11/30/2024
Trying to lose weight can be incredibly frustrating.
As a society and health care providers, we need to better unstand it, better describe it and talk about it and to support people better. Obesity an weight gain are not the same things. Obesity is a metabolic illness. Please everyone drop all of the stupid ideas that relate to a person's will power and lifestyle choices that cause people shame and only add to harm.
Metabolic illness is not quite the right term as not everyone with obesity is ill. Thus we can call it a metabolic syndrome; where there are multiple physiological processes that are dysregulated.
But, there is the condition of Metabolic Syndrome. The definition of THIS syndrome is a collection of dyregulated processes that include blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation.
But we also need to look at dopamine regulation, leptin, adiponectin, genetics, epigenetics and microbiome. And .. abuse, trauma, and so many things.
Switching over to weight gain, which happens traumatically to women in peri and post menopause, and men in andropause, later... it can be incredibly frustrating and feel entirely hopeless.
Taking HRT doesn't make you lose weight.
Learning through personal experience, is that there are so many factors to this weight gain that sneak in stealthily and slowly over time... lifestyles change depending on who is around us and what our life is doing... lifestyle changes at different times in life. What we eat, when we eat, how much movement we are doing shifts... . habits shift. In our 20's, we run around, have less cash flow, run for buses, skip meals without thinking... eat crap at others... . In our middle age, there's kids, grand kids, more cash flow to enjoy more... more cabs then buses.... .. and then less hormones... and more responsibility and stress. .. . we shift.
The mind-f--ck is that our habits develop to help us cope, to give us relief and balance, and pleasure... and they seem rather innocuous. And we're attached to them. Until we sit down and actually track them. And see what we are actually doing. (which is more work and not very fun. but it is interesting... )
In middle age, we do need to shift. We need to pay attention and put effort into building more muscle mass. Critical for all kinds of reason. We need to adjust to slightly fewer calories. But it is soooo hard after a lifetime of doing things a certain way!! Or if you're surrounded by voracious teenagers that demand high calories foods to maintain their weight and grow!
And, we actually need some help to do it. Because, yes, we need to do some calculations. Yes, we need help with food ideas, portions, amounts, understanding macros. And we need help with increasing muscle mass! And critically, we need accountability and support through the tough spots, because otherwise it is SO easy to give up and fall off. That is our nature. That is natural. That is the natural human condition.
Healthy, sustainable weight loss comes off a pound a week as the body gains muscle and metabolically shifts. So after all those work outs and figuring out the food, you're only a pound down at the end of the week!!! And, that feels tenuous. Like, is it real? Or is that just a different time of day? Drank less water? Measured after pooping? And the next day, that pound is back on the scale. (because of one of the above variables) It plays tricks with the mind..... And, it takes a bit to understand all of it. How much weight training challenge do I need to do to gain muscle vs maintain what I have? am I working hard enough? (do I like this or hate this?!) How do I figure out my macros?
It all takes learning... which takes a couple of months... .
But, if we want to, we can absolutely do it. Don't be hard on yourself. Make sure you have good support. Because it's challenging for our human wiring to do alone.
