To lose weight, you need to eat less. A banal but obvious formula for a slim figure. However, overeating is not always the main reason for weight gain. This is often the result of hormonal imbalances. Stress, age-related changes, genetic predisposition, and poor lifestyle can cause an imbalance in the endocrine system and lead to an increase in numbers on the scale.
It is often unclear what exactly led to obesity - a diet disorder or hormonal imbalance. After all, most often it is interconnected. A vicious circle is formed: due to poor nutrition and fat deposits, the hormonal system goes haywire, and it becomes more difficult to control appetite. We overeat even more, put more fat on our sides, and pump up the production of hormones even more. Weight is growing. Losing weight becomes a real test of willpower.
Weight gain can be caused by dysfunction of 8 hormones. We'll tell you what hormones these are and what to do to bring them back to normal.
We begin to lose weight after hormonal imbalance
How to lose hormonal weight, how to remove hormones from the body and lose weight
Lose weight in two months
To lose weight after a hormonal imbalance, it is important to remove excess hormones.
We begin to lose weight after hormonal imbalance
To do this you will need:
- The first step is to stop hormonal therapy or at least reduce the dose of the drug. Stopping taking medications should be gradual, since abruptly stopping medications will only intensify the manifestation of the malfunction and have a negative impact on health.
- Drink at least 2 liters of clean water every day. The liquid accelerates the process of removing hormones from organs and tissues. Substances leave the body naturally. In addition to water, you can drink green and herbal teas, but it is best to avoid juice and coffee.
- Stick to the basics of proper nutrition and take magnesium and iron supplements, which help improve metabolism. Diversify your diet with rice porridge and boiled beets.
- After consulting with your doctor, you can undergo a course of therapy with Hafitol.
What are the benefits of estrogens?
Estrogens are typically associated with the female body, but they are needed by men as well as women, explains Paul Mistkowski, MD, an endocrinologist at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. In the female body, estrogens are responsible for the health of the reproductive system and strengthening bone tissue; in the male body they are needed mainly to maintain bone mineral density.
“In fact, every man’s body continually converts testosterone to estrogen to develop and maintain bone mass,” says Dr. Mistkowski.
When the hormonal balance is normal, this essential and very important hormone works for our benefit. Unfortunately, the accumulation of excess estrogen levels in the body is a common “side effect” of modern lifestyle. “Elevated estrogen levels can be caused by stress, poor diet, digestive problems, bad habits like smoking and drinking alcohol, and more,” says Maggie Ruiz-Pady, MD, a practicing physician. And sometimes these hormonal changes lead to serious problems.
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Ghrelin
This hormone is produced in the stomach. It is called the hunger hormone. To trigger this feeling, ghrelin travels to the brain and from there triggers the feeling of hunger. An increase in the hormone occurs during long-term diets and fasting, as well as before meals. Lack of sleep is also a cause of increased ghrelin. Stress is another reason. Many people are accustomed to seizing stressful moments. This happens because the level of this hormone increases sharply in their body.
To avoid the side effects of the hormone, you need to do physical exercise and yoga. Try to avoid stressful situations in life. Drink a glass of water 20 minutes before meals. Meals should be regular and moderate. You should get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Eliminate carbonated drinks from your diet completely.
Insulin
Every second person falls into a certain risk group of those who have a predisposition to diabetes and obesity. If you suddenly begin to gain weight and have a high percentage of fat, then you need to check the level of insulin in your body. To do this, you need to conduct a special examination.
Insulin is a hormone that needs to be constantly monitored. The fact is that over time the body loses sensitivity to it. Because of this, changes in blood sugar levels begin. As a result, the body does not receive sugar for energy, but processes it into fat. This leads to the accumulation of extra pounds due to disruption of the process of glucose absorption.
This is why you cannot lose weight, no matter how hard you try.
How hormones affect weight loss
Hormones control our mood, physical energy levels, appetite, and also directly affect body composition. Some literally help you lose weight or build muscle mass, while others prevent this in every possible way. Let's look at what hormones are important in this matter and how we can increase or decrease their levels to lose weight quickly and safely.
Hormones of hunger and satiety
Leptin and ghrelin are antagonist hormones. When your stomach produces ghrelin, you feel hungry. Leptin is synthesized in fat cells and causes a feeling of fullness. Leptin is the first to react to a too strict low-calorie diet - its level decreases. A strong drop in hormone levels leads to a chain reaction of negative consequences for health and weight loss. Proper nutrition with a maintenance calorie diet will help normalize it. And giving up unhealthy foods and sweets will help keep ghrelin under control and better control your appetite, which will reduce the risk of overeating and help burn subcutaneous fat.
Stress hormones and anti-stressors
Here we will list several hormones that are produced by different glands of our body, but affect our nervous system and psychological well-being. These are cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, growth hormone, melatonin, endorphins.
Stress hormones
Cortisol is the main stress hormone. Its level increases with severe nervous tension, during strict diets and prolonged exhausting training. Normal cortisol levels help us lose weight when we put a little stress on the body in the form of exercise and calorie restriction. However, high levels lead to swelling, muscle breakdown and fat accumulation around the waist. To regulate cortisol, it is recommended not to indulge in stimulants, including coffee, refrain from long hours of training, rest, eat comfortably, and also master meditation techniques.
Adrenaline and norepinephrine are produced by the body in response to danger. With a sedentary lifestyle, they are synthesized under any stress, which leads to neuroses and problems with the cardiovascular system. To regulate these hormones, you need to exercise regularly. The best helpers will be high-intensity cardio training - either 2-3 times a week for 30-45 minutes, or every day for 5-10 minutes. This will allow adrenaline and norepinephrine to be produced safely for the body. And exercising will increase your calorie expenditure, which will help you lose weight.
Antistressors
Growth hormone is responsible for the growth of bones and muscles, improves metabolism, promotes fat burning, prevents fat storage, and also resists depression and helps cope with stress. To normalize growth hormone, you need to maintain a sleep schedule of 7-9 hours a day, train with weights 2-3 times a week, eat enough protein, and avoid sweets and junk foods.
Melatonin is a natural sedative. It regulates circadian rhythms and improves performance. Normal levels of melatonin help to cope with stress more easily and ensure vigor and productivity during the day. Although the hormone is produced exclusively at night. To regulate melatonin, you need to go to bed at the same time and fall asleep in complete darkness. Normalizing sleep and wakefulness is the only non-medicinal way to regulate its level.
Endorphins are joy hormones that not only help us experience pleasure in life and easily cope with difficulties and stress, but also improve immunity. Aerobic exercise will help increase endorphin levels. In foreign clinics for the treatment of depression and neuroses, running in the fresh air is part of the therapy. Aerobics will raise your endorphin levels, increase your activity level and help you cope with your diet more easily.
Sex hormones
The main sex hormones include testosterone in men, estrogen and progesterone in women.
Testosterone promotes muscle growth, physical strength, performance and fat burning. Strength training, in particular, performing multi-joint basic exercises, will help increase testosterone synthesis. A significant contribution to the regulation of its level will be made by giving up smoking and alcohol, as well as the presence in the diet of saturated fats from meat, eggs, and dairy products.
Estrogen and progesterone - the ratio of these hormones changes in women throughout the menstrual cycle. A lack of sex hormones leads to menstrual irregularities, infertility, and metabolic problems that make weight loss impossible. To regulate estrogen and progesterone, eat right, strive for healthy weight loss, and control your stress levels.
Hormones that help regulate weight
Here, the main regulators of weight are insulin and thyroid hormones.
Insulin – released after eating to lower sugar levels and send energy into cells. Which cells the energy goes into depends on your lifestyle and nutrition. If you overindulge in simple carbohydrates and fats, insulin will help you store fat. If you eat right and exercise, it will provide your body with nutrients and help you use carbohydrates efficiently. To regulate insulin, eat right, eat small portions of food, avoid junk food and exercise regularly.
Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, help build muscles, and provide high energy levels. Low levels of T3, TSH, T4 lead to decreased metabolism, constant fatigue and apathy, which negates all attempts to lose weight. To regulate, do not reduce the level of available energy below 25 kcal per kilogram of dry weight, eat fish and seafood rich in iodine, replace regular salt with iodized salt.
We looked at the main hormones that affect our condition, the ability to lose weight and the rate of weight loss. Now you know how important it is to treat your body wisely, eat right and provide yourself with adequate physical activity.
Author: Ekaterina G., nutritionist, fitness blogger (especially for Calorizator.ru) Copying this article in whole or in part is prohibited.
Leptin
This hormone is hidden in adipose tissue and is responsible for the feeling of fullness. It regulates appetite along with the hormone ghrelin. Fact: since it is located in fat cells, during the process of losing weight the number of these cells decreases - so does the amount of leptin! Hence the “yo-yo” effects and plateau syndrome.
That’s why we repeat over and over again that fast, “starvation” diets are very harmful. Leptin synthesis also reduces zinc deficiency. Let us remember that zinc is found in watermelon and pumpkin seeds, cocoa powder and chocolate, lamb, beef, oysters, peanuts, sesame seeds, liver and wheat germ.
