I know how frustrating it can be when you make changes to your diet with the intention of losing weight…and then scale doesn’t budge.
Often stubborn weight loss problems are rooted in hormonal issues, not willpower.
Over the next 3 weeks, we will examine a few hormonal imbalances that hinder weight loss, along with natural ways to correct them.
How your body carries weight and responds to food and movement is significantly influenced by a symphony of hormones that work together to regulate all types of processes in your body.
I have a free hormone assessment that you can take which might help you discover which hormones might be holding you back from losing weight. Click here to access it.
Why would you want to know which hormones might be holding you back from losing weight? Because several different hormones influence weight, metabolism, hunger, and even sleep.
And fortunately, just a few lifestyle changes can often get your hormones back on track so you can start losing weight again.
My hope for you is that the next few blogs will help you understand how losing weight involves much more than calories taken in and calories burned off.
Today’s hormone is the satiety hormone, leptin.
Leptin is referred to as the satiety hormone because it influences feelings of fullness and satisfaction from eating.
However, when leptin drops, it will cause your metabolism to slow down and hold onto fat.
Symptoms of leptin imbalances are:
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- increased appetite or constantly feeling hungry;
- increased food intake despite having adequate energy stores or excess amounts of body fat;
- weight gain with calories taken in and stored as fat instead of burning them as energy;
- weight-loss resistance and difficulty keeping weight off;
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The first thing you can do to help undo a leptin imbalance is to eat nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods at every meal. This type of meal plan is beneficial for the following reasons:
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- It provides a metabolically appropriate number of calories.
- It’s rich in fiber.
- It’s free of gluten that can leak into the bloodstream and inhibit leptin binding to its receptors in the brain, contributing to leptin resistance.
- It focuses on vegetables, legumes, and high-quality proteins like wild fish and grass-fed meats.
- It includes omega-3-rich foods such as salmon or sardines, flax seeds, and walnuts while reducing omega-6 intake from factory-raised meats and dairy products.
- It limits inflammatory foods like fried and processed foods, refined sugars, factory-raised meats, and sugary drinks.
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The food in my 5-day detox program is a perfect example of this type of nutrition.
Once you balance your nutrition with healthy eating, the next thing you may want to focus on is getting enough sleep.
Lack of adequate sleep and altered circadian rhythms can dysregulate leptin. For most people getting at least 7-9 hours of good-quality sleep helps balance leptin and weight.
Click here for a free resource that outlines techniques to quiet your mind so you can get a good night’s sleep.
OK…so that’s it for leptin, the satiety hormone. Watch for next week’s email where I’ll talk about cortisol imbalances and things you can do to naturally get them back on track.
To your good health,
