Embarking on the journey to Women's weight loss is a deeply personal experience, and it's important to acknowledge that every woman's path is as unique as she is. For some women, it can be difficult to shed those last few pounds to hit their ideal weight. I, myself, have battled with the scale on more than one occasions including yo-yo dieting. Honestly, it left me feeling defeated and discouraged. I always felt like I was falling short – like I should be exercising more and eating less, all while grappling with constant fatigue.
What I didn’t know back in the day, was that there are other factors influencing my weight loss journey, and it has nothing to do with how many 5am Pilates or spin classes I attended!
Imbalances and disruptions in hormonal function have the potential to impact weight loss significantly, acting as silent forces that may be hindering your progress toward achieving your desired body weight.
Look at how these 5 hormones that may be affecting your ability to lost weight:
Insulin
Insulin is the body’s fat storage hormone. It stores glucose (a sugar you get from food) in the muscle, liver and fat cells for later use. Insulin can become resistant, particularly if you are overweight or have diabetes. This resistance leads to the conversion of excess blood glucose into fat, hindering weight loss.
Leptin
Leptin is the fullness hormone. Basically, it’s main job is to signal to the brain that you’re full. But, if leptin levels are high, it can lead to leptin resistance. Which means that the message to stop eating doesn’t reach your brain. It's the reason you might find yourself finishing off that entire bag of popcorn and then some.
Ghrelin
Ghrelin, is essentially the opposite of leptin. It’s the hunger hormone that sends a message to your hypothalamus indicating that your stomach is empty and needs food. If not properly regulated, it can increase appetite, making you feel hungrier more often and promoting overeating.
Cortisol
You may be familiar with cortisol as the stress hormone. Not a bad hormone however, chronically high levels of cortisol can lead a variety of health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, low energy levels, high blood pressure, sleep disturbances and weight gain.
Estrogen
Beyond its role in the female reproductive system, estrogen also influences metabolism and fat distribution. Fluctuations during the menstrual cycle or menopause can impact body weight, potentially making weight loss more challenging with lower estrogen levels.
Understanding these hormonal nuances is a crucial step in tailoring a holistic approach to your unique weight loss journey. For me, the realization of how these hormones influenced my weight loss journey brought about a profound sense of empowerment and confidence. Knowledge truly became my ally. Discovering how to regulate these hormonal forces for weight loss felt like reclaiming control over my body. It went beyond the conventional notion of just eating at a calorie deficit; it was about understanding which foods could nourish my body while harmonizing my hormones.
It also redefined my approach to exercise. As it turns out, not all bodies respond positively to the relentless pursuit of high impact cardio every morning. It's about finding the types of exercise that resonate with and benefit your unique body, creating a sustainable and enjoyable fitness routine.