Have you ever tried to get rid of your extra weight through diet or exercise but weren’t very successful, despite your vigorous attempts? Successful weight loss is a complex matter where many different factors come into play. If you are following a diet and exercise regime religiously but the weight scale still won’t go down, perhaps you should find out if any the following “hidden” health factors influence your weight loss efforts. We at Teatox Australia present you the most common ones...
Your gut’s bacteria. Besides the food you choose to place in your mouth, your gut’s bacteria play a very important role in your weight loss efforts that even doctors sometimes miss. According to a Mayo Clinic study, certain bacteria present in the gut of some people like Dialister and Phascolarctobacterium make losing weight extra hard, as they increase the system’s ability to metabolize carbs and then store them as fat. Even though there are not many studies confirming this influence, researchers suggest a microbiome diet rich in healthy bacterial cultures e.g from live yogurt or fermented foods, could help with weight loss.
Hormonal imbalances. Another important factor that many people fail to lose weight is hormonal imbalances. If you are a woman, you are most likely going to gain weight during times of hormonal changes like puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. PCOS, which is a result of female hormonal imbalance can also lead to weight gain that is hard to get rid off. In both genders, thyroid problems e.g hypothyroidism can also lead to weight gain and bloating as a side effect as the body won’t be able to release enough hormones to burn stored body fat.
Chronic stress and fatigue. If you are a busy person with a hectic and a very stressful daily schedule, chances are, you’ll struggle to lose weight easily. The reason why this happens is that our bodies naturally respond to stress and fatigue by releasing chemicals and hormones like Cortisol, which make your body store energy as fat, especially around your waistline. Unfortunately, this is the type of topical fat that is linked to chronic health problems like Diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, stress many times induces “binge eating”, making you eat junk food at inappropriate times and amounts in an effort to cope with stress levels.
High Alcohol Consumption. Drinking low alcoholic drinks like wine and beer up to 5 times a week isn’t bad for your health but anything more than that can quickly sabotage your weight loss efforts. Nearly all alcoholic drinks contain refined carbs and sugars and in some cases, the calories of one drink e.g a pint of beer are equal to one slice of pizza. Alcohol may seem less fattening compared to other drinks e.g sodas or milkshakes but this combo of refined carbs and sugars can also raise insulin levels and make weight loss extra hard. Therefore, think twice before you have a drink with your favorite food.
High Insulin levels. Insulin resistance or high insulin levels is a medical condition that is also associated with weight gain and difficulty in losing extra fat. The reason why is that your body is resistant to insulin at such high amounts and that dilutes the power of other chemicals and hormones that help you lose weight otherwise.
If you suspect that any of the above factors may influence your weight loss efforts, you should consult your doctor for all the necessary tests to pinpoint the root cause of your weight gain and health problems--don't attempt to resolve the matter on your own as your efforts will probably go to waste.