of things from stress, eating the wrong foods, and poor sleep can cause your body to store fat. The increased fat can produce pro-inflammatory molecules. These molecules tell your body to mount a defense leading to the retention of fat cells (2). The bottom line is that when the body is inflamed, it can prevent you from losing weight even when you are on a diet.
Hormones imbalances are another reason why reducing calories may not result in weight loss. Hormones are abundant throughout the body, secreted from your brain, thyroid, adrenals, reproductive organs, and pancreas. The cascade of hormones, their levels, and sensitivity impacts how your body metabolizes and stores calories for a rainy day. Did you know that testosterone improves your insulin sensitivity? And that gluten can play havoc on your gut lining and thyroid tissue. Guess what? These inhibitors are just that inhibitors of weight loss.
We are all biochemically different and the outside world, aka the environment (pesticides, chemicals, mold, bugs), can alter our chemistry even more. This includes how we react to types of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) and micronutrients. You may need more or less of these nutrients than your neighbor. For some, saturated fat may cause weight, while for others, too many grains is the issue. And yet, for others, it’s just the inadequate mixed of nutrients that the offender.
Of course, we can’t forget about our gut microbiome. Bacteria like lactobacillus, butyrate producers, and other bacteria have been shown to be associated with weight (3). Some are positive players in weight regulation, while others are not so beneficial. A balance of gut bacteria not only helps control inflammation (remember one of the drivers of retaining weight) but makes you metabolize calories the way you should be burning calories.
Our needs and how we operate are all different. That’s why you first need to figure out what your body requires to be healthy. There is a ton of info listed above. Over the next few months, we’ll dig into each of these categories more in-depth.
In the meantime, if you want to get to the bottom of what is preventing you from losing and keeping the weight off, join me in signing up for the Men’s or Women’s 90-day Vitality Program. The program includes functional testing, uncovers what might be causing your body to be stubborn at losing weight, and provides nutritional and lifestyle strategies that work for you! Remember, everyone’s needs are different.
References
Ge L, Sadeghirad B, Ball GDC, et al. Comparison of dietary macronutrient patterns of 14 popular named dietary programmes for weight and cardiovascular risk factor reduction in adults: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials [published correction appears in BMJ. 2020 Aug 5;370:m3095]. BMJ. 2020;369:m696. Published 2020 Apr 1. doi:10.1136/bmj.m69
Francisco V, Pino J, Gonzalez-Gay MA, et al. Adipokines and inflammation: is it a question of weight?. Br J Pharmacol. 2018;175(10):1569-1579. doi:10.1111/bph.14181
Lecomte V, Kaakoush NO, Maloney CA, et al. Changes in gut microbiota in rats fed a high fat diet correlate with obesity-associated metabolic parameters. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0126931. Published 2015 May 18. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0126931