Excess Weight Isn’t A Diet Problem…
Ok, does it matter what you eat? Of course! And, I am here to say that most of my patients come to me having done the elimination diet or Whole30 and soon found out that when they tried re-introducing those foods they began feeling sick, bloated, gassy and having loose or constipated stools.
They just figured they simply couldn’t eat those foods, so, as much as they could stand, would avoid them like the plague (until they broke and went off the deep end leading to feelings of failure and disgust).
I have claimed the title “Queen of Programs” because I have tried them all. I too once had a constant struggle with trying to lose those last few pounds, to tone up my belly fat, and to get my weight under control. I was 12 sizes bigger than I am now and it was REALLY hard to face myself everyday when I was trying SO HARD to get my weight down yet nothing had lasting effects.
That was over 20 years ago when I found my way out of the yo-yo diet game and have been able to continue to keep off the weight. This didn’t happen as a result of finding the right “diet” per se. It came from finding the path to address the root cause of my weight gain in the first place.
“Weight Gain is a Symptom of A Deeper Problem”
There are lots and lots of things we can talk about here, but to keep our weekly one-baby-step-at-a-time workshop-style posts, today let’s focus on why your weight gain isn’t necessarily a food problem and how you can learn what the root cause is.
NOTE: Here are the links if you missed our first post about how to Beat Belly Bloat in 2022 or the Inflammation-Belly Bloat Connection post.
One of the very first tests I do with most of my patients is a food sensitivity (FS) test. This test tells us how your immune system responds to particular foods. There are many different FS tests out there and I use this specialized lab since it gives us the broadest picture that any other one on the market that I know of.
Many of my patients have done their own FS test from the internet or even another doctor, but I consistently find they have only tested a very small portion of the immune system responses and hence miss out on seeing what’s really happening on a deep level which limits the ability to treat the root cause in the most powerful way.
The reason I start with a comprehensive FS test is to find out exactly what foods are the likely culprits of weight gain, metabolic and digestive problems. In last week’s post we talked about the conventional inflammatory foods that most people at some point try to remove from their diet for a period of time, which for most people will find some relief from a multitude of symptoms such as headaches, joint pain, belly bloat and mood disorders. The problem that arises when trying this type of elimination diet is that often when people begin to re-introduce those particular foods they realize their symptoms have returned.
This tells me that they have not resolved the root cause. THE FOOD IS NOT THE PROBLEM. There is something else going on that is not allowing them to tolerate those particular foods. If they fix the underlying root cause then they usually can begin tolerating, at least to some degree, those foods again.
Get Dr. Brandy Victory, D.C.’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
All this to say, each person is unique and I find that every patient who does this test realizes that the “healthy diet” they were eating was not particularly healthy for them.
For example, a patient named Heather was battling an excess 15 pounds and was trying all the diets out there. She figured out she felt better when she was off gluten products so she eliminated them as well as the standard inflammatory foods like corn, dairy and soy. Each time she did this she’d feel better for 1–2 weeks but the weight wouldn’t budge and she was extremely fatigued. Getting through the day was a challenge.
Once we figured out her personalized inflammatory food list and she took those foods out she gained her energy back, has lost 11 pounds (in the first 4 –6 weeks) and clearly has more vitality each time I see her.
The crazy thing is, she thought she was eating a healthy diet — gluten free, mainly chicken, turkey, eggs, vegetables, quinoa, and a little fruit and snacking on nuts throughout the day. Sounds really healthy, right?
Her FS test showed she was highly allergic to eggs and gluten, has a sensitivity to green beans and cranberries, as well as walnuts and almonds. There were a few others too. What it comes down to is the healthy diet she was eating wasn’t healthy for her!
So, your problem likely isn’t that you eat too many carbs. You’d be amazed at how many carbs I eat every single day! Your problem likely isn’t that you can’t stick to a diet long enough. Your problem likely isn’t that you don’t have willpower. And your problem isn’t that you are trying hard enough.
What is your problem?
You haven’t found the right key to unlock your healing potential nor have you learned your personal inflammatory foods list and begun working with it.
Are you ready?
Reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation and learn how to get your comprehensive FS test today!
Check out what our patients have to say about working with us!
To Your Greatest Health,
Dr. Brandy Victory, D.C.
