Hormones in fat loss, fitness and health!!

Today’s Re-Powering Information - My friend Nicole wrote some great information about hormones and how they play a role in fat loss, fitness and health. So much of how we feel is hormonally related. They control many of the symptoms we experience and we can influence them to be regulated naturally by how we sleep, what and when we eat, how we manage stress and so on. I’m passing it along to you as she wrote it.

As promised, I want to write about sugar/ insulin/hormones how they relate to fat loss or lack of fat loss. While I am not an expert in this area, I certainly can shed some light onto the topic as I best understand it. There is a lot more to the hormone story than I will present here, so these are just some basics:

Insulin- this is the number 1 hormone that needs to be controlled carefully in order to lose body fat. The better you control insulin , the leaner you will be. The very best way to control this hormone is by consuming low grams of carbohydrates at each meal and those carbs should only be of the highest quality and have a lower glycemic rating. When carbs are consumed beyond the moderate level, insulin is triggered and this happens rapidly. The fat storing, anabolic acting hormone goes right to work at reducing the sugar in the blood. If calories are high (and possibly even if they are not, fat storage is likely to result). Once in a while is not a big deal, but day after day this will cause weight gain and create the HABIT of over-consuming carbs. It is the refined carbs that you need to avoid, not the wholesome nutrient rich vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

To control weight gain and increase fat loss- control carb consumption.

Leptin- hormone responsible for regulating appetite and metabolism. Do not fast and get plenty of sleep. Skipping meals as well as sleep deprivation lowers leptin level. Leptin is helpful in controlling appetite.

Side note from the web:

Fructose and leptin resistance- A study published recently suggests that the consumption of high amounts of fructose causes leptin resistance and elevated triglycerides in rats. The high fructose diet rats subsequently ate more and gained more weight than controls when fed a high fat, high calorie diet

Ghrelin- hormone that increases appetite. It is also affected by lack of sleep, which increases the levels of this hormone.

Growth Hormone- This hormone can be stimulated easily with resistance training as well as plyometric or some types of intensity training such as sprints and plyometrics.It is very important to simultaneously has adequate nutrient intake in order for the growth hormone to be effective in muscle building and fat loss. This is an anabolic hormone and creates muscle growth. If there is an over abundance of refined carb consumption this hormone gets shut down.

Cortisol- stress hormone that flows through the body and is caused by many types of stressors. Life stress, emotions, feelings and even high duration cardio or over training. It is a catobolic hormone that weakens the body, breaks down muscle tissue and decreases immunity.Since you can not control so many factors in life that cause stress, you are best able to CONTROL YOUR REACTIONS to them. I know , easier said than done. Reading books about happiness, how to re-evaluate situations, and quotes are all helpful in reacting with a more positive attitude.

Glucagon this hormone is involved in carbohydrate metabolism. It is when carb consumption is low. I is a hormone that helps to release stored bodyfat.

This is the reason I emphasize the importance of keeping your overall glycemic load of each meal in check when fat loss is your primary goal. Hope it helped.

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The standard of success in life isn't the things. It isn't the money or the stuff -- it is absolutely the amount of joy you feel.

--- Abraham

Have a restful weekend!