Medical Weight Loss: Your Path to a Healthier You

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO LOSE WEIGHT?

1. Age

• At 30 there is a natural gradual decline in lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass utilizes more calories.
• After 40, typically there is a lack of activity level generally decreases which means you are not burning enough calories.
• Hormonal changes occur.
• For women, after menopause there is a significant drop in estrogen that encourages extra pounds to settle around the belly.
• Men, experience a drop in testosterone around the age of 40.
• Both leading to a shift in fat distribution
• Growth Hormone (GH) begins to decrease as well. This helps the body maintain muscle mass and repair.
• Your metabolism (thyroid) slows down (this converts your calories into energy). Increased stress can increase levels of the hormone ghrelin or leptin, which makes you hungrier.

2. You are under chronic stress

• Cortisol plays important roles in the body. It regulates stress, the inflammation, and immune response. Elevated cortisol levels can be caused a variety of issues such as acute or chronic stress, overactivity or issues with the pituitary or adrenal glands, or medication side effects (i.e. prednisone). When your body is in a stressed state, whether good or bad it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system “fight or flight” which creates a state of arousal and is essential for survival situations i.e. seeing a bear in the woods.
• Arousal of the body are things like
• Rapid and shallow breathing to get more oxygen
• Rapid heart rate to pump blood to your vital muscles i.e. heart and brain – increasing blood pressure and possibly formation of artery-clogging deposits
• Tingling or “jelly” arms orles as the blood is going to heart and brain
• Upset stomach as the blood is being redirected to vital body parts
• Muscle tension – tight throat and chest
• Increased metabolic body temperature will leave you feeling of hot and sweaty due to increased adrenaline to cool down your body.
• It also increases your appetite and can cause cravings for salty, sweet, and fatty foods which can lead to insulin resistance (leading to gaining weight). Direct mechanisms (causing people to eat more) or indirectly (decreasing sleep and exercise).
• Brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction
• As you can see the physiological changes in the body due to stress is significant. Prolonged stress leads to high levels of circulating cortisol and decreases the effectiveness of cortisol to regulate both the inflammatory and immune response because it decreases tissue sensitivity to cortisol. High cortisol levels lead to increased inflammatory cytokines production which increases inflammation in the body.
• Chronic stress may also lead to the following: Low testosterone and increased aromatase/ estrogen levels,, Decreased T4 to T3 conversion, (leading to a state of thyroid resistance

3. You are eating less

• We all get busy with life. We often do not make time to prepare healthy balanced meals.
• There are many diets out there but the most important thing to remember is everything is good in moderation. Extreme dieting or chronic calorie restriction can lead to metabolic damage which lowers your metabolic rate. Your body will naturally conserve energy by reducing the number of calories you burn and store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything nutrients.

Ongoing Support and Guidance

We believe that support is essential for successful weight loss. Our team provides ongoing guidance, encouragement, and accountability to keep you on track. Regular check-ins, progress assessments, and one-on-one consultations with our healthcare professionals will ensure that you stay motivated and confident in your weight loss efforts.

Improve Overall Health and Well-Being

Medical Weight Loss goes beyond just shedding pounds. As you work towards your weight loss goals, you'll experience numerous health benefits, such as improved energy levels, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and enhanced self-confidence. Our approach is focused on enhancing your overall well-being, so you can enjoy a more fulfilling and active life.

Start Your Weight Loss Journey Today

Take the first step towards a healthier future by joining our Medical Weight Loss program at Pure Health & Hormone Center. Our caring team is ready to support you in achieving your weight loss goals and improving your quality of life. Contact us now to schedule a consultation and begin your transformative journey today.