Weight loss can be quite complicated and there are a variety of factors that could be adding to your struggle when it comes to shedding that stubborn fat. One of these complications could be your leptin levels. In this article, we will discuss leptin sensitivity and why it is so important to weight loss.
What is Leptin?
Leptin is a hormone that is released by the fat cells in your body. This hormone performs a variety of functions within the body including letting your body know when you’ve eaten enough as well as when you are hungry and need more calories. It ultimately controls and regulates the amount of energy expended versus how much food or fuel your body requires. When your body releases too much leptin, it will develop a condition known as leptin resistance. This is when your body loses its sensitivity to the leptin hormone and the balance of when to eat and when to stop eating is disrupted.
What Causes Leptin Sensitivity?
In order to lose weight and keep it off in the long term, one must restore one’s leptin sensitivity to normal. There are a few key ways to start this journey.
- Sleep: It is extremely important to get enough sleep as this will restore your leptin sensitivity over time. This is because sleep deprivation can increase certain hormones such as ghrelin which increases one’s appetite as your body is trying to fuel you with more energy to stay awake and function.
- Exercise: When one includes regular exercise in one’s lifestyle it can slowly but surely reverse one’s leptin resistance.
- Food: A high intake of processed food and carbohydrates can increase leptin resistance while the inclusion of certain foods can increase and restore one’s leptin sensitivity to normal.
Foods That Increase Leptin Sensitivity
There are a number of foods that help lower the triglyceride levels in one’s body. High triglyceride levels have been linked to leptin resistance, therefore if one lowers one’s triglyceride levels it could help regulate one’s leptin sensitivity. Some of the foods that can help you include:
- Protein: Try sticking to lean meat, poultry, and fish when consuming protein.
- Vegetables: As always, a healthy dose of vegetables is a must in any healthy and balanced diet. Try to stay away from including too many starchy vegetables such as potatoes.
- Legumes: Including legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas can improve your leptin levels plus they are a great source of fibre!
- Berries: Berries are great as they are nice and sweet for those sugar cravings while being lower in sugar levels compared to other fruit such as mango.
It is advisable to stay away from sugar and processed foods as much as possible.
Contact us to find out more about how you can restore your leptin sensitivity and live a healthy and fulfilling life with a balanced diet that doesn’t feel restrictive.