There are two main hormones that must be watched and kept in mind while losing weight. They are Ghrelin and Leptin.
Ghrelin regulates glucose. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and small intestine. Ghrelin stimulates appetite which causes a person to eat 30 percent more food when stimulated which when you are trying to lose weight makes it more challenging. Ghrelin also plays a role in the pituitary gland function and it controls insulin in the body and has a protective role in cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, as we try to lose weight, ghrelin levels increase. However, when you eat more protein than fat it restricts the production of ghrelin and therefore lessens hunger pains.
To maintain healthy levels of ghrelin:
- Avoid weight extremes and diet extremes
- Prioritize sleep
- Increase muscle mass
- Eat more protein
- Maintain a stable weight
- Cycle your calories. (this is where you eat low calories one day and eat high calories another day)
Leptin is a hormone that tells you when you are full. It is also called the satiety hormone. Leptin and ghrelin work together to keep you at a healthy weight. Ghrelin tells you when you are hungry and leptin tells you when you are full. When you lose weight your leptin levels drop, with less leptin you feel hungrier and eat more. That is why when you diet you are always hungry and feeling like you are starving. Once you reach your baseline weight your leptin levels will recover. The hormone leptin is released from fat cells located in adipose tissues, they send signals to the hypothalamus in the brain telling you that you are full. Leptin levels are directly connected to an individuals amount of body fat.
Here are some weight loss tips:
- Eat 30 grams of protein at breakfast every morning
- Eat high fiber foods
- Eat healthy fat
- Calorie cycling just like with ghrelin see above
- Eat mindfully, that means don’t eat while you are distracted
- Exercise
There are many hormones in our body that control everything including when we are hungry and when we are full. In my opinion being aware of these hormones and how to eat well to make them work for you will make you successful at weight loss management and maintaining your wellness.
If you want more help with this Karen Clemenson would be an awesome coach and instructor to help guide you through this.
Here are some links I would like to share with you:
- Calorie Cycling 101: A Beginner’s Guide by Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN for HealthLine
- Ghrelin: much much than a hunger hormone by Geetali Pradhan, Susan L. Samson and Yuxiang Sun for US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health
- Ghrelin, the “Go” Hormone by Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA, and William Hignett for Obesity Action Coalition
- Ghrelin: The “Hunger Hormone” Explained by Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN for HealthLine
- How to Control Your Hunger Hormones to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Can you really reprogram your appetite? by Amanda Gardner for Health
- The role of leptin and gherkin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review by Klok MD, Jakobsdottir S and Drent ML for US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health
- What is Leptin? by Hormone Health Network Staff
- Your ‘Hunger Hormones’ How they affect your appetite and your weight by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD for WebMD
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Jamie Holloway is co-owner of Wellness Works NW and she is also our Research Manager and writes our Chasing Wellness with Jamie Holloway and Dear Jamie columns. Jamie is also an Independent Wellness Advocate at dōTERRA. She lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
