Leptin and the HCG diet
Leptin is a hormone that plays a role in weight loss and weight gain. The Greek word leptin means “thin”. It is produced by the fat cells in your body and by the enterocytes in your small intestine.
What does the leptin hormone do?
- Leptin tells you brain how much fat reserves you have so you could eat less or stop eating
- It regulates your metabolism and appetite
- It controls your hunger and energy expenditure
For weight loss, the more leptin you have the better. The more fat you have the more leptin your adipose tissue makes. You eat fewer foods and your metabolic rate is higher.
Leptin and weight management
Leptin is produced primarily in the fat cells, thus, it’s level is directly connected to the amount of fat you have. Your body produces enough leptin when it functions properly and this will stimulate your brain to decrease your appetite. However, your body may become less sensitive to leptin when you gain weight. Over time, your body will develop leptin resistance. People who are overweight have higher leptin levels but their brains are not getting the “stop eating” signals, thus, leading to weight gain.
You can maintain a healthy leptin level in your body with the help of the HCG diet. The HGC Diet uses the Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) hormone along with a restricted daily calorie intake to help you lose weight safely. As a prohormone, the HCG balances out other hormones inside your body including leptin.
Leptin and Metabolism on the HCG Diet
Following a restricted diet can throw the balance of leptin hormones overboard. When you constantly follow a low-calorie diet without the help of another hormone, just like the HCG, to maintain the hormonal balance inside your body, your leptin level will decrease. As your leptin level decrease, your metabolic rate also decreases. The slowing down of your metabolism will make it difficult for you to lose body fat. Your leptin levels may also go too low due to lack of sleep, and stress. When this happens, your metabolism is in danger of slowing down making it hard for you to lose weight. Thanks to
hcg shots because this won’t happen if you are following the HCG Diet program. In the HCG Diet, you will experience a boost of energy despite the low-calorie restriction because your body will utilize the stored fats as fuel.
Steps to further increase your metabolic rate on the HCG Diet:
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids as these can greatly impact the leptin levels in your body which in return can regulate the metabolic rate. Omega-3 fatty acids also help promote a wide range of cellular activities, helps heal inflammation, and improve or prevent depression aside from increasing the leptin level in your body.
- Take vitamin B12 supplements or shot to further reeve up your metabolic rate while on the HCG diet.
- Skip your diet soda and anything with artificial sweeteners whether you are on or off the diet as they interfere with your weight loss goal. Stay clear with these sugar substitute and enjoy fruit juices, fruits concentrated for their nutrition and flavors.
- Once you are off the diet, find ways to eat fruits and veggies in your every meal. Fruits and veggies have phytonutrients that can improve and regulate inflammation and metabolic functions of your body.
Leptin resistance
On the other hand, too much leptin will do not good for your body because your body can become leptin resistance.
What causes leptin resistance?
- If you eat even though you are literally hungry, you can run the risk of becoming “leptin resistant”.
- Little or no exercise contributes to leptin resistance
- Lack of sleep and too much stress causes leptin resistance
As your body becomes more leptin resistant, it will be harder for your body to stay lean and lose weight because your body is holding onto the fat.
Leptin and obesity
Obese people have unusually high levels of leptin. This happens because the brain does not respond to leptin so they keep on eating despite ample fat storage. While the absence of leptin can lead to uncontrolled food intake and obesity because the body thinks that it does not have any fat reserve at all.
How to regulate your leptin hormones on the HCG Diet
- Get enough fiber to let your intestinal tract send signals to your brain to release more leptin. Foods like whole grain, legumes, and oatmeal are rich in fiber.
- Choose complex carb over simple carbs as simple carbs cause a spike to your insulin levels. A spike in the insulin level can distract normal leptin production.
- Get more sleep because a lack of sleep can cause your body to make less leptin and more ghrelin hormones.
- Exercise regularly so your body can secrete human growth hormone which boosts the fat-burning mechanism of your body and regulate the levels of leptin.
- Eat protein for breakfast to kick-start your leptin levels. Protein will also fuel your body for the day.
- Limit your fructose consumption because this can inhibit your leptin receptors. Foods high in fructose include processed foods, sweet snacks, cookies, and soda.