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| © Bru-nO / Pixabay |
By Sara Shulman, Prevention
You work out most days of the week and eat healthy meals as much as you can, yet the scale shows you're gaining—not losing—weight, so what gives? Excess weight around your waistline can be the hardest to lose. But before you beat yourself up over not doing enough crunches at the gym, consider this: As we get older, even a slight disruption in our hormone levels can cause stubborn belly fat to stick.
In fact, research suggests that postmenopausal women on hormonal replacement therapy have lower levels of belly fat than those that aren't. Before you rush to your doctor to get a prescription for your hormonal belly, there are natural ways to readjust your levels. Reducing sugar intake, eliminating processed foods from your diet, and avoiding things like dairy, alcohol, and caffeine can all help reset your blood sugar and insulin levels.
So, how do you know if those love handles are a few extra pounds from bingeing on pizza and wine, or a larger issue? Here are five signs your hormones may be to blame.
1
If you’ve had a relatively flat stomach for majority of your life and then suddenly that spare tire appears overnight, it may be a sign you've developed a hormonal belly. “As we age, the body can become more insulin-resistant, driving your body to store fat instead of burning it off,” explains Sara Gottfried, MD, author of The Hormone Cure and The Hormone Reset Diet. “Women also become more estrogen-dominant as we move into perimenopause and beyond. Estrogen dominance promotes insulin resistance, which causes the belly fat build-up," she says.
2
Not only can insulin resistance lead to diabetes, it can have some secondary effects on other important hormones as well. “Insulin resistance can have a knock-on effect on leptin. Leptin is the hormone that alerts your body when you're full, but elevated insulin levels eventually lead to elevated leptin, as well,” she explains.
“Elevated leptin, despite what you may think, does not mean you are more likely to put down your fork and stop eating. Consistently elevated leptin levels can lead to a dysfunction of leptin receptors," Dr. Gottfried says. These receptors stop sending signals to the brain to tell you to stop eating. As a result, you do the exact opposite of what leptin is designed to control, and you continue to eat, never receiving the signal to stop.
3
As women enter the pre- and post-menopausal years, their estrogen levels fluctuate often, which can lead to mood swings and stubborn weight gain around the midsection. According to a University of Wisconsin study, this is why women are at a higher risk to develop mood disorders than men. The study found that estrogen levels in women fluctuate most often during reproductive cycle events and menopausal transitions.
This is also the time that most women reported the onset of depression or recurrent depression. Estrogen levels fluctuate naturally during menopausal bodily changes, which can cause mood swings and lead to weight gain. That is why Dr. Gottfried says not to blame yourself for excess weight gain. “If you're struggling to lose excess weight with no success, don’t blame it on a lack of willpower or self-discipline. Most likely your hormones have turned against you,” she says.
Instead, focus on things you can control like your diet and exercise routine. Revamp your meals and be sure to include plenty of vegetables, lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats into your diet. These foods will not only keep you satisfied and curb hunger, but they'll deliver nutrients you need to stave off age-related insulin resistance and muscle loss.
4
Another major player in the hormonal belly fat game is cortisol. Often referred to as the stress hormone, cortisol levels increase when your body senses you're overwhelmed anxious, which can lead to stubborn weight gain. According to Jacqueline Montoya, MD, a board-certified emergency medicine and critical care physician and owner of GreenMed MD, this is because the body goes into fight or flight mode. “High levels of stress and anxiety can send the body into survival mode which increase our cortisol levels and signals the body to store more fat,” she explains.
5
Insomnia and exhaustion can be tell-tale signs that hormones are to blame for your weight gain. Lack of sleep causes fatigue, which leads to stress and insomnia. All these things will mess with your hormones, specifically your cortisol levels. “High cortisol can lead to decreased thyroid levels, which can cause central weight gain,” Dr. Montoya explains. “It can also decrease growth hormones, which are responsible for tissue building, muscle growth, and overall health.”
See more at Prevention
You work out most days of the week and eat healthy meals as much as you can, yet the scale shows you're gaining—not losing—weight, so what gives? Excess weight around your waistline can be the hardest to lose. But before you beat yourself up over not doing enough crunches at the gym, consider this: As we get older, even a slight disruption in our hormone levels can cause stubborn belly fat to stick.
In fact, research suggests that postmenopausal women on hormonal replacement therapy have lower levels of belly fat than those that aren't. Before you rush to your doctor to get a prescription for your hormonal belly, there are natural ways to readjust your levels. Reducing sugar intake, eliminating processed foods from your diet, and avoiding things like dairy, alcohol, and caffeine can all help reset your blood sugar and insulin levels.
So, how do you know if those love handles are a few extra pounds from bingeing on pizza and wine, or a larger issue? Here are five signs your hormones may be to blame.
1
Your waistline is getting bigger, but you're eating right.
 |
| © mapodile / Getty Images |
If you’ve had a relatively flat stomach for majority of your life and then suddenly that spare tire appears overnight, it may be a sign you've developed a hormonal belly. “As we age, the body can become more insulin-resistant, driving your body to store fat instead of burning it off,” explains Sara Gottfried, MD, author of The Hormone Cure and The Hormone Reset Diet. “Women also become more estrogen-dominant as we move into perimenopause and beyond. Estrogen dominance promotes insulin resistance, which causes the belly fat build-up," she says.
2
You've been craving a lot of sugar.
 |
| © John Shepherd / Getty Images |
Not only can insulin resistance lead to diabetes, it can have some secondary effects on other important hormones as well. “Insulin resistance can have a knock-on effect on leptin. Leptin is the hormone that alerts your body when you're full, but elevated insulin levels eventually lead to elevated leptin, as well,” she explains.
“Elevated leptin, despite what you may think, does not mean you are more likely to put down your fork and stop eating. Consistently elevated leptin levels can lead to a dysfunction of leptin receptors," Dr. Gottfried says. These receptors stop sending signals to the brain to tell you to stop eating. As a result, you do the exact opposite of what leptin is designed to control, and you continue to eat, never receiving the signal to stop.
3
You're experiencing a lot of mood swings.
 |
| © Kuri2000 / Getty Images |
As women enter the pre- and post-menopausal years, their estrogen levels fluctuate often, which can lead to mood swings and stubborn weight gain around the midsection. According to a University of Wisconsin study, this is why women are at a higher risk to develop mood disorders than men. The study found that estrogen levels in women fluctuate most often during reproductive cycle events and menopausal transitions.
This is also the time that most women reported the onset of depression or recurrent depression. Estrogen levels fluctuate naturally during menopausal bodily changes, which can cause mood swings and lead to weight gain. That is why Dr. Gottfried says not to blame yourself for excess weight gain. “If you're struggling to lose excess weight with no success, don’t blame it on a lack of willpower or self-discipline. Most likely your hormones have turned against you,” she says.
Instead, focus on things you can control like your diet and exercise routine. Revamp your meals and be sure to include plenty of vegetables, lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats into your diet. These foods will not only keep you satisfied and curb hunger, but they'll deliver nutrients you need to stave off age-related insulin resistance and muscle loss.
4
You're constantly stressed.
 |
| © Pgiam / Getty Images |
Another major player in the hormonal belly fat game is cortisol. Often referred to as the stress hormone, cortisol levels increase when your body senses you're overwhelmed anxious, which can lead to stubborn weight gain. According to Jacqueline Montoya, MD, a board-certified emergency medicine and critical care physician and owner of GreenMed MD, this is because the body goes into fight or flight mode. “High levels of stress and anxiety can send the body into survival mode which increase our cortisol levels and signals the body to store more fat,” she explains.
5
You're exhausted all the time but can't fall asleep.
 |
| © Brian A Jackson / Getty Images |
Insomnia and exhaustion can be tell-tale signs that hormones are to blame for your weight gain. Lack of sleep causes fatigue, which leads to stress and insomnia. All these things will mess with your hormones, specifically your cortisol levels. “High cortisol can lead to decreased thyroid levels, which can cause central weight gain,” Dr. Montoya explains. “It can also decrease growth hormones, which are responsible for tissue building, muscle growth, and overall health.”
See more at Prevention
