If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve probably tried cutting your calories and working out more. Those are the first methods women turn to when they want to lose fat, get leaner, and feel better. Ironically, this approach can lead to hormone imbalances that make it harder to lose weight. Whether you’re struggling with low energy, cravings, weight gain, or sleep issues -- your hormones play an important role. 

Here are three major causes of hormone imbalances:

1) Blood sugar imbalances

Two key hormones – insulin and cortisol – work together to regulate blood sugar and store fat. If you’re riding the blood sugar roller coaster, your body is more stressed and these hormones get out of balance. Imbalanced blood sugar is also the reason for your cravings, afternoon fatigue, and trouble staying asleep. 

2) Chronic cardio

Cardio is an outlet for many women to de-stress. And while many feel like sweating a lot will “burn the calories,” it actually isn’t the best type of exercise for burning fat or burning calories throughout the day. Worse, chronic cardio can actually interpreted by the body as another stressor (on top of the crazy schedule and to-do list you already have), which puts the body in a constant fight-or-flight survival mode. This is the mode that negatively impacts your hormones long term. 

3) Chronic dieting and cutting calories

This is the first thing women turn to when trying to lose weight, and while it might work initially (maybe the first time you dieted in your 20s), your body is smart and will adjust. Instead of eating 1,200 calories a day and being in a deficit, your metabolism will adjust so that you’re burning less at rest and when you exercise. 

So what do these three things have in common?

 They are all stressors on the body. And, they’re the easiest ones to control and improve with simple diet and lifestyle adjustments. A few changes to start with include:

1. Eating meals that balance your blood sugar. The proper combination of macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) and eating three solid meals instead of grazing and snacking on smaller meals help to balance blood sugar.
2. Eating more food, especially the ones that support your adrenals, thyroid, and liver. Most women aren’t eating enough protein, carbs, and fat for their unique body.
3. Moving in a way that supports your hormones. This likely looks a lot different than what you did in your 20s.

 If you want to learn more about exactly what this looks like and the changes you need to make, then join and me and Adrien Cotton for our upcoming workshop: Beyond Cardio, Calories & Cravings. We’ll teach you how your hormones – and busy lifestyle – could be the culprit for weight gain, cravings, and energy loss.If you're tired of trying restrictive diets, eating "clean," counting calories or macros, doing exercise that show doesn't show results, then this workshop is for you! See you 7pm, February 4 at Fitness on the Run. Sign up today! Space is limited.