Can hormones really affect your weight loss journey?
In short, yes. Hormones are the most powerful chemical messengers in the body and, unfortunately, can make or break your weight loss progress.
Essentially, the food you eat and the exercise you do has a huge impact on your hormonal health and weight. That’s because hormones support many vital functions within the body, including our ability to maintain muscle, lose body fat, and experience stress and hunger.
In addition to blood sugar control and insulin balance, hormones control metabolism. So when a hormonal imbalance occurs, it can become considerably harder to lose weight.
Hormones which can affect weight loss:
Insulin -
This hormone secreted by the pancreas and its main role is to regulate glucose (sugar) levels and promote fat storage, especially around the stomach. Foods that can promote the secretion of insulin include white refined flours and sugars, so try to limit these and opt for whole foods instead.
Glucagen -
This is a fat burning hormone and is secreted by the consumption of protein. Glucagon and insulin have opposing effects. Which means, when one is up, the other one is down.
Cortisol -
This is your stress hormone, and the best buddy of insulin. So if cortisol is elevated due to mild to moderate periods of stress, insulin is also typically raised which can make weight loss difficult.
Here are several ways to help you optimise your health for weight loss, weight maintenance, and hormonal balance.
- Get a good night’s sleep
Prioritising sleep can do wonders for healthy cortisol secretion and weight loss. Whether you’re a busy bee or you have insomnia, here are just a few reasons why you should make sleep a priority and how you can catch more zzz's.
- Eat well
Following a well-balanced diet is vital.
Foods to optimise your health include:
- Unprocessed produce
- Lean protein sources (these are glucagon stimulating foods)
- Whole grains
- Fruit and vegetables
These foods can improve health and encourage healthy hormone production. We've done the hard work and rounded up a number of high-protein foods to help fuel your day.
- Stay hydrated
We all know that getting enough H2O is beneficial to our bod. Drinking 2 litres of water per day is critical for energy, vitality and overall health. No excuses on this one – just make it a habit! Find it hard to incorporate enough water into your daily routine? Check out these 10 easy ways to drink more water. Green tea is also an excellent choice to boost your water intake - i addition to boosting metabolism, green tea secretes an amino acid called L-theanine which tends to have a calming effect (which can help reduce your cortisol response).
- Enjoy ‘me’ time
Incorporating stress management into your routine is fundamental to living a balanced life. Whether it’s meditation, journaling, breath work, or some time outside with a good book, try to take at least 15-30 minutes per day for yourself. Again, this will help keep your cortisol levels at bay. Check out these 10 self-care tips to boost your well-being.
- Move your body
Regular physical activity has so many benefits and will not only help with regulating calorie balance and weight control but can also help reduce stress, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more. Being inactive and sedentary, on the other hand, can lead to increased circulating oestrogen, causing a hormonal imbalance and making weight loss even harder.
Ultimately, improving your diet, increasing your physical activity, and finding ways to manage your stress levels will have a positive impact on your health, body weight, and hormone production.
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