By Dr. Steven Gundry
Gundry.md.com


Losing weight is not easy for most. Anyone who has tried to lose weight before will tell you, it's no day at the beach. In fact, when you put on weight, you might not even realize it. Then you realize, with a start, that your body just doesn't feel like it's yours anymore. 

Instead, your body starts to feel like it belongs to sugar and fat. That's because processed sugars and the wrong kinds of fat can get you hooked on the wrong kinds of food. And once that happens, losing weight is a whole new kind of challenge ... a seemingly impossible one.

But, what if you take good care of yourself - counting calories and exercising - and you're still not losing weight

Could something be sabotaging your weight loss efforts?

The answer is ... yes. In fact, there are a number of enemies of weight loss - five of them, to be exact.


1. Life in the Fast Lane

The fight against obesity is real, and one of the biggest culprits in that fight is moving too fast. Life's gotten pretty darn busy, right? People don't seem to take the time they need to cook the right foods. Even worse, people don't slow down long enough to eat their food slowly.
 
It's just become customary to opt for the fastest, easiest fix - every single time you eat.

And it's not your fault. You've got a meeting, or your son's recital, or your daughter's birthday party. There's just too much to do. So, you try to one-stop-shop, or you eat on-the-go.

The issue is, that kind of eating offers up some detrimental consequences. Fast-food from chain restaurants is causing a real problem in this country. Turns out, some of the latest research proves that shoving large portions of food down your throat, quickly, can repress the release of the hormones that tell your brain you're full.

That means your brain never knows when it's time to stop eating. What happens then? You overeat.

You've got to learn to slow down in order to lose weight. Make the time to cook a healthy dinner. Put it on your calendar, and make it as important as your kids' activities.

Your health is as important as your to-do list.


2. Thyroid Hormones

Do you know what your thyroid's main job is? It's pretty simple - it makes hormones. Then, it pumps them into your bloodstream and sends them to every tissue in your body.

These hormones help your body stay warm, monitor the consumption of calories, and decide how much energy to use when it comes to keeping your organs and muscles working correctly.

Not only that, but your metabolism is tracked by regulating the oxygen used by your body over a certain amount of time. And your thyroid helps with that, too. In fact, when you measure your metabolic rate (BMR), you can assess your thyroid health too.

If your BMR is low, it might mean your thyroid is malfunctioning and maybe even causing you to gain weight.

If you think you're thyroid is getting in the way of your weight loss, talk to your healthcare professional about testing your BMR.


3. Imbalance in Your Gut

Now, trillions of microbes live in your digestive tract. And while most of them are good, dangerous bacteria live in your gut, too.

The bad bacteria in your gut change the way you process fat. Those bad bugs also mess with the system that lets you know when you're hungry or full. So, if you've got more bad bugs in your gut than good bugs, you could have a tougher time getting rid of excess weight.

When it comes to balancing out your gut microbes, the food you eat is really important. When you binge on processed foods, you're essentially telling the bad bacteria to take over. In fact, you're actually encouraging obesity.

But probiotic foods or supplements can actually help you out here. Probiotics will help you fill your gut with good bacteria and even help you decrease your bad bacteria and lose weight.


4. Getting Stressed Out

It happens to everyone. Stress is never fun, and it can wreak havoc on your body. Sure, there are all kinds of stress - the stress of your personal relationships, work-induced stress, or worry over finances. Any number of these stressors can actually cause weight gain.

Perhaps it's because stress is a major factor when it comes to addiction - or maybe it contributes to metabolic issues. 

Whatever the reason, stress can often cause changes in your eating habits, so beware. If you're stressed, look for healthy ways to alleviate your stress - exercise, massage, and getting the right amount of sleep can really help.


5. Is The Right diet Wrong For You?

Too many people think there's one kind of diet for their personality type or their body type. 

The thing is, the right diet might be wrong for you. And how do you even choose between a low fat, low glycemic, Paleo, vegan, or low carb diet?

The common thread in each of these plans is a natural diet, free of processed foods. It's even better if those natural foods are lectin-free plant foods. Nutritionally-dense plant foods can support a lot of beneficial health outcomes - including lowering the possibility of serious illnesses in several cases.

Work on filling your plate with lectin-free whole foods, resistant starches, probiotic foods, and prebiotic foods.

Cut out the following:

• Dairy products? 
• Sugar 
• Processed foods
• Whole grains

You'll be on the right path in no time.

In The End ...The more you know about weight loss saboteurs, the more you can recognize your bad habits and change them. 

And listen carefully to your body. It will tell you when something's wrong. 

You can lose the weight you want to lose. When you know what's in your way, you can get on the path to optimum health.



Dr. Steven Gundry is a renowned heart surgeon, New York Times best-selling author and medical researcher. He is the author of Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution; The Plant Paradox; and out in April 2018, The Plant Paradox Cookbook. As the leading expert on the lectin-free diet as the key to longevity and vitality, Dr. Gundry believes we have the ability to heal ourselves through nutrition if certain dietary obstacles are removed. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. http://gundrymd.com/