There can be quite a few reasons why you might experience weight loss resistance. The next two articles in this series are going to cover a few of the deeper, underlying reasons why this could be happening.
I realized when I started writing, though, that we should first cover some basic steps that need to be taken before jumping to conclusions that weight loss resistance is even happening in the first place.
(I suppose this article should have a different title but stay with me here!)
In order to create an environment where weight loss can be a priority for your body, these big foundational reasons need to first be addressed.
There are a multitude of ways that our bodies experience dysfunction and problems but at the core they all come down in some way to the body being overburdened and undernourished.
We can get into the nitty gritty of the deeper dysfunctioning happening, and we will in the next two articles, but we have to start with getting back to basics and building a foundation of better health.
If you’ve been trying to get rid of body fat but feel like you’re experiencing weight loss resistance, Take a look at these 5 steps to take. Put in an honest effort into all of these for 30 days. Then if you aren’t seeing your body start to change, it might be time to dig deeper, run some labs, and see what else is going on.
So, first start with this list. You might be amazed at how your body can start to change, even in 30 days with these changes
1) Remove sugar/refined starches, veg/seed oils
Try 30 days without these ingredients and see how you feel!
No idea what I mean by this? The Restart® Program is a great way to learn the basics of a healthy real food diet AND the basics of digestion, blood sugar regulation, and the role fats play in your body.
These sugar and high starch foods cause spikes in blood sugar that lead to increased fat storage, increased inflammation, dysregulated hormones, and a host of other problems.
Refined vegetable and seed oils include soy, canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, and grapeseed. These show up in the majority of restaurant and processed foods so check all labels of anything you eat to see how often you’re getting these oils in your system.
The easiest way to avoid these is to eat foods close to their form in nature. Meats, fish, vegetables, traditional fats like ghee, butter, tallow, olive oil, and coconut. Seek out brands like Primal Kitchen for junk-free condiments and others like Siete for the occasional crunchy snack that isn’t made with bad oils.
2) Add IN high protein foods with every meal.
The best bang for your buck, and the easiest proteins to digest and absorb (that also have the most nutrients) are animal foods.
Choose a variety of different proteins and put a focus on eating “nose to tail.” Not only is this more ethical and sustainable, but it’s more nutritious as well! Humans evolved eating all parts of the animal, including nutrient dense organs, gelatinous parts like joints (making bone broth is a great way to get this!), not just the muscle meats.
Want a cheap, very nutritious, very sustainable, and ethical source of protein to add to your rotation? Try mussels, clams, and oysters! You are automatically eating the “whole animal” and getting a great punch of nutrients. I love keeping frozen de-shelled mussels in the freezer. They’re inexpensive, cook fast, and make a great quick lunch or dinner.
3) Add IN at least two different vegetables to every meal.
Focus on getting all different colors. Corn is not a vegetable and white potatoes don’t count here either!
Vegetables have all kinds of micronutrients and are a great fuel for your microbiome. If you find that increasing your vegetable intake causes more gut problems, that might be a sign we need to pursue a little more gut healing, so just pay attention to that.
Aim for 2-3 colors on your plate along with that hunk of protein.
4) Move your body!
This doesn’t necessarily need to be a “workout,” you just need to not be sitting the majority of the day. Walk, run, bike, dance, play, whatever gets your blood pumping.
A caveat here though, if you are running or working out a lot already and feeling the weight loss resistance, you may need to stop the chronic cardio. That can send a message to your body to hold onto energy and keep your body in a higher state of stress
Adding in resistance training is certainly going to help though with improving your health, body composition, and weight loss goals. Two to three resistance training sessions per week is a great place to be.
5) Focus on sleep.
If you’re not sleeping well, set your evening up as much as you can to allow down time for your brain (NOT looking at a screen), a dark cool room, and a regular bed time.
Sleep is such an underrated part of every aspect of health, as well as weight loss. And in our busy world and “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mindset, it can be hard to make this a priority. (If you’re a mom of little ones I get that lack of sleep is just part of the deal of that season!)
Now, if you have already been putting an honest effort into these areas (be honest with yourself! Keep a food journal for two weeks to see what you’re actually eating), but are still experiencing weight loss resistance, we can consider the deeper causes that I’ll be going into in part two and three.
So, start with these 5 steps if you are struggling to lose weight. And really, if you are trying to better your health in any capacity, these steps still apply! These are some of the big pieces of the puzzle for improving health.
As I mentioned above, a great way to learn how to transition to a whole-foods diet is the Restart® Program, which helps you learn not only how to eat in a more healthful way, but also how food is actually affecting your body. It’s a great first step when trying to take your health into your own hands!
