Why Can’t I Lose Weight?
Uh oh, we just opened Pandora’s box with that question… and there’s no ‘one’ answer. Weight can be as much as physical issue, as it is mental/emotional.
Let’s consider what’s already been tried:
Dieting
Food restriction
Over exercising
Cutting and/or limiting calories
Juice fast, and the list continues.
In my experience, weight can also indicate that something is not right in our body, physically or emotionally. Stress is a huge factor, and though we may not feel stressed, if we are engaging in unhealthy behaviors, or consuming foods of poor nutritional value, our system is stressed.
Emotional stress may trigger over eating, as well as increased production of cortisol (our stress hormone), causing water retention, and shuts down our digestive system, which inhibits our ability to properly absorb all the nutrients we consume.
Increased cortisol also suppresses thyroid function, crucial in metabolism and energy production, hormones that affect our libido and menstrual cycles, and finally, sleep, which helps regulate blood sugar so we crave healthier, whole foods.
There are many herbs, nutrients, and lifestyle changes to bring down inflammation and control our weight, but we need to discover why the body is holding weight. If we consider inflammation, certain labs can further provide clues to determine the sources of stress. Elevated cholesterol and vitamin D, for example, are signs of stress on the body, while what you're feeling, such as low energy, mood changes, cravings, and painful menses, are symptoms.
So, what can you do?
-Anti-inflammatory diet!
No gluten, dairy, sugar, soda, alcohol, or processed food
Increase consumption of vegetables, fruits, lean meats (limit red meat), nuts, beans
1-2 TBSP ground flax per day.
Intimidating? Of course! But some of these foods may be hindering weight loss
-Drink at least half your weight in water in ounces! Cannot be stressed enough! Your urine should be clear to light yellow at all times- if not, drink more water! We have the same neural signals for hunger and thirst, so drink a glass of water, then figure out if you’re still hungry.
-Why do you want to lose weight? Discovering a reason that connects us, no one else, to our health, keeps us focused on achieving a happier and healthier well-being.
-Practice forgiveness, a voluntary (and intentional) process of undergoing a change in attitude and feelings about something offensive, as well as being able to release emotions of vengefulness and negativity. In the end, you may even have an increased ability to with the offender well, and feel ‘lighter’ as a result.
-Lose emotional weight. Rid yourself of email subscriptions you never read, so-called friends who zap your energy, and the job you despise (unless it’s your only or sole source of income and obviously you have to survive).
-Exercise. It will boost your mood, energy, create happy endorphins that may even counteract said job.
And if you'd like to address many concerns at once, check out these additional tips!