Control Your Hormones
You may be asking … how do we turn on our fat burning machinery? Well, great question! Part of the secret is having the right hormone environment. If you are overweight, chances are that your hormones are out of balance. In particular, you may have trouble with insulin. In order to lose weight, it is crucial to normalize insulin levels. This can be done -- with exercise, with the right diet, and by following other lifestyle recommendations.
It is estimated that 50% of Americans have insulin levels that are too high. We at DietSecretsMD.com think that the true figures are even higher than that. Insulin dominance has become a problem of epidemic proportions. Just about everyone that is overweight has a problem with insulin and its control of metabolism. Many individuals with high insulin levels are not overweight – yet -- but are on the fast track to weight gain, high blood pressure, and even diabetes. Insulin is not the only hormone that can be out of balance, but it is the biggest problem for most of us.
Vicious cycle: Poor diet → High Insulin → Weight gain → Higher Insulin → Weight Gain
Other hormones that play a major role in weight control are:
- Cortisol - the stress hormone, which leads to weight gain and packs on belly fat
- Growth hormone - the “fountain of youth hormone” that increases fat burning and builds muscle
- Leptin - the “fat cells are full” hormone
- Ghrelin - the “I’m hungry” hormone
- PYY and CCK - the “stomach is full” hormones
- Thyroid - controls the rate of metabolism at the cellular level
- Glucagon – increases fat burning, increases blood sugar when it is too low
An imbalance of hormones can often be corrected, either by lifestyle changes or occasionally by supplementation. Making simple changes to your sleep routine, what foods you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, and the right exercise can affect these hormone levels in positive ways. You need to control your hormones to lose weight effectively.
Take this quiz to see if you need to pay more attention to controlling your hormones. Then follow these steps to learn how you can control insulin, the hormone that makes you fat. To find out more about your hormones and how they affect weight loss as well as your health, keep reading.