Is it a Case of Mind Over Matter to Win the Mental Game of Stubborn Fat Loss?

We all understand the far reaching benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise, right?

Did you know as women our hormones play a key role in every aspect of our lives?

Dear Friend,

Allow me to start by being totally up front and saying I’m NOT an endocrinologist and I do NOT claim to be an expert…

You do NOT necessary have to become one either.

But the truth is unless you address your hormones in context to your nutritional plan as a key factor in weight loss, you’re most likely going to continue to gain weight and struggle.

Many so called experts don’t really cover the basics and true importance of your body’s chemical makeup on how and why hormones produce fat.

And how hormones influences how much fat your body burns and stores.

The goal is to keep this as simple as possible while providing you with sound research.

Why does it all start with hormones?

Hormones don’t often get talked about, yet are vitally important.

You see, whatever body type you are it comes down to much more than just how much and what you eat or exercise.

Hormones and body muscle content play a very big role in your ability to stay lean and healthy (not talking about becoming a body builder)…

So understanding how hormones work for or against you means you can only get better control over your waistline if you know what is happening, even if it is at a very basic level.

Hormones are the driving force behind the body you see in your mirror.

If your body produces the right hormones, your body thrives.

If not, your body suffers…

There is a BIG reason why America is approaching 70% overweight.

The signals women send their body through food they eat and exercise they do is detrimental…

And yes the results do show what’s happening.

If you want to transform your body, it starts with your hormones.

And that doesn’t mean via supplementation.

You see, the best and most effective way is through living a healthy lifestyle, eating the right foods and exercising consistently.

As Weight Loss Coach, I’m often asked about hormones and how they affect us?

Hormones are a complex topic, hopefully this short article explains it all in a really simple, easy to understand way…

Hormones affect the way we feeling during adolescence and continue to play a key role throughout our lives.

Hormones affect your metabolism, stress levels and reproductive system.

There are many hormones which influence your own health.

So how do these hormones affect your overall health…

A major hormone which is influenced by what you eat is called insulin.

Insulin is one of the biggest influences for many health areas.

Insulin is a hormone which is secreted by the pancreas after you eat carbohydrates.

When you eat carbohydrates, the sugars are absorbed into bloodstream, naturally causing your blood glucose levels to rise.

The pancreas secretes insulin in order to help your body process blood glucose.

Insulin helps to move glucose from blood into cells of your body so cells can use glucose for energy…

When you eat food, in particularly carbohydrates, your body releases insulin to lower the increase in blood sugar right?

You can never lose fat in the presence of insulin.

When you eat protein with carbohydrates, it slows the sharp release of insulin so you never have a spike of insulin. Try to always include some protein with every meal…

Insulin also helps to change any excess glucose your body does not immediately need into a stable form of energy called glycogen.

Glycogen is produced in the liver…

Leptin and ghrelin are hormones which tell you when to eat and when to stop eating.

Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and pancreas…

Ghrenlin alerts your brain when your stomach is empty.

Leptin is secreted by fat cells and triggers appetite suppressing hormones when you’ve eaten enough.

Both hormones are affected by sugar…

In other words, how much sugar you eat.

Eat too much sugar and the result can mean reduced leptin production, which leaves ghrelin to send out unnecessary hunger signals (pangs and cravings).

Cortisol is a stress hormone which is released from the brain into your bloodstream.

Now, in times of stress and anxiety, cortisol licks in to help accelerate your heartbeat, feeds your brain extra oxygen and releases energy from your fat and glucose stores.

Your mood and memory are partly controlled by serotonin…

Serotonin is often produced in the gut.

Serotonin is commonly known as the feel-good hormone or neurotransmitter.

Female sex hormones…

The most important hormones made by the ovaries are known as female sex hormones and the two main ones are oestrogen and progesterone.

The ovaries produce both testosterone and estrogen…

Women’s ovaries produce a minimal amount of testosterone, which drives sexual desire, muscle strength, bone density and metabolism.

Relatively small quantities of testosterone are released into your bloodstream by the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Too little testosterone can affect a woman’s energy level, libido and mood health.

Too much testosterone in women can contribute to acne and facial hair.

Oestrogen and progesterone are female sex hormones produced in the ovaries.

Oestrogen is primarily a female sex hormone…

Oestrogen enlarges breasts, widens pelvis and oestrogen is what gives women the curvy appearance.

Oestrogen stimulates a female’s instinct, increases alertness, lowers body fat levels, increases insulin sensitivity and improved glucose tolerance.

Symptoms of low oestrogen can occur at any age, more prominent in menopause.

Progesterone increases sleepiness, helps to build and maintain bones, slows digestive process, promotes appetite and helps breast tissue mature.

Progesterone stimulates production of breast milk during pregnancy.

Symptoms of low progesterone include premenstrual migraines, irregular or heavy periods and anxiety…

Hormones from PMS to menopause these are messengers of womanhood which can affect your mood, weight, food cravings and even your desire for sex.

Some women experience normal “smooth sailing” and other women metabolize hormones differently…it just might feel like a roller coaster ride at every turn of the hormonal bend…

Eat fresh, nutritionally dense foods as often as possible.

If you can, avoid food from a box or bag; especially any ingredient you can’t pronounce.

Keep ingredient lists to fewer than five recognizable ingredients and you’ll experience fat loss with fewer cravings because your body is properly nourished.

Generally white or bleached carbohydrates have a high glycemic index.

Essentially it means food is broken down quickly and your blood sugar will spike.

This results in a dump of insulin…

And as you remember, you can’t lose fat in the presence of insulin.

So do yourself a favor and eat low glycemic complex carbohydrates and you avoid the roller coaster of peaks and valleys in blood sugar.

You won’t feel crazy hungry an hour after eating…

You’ll stay full longer and it’s easier to make healthy choices if you don’t feel starved or deprived.

Fat Loss for Females

Are most diet plans easy-to-follow, affordable, realistic, non-restrictive and most importantly won’t leave you hungry?

Eating a balanced diet as part of your day-to-day life is critical to maintaining a long, energetic and healthy life.

A realistic diet encourages you to adopt healthy eating…

Also educates you about the importance of sensible eating through our nutritional services and diet plans.

Diet eating plans are complementary to all women currently participating in our boot camps and personal training services…

In addition to this, we also provide ongoing and up-to-date information and research to help educate you in choosing the right foods for your body.

We categorize our diet plans into three distinct areas and include:

* Low GI/low carbohydrate
* High protein
* Vegetarian

Its all about promoting women’s health, healthy eating via natural, whole foods to provide your body with all the daily nutrients it needs to achieve healthy weight loss…

YES, sustainable  energy for improved wellness and performance.

It is ideal to have smaller portions spread throughout the day…

This provide your body with a consistent supply of proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals so you can perform at an optimal level for longer.

For more information visit our top 25 healthy foods page currently recommended by health and nutrition professionals.

So What is a Healthy Diet

A good diet should provide your body with the nutrients it needs in the proper quantities.

A balanced and moderate diet is crucial to developing a healthy lifestyle.

Food provides seven essential substances your body needs: carbohydrates that provide energy; vitamins promote health; protein aids in growth and repairing the body…

Fat that protects muscles and internal systems from harmful collisions, functions as an energy storage system…

Fat helps maintain proper temperature by insulating the body; minerals to maintain body systems; fiber to assist in digestion and the processing of waste materials; and water that accounts of 70% of the human body.

Low GI/Low Carbohydrate Diet

Glycemic Index (GI) is calculated on a scale from 1 – 100 and measures the effect of food on our blood-glucose levels.

When we eat, our blood sugar levels increase leaving us full and energised.

Research has shown high GI carbohydrate foods causes our insulin to rapidly spike which results in a short energy burst before dropping, leaving you hungry and tired.

This is also damaging to our arteries, blood vessels and will result in weight gain.

Low GI carbohydrate foods on the other hand, sustain you over a longer period, leaving you feeling fuller for longer.

Eating a low GI diet means you are less likely to ‘snack’ on bad foods that are responsible for weight gain, tiredness and are generally unhealthy for you and your body.

Controlling your sugar intake is an important factor in achieving weight loss and consistent energy levels throughout the day.

The low GI/low carbohydrate diet is most recommended for women  trying to achieve maximum weight loss.

High Protein Diet

Much of our body is protein-based including our muscles, brain cells, skin, hair and nails.

A high-protein diet leaves you feeling fuller for longer and provides you with your daily energy needs.

Protein is the most important factor when exercising in order to tone.

You want to increase muscle mass as it is the key factor when it comes to building and repairing muscles.

Protein-rich foods including chicken, beef, lamb, fish and legumes release amino acids which when digested, are used to make new proteins to give us our energy sources.

We recommend this diet if you want to achieve quick weight loss and fast lean muscle gain.

Vegetarian Diet

Many people are choosing this diet as a healthy lifestyle option.

Vegetarian diets eliminate meat products and in some cases seafood and all animal by-products (vegan).

It is important when choosing to eat vegetarian, that you supplement your diet with protein and omega-rich foods including soy products, legumes, eggs, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

A well-balanced vegetarian diet has many health benefits and can reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancer.

However if not carefully planned can have the opposite effect on the body.

Want to lose belly fat or get rid belly fat?

So what is this miracle spice that can rid belly fat or banish ugly abdominal fat?

Well, how to lose belly fat… some call it a miracle belly-fat spice for fat burning!

Obviously cinnamon does not directly increase fat burning (i,e. increase metabolic rate), it can essentially help you to burn abdominal fat.

You simply get healthier lifestyle and leaner in an indirect way.

Why?

Because cinnamon is one of the most overlooked, yet healthiest spices in the world. Yes, it can help you win the battle against the bulge by using it daily.

Allow me to explain…

Firstly, here are five benefits of eating cinnamon:

* Controls blood sugar levels
* Maintain insulin sensitivity
* Very powerful antioxidant
* Antibacterial properties
* Anti-fungal properties
* Dozens of other benefits…

Here’s how Cinnamon works…

Although cinnamon has many health benefits, you get leaner through it’s strong effect on controlling blood sugar levels in your body.

In a study published in 2003 from the medical journal Diabetes Care, one group was split in two, first group ate 1 – 6 grams of cinnamon per day in capsule form (approx 1/4th to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon).

The results of the study showed that cinnamon reduced fasting blood glucose levels by 18-29% after 40 days.

Cinnamon also increases insulin sensitivity, which means your body control blood sugar while simultaneously producing less insulin.

Chronically high insulin levels can make your body pack on the fat.

How to harness cinnamon and lose stubborn belly fat… add cinnamon daily for breakfast or meals, sprinkle in yogurt or cottage cheese, in smoothies, oatmeal, etc…

Also, you could take a daily dose (cinnamon capsule) before each of your meals.

This helps control blood sugar and insulin response from eating foods and thereby controlling your appetite and cravings throughout the day…

In other words you’re helping to lose body fat more effectively over time.

Now you can see why cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant that helps you stay youthful longer, this spice of life helps you to control blood sugar and get a leaner sexier body too!