Weight Loss with Estrogen Dominance
Here is a simple truth, weight loss for women is vastly different than weight loss for men. Women’s biochemistry and physiology work to potentially sustain another human's life, meaning that there are multiple steps that act as checkpoints to make sure your body is able to perform this task. It is so much more than just eating less, moving more.
With that being said, weight loss is possible but it will look very different than just intermittent fasting, eating salads and running on the treadmill for an hour at a time. If your goal is to achieve a healthy weight AND be able to sustain that weight, then working with your body’s natural rhythms and hormones is crucial, especially if you have a hormone imbalance such as estrogen dominance.
Where does weight sit with estrogen dominance?
When in balance, estrogen actually helps your body maintain a healthy weight and can contribute to an hourglass figure. It can help with maintaining bone health, muscle mass and helps your body with metabolism of lipids (fats). (1) The issue is when there is an excess of circulating estrogen or a higher level of estrogen as compared to progesterone. In these cases, you will find that weight distributes along the abdomen, thighs, hips and butt, similar to a pear-shaped figure. If you would like a deep dive into what estrogen dominance is and how it can be addressed, check out this article.
Can you lose weight with Estrogen Dominance?
Yes. It is absolutely possible to lose weight with estrogen dominance but this usually comes as a side benefit when working to bring your hormones back into balance. Some estrogen is produced in fat cells, especially in the adipose tissue or the area that surrounds your abdomen. This can lead to an increase in belly fat. In return, there is a potential for issues with insulin regulation with an increase in abdominal fat leading to higher than normal levels of glucose circulating the body. When the glucose is not used by your cells as energy it can become stored in these fat cells causing an increase in estrogen levels. It becomes a vicious cycle.
Toxins are also stored in these fat cells leading to an increase in what is known as obesogens. These chemicals interfere with metabolic maintenance contributing in weight gain.(4) Some of the biggest ones that also contribute to an increase in estrogen are called xenoestrogens found in things like plastics used to package food, pesticide and insecticides, household cleaners and personal hygiene products.(2) If your body is storing a high amount of these in your fat cells and you suddenly lose a dramatic amount of weight you will start to feel a lot worse than when you started because your body is exposed to these chemicals. This is why slow, steady weight loss AFTER working on your major detoxification pathways is a crucial step in balancing your hormones and achieving sustainable weight loss.
These steps are covered in my signature course The Fertility Cleanse for Estrogen Dominance. Even if your goal is not to have a baby, this course can help with targeting excess estrogen and increasing your natural detoxification abilities.
How do you lose belly fat with estrogen dominance?
Targeted body part weight loss is not physiologically possible but there are steps you can take to help with your overall weight loss that will lead to a lowered waist circumference. First let's talk about some of the types of fat you carry and how these can be activated or deactivated.
Brown Fat:(3)
This type of fat is great for you and helps you break down calories in the form of sugar and fat stored in the body to keep your body warm when in cool temperatures. Essentially it helps with burning calories that are stored as fat in the body.
What to do about it
Cold exposure: brown fat activates when you are exposed to the cold, try a cold shower or take the polar plunge.
Have enough iron: brown fat is full of mitochondria that require iron to function, make sure your body is regulating iron efficiently and consume iron rich foods such as high quality meat, leafy greens and beans.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day: exercise helps to convert white storage fat into brown calorie burning fat called beige fat.
Visceral Fat : (5,6)
The bad fat that accumulates around your midsection and leads to issues with metabolism such as insulin resistance, high triglycerides and other markers of developing Metabolic Syndrome. If your waist circumference is over 35 as a woman, then there is a higher chance of having more visceral fat.
What to do about it
Change your diet: from processed foods to more whole food options. The good news is that a dietary change to include more fiber and plant based foods can have a direct impact on this type of fat.
Cardio: add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine
Focus on sleep: getting less than or more than 7-8 hours of sleep per night can add to an increased chance of developing visceral fat.
Subcutaneous Fat: (5,6)
This is the type of fat that sits right under the surface of your skin and makes up the majority of the fat in your body. This type of fat is often found around the thighs in women and contributes to estrogen production in the body. It is seen as your emergency storage of energy in case food were to run out.
What to do about it
Cardio: again aerobic exercise comes in for the win, depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, include high intensity cardio exercises to help target this fat.
Optimize protein: eat high quality protein and fiber such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains at each meal. This will help keep you full longer, lower the calories you consume daily and help offset the intake of refined carbs and sugar that add to subcutaneous fat formation.
Do strength training: Gain muscle to help burn more calories, increase your metabolism and lower the accumulation of fat that is just under the surface.
Essential Fat:
This fat is considered good fat with many health benefits such as helping your body regulate healthy hormone levels that support fertility. Loss of this fat is usually seen in extreme measures of trying to lose weight.
What to do about it
Eat healthy fats: include fats that may lower inflammation such as extra virgin olive oil, avocados, avocado oil, coconut oil, olives, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, grass fed butter, ghee and high quality dairy if tolerated.
Determine your weight range: work to maintain a healthy weight that is right for your body. One that helps you feel great, energized and supports a healthy immune system.
Here are some of the key action steps to lose belly fat:
Test your hormone levels to see what imbalance you may have and how to use foods, herbs and specific supplements to address these.
Work to lower endocrine disrupting chemicals: organic produce, non-toxic skincare and household products, avoid non-stick pans when cooking, store food in glass containers etc.
Try cold exposure to activate brown fat that burns calories
Swap your drinks for water, high quality-low sugar coffee, seltzer water and herbal teas
Swap white carbs for brown whole carbs
Include protein with every meal
Exercise for 30 minutes 5 times a week. Start with walking then work to sync your exercise intensity with your menstrual cycle.
Other hormones involved in issues with weight loss.
The endocrine system works in concert with multiple hormones to help your body function optimally. Beyond the steps mentioned above, there are a few other factors that can make weight loss a bit more difficult.
Leptin Resistance : a hormone released from your fat tissue to help you determine if you are full or not.
Insulin Resistance : a hormone that helps your body regulate healthy blood sugar levels.
Low Thyroid function : thyroid health is key in your metabolic health, lower thyroid function can lead to more weight gain.
Cortisol imbalance : ongoing stress can lead to a cortisol imbalance that has a cascade of influences on your body including adding to insulin resistance, irregularities with fertility hormone regulation and issues with your sleep cycles.
Learn how to break free from the roller coaster of weight loss then regain. Work to get out of the loop by optimizing your hormone detoxification pathways and changing your diet to support healthy fertility and hormone levels through my course The Fertility Cleanse for Estrogen Dominance.