6 Ways to Balance Hormones for Effective Weight Loss

Have you ever caught yourself diving into a bag of cookies or chips (or both) for no apparent reason?  Or maybe you went postal on your kids even though they just looked at you funny???

You can officially blame the crazy on your HORMONES!

Hormones affect every tissue and organ in the body. They impact everything from gut function, muscle growth and recovery, bone health, brain function, and play a significant role in managing weight. If hormones are unbalanced the body may have a difficult time living up to the lofty weight-loss goals you have in place. 

Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones most involved in weight loss and appetite control. Ghrelin is responsible for signaling hunger and leptin is responsible for the feeling of satiety. Keeping these hormones in harmony is important for weight-loss efforts. 

So what’s the secret to managing and balancing your weight loss hormones without costly treatments or medication? BIOHACK

How to Biohack Your Hormones

Here are a few tips for biohacking your hormones and setting you on the path to more successful weight loss.

1. Balance your gut health: Poor gut health is a major contributor to hormonal imbalance. Ghrelin, leptin, and 95% of your serotonin (the happy hormone is manufactured in your digestive system. For optimal hormone balance, you need to have a good ration or good vs. bad bacteria in the gut. Adding a probiotic to your daily regime can help you achieve this. One of my favorite Women’s Probiotic is Nordic Naturals use TAKE20 at checkout!
2. Stagger how you eat: Ghrelin is produced every four hours. To keep your ghrelin low and inactive, try eating a healthy snack every 3 hours before your body says, ”FEED ME NOW!”   Leptin levels reduce significantly during long-term fasting, which is generally considered to be between 24 and 72 hours; short, intermittent fasting can be more effective. Try eating after an 8-hour period, fast for 12-16 hours, and then eat again. This will help balance your leptin and keep you feeling fuller longer.
3. Sleep for 7 hours every night: Balanced hormone levels require sufficient sleep. Less than 7 hours of sleep a night can lead to higher ghrelin levels and decreased leptin levels, leaving you not only hungry but making it difficult to feel full. Aim for 7 hours of deep beauty rest every night.
4. Increase fiber & nutrient-dense food: Ghrelin levels stay high until the food you consume stretches the walls of your stomach, giving you a full and satisfied feeling. Foods high in fiber and nutritional content help reduce ghrelin and increase leptin. Not only will they help you feel fuller longer, but they will provide you with the proper minerals and vitamins you need to lose weight.
5. Avoid low-calorie diets: Low-calorie diets may look attractive, but insufficient calories can have a huge effect on your hormonal balances. It is crucial to consume at least 1000 calories a day; less than that places stress on your metabolism which can lead it to become inefficient and damage cells. 
6. Manage stress: I know, seems like an impossible task. However, extreme or sustained stress can disrupt your hormones, produce higher-than-normal levels of ghrelin, and contribute to weight loss. Find a way that works for you to reduce stress, even if it means swinging a baseball bat or taking a break from your loved ones 😊 

Food regulates metabolism and creates building blocks for healthy hormones. Don’t cheat yourself by consuming crap. Eat well, live well, and follow your gut. 

Be Gutsy as a Mother,

-Mary

Ps: If you need a gut reset after the Thanksgiving stuff sign up for my 5-day gut health challenge where you will discover your gut has a mind of its own! learn more here-> REVIVE

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