Weight Gain

Weight gain can sometimes feel like a real mystery. We often jump to conclusions that it’s all about our diet and exercise habits, but there’s so much more going on beneath the surface. Think of your body as this incredible, living machine that runs on energy. When there’s an imbalance in that energy—like when you’re stressed or not sleeping well—it can trigger some pretty clear signals, one of which is weight gain.

When we’re younger, it usually boils down to what we eat (hello, excess calories turning into fat) or how much we move (not burning enough energy leads to more fat storage). It makes sense; you can often shed those extra pounds by cleaning up your diet and hitting the gym more. But then comes that stage in life where those tricks just don’t cut it anymore. That’s when things get interesting—and a bit complicated.

If you find yourself struggling despite making nutritional changes and exercising, it might be time to dig deeper into what's going on with your energy balance. There could be some metabolic dysfunction at play—think stress, poor sleep, insulin resistance, thyroid issues, or even hormonal changes like menopause or low testosterone. The list goes on!

This is where blood work comes into play; getting the right labs done can give you insights into what’s really happening inside your body. Some key tests for evaluating weight loss include: CBC, CMP, GGT, Lipid Panel, HbA1c, CRP, Homocysteine, Iron Panel + Ferritin, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12/Folate, Insulin, TSH, free T4, free T3, TPO antibody, Estradiol, FSH, Progesterone, Total Testosterone, SHBG, and DHEA-S. Other labs to consider for certain circumstances include: Thyroglobulin antibody, reverse T3, Prolactin.

Sure, many people get their blood work done only to hear everything looks “normal,” but here’s the kicker: normal doesn’t always mean optimal! There’s a big difference between being in that ‘normal’ range versus hitting an ‘optimal’ range—and trust me, that gap could be what stands between you and successful weight loss.

Understanding this difference could be game-changing in your journey toward better health. So if you're feeling stuck with weight gain despite doing all the "right" things, don't hesitate to investigate further—it might just lead you to the answers you've been searching for!

Let’s review your labs and help you shed those pounds!

Schedule a 20 min complimentary metabolic consult