Tears flooded down her cheeks cascading onto her blouse. I reached out and handed her a box of Kleenex and waited, “Tell me what’s going on.” 

The room was quiet for a moment. 

“It’s my weight,” More tears. “And, I’m doing everything right; everything I know to do. I exercise almost every day; eat whole foods, no gluten or sugar.“ 

As I listened intently, eventually the real culprits began to surface: a troubled marriage, a stressful job, poor sleep, menopausal symptoms, tired all the time and high-strung. Her two children had grown and left home which only added to more feelings of loneliness. 

Modern-day life with its ‘pedal to the metal’ stressors can play havoc on our bodies. And, Martha is not alone in her struggles. At The Renewal Point, we hear stories such as hers every day. 

Are you doing everything right, but still struggle to lose weight? 

A lot of people think the weight loss formula is so simple, “Eat less and exercise more.” In many cases, especially in younger people, this formula may work quite well. However, when it comes to burning more calories than you consume, this so called weight loss equation applies only to perfectly balanced hormone specimens; people who have their cortisol, thyroid, insulin, estrogen and testosterone in optimal balance. (Remember being 20 years old?) 

After years of medical practice, working with thousands of women and men, I have found that until you get your hormones in balance, trimming the waistline will be as difficult as stopping a freight train with your little finger! 

Cortisol 

When too high or too low, you lose muscle and gain fat around the belly. 

Thyroid 

Low thyroid causes a sluggish metabolism along with depression, fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain. Hormone medical experts believe your thyroid numbers should be in optimal range, not just the traditional normal range. 

Insulin 

Insulin is a hormone that stores fat. When your cells become numb to insulin you lay down fat, especially around your belly. 

Estrogen 

Yale researchers recently found that low estrogen levels stimulate appetite (much like leptin, a hormone released by fat that pushes your “hunger button”). 

Testosterone 

Low testosterone levels cause you to gain fat around the middle, arms and legs… and less able to remodel your musculature, even though you may be training like an Olympic athlete. 

 

When all of these hormones are working in harmony, you will find that weight loss is more like it was when you were in your 20s!  But, I do have a word of caution…getting your hormones initially balanced is only half the battle ~ the other half is keeping them balanced, as they continue to change throughout your life. 

 

Dr. Watts, MD, ND, MSNM, Helena Williams, ARNP, MSN, and Angie Lenchinsky, CNM, ARNP are experts in Bio-identical Hormone Balancing and Weight Loss.  With over 25 years experience in hormone balancing, a Board Certification in Integrative Medicine, a Post-doctoral Certification in Metabolic Endocrinology, and a Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine, Dr. Watts has put together a Hormone Balancing and Weight Loss Program that has helped thousands of patients lose weight and keep it off!   

 

If you have been dieting and exercising with little to no result, we recommend that you come see us ~ Renew Your Hormones, Renew Your Life! To schedule an appointment, ask questions, or get more information, you can call us at 941-926-4905 or email us at info@therenewalpoint.com.   

 

References: 

  1. Gold, MS. “Hypothyroidism and depression. Evidence from complete thyroid function evaluation.” Journal of the American Medical Association. (1981) 

  1. Wartofsky, L, Dickey, RA. “The evidence for a narrower thyrotropin reference range is compelling.” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. (2005) 

  1. Gao Q, Mezei, G. “Sex hormones, appetite and eating behavior in women.” 

  1. Sara Gottfried, MD. The Hormone Cure. (Scribner, 2014)