Diet & Weight Loss
A Constant Battle
The battle of the bulge is a shared story among women: she was just losing the weight from her first baby when along came baby number two; there’s no time to exercise; she eats right but can’t drop that last 10 pounds.
We’ve yo-yo dieted ourselves unconscious trying to maintain our weight, but it goes beyond the extra pounds we can’t seem to lose. It’s how and where our bodies gain weight: around the stomach, buttocks and thighs. Bad diet? Lack of exercise? Not enough sleep? It all contributes. We’ve been told over and over again that we are gaining weight because we are incapable of losing weight, we didn’t eat the right thing or we weren’t able to get five jogs in this week. In truth, the problem is much more fundamental.
The culpret? Hormones, or more specifically, hormone imbalance.
The Usual Suspects: Progesterone and Estrogen
There are a dozen potential culprits and some combinations that have more than likely ganged up on your body’s ability to achieve weight loss. The usual suspects are estrogen and progesterone – two hormones that need to stay in perfect balance.
When a woman’s body no longer produces enough progesterone, she has entered a state of estrogen dominance. Progesterone is the hormone needed to equalize estrogen so that, with a healthy diet and exercise, the body’s metabolism will respond and weight loss can occur. Estrogen dominance causes an increase in what is called the thyroid binding globulin. When this globulin, basically a group of proteins, is present, the thyroid gland becomes dysfunctional, meaning we can diet and exercise with a vengeance and still not lose the weight.
By supplementing progesterone, we can effectively address some of the biochemical reasons for weight gain. The goal is to address the excess estrogen and eliminate the hypothyroid condition so that, with healthy diet and exercise, the body’s metabolism will respond and weight loss can occur. The addition of progesterone also provides a natural diuretic, reducing bloating caused by estrogen-dominance and promoting weight loss.
The Other Offenders: Insulin and Cortisol
While estrogen and progesterone are the ringleaders, there are other facilitating hormones acting as their cronies, most often, insulin and cortisol.
Insulin is the hormone made in the pancreas. This long thin organ is neatly tucked beneath the left side of our rib cage and controls blood sugar levels. When insulin is released into our blood stream, blood sugar level drops instantly. If too much insulin is released, the blood sugar level overshoots and drops too low. This sudden drop in blood sugar may leave us feeling weak, queasy, shaky, sweaty and craving sweets.
We’re all familiar with the concept of low blood sugar, and a very significant connection exist among estrogen and progesterone levels and insulin. As the body’s production of progesterone decreases and circulating estrogen becomes dominant, insulin is released more rapidly and more often. So we are both unable to properly metabolize calories and might be taking in more at the same time.
Enter cortisol, the stress hormone. It is produced in the adrenal glands that sit right above the kidneys. When you are under stress and have high levels of cortisol, your body is physiologically unable to go into weight loss mode. Elevated cortisol levels make the body believe that there is danger ahead, and our bodies are programmed to conserve all reserves for impending crisis. Even if your progesterone and estrogen was in perfect balance and unbothered by the effects of increased insulin levels, stress-produced cortisol would still be throwing up weight-loss roadblocks at every step of your journey.
Why Do We Need Weight Loss Hormones?
There are specific phases to being a human woman that dictate your hormone levels:
- Fluctuations of the Menstrual Cycle
- Perimenopause
- Premenopause
- Menopause
- Hysterectomy
- Heredity
At different stages of life, women experience hormonal fluctuations, but perimenopause hits hard. This is when the imbalance of progesterone and estrogen begins. Others join in – testosterone, thyroxine, epinephrine, glucagon – along with insulin and cortisol. It’s not surprising that most women gain weight in their 30s and continue to gain into their 40s, 50s and beyond. Recognizing what’s happening is the first step to rectifying the problem. Once the problem is identified, it’s time to look at weight loss hormones as a possible solution.
.
