Addressing high levels of inflammation and weight gain can sound like a daunting task. This is why it is crucial to create a roadmap that addresses the root causes of inflammation in your body. 

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Are inflammation and weight gain connected? Can high levels of inflammation make it harder to lose weight? These are questions we receive frequently. As it turns out, there is actually a strong connection between inflammation and weight gain. It’s important to understand how inflammation can contribute to weight gain or resistance to weight loss, and what you can do to reduce inflammation and finally lose weight for good. 

WHAT IS CHRONIC INFLAMMATION? 

Inflammation is not always harmful. It is a vital part of the body’s natural defense system. The inflammatory response protects the body from danger. In the case of acute inflammation, the body becomes inflamed for a short period in response to injury or illness. For example, signs of acute inflammation typically include swelling, redness, pain, and heat that last for a few days.

On the other hand, chronic inflammation refers to a type of inflammation that persists in the body for an extended period, typically lasting months or years. When inflammation becomes underlying, chronic, and persistent, it can lead to unwanted health issues and long-term imbalances.

SIGNS OF INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY

Unlike signs of acute inflammation, symptoms of chronic inflammation can be subtle and persist for extended periods. The most common tell-tale signs of chronic inflammation in the body include:

• Fatigue 
• Bloating
• Joint pain 
• Stubborn weight gain 
• Weight loss resistance 
• Food cravings 
• Brain fog
• Moodiness
• Headaches 

All of these symptoms indicate underlying inflammation in the body, particularly when they persist for prolonged periods. The key to addressing inflammation in the body is understanding its causes. 

LABS THAT INDICATE INFLAMMATION 

Many panels can help determine whether inflammation is causing imbalances, such as weight gain. The most notable laboratory marker to assess is C-reactive protein (CRP), which indicates systemic inflammation. This is good in that it can indicate the presence of inflammation in the body, but it doesn’t reveal the source of the inflammation. 

When evaluating overall inflammation, it is always best practice to examine complete blood panels and consider the big picture to identify areas of imbalance where inflammation may be at the root. For example, examining intestinal permeability can help identify leaky gut, a condition characterized by gut inflammation. A stool test can indicate inflammation due to a gut infection, such as H. Pylori. 

Many other common lab panels can also help determine inflammation and weight gain. More examples would include a lipid panel, Hemoglobin A1c, homocysteine, iron levels, minerals, and a CBC. 

HOW INFLAMMATION LEADS TO WEIGHT GAIN 

A common side effect of chronic inflammation is unwanted or sudden weight gain that is difficult to lose, despite eating a healthy diet, reducing stress, and exercising. This occurs for multiple reasons, such as:

Inflammation Worsens Metabolic Health and Leads to Insulin Resistance 

Inflammation impairs the body’s ability to process insulin, leading to higher glucose levels. In turn, unregulated glucose levels can trigger further inflammation and weight gain, ultimately leading to insulin resistance. It’s a vicious cycle. 

Inflammation Causes Hormonal Imbalances and Skews Hunger Signals 

Chronic inflammation can cause the dysregulation of hormones. Specifically, the hunger hormones, leptin and ghrelin, can be affected. This can lead to increased appetite, slowed metabolism, and an inability to feel full. But that’s not all. Inflammation can trigger estrogen dominance and liver congestion, leading to the body storing more fat, particularly in the hips and thighs.

 Weight gain caused by hormonal imbalances is often resistant to lifestyle, dietary, and exercise changes. Hormonal-based weight gain (especially in perimenopause and menopause) is often the main reason I see women struggling to lose weight. Once the person can successfully reduce the primary sources of inflammation, weight loss efforts begin to pay off, even during perimenopause and menopause. 

Inflammation Slows Mitochondrial Function 

Inflammation damages the mitochondria’s ability to produce adenosine triphosphate or ATP (AKA energy for our cells). Less ATP means a slower metabolism. A slower metabolism results in fewer calories being burned and more fat being stored. 

Chronic inflammation is a leading cause of weight gain, making it essential to understand how it directly impacts our ability to manage weight. Struggling to manage weight by adopting a healthier lifestyle, diet, and exercise practices serves as a red flag. This often means that weight gain has more to do with underlying inflammation than lifestyle choices or lack of willpower or discipline. 

Inflammation and Leaky Gut

Can your gut affect the relationship between inflammation and weight gain? Absolutely! In more ways than one, the gut is closely connected to the body’s inflammatory processes and the many ways it contributes to weight gain.

For example, dysbiosis, or bacterial imbalances within the gut, can result in a greater abundance of pathogenic bacteria than beneficial bacteria. Pathogenic bacteria contribute to sugar cravings, as they actually feed on sugar. Consuming more sugar will naturally lead to weight gain. That’s not the only way inflammation can disrupt the gut. Dysbiosis can also lead to the malabsorption of nutrients, contributing to nutrient deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies are connected to an increase in inflammation and unwanted weight gain. 

MY CUSTOM ROADMAP TO EFFORTLESS WEIGHT LOSS THAT STICKS

If you are ready to achieve real, lasting weight loss, it’s essential to first establish a healthy weight for yourself. Due to bioindividuality, everyone’s “healthy weight” is different. Healing and establishing your foundations of health will help you determine that baseline.

In my practice, we use a system called the MyClear5 method to help purpose-driven women achieve effortless weight loss, restore boundless energy, and show up fully with vitality for what matters most. We do this through taking five strategic steps (in a specific order) to address root causes of imbalances, such as inflammation and weight gain. 

Phase 1: Build the Foundations for Cellular Activation and Healing 

Phase one involves building your foundations for healing. This includes:

• Balancing blood sugar levels
• Strengthening the immune system
• Boosting mitochondrial energy (ATP)
• Reducing toxin overload
• Calming the nervous system
• Ensuring adequate hydration 
• Getting enough sleep
• Supporting methylation
• Reducing systemic inflammation

Phase 2: Lab Assessment 

Phase two provides a deeper examination of what’s happening within the body. If you’ve been told your labs are always “normal” but you still can’t lose weight, this is often where we get answers that finally make sense! Using functional lab testing, you can assess many factors, such as:

• Blood chemistry panels
• Micronutrient analysis 
• Fatty acids 
• Intestinal permeability 
• Stool testing 
• Food sensitivity testing 

Using your unique chemistry, we can take a deeper look into why weight loss has been so challenging and identify the areas that require direct support. Some examples we see often include liver congestion, excess estrogen, gluten peptide intolerance, gut infections, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and methylation SNPs. 

Phase 3: Open Drainage & Elimination Pathways 

Opening your drainage pathways is a crucial step before initiating any type of detoxification. Many women feel worse when they begin a detox program or start to remove gut infections. That’s because key drainage and elimination pathways aren’t cleared out beforehand, and toxins recirculate throughout the bloodstream, causing more fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog. There are seven detox pathways to consider and support, including:

• Lungs
• Liver and gallbladder
• Kidneys and bladder
• Large and small intestines
• Skin 
• Lymphatic system
• Emotions 

Phase 4: Advanced Liver Detoxification 

After opening your detox pathways, support your liver through a guided detox. Liver detoxification is a prerequisite for reducing inflammation and is often a missing link for many women. It’s important to optimize both phases (phase one and two) of liver detoxification. This includes ensuring you consume the necessary nutrients for proper detoxification, such as B vitamins, magnesium, amino acids, digestive enzymes, and antioxidants. 

A sluggish liver is closely connected to weight gain because it cannot efficiently remove waste and toxins from the body. An accumulation of toxins in the body contributes to inflammation and weight gain.

Phase 5: Resilient Gut Restoration 

As we now know, the gut has a direct impact on inflammation and weight gain. Prioritize the restoration of your gut health by:

• Addressing underlying infections 
• Improving dysbiosis 
• Supporting gut function
• Building a resilient, robust microbiome 

Addressing these foundational aspects of health will put you on the right track to reducing inflammation and maintaining a healthy weight.

ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION FOR SUSTAINABLE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT 

In addition to supporting the foundations of health, there are lifestyle and diet strategies that can further support inflammation and weight management, such as:

Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet 

Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-inflammatory diet consists of eating more green and brightly colored fruits and vegetables, high-quality organic animal fats, and high-quality protein (such as wild fish, pastured poultry, and grass-fed/finished beef). 

For additional support with an anti-inflammatory diet, consider the AIP diet or a diet for leaky gut.

Skip Processed Foods & Added Sugars 

Ditch the processed, packaged foods and those with added sugar. Be diligent about checking ingredient lists for fillers, gums, artificial flavors, and sweeteners (including stevia). All of these added ingredients contribute to inflammation and influence hunger hormones. 

Reduce Cortisol with Rest & Chronic Stress Relief

Address high cortisol levels through stress management and adequate sleep. Aim to sleep 7-9 hours per night. Additionally, explore stress management techniques that work for you, such as deep breathing, keeping a gratitude journal, and prayer. 

Exercise Smart, Not Hard

Overexercising is counterproductive and can lead to increased inflammation levels. Instead of focusing solely on high-intensity workouts, incorporate more gentle movements, such as walking, stretching, and biking. As they say, “exercise smarter, not harder.”

Increase Vitamins & Minerals That Support Fat Metabolism

Increasing your nutrient intake through diet and targeted supplementation can help enhance your metabolic function. Vitamins and minerals that are especially important for your metabolism include:

• Minerals 
• B vitamins 
• Magnesium 
• L-Carnitine 
• Inositol 
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D

Power Up Your Metabolism with Adequate Protein 

Protein packs a bug punch to support weight loss! Most women are accidentally undereating protein. Ensuring you are getting adequate protein for your current and goal weight is essential to support metabolism and effective weight loss! 

Keeping a food journal for 1-2 weeks can help you calculate and assess your current protein intake, comparing it to your goal intake. Everyone’s needs will be different, so it is key to know what will work best for your body and specific goals. 

Increase Water & Hydration 

Prioritizing true hydration on a cellular level will help water absorption. Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of filtered water per day as a starting point. Adding electrolytes and minerals to filtered drinking water can support not only cellular hydration but also provide an energy boost! 

When to Consider Functional Testing 

To further support your body in reducing inflammation and managing weight, consider functional testing. The following functional tests have proven to be effective in addressing the root cause of inflammation:

• Custom Functional Medicine Wellness Panel 
• Mediator Release Test (MRT) Leap Food Sensitivity Testing
• GI Mapping 
• Micronutrient Testing 

Bonus Testing For Some Challenging Cases: 

• ERMI home mold and mycotoxin panel testing 
• Urine and blood heavy metal analysis 
• DUTCH hormone panel 

WRAPPING IT ALL UP: HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & INCREASE ENERGY

Addressing high levels of inflammation and weight gain can sound like a daunting task. This is why it is crucial to create a roadmap that addresses the root causes of inflammation in your body. 

Know that effective weight loss is more than possible, even if you’ve felt like nothing has worked before. There’s a strong possibility you just haven’t found the root of inflammation causing stubborn weight gain or weight loss resistance. 

Weight loss is also personal, and no two people should be on the same weight loss plan. For a completely customized approach to reducing inflammation, losing weight, increasing energy, and restoring vitality for decades to come, without restricting more foods and calories, explore how I can help you through my personalized 1:1 coaching program using our MyClear 5 method. 

It’s time to focus on healing inflammation as the path to healthy and effective weight management. Let me know in the comments if this approach to weight loss resonates with you. I would love to chat with you about it! 

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