Weight Loss Block #7: Endocrine System

Did you know that people who have imbalances in their endocrine system, find it more difficult to maintain their ideal body weight, even if they eat healthy?

Is trouble with your thyroid and adrenals blocking your weight loss?

Weight loss is not always as simple as 'eat less & move more'.

There are 8 physiological blocks to weight loss that have nothing at all to do with calories or exercise.

The seventh of the 8 blocks is endocrine system issues.

Let's take a sneak peek at 20 ways that endocrine imbalances can block weight loss:

1- Slows metabolism - The stress hormone cortisol suppresses the thyroid and therefore the metabolism.

2 - Belly Fat - Cortisol tells your brain that you’re under threat. If that threat becomes chronic, it tells your body to lay down fat cells in your tummy and start storing fat there, in case of famine. Those fat cells in your belly also contain more cortisol receptors, making it the preferred place to store more belly fat storage during stress.

3 - Sluggish Thyroid - High cortisol levels can impair the conversion of thyroid hormones, resulting in a low functioning thyroid.

4 - "Dieting" Makes Things Worse - Even if the thyroid is only slightly sluggish, stubborn weight gain can result, along with intense cravings and low energy. Dieting perpetuates the issue, because cutting back on calories slows down your metabolism.

5 - Everything Becomes Harder - Low thyroid decreases the levels of other hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain that affect your appetite, mood, energy levels and the sensation of feeling full (satiety).ON the other hand, some people with this issue, find themselves full on very little food which causes under eating, which also perpetuates nutrient deficiency and a slow metabolism.

6 - Cravings - Since low thyroid results in low energy, people tend to go for quick energy bursts in the form of sugary foods. Unfortunately, these foods create an insatiable appetites because of their effect on blood sugar and a lack of real nutrition.

7 - Swelling of Tissues - Bloating, fluid retention and cellulite are other signs of thyroid dysfunction - all of which make a person feel fat, which can lead to behaviours that perpetuate the issue.

8 - Overall Hormone Imbalance - Low thyroid leads to insulin resistance, low leptin, low progesterone and testosterone, with high estrogen. 

9 - Insulin Resistance - Since excess cortisol increases blood sugar and insulin, this makes people gain and hold onto fat and sets the stage for both PCOS and diabetes.

10 - Inflammation - Chronically elevated cortisol is inflammatory. Chronic low-grade inflammation is considered a key contributor to high androgen levels in women associated with PCOS.  Inflammation can also set the stage for an autoimmune disorder that pre disposes people to weight gain called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.

11 - Overworked Adrenals - Prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids such as cortisol (from chronic stress or oral use of corticosteroids) can result in adrenal insufficiency - and on the other hand, an overactive adrenal state can result in Cushing's Disease, which is characterized by abdominal obesity, thin arms and legs, round red face, a fat lump between the shoulders etc. 

14 - Visceral Fat - Cortisol also promotes the storage of visceral fat. This is a dangerous fat you can’t see (or pinch), because it is laid down between the tissues in the abdominal cavity, where it wraps around vital organs. Visceral fat is associated with insulin resistance, and pumps out inflammatory chemicals and estrogen (increasing the tendency toward estrogen dominance). 

15 - Tissue Breakdown - Since cortisol is highly catabolic, it starts to break down muscle tissue and this effect can be seen with the naked eye. While the belly expands, the legs and butt get thinner and thinner. 

16 - Water Retention - Adrenal stress with high cortisol also causes water retention due to aldosterone, which can make a person feel like they’ve gained weight, even though it is all fluid.

17 - Food As A Drug - When people are tired and stressed they use food to both soothe & stimulate themselves. When you have more cortisol in your system, there will be a tendency toward emotional eating. Stressed people crave food to soothe, especially fatty, salty, and sugary food combined (think chips and crackers). Many people with adrenal imbalances, also keep themselves going with sugar and caffeine, both of which keep them wired and tired. All of this increases cravings that fuel more weight gain.

18 - Sleep Issues - Many people have trouble sleeping when their endocrine system is stressed. Lack of sleep causes more stress, creating a viscous cycle. Poor sleep is also linked to slower metabolism.

19 - Lack of Motivation - When you are exhausted from the effects of high cortisol and have low thyroid, there is little energy or motivation accessible for the effort that is required to eat right and exercise. 

20 - The Heavier You Are, The Harder It Is - Having excess fat in itself is a stress on the body and can interfere with your body’s ability to turn the stress response off. Yet another cycle.

Would you like to balance your endocrine system and at the same time unblock your weight loss resistance?

Click here to learn more.

When you put your health first, the extra weight comes off naturally - as a good side effect of having achieved optimal health!

Endocrine issues are just one example of the '8 Weight Loss Blocks' that we identify to individualize your weight loss journey.