Unexpected Factors May Cause Difficulty with Weight Loss

At some point in life, almost everyone who has fallen outside of the healthy BMI range has experienced judgment or felt guilty for being overweight. According to a study by Yale University, discrimination against heavier people has risen by 66% in the last 10 years. Often poor food choices, self control, lack of exercise, medications, genetics, or hormonal imbalances are blamed for weight issues. While these can play a big part in your struggle to maintain or lose weight, there are other factors that can also contribute to your ongoing battle. Below are a few reasons why two people can follow the same diet and fitness plan and experience entirely different results.

Unexpected factors that can contribute to weight gain:

• Bacteria in the body. In a small 2009 study from the Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, researchers discovered that stomach bacteria in gastric bypass patients were more beneficial to weight loss than the bacteria found in the stomachs of obese subjects. The study suggested that the right (or wrong) stomach bacteria might play a big role in weight gain and weight loss.
• Fuel efficiency. Historically, some communities have survived off very limited calorie diets. When faced with modern diets, it’s not uncommon for those communities to easily gain weight and struggle with weight loss.
• Insulin levels. Some people require more insulin to keep blood sugars level, however, higher insulin leads to excess body weight and excess weight requires more insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. This cycle makes weight loss difficult.
• Low natural muscle mass. Those born with higher muscle mass burn calories more efficiently than those with low natural muscle mass. The only way to combat this is by building muscle, which can be difficult for some people.

Regardless of how well the scale responds to a healthy diet and regular exercise, it’s important to remember that following good health guidelines is important for your overall health and quality of life. Even with uncontrollable factors that impact weight loss efforts, you can still experience weight loss success through our unique, customized plans. At the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana and Mississippi we offer multiple weight loss options from MyWeight Nutrition and Wellness Counseling to surgical procedures such as gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, or gastric banding. Our goal is to help you achieve long-term weight loss success through counseling, support groups, and a full staff of nutritionists and board-certified surgeons.

To find answers to questions about bariatric surgery in Louisiana and Mississippi, sign up for one of our free weight loss surgery seminars, request a consultation online, or call us at 877-691-3001.