Hormones and Weight Loss…They are a Package Deal

I tell my clients all the time that losing weight is simple…the whole science behind how we lose weight is basic – if you expend more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.  However, weight loss resistance is almost always hormonally based and doesn’t happen so easily for everyone.

Once your metabolism is broken, you are stuck in fat storage mode, and thus every time you eat you are depositing more and more fat instead of using it as fuel.  Combine this with age, and the naturally slowing down process and we are in a vicious cycle that will continue to get worse unless you break it.

This is where fixing your metabolism hormones comes in – and the two you need to fix immediately, to get results, are insulin and thyroid.

Step 1 - Breaking up with Sugar 

Ok, so here I go, being the bad guy, but the truth is, if you want to finally break the cycle, reset your hormones, and lose weight – you must break up with sugar.  And before you think – ok, I will just replace with “Sugar Free” alternatives – think again.:

How to find sugar:

Check for ingredients ending in “ose” - fructose, glucose, maltose and dextrose, and of course the regular culprits – cane sugar, corn syrup and honey. 

The Science

When digested, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose or blood sugar. Blood sugar travels through the body via our blood. When our blood sugar is elevated (after eating), our pancreas secretes insulin, a storage hormone.

Insulin’s job is to deliver the blood sugar from our blood into our cells and liver to be stored until its needed.  If both the liver and muscles are already full of blood sugar, due to increased amounts in our every-day diet, then every time we consume more sugar it is essentially stored as fat. 

We can reduce the amount of sugar in our blood by exercising daily and by eating less than 15 grams of sugar per day.

Step 2 - Drop the Grains

Grains aren’t what they used to be 20+ years ago.  Today they are mass produced to grow faster and bigger.  The changes in these goods leads to increased blood sugar and insulin for us.

Try giving up processed grains: bread, cereal, pizza, pasta, and pastries containing: wheat, rye, barley, oat, corn (yes this is a grain), durum, millet, rice, spelt, and any type of grain flours.  Instead, opt for alternative options like lentils, quinoa and legumes that contain both fiber and protein.

These two swaps seem relatively simple to do, the key is to get your mind in the right place when giving these up.  Sugar and grains make food taste better, but in the long run, you will be glad you created new food habits that don’t include them.