Do you long to shed 10, 20, or even 50 pounds and return to the svelte body you had in your youth? You’re not alone. So many women endeavor to lose weight, but they become frustrated when, after months of dieting and hitting the gym, the scale barely budges. Your failure to lose weight is not your fault. Chances are, one or more of these common weight-loss hang-ups are hindering your efforts.
Hormonal Imbalances
You can spend hours on the treadmill or follow the strictest diet around, but if your body’s hormone levels are triggering the storage of fat, you won’t find much success.
Hormone-related weight loss struggles are particularly common in women after menopause. At this stage, estrogen levels drop, causing your body to hang onto fat around your midsection. Younger women may also experience low estrogen levels due to polycystic ovarian syndrome or ovary removal.
Thyroid hormone imbalances can also make weight loss difficult. About one in five women suffer from hypothyroidism, a condition in which their thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Low levels of thyroid hormone lower your metabolism and cause your body to store more fat.
Cravings
Cravings for unhealthy foods can make it nearly impossible to stick to a healthy eating plan, no matter how good your intentions. A day of healthy eating is easily undone when you reach for a chocolate bar or bag of chips.
Often, cravings have a hidden cause that needs to be addressed in order for you to successfully lose weight. Sometimes cravings are brought on by dehydration; your body may confuse thirst with hunger. Eating too little can also lead to uncontrollable hunger and cravings, as can stress.
Sometimes, cravings are caused or made worse by nutrient deficiencies. If your diet is not carefully planned, you may be missing out on vital nutrients, and your body responds to those deficiencies by causing you to crave foods that contain the missing nutrients.
For example, if you have cut fats out of your diet and are not getting enough omega-3s from healthy sources, you might crave pizza or cheese. If you’re not getting enough magnesium, which is very common for women, you might crave chocolate, especially during your period.
Food Intolerances
Many women are battling food intolerances without realizing it, and those intolerances make weight loss a real struggle. Eating foods which your body does not tolerate well can lead to excessive inflammation, which causes your waistline to expand. Inflammation also makes your cells resistant to insulin, and insulin resistance leads to weight gain.
You may be intolerant of soy, gluten, eggs, or corn — all of which are very common ingredients in processed foods, including the diet bars and cereals people often turn to when trying to lose weight.
Gluten intolerance, especially, can make weight loss impossible. When you consume gluten, your intestinal lining becomes inflamed, which impedes your absorption of nutrients. You then become nutrient-deficient, which can lead to cravings, which can lead to even more weight gain.
So how do you fight the hidden hormone imbalances, cravings, and food intolerances and successfully shed those extra pounds? Start by working with a medical weight loss team. Specialists identify which of the hang-ups above are impacting your weight loss efforts. They then create a tailored weight loss plan that may include hormone supplements, a specialized diet, and supplements to address deficiencies.
If you’ve been struggling to lose weight and are ready for a new, more effective approach, make an appointment with NuFemme Rejuvenation Clinic. Our advanced medical weight loss treatments ensure you lose fat, not muscle, while also improving your overall health and well-being.
