We consistently plan to take better care of our health, including a commitment to ourselves to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Even when we’re sorely tempted by holiday sweets or Halloween candy, we say no. What happens, then, when you just can’t lose weight even though you’re trying so hard?
The Culprit
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight involves more than just counting calories and hitting the gym regularly. The food choices we make play a significant role in our overall well-being, and certain foods can have a negative impact on our weight loss goals. Inflammation, for example, is one critical factor in weight loss that often goes unaccounted for. Inflammation in the body can disrupt various bodily functions, including metabolism, making it harder to shed those extra pounds.
Foods That Cause Inflammation
Most of us are aware of the most inflammatory foods: sugar and trans fats. Both are found in the baked items we purchase from the grocery store. There are many other foods that contribute to inflammation, too, but we may not know about other problematic foods. For example, these foods are highly likely to create systemic inflammation:
- White rice
- Some fruit juices because they don’t satiate the appetite and are often loaded with sugar
- Alcohol
- Processed meats like bacon, sausage, deli meat, and pepperoni
- White potatoes and other nightshades including tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant
- For some people, dairy causes inflammation
- Gluten, even if you’re sensitive but not allergic to it
- Artificial sweeteners found in many low-calorie foods
- Vegetable oils including corn, soybean, and even sunflower oils
- Red meat, including steak and hamburgers
These are the biggest culprits in causing inflammation that hinders weight loss, but you may have others unique to you. If you experience body pain, rashes, or GI upset after eating a specific food, it probably causes inflammation in your body.
How Inflammation Interferes With Weight Loss
Superficially we assume that fewer calories in and more calories burned should equal losing weight but it’s not quite that simple. Inflammation caused by food can lead to insulin resistance, a condition that often makes it very difficult to lose weight and very easy to gain it. There’s also recent research indicating that inflammation affects the hormone leptin, which tells us when we’re full, when we’re hungry, and when to stop eating. It also controls the speed at which our metabolism works. Inflammation acts as a barrier to leptin being released properly in the body, increasing our appetite, and slowing our metabolism because the lack of leptin makes our body think it’s starving.
What To Eat Instead
Using food as medicine is highly underrated. Foods that may fight inflammation include::
- Fatty fish
- Avocadoes
- Garlic
- Turmeric
- Leafy green vegetables
- Fresh fruit
- Walnuts
- Olive Oil
- Dark chocolate
- Black coffee
- Tea (unsweetened)
- Water (even fruit infused water)
Not only are they nutritionally dense, but they help protect your body from being affected by disease and illness causing an inflammatory response.
HEBE Aesthetics and Vitality
HEBE Aesthetics and Vitality serving those in the Atlanta, GA area specializes in medically assisted sustainable weight loss. Contact us today so we can help you create a healthier, happier you.
Disclaimer: The information contained here was not written by a medical doctor and is intended for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for medical advice.
