Too tired to lose weight?

Millions of us would love to drop a few pounds and get healthier.

- BY ALLISON NEMETZ

Trouble is, we're too exhausted to make it happen. Is it just because we're getting older? "Definitely not,' says functional medicine superstar Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC. "Think of being tired like a 'check engine' light." While there are many potential causes, "inflammation is almost always a key factor." Soothe inflammation in your body, and you'll be amazed by how much better you feel and function. Dr. Cole even has gentle anti-inflammatory hacks that help women slim down with little or no effort...

To be clear, inflammation is not all bad. It's a natural way the immune system helps us overcome injury or infection. But the modern world bombards us with inflammatory triggers like processed food, pollution and constant stress and we can end up with chronic inflammation. "It's like a fire burning in our cells and organs," says Dr. Cole. It causes damage from head to toe, locks us in a state of crisis and leads to fatigue, weight-loss resistance, allergies, anxiety, joint pain, GI discomfort, irritability and much more.

The good news: As we extinguish the fire of chronic inflammation, we can improve and often permanently relieve hundreds of conditions, from dandruff to heart disease. Metabolic health improves, which typically makes excess pounds disappear. And all the energy once funneled into the fight against inflammation is set free. Here, Dr. Cole is sharing the simplest way to make a big difference.

Why it starts with food

"Every food you eat either feeds inflammation or fights it," says Dr. Cole. "You can calm things down very quickly by removing foods that are most likely to be inflammatory." It's called an elimination diet, which is less strict than it sounds.