One of the most common physical side effects of having a hormonal imbalance, especially in women, is weight gain. Why is that? Because your hormones help to regulate many systems in your body that control your weight, including your appetite and metabolism.
This article is going to explore what hormones you need to keep balanced, how they can affect your weight, and what you can do about it.
Estrogen VS Progesterone Weight Changes
Many hormones can affect your weight, but two of the more common ones are estrogen and progesterone. The difference is that when these levels are too low or too high, it can cause considerably different outcomes as far as your weight goes. Understanding this will help you and your doctor to figure out which of your hormones are responsible for the unexplained weight gain.
If you have more body fat, unexpected weight gain, fluid retention, headaches, depression, and blood sugar issues, it is probably from the estrogen in your body being out of balance. On the other hand, if you are losing weight unexpectedly, you might be struggling with too much progesterone.
You want a good balance of both, where neither is too high or too low in order to maintain your weight properly.
Why Weight Gain?
There are a few different reasons you start gaining weight as a result of your hormone levels being out of balance. The first is that it can cause your metabolism to plummet. You need a good level of metabolism in order to burn fat and calories that you consume, so when you have low metabolism, your body holds onto more of what you eat, which can cause you to gain weight more easily.
You might also notice that when you had other symptoms of hormonal imbalance, you also had a bigger appetite, lower energy, and more cravings. These work together to cause you to eat more, eat more unhealthy foods you crave, and not exercise as much, which as you know can also contribute to your weight gain.
The Negative Effects of Weight Gain
Gaining weight isn’t just about how you look or how well your clothes fit. There are also other negative health consequences of being overweight or obese. When you start gaining weight, it increases the risk of visceral fat, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. You are at a higher risk for diabetes, irregular periods, worsening PMS symptoms, joint pain, and even some types of cancers. It is important that if you are gaining weight and are not sure why, that you talk to your doctor about it.