A Lower Natural Metabolism
Next up, we have to consider metabolism. While there are always exceptions to the rule, the male body generally has more active metabolic massmore muscle, bigger hearts , larger kidneys, and less body fat in relation to body weightthan the typical female body. Considering that each pound of muscle burns about six calories daily, while the heart and kidneys may each require at least 100 calories to properly function, and fat burns just two calories per pound, its clear that the male body is just built to burn more calories based on its makeup alone. Lean muscle mass is the main factor determining our metabolic rate. So, due to a higher active metabolic mass, males tend to be naturally burning more calories and storing less fat.
Natural Ways To Balance Your Hormones
Most natural remedies for hormonal imbalance in females can be found in widely available supplements. Many people also experience relief from certain lifestyle changes, including:
- Managing weight
- Getting enough sleep
Hormones have a great role in many processes in our bodies. As weve seen, disruptions of these hormones can cause a variety of symptoms. Sometimes, a hormonal imbalance can have several serious effects. If you seek treatment as soon as possible, youll have the best chance of managing any complications.
References
Hormonal Weight Gain Symptoms
Since hormonal weight gain is linked to many types of imbalances, it can cause different symptoms. The symptoms you have depend on the hormone involved and whether you have too much or too little of it.
In addition to trouble losing weight, common symptoms of hormonal weight gain include:
- A thirst that isn’t satisfied despite drinking water
- “Brain fog,” or an inability to think clearly
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Why Take Hormone Replacement Therapy
Most women in perimenopause and menopause are struggling with their weight on some level. Too much weight, weight in the wrong places, and cant seem to exercise enough to keep it off. Even worse, the diets and exercises that once worked so well, or the new ones that claim to be the panacea, are often harsh and can escalate hormonal imbalances.14
As we discussed, hormones control metabolism and weight balance. The most effective way to get hormones back on track, halt the ever-present scale creep, and return to a healthy weight is to correct hormonal imbalances with HRT. Once hormones are back in balance, weight loss can begin.
Hormone regulation is complicated. The bodys hormones are all interconnected. The hormone systems must work in harmony and continually rebalance in response to physical and emotional events in a womans life. Perimenopause and menopause are the phases of a womans life when she will experience huge swings in hormone levels. Specifically, hormones related to:
Reproduction, and the monthly menstrual cycle ,
Adrenal gland functioning ,
Thyroid gland activity .
If perimenopausal and menopausal women fail to address the hormonal root causes of weight gain and weight loss resistance, their goals will not be achieved. At perimenopause, women will experience a cascade of hormone imbalances. Since these three hormonal networks impact one another, the results can sometimes be extreme.
Diet Exercise Primary Contributors To Weight
Calling hormones the true culprit behind womens weight gain isnt correct, according to Susan Davis, a professor of Chronic Disease & Aging at Monash University in Australia.
If they were, Davis said, everyone would be fat. Instead, she said diet is the primary culprit.
According to the National Institutes of Health, people gain weight when they take in more calories than they burn, and this imbalance is the greatest contributor to weight gain.
Davis added that diet is a crucial part of weight loss, as exercise alone doesnt always burn calories at the rate some might expect.
Twenty minutes of exercise is a glass of orange juice and three hours of exercise is a Big Mac, Davis said. And most people who eat a Big Mac don’t go out and do three hours of sustained exercise to follow that.
That isnt to say exercise is ineffective.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, physical activity is one of the most important things a person can do to improve their health. Regular physical activity is also associated with reduced weight gain and weight loss especially when combined with reduced calorie intake.”
Davis recommends those who try to lose weight do so slowly. For example, she said someone can think of one thing they eat on most days, and then cut that out of their diet.
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Does Hormonal Imbalance Make You Gain Weight
Hormones, along with your lifestyle, influence your appetite, satiety, metabolism, and weight .
Stress, age, genes, and poor lifestyle choices can disrupt your hormonal balance and lead to a sluggish metabolism, indigestion, and uncontrollable hunger. This, ultimately, leads to weight gain.
So, lets find out which hormones cause weight gain.
Obesity Hormones As A Risk Factor For Disease
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of a number of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke and several types of cancer, and with decreased longevity and lower quality of life. For example, the increased production of oestrogens in the fat of older women who are obese is associated with an increase in breast cancer risk, indicating that the source of oestrogen production is important.
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Hormones That Affect Weight Gain
Some of the main hormones that control weight gain and weight loss are:
- Thyroid hormones
Were going to look at each of these hormones more closely in just a moment.
But before we dive in, its important to remember that these hormones are not BAD.
They are our allies and they play very important roles in the body.
However, when theyre out of balance, theres a ripple effect that can cause rapid weight issues.
So, with that out of the way, lets look at how each of these hormones impact our weight.
How Is Hormonal Weight Gain Diagnosed
An evaluation with an endocrinologist can help determine if a hormonal condition is the underlying cause of weight gain. Declining estrogen, adrenal disorders, hormonal resistance, thyroid imbalance, and several other hormonal imbalances can lead to weight gain. Laboratory tests give endocrinologists insight to hormonal imbalances when combined with your symptoms and presentation, but it doesnt always tell the whole story. Blood and urine results can be influenced by many things. For this reason, we suggest special evaluations to see how metabolic information relates to the lab data.
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Consume More Cruciferous Veggies To Improve Estrogen
Since estrogen dominance can be a major contributor to weight gain, eating more cruciferous veggies can really help control excess estrogen.
Cruciferous veggies contain a compound called I3C.
When you eat those veggies, your body converts the I3C into DIM , which is an antioxidant that helps the body get rid of excess estrogen .
Balancing Hormones For Weight Loss
Hormones can be balanced, even as we get older. Some of the most important tools we have in staying healthy are surprisingly straightforward. Dr. Dorr reminds us that âthroughout life, staying active both mentally and physically is the key to optimal health. Our balance comes from the right diet, exercise, vitamins and minerals.â
What does that mean in the day-to-day? Cutting out sugary snacks and sodas, finding a workout plan, and adding more fruits and vegetables to your meals are all natural ways to balance your hormones.
Persistent weight gain even after lifestyle changes is something you should talk to your doctor about, as it could be a sign of other medical concerns.
Want more information on weight loss after age 60? We have a blog post all about it!
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What Is A Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones are chemicals produced by different glands and tissues, forming a part of the endocrine system.
Hormones travel to all of the bodys tissues and organs through the bloodstream. They give messages to these organs, letting them know what function to perform and when to do it.
Hormones help regulate a lot of processes in the body. Hormones manage appetite and metabolism, sleep cycles, heart rate, sexual function, general mood and stress levels, and body temperature. Because they affect so many functions, imbalances in certain hormones can lead to uncomfortable symptoms.
A hormonal imbalance occurs when a person has too much or too little of a certain hormone, such as insulin, cortisol, thyroxine, androgens, estrogen, or progesterone. Even slight changes can have a significant effect on your body.
Signs Your Hormones Are Causing Weight Gain
Several different factors can cause belly fat, including gender, age, dietary habits and amounts of physical exercise and hormonal misfiring. So how can you tell if hormones are the cause of your abdominal weight gain? While you can look out for some signs, its important to discuss any of your questions with a doctor to identify the root cause. Sometimes its not always so obvious and can vary from person to person.
Here are a few warning signs and symptoms you can look out for to help identify the cause of your belly fat:
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What Are Hormone Diets And Can They Really Help You Lose Weight Quickly
As a registered dietitian, I have found that my clients are increasingly asking about books and programs that claim you can adjust your hormones with a diet to lose weight quickly and easily.
Search for hormone diet and there are more than 30 recent books on the topic. The authors allege that the reason people over 35 struggle to lose weight doesnt have to do with eating too much or not exercising enough. They say its your hormones working against you.
According to these books, you can trick your metabolism and feed your thyroid. They claim that all you need to do is eat the right foods and take the right supplements, and youll unlock the secret to lasting weight loss.
But is there any evidence these diets work?
In researching hormone diets, I found some that are sold at weight-loss centers, created by wellness experts who have no recognized credentials. They claim to promote rapid weight loss by affecting hormones such as insulin, which moves sugar from your blood into your cells cortisol, the stress hormone sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen and thyroid hormones.
So, do hormone diets lead to quick and easy weight loss?
I dont know of any diet that will change hormone levels in a way that these hormone changes will be instrumental in promoting weight loss, Franck Mauvais-Jarvis, a professor of medicine at Tulane Universitys medical school, wrote in an email.
Release Stubborn Weight Naturally
The great news is that by changing what you eat and how, you can help naturally reset the balance between your major and minor hormones. You can jumpstart this process by using targeted phytotherapeutic herbs. Weve formulated a hormone balancing herbal combination of black cohosh, red clover, kudzu, passionflower, ashwagandha and more that adapts to the hormonal needs in your body. This combination can ease your hormones back into balance and eliminate bothersome symptoms. With the burden of hormonal imbalance lifted, your body can release the stubborn weight its holding on to.
Our Weight Loss Resistance Package offers a specially formulated eating plan along with targeted nutrients and herbs shown to improve hormonal regulation.
1 Vicennati, et al. 2002. Response of the hypothalamicpituitaryadrenocortical axis to high-protein/fat and high-carbohydrate meals in women with different obesity phenotypes. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 87 , 89843988. URL: http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/87/8/3984 .
Schwarzbein, D., & Deville, N. 1999. The Schwarzbein Principle. Deerfield Beach, FL: HCI.Lukanova, A., et al. 2004. Body mass index, circulating levels of sex-steroid hormones, IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3: A cross-sectional study in healthy women. Eur. J. Endocrinol., 150 , 161171. URL: http://eje-online.org/cgi/reprint/150/2/161 .
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Here Are The 6 Hormones Responsible For Weight Gain In Women
Are you one of those who have tried everything possible to lose weight but without results? Have you checked your hormones? Many women suffer from hormonal imbalance, have food cravings and slow metabolism, which may be related to PMS, pregnancy, menopause or stress.
You should know that appetite, weight loss, and metabolism are directly linked to female hormones.
Here are some of the hormones responsible for weight gain in women:
1. Thyroid Hormone:
The problem with thyroid hormone is the most common among women. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone and is responsible for weight gain in women. The most common symptoms are: fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, dry skin and constipation.
2. Estrogen:
Estrogen is a female sex hormone which can cause weight gain during menopause, because of its decreased level. Fat cells are found to be another source of estrogen that converts calories into fats. This can also lead to obesity.
3. Progesterone:
The level of progesterone decreases in the body during menopause, which may cause water retention and bloating in women. In this condition you may feel like your body is fuller and heavier.
4. Testosterone:
5. Insulin:
6. Stress Hormone Or Cortisol:
Here are some tips to avoid weight gain:
Losing weight has never been easy and the following tips can help you lose weight quicker:
Engage In Regular Exercise
Creating an exercise routine and sticking with it can be a significant lifestyle change for some and can take some getting used to. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , you should aim for 150 minutes of weekly, moderate-intensity activity for optimal body function. Exercise is excellent for keeping your hormones in check. If youre searching for tips on how to lose hormonal fat, exercise is the perfect opportunity to burn belly fat and calories.
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Why Am I Getting A Dad Bod
Simply put, most women are overweight at midlife because their hormones are out of whack, and the weight gain around their middle section is dangerous. The health implications of weight gain at menopause cannot be overstated. The excess weight that is most concerning is a weight around the midsection and is called visceral fat. Its the fat that is deep in your body and surrounds your organs.
In our 20s and 30s, we may gain weight in our breasts and around our hips and thighs. At menopause, we tend to gain weight around our abdomen and upper back. This shift in where fat is deposited is due to the hormonal changes of menopause. While the genetic factors related to weight and fat distribution cant be changed, women can control menopausal weight gain by increasing the levels of hormones that are dropping by taking natural bioidentical hormones.1-10
Obesity And Sex Hormones
Body fat distribution plays an important role in the development of obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke and some forms of arthritis. Fat around our abdomen is a higher risk factor for disease than fat stored on our bottom, hips and thighs. It seems that oestrogens and androgens help to decide body fat distribution. Oestrogens are sex hormones made by the ovaries in pre-menopausal women. They are responsible for prompting ovulation every menstrual cycle. Men and postmenopausal women do not produce much oestrogen in their testes or ovaries. Instead, most of their oestrogen is produced in their body fat, although at much lower amounts than what is produced in pre-menopausal ovaries. In younger men, androgens are produced at high levels in the testes. As a man gets older, these levels gradually decrease.The changes with age in the sex hormone levels of both men and women are associated with changes in body fat distribution. While women of childbearing age tend to store fat in their lower body , older men and postmenopausal women tend to increase storage of fat around their abdomen . Postmenopausal women who are taking oestrogen supplements donât accumulate fat around their abdomen. Animal studies have also shown that a lack of oestrogen leads to excessive weight gain.
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Hormones Incidental In Weight Gain
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, hormones can control everything from metabolism and energy levels to growth and development. Hormones play a role in weight, experts told USA TODAY but they are not the primary driver of weight gain, as the post claims.
Dr. Artur Viana, clinical director of the Metabolic Health & Weight Loss Program at Yale University, said that while hormones are involved in obesity, they are not the sole cause. Robert Lustig, professor emeritus of pediatrics at the University of California-San Francisco, told USA TODAY theres an ongoing debate in the nutrition field over the extent to which hormones contribute to obesity.
Is obesity a problem of energy balance, or is obesity a problem of energy storage? he said. If its a problem of energy balance, its all about calories. If its about energy storage, then the question is: Whats storing it? And the answer is one of two hormones: insulin and cortisol.
For example, when blood sugar rises, the hormone insulin goes up, allowing sugar to exit the blood and enter cells where it is needed. But when cells receive more sugar than they need, fat begins to accumulate. However, insulin itself doesn’t cause weight gain.
Lustig’s recommendation for people looking to lose weight is simple: Stop eating sugar.
Thats numbers one, two and three, he said. Get rid of the sugar, get rid of the sugar, get rid of the sugar.
Sudden Increase In Belly Fat
One of the clearest indicators that you may be suffering from hormonal weight gain is a sudden increase in belly fat. This typically occurs when your cortisol levels are high because of stress or anxiety. The higher your cortisol levels, the more likely it is for you to store body fat on your stomach instead of burning it as energy or using it as fuel throughout the day
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