CrossFit Attitude

The Top 10 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight

9. Gastrointestinal Function

A dysfunctional gastrointestinal system can sabotage our fat loss in a vast number of ways. Consider the following:

Dysbiosis (imbalance of good to bad bacteria)
Thyroid: Dysbiosis negatively effects the conversion of thyroid hormone in the gut.

Approximately 20% of the hormone produced by the thyroid needsto be metabolized by gut bacteria to become active. If someone has a disproportionate amount of good-to-bad gut bacteria in their gastrointestinal system, there will be a decrease in the amount of active thyroid hormone capable of increasing one’s metabolic rate. Estrogen: Dysbiosis can increase estrogen levels in the body by increasing the amount of an enzyme called beta-glucoronidase. This
enzyme breaks a connection that was made in the liver in an attempt to remove the estrogen from the body. When this connection is broken, the estrogen can go back into circulation and lead to weight gain.

Calorie Increase: Quite interestingly, recent research has demonstrated that a dysbiotic state can lead to an increase in the number of calories extracted from food. In other words, if you have
an imbalance of good-to-bad bacteria, you could be eating a 1500 calorie diet, but are extracting 1,800 calories from your food.

Maldigestion/Malabsorption
If someone lacks proper digestive capabilities, they will not be able to properly break down and absorb the food they eat. This creates a number of issues for the body including:

An inability to digest protein, which provides substrate for neurotransmitters and helps repair numerous tissues in the body.

Poor digestion can be caused by a deficiency in hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which can eventually lead to anemia, a condition characterized by general fatigue, especially to exertion such as exercise. Someone with anemia will have difficulty sustaining intense exercise, which will decrease their ability to lose weight.

Food Sensitivities/Inflammation
Inflammation in the gastrointestinal system leads to weight gain in a myriad of ways. Firstly, gut inflammation creates a stress response in the body, which will then produce cortisol, leading to a number of the issues discussed in the Adrenal section. This can lead to a suppression of the immune system, including the immune system of the gut, leading to an increased susceptibility to infection, which further increases inflammatory cycle. This process can lead to food sensitivities and “leaky gut syndrome”.

Food sensitivities are more common than people think. Well beyond the typical food allergy causing an anaphylactic reaction (i.e. peanuts), food sensitivities are characterized by a low-grade reaction to certain foods that cause an inflammatory response in the body. Again, this leads to a stress response and cortisol release, leading to immune suppression and further gut issues. This viscous cycle will likely continue unless the offending foods are removed, the gut is allowed to heal and the stress response is dampened. However, discovering and addressing your food sensitivities is an effective way to increase your chances for sustained weight loss. A European study recently showed that the removal of specific food sensitivities from the diet can be an effective treatment for obesity, without additional calorie restriction (i.e. dieting) or exercise. This is a profound statement about how food sensitivities affect weight gain and the ability to lose fat.

There are many reasons the gastrointestinal system can lead to fat loss resistance. If your guts do not work, neither will the body’s ability to lose fat.