Body Express

Hormones and loosing weight

Do you feel like already have tried all possible diets, exercise programs and gyms around and still carry extra fat?! There is a little fat-loss secret – our hormones are the key to losing those last kilos of stubborn fat. Hormones determine if you gain fat but also where you do it and whether you are able to lose it from those areas.

The most common type of fat storage that we can notice in women is the pear shape. This body type is heavily dependent on the female sex hormone called oestrogen. High level of this hormone makes really hard to lose fat especially from your lower body.  In this case we need to fight oestrogen with the hormone testosterone. The best way to release more testosterone into our body is heavy weights training. I recommend also consuming more quality protein in our diet; eat a small protein source at every meal, such as lean meat, fish, nuts, eggs. Add zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 supplements to your diet as they promote testosterone production and increase your muscle building capacity.

Problem with love handles? Again the reason of this stubborn fat is how your body reacts to certain hormones. The people who store fat in the love handles and lower back are generally very insulin-resistant. Insulin resistance makes very hard to lose fat storage from these areas. To understand insulin resistance let’s start from explaining insulin sensitivity. It’s a term used to describe people who require relatively normal or low level of insulin to process glucose (sugar). People with insulin resistance, on the other hand, need a lot of insulin to process glucose and this lead to health problems. These people don’t deal well with carbs and anything other than a low-carb diet means that they are going to hang on to some excess fat. The good news is that again certain types of training, changes in diet and reducing stress level can help to increase insulin sensitivity. The type of foods you put into your body greatly determine your chances for developing or preventing insulin resistance. Processed foods that are low in nutritional value and high in sugar can greatly increase your insulin levels. Try cutting these foods out of your diet and replace them with fresh fruits, vegetables, and organic foods. Substitute foods made with whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta, for those created from processed flour.

You should also cut down on the amount of saturated fats you consume. Try replacing meats high in fat with leaner cuts. Fish is also a great source of protein with very little fat. Consuming a diet high in protein and fibre and low in saturated fat is one of the best ways to increase insulin sensitivity.

Another way you can increase insulin sensitivity is to maintain an active lifestyle. Routinely exercise or take part in mildly strenuous activities. Aerobics and resistance training which involve using more than one muscle group at a time can go a long way toward helping you decrease insulin resistance. In addition to making necessary changes to your diet and increasing physical activity, reducing stress levels can also greatly increase your insulin sensitivity. An increase in stress hormones produced in the body can lead to insulin resistance. Learning how to reduce or eliminate high levels of stress is vital to increasing your insulin sensitivity. Make sure to get an adequate amount of sleep each night and maintain a healthy diet. Other methods of decreasing stress levels include deep breathing, yoga, and meditation.

The most common type of regional fat storage is belly fat. If this isn’t you, it’s someone you know. Abdominal fat storage obviously has a lot to do with diet and overall body fat level but it’s all about hormones as well. The one I am taking about is cortisol, called also as a “stress hormone”. Your body will produce this hormone under conditions of nearly any type of stress. Long duration cardio and extended lifting session are what produce the most cortisol so in this case very short but intense training sessions with minimal rest periods would be the best. They release a hormone calledGrowth Hormone (GH) which helps to counteract the effect of cortisol. Also stress-less food like high in vitamin C watermelon, broccoli, spinach, avocado, and blueberries may help lower cortisol level the same as fatty fish containing omega-3 or nuts.

Losing weight can be challenging, make sure you give yourself and your body time to adjust to your new lifestyle. More hormones are released when you are active. They help to break down fat, build muscle mass, strengthen bones, increase your metabolism, regulate blood sugar, and elevate your mood. If you increase your activity levels, your body will work with you to help lose weight. However, if you suspect there might be a problem with your hormones after trying to lead an active and healthy lifestyle make sure to talk with your doctor.