Love Handles Are Linked to Hormones: Six Way to Lose Belly Fat
Categories: Advice, Health, Hormone Diet
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.
Many people, myself included, think one of the most attractive parts of the opposite sex's body is their stomach-and maybe a nice set of shoulders...In any case, the last place you want fat hanging around is at your waist. It seems this is the first place it goes when you gain a few pounds and it is the last place to leave. Believe it or not, those pesky fat patches have more to do with hormonal balance than a pregnant woman eating pickles and ice cream!
Love handles aren't just unattractive, carrying weight around your abdomen is bad for your health-worse than carrying weight on your hips or thighs. Excess fat around the waist, or an apple body shape, is suggestive of insulin resistance, a condition that is linked to the development of heart disease and diabetes. It is also indicative of an imbalance in cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone, which, if chronically high, can result in increased deposition of fat around the abdomen. To further complicate the situation, feeling stressed out or depressed may worsen the problem.
Insulin resistance
Insulin is the chemical signal that allows sugar to enter your cells to be used as fuel. Insulin levels also have a direct impact on body composition, as these sugars are later stored as fat if they are not consumed as a source of energy. Insulin resistance causes levels of insulin in the blood to increase. This increase is related to a reduced sensitivity of the body tissues, like muscle, to normal levels of the hormone. As a result, the body tries to overcome this by secreting more insulin from the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes ensues when the pancreas fails to sustain this increased demand for insulin production.
It is currently estimated that one out of every four Americans has insulin resistance. A primary cause is excess intake of sugar or carbohydrates typical of many diets today. This includes foods such as pop or candy as well as cakes, muffins, pastries, chips, crackers, pizza and many other processed foods. Insulin resistance may also be attributed to lack of exercise, overindulging in alcohol, stress, a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and excess body fat, especially around the abdomen.
Six sure-fire ways to lose "the handles":
- To put you on the fast track to fat loss, bump up your protein. For the first eight weeks or so, concentrate on eating equal amounts of protein and carbohydrates at each meal and snack. Sticking to about 20 to 25 grams of each per meal and about 15 to 20 grams per snack is probably a good place to start, depending on your body size and workout schedule. Men should add an extra 10 g of protein per meal and 5 g per snack. This is a slightly higher ratio of protein than your maintenance diet, which should be put in place after the first eight-week stage.
- Take essential fatty acids in the form of fish oils. These are great for reducing cholesterol, body fat and inflammation. It seems that omega-3 oils (EPA/DHA capsules) mixed with GLA (gamma linoleic acid) boost fat loss through increased heat production (thermogenesis) and increase the ability to maintain weight loss.
- Cut sugar completely from your diet and eat low glycemic carbohydrates to keep insulin levels low. Low insulin levels are favourable for fat loss. To maintain steady blood sugar levels, eat every three or four hours. This will also help you avoid overeating in one sitting.
- Take conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is one of only a few supplements that has actually been proven to stimulate loss of fat and increase lean muscle mass. This is not a supplement that works right away-so commit to taking it religiously for at least three months. Typical dosage is 1500 mg twice a day. Brand selection is important with CLA supplements. I use the one from Pure Encapsulations and find it offers the best results clinically.
- Use an plan that incorporates cardiovascular exercise along with weight training. Do not overdo cardiovascular exercise as it can damage the muscle fibres that you are working so hard to build and maintain. Do your weight training first, followed by your cardio if you are performing them both on the same day. This will ensure your strength is at a maximum for lifting and you will continue to burn fat during your cardio session. We use a 30-minute strength training program at Clear Medicine that is created specifically to enhance insulin balance.
- Keep stress levels manageable. Elevated levels of stress hormone (cortisol) can have a negative effect on body composition by increasing the breakdown of muscle mass and increasing abdominal fat. Relora is an herbal compound found to be effective in keeping stress hormone levels balanced and reducing abdominal fat. Phosphatidylserine may also help to reduce stress hormone levels and protect body tissues like the brain and muscles from the negative effects of stress.
Recent Posts
- Goji Berries: A Super Superfood (2/09/2010)
- Why Beer is Good For You, The Truth About Tickling and More (2/09/2010)
- Does Extra Muscle Mass Mean Extra Calories Burned? (2/09/2010)
- Hot Date? Women Tend to Choose Salads (2/09/2010)
- Being Thin Doesn't Always Equal Being Fit (2/09/2010)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
benn686 11-13-2009 @ 11:16AM
Seems that site to buy CLA is only for Health Professionals (prescription?)
http://www.purecaps.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=CL11
Any recommendations of a CLA supplement available for the common folk?
Reply
JESSICA O 11-15-2009 @ 9:14PM
GNC stores carry the CLA supplement.
Doug MacQueen 11-13-2009 @ 8:08PM
In the article it is mentioned about the good of CLA that is taken as a supplement. Is there a natural way to consume CLA? What food soursces contain CLA?
Reply
Dee 1-04-2010 @ 5:43AM
This article says it is not attractive.. But, do ALL MEN THINK THAT? Or are you telling them to think it? Also, I suppose being abused by men or having to do 95% to 100% of the caregiving and looking after the family etc would cause a lot of stress. So lets blame men not cortisol.. hm. There's a thought! Plus we must be sure the writer of these articles are psychopathic anorexics who believe it is unhuman to have an ounce of fat. Do you suggest all women must be HOUR GLASS and PEAR SHAPE? No , it would be wrong to be an apple shape! Since when were apples all the exact shape as the other anyway? Have you ever looked at the shape of all of the pears in a basket?? Quite deformed! Oh, and an hourglass sifts sand... Sometimes I think you people writing about how the body must look are idiots! Personally, if we HAVE BABIES the fat is meant to go around our middle. Have you even considered that? I would rather have a bit of belly fat than some of the fat thighs and rears that I see. At least if I choose, I can hide it.
Reply
Dee 11-22-2009 @ 10:34PM
Why do they always study tummy fat and love handles? Why not study saddle bags and diaper bottoms? The MAJORITY of the human race has love handles and tummy fat. However, fewer have the huge thunder thighs and flabby bums. Why the empahasis always on the tummy? Women are supposed to stretch there above any other region in the body in order to have a baby. Men get handles too and they don't stretch there to have babies, so perhaps it's just normal. Most pears are warped. Ask anyone who grows them!
Reply
gmaria 12-01-2009 @ 12:26PM
Who says a little extra pudge is unattractive? I find it odd and off putting when people have completely flat stomachs with no extra fat at all. That, and a small bit of fat around the waist isn't that likely to cause problems. Obesity, sure, but we don't need flat stomachs to be healthy. I'm also not sure who considers stomachs that attractive. It may be considered in an overall body type, but to be attracted entirely to someone's belly? Weird. Also, this article encourages protein in take, but doesn't specify the source, because eating tons of meat isn't exactly good for your heart and eating that much protein from nuts is expensive because you'd need a lot and soy does horrible things to your thyroid if eaten in such amounts. I'm also concerned about completely removing sugar from my diet. Fruit contains sugar, albeit natural and complex, but sugar none the less - along with oodles of other health benefits. Am I supposed to stop eating all fruits just so I can lose my love handles and apparently look more attractive to YOU? That's just silly.
I'm not impressed
Reply
Dee 12-07-2009 @ 7:07PM
Oh come on gmaria, you know why we all love the Pilsbury Doughboy.. *giggle* (cold ticklies) ..It does get nerve racking while with each page online or commercial they are talking of tight abs.
Reply
JaclynCV 12-09-2009 @ 12:09AM
Whoa, Dee and gmaria - did you actually read the same article I did?
I didn't see any bias in it towards male or female patients. Fact is, many scientific studies have shown that excess weight around the waist is indicative of higher incidence of dangerous complications - FOR BOTH GENDERS. Higher incidence of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes. I myself am struggling with 'morbid' obesity (over 100 lbs above ideal body weight), high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. Much of what Dr. Turner says echoes the research I've done - that a higher lean protein, good complex-carb, low refined-carb diet works the best. See Dr. Jack Challem's book "Syndrome X" - his research agrees. Since starting this way of eating, I've lost 6 lbs. in 3 weeks (not much, but a good start) and feel more energy. It's not all about being attractive, but about being healthy!
Reply
Dee 12-15-2009 @ 5:11PM
We always have ONE person who loves to accuse others of inability to read! (or comprehend) However, I think SCIENCE makes mistakes often don't they? Do they even consider studying flabby thighs? Who said there was a biased opinion of male or female. FACT IS, men have the love handles! So perhaps they are a natural fact of life if their bodies are not stretching in that region to have babies. Have you ever looked at a caveman? Consider their body shape. They are actually stalky in the hip/tummy region with backs slumped over. Look at monkeys! FACT: there are different body shapes and if we must try SO HARD to be a specific shape to be as one says everyone should look then perhaps we are not meant to look that way. Also, I wouldn't say primates eat so unhealthy. In fact, they get a tremendous amount of exercise.
- So to the one who loves to knock others opinions in a debate, perhaps you need to READ, plus do some investigations and look at the overall general public.
This PEAR SHAPE etc is a lot of crap! We can be our healthiest state and not be a pear or an hour glass... Even have a tummy! We have major health fanatics going under the knife just to get rid of those handles! Skin does stretch and leaves wrinkles or flaps.. Who's to say having no handles is MORE ATTRACTIVE. That was my issue with the above article. (man or woman)
Reply
Dee 12-15-2009 @ 5:13PM
QUOTE: "The DNA of gorillas is 98%–99% identical to that of a human,[2] and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee species"
*GENETICS! That defines how we look...
Quote: "Gorillas are herbivores,[13] eating fruits, leaves, and shoots. Further they are classified as foliovores. Much like other animals that feed on plants and shoots, they sometimes ingest small insects as well"
Reply