According to nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary, you need to reset three hormones: prolactin, insulin and thyroid antibodies.
The hormones leptin and insulin, sex hormones and growth hormone influence our appetite, metabolism (the rate at which our body burns kilojoules for energy), and body fat distribution.
There are several hormone-related conditions that can cause weight gain around your abdomen. This includes an underactive thyroid, PCOs, or even menopause. Other hormonal imbalances could happen due to obesity, environmental triggers and toxins, excessive stress or even some medications.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet, regular physical activity, proper sleep, and stress modification can help with managing and reversing hormonal weight gain and decreasing the associated health risks that may result if it is not addressed.
Leptin. What it is: Leptin is derived from the Greek word for “thin,” because rising levels of this hormone signal the body to shed body fat. Leptin also helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, fertility and more.
Some evidence suggests that estrogen hormone therapy increases a woman's resting metabolic rate. This might help slow weight gain. Lack of estrogen may also cause the body to use starches and blood sugar less effectively, which would increase fat storage and make it harder to lose weight.
What does hormonal weight gain look like? Hormonal weight gain looks like any type of excess weight. Factors such as age, sex, body type, and cause of weight gain may make you gain weight differently. However, it's not possible to know that hormones are causing your weight gain by the way it looks.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause. Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area.
Causes include poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or low-quality sleep. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of problems associated with it.
“It is possible to overcome hormonal changes, particularly in women with perimenopausal belly fat or menopausal weight gain,” explains Registered Dietician, Lon Ben-Asher from the Pritikin Center.
Leptin resistance not only contributes to the body's ability to absorb more food, but also signals to the brain that the body needs to conserve energy, which in turn limits calorie burning. Therefore, supplementing with blood leptin levels does not actually lead to weight loss.
That's true, but did you know there are actually six hormones that impact fat loss? This is the group I refer to as "the fat-loss six": thyroid hormones, adrenaline, glucagon, adiponectin, the androgenic hormones (DHEA and testosterone) and the growth and rejuvenation hormones (growth hormone and acetylcholine).
Hormones that affect fat storage and weight loss
Our bodies produce a number of hormones, each with unique functions that keep us healthy. If certain hormones have higher than normal levels, losing weight can be much harder. Some of the most important hormones for losing stubborn fat are estrogen and leptin.
Leptin is made by the adipose tissue (fat-storing cells) in your body. Its main role is to regulate fat storage and how many calories you eat and burn. Leptin released from adipose cells travels to the brain via the bloodstream.
Petty recommends a combination of strength training and cardio workouts to maximize health benefits and boost hormone levels. High-intensity exercises like squats, lunges, pull-ups, crunches and pushups are ideal, with minimal rest time in between. The more intense a workout, the more these hormones are released.
Weight gain typically happens when you're consuming more calories than you burn. But sometimes belly fat can be the result of hormonal imbalances like wacky estrogen or testosterone levels. Stress and lack of sleep can also wreak hormone havoc. You might be able to tackle hormonal belly with lifestyle changes.