Weight loss can be a real challenge for some people. There are times when it seems that even the strictest diet plan and the most diligent workout regimen can’t give you the desired weight loss results.
Health experts have shed some new light on the matter. It turns out that a hormone, called leptin, may actually be the answer to why you can’t lose weight. Leptin is released by cells and is in charge of balancing the energy levels and body weight. To be more specific, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds to receptors in the appetite center in the brain, where it signals the brain how much food the body needs.
Another thing leptin does is stimulate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system thus stimulating the fat-burning process in the tissues. But, the problem occurs when the body becomes leptin-resistant.
Generally, this occurs when the leptin in the bloodstream doesn’t reach its target – the appetite-controlling centre in the brain. Or, when the receptors this hormone binds with fail to send signals to the cells to respond to leptin. Most of the time, this happens in obese and overweight people.
The thing is, if leptin levels remain high for a long time, the person becomes resistant to it. The end result is that the brain doesn’t get the signals leptin sends to speed up the metabolism and stop eating.
The most common symptoms of leptin resistance include:
Weight gain
Uncontrollable cravings
Stress eating
Late night eating
Increased blood pressure
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Inability to lose weight
Sugar cravings
Increase in triglycerides
Frequent anxiety
Lack of motivation
Urge to snack soon after meals
Fatigue, especially after eating
The first step you must take to reverse insulin and leptin resistance is to cut out the following foods from your diet:
High dietary fat
Sugar
Carbohydrates
Fructose Corn Syrup
The next step is to increase your intake of organic and whole foods, soluble fiber and protein, high-quality healthy fat, both saturated and monounsaturated – from avocados, coconut and coconut oil, nuts, butter, and animal fats including animal-based omega-3 fat, like krill oil.
It’s also important to stay away from grain carbs and processed foods. And, reducing your carbohydrate intake will significantly cut down your triglyceride levels.
Following a regular workout routine is also extremely beneficial for restoring body balance and reversing leptin resistance.
Last, but not least, sleep deprivation may also contribute to leptin resistance. So, make sure you get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.
All in all, keeping your hormonal balance under control is vital for healthy long-term weight loss.
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