Our health is affected by more than just the foods we put in our mouth. Things like lifestyle stressors, sleep, hormones and water intake all play a role in our health. When one area is out of balance, it can inhibit our ability to shake that extra weight off we’re hoping to lose.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, I suggest you take a look at these seven non-food related reasons why you might not be able to lose those extra pounds:

1. Your gut is out of whack: Gut health is gaining more popularity in the media, and for good reason. Our gut is connected to every system, cell and function in our body. It houses 70% of our immune system, and the majority of our “feel-good” brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. So when our gut health isn’t optimal, we can experience things like fatigue, indigestion, illness, sugar cravings, bloating, anxiety and the inability to lose weight.

Try this: To help support your gut, try incorporating probiotic-rich foods such as plain organic Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha or unsweetened kefir. Limit sugar intake since sugar feeds the bad bacteria in the gut, and add in a daily probiotic supplement to replenish your gut with good bacteria.

2. You’re stressed: We experience stress all day long. From rushing to get ready in the morning, to trying to figure out what to make for dinner. It never ends. Unfortunately, stress can get in the way of weight loss as well. When we’re under stress, our brain triggers our stress-hormone called cortisol to be released. Cortisol then causes our blood sugar levels to increase, which causes the release of insulin (our fat-storing hormone). It sounds a bit complicated, so here’s a breakdown:

Stress = increase in cortisol = increase in insulin = weight gain

Try this: Although we’re always going to experience stress in our lives, there’s many lifestyle behaviors you can do to help manage it. Some ideas include deep breathing, eating a balanced diet, taking baths, going on walks, journaling, or just having a good ol’ venting session.

3. You aren’t getting good sleep: Sleep is a critical time for our body to recharge. When we don’t get enough of it, every system and hormone in our body is impacted – including our appetite hormones. Ghrelin is our “hunger hormone” and becomes elevated when we don’t get enough sleep. Ever crave more sugar and carbohydrates after a not-so-good night’s sleep? Blame your elevated ghrelin levels for that one. As a mother, I understand that you can’t always control how much sleep you get, but there are things you can do to help improve the quality of it.

Try this: Avoid looking at your phone, computer or television right before bed, keep your room on the cooler side, avoid snacking a lot before bedtime, and try to keep a consistent sleep schedule (even on the weekends).

4. You’re sitting too much– The average American sits for 12-13 hours each day – that’s a whole lotta sitting. Not only are many of us sitting at work, we are also sitting in the car, sitting while eating, and sitting while watching TV. All of this sitting certainly adds up quickly!

Try this: Try incorporating movement all day long. Some ideas could be to set a reminder on your phone or work calendar to get up and stretch every hour, taking the long route to the bathroom, going on a short walk at lunch, or getting up at every commercial break.

5. You’re low on Vitamin D – If you’re a Midwestern like myself, you know that sun exposure is limited throughout the year. More and more research are finding the importance of Vitamin D and its role in our immunity, moods and cancer protection. Studies have also found that Vitamin D can help promote weight loss, and those who are overweight tend to have lower Vitamin D levels.

Try this: Get outside for at least 20 minutes each day, and consume foods rich in Vitamin D such as egg yolks, salmon or cod liver oil. If your Vitamin D level isn’t between 40-80 ng/mL, taking a Vitamin D supplement may be helpful.

6. You aren’t drinking enough water: Sometimes when we feel hungry it’s really a sign that we need to drink more water. Water is critical for flushing out toxins in the body, which are often kept in our fat cells. Drinking more water can also help improve digestion and energy levels, which will also help promote weight loss.

Try this: Aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, an individual that weighs 160 pounds should drink at least 80 ounces of water each day. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, I would suggest adding fruits and vegetables such as lemon, cucumber or pineapple to help flavor it. You can also try adding Dynamic Greens packets for flavor.

7. You’re hormones are imbalanced: Ever feel sluggish, have irregular menstrual cycles, acne, or just can’t get rid of your sugar cravings? These could be signs of hormonal imbalances. Hormones such as insulin, serotonin, cortisol, thyroid and estrogen all play a role in our health. When one is out of balance it can inhibit our ability to lose weight.

Try this: A good place to start is to get your hormone levels checked to see where you stand. Lab tests that include things like a thyroid panel, cortisol, fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C can tell you a lot about what’s going on inside.

So if you’re struggling to lose weight, I suggest you take a look at all the different areas of your health.

Confused on where to start? Contact me today!