I Want to Lose Weight Fast - Befriending Hormones - Part 1

"I want to lose weight fast," is the dieter's ultimate goal, but to become successful over the long haul, dieters simply must understand a few things. Until dieters become clear with themselves as well as with the way their bodies actually function, they are likely to be trapped in yo-yo dieting hell.

Reality Check: The Big Picture for Weight Loss

First and foremost, the sentiment "I want to lose weight fast" is rarely what is meant. True, a quick result may be an ardent desire, but who cares how fast the weight comes off if it marches right back on with equal speed?

The "fat-came-back" problem is not the only battle dieters face. The sad reality is as the pounds come marching back they almost always bring a few extra friends along for company.

The added numbers to the scale's ever-unpopular reading is only one problematic aspect of "fast weight loss.". The body itself does not like the quick depletion of its precious fat storage stashes. It will actively work against quick weight loss.

The Dieter's "Ah-Ha!"

Don't bother puzzling for long on this weighty problem. It all boils down to this: "I want to lose weight fast" should not be the only criteria for diet plans. Until dieters understand this concept, failure is bound to follow hot on the heels of success.

The ultimate epiphany that dieters need to achieve lasting results is to understand how to work with the body's natural hormone functions.

The Body's Boss

Like it or not, hormones rule the roost--so to speak--of bodily function. It's hardwired into the system and no amount of dieter frustration is going to alter that fact. The more prudent course is to learn how to make nice and harness the power of hormone function to benefit fat loss efforts.

The Main Players in Weight Loss

Not all hormones have much if anything at all to do with weight loss. Balancing sex hormones is fine and dandy, but not very likely to produce a major decrease in dress size. The big names in fat and body weight issues are cortisol, leptin, insulin and serotonin.

Leptin can be considered the kingpin of fat hormones. It functions to protect fat stores at all costs. This hormone is responsible for the frustration and failure of low calorie diets. When caloric intake is too low, leptin goes to work protecting fat stores while endeavoring to add to them even as the dieter eats less and less in a vain effort to lose weight.

Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone. High levels of cortisol yield a one-two knockout punch to diet efforts. It signals the body to store fat as well as suppresses the growth of lean muscle mass.

Insulin usually helps to balance blood sugar levels, but when diets are out of balance, it has a more sinister effect. Insulin also contributes to fat store bulk up. High carbohydrate diets often see the fat pack phenomena because insulin is working overtime to control sugar levels in the blood.

Serotonin, commonly known as the feel good hormone, is also the feel full hormone. Serotonin signals the brain to feel satisfied after a meal. When the body is low on serotonin, binge eating occurs with greater gusto.

Knowing how these hormones work is only the first step. To fulfill that goal of " I want to lose weight fast and keep it off," dieters need to know how to manipulate and work with these hormones.