Easing your weight loss journey: addressing metabolic issues
Over the past thirty three years I have found that patients who have had difficulty with weight loss have missed addressing one or more key metabolic issues. Issues such as thyroid insufficiency, insulin resistance and hormone imbalance must be addressed along with the usual diet and exercise protocols.
Under-active thyroid function slows metabolism and causes under utilization of calories consumed. A telltale sign of underactive thyroid is a low body temperature. Getting a complete thyroid blood panel is extremely important to make a correct diagnosis. Many practitioners only order one or two parts of the panel.
Insulin Resistance makes it difficult to get glucose into the cells to be burned as energy. Telltale signs are not being able to satisfy hunger and/or being sleepy after meals.
Hormone imbalances, including estrogen dominance and low testosterone, lead to increased fat deposition. Hormone testing can be a real benefit to uncovering imbalance.
In order to figure out why a patient has difficulty with weight loss, there are a number of steps that must be taken:
Make sure that the patient has been following a reasonable diet and exercise routine.
Check for signs and symptoms of the above metabolic disturbances.
Perform necessary lab tests.
Design a treatment plan that addresses an imbalance.
We normally look to see weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week. In our office we have found that some patients are so out of balance that once we get them on the correct path they loose as much as five pounds per week. Want to learn more about how we can help you reach your weight loss goals? Click here to schedule a free consult.
