The subject of weight loss is immense, vast and quite frankly exhausting. We all have our opinions on how to lose weight, how we gained weight in the first place and the latest craziest fad that is THE one that will make the difference. Well of course if we all take a deep breath and step back for a minute we know that no diet works, because, essentially it is a diet! Despite this seemingly obvious revelation millions of us queue up and pay our subscriptions in the delusional hope that this will be the one that changes our lives. I’ll tell you now, it won’t and there….you have saved yourself hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, and a lifetime of disappointment! It is however vitally important to know how your body works, and what your individual triggers are to putting on the weight in the first place. Education is everything, if I had a pound for every person you thought they knew it all, and didn’t…! I’m not going to talk about the obvious causes of weight gain but ten reasons why you might be struggling that are not that obvious and not talked about at your local slimming clubs. Hang on to your hats as you might learn something new!

Top ten reasons why you still might not be able to lose weight

1. LACK OF SLEEP. I know its sounds strange that a lack of sleep can have a huge impact on our waistline but it can. This can be done simply by altering levels of our hormones that regulate hunger. A recently study at the University of Chicago showed that people who slept only four hours a night for only two nights had an 18% decrease in leptin, the hormone that signals to your brain that you are full up, and a 28% increase in ghrelin the hormone that signals hunger. After getting so little sleep the participants of the study had a 24% increase in appetite and craved sugary, salty and starchy foods. Another study showed that people who sleep less than four hours a night had a 73 % chance of obesity compared to people who slept more. I love a study but know that there are two sides to all these statistics and this does not mean that all people who don’t sleep will put on weight but its worth noting and realising. Trying to create a relaxing time before you go to bed, listening to music or doing relaxation techniques might help.

2. CERTAIN MEDICATIONS. Obviously when you are prescribed medications you won’t be able to come off them without permission from your GP but it’s worth noting that medications can effect weight. These include: corticosteroids, which can increase your level of hunger and leave you bloated. Antidepressants can sometimes make you crave sugary starchy foods, beta blockers may effect weight, as well as drugs treating schnizophrenia and epilespy. There is nothing much you can do about being on the drug but you will need to work extra hard from the start of taking them to avoid weight gain. You may need professional help in order to shift the weight as weight loss will need to be tailored to your specific needs.

3. A SYMPTOM OF SOMETHING ELSE. Without putting you all in a panic, weight gain can be a sign of other illnesses (but this is that common). These can include PCOS, thyroid disorders, congestive heart failure, Cushings syndrome, Depression, Diabetes, Lupus and Metabolic syndrome. If you have unexplained weight gain it is a good idea to go and discuss this with your GP. If you are not on any new medications and your diet and lifestyle have not changed it is always best to double check.

4. HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS. If you are too stressed you will be producing high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that pumps sugar into our blood so that we have enough energy for our fight or flight response. That increased sugar can get picked up by insulin and stored in our fat cells. Although some people who are stressed lose weight, more often than not, high stress will cause people to reach for the foods and drinks that create increased cortisol or insulin like caffeine and sugary starchy food. Much of the food craved will be carbohydrate which will make us calmer and increase serotonin. Dealing with the stress is really important and many people find mindfulness and similar courses very helpful in combating their daily stressors.

5. THYROID ISSUES. An under active thyroid is very common and can happen at any time, but usually hits us when are 40 plus. This condition can slow down the metabolism so if you have symptoms of fatigue, feeling cold, constipation, dry skin and inability to lose weight, get your thyroid checked by your GP. If you do have any under active thyroid you will be prescribed thyroxine which will make weight loss easier but in my experience it’s still not as easy as you would think and you may need advice and support as your levels are checked and monitored.

6. GUT FLORA. Our amazing microbiome is now so well researched we have an abundance of medical literature to plough through. It is now known that people who are overweight have low levels of good bacteria and other important bacteria in the gut .Intestinal bacteria may very well determine whether we are overweight or not. Gut bacteria alters the way we store fat, how we balance levels of glucose in the blood and how we respond to hormones that make us feel hungry or full ie leptin and grehlin. The wrong mix of micbrobes might set the stage from birth as to whether we are overweight or slim. Lean individuals tend to have a more diverse and better variety of gut flora. Studies show that formula fed babies and those delivered byC section have a higher risk of obesity and diabetes than those born vaginally.

7. ARE YOU MENOPAUSAL OR PERI MENOPAUSAL. After about 35 yrs old your hormones start to decline, by your mid 40’s they are really floundering. Fluctuating oestrogen levels, high cortisol and low thyroid status are all essentially reasons to store fat. It is key during the post 40 years to keep blood sugar as stable as possible. Weight gain in mid-life is often tied to estrogen levels. During perimenopause, it is the fluctuation of estrogen (and it’s relationship to other hormones such as progesterone) that can cause challenges for our body to maintain balance. When that happens, fat can become your body’s best friend. After menopause, the reduced estrogen levels overall can cause the body to store extra fat because fat cells can produce estrogen which offers the body a safety net. As the ovaries produce less estrogen, the body turns to other production sources such as the skin, organs and yes, our fat cells. Extra fat cells become insurance for your body to ensure that if the ovaries don’t come through, your body will still be okay, because the fat cells can step in. If you have other mitigating conditions such as bone loss or you are stressed or not eating enough healthy fats, then your body will struggle even further with your fluctuating hormones and will be even more likely to store excess fat as insurance.

8. NOT ENOUGH FAT. Fat fills you up, take it out of food and there is a high likelihood that sugar will be added. Essential fat or good fat is needed to make hormones and gives the mouth the full feeling of satiety that is so important. The right fat can actually help you reduce fat on your body. The revolution of the low fat diets that started in the 1970’s worked to a certain degree, but omitted essential fat and we are still recovering from that brain washing. I’m still seeing clients who think nuts and eggs are bad for you, and cheese is a mortal sin! One of the most important issues in weight loss is feeling full up and not hungry all the time, and fat helps that. Another crucial fact that is forgotten and buried in the midst of time is that calcium ie found in diary food reduces fat absorption. That’s possibly why when the trial of the Atkins diet found no significant increase in cholesterol. (Although long term Atkins is not healthy and is still.. a diet)

9. TOO MUCH ALCOHOL. Those two glasses of wine every night might be disguised in very large glasses and could probably be a lot more than you think. Don’t forget that alcohol as lovely as it is has a lot of sugar in it, which can effect your insulin levels. Check in with the size of glasses you have, and perhaps think about going back to the 1970’s smaller ones! So called average drinkers can tot up nearly 3,000 extra calories per month, that’s 36,000 per year on alcohol. Essentially every glass of wine you have is the equivalent of a slice of cake. So if you drink a bottle of wine a night that’s six slices of cake – a sober thought. I often tell my clients to see glasses of wine as glasses of white sugar, and this can sometimes work.

10. NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER. It is not a myth that often when we are dehydrated we eat instead of drinking water. If you are fully hydrated and drinking until your urine is nearly clear, straw coloured it is far more likely that you will feel full up and not start snacking. A glass of water before meals stimulates the sympathetic system to activate lipase to break down fat for energy use. For up to two hours this water also stimulates the intestines to release motilin, which tells the brain that water is available; thus quieting the stomach’s “hunger pang” cries for water. This hormone also acts as a laxative, so that with water’s lubricating effects, causes easy bowel movements. So when you are having so called hunger pangs, make sure you are not dehydrated first.

With these ten points in mind, is it any wonder that slimming clubs and corporations don’t work long term. They don’t work because they don’t look at you as an individual, they are just out to get money and get you hooked on losing that elusive 7lbs which brainwashes you to think the diet as worked. Months later the weight is back on, and more. It’s an ever additive cycle of tiny successes and huge fails which psychological does you no good. If you have been a serial yo yo dieter and would like to lose weight properly please call me to discuss your needs on 01323 737814/310532