Beating Hormonal Belly Fat: Top 3 Tips For Women
By Aishakeel, 17 November 2023
Struggling with that persistent hormonal belly fat? You’re not alone. In this article, we’re going to explore the three main reasons why eating more of the right foods is the secret weapon in the battle against hormonal belly fat in women. From understanding the different belly types to unlocking the power of nutrient-rich foods, let’s look at 3 game-changing tips that will have you on the path to a healthier, happier you.
Table of Contents
Understanding Your Belly
When it comes to our bodies, many of us struggle with excess weight around the midsection. There are different types of bellies
- The bloated belly: this is when your body creates excess gas in the internal organs as a result of something you ate or drink
- The weight gain belly: this is when you know when eating in a caloric surplus your body will gain more weight in the midsection
- The hormonal belly: which is when your body starts to accumulate more body fat in the lower abdomen and you start to experience an overall redistribution of fat as you gain weight when this happens it can be very stubborn and very hard to lose.
Calorie Deficit
If you’re trying to lose weight and you start digging beneath the surface you’re going to find that you need to be in a caloric deficit. We have all heard that “calories in are calories out”.
This sounds great on paper until you have a hormone imbalance, which can result from various conditions. Hormone imbalance can be the result of:
- Insulin resistance
- Estrogen dominance
- Excess cortisol
- Burnt-out adrenals
- Sluggish metabolism due to low thyroid function
Or it could be a combination of all of those things, and the reality is when your hormones are imbalanced it cannot be fixed by just lowering your caloric intake.
If it were that simple then everyone whose doctor ever said, just lose weight, would be at their goal.
So, let’s look at 3 reasons why you need to eat more to lose hormonal belly fat.
1. Focus On Nutrient Deficiencies
What you need to do first is focus on nutrient deficiencies. One of the most common and popular nutrition approaches is what we call the bodybuilder approach to nutrition. It is a high-protein, low-fat, moderate-carb approach to nutrition. It’s amazing for men but when women start to apply these principles to themselves they end up getting burned out hormonally because the dietary fat intake is far too low for proper hormone function for them so you want to be making sure that you are getting enough dietary fat.
Increase Dietary Fiber Intake
Next, you want to make sure that you are getting adequate amounts of dietary fiber. When you have a hormone imbalance then most likely, your body is dealing with excess circulating hormones that have not been able to be dispelled during your regular monthly cycle. This happens during perimenopause and menopause.
Read my post Navigating Menopause Age: Symptoms And Solutions For Women if you want more detailed information.
It can even happen earlier for women who perhaps have had a shift in their cycle due to hormonal birth control because they are using an IUD (intrauterine device) or due to irregularities in their cycle.
The reason why fiber is so important is because it allows those excess circulating hormones to be detoxified from the body, they will also be expelled from the liver with proper supplementation by getting the appropriate phytochemicals. These phytochemicals come from specific vegetables known as the cruciferous vegetable family. Some of these vegetables are broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, radish, and turnip greens.
Eating these vegetables is an excellent way to get those phytochemicals to allow your body to have natural detoxification through the liver.
So if you are just eating excess sugars and refined starches and you are just feeling like you are constantly craving sugars then you need to get more of the correct nutrients even if you go lower in your calories.
You have to understand lower calories also mean lower nutrients so it is a very important thing to understand that you cannot just go lower calorie because lower calories is going to translate into an insufficient amount of the nutrients that will stabilize your baseline hormonal levels.
The first step will be to get beyond simply trying to reduce caloric intake.
2. Brain Chemistry
The next reason why you need to eat more is to balance your brain chemistry. When you are getting adequate amounts of calories and dietary fat intake, it releases dopamine and serotonin, which are the happiness hormones.
Yogurt, beans, eggs, meats with low-fat content, and almonds are just a few foods linked to dopamine release.
Foods high in tryptophan have been linked to increased serotonin levels. Some of these are whole milk, canned tuna, turkey and chicken, oats, cheese, nuts and seeds, bread and chocolate,
Elevating these chemical levels causes the body to reduce cortisol levels.
Cortisol, commonly known as the stress hormone, is an important hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in the body.
When most people start on a diet, they reduce their intake of dietary fats. This can pose a challenge because it disrupts your brain chemistry. If you’re already struggling with hormonal imbalances and consistently high levels of cortisol, it can throw your body and brain chemistry out of balance. Making sure your hormones are in balance is crucial, and following a plan that makes you feel mentally off is not helpful. If you find yourself experiencing brain fog and fatigue while trying to stick to a diet, feeling like it’s unsustainable, it’s likely due to imbalanced brain chemicals.
The phenomenon of feeling “hangry” – a mix of hungry and angry – arises when your brain chemicals are not balanced. Many women attempt to address this by turning to refined processed sugars for a quick dopamine and serotonin boost. However, this approach provides only a temporary spike and fails to sustainably lower cortisol levels. To manage this, it’s essential to incorporate an appropriate, carefully chosen source of dietary fat. This ensures that the dietary fat is sufficient to boost positive feeling hormones like dopamine and serotonin without being excessively high and causing unwanted fat gain.
3. Blood Sugar Management
Keep an eye on your A1c values. Hemoglobin A1c also called HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin test, or glycohemoglobin, is a blood test that provides an average of blood sugar (glucose) control over the past 2 to 3 months. It is a measure that dictates whether or not you are diabetic.
- If your A1c levels are between 5.7 and 6.4 you are pre-diabetic
- If your A1c levels are over 6.4 you are diabetic, as in type 2 diabetic
You want to be under 5.7 to be in the healthy range, and you also want your fasting blood glucose levels to be under 100.
When it comes to handling blood sugar concerns, it’s all about finding the right balance in your diet. Simply put, you need to consume the right types of foods in appropriate quantities to keep your blood sugar levels in check. While it’s important to be mindful of your carbohydrate intake, especially steering clear of refined starches that can cause spikes in blood sugar, it’s equally crucial to include other food elements that contribute to a balanced approach.
Dietary fats, for instance, play a key role in this balancing act. Contrary to the misconception that all fats are harmful, the right kind and amount of dietary fats can aid in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Fiber, another essential component, acts as a regulating force, preventing abrupt spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Incorporating seeds into your diet provides a healthy dose of nutrients and contributes to the overall balance needed for optimal blood sugar management.
Additionally, it’s vital to include sources of healthy protein in your meals. Proteins not only provide sustained energy but also contribute to the overall stability of blood sugar levels. So, while steering clear of excessive carbohydrates, particularly refined starches, make sure to embrace a well-rounded approach that includes the right blend of dietary fats, fiber, seeds, and healthy proteins. This balanced mix is key to managing blood sugar effectively and promoting overall well-being.
Conclusion
Opt for a balanced caloric deficit.
Simply lowering calories won’t solve the problem. If you’re not getting the right nutrients, even a lower-calorie diet can lead to cravings and hormonal imbalance. It’s essential to maintain a balance of nutrients for stable hormonal levels.
Yes, you do need to be in a caloric deficit and you can figure out your caloric deficit by understanding your BMR ( basal metabolic rate). This is a function of your age, height, and weight that tells you how many calories you need to sustain your current body mass at rest. Take into account your activity calories, that’s your total daily energy expenditure. Traditionally, you need to be in a caloric deficit of about 500 for fat loss. However, with hormone imbalances, you need a maximum caloric deficit of 250; you may need 200 or you may need 100, depending on the level of your hormone imbalance and activity level. You can learn more in this book Unlock Your Macro Type, written by Christine Hronec. This book can help you figure out the best way to fuel your unique body type.
A lot of Christine’s clients have had amazing success at a substantially higher calorie range; between 1500 and 2000 calories. She had clients well over 2000 calories on customized hormonal resetting protocols who have not only lost belly fat by rebalancing their hormones but have felt better overall. While a caloric deficit is still necessary, a maximum deficit of 250 calories is recommended for those with hormonal imbalances. Trusting a slightly higher calorie range (between 1500 and 2000 calories) can lead to weight loss, hormone rebalancing, and improved well-being.
To summarize everything, you want to make sure that you are dialing in those nutrient deficiencies, you want to make sure that your brain chemistry is stable, and you want to make sure that your blood sugar levels are optimized.
FAQs
Hormonal belly fat in women can be caused by various factors, including insulin resistance, estrogen dominance, excess cortisol, burnt-out adrenals, and a sluggish metabolism due to low thyroid function. It may also be a combination of these factors, leading to an imbalance in hormones that contributes to the accumulation of body fat in the lower abdomen.
While a caloric deficit is often recommended for weight loss, hormonal imbalances require a more nuanced approach. Simply reducing calories may lead to nutrient deficiencies and cravings, which can exacerbate hormonal issues. Achieving hormonal balance involves focusing on nutrient deficiencies, maintaining brain chemistry stability, and optimizing blood sugar levels.
Dietary fiber plays a crucial role in hormonal balance by aiding in the detoxification of excess circulating hormones. It helps dispel hormones during the regular monthly cycle, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Fiber-rich foods, particularly those from the cruciferous vegetable family, contribute to natural detoxification through the liver.
Balancing brain chemistry is vital for hormonal health because adequate calorie and dietary fat intake releases dopamine and serotonin, the happiness chemicals. Elevated levels of these chemicals help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. Disrupting brain chemistry by reducing dietary fats can lead to imbalances, making it challenging to achieve hormonal equilibrium.
Effective blood sugar management involves maintaining a balance in the diet. This includes being mindful of carbohydrate intake, especially avoiding refined starches that cause spikes in blood sugar. Additionally, incorporating the right types and amounts of dietary fats, fiber, seeds, and healthy proteins contributes to overall stability, preventing abrupt spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels.
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