Today, I’m going to share some of the not-so-common reasons why you might be struggling to lose weight. Insulin is at the heart of a slow metabolism. Insulin is triggered by sugar and other foods that act as sugar in the body. Ultra-processed foods like chips and Cheez-Its have 0 sugars but contain carbs with very little fiber. They also contain starches—strings of sugars connected together. Starches act like sugar in the body, but worse! They are higher on the glycemic index, so they cause a higher blood sugar spike than sugar. Seed oils can also cause problems with insulin, affecting weight loss. Stress and lack of sleep can also affect weight loss. So, how do you fix an insulin problem? •Reduce sugar and starch consumption •Stop snacking •Exercise •Get more sleep It takes 24-48 hours to get into ketosis. If you have a glass of wine one night and then just one piece of bread the next, you are not going to be in ketosis. Sometimes, your eating plan is working, and you just don’t know it yet. If your hunger is gone and your energy levels are high, your diet is working; you just need to give it more time. Overtraining, poor sleep quality, and certain medications can also interfere with weight loss. The following natural solutions can help reduce insulin and boost weight loss: •Berberine •Apple cider vinegar (ACV)–1 tablespoon in a glass of water •Vitamin D–10,000 IU or a half hour of sunlight daily •Healthy Keto diet with intermittent fasting Once you’ve adjusted to 16-hour fasting and an 8-hour eating window, try switching to an 18-hour fasting window with a 6-hour eating window. You can even work up to 23 hours of fasting with a 1-hour eating window to boost weight loss. Dry fasting can also speed up weight loss. Don’t eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset for 12 hours of dry fasting. DATA: https://formative.jmir.org/2024/1/e51542 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... https://www.bcm.edu/news/dawn-to-dusk... https://www.researchgate.net/publicat...