If you’re struggling with weight gain that doesn’t seem to make sense, your hormones could be the contributing factor. In this blog post we’ll take a look at the signs that specific hormones may be imbalanced and causing you to gain weight.
What is hormonal weight gain?
While many people believe that weight gain is caused by eating too much or not exercising enough and that it’s a simple case of applying will power to fix the problem this is usually not the case.
There are several hormones that contribute to weight gain. Very often more than one hormone is responsible for the weight gain. Or the imbalance of two or more of these hormones contributes to the weight gain. And as you'll see, aside from weight gain these hormonal imbalances often present with similar symptoms making diagnosis difficult.
Thyroid hormone weight gain
When your thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones this is called hypothyroidism. Because your thyroid controls metabolism, hypothyroidism is one of the leading causes of weight gain. If you’re experiencing weight gain some other signs that may indicate hypothyroidism include:
Puffy face
Thinning hair
Slow heart rate
Heavy or irregular menstrual cycles
Fatigue
Weight gain caused by female reproductive hormones
The hormones estrogen and progesterone are key to the functioning of the female reproductive system. Men also have these hormones, but to a lesser extent. When these hormone levels drop or they are out of balance relative to other hormones like testosterone, weight gain may result. Dropping levels and imbalances occur during the menopause transition, with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or due to diet and lifestyle choices. Some signs of imbalance of female reproductive hormones are:
Irregular, heavy or stopped menstrual cycles
Difficulty getting pregnant or maintaining pregnancy
Increased belly fat
Loss of bone density
Increase in breast tissue in men
Brain fog
Fatigue
Trouble sleeping
Weight gain caused by low testosterone
Low testosterone levels are linked to weight gain in both men and women. Higher testosterone levels means a higher metabolism due to increased muscle mass. Low testosterone may be contributing to your weight gain if you experience any of the following:
Erectile dysfunction
Decreased sex drive
Loss of body hair
Increased belly fat
Increased breast tissue in men
Loss of muscle
Lower bone density
Irregular menstrual periods
Cortisol related weight gain
Cortisol is the stress hormone and is produced by the adrenal glands. It is responsible for putting the body into a state where it’s ready to take on the challenge. When your body suffers from chronically high cortisol levels (usually from chronic stress) weight gain is one of the side effects. Some of the signs that your weight gain is caused by high cortisol levels include:
High blood pressure
Flushed face
Irritability
Anxiety
Insulin resistance
Trouble sleeping
Insulin resistance
Insulin is necessary for moving glucose from your blood to the cells in your body that need it for fuel. When you are insulin resistant, your body produces enough insulin, but your body does not respond to it. This can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. Some of the signs of insulin resistance include:
Excess body fat
High blood sugar levels
High blood triglycerides, high cholesterol
Increased hunger
Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Leptin resistance
Leptin is a hormone produced by the fat cells in your body. It helps to regulate satiety and hunger levels based on the amount of fat your body has. But when your body becomes leptin resistant it doesn’t respond properly to leptin levels. So you will end up eating more despite having a high amount of body fat and a high amount of leptin. Because your body doesn’t think it has enough fat, it lowers your metabolism to compensate. Some signs to watch for include:
Difficulty sleeping
Cravings
Hunger
Belly fat
The most common signs of hormonal weight gain to watch out for
Many of the hormone imbalances that contribute to weight gain have similar signs to watch for. The most common signs that your weight gain is hormonal in nature are:
Increased belly fat
Menstrual period irregularities
Fatigue
Mood issues - anxiety, irritability, depression
Trouble sleeping
What can you do?
If you have unexplained weight gain, here are some things you can do:
Get tested. Knowing what hormone levels are can help to diagnose issues.
Get professional help. I can help make sense of hormone levels, hormone imbalances and hormone resistance which won’t show up on a hormone panel. And I can help you understand what is causing the imbalances that you’re seeing.
How I can help
Hormonal weight gain often has several contributing factors and needs a multi pronged approach. That’s where a holistic nutritionist like me can help. Together, we’ll look at the whole picture and determine the root cause of your weight gain so we can design a plan that addresses the hormones that are causing your weight gain. You’ll get the results you have been looking for.
Warm wishes,
Vicki Witt | Clinical Nutritionist | Holistic Coach | Reiki Master | Certified LEAP allergy therapist Over 25 years of successfully helping you achieve optimal health and weight loss 🍏| www.vickiwittweightloss.com
About Vicki:
Vicki Witt is a Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Coach, and Reiki Master. She has been practicing over 25 years and specializes in holistically customizing diet and lifestyle plans to each individual for weight loss and hormonal control. Her clientele often report they feel the best they have ever felt and wish they had started sooner. One of the USA and Australia's top Nutritionists, she has won multiple awards for her services in the industry.
Certified and Registered Nutritionist
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