Having Trouble Losing Weight? Your Hormones Might Be Out Of Whack
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Even with a well-balanced diet and a regular exercise regimen, it can still be difficult for women of any age to lose weight. This could be for a number of reasons, but one factor in particular that we don’t always take into consideration is the impact that hormones can have on weight loss—specifically hormonal imbalances.
Our body is essentially a big clock with a number of parts working together. Hormones are just one of the parts involved in helping our bodies run smoothly. And when they’re out of sync, they can inhibit our efforts to lose weight.
So if you’re living a healthy lifestyle and still not losing weight, it could be time to check in with your hormones. Below, I explain some of the most common hormonal issues that can affect weight loss, as well as our overall health.
Inflammation
The word “inflammation” is thrown around a lot in the health and wellness world, but what does it really mean?
Well, inflammation is basically our immune system’s response to internal threats. For instance, when we incur an injury, infection, or have toxins in our bodies, we experience inflammation. It’s the body's way of reacting to the situation and prompting our various systems to protect us. That’s the good kind of inflammation. Research shows that chronic inflammation, though, is one of the main causes for a number of diseases, like heart disease, cancer, stroke, autoimmune diseases, and more. And when our body is in an inflammatory state—often because of our lifestyle choices—it’s significantly harder to lose weight.
Inflammation can influence other hormones to act differently, like insulin and leptin—two critical hormones for both health and weight loss. Insulin controls our blood sugar levels, which can affect fat storage, and leptin tells our brain when we’re full. You see now why inflammation can stall or negate weight loss! It sabotages our hunger cues, fat storage, and, in turn, makes it harder to regulate our food intake.
It’s vital to understand that there are many causes of inflammation, even beyond the foods that we eat and other choices we make (like drinking and smoking). In some cases, lifestyle changes can’t reverse chronic inflammation. If you’re experiencing symptoms of inflammation, I recommend considering all aspects of your lifestyle, from your diet and alcohol consumption, to the environment you live in. Once you’ve done that, reach out to a doctor, who can help determine your inflammation levels and recommend necessary adjustments.
Cortisol
Popularly known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol is actually involved in numerous bodily processes, including regulating our blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and even our metabolism.
When we go through periods of stress, our bodies produce more cortisol to help us cope before returning to normal. That said, if someone is constantly stressed and cortisol levels are elevated for a long time, that’s when trouble starts.
Prolonged stress leads to elevated cortisol, and when cortisol levels are chronically high, that can result in weight gain—in particular, it can increase the visceral fat around your midsection. High levels of visceral fat (the fat found deep inside your abdomen that surrounds all your major organs) can cause health problems later in life.
Lifestyle changes you can make to lower cortisol include anything that decreases stress—like meditation, relaxation or mindfulness, and exercise (though too much HIIT and not enough recovery can have the opposite impact). You can also get your cortisol levels tested at your doctor’s office, so if you suspect it’s sabotaging your weight loss, it may be worth looking into.
Serotonin
Serotonin is a hormone that plays a role in controlling our appetite, and, like cortisol, it’s significantly affected by stress. Long term stress can cause a massive decrease in serotonin levels, which can trigger cravings for carbohydrates and sugary foods, because these foods can encourage the body to increase serotonin production.
While our bodies need carbohydrates to function, and sugary foods can be eaten in moderation, eating too much on a regular basis can lead to unwanted weight gain. When it comes to both cortisol and serotonin, it’s really important to understand what it is about your life that is causing you to feel stressed and then make an active decision to reduce this as much as possible.
Thyroid hormones
Thyroid hormones help regulate our metabolism—aka all of the chemical reactions that take place within our body that help keep us alive and functioning. If your body is not able to produce enough thyroid hormones, it can cause your metabolism to slow down, which can make it more difficult to lose weight. Healthy levels of thyroid hormones are really important when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. Some thyroid abnormalities can sometimes be caused by diet, but these issues can also be genetic.
Hormones play a huge role in our body’s ability to function each and every day. While these are not all of the hormonal issues that can affect weight loss, this list represents some of the more common ones.
The way I see it, it’s important to be aware of all of the factors that can affect weight loss. I talk to so many women who feel discouraged because they’re struggling to see results, despite doing their best to live a healthy lifestyle. While weight loss might be your goal, it’s crucial that any hormonal imbalances you’re dealing with are corrected first. And besides, when your body’s systems are in check and working correctly, weight loss is more attainable anyway.
For more tips on weight loss and balancing your hormones through lifestyle change, join our Pure Joy Wellness Private Facebook Group! All you have to do is click “Join,” and once I see your request, you’re in!
Xo
Renata