Why Can’t I Lose Weight Despite Eating The Right Foods?

By Dr. Tanvi Tijoriwala – Naturopathic Doctor

Have you ever felt frustrated because you have been dieting and working out for some time, but the number on the scale doesn’t seem to budge?

If you have tried everything from the keto diet to calorie counting or from HIT workouts to yoga and nothing seems to work to shift the weight, it is NOT your fault!

For women, weight loss is RARELY calories in and calories out.

There is ONE other factor that can play a role in accelerating or slowing down weight loss.

The one factor, that differentiates women’s weight loss journeys from that of men, is – HORMONES.

Several hormones, when not in balance, can prevent our body from losing the pounds regardless of how well we eat and how much we work out.

This article discusses four such hormones that might be hindering you from getting to your weight goal.

1. High Estrogen: The estrogen type weight gain is one which causes women to put on the pounds around their hips and waist. Estrogen is typically made in the ovaries but are also converted in different forms in adipose or fatty tissue. This causes a vicious cycle of increased visceral fat causing increased estrogen in the body.

Typically, estrogen type weight gain is also accompanied by many hormonal problems such as heavy periods, irregular periods, acne or hormonal conditions such as fibroids.

2. Insulin resistance: Insulin is a hormone that is released by the body in response to the intake of carbohydrates or sugars. Insulin allows the cells to take up the blood glucose and utilize it as energy. When the body becomes resistant to insulin, it causes symptoms such as excess hunger, cravings and conversion of excess glucose to fat.

Typically, insulin type weight gain is concentrated around the abdomen. Balancing insulin is important in maintaining healthy weight. Insulin resistance can be caused due to other conditions such as Type II diabetes and PCOS.

3. High cortisol – Cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone, can be high when we are chronically stressed. Chronically elevated cortisol can lead to insulin resistance causing weight gain through the symptoms of increased cravings, hunger and conversion of excess glucose to fat.

Typically, high cortisol weight gain is also concentrated around the abdomen. Managing stress and the body’s cortisol response is key to having a healthy weight loss journey.

4. Low Thyroid – Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 control metabolism in the body. When the thyroid is sluggish, it causes an elevation in the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) released in the brain, which in turn decreases the release of T3 and T4 in the body. A decrease in T3 and T4 cause the metabolism to slow down which makes losing weight extremely hard. A sluggish thyroid can also lead to other symptoms such as hair loss, fatigue and feeling cold all the time.

Balancing the thyroid hormones is key for a healthy weight loss journey.

Yo-yo dieting, calorie counting and exercising till you faint should never be the road to a healthy weight loss. For women, all health factors, especially your hormones, need to be addressed before you embark on this journey. It is necessary to have a sustainable and healthy weight, one that will not increase once the special diet has been stopped.

If you have more questions about losing weight in a healthy way feel free to email me at dr.tanvi@muscleandjoint.ca