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Leptin. HOW TO CONTROL YOUR HUNGER HORMONE FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Leptin is a body hormone produced by fat cells which controls your hunger. If the body produces it in excess, you will eat more and gain more weight. This is why it’s important to keep its production normal in order to avoid becoming overweight or obese.

Overweight and obese people see themselves as weak and think there’s something wrong with them, but in reality, they are probably suffering from leptin resistance. Losing weight isn’t just a factor of diet and will – in order to burn fat, your hormones must be in balance. Ghrelin, leptin and insulin are 3 hormones that need to be balanced in order to avoid potential health problems.

HOW DOES LEPTIN AFFECT OUR METABOLISM?

According to scientists, most obese individuals are leptin resistant, and resolving this problem will regulate your energy levels, hormone function and boost your metabolism. These factors need to be properly managed in order to overcome obesity and further health problems.

Without going further into medical territory, leptin, insulin and ghrelin are hormones that function like a thermostat. They regulate the amount of heat in the body, and reduce the temperature when the body needs to be cooled. When the amount of leptin in the body rises, your brain reacts by burning fat instead of storing it. If the levels are too low, the brain start storing fat again. In healthy people, the amount of leptin determines how full you’re feeling and how much fat your body stores. Leptin is important for keeping hunger and fat balanced.

OBESITY AND LEPTIN RESISTANCE

As we mentioned before, obese people are usually leptin resistant, which means that the “thermostat” has stopped working. This is the main culprit for obesity, so good news people – it’s not your character that’s wrong; it’s simply a case of hormonal imbalance.

Leptin is produced by the fat cells in our body. The more fat cells we have, the more leptin will be produced. This results in a vicious cycle that may lead to obesity. High leptin levels will eventually lead to leptin resistance, making your body unable to store fat, which will make you eat more.

These are the main symptoms of leptin resistance:

  • Always feeling hungry;
  • Overeating;
  • Low energy levels;
  • Reduced metabolic rate.

According to scientists, there are several factors for leptin resistance. Here are some of them:

INFLAMMATION

If your body is inflamed, the brain doesn’t recognize the high leptin levels, which results in leptin resistance.

DIET

The relationship between your diet and hormones is very important. Scientists have been able to find out that high levels of sugars and unhealthy fats activates the brain reward centers making you feel good and also making you eat more. The diet also determines how the body perceives satiety. We constantly eat meals deprived of nutrients which is highly unhealthy and dangerous. Many people have started to lose weight after quitting sugar, which means that it should be avoided as well.

HIGH LEPTIN LEVELS

Large amounts of leptin levels can cause leptin resistant, but science has been able to conclude that factors such as diet and inflammation can help obese people overcome the problem.

HOW TO FIGHT LEPTIN RESISTANCE

The key to fighting this condition is reducing inflammation and eating a healthy diet which will reduce the levels of the hormone in your body. In general, you need to avoid sugar and processed foods, as well as inflammatory foods. This will result in less leptin resistance and you will start losing weight.

DIET RICH IN FIBER

Fiber is an important nutrient that improves digestion and helps you lose weight besides reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Eat foods rich in fiber to prevent digestive problems and feel fuller after meals.

DIET RICH IN PROTEIN

A diet rich in protein can make you feel full for longer. High protein levels have been associated with lower leptin levels, and protein also stimulates weight loss, which is why you should add it to your diet.

NOT SLEEPING ENOUGH

Not sleeping well overnight is related to high leptin levels, carb cravings and reduced metabolic rate. Sleep is very important for your health and weight, and people who don’t sleep enough are usually heavier. Getting proper sleep overnight will curb your midnight cravings and prevent you from overeating.

If you’re obese and overweight, don’t give up. It’s not just a factor of willpower – make changes in your diet and reduce the inflammation in your body to lower the leptin levels and start losing weight immediately.

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