Why Weight Loss Medication Is NOT the Solution to Your Weight Loss Goals
Why Weight Loss Medications Aren’t Working for You
The temptation for a quick solution to weight loss is REAL.
We all go through phases where we “fall off the wagon.”
Then out of nowhere, you’re blindsided with a photo of yourself, and you think, ‘Ugh! Is that what I look like?!’.
So you grab your phone and frantically search things like weight loss medications, weight loss app, calorie tracking app, and even weight loss gummies.
You want results FAST. You’re stressed, you’re worried about what other people see and think about you, you feel undesirable, or even unhealthy.
But, my friend, you have been here before.
You have tried the diets, the pills, the calorie trackers.
And yet, here you are again.
You need a different solution.
You need a solution that is longer lasting, that gets at the root of what’s causing weight gain for you in the first place. READ MORE ABOUT THE 4 REASONS YOU’VE STOPPED LOSING WEIGHT
“Why Am I Gaining Weight?”
One reason we gravitate toward fast weight loss methods, like weight loss medication, and even diet and exercise, is because we don’t understand what actually causes us to gain the weight in the first place.
I’m not suggesting you don’t ever choose healthy foods, or add regular movement into your routine.
But as a holistic nutritionist, I often find there are deep-rooted causes of weight gain that have nothing to do with calorie intake, and therefore cannot be solved with calorie tracking or appetite control.
Here are some common reasons for weight gain that you might not be aware of:
chronic stress - stress causes the release of cortisol and epinephrine, which cause glucose levels to rise in the blood. Increase in glucose triggers release of insulin, which leads to weight gain (and insulin resistance)(1,2). We tend to think of stress as being incoming events like relationship conflict, traffic, or work deadlines. But it’s important to remember your body also responds to internal factors as stress, such as elevated or low blood sugar levels, unaddressed pathogens (bacteria, yeast, parasites), and excess hormones.
liver congestion - fatty liver is a common result of a high carbohydrate diet, especially of refined carbohydrates (3). Interestingly, carbohydrates are lower in calories than protein or fat, and because of that, are prioritized in low-calorie foods.
gut pathogens - some pathogens are great at evading the immune system, and being seen on lab work. And since many pathogens thrive on the foods we eat, especially sugars, they can cause us to become more hungry than usual.
lack of sleep - sleep plays an important role in our liver health and immune function. Not prioritizing sleep can lead to increased chronic stressors.
food quality - marketing terms on food labels makes it difficult to know whether a food is actually healthy. Many packaged foods, even “health foods,” are heavily processed, causing a toxin overload. These toxins put stress on the liver, and are stored primarily in fat (called adipose tissue).
mineral imbalance - sometimes it can look or feel like we have excess weight, but it’s not always fat that causes that. Water retention occurs under chronic stress, and/or when minerals are out of balance. Minerals carry either a negative or positive charge - in order for fluid inside and outside of a cell to be balanced, we need to make sure we get a good balance of minerals in our diet.
Nutritionist Recommendations for Weight Loss
Before getting on the weight loss train, it’s worth questioning why you think you need to lose weight in the first place.
Our society is still filled with doctors misrepresenting weight as a measure of health, when it is simply not true.
BMI has long been outdated.
It’s all in the context, which looks different for each individual. Weight cannot, and must not, be a measure of health across the board.
To say that weight is a measure of health is irresponsible, and blatantly ignores the biochemical makeup of each individual.
Health can only be determined by an individualized assessment by a qualified practitioner. And when it comes to weight loss, it’s especially important to assess the whole body.
If it’s been determined that you do need to lose weight, here is what a nutritionist recommends for weight loss, before reaching for weight loss medication or calorie tracking apps:
Weight Loss Tips from a Holistic Nutritionist
Address food quality and macronutrient balance - Many people in the US do not get enough quality plants or protein in their diet. Our climb-the-ladder lifestyle leaves us reaching for pre-packaged foods that are heavily processed or use low-quality ingredients, even if they are marketed as “heart healthy,” “low-fat,” “vegan,” etc.. Addressing the quality of foods you consume is the first thing I do when working with clients 1:1. That is why I developed a heavily researched online course to help with this.
Eliminate gut pathogens - Unaddressed gut pathogens cause a multiplicity of health problems, from disrupting neurotransmitter production, to adrenal overload, to blood sugar handling issues. What this looks like for you, is depression, anxiety, issues with sleep, not handling stress well, constantly hungry, getting “hangry” when a meal is delayed, and unexplained fatigue during the day. When a stressor goes unaddressed, it becomes chronic - this is when your body switches to danger mode - holding on to weight, shutting down cells, tissues, and organs that are non-essential to dealing with stress. Your body is doing what it’s supposed to do, but you are left with the consequences of weight gain, fatigue, and mood disorders. If you are looking for effective weight loss methods, get your gut checked.
Support detox organs - Toxins have an affinity for fat. If your body is full of toxins that it cannot get rid of, it will compensate by holding on to fat stores. Thus, supporting your detox organs, in addition to reducing your intake of toxins, is an important piece of long-term weight loss. Detox organs include:
liver: eating a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods, especially leafy vegetables, drinking plenty of water, and eating good quality fats, will go a long way in supporting your liver.
lymph: lymph is a fluid that runs through a system similar to your veins and arteries. It is responsible for carrying away debris from damaged cells or killed-off pathogens, and carrying immune cells to places where they’re needed. Incorporating at least 15 minutes of intentional movement per day, and drinking plenty of water will help keep lymph flowing well.
sweat: your skin is a major detox organ. Finding ways to sweat every day is important to helping your body get rid of toxins. Infrared or dry sauna, cardio movement, and warm epsom salt baths are all great ways of inducing sweat. The key here, is showering right after you sweat, so that you don’t re-absorb the toxins your body is eager to remove. And (you might be noticing a pattern here), drinking plenty of water throughout the day is important to making sure you have SOMETHING to sweat out.
kidneys/urine: similar to sweat, your body excretes many types of toxins out through the urine. Know what I’m about to say? Drink plenty of water to support kidney health!
feces: Your digestive health is a big factor in ensuring you have at the very least, one good bowel movement per day. Feces are, yet, another major exit strategy for toxins. Digestive health is too complex and individualized to tell you here exactly what you need to do to optimize it, but this guide will help you determine for yourself what can be done to help you poo better.
Prioritize sleep - Not only is troubled sleeping typically a sign that adrenals are overloaded (and thus chronic stress exists), but sleep is when important healing happens in the body. It’s when tissues get to work repairing, the liver does its biggest work while we sleep, and the brain (4) flushes out toxins and waste that built up during the day (similar to lumph). Most adults need a minimum of 7 hours of quality sleep each night. Some ways to improve sleep:
get sunlight first thing in the morning
allow your eyes to see the sunset
prioritize your intense workouts before lunch, saving more calming movement for evenings
turn off all screens 2 hours prior to bedtime
put your phone to bed, away from your own bed
work to balance your blood sugar more effectively
Takeaways
Before you turn to weight loss medication or calorie tracking apps, take a moment to listen to what your body is already telling you it needs.
Your body already has the answers. Restriction from food is the opposite of healthy.
You can lose weight effectively, and still enjoy the foods you love.
If you need help learning to listen to and to trust, what your body has to say?
I’m here for that.
What’s Your Story?
What is your experience with weight loss medications and calorie trackers?
Have you ever considered a more holistic approach? How did that go for you?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below.👇
BLOG REFERENCES
Kolb, Hubert, et al. “Insulin Translates Unfavourable Lifestyle into Obesity - BMC Medicine.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 13 Dec. 2018, bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-018-1225-1.
Kahn, B B, and J S Flier. “Obesity and Insulin Resistance.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2000, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC380258/.
Ludwig, David S, and Cara B Ebbeling. “The Carbohydrate-Insulin Model of Obesity: Beyond ‘Calories in, Calories Out.’” JAMA Internal Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Aug. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082688/.
Eugene, A. R., & Masiak, J. (2015, March). The neuroprotective aspects of sleep. MEDtube science. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/
