295. 3 Things to Check If You’re at a Weight Loss Plateau

Are you doing everything right but still stuck at a weight loss plateau?
You’re eating healthy, staying active, and watching your calories—but the scale won’t budge. It’s frustrating, discouraging, and probably making you question your metabolism—or even your willpower.

In this episode, we’re revealing three critical blood markers that most doctors don’t check (or overlook entirely) that could explain why you’re not seeing results. Ignoring them doesn’t just keep you stuck—it could put you on the path to diabetes or heart disease.

We’ll show you what these markers are, what “normal” ranges to aim for, and how to start taking control of your results—without resorting to extreme diets or punishing workouts.

If you’ve hit a plateau and don’t know what to do next, this episode will give you the answers you’ve been missing.

Click here to watch the full video now!

Resources From This Episode

>> Insulin Resistance Diet Blueprint - https://www.zivli.com/blueprint?el=podcast

>> Free Low Insulin Food Guide - https://www.zivli.com/ultimatefoodguide?el=podcast

>> Join the Zivli Program Waitlist - https://www.zivli.com/join?el=podcast

>> Test Your Insulin at Home - https://www.zivli.com/testing?el=podcast

Have a question? Email us at: support@zivli.com

Transcript

Hey there and welcome back to the Reshape Your Health Podcast. host Dr. Morgan Nolte and over the next several weeks I’m going to be releasing the audio version of some YouTube videos we have coming out because I think you’re going to enjoy the content, too. 

So if the audio sounds different, it’s because we pulled it from a video, not my normal podcast mic set-up. 

We’ll link to the video version in the show notes for each of these episodes because the videos will have some helpful graphics in case you’re more of a visual learner. 

I hope you enjoy these upcoming episodes as much as I enjoyed making them for you, and that you gain clarity and insight into how you can make more progress towards your health and weight goals. 

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If you’re like so many of the women we help, you may feel like you’re doing everything right. You’re trying to eat healthy, stay in a calorie deficit, be active, and stay somewhat consistent—but the scale won’t budge. 

For the last month you’ve been losing and gaining the same 1-2 pounds, despite your best efforts. It’s beyond frustrating, isn’t it?

You start questioning yourself: Am I doing something wrong? Is my metabolism broken? Is this just what happens after 50? What’s worse, your doctor may be wrongly reinforcing these thoughts and telling you that gaining weight is just a part of aging and to get used to it. 

A weight loss plateau can feel discouraging, and at times, you may feel like quitting. To be honest, often a weight loss plateau is a sign that something else is off in your body, but you haven’t known what to look for - yet. 

So before you throw in the towel, or try a quick-fix fasting regimen or extreme diet you know won’t last, 

I want you to check three things that could be standing in your way. These insights may be exactly what you need to break the plateau and start seeing progress again.

And here’s the key—these three things aren’t about your diet or exercise routine. They’re about what’s happening inside your body. 

They’re blood markers. Two of them aren’t commonly checked by doctors, and the third is often ignored until it becomes a big problem.

That’s why it’s so important to learn how to interpret your own bloodwork. If you don’t know what to ask for, you’re at the mercy of your healthcare provider—

who may not fully understand the nuances of weight loss plateaus, especially in post-menopausal who have gone through significant hormone shifts. 

And if you do have a problem with these markers, a weight loss plateau could be the least of your worries. 

These could indicate you’re on the road to serious health conditions like diabetes or heart disease, so it’s best to take care of them sooner rather than later, because these problems don’t just get better with time, they get worse. 

I’m Dr. Morgan Nolte, founder of Zivli where we help you lose weight, keep it off, and get healthy with a low insulin and inflammation lifestyle. 

If you’re new here, make sure to hit that subscribe button and notification bell so you never miss out on tips that help you live a healthier, happier life.

#1: Fasting Insulin: Ideal is 2–6 μIU/mL (13.9-41.7 pmol/L)

The first blood marker to check is fasting insulin. Most doctors check your fasting glucose, but they don’t check your fasting insulin—and this is a huge mistake.

Fasting insulin can be rising for 10-20 years BEFORE you’ll see glucose levels in the prediabetic or diabetic range. Checking fasting insulin gives you a huge heads up on looming metabolic problems, but it’s still not standard of practice. 

Insulin is your fat storage hormone. When it’s elevated, your body is in fat-storage mode instead of fat-burning mode. 

And here’s the tricky part—your fasting glucose might look fine, but if your insulin is high, you can still be struggling with insulin resistance, making weight loss nearly impossible.

That’s why you want to check your fasting insulin level even if you have a normal fasting glucose or hemoglobin A1c, which we’ll talk more about coming up. 

Ideally, your fasting insulin should be less than 6. But many people, especially post-menopausal women, have insulin levels that are much higher—sometimes in the teens or even 20s—and don’t even realize it.

Why does this happen? When you go through menopause, estrogen levels drop. And estrogen protects against insulin resistance. 

So when it declines, insulin resistance increases. That’s why so many women gain weight during menopause—even if they’re eating well and exercising.

And it doesn’t stop there. Cortisol—your stress hormone—also goes up. Higher insulin and higher cortisol create the perfect storm for fat storage, cravings, and energy crashes.

If you’ve hit a weight loss plateau, checking your fasting insulin is one of the smartest things you can do. And if it’s high? 

You’ll need to make targeted lifestyle changes—like managing stress, improving sleep, and being intentional about following a low-carb lifestyle. 

#2: Hemoglobin A1c: Ideal: 4.0 to 5.5%

The second marker to check is your hemoglobin A1c. This is one marker that is often checked at your annual wellness visit, but unfortunately, it’s often completely overlooked until it’s a big problem.

Hemoglobin A1c is a three-month average of your blood sugar levels. Your A1c should ideally be between 4.0 and 5.5%.

But here’s the issue—many doctors won’t flag A1c as a concern until you’re already in the diabetic range, which is 6.5% or higher. 

If your A1c is creeping up, they may say things like, “Just watch it for now,” but not provide any recommendations on how to bring it down into the optimal range. 

Even if you’re in the prediabetic range, which is 5.7 to 6.4%, you’re already experiencing metabolic dysfunction that makes weight loss harder. 

That’s what happened to one of our Zivli members, Beth. Her doctor ignored a prediabetic A1c for over a decade! Once she started living a low insulin and inflammation lifestyle, not only was she able to break her weight loss plateau, but she reversed her prediabetes, too. 

Did you know that up to 90% of people with prediabetes don’t even know they have it! And you could be one of them. Don’t you want to know?

My challenge to you is within the next 24 hours, check your latest bloodwork and check your A1c level. 

If it’s in the prediabetic range, you definitely have insulin resistance and need to be sure your weight loss strategy accounts for this and is one that keeps insulin low. 

This is especially critical for women after menopause because of the insulin resistance we talked about earlier. 

If your A1c is creeping up, it’s a sign that your body is struggling to regulate blood sugar properly, and that can stall weight loss no matter how well you’re eating or exercising.

So if you haven’t had your A1c checked recently, ask for it. And if it’s creeping above 5.5%, it’s time to take action—because the earlier you catch it, the easier it is to reverse.

#3: High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP): Ideal - Less than 1.0 mg/L (9.5238 nmol/L)

Now, let’s talk about inflammation—because this is a huge piece of the weight loss puzzle that often gets ignored.

High sensitivity C-reactive protein, or hs-CRP, is a marker of chronic, low-grade inflammation. 

Ideally, this number should be less than 1.0. But if it’s elevated, that means your body is dealing with ongoing inflammation—and that can make weight loss significantly harder.

Here’s why: Inflammation and insulin resistance fuel each other. The higher your inflammation, the higher your insulin resistance. And the higher your insulin resistance, the more inflammation you’ll have.

It’s a vicious cycle, and if you don’t break it, it can stall weight loss no matter how hard you try. So what causes chronic inflammation? Some of the biggest culprits are:

Ultra-processed foods that spike blood sugar and insulin. Hidden food sensitivities that trigger immune responses. Poor gut health that increases systemic inflammation. Chronic stress and poor sleep, which elevate cortisol. 

And for pre-menopausal women, certain forms of birth control can actually significantly raise your hsCRP and increase your risk of having a blood clot - 

so it’s very important for you to know this number, and get off the birth control if you no longer need it, or find a different solution that doesn’t have this undesired side effect. 

If you’ve been stuck at a plateau, checking your hs-CRP can help you understand whether inflammation is playing a role. 

And if it’s elevated, focusing on low insulin and inflammation foods, reducing stress, and improving sleep can make a big difference—not just in weight loss, but in overall health.

What To Do Next

If you’re serious about breaking through your weight loss plateau, these three markers—fasting insulin, A1c, and hs-CRP—are essential to check.

If your doctor won’t order them, you may be able to order them yourself through direct-to-consumer lab services. We sell a simple at-home cardiometabolic test kit that includes all of these markers. 

There’s a link in the description below to learn more about our at-home insulin testing options or you can just go to zivli.com/testing. 

But the most important thing is that you know your numbers and understand what they mean—because without this information, you’re just guessing. 

It’s like your car isn’t working and instead of having the auto-body shop do a check-up to pinpoint the problem, you’re just randomly putting more gas or oil in hoping to fix the problem. When you know what the problem is, you can fix it more quickly. 

Once you have these insights into your health, you can start making targeted lifestyle changes to lower insulin, reduce inflammation, and finally start seeing progress again. 

That’s exactly why I created our Zivli program - to help you live a low insulin and inflammation lifestyle for long-term weight loss and better health. Zivli is our 10-week online course and coaching program that, like this video, probably taught you something you didn’t know you didn’t know. 

Reaching your goals is so much easier when you have a proven path and people on it with you, right? That’s what Zivli is for your health. 

A proven process and expert support along the way. You don’t have to figure this out on your own. And just trying to do so will take you more time and energy. 

Our next round of enrollment starts August 25th, so be sure to click the link in the description to join our waitlist so you don’t miss the short enrollment window. And if you want a jump-start on the program, take our Insulin Resistance Diet Blueprint. 

This is a 3-part video training series where we break down what you need to know about insulin resistance, what to eat (and why) to lower insulin and inflammation, and the lifestyle changes required for long-term weight loss success.

You can access the Insulin Resistance Diet Blueprint from the link in the description or go to zivli.com/blueprint. 

If you’ve hit a weight loss plateau, I want to hear from you—have you ever checked these markers? Were you surprised by the results? Let me know in the comments!

And if you found this helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you don’t miss our next video. If you want to learn more about insulin testing options, check out this video next where you’ll learn How to Check Your Insulin Levels at Home. 

Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time!