Continuous Weight Gain - Why?
There is no shortage of the latest best way to lose weight.
Isn’t it time we understand why we continue to gain weight?
For decades, women were told to focus on losing weight and “slimming down.” Somewhere between the 1890s and the 1920s, Americans' idea of body image changed, and a little bit of fat became associated with laziness. By the 1920s, dieting and counting calories became part of everyday life for women.
Say “hello” to the beginning of weight obsession, guilt, shame, and confusion about women’s health. Clearly, the focus on weight loss does not create positive results.
Considering a majority of people continue to gain weight, year after year, we have an epidemic of obesity and disease. The conversation needs to focus on…
WHY ARE WE GAINING WEIGHT
This may be a surprise, but…..
The scale does not dictate whether you gained or lost pounds due to the amount of calories you ate.
Yes, I just said you do not lose or gain fat only by tracking your calories.
SURPRISING, right?
Let's Dive Into How and Why you may Experience Consistent Weight Gain.
1. Poor Sleep & Chronic Stress are BIG drivers of weight gain.
2. Calories do matter, but the quality of calories is integral for fat loss.
3. Toxic Burden plays a critical role as you continue to gain weight.
4. Lymphatic Drainage is essential for adequately eliminating excess fat cells and inflammation.
5. Exercise is vital for our healthspan and lifespan, but not specifically for losing fat.
Interesting!
Let’s dive in a little deeper.
Poor Sleep Quality and Stress spike cortisol levels. When stressed, the body doesn't prioritize burning fat; it wants to keep it for safety. There are no options but to hang on to it; this will trigger excess cortisol and glucose spikes. When glucose rises, insulin goes up to move it out of your blood. Insulin is a growth hormone, which equates to helping you put on more fat. UGG!!!!
Do you know what else increases on exhausting and stressful days?
Cravings! I assume it is not for salmon and broccoli when having exhausting and stressful days.
Calories: Yes, calories play a role, but how many times have you "lost weight" by lowering calories, only to gain it back and then some?
Why?
1) When you lower your calorie intake, the body gets a signal that you do not need as much food to survive. Therefore, your hormone systems drop your metabolism to match the energy you are taking in. Hence, you will not lose weight as you continue to lower calories.
2) Attempting to function with low amounts of calories is DIFFICULT, and you will need to eat more food. Your body is also likely malnourished, and you will begin to gain weight in that process.
Toxins: They are in our water, air, soil, food, and skincare products. These toxicants accumulate in fatty tissue and cells and block enzymes that help you lose fat. These toxins are stored in fat and can make you sick when released. Therefore, we must also manage the toxins while working on fat loss.
Lymphatic Flow is the body's drainage system. It is part of the immune system, and without proper flow, it contributes to water retention, tissue swelling, and pain. It is also essential for the absorption of dietary fats for appropriate metabolism. Proper lymphatic drainage essentially unclogs the body of toxins and excess fat and improves poor circulation and digestive issues, to name a few.
Exercise: Spending more time on the treadmill is not the answer. However, putting on muscle is. Why? The more muscle, the more glucose can be taken out of the bloodstream, keeping insulin down and improving fat loss. Please don't get me wrong; exercise is vital to our health, cardiovascular system, digestive system, etc., but not because it burns more calories.
“Muscle is the organ of longevity”
Willpower and toughing it out to eat less and exercise more are unnecessary. Your body is more than a simple math equation.
Hopefully, the above will illuminate and help you better understand what may be happening in your body.
You are not alone in seeking the answers.
The body’s systems are impacted by:
Excess stress
Lack of quality sleep
The on again and off again of calorie counting
Too much cardio
Not enough or Zero strength training
Little attention to what and when you are eating
Sitting too long hunched over a computer with bright lights in your eyes
All of these factors cause spikes in glucose and insulin.
Let’s change the narrative around weight loss.
Quit the hustling, grinding, and frustration.
Open up your body to become metabolically flexible.
Create the ability for adaptation, flow, ease, and better energy.
What might it be like if you supported your body systems to work optimally versus constantly wondering what may be happening?
Curious about what the steps are. Reach out, and let's discover it together.
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