Weight gain is about more than just diet and exercise. Your ability to lose weight can be affected by your hormones as well.
Here are the most common culprits and how to combat them:
- Insulin is generated by beta cells from your pancreas, which are released in large amounts after meals and in smaller amounts consistently throughout the day.
- The fat cells secrete a hormone called leptin which is responsible for the feeling of satiation of being “full.”
- Commonly referred to as the “hunger hormone”, ghrelin is released whenever you’re hungry to alert you when you have an empty stomach. The hypothalamus then receives a message that you’re hungry and need to eat.
- The adrenal glands secrete a hormone known as cortisol which is associated with stress and the situations that cause it.
- Estrogen is a well-known female sex hormone that comes from the ovaries. It’s responsible for regulating the female reproductive system.
- The neuropeptide y (NPY) hormone is produced by the nervous system and brain cells. It’s associated with stimulating the appetite for carbohydrates and it’s typically released due to food deprivation and during fasting periods.
- The gut releases the glucagon-like peptide 1 when nutrients enter the intestine.
- The cholecystokinin hormone is released by your gut hormones to let you know when you’re satiated.
