The biggest mistake most of us probably are committing while trying to lose weight is not tapping into the immense power of fat-burning hormones. The one reason why crash dieting will never work for sustained weight loss is because it throws all the important fat-burning hormones into disarray and after some initial loss of water weight, the body would just refuse to shed pounds or to burn fat. To put it out rather bluntly, hormones can make you fat and keep you fat! All hormones act as chemical messengers that relay messages back and forth from the brain to the rest of the body and they are vital in regulating all essential functions. Hormones are responsible for both weight gain and weight loss and that’s why it’s important to harness the power of fat-burning hormones to drop pounds like crazy. Needless to say, when hormones go into a tizzy, it can hamper all important functions, and the most common outcome is weight gain. These fat-burning hormones need to be fed with optimum nutrients through food and a deficiency of certain nutrients can severely affect the hormones that are necessary for weight loss. In this post, we list out some amazing ways to switch on your fat-burning hormones.
Functions of Fat-Burning Hormones
They regulate metabolism.
Balance blood sugar levels.
Prevent storage of fat.
Accelerate the burning of stored fat.
Controls appetite.
List of Fat-Burning Hormones
1. Leptin: Leptin is the satiety or fullness hormone that sends a signal to the brain that you are “full” and have had enough food. Leptin and ghrelin (hunger hormone) usually work in unity, maintaining an optimum balance, ghrelin rising only when there is a need to replenish energy and leptin signaling when there are enough calories and energy in the body. However, when leptin function gets impaired, leptin fails to send signals to the brain, and the body tends to pile on calories, uncertain of when to stop eating. Leptin resistance can also slow down your metabolism and increase ghrelin levels. All these factors not only prevent weight loss, they can make you gain weight with each meal. Leptin also pushes your body to burn stored fat to produce heat. This hormone also plays an important role in the regulation of the thyroid gland, growth hormone, and adrenal glands. Based on the above data, we can easily say that leptin impairment can lead to weight gain and storing extra calories as fat in the body. When a person is leptin-resistant, it becomes very difficult to lose weight because the body is always in a state of hunger and does not realize that it has enough energy in the system. Yo-yo dieting, cortisol, and free radicals all can affect leptin resistance.
2. Adiponectin: Adiponectin is a hormone that is produced by adipose tissue or fat cells. Adiponectin is released from fat cells and increases insulin sensitivity. It pushes the insulin to communicate with body cells to take up blood sugar instead of letting it get stored.
3. Human growth hormone: It’s a hormone that promotes growth and development, but it’s also a hormone whose deficiency makes one fat. Research has revealed that obese individuals have extremely low amounts of this hormone. A deficiency of this essential hormone can lead to increased fat deposit (especially around the abdominal area), a higher chance of developing insulin resistance, high levels of triglyceride cholesterol, and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Human growth hormone has anti-aging benefits also, so the double whammy is that along with getting to shed some extra pounds, you may even be able to prevent loose skin and wrinkles.
4. Glucagon: Glucagon is a hormone that regulates sugar in the blood by breaking down stored glycogen in the body. While insulin converts sugar to glycogen and stores it as fat in the body, glucagon converts stored glycogen to sugar. When the level of glycogen store gets depleted, the body reaches out to stored fat for energy.
5. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1): Glucagon-like peptide 1 is an incretin, which helps to reduce appetite and when adequate levels of this hormone are present in the body, we are less likely to snack in between meals.
6. Cholecystokinin (CCK): Cholecystokinin is a hormone produced in the I-cells that line the duodenum. It improves digestion and controls appetite. This hormone slows down the emptying of food from the stomach and stimulates bile production. In turn, bile reduces the size of fat so that enzymes can break them down easily. It also helps in better digestion of food. It also helps to feel full and reduces appetite.
7. Peptide YY (PYY): PYY is a fullness hormone secreted by the gut where it slows down digestion and promotes better absorption of nutrients from the food. It decreases appetite and helps with weight loss.
8. Testosterone: Testosterone is a hormone secreted by ovaries in females. Women with low testosterone levels have low energy and weight gain issues. It promotes lean muscle, which as we all know, helps in burning more calories.
9. Insulin-like growth Factor (IGF): This fat-burning hormone, which gets stimulated by the release of human growth hormone, is secreted by the liver. It taps into stored fat and glycogen stores to create energy in the body.
10. Thyroid hormones: Impairment of thyroid hormones can majorly affect weight loss. If thyroid hormones, particularly thyroxine function are regulated, it helps in improving metabolism and weight loss.
15 Foods That Switch On Your Fat-Burning Hormones
Red Wine
The next time you’re out to dinner, don’t hesitate to say YES to that glass of red wine! “It contains resveratrol, a highly anti-inflammatory polyphenol whose benefits, like healthy hormone production, come from its estrogenic properties,” explains Blawnde founder and holistic health coach, Annie Lawless. Cheers to that!
Enjoy two glasses a week.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds contain lignans, which are phytoestrogens that can help regulate estrogen levels in men and women. But another major benefit according to Dr. Silverman? “They help to prevent breast and prostate cancers.”
One to two grams daily. Sprinkle some into oatmeal, or a breakfast bowl, bake into bread, or blend into a smoothie.
“Mixed” Meals
When you’re stressed, your body becomes completely out of whack—especially because it increases the production of the hormone cortisol, which is produced within the adrenal gland. Do you know the idea of “fight or flight” responses to stressors? Cortisol can dull the body’s immune responses. “Our busy culture keeps our bodies concentrated in cortisol, which can lead to the development of chronic stress and serious complications in the long run,” explains Lisa Mikus, RD, CNSC, CDN. “For example, elevated cortisol levels are associated with elevated blood glucose levels. When glucose levels are elevated often and for prolonged periods, metabolic irregularities can occur like insulin resistance. These hormonal imbalances including elevated levels of cortisol, glucose, and the increased need for insulin, can lead to central abdominal obesity and metabolic disturbances like diabetes.”
So how do you combat that? Eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day helps stay emotionally regulated and decrease the risk of a cortisol spike. “A mixed meal includes whole grains and/or high fiber carbohydrates, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats,” says Mikus. “Consuming these macronutrients together at meals keeps you satiated for longer and helps lessen the chance of blood sugar spikes.”
“It’s important to have balanced meals and snacks throughout the day to stay emotionally regulated and decrease the risk of a cortisol spike. “A mixed meal includes whole grains and/or high fiber carbohydrates, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats. Consuming these macronutrients together at meals keeps you satiated for longer and helps lessen the chance of blood sugar spikes,” says Mikus. “Try this mixed meal to help keep your cortisol levels in check: 4 oz of grilled, wild-caught salmon with 1/3 cup farro and 1 cup of mushrooms and spinach sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp minced garlic.”
Pumpkin Seeds
Men shouldn’t hesitate to snack on these tasty seeds as they’re rich in zinc which Lawless says is a mineral that helps boost testosterone production in the body.
Have 1/4 cup per week.
Shrimp
Vitamin D is a very common deficiency among Americans, and having an inadequate level of vitamin D is directly linked to hormonal imbalances. To combat that? Help yourself to some shrimp. “Shrimp is a great way to boost your vitamin D levels and in turn, promote hormone health,” explains Lawless.
Incorporate 5-7 medium shrimp per week into your diet
Healthy Fats
“Many different hormones are doing many different jobs throughout the body. It is an intricate system that operates based on many factors, both internal and external. But one of the things many of these hormones have in common is fat,” says Andrew James Pierce of Sugarchecked. “Dietary fat is used by the body to synthesize hormones, particularly sex hormones. So a nutrition plan that does not include adequate fat intake can interfere with hormonal balance.
“On the flip side,” he continues, “excess fat in the diet, especially the unhealthy kind (think fried foods and trans fat), can also throw hormones out of balance.” So what are the fats you should opt for? Healthy and essential fats, like those found in olive oil, egg yolks, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon. All of those will promote optional hormonal function.
Approximately 30% of total daily calories should come from healthy sources of fat. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s about 65g of fat.
Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV helps your body to convert the proteins found in foods into usable amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for many different bodily processes, including the creation of hormones. So, in drinking a shot of apple cider vinegar you’re giving your body what it needs to make hormones—addressing any imbalances between estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Incorporate 2 tablespoons into your diet per day.
Cinnamon
Cinnamaldehyde, an organic compound, in cinnamon, can help balance hormones in women by lowering the amount of testosterone produced by women while increasing the amount of progesterone. FYI, just sprinkling cinnamon on your food isn’t going to provide you with all the benefits it offers. You’ll need to take it as a supplement.
2 to 4 grams per day.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale all contain a phytonutrient called indole-3-carbinol. Dr. Silverman explains this is very important as indole-3-carbinol blocks the action of an estrogen metabolite that is linked to estrogen-sensitive breast cancer.
Eat two full cups daily.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are the building blocks of a group of hormones called eicosanoids, which have short-lived, local effects in the body. “Your body uses eicosanoids to deal with inflammation. If you don’t have enough of these essential fatty acids in your diet, you won’t be able to produce eicosanoids efficiently,” says Dr. Silverman. “Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish such as salmon and tuna, flaxseeds, dark-green leafy vegetables, chia seeds, walnuts, and eggs. Fish oil supplements are a good way to be sure you’re getting enough.”
Have 250 mg to 1000 mg daily.
Low- or No-Sugar Foods
Avoid sugary foods and drinks—beware of seemingly healthy foods like smoothies that could be loaded down with extra sugar. “Keep sugar found within natural foods, like eating a whole apple, or a piece of watermelon, rather than having it processed in a drink or dessert,” suggests Denzel. “This will keep your blood sugar levels stable, and stable blood sugar means stable hormone levels.”
Choose fruit instead of cakes and ice cream for dessert, and also as a midday snack. Aim for about two servings of fruit per day. And drink tea instead of juice.
Cottage Cheese and Nuts
Sleep is the root of all good—and evil. Get enough and you’re on the right track for good health. Don’t get enough and everything is at risk of getting out of whack. “When you are sleep deprived, cortisol which should rise and fall within certain ranges, gets on a different rhythm and starts to literally ‘steal’ the building blocks of hormones like estrogen and progesterone,” explains Denzel.”Before going to bed, make sure you have a small protein-rich snack – such as cottage cheese and a bit of nuts – the magnesium and amino acids will help you sleep deeper and wake up less throughout the night.” Nighttime is when hormones like prolactin and growth hormone peak and those are powerful immune system, metabolism, and behavior modulators.
Have 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or 1 oz nuts once a day.
Cellular Carbs
Lowering your body fat levels is an easy way to regulate your hormones. And a surefire way to do so is by eating whole foods. “Trade your acellular carbohydrates—think flour, pasta, bread— for cellular carbohydrates which include produce like beets, squash, potatoes, beans,” recommends Denzel. “This will automatically drop the caloric density of your food, regulating your digestion and helping you get to a lower weight while feeling well fed.”
Go for two cups of veggies per meal, cooked or raw
Natural Whole Proteins
Eggs, meats, fish, and legumes should be a part of every meal, recommends Denzel. These filling foods “lower your appetite and promote healthy hormone levels through ample amino acids and micronutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.”
You should eat 20-30 grams of protein at each meal depending on your activity level.
Pro and Pre-Biotics
For optimal hormone balance, you need to mind your gut. When your digestion isn’t optimal, hormones cannot get properly metabolized. “Foods that are fermented, such as yogurt, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kvass, and kimchi can help restore your gut health by introducing beneficial probiotics,” says Galina Denzel, co-author of Eat Well, Move Well, Live Well: 52 Ways to Feel Better in a Week. “Add foods rich in prebiotics – specific fibers that beneficial bacteria feast on – jicama, leeks, onions, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root. Those foods will serve as a rich diet for the beneficial bacteria and they will colonize your gut easier.”
Go with one serving of probiotic food daily, such as a glass of kombucha, 1/4 cup of sauerkraut, and 1 cup of yogurt. You can slowly increase it to two. For pre-biotics, include a cup of prebiotic food 3 times a week.