Over the years, we’ve heard countless patients tell us their frustrations with trying to lose weight.  It seems that no matter what they try, they just can’t make much progress getting to a healthy weight. We can empathize with this frustration because many of us at the clinic have had the same kinds of struggles in our own lives. But there is hope! At InShape Medical, we have helped thousands of patients reach their weight loss goals.  Our medical professionals understand that a person’s ability to lose weight – and keep it off - is not based solely on calories consumed, but also on many complex metabolic factors. Your individual metabolic system plays a very significant role in healthy and effective weight loss. Some of the factors that affect your metabolism are hormones, muscle mass, insulin resistance, exercise, the kinds of foods you eat (not just the calories), and more.   One of the most significant factors for a healthy metabolism is hormone balance.  When your hormones are in balance your body can burn calories more efficiently, making is easier to lose weight and keep it off.  Therefore, hormone imbalance can be a significant factor in your individual metabolism and typically worsens as you age. Hormone imbalance also typically causes many other symptoms besides weight gain and difficulty losing weight. Common symptoms of hormone imbalance include lack of energy, loss of muscle mass, hair loss, irritability & mood swings, brain fog, lack of sexual desire, depression & anxiety, poor sleep, night sweats, and a lowered sense of overall wellbeing.   Thyroid hormone is one of the most important hormones that affect your metabolism.  If your thyroid is not producing enough hormones you may have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Unfortunately, thyroid dysfunction is also one of the most underdiagnosed disorders affecting women, but it also often affects men.  In both men and women, symptoms include weight gain, lack of energy, increased sensitivity to cold, and more. Fortunately, InShape Medical’s Metabolic Reset Program is designed to uncover hormonal imbalances through analysis of your symptoms and lab tests. If your thyroid or other hormone producing glands are not functioning properly, our practitioner will advise you and offer options for treatment.