I invited my good friend Dr. Anna Cabeca to post on my blog this week. Read the following article about weight-loss, hormones and menopause.

“I am following the diet to the letter, and yet I’ve hit a dead-end,” a woman recently told me.

She was sticking with a well-designed ketogenic diet that incorporated plenty of veggies and other alkaline foods, exercising consistently, and following other lifestyle factors that I had recommended.

But like many women compelled to lose weight and keep it off, she hit that dreaded plateau. Despite her herculean efforts, that stubborn abdominal fat refused to leave and the scales wouldn’t move.

I know how incredibly frustrating that can feel. I lost over 80 pounds, but then I hit menopause and it felt like I gained about 20 pounds practically overnight.

That weight came back quickly, despite eating a healthy diet and maintaining healthy lifestyle factors like exercise and good sleep. I too had experienced what so many patients had.  Through the years, I’d heard “Dr. Anna, I am not doing anything differently, yet I keep gaining weight!”

Frustrated but determined, my mission became to determine why despite their best efforts, many menopausal women put on weight and struggle to lose it.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked as a gynecologist and women’s health expert to help thousands of women lose weight and keep it off. Eventually, I called my plan the Keto-Green™ Diet, which I discuss in The Hormone Fix.

I want to give you the same tools I’ve given patients to balance your hormones, burn fat, and lose up to 10 pounds in the first 10 days of this diet.

Here’s the not-so-pleasant news: Almost everyone hits a roadblock somewhere on any plan, and this one is no exception.

I want to give patients every bit of ammunition they need to get that needle moving again, and I’ve found that fat burners can give you that nudge you need.

When I say fat burners, I’m not talking about the sometimes-silly or overhyped stuff you see advertised in women’s magazines where you can magically drop eight pounds overnight. (One can wish!)

When I say fat burners, I’m talking about science-based supplements that provide your body the nutrients it needs to utilize and burn fat more effectively.

I did copious research to determine the quality, bioavailability, sustainability, and efficacy of various supplements.

After all, my reputation is on the line here. I wouldn’t recommend anything that research doesn’t support and that wouldn’t create the results these patients demand.

From that research, these five supplements made the grade. Paired with my Keto-Green™ Diet and the healthy lifestyle factors I discuss in The Hormone Fix, they can give you that added spark to burn belly fat and hit your goal weight.

1. Maca. This radish-like tuber grows in Peru’s central highlands and forms the base of my hormone-balancing supplement Mighty Maca Plus. Maca’s weight loss perks include:

• • Blood sugar control
  • Sustained energy
  • Hormonal balance

I’ve outlined 12 major health benefits of maca in The Hormone Fix. One or two scoops daily of Mighty Maca Plus in smoothies or tea provides a good way to harness all the powers of this amazing herb.

1. Medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCTs). Your body prefers to burn this coconut oil-derived fatty acid as fuel (like carbohydrates) rather than store it. When you’re on my Keto-Green™ Diet and need a little energy or focus, MCT oil does the trick. It’s also good for your gut: MCT oils antimicrobial properties help eliminates harmful bacteria to optimize your healthy bacteria. You can drizzle MCT oil over salads or vegetables or enjoy it as part of my Keto Coffee or Tea: Place 1 cup brewed coffee or tea, 1 tablespoon MCT oil, 1 teaspoon unsalted organic ghee, and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamom in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Pour into a mug and enjoy.
2. Omega-3 fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA give fish and fish oil their anti-inflammatory and fat-burning benefits. Fish oil supplements can help you lose weight and maintain weight loss. I use a supplement with 1,000 milligrams (mg) of fish oil in the morning that contains 360 mg of EPA and 240 mg of DHA. Find a high-quality fish oil certified by the International Fish Oils Standards (IFOS) for quality, potency, and purity.
3. Probiotics. These friendly bacteria support a healthy gut and help control your weight. Probiotics also help detoxify the toxic hormones you absorb from your environment that interfere with weight loss. One review of fifteen studies concluded probiotics could significantly improve weight loss compared with a placebo. They also support your digestive system, immune system, all while increasing your resistance to infection. I recommend one dose of 30 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) prior to bedtime. In The Hormone Fix, I discuss the four most highly researched probiotic strains to get the best results.
4. Vitamin D. Vitamin D, which is technically a hormone, is a nutrient superstar that helps your body burn more fat. That’s because optimal Vitamin D levels help your body effectively use your satiety hormone leptin, so you get full faster. Vitamin D also keeps your body from storing fat and can work with calcium to optimize cortisol, a hormone that can store belly fat in excess amounts. Some foods including fatty fish contain vitamin D, and your body can make it when you’re exposed to sunlight for just ten minutes a day. To get all of its benefits, though, you’ll probably need to supplement.. Ask your doctor to check vitamin D levels with a blood test and supplement as needed. The Institute of Medicine advises 600 international units (IU) a day. You might need more, so discuss dosage with your physician. I typically recommend 2000 IU’s per day or more depending on lab results.

When you’re doing everything correctly and yet the scales won’t budge, these supplements might be the trick to finally get rid of that stubborn abdominal fat.

If you’re like most of my patients, you want to do everything possible to get rid of that excess weight, and these fat blockers can be your needle mover.

Paired with my Keto-Green™ Diet and the healthy lifestyle strategies I discuss in The Hormone Fix, they can be the nudge that finally gets the scale moving for good.  Not only will you look better, you will feel better too!

If you want to understand what’s affecting your ability to lose weight, download my free ebook, “What’s Happening to My Hormones”

Dr. Anna Cabeca Bio

Dr. Anna Cabeca, a triple board-certified, Emory University trained physician and hormone expert was diagnosed with early menopause at age 38. Devastated, she set out on a personal wellness journey to reverse her menopause side effects, which resulted in her delivery of a healthy baby girl at the age of 41.  

After experiencing her own health successes, Dr. Cabeca began counseling others, ultimately changing the lives of thousands of women across the globe. Her new book “The Hormone Fix” and other empowering transformation programs have helped women of all ages become their best selves again. Her successful line of all-natural products features the alkaline superfoods drink Mighty Maca® PLUS and the rejuvenating vulvar cream Julva®.

Recently, Dr. Cabeca was named “2018 Innovator of the Year” by Mindshare Collaborative, the premier community for health and wellness influencers and entrepreneurs. In 2017, the Age Management Medicine Group presented her the prestigious Alan P. Mintz Award for Clinical Excellence.

You can discover more about Dr. Cabeca at DrAnnaCabeca.com and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.