How to Find Out WHY You Have Weight Loss Resistance…
weight loss resistance, insulin resistance, thyroid health, hypothyroidism, electrolytes, nutritionist, Kansas City dietitian
The day after a holiday is always hard for me as a pure barre instructor and a dietitian. I hear over and over again, “I had to get in here to work off all I ate yesterday!”
I’d say I hear it at least 10 times if not more, and it’s cringe worthy simply because I feel like women have been led down the wrong road for a long-time. What really sucks is that this road is going to really bite them in the butt when they hit menopause later in life, but that’s a post for another day (in summary, how you are treating your body now will impact how your body handles menopause).
So I am on a mission now to help women figure out WHY they have weight loss resistance, fear of carbs and struggle with body composition because most of the time it’s not just from the Valentine candy you enjoyed yesterday. For some people it is can be from being inactive and not eating healthier foods, but there are so many women that really have something deeper going on that is causing weight loss resistance.
Actually, there are a lot of signs and symptoms that show reasons for weight loss resistance and I review those with clients as well, but I also like to see NUMBERS. This not only gives us a concrete starting point and direction, but helps clients SEE and BELIEVE their body is trying to tell them something.
Here are some of the labs I always order when clients have weight loss resistance:
Insulin. Insulin is an anabolic hormone which means it builds things up. This is good for building muscle, but it also means it’s building fat. If Insulin is high it means the body is probably storing more fat versus using it for energy. It’s also an indication of stress, which creates a whole list of reasons for your body to hold on to fat.
Reverse T3. This is not a common lab for conventional medicine, but it is a must for all clients. The body releases reverse T3 when the thyroid is overworked and is trying to reserve energy stores. Reverse T3 promotes fat storage for this reason and slows down metabolism because it deactivates thyroid hormones. Remember, the body is designed for survival and doesn’t really look at the number on the scale. If the body feels threatened, it will find ways to conserve energy aka store fat.
Sodium. This is an important electrolyte for energy, digestion and low levels can actually contribute to insulin resistance (the fat storing hormone). This is a big one to review with clients because we have been told for years to avoid salt. However, we need salt (which contains sodium and chloride minerals) and having it too low can cause just as many problems as too high. Note: Sodium is a natural occurring element that is in a variety of foods that we do need daily. Salt is a mineral that contains sodium and chloride. So you can get sodium from salt.
Potassium. This mineral is needed to transport energy into the cell. If we don’t have enough potassium we will see a decrease in energy, metabolism and it can negatively impact insulin. Many clients are low in potassium because they have been eating a low carb diet for a long period of time. Potassium is found in potatoes, fruits, squashes – all healthy foods that many people avoid out of fear of gaining weight.
Magnesium. Often referred to as the “magic mineral”. It’s used in hundreds of processes in the body and is vital for stress management. It also plays a role in creating energy so it also impacts metabolism.
I’ll often see low magnesium, sodium, potassium and high reverse T3 and insulin which will allllll slow down metabolism, make you feel exhausted and probably promote weight gain.
If you want to learn more about what labs to look for, download my TOP metabolism guide freebie!
