Lose Fat Faster: Reset Your Hormones

Are you having a hard time in losing extra weight? Here the six hormones you need to reset to lose fat faster.

Lower Cortisol Levels To Stop Stress Eating

As a stress hormone, cortisol regulates your reaction to stressful situations. However, you could end up with a surge of cortisol in your body if you are not getting adequate sleep, simply not eating right, or having a stressful work or personal life. You crave for fatty sugary foods to ease your stress which make you gain more weight.

How To Lower Cortisol Levels

  1. Have some stress-relieving activities like meditation or yoga.
  2. Exercise daily to enable your body to adjust to higher levels of cortisol and release endorphins (mood-lifting hormones) to counter the cortisol.
  3. Have at least 7 hours of sleep every night. For better sleep eat foods with melatonin and tryptophan like kiwifruit, cherries, turkey, and cottage cheese. For at least 2 hours before sleep, you must stay away from electronic devices and caffeine.


Balance Estrogen Levels To Not Store Fat

Estrogen, known as a female sex hormone, regulates insulin levels in your body. This ensures your body keeps its blood glucose levels steady, supplying it as energy to muscles to be burned as a fuel. Yet, having an imbalance estrogen is risky.

You can have too little estrogen due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or obesity. Or you can have too much estrogen due to high intake of dietary sources like meat. In return, these could put you at risk for insulin resistance, with less glucose going to your muscles and more remaining in the bloodstream. The excess glucose is then stored by your body as fat.

How To Balance Your Estrogen Levels

  1. If you have too much estrogen, eat cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli. Sauté or steam them lightly.
  2. If you have too little estrogen, cut down caffeine and eat whole grains, more fruits, fresh vegetables (except cruciferous ones), and fish.


Lower Insulin Resistance To Use Up Glucose

Insulin regulates how your body uses glucose from food for energy or fat storage. Your body does not respond to insulin normally when you are insulin resistant, thus glucose starts collecting in your blood. Your body produces more and more insulin to compensate for this, which eventually results in prediabetes or diabetes. Weight gain, as well as a polycystic ovarian syndrome, are usually linked to insulin resistance.

How To Lower Insulin Resistance

  1. Make your body more sensitive to insulin by including lean protein, high fiber grains, peppers, pomegranate, berries, and avocados in your diet.
  2. Keep the blood glucose levels from rising by getting on a strict low-carb diet too.
  3. Have some regular exercise to correct the hormonal issues that are worsening your weight gain. Walk for at least 30 mins daily to cut down the risk of diabetes by 30 percent.


Make The Thyroid Active To Improve Metabolism

Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 determine the rate of metabolism for all the cells in your body. Hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid causes your metabolism to become sluggish, thereby bringing on weight gain. You may also experience constant fatigue and tiredness.

How To Treat Hypothyroidism

  1. Get enough sunlight.
  2. Since thyroid problems have a close association with stress, try practicing some stress alleviating techniques.
  3. Cut down on caffeine, soy, refined carbohydrates, and iodine. Eat more proteins but not gluten. Cook goitrogenic vegetables like kale, broccoli, cauliflower, or spinach.


Get Enough Testosterone To Burn Fats Better

In both men and women, testosterone is an important piece of the metabolism puzzle. Without enough testosterone, your body can have higher fat mass and lower muscle mass. It can also result in higher levels of cholesterol, reduce insulin sensitivity, and increased triglycerides. All of these are implicated in the fat buildup and weight gain.

How To Increase Testosterone Levels

  1. Avoid drinking water from bisphenol A (BPA)-laden plastic bottles.
  2. Cut down on foods with phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) like soy that lower testosterone.
  3. Cut down on alcohol, sugary drinks, and bread which lower testosterone.


Control Leptin To Stop Overeating

Leptin regulates the energy balance in your body and your appetite in the long term. When your body starts ignoring the signals this hormone is sending out, you might develop resistance to leptin which results in your inability to tell when you are actually full and should stop eating.

How To Control Your Leptin Levels

  1. Quit alcohol.
  2. Avoid sugary snacks and processed foods.
  3. Get more of your “daily five” from vegetables rather than overloading on fruit, especially fructose-rich fruit like melons or pineapple.

Related