Want to Lose Weight? Evaluate Your Hormones

Last year, the American Medical Association did something that will change the way we look at diet and exercise forever: they classified obesity as a disease.

Whatever you call it, the fact remains that our culture is getting fatter and fatter as the years go by. I’m not saying this to be rude or insensitive to the plight of the overweight (hey, I’ve been there too); I’m saying it because it’s true – and it’s past time to start fixing the problem.

But you know what’s funny?

Very few people seem to be talking about the root cause of obesity and weight gain – the very basis for how our bodies either store or burn fat.

What might that be?

Hormones, of course.

Your hormones directly affect your energy levels, your mood, your metabolism, and your ability to either be a fat-burning machine or a slow and stagnant bump on a log. I want to change the conversation we’re having about obesity to include hormones, because weight problems can usually be traced back to an underlying hormonal imbalance.

And yes – sometimes it really is that simple.

Say, for instance, that you’ve been in therapy for years trying to deal with an eating disorder. The real problem could be cortisol. Or maybe you just can’t seem to put down the sweets, even though you eat healthy the other 99 percent of the time. Sounds like possible estrogen dominance to me. Are you gaining weight, no matter how many hours you’re sweating on the spin bike? Could be a slow thyroid. Do you see what I’m getting at here?

When your key hormones are out of whack, energy levels can take a major dive and your metabolism crawls along at a snail’s pace – especially as we age. Other side effects of misbehaving hormones may include decreased sex drive, mood swings, and poor sleep.

Because your hormones work together in your body, if one is out of balance, the other ones probably aren’t doing their jobs effectively either.

So what am I suggesting?

If you’re wanting to lose weight, whether it’s five pounds or 50 pounds, know that “exercise and eat less” just won’t hack it when your hormones are off! I tell my patients: evaluate your hormonal profile first, and then you’ll know which diet and lifestyle strategies can help return your body to a state of equilibrium.

Ready to get started?

Download my free Hormone Toolkit, which comes with all the resources you need to make an informed self-assessment about which hormones might be out of balance. You’ll also get a three-part video training series that reveals many of my secrets for achieving hormonal harmony (without completely overhauling your life).

The best part?

Once your hormones are happy, the weight falls off naturally, your energy skyrockets, and you’ll be back in those skinny jeans in no time.