3 hormones that hinder fat loss

Good morning from Dubai,

I am working hand in hand with my occupational health mentor, ergonomist, and friend Olivier on an important project, and we’ve been going through some manufacturers to choose the best possible desks.

Details matter. If you need a standing desk with a minimum height of 70 cm and you need it to be 68 cm, there’s nothing you can do.

You can have expensive equipment, but if it doesn’t meet your specific needs because you are unaware of the details, it won’t fulfil its purpose.

The same applies to every area of life and wellness.

You can have an expensive Peloton bike and eat organic free-range eggs for breakfast, but if the details—in this case, your hormones—are working against you, you’ll end up wasting time, energy, and money.

Let’s talk about 3 hormones that, unless you optimise them, will keep you stuck in the hamster wheel, as I was for decades.

"Two Types of People: Where Do You Fit?"

In my experience, we fall into 2 categories:

Category 1:

• Over-Nourished

• Under-Nourished

Category 2:

• Adequately Muscled

• Under-Muscled

Where do you think you fit within these two categories?

Find out in 30 seconds—you'll need your answer below.

P.S. Use the charts below to inform your decision.

Being adequately nourished, adequately muscled, and experiencing hormonal dysregulation is uncommon.

But many individuals are under-muscled, over-nourished, and hormonally dysregulated.

The first hormone is leptin, the satiety hormone.

Leptin is produced by fat cells and signals the brain to reduce appetite and increase energy expenditure.

However, in people with high body fat, leptin levels can be elevated, leading to a condition called leptin resistance.

In leptin resistance, the brain doesn't respond properly to leptin's signals, so appetite remains high, and the body conserves energy, making fat loss difficult.

How does leptin behave inside the under-muscled, over-nourished group ?

• Over-Nourished:

  
  Leptin levels are typically high because of increased body fat.
  
  However, these individuals often experience leptin resistance, where the brain doesn't respond effectively to the hormone.
  
  This leads to continued hunger and difficulty in losing fat despite high leptin levels.
  

• Under-Muscled:

  
  Leptin levels may vary depending on fat levels.

  
  If the individual has low body fat, leptin will be low, leading to increased hunger and reduced metabolism.
  
  If the person has excess fat, leptin might be high, but they could still be leptin resistant, making fat loss challenging.

The second hormone is ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

Ghrelin is known as the "hunger hormone." It stimulates appetite and promotes fat storage.

When someone reduces calorie intake, ghrelin levels increase, making them feel hungrier.

This can lead to overeating, which counteracts fat loss efforts. Additionally, higher ghrelin levels can slow down metabolism, making it harder to burn fat.

How does ghrelin behave inside the under-muscled, over-nourished group ?

• Over-Nourished:
  

  Ghrelin levels are usually lower due to sufficient energy reserves, reducing hunger.
  
  However, poor diet can cause erratic ghrelin levels, leading to overeating.
  

• Under-Muscled:
  

  Ghrelin levels may be elevated, especially if under-nourished, as the body tries to increase food intake to support muscle growth and energy needs.

The last hormone we are going to discuss is cortisol, the stress hormone.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that can lead to fat gain, particularly in the abdominal area.

When cortisol levels are consistently high due to chronic stress, the body is more likely to store fat and less likely to burn it.

Cortisol also increases appetite and cravings for high-calorie, high-sugar foods, which can further inhibit fat loss.

How does cortisol behave inside the under-muscled, over-nourished group ?

• Over-Nourished:
  

  Cortisol levels are often elevated due to stress associated with excess body weight and poor metabolic health.
  
  Chronic high cortisol can contribute to further fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, making weight loss more challenging.
  

• Under-Muscled:

  
  Cortisol levels may be higher, particularly if the individual is also under-nourished or experiences chronic stress.
  
  High cortisol can further inhibit muscle growth and promote fat storage, complicating efforts to improve body composition.

Client of the week, Yamen, PMO

Yamen has been exceptional at sharing accurate data and implementing it.

Our key to success was dialing in his eating frequency (he was eating once a day), optimizing his movement at work (he was sitting for too long), and establishing the right evening routine with the proper temperature and lighting, which were impairing his recovery.

Our journey is far from over. We still have another 20 kg to go.

How did we do this? See below:

That's it for today.

See you later in the week.

Become an asset, not a liability, to those around you.

P.S. When you are ready, there are 2 ways I can help:

1. For executives who want to work directly with me, we will fix your health markers, optimise your hormones, and improve your body composition Click here to apply and book a free introductory call with me

2. Take my free 2-minute science-based quiz that will give you clear guidance on the dos and don'ts for your body type, including what workout split to follow and which food groups to avoid Access it here for free