Obesity has become quite an epidemic in the US, and it shows no sign of coming to an end as the numbers of people affected seem to grow every year. That has not stopped the diet and weight loss industry from growing, as well. It seems that a new diet book, weight loss program, medical procedure, or supplement appears every day. The problem is that nothing seems to be working for everyone.
Part of the reason that there is no one single way for everyone to lose weight is because each person has gained those extra pounds in a unique way. While one person may put on the weight due to a diet of fast food and overeating, another may not be expending enough calories to burn off his or her health choices. Some people owe their weight gain to injuries or illnesses that have them laid up in bed for extended periods of time, whereas others overeat due to stressful situations. Hormone deficiencies are also behind many of the weight issues in adults.
One of the most important tips for losing weight may seem like the most unlikely:
SLEEP!
Research has shown that men and women who do not get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night have a greater chance of being overweight.
Why is that?
Part of the problem lies in the fact that crucial hormones that help stimulate the metabolism in its function of converting lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy are secreted at night while we are in a state of deep, slow-wave sleep. A person who does not get enough sleep will have a deficit in these crucial hormones, reducing the signals received by the metabolism to do its job – resulting in excess fat storage and less energy.
Everyone knows that you should exercise if you are trying to lose weight, but do you know why exercise is so important? Two essential chemical messengers in the body – growth hormone and testosterone – respond to exercise by increasing their hormone production. In the next section, you will learn why this is crucial.
How to Lose Weight with Hormone Therapy
Growth hormone and testosterone both influence metabolic function. Here are the breakdowns of why these chemicals are essential for weight loss:
Growth Hormone
GH helps to regulate the way fat, carbohydrates, and proteins are metabolized. When a person is deficient in this hormone, the brain signals the body to store fat for future use. Once a doctor has determined that growth hormone deficiency is an issue, following blood analysis, HGH therapy can be prescribed that will go to work signaling the brain to allow for that stored fat to be utilized. With the body’s own metabolic processes working more efficiently, food that is consumed will be converted into useable fuel, and you will feel energized. Therefore we require, human growth hormone for women.
Testosterone
The role of testosterone in the weight loss process is more involved. Once testosterone has been produced through a process converting cholesterol into useable testosterone, most of it travels attached to other chemicals in the bloodstream until time to be used. A substance called aromatase is produced by belly fat and converts testosterone that is free into estradiol (estrogen). High estrogen levels increase belly fat, thereby increasing the amount of aromatase and the process continues to repeat itself.
Treatment with testosterone therapy will help to lower estrogen, burn through stored belly fat, and aid in weight loss. At the same time, lean muscle mass will increase (this occurs with HGH therapy, as well). Increased lean muscle helps to burn calories at a higher rate than fat, aiding in the weight loss effect.
How to Lose Weight with Nutrition
Everyone knows that food and weight go together. Eat too much one day, and the numbers on the scale are likely to go up the next day. Eating too little can also have a dire effect on fat retention. While you would think (and hope) that the body would use that stored fat to make up the difference of what is not being consumed, it is actually the opposite. The body holds on to that fat sensing starvation and instead starts to pull calories from the muscles and other crucial bodily tissues. That is why people on very low-calorie diets become weak, and lose their muscle definition and tone.
Proper nutrition can go a long way to helping a person lose weight. Diets that are high in vegetable, fruit, and heart-healthy grains and legumes are excellent for loss of excess fat. Both the Mediterranean and Paleo diets are wonderful options, as they emphasize the right kinds of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates.
For more tips on losing weight, hormone therapy, and maintaining a strong and healthy body throughout your life.