Some Super Science

Body Chemistry: Hormones in the Body that Make People Thin 
Today I'm going to throw a little science at you, which is funny because I'm not scientist, but when it comes to changing the body it is important to understand how the body works. So I've been doing a little research outside of my normal realm of study. Crazy I know, giving myself more homework, how silly right? Well it may be silly, but it's also important if I want to get the best results that last. I am one of those people who likes to understand why certain things happen so if you're like me then this entry is for you.

I am currently reading Jackie Warner's book "This is Why You're Fat (And How To Get Thin Forever)". It was on sale at Target and I thought wow, what a blunt title. I'm not very far into the book, only Chapter 1 as of right now, but what she has said so far makes sense to me. Maybe this blonde super toned personal trainer woman knows what she's talking about. Could this be why it is a New York Times Bestseller. Well I don't know how much credibility to give her yet, but I'll give you a brief synopsis of Chapter 1.

In this chapter Warner discusses our body chemistry and how fat control has a lot to do with hormones. She says that our body works off of seven specific hormones. There are three hormones that make us thin and four hormones that make us fat. She gives ways to balance these hormones after explaining what these hormones do, as well as giving advice for outsmarting cravings that our body wants and getting rid of cellulite (also known as the dreaded cottage cheese thighs).

Today we should talk about the three hormones that make us thin:

Human Growth Hormone (HGH): This hormone is the fat burner. It pulls energy from fat we have stored in our bodies. It even does this when we are asleep. HGH helps people get toned and muscular because it creates more muscle cells. It also gives us more energy, a higher sex drive and younger looking skin and even hair. Sounds like a miracle hormone huh? The older we get the less our bodies produce of this hormone, but lucky for us diet and exercise raise HGH levels in the body. Want to know how to raise it in your body? Warner lays it out pretty simple: Cut back on carbs at night- have protein and low-carb veggies for dinner, not breads or pasta. Get Plenty of Sleep- deep sleep is when the body produces HGH, so sleep is imperative. Also to ensure you get good sleep don't have caffeine after 3 p.m. and don't sleep with a TV on. Eat HGH Building Blocks- foods high in vitamin B and Eat Organic - It's sad, but people want to chunk up cows and chickens to get more meat out of them, but those chemicals are not good for us either. Meat's not the only thing, fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemicals and pesticides that are no bueno for our bodies

Testosterone: OK so if you're a girl you're probably thinking what? Well guess what we have it too! It's produced in our ovaries and adrenal glands. Testosterone builds muscle, burns fat, boosts energy, increases sex drive, makes our bones stronger, increases optimisim, thus decreasing depression. Drinking alchohol, smoking, high stress levels and bad health all decrease how much testosterone our bodies produce. Ways to produce more according to Warner is by: Eating Builders of Testosterone- foods high in beta-carotene, these are yellow and orange veggies and green leafy ones too. Also foods high in vitamin B, those that contain boron and amino acids. Watch How Much Fat You're Taking in- pretty self explanatory I think. Limit Cafeine and Alcohol- Use very little or none at all...Duh right?!


Progesterone: The more progesterone the body creates the more calories we burn. It is a natural diuretic according to Warner that reduces bloating, helps prevent uterine fibroids, cancer, improves libido and boosts mental clarity.  Women every month, after one of your eggs is released the body secretes progesterone, if we don't get pregnant than the hormone level drops and slows down our metabolism. This is where the craving for sweets and sugars come in. Obviously this is no good so Warner suggests that we start to Include Progesterone-Building Foods into our diet and that these will help us sleep better and metabolize fat. Consume lots of Vitamin B and Magnesium.

Now that we know about the good hormones, tomorrow we will talk about the bad ones and how to overcome those. A little update on me in case you were curious, I had what I like to call "fake hot-dogs" for dinner last night. They were made of mainly water, soy and some veggies, absolutely no meat. They looked like hot dogs and didn't taste bad, but the consistency and flavor was very different it was like my food had an identity crisis. Not bad, but not what I expected either. If you're curious you can try them out for yourself. You can get them at Target or Wal-mart. Try them if you dare!