There’s a misconception that everyone’s weight-loss journey can be simplified down to, “Eat fewer calories than you burn.” Unfortunately, the human body and metabolism are significantly more complicated than that. While burning more calories than you consume is an essential part of losing fat, there’s more we can do to do so effectively. BodyPro Wellness Center can support your weight-loss journey by helping you understand all the elements that play into losing fat, effectively.

Understanding The Complex Nature of Weight Loss

When people are seeking to lose weight, it’s expected that losing fat is their true goal. It’s also important to be aware that “weight loss” isn’t always the same thing as “fat loss .” Fat is more than an unsightly area of the body.  Fat is a source of fuel for the body, as well.  Unlike fuel that comes by way of the diet, fat is a stored form of fuel that must be liberated into the blood stream SO THAT it can be burned inside of trillions of cells as a usable source of fuel.  Thinking of fat loss as something that happens in two phases is important.  Some people lack the ability to release body fat from fat cells.  This is a process that requires water (hydrolyzing fat) and fat burning enzymes being stimulated.  

After fat is liberated into the bloodstream, it must be burned inside of the cells.  Understanding, identifying and eliminating the key roadblocks that stop people from using fat provides success.  Some hidden factors include the need for antioxidants, missing nutrients, toxins that block your success, lack of iron, and more can frustrate people.  We like to run a Nutreval test to identify roadblocks, but often something as simple as drinking water can solve the inability to release body fat.

Other things that impact our ability to lose weight include:

• Hydrolyzing Fat – Getting enough water is essential to your weight loss journey. When water meets stored  triglycerides, fatty acids and glycerol are released. This is an essential part of your body burning fat from food.
• Fat-Releasing Enzymes – Stimulating the release of hormone-sensitive lipase can help drive the weight-loss process. This enzyme releases fatty acids from the lipid cells they’re attached to so they can enter the bloodstream. This is accomplished through aerobic exercise and keeping your blood sugar low.
• Carnitine – This vitamin-like substance has been shown to improve the ability of our body to drop weight modestly. The significant dosage appears to be 2000mg per day. Carnitine is found in red meat.  Some people do not eat or have enough Carnitine.
• Get plenty of Iron – Iron plays an essential role in powering our metabolism. More than just carrying oxygen to where it’s needed, specific metabolic processes rely on iron. You won’t have sufficient iron to drive your metabolism effectively if you’re anemic.

Paying attention to these aspects of your health is an excellent start to driving weight loss. It can also help to follow a custom diet and to exercise often.  

Start Your Weight Loss Journey At BodyPro Wellness Center 

Contact our clinic if you’ve been struggling with weight loss and are looking for medically sound help. We’ll arrange a consultation for you with Dr. Tony Ganem, DC and the team here at BodyPro Wellness Center. During your consultation, your medical history will be taken, and Dr. Ganem will evaluate your current and past efforts at weight loss. You and Dr. Ganem will develop an effective treatment plan to help you drop the pounds!

The Skinny Probiotic

Akkermansia Muciniphila is a type of probiotic that lives in the gut, naturally. Recent studies have shown that people who have higher levels of Akkermansia tend to be leaner than groups that are deficient.  These studies suggest that it may help people lose weight and control their blood sugar levels, similar to medications like Ozempic. 

Here’s how it works:

Weight Loss

Akkermansia can increase the number of calories your body burns, which can lead to weight loss over time . It does this by boosting your metabolism and reducing inflammation, which is linked to obesity .

Blood Sugar Control

Like Semaglutide, Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, Akkermansia improves how your body uses and responds to insulin . This helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is important for people with diabetes or prediabetes. The bacteria interacts with hormones and other substances in the gut to achieve this effect.

Eating Less

Akkermansia can also make food transit a little slower through the gut, making you feel full, longer.  This helps people not overeat, naturally.

Akkermansia levels are lower in people with obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic issues . Certain diets like intermittent fasting, low-FODMAP, and keto may increase the amount of this beneficial bacteria in the gut . More research is still needed on Akkermansia supplementing, but current evidence suggests it could be a natural way to manage weight and blood sugar without medications . 

I use it with patients who desire to lose weight and tend to overeat, however, I prefer to run a GI Map test to understand their natural levels before providing the prescription strength of Akkermansia .  

Is Akkermansia right for you?  Call our office and let’s run a test.  714-210-2827