You eat a healthy diet and exercise but you’re still gaining excess weight. What’s wrong? Don’t blame yourself just yet. Research show that a disruption in your hormone levels can make it hard to lose that belly fat. Here are four signs that your excess weight may be a result of hormone problems.
#1 Your Diet Is Healthy but Your Waistline Is Growing
If that love handle suddenly appears after having a flat stomach most of your life, your belly may have become hormonal. Our bodies become increasingly resistant to insulin as we age. So instead of burning fat off, the body stores it. Furthermore, as women move into perimenopause and further, they become increasingly estrogen-dominant. As a result, belly-fat begins to accumulate because estrogen dominance increases insulin resistance.
#2 Your Cravings for Sugar Increase
Insulin resistance has a ripple effect on other hormones such as leptin, the hormone responsible for the feeling of being full. An increase in insulin levels results in an increase in the leptin levels. Contrary to what you may think, however, elevated leptin doesn’t make you eat less. Instead, it results in dysfunctional leptin receptors, meaning your body doesn’t know when to stop eating. You can mitigate these effects by adopting an HCG weight loss plan.
#3 Your Mood Frequently Swings Back and Forth
Women’s estrogen levels fluctuate more frequently as they enter the pre- and post-menopause. This fluctuation results in mood swings and a relentlessly growing waistline. Erratic estrogen levels are also the reason why women are more likely than men to develop mood disorders. The fluctuations in estrogen levels occur most during menopausal transitions and events in women’s reproductive cycle.
Moreover, most women report the onset or reoccurrence of depression during this period. So you shouldn’t be quick to blame you weight gain on lack of self-discipline. Continue to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and buy HCG. Make sure your meals include healthy fats, complex cabs, lean protein, and plenty of veggies.
#4 Your Always Stressed and Exhausted
Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” is another primary factor of development of a hormonal belly. When you feel anxious or overwhelmed, your cortisol levels rise and can trigger relentless weight gain. Excess stress and anxiety make your body go into survival mode, triggering a flight-or-flight response that raises cortisol levels and tells your body to store, rather than burn, but.
Exhaustion and insomnia are also signs that your weight gain may be a result of hormone issues. Inadequate sleep leads to fatigue, which in turn causes stress and insomnia. These health issues unbalance your cortisol and thyroid levels, leading to weight gain.
