Weeks of Pilates, cutting out evening carbs, logging 10,000 steps — and the scale is frozen, as if waiting for a miracle that never happens. I think many of us have found ourselves in this strange, quietly disappointing place.
We tend to chalk it up to a lack of willpower or poor calorie counting. But what if it’s not how much you eat, but what’s missing inside you? I’m talking about hidden deficiencies — those very vitamins and minerals whose absence turns your metabolism into a creaky old mill.
Metabolism is a fickle thing. It vitally needs little helpers. When vitamins (especially B vitamins, more on that later) or iron are deficient, the enzymes responsible for breaking down fats and proteins become offended and stop working. You know that feeling when, after a great workout, your muscles ache for not one, but three days? It’s that sneaky sign of a breakdown.
And here’s where a paradox arises: the body, deprived of energy from food (due to poor enzyme function), begins to panic. Some experts believe that in this state, it may try to switch to fat tissue as an emergency fuel source.
Sounds good? But in practice, this often leads to the opposite effect — the body begins storing everything “for a rainy day,” especially in the most strategic places (yes, I’m talking about internal organs). It’s like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.
And then there are hormones. Where would we be without them? Cortisol (our eternal stress companion), insulin, and thyroid hormones are directly dependent on whether we have enough “building blocks” in the form of micronutrients.
Low selenium or an iron deficiency? Your thyroid slows down. And that means everything slows down. This is why sometimes a genuine calorie deficit and regular boxing or running don’t work: you’re tilting at windmills, ignoring the real enemy — your inner emptiness.
Let’s take a look at the main characters of this invisible front. No unnecessary drama, just facts I’ve tested on myself (and on the experiences of friends who cried into my shoulder after a month of “healthy eating”).
🍃 Group B: Energy Conductors
B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 — this team operates your body’s energy system. Without them, the synthesis of neurotransmitters (read: a good mood and lack of anxiety) is impossible. A loss of energy, a strange craving for sweets in the middle of the day, hair that stays in your brush instead of on your head? Perhaps they’re crying out for help.
Of course, diagnosing based on how you feel is a thankless task, but these signals are worth listening to. The best solution is to donate blood. And yes, it’s best to take B vitamins in the morning, otherwise you risk staying up late, replaying the events of the day in your head.
✨ Chromium: That Friend That Doesn’t Burn Fat
Let’s be honest here: chromium isn’t a magic pill. But it is a brilliant negotiator. Its job is to help insulin open cells to glucose. When you’re low on chromium, your blood sugar fluctuates, you crave chocolate and then cookies (sound familiar?), and your energy drops right after lunch. Taking chromium (usually in the form of picolinate) with meals helps calm your body: energy is absorbed smoothly, without sharp peaks and dips.
🌊 Selenium and Iron: A Thyroid Duo
These two work in tandem. Selenium is an antioxidant protector and the thyroid’s main supporter. If you’re constantly cold, find yourself thinking “I don’t want anything,” and your head is foggy, get your selenium levels checked. Iron, on the other hand, is all about oxygen.
That feeling when climbing the stairs to the third floor feels like climbing Everest. Without iron, muscles don’t recover, and endurance melts away before your eyes. The most reliable marker here is ferritin (ideally kept between 30-100 ng/ml). And a little life hack: iron loves vitamin C and hates coffee. Keep that in mind.
How do you know when it’s time to see a doctor instead of going to the gym?
I’m not a proponent of self-diagnosis, but there are a few warning signs that are hard to ignore:
- You’re following a regimen, counting calories, but your weight is nowhere near where it should be. Well, maybe even at a snail’s pace.
- Your morning doesn’t start with coffee, but with the feeling that you haven’t slept in a week — even if you’ve slept for eight hours.
- Your hand reaches for a croissant, with such force that it’s frightening.
- Your usual workout has become torture, not pleasure.
- Mood swings make loved ones nervously look over their shoulders.
And you know what?
Recovering these deficits isn’t a race to lose 5 kg. It’s, first and foremost, about reclaiming yourself. Your energy, restful sleep, balanced mood, and enjoyment of movement. And the kilograms will likely simply stop being the main character in your story.
