Five Familiar Weight Loss Struggles
Which Do You Want to Overcome?
If you are carrying more weight than you should, perhaps the time has come to get serious about dropping the weight. It is better to do something today to protect your health and avoid complications in later life, which overweight can bring. Women seem to experience problems losing weight, and many even feel frustrated because of a lack of success, and just give up trying.1
These feelings are shared by countless women all over the world who battle with their weight, without really knowing why they keep failing in their efforts.
There are various factors involved why women struggle to lose weight, some of which are specific to women only.
Here are some of the most common reasons why women may struggle to lose weight:
Uncontrolled eating: Experts maintain that an essential part of a weight-loss program is to pay serious attention to your portion sizes. If your portions are too large, even if you eat the good stuff, it will sabotage your efforts. Cut down slowly, until your stomach gets accustomed to smaller portions, and then just keep it that way to keep off the weight.2
Wrong foods: Look in your food cabinets or pantry, and if they are loaded with foods in boxes or bags, they are more than likely the wrong type of foods. Check the labels, and if there is added sugar, colorants, or preservatives, then it is food with little, or no nutritional value.2
Eliminate or drastically cut down on the fake foods, including anything made from refined flour or sugar. Load up your plate with nourishing fruit and veggies, as well as lean meat, chicken and fish.3
Hormone imbalances: Hormonal balance in women can be disrupted in many ways.4
- Birth control pills. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking the oral contraceptive which usually contains estrogen and progesterone, can cause fluid retention. There is also evidence that it increases the size of fat cells already present, mainly because of estrogen on the body chemistry. So, if you are on the pill and feel as if you have gained weight, the pill may more than likely be the cause.
- Thyroid issues. If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms such as fatigue, dry skin and hair, unexplainable weight gain, and muscle weakness, it could be indicative of an underactive thyroid. A blood test by your doctor will determine if you have thyroid problems which are affecting your health.
- Cortisol, the stress hormone, can also have a negative impact on your metabolism and your weight. When you are stressed, or constantly have high-stress levels, excess cortisol is released into the bloodstream, which increases your appetite, making you crave sugary carbohydrates, blocking your attempts to lose weight.5
Medications: Research has shown that certain prescription medications can cause weight gain.6 Here is a list of a few common medicines which may cause weight gain:
- Steroids such as prednisone, which are used to treat asthma, and other inflammatory conditions.7
- Synthetic HRT treatment hormones.9
- Cortisone used in treating severe lung infections.10
- Certain antidepressant medications have been known to increase weight by up to 11 pounds in 3 months. These drugs help treat conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Known as mood stabilizers, they react directly on the brain and can cause your appetite to turn on and stay on. Some of the common depression medications which may cause weight gain include Celexa, Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft.11 There might be others as well.
If you gain weight after going onto anti-depressants and feel that you have gained weight, discuss the negative side effects of weight gain with your doctor. If the positive health benefits of the medication outweigh the negative, try and manage your weight by healthier eating and more exercise.
Lack of exercise: If you are not getting much exercise, then you will continue to struggle to lose weight. You may not be very accustomed to exercise and could be concerned that if you suddenly start with vigorous exercise you may injure yourself, stop worrying. Experts agree that even moderate aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is usually safe most people.12
Health benefits you can expect from regular exercise
Exercise combined with a healthy diet is a more effective way to lose weight than with only a lower calorie intake. Regular exercise also offers significant other health benefits by helping to lower the risks or prevent the progress of certain diseases such as:12
- Cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
- Helps to lower high cholesterol.
- Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.
- Exercise increases the blood flow to body organs like the liver, heart, and lungs, which help them to operate better.
- Helps to keep blood sugar levels normal and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
A good way forward
Our bodies operate on a very delicate balance, and we don’t always protect it as we should. If you have been struggling with losing weight and have been unable to achieve your optimal weight, we can help with a healthy sure-fire way to lose weight.
The Clean Start Weight Loss Program is a medically designed and supervised program designed to eliminate the body’s fat deposits, particularly targeting the abdomen, buttocks, thighs and neck.
The program promotes the burning off unhealthy fat, appetite control, helps to stop unhealthy craving, which can result in you feeling better, and looking healthier.
For more information visit www.renewmetoday.com and take the Weight Loss Survey to see if you are a candidate for the Clean Start Weight Loss program.
References:
- draxe.com/5-reasons-women-struggle-to-lose-weight
- cbsnews.com/pictures/10-reasons-women-cant-lose-weight
- womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/portion-size-guide
- https://womeninbalance.org/seventh-woman/causes/
- gethealthyu.com/balance-4-hormones-want-lose-weight
- webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/medication-weight-gain#2
- http://www.webmd.com/asthma/features/is-asthma-changing-your-appetite-or-weight
- mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/antidepressants-and-weight-gain/faq-20058127
- http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/10/06/combatting-weight-gain-after-menopause.html
- http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2013/03/prednisone_works_well_for_rang.html
- http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20545602,00.html
- cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/