Many women are burdened with carb counting to keep their youthful figures, in reality, they’re probably facing hormonal imbalances. In this short article, we’ll cover the hormones that are likely wreaking havoc on your metabolism and weight loss efforts. If resistant, unsightly fat plagues you, maybe you should have your provider check your hormone levels.
Let’s take a look at how an imbalance of these essential hormones might look.
Secret 1. Elevated Cortisol Levels
In response to chronic stress, your body releases increased levels of the hormone cortisol. Over the long haul, this results in the build up of stubborn belly fat. Eventually, increased cortisol levels increase your chances of becoming a diabetic.
What are the clues of elevated cortisol levels?
One of the more obvious clues is that stubborn belly fat
Insomnia
You may notice your hair becomes sparse
Your skin may become lackluster
Your libido may drop
So what can you do?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, try some proven stress reduction methods like meditation and yoga, getting more than seven hours of sleep, exercising before eating breakfast, and of course, eating plenty green vegetables daily.
Secret 2. Decreased Testosterone Levels
Yes, men and women produce testosterone. A woman’s decreased testosterone level could be the main culprit for that stubborn, flabby arm fat. The reason is that optimal levels of testosterone are vital to building muscle. Incidentally, muscles are metabolically active (they burn way more calories than fat). Now that’s a two-for-one deal.
What are the clues of decreased testosterone?
Hair loss
It seems impossible to lose weight even when you’re regularly exercising
You may be exceptionally moody
You might have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety
You may notice a decreased ability to focus
So what can you do?
This one may sound familiar: exercise 700 minutes every week, lighting weights is particularly useful for boosting your testosterone levels. Again, get at least seven hours of sleep. And, don’t forget that a healthy diet is a must for optimal hormonal balance. Plenty of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and less processed food is what the doctor ordered.
Secret 3. Elevated Estrogen Levels
Your body typically orchestrates all your hormones seamlessly. If estrogen is a little out of range, you could end up with that nagging extra fat around your gluteus, hips, and legs. The more your levels are out or range, the more and faster fat accumulates. Sometimes it seems like it grows overnight after Thanksgiving.
So, what are the signs of elevated estrogen levels?
Bloating, swelling and tenderness in the breasts
Low sex drive
Irregular menstrual cycles
Headaches
Mood Swings
So what can you do to keep estrogen levels healthy?
Many of you may not want to hear this one, but meat can be the culprit in this case. It can elevate your estrogen to unhealthy levels. Meat has fats with estrogen. Some meat contains steroids, antibiotics, and toxins. When you eat meat, these substances are released into your bloodstream and act just like estrogen. If you can, eat less meat. This is undoubtedly a case for vegetarianism. Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet has multiple benefits. First, fiber helps your bowels function properly. And second, the increased fiber removes excess estrogen through your waste. Again, eat plenty of fresh fruits like apples, melons, and celery. These fruits have the compound flavone. Flavones can help keep your estrogen levels in the healthy range.
Secret 4. Elevated Insulin Levels
Obesity levels are steadily increasing in the United States, especially in the African-American community. Fifty percent of all Americans have some degree of “diabesity,” which is diabetes and obesity─as if one of these lethal diseases isn’t enough. What happens is that your cells can become less reactive to insulin your bloodstream. Blood sugar levels climb, and you store fat because your glucose is unable from your bloodstream into your cells where it’s needed for metabolism. For many women, this leads to the dreaded “apple-shape” physique.
What are the signs of elevated insulin levels?
Visceral or abdominal obesity
Fiending for sugar
Acne and large pores on the face
Hypertension
So how can you keep elevated insulin levels in check?