How To Balance Hormones That Make You Hold Extra Weight

Nov 27, 2018

You probably already know that living a lifestyle that is sedentary and eating a diet that is unhealthy can cause you to gain weight, but did you know that your hormones can impact your size as well? If you’ve tried the trendy protein diets (no carbs, mostly meat) but haven’t noticed a difference in your weight, you could have the hormone estrogen to blame for the lack of results. Similarly, there are many other hormones that can potentially affect your weight-loss journey!

So it’s important to stay aware of how to outsmart your hormones to lose weight.

Although testosterone is often associated with males, it is also important to the female body. Too much testosterone can cause weight gain in places located on the upper body, such as your arms, neck and even chest.

Testosterone can be lowered with natural means. You need to add more phytoestrogen to your diet, which can be found in soy, coffee, and products made with whole grains. Replace certain types of refined sugar with more healthy alternatives such as apples, apricots, and dates.

Prolactin levels being too high can cause severe weight gain. In women, hair might appear all over the body, such as in the form of a mustache, and your menstrual cycle will likely change. Too much prolactin in men can cause mammary glands to grow larger.

These symptoms must be seen by a doctor, as they can also be caused by a hypophysis tumor caused by the high levels of prolactin.

No matter what you eat, if you have higher levels of estrogen, you will gain weight. Some signs of increased estrogen levels are fat that is stored mainly on the hips, irregular cycles of menstruation, headaches, or becoming too emotional.

High level of estrogen can also cause severe issues such as loss of memory, hair loss, and irregular sleeping patterns. Estrogen buildup can be caused by the consumption of meat products that come from sources that use growth hormones.

In order to balance your estrogen levels, you can try consuming fewer meat products. Replace them with high-fiber vegetables instead, in order to eliminate excess estrogen. Some good foods to eat for this process include pears, apples, oats, and flaxseed.

Using the essential oil rosemary can also reduce the hormonal imbalance while improving your memorization skills.

Although you may not know the name for it, ghrelin is the hormone that decides if you are hungry. It’s stubborn to change, meaning that if you’ve been dieting for a year, your levels of ghrelin could still remain high.

There are ways to outsmart it, however. Eating foods that help stretch out your stomach, such as healthy vegetables, fruits, seeds, and grains can help you stay full longer, tricking your ghrelin levels. Reducing your sugar levels and intake of processed foods can also help.

In order to maintain your ghrelin levels at a healthy balance, it’s important to receive adequate sleep and manage your stress well. The concentration of ghrelin lowers after receiving 6-8 hours of rest. Don’t try too hard to lower your levels, however, as this hormone is important to your intellectual ability.

You’ll notice a huge rise in your appetite if you have levels of the neuropeptide Y that are too high. This neuropeptide will cause weight to be stored in your hip, buttocks and lower back regions.

You might even get stretch marks from gaining weight so quickly. Other feelings such as anger, irritability, anxiety and intense headaches can appear as well. Blood pressure levels will be higher, you may see spots of pigment on your skin, and you may sweat excessively.

In order to balance your neuropeptide Y, you might need to cut out all sugar products from your diet. Flavorings and spices may also need to be eliminated, as they can often make you more hungry.

Glucagon is a hormone responsible for lowering your appetite and helping to digest fat more quickly. You may notice a deficit of glucagon after you’ve been through stressful scenarios and start eating as a result of the stress. Deficiencies of glucagon can also be caused by issues in your kidney, pancreas or liver.

Balance out your eating schedule to normalize your glucagon levels. This hormone will digest fat properly if you wait an adequate amount of time between eating meals. Physical activity can also help, as even a short workout can increase your levels.

Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, can help increase the process of hour metabolism and burn off excess fat. Adrenaline is mainly the sharpest and brightest type of emotions that you feel under certain heightened circumstances. If you haven’t felt that unmistaken rush in quite some time, you may need to lose weight and make a change.

You won’t notice a difference in your adrenaline unless you alter your eating habits. Eliminating carbs like bread, rice and corn can increase your adrenaline levels and fight off fat. In order to boost adrenaline, you can engage in scary films, video games, roller coasters, or giving a speech in public. Maintain a healthy diet for the best results.

According to the study, "Meta-analysis supports association between serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and suicidal behavior" published by Bio-X Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China in The National Center for Biotechnology Information, low levels of serotonin result in depression, frustration, sadness, and bad moods.

However, a lack of serotonin can also cause you to alter what you eat. If you daydream about burgers and fries or indulge in too much dessert, your body might be altering you that it is lacking the “happiness hormone,” serotonin.

Serotonin can be found naturally in eggs, pineapples and even nuts. Pineapples, in addition to serotonin, also have bromelain, a component that can reduce and prevent swelling. Serotonin can also be produced by increased exercise or time in the outdoors.

Holding extra weight on your body can often be a sign of low adiponectin levels, especially if you notice that the fat manifests in your midsection. People who suffer from type II diabetes often have a low level of adiponectin.

Some doctors think that if the levels are too low, you may require adiponectin injections to balance out your levels and help you lose weight.

However, it’s important to remember that physical exercise can help. You can boost adiponectin by walking or jogging in a day. Pistachio nuts can also help regulate the level of this hormone. Monounsaturated fats can help, such as olives and avocados in order to reduce the extra weight.

Although diet and exercise can help regulate your hormones, if you think you have an imbalance, it’s important to seek the guidance of a medical health professional. What did you learn about hormones through this article? Have you ever had an imbalance? Tell us your thoughts and send this informative read to your friends and family as well!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!