Nothing can be more frustrating than hearing, “eat less and move more”. When it comes to weight loss, many people find themselves frustrated despite seemingly doing everything right. You might be eating the right foods, exercising regularly, and following conventional advice, yet the scale stubbornly refuses to budge. This phenomenon, known as weight loss resistance, often stems from factors beyond calorie intake and physical activity.

The Hidden Causes of Weight Loss Resistance

Weight loss resistance can result from various underlying issues, such as nutritional imbalances, chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and even environmental toxins. However, one of the most significant and often overlooked contributors is hormonal imbalance. Hormones play a crucial role in regulating your metabolism, fat storage, and overall health.

In this post I will cover five major hormonal culprits behind weight loss resistance—thyroid hormones, cortisol, sex hormones, leptin resistance, and insulin resistance—and how you can address imbalances to support your weight loss journey.

Hang in there with this one- it’s long but worth the read if you are struggling to lose weight!

 

1. Thyroid: The Metabolic Regulator

Your thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism, energy production, and fat burning. When thyroid function is low—a condition known as hypothyroidism—it can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and sluggish metabolism.

Common Causes of Thyroid Imbalance:

Steps to Support Thyroid Health:

  1. Get the Right Tests: Standard thyroid tests often miss subtle imbalances. Ask your doctor to check TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and thyroid antibodies (TPO and anti-thyroglobulin). In some cases, testing reverse T3 can reveal if toxins or stress are blocking thyroid function.
  2. Adjust Your Diet: Avoid goitrogens (thyroid-blocking compounds) found in raw cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli. Instead, enjoy cooked versions of these vegetables, and include iodine-rich foods like seaweed and fish.
  3. Supplement Wisely: A high-quality multivitamin with iodine, selenium, and zinc can support thyroid health. Omega-3 supplements and vitamin D are also beneficial. These are my favorite supplements for thyroid support. 
  4. Consider Hormone Therapy: Some people benefit from combined T3 and T4 therapy instead of standard T4-only treatments. Work with a knowledgeable doctor to find the right balance for you.

2. Cortisol: The Stress Hormone

Stress can have a profound impact on weight loss! Cortisol, the hormone released in response to stress, can promote fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, and disrupt your metabolism.

How Stress Affects Weight:

Strategies to Reset Your Stress Response:

  1. Practice Active Relaxation: Activities like yoga, meditation, and spending time in nature can help lower cortisol levels.
  2. Fix Your Thinking: Your perception of stress plays a significant role. Learn to challenge negative thoughts and avoid overreacting to minor triggers.
  3. Engage in Physical Relaxation: Saunas, hot baths, and other activities that raise body temperature can help discharge stress.
  4. Build Connections: Spend quality time with loved ones to boost mood and reduce stress naturally. Carve out time to participate in activities you enjoy. 

Remember, not all stress is real or immediate. Often, it’s a projection of fear or worry about what might go wrong. Learning to differentiate between real and perceived stress is key to managing cortisol effectively.

3. Sex Hormones: Balancing Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone

Sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone significantly impact weight regulation in both men and women. Imbalances in these hormones can lead to stubborn weight gain and other health issues.

Estrogen: Too Much of a Good Thing

Excess estrogen, or estrogen dominance, can cause weight gain, especially in the hips and abdomen. Factors contributing to high estrogen levels include:

Testosterone: The Muscle Builder

Low testosterone levels in both men AND women can lead to:

Tips for Balancing Sex Hormones:

  1. Eat a Hormone-Balancing Diet: Focus on high-fiber foods, healthy fats, and low-sugar options to stabilize hormone levels.
  2. Poop Daily: Constipation can lead to recirculation of estrogen. Include flax seeds, magnesium citrate, and probiotics in your diet to support digestion.
  3. Exercise Regularly: Physical activity helps reduce estrogen and boost testosterone levels.
  4. Avoid Alcohol: Limiting alcohol can prevent estrogen spikes and support liver health.

4. Leptin: The Satiety Hormone

Another key player in weight loss resistance is leptin, often referred to as the “satiety hormone.” Leptin is produced by fat cells and communicates with your brain to regulate appetite and energy balance. When leptin is functioning properly, it signals your brain that you’ve had enough to eat, helping to prevent overeating. However, disruptions in leptin signaling can contribute to stubborn weight gain and difficulty losing weight.

What Is Leptin Resistance?

In people with leptin resistance, the brain no longer responds effectively to leptin’s signals. Despite having high levels of leptin (often seen in overweight or obese individuals), the brain perceives a state of starvation. This miscommunication can lead to:

Causes of Leptin Resistance:

  1. Chronic Inflammation: Inflammatory markers can disrupt leptin signaling in the brain.
  2. High Sugar Intake: Diets high in refined sugar and processed foods can impair leptin sensitivity.
  3. Poor Sleep: Sleep deprivation reduces leptin levels and increases hunger hormones like ghrelin, creating a perfect storm for overeating.
  4. Excessive Stress: High cortisol levels interfere with leptin’s ability to regulate hunger and metabolism.

How to Improve Leptin Sensitivity:

  1. Prioritize a Nutrient-Dense Diet:
    • Focus on whole, unprocessed foods.
    • Include healthy fats, lean proteins, and high-fiber carbohydrates, which help stabilize blood sugar and promote satiety. Avoid snacking and incorporate time-restricted eating (intermittent fasting) into your routine. 
  2. Get Quality Sleep:
    • Aim for 7–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to optimize leptin levels.
    • Establish a consistent sleep routine and minimize screen time before bed.
    • Supplementing with Melatonin 6 mg before bed can help improve leptin resistance. 
  3. Incorporate Regular Exercise:
    • Moderate physical activity improves leptin sensitivity and overall metabolic health.
    • Resistance training and aerobic exercises are particularly beneficial. Set a goal for steps per day and number of weight training workouts a week and stick with it. 
  4. Manage Stress:
    • Practice stress-reducing techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to lower cortisol levels.
  5. Limit Sugar and Processed Foods:
    • Eliminating sugary snacks and beverages (including fruit juice) can improve leptin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. 

5. Insulin: The Fat-Storage Hormone

When it comes to weight loss resistance, insulin resistance is one of the most significant factors. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels by allowing glucose to enter your cells for energy. It also plays a key role in fat storage. While insulin is essential for energy management, too much insulin—caused by insulin resistance—can lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance occurs when your cells stop responding effectively to insulin, forcing your pancreas to produce more insulin to keep blood sugar levels stable. Over time, high levels of circulating insulin can lead to:

Causes of Insulin Resistance:

  1. High-Sugar Diets: Excessive consumption of sugary and refined carbohydrate foods spikes insulin levels and contributes to resistance over time.
  2. Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity reduces your body’s ability to use insulin effectively.
  3. Chronic Stress: Elevated cortisol levels can impair insulin function and promote fat storage.
  4. Lack of Sleep: Poor sleep quality disrupts blood sugar regulation and increases insulin resistance.
  5. Excess Fat: Especially visceral fat (fat around your organs), which produces inflammatory markers that worsen insulin resistance.

How to Reverse Insulin Resistance:

  1. Adopt a Low-Glycemic Diet:
    • Focus on whole foods with a low glycemic index, such as vegetables, berries, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. Keto and Carnivore style diets can drastically reverse insulin resistance. 
    • Avoid refined sugars, white bread, and other processed carbs.
  2. Incorporate Regular Exercise:
    • Both resistance training and aerobic exercise improve insulin sensitivity by helping your muscles use glucose more efficiently.
  3. Increase Fiber Intake:
    • High-fiber foods like leafy greens, flaxseeds, and legumes help stabilize blood sugar levels and support insulin regulation.
  4. Time Your Meals Wisely:
    • Intermittent fasting or avoiding late-night eating can give your body a break from constantly elevated insulin levels, helping restore sensitivity. Avoid snacking as this keeps your body in a continual state of pumping out insulin. 

Why Insulin Resistance Matters for Weight Loss:

When insulin resistance is present, your body remains in fat-storage mode, regardless of calorie intake or exercise efforts. Addressing insulin resistance is critical for breaking through weight loss plateaus and achieving long-term health.

Your Path to Sustainable Weight Loss

Addressing hormonal imbalances is a critical step in overcoming weight loss resistance. By understanding the role of your hormones, you can shift your body from fat storage to fat burning.

If you’ve struggled with stubborn weight, it’s time to look beyond calories and exercise. Start implementing these strategies today, and you may find that the weight finally begins to come off—along with improved energy, mood, and overall health.

Looking for one on one help uncovering and investigating the root causes of YOUR weight loss resistance? If you are in California, check out my “90-Day weight loss resistance package” on my website. I will order a thorough assessment of these hormones (and more!) and coach you along the way to help you take control of your weight loss journey from a functional medicine perspective. By addressing the root causes of weight loss resistance, you’ll be better equipped to achieve lasting success. Remember, your health journey is personal, and small, consistent steps can lead to significant progress.

Check out some of my other posts about weight loss:

Supplements for weight loss that WORK!

Why you can’t lose weight after menopause

Disclaimer 

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This information is for educational purposes only, please consult with your medical provider before implementing anything new into your daily regimen.