Email: hello@cindiyoung.com | Call: 1300 089 969

Email: hello@cindiyoung.com | Call: 1300 089 969

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5 Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Weight & What you can do about it!

Written by Cindi Young & Renee Eldred Naturopath

Losing weight is not always easy and many face this challenge at some point in life. It can be frustrating to find that all your efforts to eat clean and exercise don’t work or what you did before to strip off weight no longer works. For women as we age this can commonly occur in our 40’s & 50’s. Hello menopause and hormone changes!

There are many factors that can impact your ability to lose weight.

  • Diet: A diet high in carbohydrates (bread, biscuits, pastry, pasta, etc) leads to a quick spike in blood sugar. The body then releases insulin to quickly move the glucose out of your blood and into the cells. As a result, excess glucose is stored as fat, and the quick drop in blood sugar leads to quickly feeling hungry again. Increased hunger means eating more calories during the day. 
  • Blood Sugar Imbalances: A diet consistently high carbohydrates leads to chronic elevated blood sugar and high insulin. Once glucose storage is full the cells block further glucose uptake = Insulin resistance. Insulin resistance increases hunger, fat storage and blocks the body’s fat burning abilities.
  • Meal Timing: Are you constantly snacking & skipping meals? Frequent small meals means that your blood sugar and insulin are constantly rising and falling. When there is not enough time between meals, your body has trouble reducing its insulin levels.
  • Calorie Restrictive Diets: When you follow a calorie restrictive diet to lose weight, you not only loose fat but also protein stores. The body reacts to this loss with increased hunger. This increased hunger continues until your protein stores are fully restored. Alongside poor dietary choices, this can often result in putting on more weight than when you started.
  • Irregular sleep habits – Your circadian clock and regularity of sleep habits can have a huge effect on your weight. Just one night of poor sleep causes blood sugar imbalances and also contributes to cravings for sugary foods to get you through the day. Shift workers and people that suffer with insomnia. You should have between 7-8 hours sleep every night.

On the surface, we are told that weight-loss is as simple as eating less and eating a balanced diet and increasing exercise; however, as you know, losing weight is not always that simple.

TOP 5 TIPS TO START LOSING WEIGHT

  1. Reduce your simple carbohydrate intake (bread, biscuits, pastry, pasta, etc), and focus on eating complex carbohydrates (wholegrains, nuts, seeds, lentils, fruits and vegetables)
  2.  Aim to eat 3 meals a day instead of snacking. Eating 3 meals a day gives your blood sugar and insulin enough time to reduce slowly between meals, avoiding spikes and reducing your risk of insulin resistance.
  3. Consume low carbohydrate/glycemic (GI) foods. A diet with lower GI foods means that they take longer to break down into glucose, therefore raising blood sugar slowly, resulting in a slower insulin release, and sustained satiety. Feeling fuller for longer means consuming less calories throughout the day.
  4. Drink plenty of water. Aim for 2-3 litres a day.
  5. Get a good nights sleep. You burn fat when you sleep!

Have you heard about the Metabolic Balance Program?

The Metabolic Balance Program is more than just a diet, it’s about REAL FOOD, no shakes no bars, just real food based on your unique needs. In fact, once you have your own Metabolic Balance nutrition plan, you have the blueprint for your own health for many years to come. Along with your metabolic balance coach to keep you accountable and support you to reach your goals.

Based on a comprehensive blood test, your nutrition plan includes foods that are perfectly matched to your needs, that will regulate your metabolism, reduce inflammation, help you to release unwanted weight and balance your hormones. If you are pre-diabetic, battling high cholesterol and high blood pressure this program can help too.

Seeking the advice of a Naturopath and Metabolic Balance Coach who specialises in weight loss can offer you personalised care journey to better health and a healthy weight.

Want to know more? Book in for our free webinars to learn more.

Call 1300 089 969 and book in your FREE Discovery Call today!

Cindi Young is a leading Gold Coast/Mullumbimby Naturopath with over 20 years experience helping people live happier, healthier lives with a special interest in weight management including the Metabolic Balance Program, hormone and fertility. Available by appointment for online, or face to face appointments at Gold Coast, QLD and in Mullumbimby, NSW. Book your appointment today.