5 TIPS TO BALANCE YOUR HORMONES AND LOSE WEIGHT FASTER

Body

Aug 19

If you want to lose weight fast, you need to have your hormones working for you, not against you. Today I want to share a few food choices, supplements, and practical ways to boost the performance of five key hormones so you can ramp up your fat loss and get rid of the not-so-sexy muffin top!

Ready? Let’s do this!

1.ADIPONECTIN
This is an energy-regulating hormone produced by fat cells. As this hormone rises, your cells become more sensitive to insulin and helps you to become a better fat burner. As you lose fat, the level of Adiponectin in your blood actually increases!

So how can you boost this hormone? Easy - by a daily salad a couple of supplements.

Why “salad”? Studies show that increasing fiber along with mono-unsaturated and Omega 3 fats will increase levels of Adiponectin. Nuts and avocados will provide these nutrients. To get more fiber, eat more non-starchy veggies (like salad greens) - a LOT of them along with mono-unsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil.

Eat a big salad that’s topped with avocado slices, nuts and oil/vinegar as a dressing. If you want to get more omega 3’s, add wild-caught salmon to the meal a few times a week.

Supplement-wise, if you aren’t a fan of fish, you can take a fish oil supplement. Fiber can also be supplemented. Try organic psyllium husk powder which as 4 grams of fiber per teaspoon. Berberine and Curcumin are also great supplements because they are known to improve insulin sensitivity and provide additional weight loss support.

2. LEPTIN
This is the hunger stopping hormone that is also made by your fat cells. It will tell your brain that you are full and that you’ve got enough fat in storage. When things are working as they should, Leptin is what keeps you from overeating. However, the more fat you have, the more leptin you have as well. Even though this sounds like a good thing, it really isn’t. When you’ve got too much Leptin, the system breaks down and Leptin Resistance will develop. When you are Leptin resistant, your brain doesn’t get the message that you are full, which leaves you Always. Freaking. Starving. #CueYogaPants

Elevated levels of Leptin are linked to inflammation - which is the root cause of disease and dis-ease in the body. The way to normalize Leptin (and reverse resistance to it), is to eat and move your body in a way that reduces inflammation.

The best way to do this is to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Unfortunately, sugar is the devil when it comes to inflammation in the body. I highly encourage you to read labels and if you see sugar listed (in any of the below forms), RUN!

AVOID ME

-Cane sugar

-Corn syrup

-Dextrose

-Fruit juice concentrate

-High fructose corn syrup

-Dextrose

-Maltodextrin

When you eat processed foods made with white flour, like pasta, cookies, cake, bagels, etc., it turns to sugar really fast in your blood. This causes inflammation and spikes insulin - which blocks fat loss. Insulin decides if you will store fat or burn it.

If you like your coffee or tea sweet, use Stevia. If you need ice cream, So Delicious sells a no sugar added coconut ice cream that’s made with Stevia and is delish! (This is coming from a total icecream snob!)

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Intermittent fasting can also help to reduce inflammation, lose weight, and restore Leptin sensitivity. You’ll get the most “bang for your buck” if you start your fast AFTER dinner. There was a study done in 2009 by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that showed that as evening calories increased, so did inflammation.

Stop eating 3 hours before you go to sleep so your body has adequate time to digest your food. YOu’ll also sleep better as a result.

If you’d like my list of anti-inflammatory foods, just CLICK HERE to download your copy.

3. CHOLECYSTOKININ (CCK)

This is a hunger-satisfaction hormone that is similar to Leptin but is made by the cells in your intestines. You want to have more CCK because it prevents overeating and it slows digestion so you stay feeling fuller, longer! BOOM!

Increase your daily intake of fiber, fat, and protein to feel the benefits of CCK.

4. PEPTIDE YY (PYY)
This is a hunger reducing and digestion slowing hormone. What’s cool about the hormones that are produced by the gut is that they have the same effect on both obese and lean people!

In fact, in one study (CLICK HERE to read it in full) when PYY was injected into both obese and lean test participants, appetite and food intake were decreased.

When you eat a diet higher in fat, you won’t want to eat nearly as often because you are fuller for a longer period of time.

To get the benefits of these gut-derived hormones, eat a diet higher in fat, and get an adequate amount of protein. If you are just starting to eat like this, aim for healthy fats to be at least 50% of your daily intake. The remaining 50% can be split between protein and carbs (not processed carbs though!).

5. INSULIN

The fat-storing hormone. A low carb diet is the best fix for this primary weight control hormone. You want to keep your insulin level low so that your body is able to release fat (or shrink down that fat storage).

The 3 main nutrients that make up food are fats, protein, and carbs. Each one of these affects insulin in different ways.

1. Carbs raise insulin the most.

2. Protein increases it a modest amount.

3. Fats have little effect on it at all.