Setting Fitness Goals That Motivate - pg. 3 Winter Weight Loss: Hormone Balance and Your Weight

Winter Weight Loss: Hormone Balance and Your Weight

If you’re like most middleaged people, your waistline is larger than it was when you were in your 20’s or even your 30’s. There are many reasons for this: larger portions, sedentary lifestyle, genetics. But there is one more reason: Hormone balance, or should we say imbalance. hormones change. They act as the chemical messenger triggering bodily functions like metabolism. But sometimes hormones become imbalanced causing your body to hold onto excess weight.

Hormonal imbalance happens when you have too much or too little of certain hormones. Even small changes can affect your health. Hormone disorders are one factor that affects hormone balance. Another is age. But there are some ways you can combat hormonerelated weight gain, including nutritious diet and healthy behaviors.

Here are 7 Tips to beat hormone imbalance and weight gain.

Tip #1: Eat protein at every meal. An adequate amount of protein is essential to providing the amino acids your body can’t make on its own. Protein is needed to maintain muscle, bone and your skin health.

Aim to consume a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal.

Tip #2: Engage in regular physical activity. Physical activity strongly impacts hormone health. Exercise helps reduce insulin levels while increasing insulin sensitivity.

The hormone insulin functions by allowing cells to take sugar and amino acids from the bloodstream. Then they are used for burning energy and to maintain muscle. But it only takes a small amount of insulin.

Many types of exercise, like strength training, aerobics, walking or any other form of physical exercise modifies hormone levels. This reduces the risk of disease caused by high insulin levels.

Tip #3: Stay away from excess sugar and refined carbs. Minimizing sugar and refined carbs may be key in optimizing hormone function, as well as for avoiding obesity and other diseases.

Tip #4: Manage your stress. Stress can cause big problems with two major hormones: cortisol and adrenaline or epinephrine. Cortisol helps your body cope with stress over the long term. Adrenaline is the fight or flight hormone, providing energy to respond to immediate danger.

Engage in stress reducing behaviors like yoga, meditation and listening to calming music. This will help your body level out stress hormones.

Tip #5: Eat healthy fats. High-quality natural fats help reduce insulin resistance and your appetite. These mediumchain triglycerides or MCTs are unique fats that stimulate the production of hormones that help control your appetite.

Tip #6: Consume fatty fish at least twice a week. Fatty fish delivers a course of omega-3 fatty acids. These have antiinflammatory properties. Salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel all benefit hormones when eaten two or more times a week.

Tip #7: Eat a diet high in fiber. Fiber, especially soluble fiber, has a strong effect on your appetite and makes you feel full. Consume fiber rich foods daily for best hormone related weight loss results.

Hormone balance plays an important role in maintaining healthy weight. These simple practices will help you combat hormone imbalance, especially as you age.