In Need of a Tune Up?

tropicpalm

Calories in, calories burned do not necessarily equal weight loss for everyone. I am living proof of that. I won't bore you with the details,; just know that over the years I have worked with trainers, nutritionists and other health experts in my efforts to lose weight. So, when I read the advice on some of the forum posts, I feel compelled to say something. It's not that simple for some of us! If you are lucky enough to have calorie counting work for you, I am happy for you! But, underlying causes can interfere with weight loss and can't be ignored.

My husband gave me a great analogy yesterday that I thought I should share here: The calories are the fuel, but if the engine (metabolism) isn't running right, then you won't burn the fuel completely. What's left behind is sludge (fat). And, if you put regular gas (crappy food) into a diesel engine , it might run for a bit, but then it will break down (poor health and disease) and quit (gulp!).

The trick is to find the reasons why your body doesn't do what it's supposed to: break down food into useable energy and not store it as fat. If fat has accumulated due to poor eating habits or lack of exercise, then you have to figure out why it's not converting the stored fat to useable energy.

I suggest that anyone who is having trouble losing weight in spite of calorie counting and exercising read any of the books by Dr. Mark Hyman or Dr. Amen. They clearly give insight into medical reasons (hormone imbalances including insulin resistance and thyroid conditions, food allergies, stress) that interfere with weight loss and what can be done to fix them. It's not easy to follow what is necessary to "tune-up" one's metabolism, but it's essential in order for us to see results.

Please be kind to those of us who aren't lucky enough to have bodies that function as well as they should. When I read some of the answers to people who are frustrated by their lack of success, I cringe sometimes. When someone knows that they are doing everything right and still not getting results, the calorie formula may not be the answer and some people are borderline cruel in their curt responses.

I am not criticizing anyone, just hoping that those who are frustrated with lack of weight loss will look for underlying reasons for their struggles and that those who have had success will recognize that one size does not fit all in the weight loss arena.

Here's to great success for all!

Sincerely,
Cat