Weight loss can seem like a confusing puzzle to solve, but with the help of these six ways to turn on your weight loss hormones, you’ll be able to solve that riddle in no time.
What are hormones?
Hormones, called your body’s chemical messengers, get sent via your bloodstream to organs in your body. They’re different hormones in your body that affect various body functions and processes, such as
- Growth and development
- Food metabolism
- Sexual functions and reproductive health and growth
- Brain function and moods
- Body temperature and thirst
6 Ways to Turn On Your Weight Loss Hormones
Let’s look further at these six ways to turn on your weight loss hormones as soon as you are ready.
1. Rebalance your weight loss hormones by eating satisfying foods
Some foods are just more filling and satisfying than others.
You will notice this not just by the round fullness of your stomach after eating them but by how long you feel satisfied or satiated before you have the desire to eat again.
The weight loss hormone responsible for your full feeling is called leptin.
Sources of protein are excellent ways to nourish your body and activate leptin to help you feel full longer. Leptin tells the brain that you are no longer hungry and stop eating.
Researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says ‘a moderate increase in dietary protein in association with physical activity and an energy-controlled diet may improve the regulation of body weight.’
The study showed that eating protein increased satiety or fullness and helped people lose fat in the body rather than lose muscle mass.
2. Build muscle mass to support your weight loss hormones
The same hormone responsible for bulking up bodybuilders can also be a weight-loss tool for you. The sex hormone testosterone is present in both men and women, and we can get more of it by weightlifting. In turn, the greater testosterone levels you have, the more weight loss you will see because muscle burns fat.
Lifting enough weight with enough repetitions that you begin to feel muscle soreness or ‘the burn’ is the right amount to see results. Turning on this weight loss hormone may be as easy as lifting a toddler and a car seat throughout the day or carrying the four bags of groceries and a gallon of milk from the car to the kitchen.
3. Always eat breakfast to turn on weight loss hormones
In the morning, you are turning on your weight loss hormones by breaking your overnight fast, or break-fast, as we call the morning meal. Your body is in a state of fasting while you sleep, and it burns very few calories as you process the day’s information as dreams and memories. The body’s heart rate and breathing are slow, which means a sluggish metabolism while at rest.
To break your body out of the resting phase, jump-start your metabolism with some plant-based protein or vegetarian sources of fat and carbohydrates in the morning. Keep the total calorie count below 800 if possible and keep the carbohydrate portion of the meal small compared to the protein and fat content.
4. Increase your fat-burning power while sitting
The weight loss hormones of the thyroid are produced from the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in your throat. According to German obesity research on thyroid function, when the thyroid hormones Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were measured in obese children before and after a weight reduction program, they found that a slight weight reduction led to a long-term decrease in the levels of T3 and T4.
The reduction in the T3 and T4 thyroid hormones led to a more efficient metabolism while resting, which sped up further weight loss. If you can lose as little as 5 pounds, you can turn on your thyroid weight loss hormones to keep the weight loss going.
5. Get better sleep for better regulation of weight loss hormones
Levels of the weight loss hormone leptin that makes you feel full are also dependent on you getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. When you do not get restful sleep, your leptin levels decrease, so you tend to want to overeat to consume more levels of energy to make up for the lack of rest.
Your body reasons that if you are tired, you need more energy in the form of food, and the weight loss hormone leptin is not high enough to tell your brain that you aren’t that hungry.
6. Breathe like a yogi
The yogi practice of focused breathing can help speed up your metabolism by changing the levels of adrenal weight loss hormones in your body. In a study where researchers asked participants to breathe through a single nostril at a time by closing off the other for 27 respiratory cycles, repeated four times a day for one month, they found that the participants had an increase in resting metabolic oxygen consumption of up to 37%.
10 Foods to Support Healthy Weight Loss Hormones
Having a good hormonal balance is essential for losing weight. Certain foods support healthy hormones. Here’s a list of the ten best foods to eat to help your hormones and lose weight.
1. Tuna and salmon
Fatty fish such as tuna and wild-caught salmon are high in omega-3s that help produce hormones. They boost your mood and improve the balance of your hormones. Eating fatty fish helps you feel full so that you won’t snack between meals. Fatty fish is high in vitamin D, which keeps your hormones under control and helps address weight gain and fatigue.
2. Eggs assist in the regulation of weight loss hormones
Eggs help produce hormones. They’re high in protein, which lowers insulin, the hormone that affects your hunger. Eating a boiled egg for breakfast will keep you full until lunchtime.
3. Eat healthy fats
Some fats are bad for you, but healthy fats are necessary to keep your body healthy. Fats give you energy and help with cell development. Three great healthy fats to add to your diet include
- Avocadoes-This superfood helps your body maintain and balance estrogen and progesterone.
- Flaxseed-Flaxseed helps keep your hormones in balance. Don’t overdo adding these healthy seeds to smoothies. Too much flaxseed can throw off the balance of estrogen in your body.
- Brazil nuts-This nut boasts the highest level of selenium, a hormone that supports your thyroid function.
4. Add healthy whole grains to rebalance weight loss hormones
Whole grains are packed with B vitamins. They support the hormones that affect your moods and energy levels. Substitute these whole grains for potatoes or white rice.
- Quinoa-This superfood won’t raise your blood sugar the way processed grains do. It’s a great source of vitamin B and helps your body sustain healthy insulin levels.
- Brown rice-When possible, skip the white rice and choose brown rice instead. Brown rice contains phytoestrogen that help keep your estrogen levels in balance. It’s also rich in B vitamins.
- Oatmeal-Oatmeal isn’t just for kids. Oats are high in soluble fiber, which aids your digestive system. It’s also high in vitamin B, manganese, and zinc.
5. Don’t forget your leafy greens
Leafy greens are packed with antioxidants that help fight inflammation. They help lower stress and lower your cortisol levels. High in fiber, they help prevent hormone-related health problems.
6. Crunchy cruciferous veggies assist your weight loss hormones
Crunchy veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale remove excess estrogen from your body. Broccoli helps relieve PMS, reduce cramps and mood swings associated with your menstrual period.
7. Fresh organic fruits
If possible, buy organic fruits to guarantee there were no chemicals used in their growing. Chemicals such as pesticides disrupt your hormones. There are some fruits that you need to peel to eat, so they aren’t as bad for you if they’re not organic. These fruits include the following types:
- Bananas
- Pineapples
- Watermelon
- Cantalope
- Oranges, tangerines, or mandarines
Best organic fruits for hormone balance to lose weight include:
- Blueberries-Blueberries are rich in antioxidants. They’re full of B vitamins that help with the production and balance of hormones such as progesterone.
- Apples-High in fiber and vitamin C. Helps raise your progesterone levels, which helps you feel less anxious and moody.
- Strawberries-High in phytoestrogen that balances your hormones.
9. Herbs
Herbs add flavor and healthiness to your diet. These common herbs help balance your hormone levels.
- Garlic-It helps balance your estrogen levels.
- Turmeric-Turmeric contains curcumin, which helps your hormones and improves your blood flow. It’s also a powerful antioxidant.
10. Kimchi or sauerkraut support weight loss hormones
Did you turn up your nose when your grandma ate sauerkraut? Grandma got it right because kimchi and sauerkraut are full of good bacteria and probiotics that keep your gut healthy. Your digestive system plays a role in producing serotonin, your happy hormone that helps your mood.
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