7 Hormones to Keep in Mind For Weight Loss

When it comes tohormonesand万博彩票下载安卓, it’s a bit like the chicken and the egg dilemma. Did hormonal imbalance cause weight gain? Or did diet and lifestyle choices cause weight gain, which triggered the hormonal imbalance? Often, it’s the latter, saysSarah Rueven, MS, RD. Either way, hormones are a crucial part of the equation when it comes to successful weight loss — they play a role in many bodily functions ranging from appetite regulation to fat storage.

“By having a better understanding of the various hormones in your body, you can make informed decisions about behaviors and patterns that could be contributing tochallenges in your weight-loss journey,” notes Dr. Gretchen San Miguel, chief medical officer forMedi-Weightloss.

Luckily, the recommendations forsustainable weight lossand hormonal balance are relatively similar. “If you are looking to lose weight, it’s important to know the same foods that help you maintain a healthy weight also help balance the hormones associated with fat storage, increased appetite and weight gain,” says Rueven.

Here are some of the key hormones that play a role in weight regulation and how you can get them to work with you:

Although it’s thought of as astress hormonebecause it’s secreted to help us decide whether to fight or flight, cortisol also promotes insulin secretion. “This makes usstore fat on our bodies, particularly around our waists, one ofthe more dangerous areasfor our health,” saysSusan Carnell, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine. “It can also increase our appetite,” she notes, which can lead toovereating and weight gain.

Hormone hack:Managing stressand how you cope with it is key to losing weight, says Carnell. Find what works for you, whether that’smaking a cup of teawhen you reach your mental boiling point, going for adaily walk, soaking in ahot bathorenjoying some time in nature. If you tend to stress eat, it helps tokeep your go-to foods out of the house, Carnell adds.

Ghrelin is produced by the stomach and often referred to as the hunger hormone. It’s highest when your stomach is empty and decreases after you eat. “It does many useful things in the body, like getting the stomach ready to process food,” Carnell explains. “We also know if ghrelin increases, people are spurred to seek out food, and that stress can produce an increase in ghrelin.”

The combination of stress and increased ghrelin can be especially hard later in the day, according to asmall recent study by Carnelland other researchers. “The evening may be abiological ‘high-risk period’ for overeating, particularly when paired with the experience of stress and if you’re prone tobinge eating,” she says.

“Elevated levels of ghrelin in the bloodstream can lead to weight gain. It is important to note that ghrelin levels may also rise ifsomeone is fastingor on astrict restrictive diet,” addsMatt Dengler, MS, RDN.

Hormone hack:Again, managing stress is key, as ismaking sleep a prioritysincedeprivation can increase ghrelin levels. Additionally, Dr.Scott Isaacs, medical director of Atlanta Endocrine Associates, recommends eating high-fiber, high-protein foods, which keep you fuller longer.

Insulin’s job is to drive glucose (sugar) into our cells. While cortisol can cause problems with insulin, so can our dietary habits. “When wehabitually eat foods high in sugar, our bodies need to constantly produce insulin so the glucose can be utilized by our cells,” San Miguel explains. “At the same time, an elevated insulin level sends the signal to our body that there is excessive sugar, and it needs to startconverting it to fat and storing it for later. This excess fatty tissue not only increases your waistline, but also causes cells to lose sensitivity to insulin, thus signaling the body to produce more insulin, causing even more weight gain.”

This leads to a vicious cycle, known as insulin resistance, where the body no longer responds normally to insulin. Insulin resistance affects1 in 3 Americans, and is a precursor toType 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance can make it a lot harder to lose weight, since the body doesn’t respond normally tocarbohydrates.

Hormone hack:Many peoplemistakenly think they need to ditch carbs completelyto lose weight if they have problems with insulin. What’s most important, though, is tochoose the right types of carbohydratesinappropriate portion sizes. Whole-food sources likesweet potatoes,whole grainsandbrown rice可以帮助平衡血糖水平,因为这些“unrefined carbs retain their fiber content, and fiber helps to blunt the body’s response to blood sugar,” Rueven explains.

Whether or not you have insulin resistance, it’s a good idea toeat balanced mealsto manage blood sugar and insulin response. “Pairingcarbohydrates with protein and fathelps blunt the body’s response to blood sugar,” says Rueven.

Lastly,studies showregularexercise can help improve insulin sensitivity, so maintaining a workout routine is smart.

Produced by fat cells, leptin signals to the brain how much fat is in the body, Isaacs explains. When leptin levels are low, you tend to feel hungry; when leptin levels are high, you tend to feel full.

But it’s more complicated than that, Isaacs adds. “As you start to develop obesity, you start to become resistant to leptin,” he explains. “So you may have high levels of leptin, but the brain isn’t registering that.” This can put you at risk forheart problemsand diabetes, adds Carnell.

Hormone hack: Some research suggests physical activity can help manage leptin levels. Although any exercise may help,resistance trainingappears to be more efficient at reducing leptin levels, according to a recent review ofstudies on overweight and obese middle-aged adults published in PLOS One. As a bonus, being more active can also help you lose weight.

Sleep is also key. “Leptin is made in your sleep. That’s one reasonpeople with sleep deprivation are hungrier,” Isaacs explains.Researchhas demonstrated both acute and chronic sleep deprivation decrease leptin levels, so makegood sleep habits— like putting away phones 30 minutes before bed andkeeping the room a cool 65ºF (18ºC)— a priority.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neurotransmitter released by the hypothalamus. “It stimulates

food intake, decreases energy expenditure and may lead to weight gain,” says Dengler. Usually, when our blood sugar is low because we haven’t eaten in a while, NPY is released, which stimulates our appetite.

But when someonedoesn’t eat frequently enough, or ischronically dieting, blood sugar can drop low, which triggers NPY, explainsErin Kenney, MS, RD. “When this happens on a regular basis, NPY also starts to promote fat storage or weight gain.”

Hormone hack:Avoid fasting or going too long between meals if you’re having problems with hunger during weight loss. “Havingprotein-rich snacksbetween meals is a great way to balance blood sugar,” Kenney says, so you avoid getting ravenous andmaking poor food decisions. “Low protein diets may also stimulate NPY production,” Rueven notes, sogetting enough proteinin general can help optimize NPY levels.

For women, estrogen levels that are either too high or too low can impact weight and body fat. Having too-high levels of estrogen before menopause, also known as estrogen dominance, is associated with weight gain and increased fat storage,researchfinds. “High levels of estrogen can also cause insulin resistance, leading to weight gain,” notesDengler. For example, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to experience imbalances of both estrogen and testosterone, and haveinsulin resistance.

On the flip side,as women reach menopause, estrogen levels in the body begin to decline andfat storage is shiftedfrom the thighs and hips to the abdomen, says Rueven. “Fat around the abdomen is known asvisceral fatand it puts you at risk for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and even certain types of cancer.”

Hormone hack:For premenopausal women, load up onfiber-rich foodsandcruciferous veggies. “Fiber reduces estrogen absorption in the GI tract and shuttles excess estrogen out of the body via bowel movements,” Rueven explains. “And cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale contain a substance called indole-3-carbinol, which promotes estrogen balance by helping the body get rid of excess estrogen.”

Post-menopausal women can promote balance by focusing onwhole foodsin their natural form like fruits, vegetables,whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds andlean protein, Rueven notes. “Regular exercisecan also help with estrogen balance.”

“Low testosterone in men can impact overall weight and has been linked to weight gain,” says Dengler. Low testosterone levels reduce muscle mass and calorie expenditure, so testosterone deficiency, sometimes called “low T,” can lead to weight gain over time and make weight loss harder.

Hormone hack:Men can combat the loss of testosterone with exercise, Dengler says. “Studies show resistance training such asweightlifting is the best type of exercise for maintaining healthy testosterone levels.” But it’s important to note that for lasting impact on testosterone,exercise needs to be a regular habit.Researchshowshigh-intensity interval trainingis also a good option.

Originally published June 2018, updated with additional information

Make progress every day while you work on mini fitness and nutrition goals, like walking more steps or learning to track macros. Go to “Plans” in the MyFitnessPal app for daily coaching and easy-to-follow tasks to keep you motivated.