By Nutrition Network | Dr Brian Lenzkes, MD joins
Reviewed by Tamzyn Murphy, RD, MSc
Because most weight loss solutions don’t last
Every January, millions of people resolve to ‘lose weight’, ‘eat better’ or ‘finally get healthy’. Gyms are filling up, diet plans are trending and the first few weeks are full of promise. Then life gets in the way.
Dr. Brian Lenzkes, a San Diego physician and Nutrition Network’s lecturer Obesity: A Metabolic Disease education, understands this cycle better than most.
“I’ve struggled with obesity my whole life,” she admits. “I was following the standard of care, doing what I was told, and still getting heavier every year.”
After decades in conventional medicine, Dr. Lenzkes realized that the problem wasn’t his patients or himself, it was the system.
“Weight loss isn’t a moral issue, it’s a metabolic one. When we focus on fixing metabolic health, the weight problem takes care of itself.”
The new way to lose weight – and keep it off
For Dr. Lenzkes, real transformation isn’t about punishing diets or skinny exercise programs. It is to learn how the body really it works and addresses the metabolic dysfunction that leads to weight gain in the first place.
This is his step-by-step guide to lasting, healthy weight loss—one that works with your metabolism, not against it.
Step 1: Heal the metabolism before the scale
Most diets aim to shrink the body by restricting calories. Dr Lenzkes flips the script: start with restoring metabolic health and weight loss follows.
“If you’re drinking eight sodas a day, start there. Once you’re fat-adapted—you can burn fat efficiently instead of sugar—the transformation is incredible.”
Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates calms insulin, the hormone that controls fat storage. When insulin levels drop, the body naturally shifts from storing fat to burning it.
The result? Less hunger, more consistent energy, clearer thinking – and yes, gradual, sustainable fat loss.
Step 2: See what your body is telling you
Dr. Lenzkes encourages his patients to monitor their progress using continuous glucose monitors (CGM)— small devices that show how food, sleep, stress and movement affect blood sugar.
“They don’t have to take my word for it – they can see what raises their blood sugar and what keeps it stable.”
Patients quickly discover that blood sugar doesn’t just rise after dessert. Stressful meetings, poor sleep, and even late-night emails can also trigger spikes.
When people see their data, they begin to understand their bodies — and make smarter choices. Awareness becomes accountability.
Step 3: Measure the progress that matters
Forget your daily weighing and calorie tracking apps. For Dr. Lenzkes, the most important weight loss data comes from inside the body:
- Fasting insulin (a measure of metabolic health)
- Triglycerides (blood fat)
- HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind)
- Blood pressure and energy levels
“Weight can fluctuate with fluids or exercise,” she says. “I’m more interested in fasting insulin, triglycerides, and how people feel.”
In his clinic, triglycerides often drop dramatically and HDL rises within months of starting a low-carb or ketogenic diet—signs that the metabolism is healing.
Step 4: Build Muscle—Your Metabolic Engine
One of the most neglected parts of sustainable weight loss is muscle mass.
“The more muscle you have, the more insulin sensitive you are,” explains Dr. Lenzkes. “People in the top third of muscle mass live longer and have a lower risk of cancer.”
Strength training, bodyweight exercise, or even brisk walking with resistance bands can boost metabolism, increase energy, and protect against future weight regain.
Muscle isn’t vanity – it’s metabolic insurance.
Step 5: Prioritize sleep, stress and emotional health
You can eat perfectly and struggle to lose weight if you are exhausted or stressed.
“You can eat perfectly and have metabolic disease if you don’t sleep, if you’re stressed, if you hate people,” says Dr. Lenzkes.
She sees stress management and good sleep as non-negotiables for weight loss. Poor rest and chronic stress increase cortisol, which leads to insulin resistance and cravings.
Simple steps like turning off screens earlier, spending time outdoors, and connecting with supportive people can stabilize hormones and accelerate progress.
Step 6: Simplify food choices and reduce temptation
When cravings and emotional eating sabotage progress, simplicity helps.
“Some patients continue to reach for keto brownies or snacks that mimic sugary foods. For them, a carnivore-style reset can be powerful—it removes trigger foods and resets the brain.”
The goal is not rigid perfection but clarity: fewer decisions, fewer temptations, more stability.
Step 7: Build community and find hope
Lasting change rarely happens on its own. Dr. Lenzkes regularly walks with his patients, helping them learn, share and encourage each other.
“When patients start to believe they can change, you can see it in their eyes. Hope transforms everything.”
One of his favorite stories involves an 85-year-old woman who lost 17 pounds.
“He came in with two bingo candies and said, ‘I didn’t eat them. I don’t need them anymore.” That’s victory.”
Supportive communities, positive accountability, and small wins create momentum that lasts well beyond January.
Step 8: Rethink health, not just weight
Dr. Lenzkes believes that medicine needs a total paradigm shift – from managing disease to creating health.
“Now I have fewer patients, more time and real results,” he says of his clinic’s new model. “I go home knowing that I helped someone stop a drug, not start another.”
This approach doesn’t just transform bodies. it changes lives—for patients and doctors alike.
Your metabolic reset starts here
If your goal this year is to lose weight, start by treating your metabolism. When you address insulin resistance, rebuild muscle, get deep sleep, and manage stress, your body naturally sheds excess fat and keeps it at bay.
“Weight loss shouldn’t be your goal,” says Dr. Lenzkes. “Health should. When your metabolism heals, the weight takes care of itself.”
Learn from the experts
Food Network Obesity: A metabolic disease The training teaches health professionals and enthusiasts how to identify and reverse the real drivers of weight gain – insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and poor metabolic health.
Led by world-class experts such as Dr Brian Lenzkes, Professor Tim Noakes and Dr Hassina Kajee, the training offers evidence-based tools for sustainable outcomes and real clinical impact.
Make this the year you stop dieting and start healing.
New year, new metabolism—sustainable weight loss starts here.
Learn more at www.nutrition-network.org
