Many people struggle to manage their weight throughout the years. For most people attaining and retaining a healthy weight is a journey with countless ups and downs both on the scales and emotionally. However, if you want to master your body weight and keep obesity away, you should learn the relationship between your hormones and your weight. Here is everything you need to know about the correlation between hormones and weight loss and how to regulate your hormones for steady weight loss.

Leptin and Appetite Control 

The inability to control appetite is one of the main reasons people gain excessive weight. The hormone leptin sends a signal to the hypothalamus to indicate that you are full to stop eating. People who struggle with obesity have an impairment in leptin function. The impairment means that the signal that your stomach is full does not get to the brain when needed, leading to eating more than you need. Hereditary factors and adding weight are leading causes of leptin resistance. You can improve your leptin levels through regular exercise and sleeping long hours.

The Connection Between Insulin and Weight

Your body relies on insulin to store fat. The pancreas produces this hormone and releases it into the bloodstream in small doses throughout the day. The body also releases it in large amounts whenever you have a heavy meal. Insulin converts the glucose from the consumed food into glycogen, which the body holds the glycogen in the liver or the muscles. Insulin resistance is where the body stops responding to the hormone insulin and retains sugar in the bloodstream. One of the early signs of diabetes is excessive blood sugar and loss of weight. Therefore, healthy insulin levels help you maintain a healthy body size.

Ghrelin and the Urge to Eat

Ghrelin is a chemical whose effect on the body is the opposite of leptin. It is the hormone that alerts your brain when you are hungry. The hormone levels are highest when you are hungry and lowest after a meal. Dieting for weight loss increases its levels and leaves you feeling constantly hungry. The body also enters starvation mode, which entails the production of ghrelin. Regular meals and sleep are excellent ways to regulate this hormone.

These are the three main hormones that affect weight loss. Others include reproductive hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Before getting into a weight loss program, you should have these hormones assessed to determine whether they could be derailing your weight loss.

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