weight gain Archives

Posted on 30th June 202414th October 2026 by Yalda Alaoui — Leave a comment

How Much Inflammation Affects Weight Loss?

Hi everyone,

Quick Answer: At Eat Burn Sleep, we explain how inflammation and weight gain feed each other in a cycle. Excess body fat releases inflammatory chemicals (cytokines), which can worsen insulin resistance and leptin resistance, making it harder to feel full and to lose weight. There is no fixed number of pounds, but inflammation can add some water weight through fluid retention, and over time it is linked to fat gain. Breaking the cycle means eating fewer ultra-processed foods, choosing movement that doesn’t overstress your body, staying hydrated, sleeping well, and managing stress, not just cutting calories.

Are you finding it hard to lose weight? Do those stubborn pounds refuse to budge no matter how carefully you diet or how hard you exercise? In my experience with clients at Eat Burn Sleep, chronic inflammation can be one hidden factor underneath.

In this post, I’ll explain how much inflammation affects weight loss, how much of the number on the scale may be water, why some “diet” foods can work against you, and my top 5 tips for losing weight in a way that lasts.

What is Chronic Inflammation?

There are two types of inflammation: chronic and acute. Acute inflammation shows up quickly during an injury or illness; think of a broken bone or a high fever with the flu. Once the injury or illness starts to heal, that acute inflammation settles back down.

Chronic inflammation is different. It’s when your immune system keeps producing inflammatory chemicals long after it needs to. It can be driven by an ongoing illness, stress, excess body fat, poor sleep, a diet high in ultra-processed foods, or environmental exposures.

Conditions that commonly feature chronic inflammation include the following. If you have any of them, please work with your doctor alongside any diet changes:

Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, and Diverticulitis: An anti-inflammatory diet may help reduce flare-ups, improve digestion, and support better gut health for people with these digestive conditions.
Diabetes: Healthy eating habits can help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Speak to your doctor before changing your diet or medication.
Endometriosis: An anti-inflammatory lifestyle may help ease pain, reduce inflammation, and support overall hormonal health in people with endometriosis.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Choosing gut-friendly foods can help relieve common IBS symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea.
Long COVID: A nutrient-rich diet may support general wellbeing during recovery, though research on diet and long COVID is still limited.
Migraine: Identifying dietary triggers and eating anti-inflammatory foods may help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
Psoriasis: Healthy eating and lifestyle changes may help lower inflammation, improve skin health, and reduce psoriasis flare-ups.
Thyroid Issues: A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients can help support thyroid function and promote overall metabolic health.

As you can see, chronic inflammation shows up across a huge range of health conditions, which is exactly why it’s so hard to lose weight when you’re dealing with an ongoing health issue. Addressing the underlying inflammation alongside diet and lifestyle can make weight loss easier, because ongoing inflammation can work against you however disciplined you are.

How Much Inflammation Affects Weight Loss?

Inflammation affects weight loss by making it harder to lose fat and easier to gain it, and extra body fat then drives more inflammation. It’s a two-way relationship, and several metabolic processes sit behind it:

Excess body fat releases inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which raise markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP).
That low-grade inflammation can worsen insulin resistance, contributing to higher blood glucose and fat build-up in the liver, which impairs insulin even further and creates a feedback loop that can be hard to break on your own.
Excess fat and inflammation are also linked to leptin resistance. Leptin is the hormone made by your fat cells that tells your brain you’re full. When the brain stops responding to it properly, satiety signals weaken and it becomes easier to overeat without realizing.

How Much Weight Can Inflammation Actually Cause?

This is one of the questions I get asked constantly, so let’s get specific. Inflammation itself doesn’t add “weight” the way food does, but it drives weight gain in two distinct ways, and it helps to understand both.

First, there’s the fluid side: active inflammation can make your tissues retain water, so some of the number on the scale may come from swelling and fluid retention rather than fat. How much varies from person to person and depends on the cause.

This is why some people ask how much inflammation weight you can hold, how much does inflammation weigh, or how much weight is inflammation. The honest answer is that there is no fixed figure. Some of that weight can be inflammatory fluid, not fat, and it tends to shift once inflammation settles.

Second, there’s the metabolic side: through the insulin and leptin disruption I just walked through, ongoing inflammation is linked to real fat gain over months and years, not just a one-off fluctuation.

So how much weight can you lose by reducing inflammation? There is no guaranteed amount.In my experience with Eat Burn Sleep members, addressing inflammation alongside diet, sleep, and stress often makes steady, sustained weight loss easier than dieting alone, because you’re working on the mechanism and not just the symptom. If your weight changes without explanation, ask your doctor to check for underlying causes.

Can Ultra Processed Foods Cause Inflammation and Weight Gain?

In 2019, Dr Kevin Hall and colleagues at the US National Institutes of Health ran a tightly controlled trial on ultra-processed foods (UPFs). In this two-week study, people eating a UPF diet ate on average around 500 more calories per day and gained weight, compared with when they ate an unprocessed diet (Hall et al., 2019, Cell Metabolism). The study was small and short, so it shows UPFs make overeating easier, not exactly how much weight they cause over years.

Many heavily marketed “diet” foods are UPFs. They often contain artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, high-fructose corn syrup, flavorings, and thickeners, and some of these additives may disturb your gut bacteria and contribute to inflammation. Research here is still developing, and much of it comes from lab and animal studies.

How might that happen? One proposed link is the gut-brain axis. The billions of bacteria in your gut microbiome communicate with your brain through nerves, hormones, and immune signals, and what you eat shapes which bacteria thrive. A diet of UPFs such as diet shakes and ready meals may favor bacteria linked with cravings and inflammation, while UPFs are also simply easy to overeat because they are so palatable and low in fiber.

Another problem is that many UPFs are low in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, so you get plenty of calories without much of what your body needs to thrive.

Some additives may disturb the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. Researchers think this can weaken the gut lining and increase intestinal permeability (often called “leaky gut”, though it is still debated how much it matters in healthy people), which is linked to inflammation.

And as I mentioned earlier, chronic inflammation is linked to weight gain, which is how the weight gain-inflammation cycle can get started.

Top 5 Tips for Lasting Weight Loss

So now you understand how much inflammation affects weight loss and how ultra-processed diet foods can work against you, here’s what I recommend doing instead. These are my top 5 tips for losing weight in a way that lasts:

Ditch the inflammatory foods. Steer clear of ultra-processed meals and snacks, diet sodas, energy drinks, candy, doughnuts, chips, and sugary cereals.
Avoid overtraining. Regular moderate exercise such as walking, strength training, and yoga is anti-inflammatory, but very intense workouts without enough recovery can raise stress hormones. Many Eat Burn Sleep members assume harder is better, when steady, sustainable movement usually works better for them.
Stay hydrated. Thirst and hunger can feel similar, so it’s worth having a glass of water when you reach for a snack and checking whether you’re still hungry afterwards.
Prioritize good sleep. This is such an important and underrated step for sustaining weight loss. I go into exactly why in How Does Sleep Help With Inflammation?
Learn to relax. Cortisol, your main stress hormone, programs your body to store fat around your belly. That won’t shift until you genuinely learn how to relax and build resilience to stress. I cover this in more depth in Does Cortisol Cause Weight Gain?

Lose Weight With Eat Burn Sleep

What I love about the Eat Burn Sleep program is that it brings together food, movement, and stress support to help you tackle inflammation and build healthier habits.

Our meal plans and food lists tell you exactly what to eat. The movement videos show you how to exercise without making inflammation worse, and our meditation guides help you manage stress and keep your cortisol levels in check.

But don’t just take it from me; here’s what our members have to say:

Ingrid says:

“I just wanted to let you know how much of an impact you have made on my life. My weight has always been between 9.7 and 10 stone, and as a result, it’s now been 8st for the last few months. My sister is also a member, and we feel like you are part of the family; you’re the one we go to for advice on almost everything!”

Brooke says:

“I love your ‘soothing workouts’ and all your advice. I also wanted to let you know that when I rejoined last year, I had my physical, and my weight was 172 lbs. My physical last month was 142 lbs. Thank you so much.”

Dina says:

“After just one week of the Six-Week Reset, I have lost 3.5kg. I am thrilled with the result, and I look forward to losing some more!”

Ready to lose weight the easy way? Find out more about our membership options now.

FAQS

Q. How much weight does inflammation cause, exactly?

There is no fixed number, because it depends on the cause and on your individual health. Inflammation can add some water weight through fluid retention, and over months or years it is linked to fat gain through insulin and leptin disruption. Weight that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise is a reason to ask your doctor about underlying causes.

Q. Does inflammation cause weight loss, or weight gain?

Mostly weight gain. Chronic inflammation is linked to fluid retention, insulin resistance, and changes in appetite signals, which can make weight gain more likely. In some cases, a severe inflammatory illness can cause weight loss instead, through poor appetite or higher energy needs, so unexplained weight changes are worth checking with your doctor.

Q. Is inflammation weight fat or water?

Both are possible. Active inflammation can cause fluid retention, which shows up as water weight and tends to shift as inflammation settles. Longer term, ongoing inflammation is linked to real fat gain through its effects on insulin and appetite hormones.

Q. Can inflammation stop you from losing weight?

It can make it harder. Inflammation is linked to insulin resistance, leptin resistance, and fluid retention, which can affect hunger, fullness, and the number on the scale. Addressing sleep, stress, food quality and any underlying condition alongside calories gives you the best chance of progress.

Q. How much weight can you lose on an anti-inflammatory diet?

There is no guaranteed amount. An anti-inflammatory diet built around vegetables, fruit, oily fish, olive oil, nuts, legumes and whole grains can support steady, sustainable weight loss when it replaces ultra-processed foods and creates a modest calorie deficit. Results vary, so aim for gradual progress rather than a fixed number.

Q. Does inflammation weigh anything on its own?

No. Inflammation is a biological process, not a substance with its own weight. What shows up on the scale is the fluid retention and metabolic changes it can cause, not the inflammation itself.

Posted on 23rd June 202430th September 2026 by Yalda Alaoui — Leave a comment

Low-Calorie Foods for Weight Loss

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Hello Everyone.

Do you want to lose weight and not feel hungry all the time?

Are you looking for low-calorie foods for weight loss?

This post is for you. I’m going to share 5 important things about branded low-calorie foods so you can understand exactly what they do to your body. Then, I’m going to show you some higher-calorie meals that are even better for weight loss so you can decide what to eat to lose weight.

Let’s start with the 5 important things you need to know about branded low-calorie foods.

1. Beware of Marketing. Selling Matters More Than Your Health.

2. Most Low-Calorie Foods Should Carry a Health Warning!

3. Most Low-Calorie Foods Will Lead to Even Greater Weight Gain

4. Don’t Count Calories for Weight Loss

5. Low-Calorie Foods for Weight Loss Lead to Misery

1. Beware of Marketing. Selling Matters More Than Your Health.

I started researching low-calorie products and a quick online search led me to ‘low-calorie crackers’. The first one to come up was a sweet chili flavor rice cracker with 106 calories per 25g. That’s about 6 crackers. The marketing focus is on the calories as they are written in big bold type on the label, the same size as the logo.

The label for these crackers tells you they are ‘baked not fried’, 93% fat-free, gluten-free, and are a healthy, delicious low-fat snack.

Here are the ingredients:

Rice (84.5%), Rice Bran Oil (Contains Antioxidant: Soy Tocopherols), Sugar (4.3%), Salt, Milk Powder, Hydrolysed Soy Protein, Tomato Powder, Garlic Powder, Yeast Extract, Soy Sauce Powder (Soy, Rice, Salt), Onion Powder, Acidity Regulators: Calcium Lactate, Sodium Acetates, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Flavor Enhancers: Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Vinegar Flavor, Maltodextrin, Paprika Powder (0.1%), Chilli Powder (0.1%), Colouring: Paprika Extract, Anticaking: Silicon Dioxide, Antioxidant: Soy Tocopherol, Capsicum Extract.

Do these ingredients sound healthy to you? Do you have them in your store cupboard? Why does a simple cracker need to contain so many chemicals? The answer, of course, is that these crackers are an ultra-processed, highly addictive food.

2. Most Low-Calorie Foods Should Carry a Health Warning!

Ultra-processed foods like this are riddled with enhancers, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and other additives. These chemicals damage your gut microbiome and cause gut dysbiosis (Song et al, 2023).

Gut dysbiosis leads to chronic inflammation, which causes obesity!

It’s no coincidence that ultra-processed foods are big business, and obesity and diseases are on the rise. Over 1 billion people in the world are obese. That includes 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children!

3. Most Low-Calorie Foods Will Lead to Even Greater Weight Gain

The bad bacteria that cause obesity love these acidity regulators, flavor enhancers, and anticaking agents. They will let your brain know that they want more of this rubbish so that they can survive and wipe out your good bacteria. This is why ultra-processed foods become addictive.

These chemicals confuse the brain’s hunger-reward system. They trick you into thinking you are eating something healthy, and your body searches for fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Because these foods are nutritionally deficient, your brain tells you to keep on eating, in the hope that you will find the nutrients you need. Ultra-processed food is wiping out our natural eating habits, and the body is starving.

This is why obesity is on the rise. These chemicals are in all low-calorie, marketed foods. Bodies are getting bigger, and malnutrition is getting greater.

But when you eat real food filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, your body knows how to utilize it. You don’t feel constantly hungry with a nutrient-rich diet. And more importantly, you won’t become obese and inflamed.

4. Don’t Count Calories for Weight Loss

The ultra-processed low-calorie rice crackers state that they are 424 kcal per 100g.

We don’t count calories here at Eat Burn Sleep, but look at what you can eat for the same number of calories as these crackers:

A serving of our chicken nuggets @ 200g = 310 kcals.

A serving of our Summer Pudding, 113.2 kcals.

Our Red Thai Vegetable Curry 217.4 kcal

Plus:

Anti-craving Chocolate Shake 92kcal

Plus:

Moroccan Burger 204.4 kcal

Plus:

Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad 268.4 kcal

You could use the same number of calories (or fewer!) and enjoy easily digested, genuinely healthy food that will help you lose weight and make your brain and body happy.

More importantly, look at the superpower nutrients you are putting inside your body in these quick and easy recipes:

Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, C, D, E, K, and folate.
Minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sulfur, and zinc.
Fiber to support your gut microbiome.
Omega 3, the essential fatty acid that helps manage inflammation.
All 9 essential amino acids that your body uses as building blocks for protein.
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant polyphenols from colorful plant foods.

This is why EBS members are putting their weight issues and inflammatory conditions into remission and enjoying one of life’s joys: Eating delicious food. Just like Natasa:

“Since joining the platform 3 weeks ago, I have lost 3kg, and my bloating is gone.

I have bilateral patellofemoral osteoarthritis (severe pain in both knees) and the pain is now much less. I feel like I can finally start doing movement videos that I previously couldn’t do because of my knee pain.

Also, all your recipes are so tasty. Thank you so much.”

Eating this way will fill you up and allow your body to function as it should. It will make your skin glow, your hair grow and shine, your eyes sparkle, and, without a doubt, make you feel full of joie de vivre!

Remember that when your gut is well-fed, your brain is too. Healthy gut bacteria regulate mood balance and our “happy” neurotransmitters like serotonin. Are there many diets out there that can say the same?

5. Low-calorie foods for Weight Loss Lead to Misery

Following a low-calorie diet and counting calories all the time will lead to misery.

Weight loss diets gain popularity because people do lose weight at the beginning. Any weight loss regime is the same, whether it is the keto diet, a low-carb diet, or a low-calorie diet.

But keeping the weight off is the challenge. I know because I have tried most of these diets myself. Have you read Is Ozempic a Safe Way to Treat Obesity?, The Dangers of a Vegan Keto Diet or Is The Keto Diet Good For Diabetes?

When you eat low-calorie, nutrient-poor foods, your body is not satiated. The chances are you will think about food all day long because you are starving yourself of essential nutrients that you need to survive.

When you binge because you are so hungry, your body will hold onto that binge food because it worries that you will starve again. And this is how yo-yo dieting starts. Starve and binge. Weight loss and then even more weight gain.

Over time, the chronic inflammation that comes from eating ultra-processed low-calorie foods leads to weight gain, digestive problems, anxiety, brain fog, and depression. It can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s Disease. Packing your body full of these chemicals is making your mind and body ill.

What to Eat to Lose Weight

If you are looking for weight loss that lasts, I suggest you stop counting calories and stay away from ultra-processed low-calorie foods. It doesn’t work as a weight loss strategy, and it is dangerous, unsustainable, and boring!

Instead, give your body the nourishment it needs to feel energized and shed weight – just like EBS member Helen has done:

“I shed 10 pounds (4 and a half kg) following the Six Week Reset.

I feel so much more balanced and lighter inside and out, plus some digestive issues have disappeared.

The EBS approach is considered gentle and scientifically backed. I’m actively trying to maintain my now thriving gut health ‘garden’ as much as I can, limiting the damage it does in social eating situations.

I’ve never been a great cook, but I find the recipes so easy and filling. My favorites so far are chicken nuggets, zucchini bread, and chicken sausage shakshuka.

Plus, there are options for those of us with a sweet tooth or who can’t face savory protein for breakfast, which doesn’t happen on many healthy eating plans. Thank you, Yalda!”

Ready to lose weight and never feel hungry again? Find out more about our membership options now.

You might also enjoy:

Why Am I Always Hungry?

Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat

Is AG1 Supplement Good For You?

Make every day count in terms of health and happiness. I hope your day is full of both.

Yalda x

Posted on 2nd June 202420th August 2026 by Yalda Alaoui — Leave a comment

Why Am I Always Hungry?

Hi Everyone,

Are you always hungry and never feel full? Feeling constantly hungry can be confusing and frustrating, especially if your doctor is advising exercise and weight loss.

Maybe you’re exercising a lot and not losing weight. Maybe you’re eating low calorie foods that never fill you up. Or maybe you graze all day and just want to know why your appetite is never satisfied.

In this post, we will explore a huge factor contributing to excessive hunger, and I will tell you how to fix it!

Can’t Stop Eating All Day?

Why Do I Never Feel Full and Am Always Tired?

Diet Affects Sleep

How Sleep Affects Metabolism

How Can You Improve Your Sleep?

Can’t Stop Eating All Day

There are several reasons why you can’t stop eating all day:

You are not eating or absorbing enough nutrients. Every day, your body needs a certain amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. If you are not eating enough, or have digestive problems that affect nutrient absorption, you will still feel hungry. This is your body telling you that it needs more nutrients. Our food lists are designed to provide all the nutrients you need and our meal plans will help you feel satisfied and full.
Emotional eating. Are you bored, stressed, or locked into unhealthy habits? I share tips on how to deal with Emotional Eating in the Masterclass Lives series.
Eating too quickly. Take time to enjoy your meals. Sit at a table away from your desk or the sofa and switch off the TV. Listen to calming, relaxing music if you don’t like silence. Put your phone out of reach while you eat. And most importantly, chew each mouthful thoroughly as this helps your stomach to know when it is full.
You are not getting quality sleep! This can easily make you feel hungry all the time. Let’s find out why sleep is so important for feeling full.

Why Do I Never Full and Always Feel Tired?

If you have had medical conditions ruled out by your doctor and you can’t stop eating and feel tired all the time, you are most likely not getting enough sleep.

Several things happen when you don’t get enough sleep:

Your gut microbes can’t carry out their nightly “gut housekeeping” activities to maintain a healthy digestive system.
Cortisol levels rise. This helps your body handle the stress caused by lack of sleep but it also disrupts blood sugar balance, digestion, and gut bacteria.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which keeps lower body fat levels, is dysregulated.
You produce more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and less of the fullness hormone, leptin. No matter what you eat you don’t feel full!
You feel tired and less able to exercise so you have less energy expenditure. All those extra calories lead to more weight gain.
You have less resistance to oxidative stress, which increases chronic inflammation.

How much sleep do I need?

Experts recommend between 7 and 9 hours of sleep for an adult.

There is a rare collection of people with a specific gene (1% of the population has DEC2) that can survive on 6 hours of sleep. But this is a very rare gene and the majority of adults need 7-9 hours of sleep to stay healthy.

Diet Affects Sleep

Firstly, lose the ‘diet’ mindset and embrace ‘nutrition’ instead.

These days, people have diets with a lot of processed carbohydrates, fats, and protein but are not getting the vitamins and minerals essential for health.

We can have bigger bodies but be starving on the inside – which will not help us sleep. If you have the right vitamins and minerals, you are full. When your body is satisfied nutritionally, you are more likely to sleep better.

Not having enough of the right nutrition could cause insomnia, which puts you in a spiral of sleep deprivation and undernourishment. This cycle makes your body more susceptible to chronic inflammation and disease.

How Sleep Affects Metabolism

Our bodies run on a circadian rhythm – an internal 24-hour clock. We have rhythms and patterns for sleep, movement, concentration, digestion, cell repair, brain function, and more!

When we live in harmony with these rhythms, we give ourselves the best chance of being healthy. But when we stay up late staring at screens, snacking on junk food, and not getting enough daily movement or daylight then we disrupt this rhythm and trigger health problems.

If you don’t give yourself the opportunity for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, you disrupt your internal body clock. Studies show that sleep deprivation leads to metabolic dysregulation. This presents as weight gain (usually around the belly), food cravings, poor blood sugar regulation, and inflammation. Chronic sleep deprivation is recognized as a significant contributor to the rise of type 2 diabetes – and it can be avoided.

EBS Members

Check out the article on Insomnia in the Personalized Advice section. Remember that on the 15th of every month, we bring you a new comprehensively researched article in the Personalized Advice section. Do get in touch if there is a specific condition you would like to see us cover.

How Can You Improve Your Sleep?

The first step is to look at your diet. The Eat Burn Sleep anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle is proven to optimize mental and physical health and promote sound, quality sleep.

This is what EBS member Jocelyn has to say about the program:

“I’ve suffered insomnia since February and I’ve tried everything under the sun, all the medications, acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and nothing worked until my friend introduced me to EBS. It’s been a bit less than 3 weeks and I’ll admit I have cheat days… and my sleep is back to 70%.

I see it as a silver lining as I had never heard of chronic inflammation before, so this 2 month’s insomnia experience has made me a lot more health-conscious and opened my eyes to so many things!”

Our food lists and meal plans ensure you never feel hungry and get all the nutrients you need. You will never be reaching for food all day long again!

And, our Movement Videos and Meditation Guides will help you move each day and relax properly, ready for a good night’s sleep.

Here are a couple of teaser dishes to get you inspired:

Savory Rosemary & Chives Paleo Bread Rolls

Slow Cooker Oxtail & Vegetables.

Want to know more? You can check out our membership options here and find more sleep talk in:

What Happens If You Don’t Sleep

Weight Loss & The Link to Sleep

The Benefits of Sun Exposure.

I wish you excellent health and a great day,

Yalda x

Posted on 26th May 20249th September 2026 by Yalda Alaoui — Leave a comment

Is Ozempic a Safe Way to Treat Obesity?

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are well. Today, I want to talk about the diabetes drug Ozempic. It’s one of the big social media topics at the moment because people are using it for weight loss.

However, there are significant health risks to taking prescription medicine for a health condition if you don’t have that condition and without your doctor’s approval. People are buying Ozempic from online pharmacies and unregulated websites, leading to a shortage of the drug for diabetics who desperately need it.

So let’s dive into this topic and see whether Ozempic is a safe way to treat obesity and weight loss, and what the natural alternatives are.

What is Ozempic?

Side Effects of Ozempic

Is Ozempic Dangerous for Weight Loss?

Can Ozempic Affect Fertility?

Long-Term Effects of Weight Loss Injections

Does Lack of Sleep Cause Weight Gain?

Is Obesity a Chronic Disease?

How to Manage Obesity Naturally

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is one of the brand names for semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. The other well-known brand name is Wegovy.

In 2017 the FDA approved the use of Ozempic as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in adults with Type 2 Diabetes. It helps diabetics feel full and reduces their appetite but it is important to note that Ozempic isn’t approved as a weight loss medication.

On the other hand, Wegovy (also semaglutide) is approved as a weight loss drug. However, neither Ozempic nor Wegovy are designed to be used by people who only want to lose a small amount of weight.

Side Effects of Ozempic

Any doctor will tell you that medication has side effects. Doctors weigh up the pros and cons of a medication based on your medical history and the potential benefits to your health. Ozempic is only for patients with Type 2 Diabetes and must be used under medical supervision. It is not meant to be a temporary drug or for people who want to lose a few pounds.

The common side effects, according to Ozempic’s official website are:

Nausea
Vomiting
Stomach pain
Acid reflux
Headache
Dehydration
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Cramping
Constipation

These side effects can kick in within hours of Type 2 diabetics starting the drug which is why the dosage is gradually increased under medical supervision.

There is also a warning about the risk of possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs like Ozempic are known to cause thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. The manufacturers of Ozempic say that the risk of this happening in humans is as yet “undetermined” and only time will tell now that more people are using the drug.

They also warn against using Ozempic if:

You or anyone in your family have ever had Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2)
You are allergic to any of the ingredients in Ozempic. Severe hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis, angioedema) have been reported in patients treated with Ozempic.

They then list even more severe potential side effects:

Inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Their website states that you should stop taking Ozempic if you have severe pain in your stomach, with or without vomiting. Ozempic has not been studied in patients with a history of pancreatitis.
Vision changes.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Kidney problems (kidney failure). As stated on their website, there have been post-marketing reports of acute kidney injury and worsening of chronic renal failure in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists. Some of these are reported in patients with no known underlying renal disease. Most reported events occurred in patients who had experienced nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration.
Serious allergic reactions.
Gallbladder problems.

This is why you need to be under medical supervision if you take Ozempic or Wegovy. Doctors who understand the physiology of semaglutide and know your medical history should be the only people prescribing these drugs.

Is Ozempic Dangerous for Weight Loss?

As I’m sure you’ve realized by now, the risks of taking Ozempic for weight loss are not worth it.

One final point about side effects: Medicine.gov lists all of the precautions about semaglutide, the ingredient in Ozempic, and has added:

You should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways, and you may become suicidal while you are using semaglutide injections for weight loss.

Why put your health at such serious risk when there are easier ways to lose weight? Also, when you stop using the drug, the weight piles back on. It is not a long-lasting, sustainable solution.

To achieve lasting, healthy weight loss results, you need to abandon the idea of a “magic pill” and embrace holistic health.

Weight loss isn’t just a simple matter of cutting calories. It requires knowing what to eat, how to move, and how to deal with negative thoughts that sabotage your weight loss efforts.

This is what the Eat Burn Sleep platform is about. We have food lists, meal plans, movement videos, guided meditations, health Masterclasses, and more, all designed to support you on your weight loss journey.

Can Ozempic Affect Fertility?

No one knows yet if Ozempic affects human fertility or pregnancy, but the manufacturers advise stopping the drug two months before a planned pregnancy.

Animal studies reveal why. In a combined fertility and embryo development study using rats, small doses were given to male and female rats before mating. The offspring had reduced growth and fetal abnormalities in heart and blood vessels, cranial bones, vertebrae, and ribs. In studies using rabbits, pregnant rabbits experienced early pregnancy losses along with increased fetal kidney, liver, and skeletal abnormalities.

Long-Term Effects of Weight Loss Injections

Your doctor will advise you about all the effects of weight loss injections.

Studies show that stopping weight loss drugs, injections, and other weight loss regimes will likely lead to regaining weight within a few months. It stops intuitive eating, so you do not know when to eat and when you are full, which also affects other areas of your health, like sleep.

Does Lack of Sleep Cause Weight Gain?

Yes! Not getting enough good quality sleep will hamper weight loss. Sleep is essential for your body to regulate hunger hormones and appetite. Lack of sleep makes you prone to cravings, overeating, and fatigue. I talk about this topic more in Weight Loss & The Link to Sleep.

Is Obesity a Chronic Disease?

Obesity is a chronic inflammatory condition that can be managed naturally and safely without injections and extreme weight loss regimes. Millions of people struggle with obesity because of highly addictive ultra-processed foods that promote weight gain and inflammation. It takes more than an injectable drug to deal with this issue, which is why we have so many weight loss success stories here at Eat Burn Sleep.

Weight loss can occur quickly on EBS – and it lasts. The only side effects are more energy, comfortable digestion, no cravings, and excellent mental well-being! This is why our program is used and recommended by doctors and medical professionals all over the world.

But don’t just take my word for it. Check out our members’ reviews from people like Kirstin:

“The movement videos really help my energy levels. My immune system has improved, less of the dreaded colds.

Working with young kids I’m constantly surrounded but I’ve been on top form the last year and fought off anything relatively quickly.

Gobsmacked at how quickly I got pregnant as I wasn’t even sure it was even possible.

My skin is clear and fresh not to mention the weight loss of 15kg and rediscovering my wardrobe! My mental health has improved too!”

How to Manage Obesity Naturally

Optimum gut health is the foundation of the EBS approach. It is essential for weight loss because the microbes in your gut regulate appetite and weight balance. Gut microbes can be modulated positively or negatively by different lifestyle and dietary factors and can even ‘turn off’ any hereditary links to obesity (Cuevas-Sierra et al., 2019).

Our food lists and meal plans are designed to nourish your gut flora and keep you energized and satisfied. Snack options are included if you want to snack but the meals are so filling you probably won’t want to!

Try these recipes that aid weight loss (when eaten as part of a varied anti-inflammatory diet, daily): Egg Muffins: Sweet Potatoes, Carrots & Chives, Paleo Energy Bars, and Chicken Tagine With Preserved Lemons.

You will be amazed at the transformation!

Take a look at the program and check out our membership options now.

You may also want to read:

Why Am I Always Hungry?

How to Lose Weight For and During Holidays

Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat Quickly

As always, I wish you excellent health and a wonderful day!

Yalda x

Posted on 19th May 202427th August 2026 by Yalda Alaoui — Leave a comment

Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat Quickly

Hi Everyone!

How can I flatten my tummy? I get asked this question a lot, and I’m pleased to say that my answer never fails!

Every week, I receive testimonials from members saying they cannot believe their weight loss and the difference in their body shape. This is why I’m writing this article about how you can lose belly fat quickly and get a flat tummy.

Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat and Flatten Your Tummy

What Exercise Should You Do Every Day to Lose Belly Fat?

How To Flatten Your Tummy Quickly

Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat and Flatten Your Tummy

Before we dive into the exercises, I need to explain the different types of fat we all have. There are two main types:

Subcutaneous fat is the fat lying just underneath your skin. It is usually harmless and helps regulate body temperature and protect your bones from injury.

Visceral fat lies much deeper in your abdominal cavity. It can build up around your stomach, liver, kidneys, intestines, and inside your arteries. This type of fat behaves in a different way to subcutaneous fat. It releases pro-inflammatory chemicals and hormones, increasing your risk of systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, Type-II diabetes, and heart disease.

Women who have had children are more prone to visceral belly fat than women who haven’t. And when a woman reaches menopause, the drop in estrogen encourages more fat deposition in the belly area – regardless of whether you have had kids or not.

However, both men and women of all ages can reduce the risk of visceral fat build-up by eating foods that do not contribute to belly fat (and some of it is surprising) while doing exercises to strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles.

The key here is consistency. If you want to see positive results, you have to build healthy habits that last.

Trends in exercises and exercise machines for losing belly fat and flattening your tummy come and go. They are not all good for your body. Many trendy exercises can inflame your body, increasing your risk of disease. And some exercises may be fine when you are young but less suitable as you age. For example, I was a runner until my physiotherapist put me off by asking if I wanted joint and bladder issues!

What Exercise Should You Do Every Day to Lose Belly Fat?

Forcing yourself through a grueling exercise routine for an hour every day to lose belly fat isn’t as effective as any gentle movements in the movements section.

Prolonged, intensive exercise has other drawbacks too. Some studies show that high-intensity exercise releases endorphins linked to increased negative feelings and pain. This could be one of the reasons why many people dread this sort of daily exercise and quickly abandon it.

To reduce belly fat and focus on flattening your tummy, start the 6 Week Reset as soon as you can and do these exercises every day:

19-minute Stretch For Digestive Issues

19-minute Core Fire & Body Strength

22-minute Glutes & Core

25-minute Bloat & Digestion

31-minute Powerful Core & Glutes

34-minute Arms, Abs & Glutes

26-minute Yoga & Pilates

I recommend measuring yourself today and again next week to see the difference!

If you do this you cannot go wrong in your quest to reduce belly fat and flatten your tummy.

These powerful movements are easy to follow but do not have you breaking into hot sweats. They are not jarring to your joints and bones so there is no risk of creating future joint issues. Check out the ones with meditations. They are so nourishing to the mind, body, and soul.

How To Flatten Your Tummy Quickly

Start the 6-Week Reset as soon as possible, like today. The 6-week Reset tells you what to eat each day and when to incorporate the exercises and meditation practices. Our Red List of foods identifies the foods that contribute to belly fat. Stick with the Green List foods, with occasional treats from the Orange List and you will be successful!

Follow the daily movement plans and focus on the exercises that develop core strength and tone your abdominal muscles. Get out for a walk as often as you can too. Walking complements the EBS lifestyle, helping you reduce belly fat and gain muscle. I love walking, and I share my reasons why in this article: 10 Reasons to Walk.

Even a 12-minute Morning Wake-up will do wonders to get you started. As long as you enjoy plenty of the anti-inflammatory foods and drinks listed in the Lifestyle Guide, you will never be hungry.

Sleep and Weight Loss

Remember that you will also sleep better when you follow the Eat Burn Sleep program. Good quality sleep is crucial for healthy weight balance and there are many studies to prove this. Overall, adults who have 7- 8 hours of good quality sleep a night have less visceral belly fat than someone who only has 5 hours or less.

Read more about it in this post: Weight Loss & the Link to Sleep.

You can age well and have a flat tummy. And it’s never too late to start working toward this. Weight gain can be safely turned around with the right foods, movement, and relaxation. I do all of the above and am in the best shape ever. I don’t do anything extra!

But don’t just take my word for it. Check out our members’ reviews from people like Ingrid, Selima, and Julie…

“EBS not only helped me mentally, but it also gave me the push I needed to finally take control of my drinking. I used to love a drink at the end of a busy day, but it got so easily out of hand for me and I felt so well by following the lifestyle that I decided I didn’t need to do it anymore. That was last June and I’ve never felt better.

My weight has always been between 9.7 and 10 stone and as a result, it’s now been 8st for the last few months.” Ingrid

“I can’t thank you enough for all the goodness you’ve brought to my life. Feeling so good after a three-year burnout and three kids, thanks to your food and motivational insights. Plus, 10 kilos down with very little effort postpartum!

Thank you!!!” Selima

“I am so impressed with what the EBS lifestyle has done for my body. My husband, family, and friends have all noticed as well. Nearly 5 months later and weighing a healthy 12lbs less than when I started, I love it!” Julie

Do you want results like these? Get started on your flat belly TODAY! Take a look at the program and check out our membership options now.

Once you’ve joined, you can catch the Masterclass Lives on How to Stay Fit Beyond 35, Perimenopause & Menopause Weight Loss, How to Get Rid of Cravings and Emotional Eating.

Does Cortisol Cause Weight Gain?

You’ve probably heard of cortisol, the main stress hormone, but do you know how it affects your body? This powerful chemical messenger influences everything from digestion and mental health to sleep and immunity. But does cortisol cause weight gain? And how can you best manage this?

What Cortisol Does to Your Body

Cortisol is released from your adrenal glands whenever you are under stress. The stress we encounter nowadays is very different from what we experienced millions of years ago. Back then, it was woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers giving us stress! Now, we feel stressed out by busy traffic, credit card debt, and an overflowing inbox.

However, the effect of stress on the body is the same. Your adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol, and you move into the “fight, flight, or freeze” response, which is part of the sympathetic nervous system.

Cortisol has several main actions:

Raises blood sugar levels by breaking down sugar stores in the liver and muscles.
Breaks down fatty acids and proteins for energy.
Raises blood pressure.
Diverts blood away from the digestive system so that more blood and oxygen are available to large muscles in the limbs to help you fight or flee from the source of stress.

In the short term, these actions help you deal with an immediate danger. However, modern forms of stress are chronic and not easily dealt with. Instead, your body remains in a state of near-permanent fight or flight, with chronically elevated cortisol levels.

Does Cortisol Cause Weight Gain?

One of the key signs of dysregulated cortisol levels is weight gain around the belly area. This is because cortisol promotes the growth and differentiation of fat cells. Visceral fat cells that lie deep within your abdominal cavity are much more sensitive to cortisol than fat cells that lie just beneath the skin (Duclos et al, 2012). So, higher cortisol levels encourage the fat cells in your belly and abdomen to grow much larger.

Chronically elevated cortisol also interferes with the delicate balance of thyroid hormone activity. Thyroid hormones regulate your metabolism and play an important role in weight management. Thyroid dysregulation can lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.

Signs and Symptoms of High Cortisol

Some of the common signs of chronically elevated cortisol include:

Weight gain around the belly area.

Fatigue.

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

Lowered immune response.

Gut problems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, bloating, indigestion, wind, constipation, and diarrhea.

Headaches and migraine.

High blood pressure (hypertension).

Muscle tension.

Brain fog, poor memory, and poor concentration.

How To Get Rid of Cortisol Weight Gain

To get rid of cortisol-induced weight gain, you need to work on your diet and lifestyle. Just changing your diet alone will not be enough if you continue to feel stressed by work, family, finances, or other factors. You probably can’t make these problems disappear – most of us have to live with a certain degree of stress! – but you can change how you respond to them.

The Eat Burn Sleep program will help you build resilience to stress and achieve a healthy weight balance.

The meal plans, recipes, and food lists are designed to support blood sugar regulation and hormone health. These foods help you avoid blood sugar crashes (another form of stress!) and provide a balance of protein, fat, and the right kinds of carbohydrate to keep you energized between meals.

Our meditation guides for morning and night help you switch from the sympathetic nervous system into the parasympathetic response. This side of your nervous system promotes healing and repair and the release of calming mood chemicals.

Plus, our workout sessions help you stay strong and flexible without stressing your system and triggering more cortisol. It is important to keep active but exercising too intensely is another form of stress that must be avoided.

This is what EBS member Sharon has to say about our program:

I feel the best in years, with a flat tummy and much less with bloating. I try to follow the program as much as possible and when socializing, I enjoy a few treats, then get back on the green food list.

I’m slimmer around my middle and have a lot of energy. My joints feel so much better. I can tell I have less inflammation in my body.

The workouts are great, and because they are short, I can always fit them into my day.

I will be subscribing for another year in May, thanks Yalda for all your work, in helping yourself, you are now helping so many people.

Would you like to experience the same benefits as Sharon?

Now is the time to take control of stress, lose weight, and strengthen your resilience. Check out what’s on offer in our membership options here and begin your journey to optimum health.

You might also like to tune into these podcast episodes:

Using Sounds to Calm Your Mind

Unstressable

And dive into these articles:

Heart Health: Do You Have a Heart Healthy Lifestyle?

Depression, Anxiety, and Gut Health

Wishing you peace and calm,

Yalda x

What is Chronic Inflammation?

How Much Inflammation Affects Weight Loss?

How Much Weight Can Inflammation Actually Cause?

Can Ultra Processed Foods Cause Inflammation and Weight Gain?

Top 5 Tips for Lasting Weight Loss

Lose Weight With Eat Burn Sleep

FAQS

Q. How much weight does inflammation cause, exactly?

Q. Does inflammation cause weight loss, or weight gain?

Q. Is inflammation weight fat or water?

Q. Can inflammation stop you from losing weight?

Q. How much weight can you lose on an anti-inflammatory diet?

Q. Does inflammation weigh anything on its own?

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This is why EBS members are putting their weight issues and inflammatory conditions into remission and enjoying one of life’s joys: Eating delicious food. Just like Natasa:

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What to Eat to Lose Weight

Ready to lose weight and never feel hungry again? Find out more about our membership options now.

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Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat and Flatten Your Tummy

What Exercise Should You Do Every Day to Lose Belly Fat?

How To Flatten Your Tummy Quickly

Sleep and Weight Loss

But don’t just take my word for it. Check out our members’ reviews from people like Ingrid, Selima, and Julie…

What Cortisol Does to Your Body

Does Cortisol Cause Weight Gain?

Signs and Symptoms of High Cortisol

How To Get Rid of Cortisol Weight Gain

This is what EBS member Sharon has to say about our program:

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