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Could Your Hormones Be The Reason You're Not Losing Weight?
If you’re trying to lose weight, you know it can be challenging. And when you're putting in the effort without seeing the results, it's easy to get frustrated.
Lasting weight loss requires a commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise — but if you’re doing everything right and still struggling to shed pounds, your hormones could be to blame.
At Endocrine Associates of West Village, we specialize in hormonal health for men and women. Hormones play a critical role in regulating your body weight, and a hormonal imbalance can make weight loss difficult or impossible.
How your hormones affect your body weight
Your body makes dozens of different hormones, which are chemicals that regulate almost all of your essential bodily functions. Your hormones affect weight-related functions like metabolism, hunger, and satiety. When these hormones are out of balance, losing weight can make it difficult.
Here are some of the hormones that can impact your body weight:
Insulin
Insulin regulates blood sugar levels and helps your body metabolize sugar from food. High insulin levels can lead to weight gain, especially around your abdomen.
Leptin
Leptin is a hormone that controls feelings of hunger and satiety (fullness). When your leptin levels are low, you’re more likely to experience increased appetite and overeat.
Cortisol
Your body releases cortisol in response to stress. Chronic high-stress levels can cause high cortisol levels, which can contribute to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.
Thyroid hormones
Your thyroid hormones help regulate your metabolism, which is the process that converts food into energy. When your thyroid hormone levels are low, your metabolism may slow down and cause weight gain.
Sex hormones
Sex hormones also affect your body weight. For example, women in menopause are more likely to gain excess weight because of declining estrogen levels. For men, low testosterone can cause loss of muscle mass and increased body weight, too.
What to do about hormonal imbalance
Could your hormones be the reason you’re not losing weight? If you suspect a hormonal imbalance is affecting your weight loss efforts, schedule an appointment with our Endocrine Associates of West Village team.
We offer hormone testing and comprehensive physical exams to determine if you have a hormonal imbalance. Depending on your situation, we might recommend hormone therapy, a customizable treatment to rebalance your hormone levels. We give you a specific dosage to regulate your hormone levels, improve your weight loss efforts, and help relieve any other symptoms you’re experiencing.
Along with hormone therapy, we can suggest lifestyle changes to help rebalance your hormones naturally. Lifestyle changes can include:
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet
- Managing stress levels
- Getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night
- Exercising at least 30 minutes most days a week
We work with you throughout treatment to monitor your condition and adjust your hormone therapy dosage as needed. When your hormones are optimized, losing weight can become significantly easier.
Weight loss is a journey. It's important to be patient as you work towards your goals, but if you think your hormones are getting in the way of your efforts, it’s time to find answers. Call our offices in Long Island City or New York, New York, or request your first appointment online now.
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