Hey there, hormonal balance enthusiasts. We all want to rock that perfect body composition, right? But guess what? It’s not just about diet and exercise. Hormonal balance plays a major role too! So, let’s dive into the exciting world of hormones and body composition. I’ll share some practical tips to help you optimize your hormonal balance and achieve the physique of your dreams.
Understanding Hormones and Body Composition
Okay, let’s talk hormones. These little chemical messengers are like the superheroes of our bodies, controlling our metabolism, energy levels, and fat storage. Now, here’s the deal: imbalances in hormones like progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, and insulin can mess with your body composition significantly!
Insulin is the boss when it comes to blood sugar levels and fat storage. If you’re dealing with insulin resistance or eating a lot of processed foods or junk, it can lead to more fat accumulation and make it harder to shed those pounds. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, insulin plays a crucial role in regulating fat metabolism and storage.
Now, cortisol, the stress hormone, can be a real troublemaker, as I’ve written about in other blogs. When you’re stressed out, cortisol levels go through the roof, and it can cause more fat to settle around your belly and even break down your hard-earned muscles. In fact, research published in the Annual Review of Psychology demonstrated the association between cortisol levels and abdominal fat deposition.
Ladies, listen up! Estrogen and testosterone also play a significant role. Estrogen affects how fat is distributed in your body, while testosterone is the muscle-builder. Imbalances in these hormones can mess up your body composition and make it harder to reach your goals. I have seen countless women at the gym, slogging it out with a personal trainer for months, all the while eating a very clean diet, and they don’t budge a pound!! Why? Hormonal imbalance is likely the cause, especially Estrogen Dominance (caused by too many toxic estrogens &/or progesterone deficiency).
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that estrogen levels influence fat distribution in women. In fact, the article states that both estrogen deficiency and estrogen dominance can have an impact on abdominal fat distribution. Additionally, menopausal women are 3x more likely to develop obesity and metabolic syndrome than premenopausal women. However, it’s important to note that these shifts begin to occur as early as age 40. So, gals, it’s critical to pay attention to fat accumulation not just from a beach body perspective but from overall heart health, brain health, breast health, and longevity! Taking charge of your diet is one certain way that you can optimize your hormonal balance and reduce your risks of hormone-related fat gain.
The Impact of Diet on Hormonal Balance
Alright, time to talk about what’s on your plate. To optimize your hormonal balance, focus on real, nutrient-packed foods. Fill up on colorful veggies, juicy fruits, lean, wild-caught, or grass-fed proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. These goodies will stabilize your blood sugar levels, which is a critical component of weight management, and thus will help keep your hormones in check.
Now, let’s ditch the junk food. Say “no” to processed stuff, refined sugars, and sneaky trans fats. These troublemakers can throw your hormones out of whack and make you gain weight like crazy. Numerous studies have highlighted the negative impact of processed foods, refined sugars, and trans fats on hormonal balance and weight management.
But here’s the good news! Certain foods are like superheroes for hormonal balance. Get your omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, flaxseeds, or walnuts. These healthy fats support hormone production and fight off inflammation. A systematic review published in the Journal of Functional Foods demonstrated the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids on hormone regulation and inflammation Additionally, these healthy fats support the cell membrane, which allows nutrients in and helps release toxins out of the cell.
I also highly recommend adding SuperGreens or Phytonutrients to fuel the conversion of your sex steroid hormones down the entire biochemical pathway. I personally use Mighty Maca and recommend it to all my clients. Check out this great product created by renowned OB-GYN Dr. Anna Cabeca. Even my young grandkids love the taste of this green drink! It’s alkaline and has NO sugar!
Oh, and ladies, you’ll love this! Munch on broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous veggies. They contain special compounds called “indole-3-carbinols” that help balance and estrogen levels and metabolize estrogen levels. Who knew veggies could be such hormonal heroes? Note, if you’d like some additional information and resources on supplements to support your hormonal balance, check out my FREE hormone quiz.
And don’t forget the protein! Chicken, fatty fish (salmon, lake trout, and sardines), tofu, or legumes are your muscle-building buddies. They’ll help you maintain that muscle mass and keep those anabolic hormones pumping. According to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, consuming adequate protein supports muscle maintenance and the production of anabolic hormones such as Testosterone and DHEA. Ladies, you need both of these hormones optimized, too! See a previous blog post for more info.
Movement and Hormonal Balance
Move More! Regular movement or physical activity is the secret formula for hormonal balance and killer body composition. Let’s break it down.
First, aerobic exercises like walking, running, cycling, or swimming are fantastic for regulating insulin and cortisol levels. They improve your insulin sensitivity, making your body more efficient at using glucose. Plus, they lower your cortisol, so you’ll feel less stressed and more energized. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that aerobic exercise positively influences insulin sensitivity and cortisol regulation.
But wait, there’s more! Strength or resistance training is where the magic happens. Hit those weights, my friend! Strength training boosts testosterone production, helping you build muscle and kiss that stubborn fat goodbye. Research published in the journal Sports Medicine revealed the positive effects of strength training on testosterone, muscle loss, and fat loss. Additionally, it also ramps up growth hormone, giving you that extra edge in torching fat and sculpting your dream physique. Strength training is not just limited to weightlifting. Your own body weight can be a great form of strength training. Barre classes, Pilates, and Yoga are all great examples of resistance or strength training that also help build balance to support you in your fitness and supports you well into your senior years, too.
Managing Stress and Sleep
Life can get crazy, right? But managing stress is crucial for hormonal balance. When you’re constantly stressed out, cortisol levels go haywire, and it’s bad news for your body composition. In the Journal of Psychoneuroendocrinology, research reinforced the impact of stress-reducing activities, like yoga and meditation on cortisol regulation and, thus, hormonal balance. So, bring on the Zen.
Now, let’s talk about beauty sleep. Yep, sleep is vital for hormonal balance and a rockin’ body composition. When you don’t get enough shut-eye, your hormones hormonal harmony goes way out of “tune”! Not only do Insulin, ghrelin, and leptin, the appetite and metabolism regulators, get all out of whack, but so will your cortisol levels. Unfortunately, “cortisol belly” is a real thing. When cortisol is up, progesterone goes down, which, in turn, leads to estrogen dominance. And estrogen attracts fat like a magnet!! So, aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Your hormones, and waistline, will thank you!
My Free Estrogen Dominance Quiz
If you are curious if estrogen dominance might play a role in your stubborn weight belly fat, then take my FREE Estrogen Dominance Quiz. You will receive great education and resources to help you start turning off the bad estrogens and turning on the fat melting. Additionally, stay tuned as I have other hormone quizzes coming out in the next month to support you in optimizing all of your sex hormones, adrenals, and thyroid too!
Conclusion
So, my fellow hormonal balancing enthusiasts, achieving your dream body isn’t just about counting calories and hitting the gym. Hormonal balance really is a key player in achieving and maintaining your dream body. By understanding the impact of hormones and making some lifestyle changes, like eating right, exercising smart, managing stress, and getting enough beauty sleep, you’ll optimize your hormonal health and rock that killer body composition.
Here’s to your hormonal harmony and your dream body!
P.S.
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