An invitation to Talk Gut, Hormones, and Obesogenic Factors

If I’m not listening and moving to an audiobook as part of The Walking Book Club, I enjoy walking with my neighbor of the last 20 years. Not only do we have kids the same age, we’re close in age, the same height, and prioritize regular physical exercise.

But the number on her bathroom scale will always be about 15–20 pounds lighter than mine. Our body types and genetics are completely different.

I say this to highlight the complexities of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

It’s not a simple topic.

There are more factors involved than simply expending more energy than you consume. The science of weight loss and weight maintenance is complex from the cellular level on up.

In the decades I’ve been working with women to help them achieve optimal health and happiness, the science on the factors that influence optimal weight has grown.

Fifteen years ago, no one was talking about gut bacteria, hunger hormones, or obesogenic factors.

Now, you can find kombucha with probiotics for the gut on most grocery store shelves. Our knowledge has also grown in our understanding of hunger hormones, like ghrelin and leptin.

The environment has also changed in ways that negatively affect our waistlines; obesogenic factors are real and numerous. If all this has you scratching your head in confusion, you’re not alone. It’s a complex topic, but knowledge is power.

Here are a few basic principles that underscore the work I do as a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach:

Optimal weight is about being healthy, not thin.

Yes, excess weight can lead to metabolic disorders, but a “thin” person who smokes and sits at a desk all day can have a higher BMI than a woman who is active on a daily basis and eats “clean,” but still has a little muffin top.

There is no quick fix.

Healthy weight maintenance is about lifestyle. Despite the “promises and guarantees” that have people shelling out millions of dollars, “diets” don’t work, nor do you need pricey powders or the latest technology. It’s about lifelong healthy habits incorporated daily.

Weight is influenced by many factors, not just calories.

The answer to optimal weight is really about finding your personal recipe for health and happiness. While there are common behaviors of people who have lost weight and kept it off and commonalities of Blue Zone communities, we are unique beings. And our needs change as we change as well.

The Walking Book Club is going to be tackling this topic in our Discussion Group for the next eight weeks, and I hope you join us. There may even be a couple pop up workshops on The Real Deal of Weight Loss and Maintenance.

You’re also welcome to reach out directly and book a complimentary call.