Now, we weren’t designed to need to be popping probiotic pills every day. Instead, a healthy INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT automatically promotes the growth of good bacteria, as well as the death of the bad. The problem is this, the kinds of food we put IN our body, and the unhealthy stress we put ON our body, shift the internal environment to favoring the bad stuff, hurting our metabolism.

You see, it’s not all about reducing the QUANTITY of energy we consume by reducing our calories. It’s equally, if not MORE important, to increase the QUALITY of our foods in order to create a microbiome where good bacteria live, the kind that make our metabolic processes more efficient, and in turn, help us lose unwanted fat.

Our hormones are extremely powerful regulators of body size, weight, and strength. They even effect our energy, mood, motivation, and confidence. Though we can find ourselves blaming them for the way we eat, did you know that the way we eat actually effects our hormones?

2.) Too little calories. 

Protocols like the HCG diet and other starvation routines damage hormonal balance severely, resulting in a sluggish metabolism. Though weight loss can be seen, it is never healthy and never permanent. Deficiencies can develop that can cause diseases even more serious than obesity. Recovering from these harmful fad diets can be a long and difficult road, as the body now fights to hang on to extra energy stores should something that crazy ever happen again.

3.) Too much caffeine/stimulants.

A little bit of coffee or tea isn't a bad thing. In fact, it can have some health benefits. The danger, however, is that stimulants are extremely addictive, and reaching for an energy crutch can put you on a slippery slope to heavy consumption. Our adrenaline is supposed to be there for emergencies and moments that we need instant energy or power. Believing that we need it to sit at desks or behind computers is a harmful myth. When we artificially stimulate the release of adrenaline all day, every day, we elevate cortisol levels. This stress hormone interferes with proper testosterone production in men, and blocks progesterone production in women.

4.) Too little fat.

This may sound surprising, but a diet too low in fat can actually cause you to gain body fat by decreasing your levels of valuable hormones. One study of a group of men, for example, showed a 12% reduction in testosterone after just 2 months of a very low-fat diet. Our sex hormones, which play a vital role in our body composition, are made from cholesterol produced in response to the fat in our diets. Again, testosterone is very important to women as well, even though the absolute amounts are smaller. Be sure to keep good fats like avocados, fish, flax, almonds, walnuts, and brazil nuts in your diet.

5.) Too much alcohol. 

Alcohol accelerates the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Obviously, this is bad for men, but it's terrible for women too, many of whom are already facing estrogen-dominance and would appreciate the fat-burning, muscle-shaping effects of testosterone. Alcohol also damages the liver, which plays a vital role in releasing hormones that maintain stable blood sugar levels. In this way, excess alcohol can put you on the path to constant sugar cravings and insulin resistance, which results in accumulation of body fat.

6.) Too little vitamin D. 

Our overreaction to the possibility of a cancer-producing sunburn has driven us indoors, and straight into Vitamin D deficiency. That's unfortunate considering the research on the benefits of vitamin D is staggering. This vitamin is actually a precursor to a vital hormone involved in multiple cellular processes. Vitamin D has been shown to do everything from building strong bones to staving off depression. We now know that it's involved in the regulation over 200 different genes. Furthermore, it promotes normal cell proliferation and helps inhibits the growth of cancer. Regarding our body composition, a vitamin D deficiency will disrupt testosterone and estrogen balance. At the same time, too little Vitamin D makes our insulin less effective, pushing the pancreas to produce even more in an attempt to reduce blood sugar by driving it into storage. Bottom line: get more Vitamin D through foods like low fat dairy, eggs (with the yolk), tuna, and beans. The easiest source, however, is still sunlight exposure.

7.) Too little zinc.

This important mineral naturally increases testosterone in men, and is necessary to produce both estrogen and progesterone in women. Zinc also boosts the immune system, keeping every other function of your body running at full strength. Additionally, it aids the absorption of nutrients, supports the health of your liver, and helps your muscles make repairs. These 3 benefits combine to control the balance of your metabolic hormones (insulin and glucagon) as well. You can get more zinc by eating cabbage, peas, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, and squash seeds.

8.) Too much binging. 

Continually eating large amounts of food at once dulls our brain's ability to receive the "I'm satisfied" signal from the hormone leptin - typically responsible for the feeling of food contentment. This condition is created in much the same way that too much sugar produces insulin resistance. In fact, it is now labeled leptin resistance to reflect the similar pathway. Simply put, we have repeatedly stuffed ourselves so much that we can no longer understand when we are full. We literally become deaf to leptin's message. The result? The only hormone we can hear is leptin's antagonist - ghrelin - the hormone that drives appetite. So we keep overeating, again and again, making it worse and worse. It's a tough cycle to break, but incorporating the habit-recreation tricks we've learned, combined with tight accountability to change, will allow you to regain healthy leptin sensitivity.

Eat Smarter, Balance Better

Our bodies are constantly communicating with us through hormones. When we understand the impact of our dietary choices, we gain powerful tools to shape not only our body composition but also our mood, energy, and overall well-being. By making intentional changes, we can work with our hormones, not against them. Interested in learning? Check out 8 Ways To Fight Hormone Imbalance.

1) Read & respect the gauges on the boat. It’s time to step on the scale, measure the impact, face the facts, confront reality, whatever you want to call it. You can no longer afford to ignore the negative health consequences of shutdowns and lockdowns, and the associated likely reduction of your routine physical activities and social interactions. Assess the damage and establish a baseline so you can measure progress from where you are, not where you think you may be. If you know for sure you’re the type that looking at scale could cause a downward emotional spiral into more harm, it’s fine to skip this step. But ... the vast majority of folks will benefit from becoming acutely aware of where they are vs. where they want to be (even if it’s disappointing or disturbing at first glance), and consequently start to implement changes to correct it.  

3) Set your sails for the right direction. Go to the grocery store ... on a full stomach, and with a list ... and purchase healthy items that will build the body you want. Include ingredients for healthy meal prep, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, clean and lean meats, and fibrous natural starches. Don’t forget to grab some quick and easy healthy snacks too. Life isn’t going to get less busy, so don’t lie to yourself about always have time to prepare. A quick trip to the pantry for a snack that is at least fairly healthy, even if not perfect, is almost always better than a quick trip to a fast-food drive through.

4) Create a “Captain’s Cabin” for yourself. If your fitness has been dependent on a gym, then your fitness has likely not gone well. With all the closings, restrictions, hours changes, pre-registration and other craziness at these facilities, you need to intentionally create your own space at home. It doesn’t have to be much; indeed, 6x6 feet will work just fine. But it needs to be yours - clear of kids’ toys and dog hair, with maybe a mat laid out, ideally filled with some natural light and a source of music. Teach the others in the “boat” that when you are in your “captain’s cabin,” you are NOT to be bothered - for all of 45 minutes a few times a week.

 5) Find your lighthouse & look to it for help. The storm of 2020 has been rough, and very dark at times. You need a source of brightness with which to sail. It will provide hope, clarity, and guidance. A lighthouse could be a mentor in front of you, sailing the same direction with both the same challenges and goals; or better yet, a coach who is extremely familiar with the wind and the waves of this sea of change - like a personal trainer or registered dietitian - perhaps even both! The point is to secure a definite direction and destination, with everything you need to get there, so you don’t remain lost at sea - especially if you’ve already started sinking. Remember, you CAN do this. You can correct your course and sail to success!

Of course, this is “preaching to the choir” for so many of our clients who have continued to work hard, avoid distractions, adapt to change, and make progress in spite of one of the weirdest years in recent history. But if you find you have drifted, I hope this quick list sparks a fresh focus.