If only weight management were really as simple as they make it seem. Eat less, move more and in a caloric deficit you will lose weight; right? Wrong…
You see the microbiome or GUT plays a major role in the processing of nutrients and calories as well as influences how the body stores those nutrients and calories. Here are some basic ways that the Gut impacts metabolism and weight:
1. Different bacteria are responsible for different functions. Some love to store fat! If your microbiome is out of balance, your bacteria could have an overabundance of “friends” trying to store some extra for the winter.
2. If your Gut is off, you are likely missing many of the digestive enzymes needed to properly break down macronutrients, resulting in improperly stored calories as well as a lack of nutrient absorption.
3. The “bad” bacteria thrive on sugar. When we have an overgrowth of these bacteria, they will communicate their dietary desires to your brain encouraging you to eat more often as well as crave simply carbohydrates and sugars which are easily stored as fat.
4. Too much “bad” bacteria communicate stress signals to the brain, increasing cortisol the hormone associated with fat storage and blood sugar dips.
5. Leaky Gut leads to inflammation which negatively impacts metabolism.
These are just some examples of how and why we need to balance our microbiome when trying to lose weight. Subscribe to HWCA for more info like this and get first access to Coach Britt’s upcoming podcast interview all about the Gut and weight loss on This Podcast Burns Fat.
*Interested in getting certified in Holistic Gut Health and training with us to become a coach? Message us to request curriculums and discount info.