The Hormone Balancing Act
What you think is a will power problem is usually a hunger/hormone problem
It’s a grim statistic: Most people who go on a diet and lose weight end up regaining that weight within a year. That doesn’t sound too promising. Why does this happen? Well, there are many reasons. Our bodies have appetite and weight regulating hormonal mechanisms, and their mission is to maintain a constant state of homeostasis.
Homeo-What-Now?
For those of you who haven’t heard this term before, homeostasis means balance or equilibrium. In biology, the term homeostasis refers to: the ability of the body to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.
When we consistently take in less energy (in the form of food) than we expend through activity, our bodies respond by making us hungrier. Our bodies don’t generally want to change. They like everything to stay the same. If we try to change things, our bodies will respond with compensation mechanisms, such as revving up our appetite hormones.
Two important hormones that shape our appetite and hunger signals are Leptin and Ghrelin.
Leptin and Ghrelin seem to be the big players in regulating appetite, which consequently influences body weight and fat distribution. When we get hungrier, we to eat more. When we eat more, obviously, we gain that weight back.
Leptin is secreted primarily in fat cells, as well as the stomach, heart, placenta, and skeletal muscle.
Leptin decreases hunger.
Ghrelin is secreted primarily in the lining of the stomach.
Ghrelin increases hunger.
Both hormones respond to how well-fed you are; leptin is also connected to fat mass — meaning the more fat you have, the more leptin you produce. Both hormones activate your hypothalamus. The hormones from the hypothalamus govern many bodily functions such as temperature regulation, thirst, hunger, sleep, mood, sex drive, and the release of other hormones within the body.
And here’s an important point: both hormones and their signals get messed up with excess weight and obesity.
LEPTIN is the Queen Bee of satiation and hormonally happiness. So who is this lovely Leptin I keep talking about? Leptin is in charge of hunger and setting the pace for your appetite, and tells the hypothalamus that we have enough fat, so we can eat less or stop eating.
If not satisfied and living in balance with Ghrelin (it’s BFF) Leptin will contribute to huge swings in your blood sugar and cause you to overeat because you never fully receive the signal that your body is full and satisfied.
As you may have heard, last week I hosted a free webinar about this very subject – Leptin Resistance – and how it is affecting your weight loss efforts. Over 200 people registered for this class, and I got so much fantastic feedback along with so many questions that I decided I would do something I usually don’t do (simply because you are the best and I don’t want you to miss out on anything!)
I am hosting an ENCORE webinar this Monday, February 6th at 8:30pm, and you are most welcome to join me.
Click here to register for the encore Webinar
This will be a 45 minute session where we will dive deeper into this hormonal balancing act, followed by a 15 minute Q&A so you can get the answers you need right there and then. This is going to be epic! If you have weight or body goals you’re after that you can’t quite reach, then I can’t wait to share this with you. I am here to empower you with knowledge so that you can move through your life with more energy, mojo and vitality than you knew you had!
Wishing you a blissful Saturday and I hope to see you on Monday evening at 8:30pm.
Click here to register for the encore Webinar
From my loving endocrine system to yours,
Jenn xoxo