Beyond Diet & Exercise: What’s Really Preventing Weight Loss?

Losing weight isn’t always as simple as “eat less, move more.” While a healthy diet and exercise are essential, certain health conditions can make weight loss more challenging. If you’ve been struggling to shed pounds despite your efforts, underlying issues like consistently high stress hormone circulation in the body, insulin resistance, and hormonal imbalances could be playing a role.

1. Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Syndrome

What is insulin resistance?
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar by allowing glucose to enter cells for energy. Insulin resistance occurs when the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, causing blood sugar and insulin levels to rise. This can lead to weight gain, especially around the belly, and difficulty losing fat.

Over time, insulin resistance can contribute to metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes:
✅ High cholesterol and triglycerides
✅ High blood sugar
✅ Excess belly fat
✅ High blood pressure

How it affects weight loss:
Since insulin helps regulate fat storage, when insulin levels are consistently high, the body holds onto fat instead of burning it. This makes weight loss much harder, even with calorie control.

2. What Causes Insulin Resistance?

• Excess body fat, particularly around the abdomen
• Physical inactivity
• Diet high in processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats
• Certain medical conditions (e.g., hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome)
• Some medications, including steroids and certain blood pressure drugs
• Genetics

It’s often debated whether insulin resistance leads to weight gain or if excess body fat triggers insulin resistance. While the exact sequence remains unclear, research confirms that the two fuel each other in a vicious cycle, making early intervention essential.

Insulin Resistance & Diabetes: The Connection

The pancreas releases insulin when you eat, to help glucose enter cells for energy production. Cells in muscles, fat, and the liver stop responding efficiently to insulin. More insulin is needed to keep blood sugar stable. Over time, the pancreas can’t keep up with the high insulin demand and blood sugar starts to go up- this is pre diabetes. If this state is not reversed this eventually will lead to diabetes.

💡LEARN MORE: How Insulin Resistance Works? Symptoms and key differences with Diabetes

1. Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

There are no specific signs or symptoms of insulin resistance, but it is often associated with higher body fat levels and darkened patches of skin in certain areas, particularly around the neck and folds of the body.

Key Differences: Insulin Resistance vs. Diabetes

Feature	Insulin Resistance	Diabetes (Type 2)
Blood Sugar Levels	Normal or slightly elevated	High & uncontrolled
Insulin Production	High (compensating)	May decline over time
Reversibility	Yes, with lifestyle changes	Manageable, but harder to reverse
Risk Factor for Diabetes?	Yes, major risk factor	Already developed

Lack of sleep affects hunger-regulating hormones (ghrelin & leptin), making you feel hungrier and more likely to crave high-calorie, processed foods.

2. Inflammation & Its Impact on Metabolism

Chronic inflammation is often linked to high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders. Inflammation can be caused by:

• Unhealthy Diet – Processed foods, trans fats, excess sugar
• Stress & Poor Sleep – Elevates cortisol, increasing belly fat and inflammation
• Gut Imbalances & Toxins – Disrupt digestion and immune response

How it affects weight loss:
Inflammation disrupts hormones that regulate hunger and fat storage, leading to slower metabolism, increased appetite, and resistance to fat burning.

It’s often debated whether insulin resistance leads to weight gain or if excess body fat triggers insulin resistance. While the exact sequence remains unclear, research confirms that the two fuel each other in a vicious cycle, making early intervention essential.

3. Hormonal Imbalances & Weight Gain

If you have high cholesterol, it could be a sign of hormonal imbalances, such as:
🔹 Thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism): A sluggish thyroid slows metabolism, leading to weight gain.
🔹 Cortisol (stress hormone): Chronic stress raises cortisol levels, which promotes belly fat storage.
🔹 Estrogen & testosterone imbalances: These can affect how your body stores and burns fat.

If you suspect insulin resistance or a hormonal imbalance is affecting your weight loss, consult a doctor for testing and guidance. Addressing these underlying issues can unlock faster and more sustainable weight loss results!

💡 The good news? You CAN fix these issues!

While these factors can make weight loss harder, they’re not impossible to overcome. Here are some science-backed strategies to improve metabolism and fat loss:
✅ Balance blood sugar – Eat protein, fiber, and healthy fats to reduce insulin spikes.
✅ Manage inflammation – Avoid processed foods, eat anti-inflammatory foods (turmeric, omega-3s), and improve gut health.
✅ Support hormones – Reduce stress, get quality sleep, and consider thyroid testing if needed.
✅ Exercise smartly – Strength training and interval workouts help regulate insulin and burn fat more effectively.

1. Normal Function: The pancreas releases insulin when you eat, helping glucose enter cells for energy.
2. Insulin Resistance: Cells in muscles, fat, and the liver stop responding efficiently to insulin. More insulin is needed to keep blood sugar stable.
3. Pre-Diabetes & Type 2 Diabetes: Over time, the pancreas can’t keep up with the high insulin demand, leading to chronically high blood sugar (pre-diabetes) and eventually type 2 diabetes if not managed.

🔬 How Saliglasa Helps You Customize Your Weight Loss Journey

Instead of spending months struggling with ineffective weight loss plans, Saliglasa provides a full health review and testing to identify what’s really holding you back.

With our comprehensive health analysis, we help you pinpoint your body’s limitations and create a plan that actually works for you.

Key Tests Offered by Saliglasa:

📌 Insulin Resistance & Glucose Panel – Identify if insulin is blocking your fat-burning ability.
📌 Full Cholesterol & Lipid Panel – Understand how your cholesterol levels impact metabolism.
📌 Hormone Testing (Thyroid, Cortisol, Estrogen, Testosterone) – Find out if hormonal imbalances are affecting your weight loss.
📌 Inflammation Markers (CRP, Homocysteine, Ferritin Levels) – Discover if chronic inflammation is slowing your progress.