Cardiologist says 'stop doing this 1 thing if you want to lose weight and live longer'
Even if you stop eating high-calorie foods, exercise regularly, lift weights three to four times a week, and walk 10K steps regularly, you might not be able to achieve your goals
Weight loss can be an uphill battle. It requires discipline and adopting healthy habits on your part. However, even if you stop eating high-calorie foods, exercise regularly, lift weights three to four times a week, and walk 10K steps regularly, you might not be able to achieve your goals if you don't address one key factor: poor sleep patterns.
Dr Sanjay Bhojraj, a US-based interventional cardiologist and functional medicine doctor, shared an Instagram post on 6 November, elaborating on how he and his patients struggled to lose weight due to poor sleep. Here's how:
Poor sleep can hamper your weight loss process?
In the post, titled 'STOP doing this if you want to lose weight and live longer', Dr Bhojraj confessed that he has been a cardiologist for over 20 years, and even he used to think eating less and exercising more was the key to healthy weight loss.
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He highlighted that while losing weight or helping his patients do so, he was doing everything 'right', including:
- Eating lean protein
- Doing cardio
- Calorie counting
"But even after all that effort, most of them kept gaining weight, feeling tired, and ageing faster than they should've," he confessed.
Poor sleep keeps you stuck in fat-storing mode?
However, the cardiologist soon realised that weight loss isn't just about calories — it's about metabolic inflammation, too. He explained, "You can't out-diet a stressed-out metabolism or an inflamed cardiovascular system."
However, once that was fixed, the weight started coming off, and the heart health markers improved dramatically.
"One day I came across new research showing how poor sleep, processed 'health' foods, and daily stress were silently spiking cortisol and insulin — keeping people stuck in fat-storing mode no matter how clean' they ate," he revealed.
So, the cardiologist shifted the focus:
- Reduce inflammation first
- Prioritise deep sleep and morning movement
- Support heart health — because a strong heart = a longer life span and a faster metabolism.
"12 weeks later, I watched my patients lose stubborn fat (up to 35 pounds), drop blood pressure, and not only look younger, but feel younger," he added in the end.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Neither The Business Standard nor HT.com has independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
