Weight gain, bad mood before the start of a cycle, excess body hair - many are accustomed to blaming hormones for everything. But are these problems always associated with hormonal imbalance? Let's talk to Tatyana Pugavko, a medical endocrinologist. The endocrine system includes the organs of the endocrine system: pituitary gland, thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, gonads, etc. It affects almost all processes in our body: growth, weight, development, reproduction, energy metabolism. Most often, endocrine system disorders are associated with the functioning of the thyroid gland.
So, what are we used to blaming hormones for? Maybe all our problems really come from them?
I eat little, but I'm gaining weight
A slight weight gain (up to 5 kg) is possible due to disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland, because the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is disrupted. But thyroid dysfunction does not cause obesity. On the contrary, in a person who is obese, the functioning of the thyroid gland may worsen and, as a result, metabolism may decrease. That is, cause and effect are confused here.
If you are gaining weight for no reason, you need to take a hormone test, which will show whether there is a problem with the thyroid gland. Usually in such a situation, a general blood test shows an increase in an indicator such as cholesterol.
Why does weight increase when you start exercising and eating a balanced diet?
I dedicate this article to beautiful ladies who are forced to permanently struggle with excess weight. Just don’t think that we’re talking about some super-fast way to lose weight, because it’s no secret that I’m the world’s most boring proponent of the most boring way to deal with excess weight, namely combining physical activity with a balanced diet. I have written and rewritten a sufficient number of articles about this, but the growing number of questions from girls who have just gotten off the “kefir” diet and switched to the dark side of a balanced diet, along with the articles, forced me to write something explanatory.
Why, if you follow all nutritional standards, without any deviations, and regularly go to the gym, the scale needle stays rooted to the spot for 3-4 weeks, and sometimes even shows an increase of 3 kg, or even all 5?
This trouble bothers men no less often, but they are more easily consoled by the thought that their “fat is pumped into muscles” than women who are afraid of becoming “masculine jocks.”
Soon only cats will be born on a diet to lose weight
Who am I to refute centuries-old formulas? I just agree that diet is about results on the scale. There is no dissonance, and you are absolutely right - on a diet, the rate of weight loss will always be higher. I am sure that many here will finish this entertaining read and go to their browser to google “the most effective diet.” But I recommend that you first add this page to your bookmarks, because you may come back here when the needle on your scale stops, and you will certainly open this article when you begin to gain weight after a diet, each time at an increasing speed and all in in larger quantities. And when your brain finally matures to adequately assess the kilograms lost on the diet, you will understand that behind the six to ten lost kilograms are: a metabolism that has become tortoise-like, hormonal disorders, completely killed muscle tone with an almost completely preserved fat layer.
If losing weight through muscle and water is not your goal, I suggest you understand the physiology of the transition to a balanced diet against the backdrop of active training and the associated weight gain.
When I create a nutrition plan for a client, I focus on what his diet should ideally be, based on gender, age, concomitant diseases, body type, vital activity, training regimen, goal and a bunch of other details that I am always passionate about I ask before compiling programs. This is what dooms me to being under constant crossfire between those who have just started my balanced system, who scream that there is too much food and he can no longer fit into any jeans, and those who, having gathered their strength, nevertheless endured a three-week cycle of proper, plentiful food, begins to faint from hunger and lament in a weak voice that he doesn’t have enough of that food.
It happens that when you switch to a full balanced diet after a strict semi-starvation diet, the amount of food seems excessive to you and you completely expect your pants to pop. Normalization of metabolism usually occurs precisely by the end of the second week, and the third greets you with a wild appetite. It is at this moment that you can make an adequate assessment of the correctness of the compiled diet and begin counting down the centimeters at the waist, but not the kilograms. I consider weighing to be a completely useless and unindicative event; it’s better to pet the cat - it calms you down.
Reasons for weight gain
An increase in body weight in response to any physical activity is a normal reaction of the body. Once you start training in the gym, you can easily gain a couple of kilograms in a week, even on a strict diet. You wouldn't argue that these are muscles, would you? If it were so easy to increase muscle mass, then the concept of “doping” in sports would not exist. Therefore, dispelling the myth, I want to say that even with a competent approach to mass training and provided a diet with a high protein content, you can increase muscle mass by a maximum of half a kilogram per month. So all your stray kilograms are water and nothing else.
Why is the water rising?
When our body receives a load that is unusual for its daily lifestyle, it perceives it as an attack on habitual idleness, in other words, stress. The organism, brought up by evolution, as a reaction to stress, launches adaptation processes and begins to obediently supply additional volumes of nutrients, dissolved in additional volumes of blood, to the muscles subjected to stress. That is, part of your new kilograms splashes in the vessels and veins.
Fluid retention in the body can also be caused by microdamage to muscles during exercise. If you feel soreness, then it is better not to climb on the scales. Microdamages caused by muscle strain provoke a local inflammatory process. The cells of the immune system do not sleep; they recognize damaged structures and utilize them so that the body can recover and regenerate muscle tissue. This whole process is accompanied by normal swelling, which, in turn, gives the needle of your scales positive dynamics.
Well, and I hope you haven’t forgotten that you just got off the starvation diet? If you've ever dieted without exercising, your metabolism has probably suffered. And the more diets you have tried, the more likely it is that he cannot cope with the increased diet. Even if your diet was not strict, but, for example, limited carbohydrates, then introducing them into your diet will bind some more water. But without porridge you can’t build the body of your dreams and you can’t tune your figure.
So, my dear readers and frightened clients, just be patient, follow the instructions, and I guarantee you great shape, as I guarantee an impressive minus on the scales by the end of the first month of following the system.
You might be interested
The child is not growing
When the thyroid gland malfunctions in children, significant growth retardation occurs. Hormones can also be associated with disturbances in the process of puberty, both delay and, conversely, premature maturation.
If parents notice the first signs of puberty in girls before 8 years of age, and in boys before 9 years of age, you should contact a pediatric endocrinologist. And, on the contrary, if the daughter is already 13 years old, and the boy is 14, and they have not shown signs of puberty, this is a reason to consult a specialist doctor. Delayed puberty can also lead to negative consequences.
How to prevent metabolic disorders on a diet
Mono-diets and fasting almost always lead to changes in metabolism. For some people they are completely contraindicated; for example, if a person has diabetes, he may fall into a coma.
Why does dieting cause weight gain if a person has diabetes? The fact is that with this complex endocrine disease, the entire metabolism changes, every system in the body suffers. The absorption of glucose is disrupted - and after it, as if by a domino effect, other systems begin to “collapse”. In particular, vision deteriorates, the condition of veins and arteries deteriorates, and the functioning of the urinary system is disrupted. In diabetes mellitus, swelling may also occur, especially in the lower and upper extremities.
Can't get pregnant
Indeed, disorders of the thyroid gland affect the ability to become pregnant. Doctors who deal with infertility problems first of all send women to undergo hormone tests. But there are other reasons that can prevent pregnancy.
A woman’s fertility (childbearing function) depends on a huge number of factors, both hormonal and non-hormonal. Among the hormonal factors, the hormones of the thyroid gland, pituitary gland and adrenal glands are responsible for the possibility of becoming pregnant.
Premenstrual syndrome in the fair sex
There are many myths around this condition: supposedly the woman becomes irritable, her character during this period is unbearable, and her weight increases on a diet. In fact, this is not true. During premenstrual syndrome, you should never change the principles of proper nutrition, even if hunger is very strong (as many women note). in fact, fat loss (lipolysis) occurs at the same rate during PMS as without it.
So why then does weight during menstruation increase with dieting? The answer is simple: it’s all about the same swelling. During this period, the body strives to accumulate as much fluid as possible due to a slight disruption of the hormonal balance. As a result, tissues store water, and the numbers on the scales increase. Almost all women note that weight increases before menstruation. With a diet, this process may not be as obvious as with a regular high-calorie diet. However, you should not think that even on the most strict diet, the period of premenstrual syndrome will cost you without weight gain. At least half a kilo, but it will appear. Don't worry about this: after a few days they will disappear without a trace.
Constant fatigue
When mental processes are disrupted: memory, thinking, fatigue occurs, many people think that this is due to spring and a lack of vitamins. Indeed, it could be hypovitaminosis, for example, a lack of vitamin D. There is chronic fatigue syndrome caused by certain types of herpes virus. Hormones of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, and adrenal glands may also be to blame for fatigue.
Photo source: pixabay.com
Weight gain after anaerobic exercise
Beginning athletes panic if they do not understand why weight increases after strength training.
- The most common factor in this situation is fluid retention in the muscles. When under load, they require large amounts of nutrients. This causes the amount of circulating blood and fluid to increase. Glycogen, if necessary, retains water in the muscles so that they adapt to stress.
- Increasing tone is also considered to be the reason for a slight increase in weight and volume. After some time, the situation will stabilize and the body will begin to get rid of excess and visceral fat.
- Increased muscle mass.
- Too heavy a snack after training. To achieve weight loss, the body must consume more than it receives.
Skin rashes, acne
Acne occurs due to:
- Excessive secretion of sebum.
- Blockage of the hair follicle.
- Reproduction of “bad and good” bacteria.
During adolescence, there is usually a hormonal imbalance. Increased testosterone causes acne to increase, which is why teenage boys often suffer from acne.
Different hormones act in different phases of the female cycle, which can also cause a rash. I recommend contacting endocrinologists in order to identify possible endocrine disorders: hyperandrogenism (excess of male hormones), disorders of the thyroid gland, gonads, pituitary gland, pancreas.
Photo source: pixabay.com
Insulin, obesity and diabetes
Insulin surges in the blood are a constant phenomenon. Every three hours, insulin is secreted, which requires the body to supply glucose for energy. When sugar enters the body, more insulin is produced, which begins to quickly break it down and put it in its place. Therefore, glucose levels drop very quickly.
Soon after eating a portion of chocolate, for example, when glucose has been processed, the feeling of hunger is felt again. It may seem that by giving up carbohydrates, you can protect yourself from spikes in insulin and, accordingly, weight. But no, not everything in the body is so simple. If insulin notices a glucose deficiency, it begins to turn to the liver for small reserves of an energy source. When reserves in the liver are depleted, insulin is sent to fat fibers.
Therefore, if there are long breaks in food intake and insulin levels fluctuate, at the same time as fat is consumed, you want to eat more and it is very difficult to suppress your appetite. The more fat cells are broken down by insulin, the more they accumulate.
What to do : Eat food every three hours to prevent insulin spikes. As a snack between regular meals: fruits, vegetables, grain bread, rice, cookies. The more insulin jumps, the faster diabetes will overtake.
Leaves you in sweat, wet armpits
Increased thyroid hormone production is rare. Here everything is the opposite, metabolism accelerates, heat production increases, and an increased body temperature of up to 37.5 degrees can be observed. Such a person is always hot, he eats well, but loses weight. There may be high blood pressure and tremors of the limbs. The nervous system is disinhibited: a person may be mentally unbalanced and cannot sit in one place.
It would seem, why is it bad? A person eats, loses weight, he is always hot, he is active. But excessive work of the thyroid gland affects all organs, including the heart; there may be tachycardia, rhythm disturbances, even cardiac arrest.
You should definitely contact an endocrinologist to find out the true cause of excessive sweating. No deodorant will solve the problem, but will simply help you be a little more confident.
List of the most common reasons
The following are the most common reasons why a person restricts himself in every possible way in his diet, and in the morning he finds weight gain on the scales:
- Physical activity as a cause of weight gain - no matter how paradoxical it may sound, excessive muscle strain can cause weight gain in the morning.
- Eating salty, high-calorie, fatty and spicy foods the night before weighing is an almost guaranteed way to gain weight in the morning.
- Drinking alcohol on the eve of weighing provokes swelling and accumulation of excess fluid in all tissues of the body - of course, this leads to excessive swelling.
- Premenstrual syndrome in the fair sex also often contributes to severe swelling, which can cause a weight gain of 1-2 kg.
- Problems with the functioning of the kidneys or heart also often cause swelling and weight gain.
- Metabolic disorders, especially diabetes, make the weighing procedure completely meaningless - until normal and stable blood sugar levels are restored, the numbers on the scales are unpredictable.
Bad mood before menstruation
Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are powerful brain hormones. They affect brain chemicals responsible for thoughts, behavior and emotions. The amount of hormones fluctuates during the menstrual cycle from a minimum to a maximum, which is why there is a connection between them and mental health.
During the female cycle, its different phases, different sex hormones act. PMS is an imbalance of hormones: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone. More often, this condition is observed in women whose mothers suffered from PMS. Treatment is usually prescribed by gynecologists. Lifestyle changes, antispasmodics, sedatives, etc. usually help.
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Prolactin and pregnancy
Prolactin levels rise after conception and increase as you approach childbirth. Prolactin stimulates the appetite of expectant mothers in order to replenish the necessary reserves of vitamins and microelements for the development of the child. After labor, prolactin levels remain high to ensure milk production and feeding the baby. Over time, the production of this hormone decreases and stops when the mother finishes breastfeeding.
Prolactin surge occurs during hormonal imbalance in non-pregnant and non-lactating women and is characterized by enlargement of the mammary glands, accumulation of fat and secretion of milk. This syndrome is called hyperprolactinemia. As prolactin levels increase, women may experience swelling, especially in the last phase of the menstrual cycle. Fluid retention occurs against the background of water-salt imbalance.
What to do: only a qualified specialist can recommend therapy that can tame prolactin. Sometimes taking iodine-containing medications and vegetarianism help. Regarding such a transition, it is better to consult an endocrinologist and nutritionist.
A woman has a large “masculine” belly
Abdominal, android, or upper type of obesity is characterized by excessive deposition of adipose tissue in the abdomen and upper torso. The figure becomes like an apple. Obesity of the “apple” type is more common in men and is the most unfavorable for health, often accompanied by the development of diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and diabetes mellitus.
The lower, or femoral-gluteal, type of obesity is characterized by the development of adipose tissue mainly in the buttocks and thighs. The floating figure looks more and more like a pear. Obesity of the “pear” type is most common in women and, as a rule, is accompanied by the development of diseases of the spine, joints and veins of the lower extremities.
To understand what type of obesity you have, you need to determine your waist and hip circumferences. Waist circumference is measured below the lower edge of the ribs above the navel. This figure of 94 cm in men and 80 cm in women is characteristic of the abdominal type of obesity (apple type) and is synonymous with high health risks.
The so-called android (male type) obesity requires closer attention from an endocrinologist, as this may be one of the symptoms of an endocrine disease. While obesity of the “female” type is more often associated with poor diet and low physical activity.
Eating salty and spicy foods the night before weighing
This is another reason why dieting weight has increased, and it can rival excessive exercise in terms of incidence. Who among us doesn’t like to eat Olivier salad with pickled cucumbers, who doesn’t like to eat salted peanuts? Meanwhile, such snacks always lead to a change in the water-salt balance of the body, as a result of which excess fluid accumulates in the tissues.
In the first days of the diet, when a person scrupulously follows all the rules, weight decreases rapidly. This is largely due to the fact that excess liquid is drained. And only after about two to three weeks does the process of directly getting rid of fat tissue begin. So literally a few salted nuts can disrupt the water-salt balance in the body, which is accustomed to proper nutrition. Of course, in this case, you should not be surprised that the weight increased on the diet. Proper nutrition implies a complete avoidance of harmful and high-calorie foods, and foods high in salt belong to this list.
Hair growth in the wrong places - above the lip, on the nipples
Male hormones are normally produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands. And excessive hair growth in the wrong places in a woman can indicate a serious problem in the endocrine and not only the endocrine system. If there is growth of coarse (shaft) hair in places like in men, it is necessary to examine how the adrenal glands, gonads (ovaries), and pancreas work , pituitary gland If hormonal disorders are detected, treatment is prescribed by gynecologists or endocrinologists.
Photo source: pixabay.com
In the endocrine system, all organs are connected to each other using so-called direct and feedback connections. For example, the pituitary gland regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland with its hormones, in turn, the thyroid gland sends signals to the pituitary gland and either a decrease or an increase in the production of pituitary hormones occurs. Therefore, a disruption in the functioning of one endocrine organ can lead to a “failure” in the functioning of other endocrine organs.
The action of hormones in the body is also affected by the production of proteins that bind these hormones and reduce their activity. And these proteins are produced in other, non-endocrine organs, and their formation also depends on a huge number of factors: nutrition, disease, lifestyle, etc. And one endocrine organ, as a rule, produces not one hormone, but several.
Often endocrinologists have to examine not only the endocrine organs, but also the functioning of other organs: liver, kidneys, heart, etc.
Physical activity as a cause of weight gain
Why does dieting cause weight gain? Remember if you did any physical exercise the day before. If so, and if the next morning when weighing yourself, your muscles ache from excessive load, then it is almost guaranteed that this was the reason for the increase on the scales. The fact is that with even a slight load (if the person has not exercised before), the muscles become filled with blood and attract fluid. This can trigger the appearance of slight swelling, which will not even be visually noticeable, but will provoke an increase on the scale.
If your weight has increased on a diet, but there was no intense physical activity the day before, then it is worth considering other possible reasons. For women, these are most often hormonal changes associated with the menstrual period or chronic kidney or heart disease. But men, as a rule, tend to make mistakes and lack of care when calculating their daily BJU and keeping a food diary.
Exercise doesn't help. What to do?
If fitness does not help you achieve a certain goal, and the question of what to do if your weight increases after a workout comes up more and more often, you need to listen to the following recommendations:
- Change sport. The body quickly adapts to monotonous training. And changing activities burns fat more actively.
- Get some sleep. Overwork is the main enemy in the fight against extra pounds. If the body does not rest due to lack of sleep, then the effectiveness of the workout decreases sharply.
- Relax. Exhausting workouts after idleness are stressful for the body. If you give up the gym for a while and balance your diet, and then gradually introduce physical activity, the results will soon appear.
- Exercise regularly. It is necessary to develop not only endurance and strength, but also endurance and will.
- To refuse from bad habits. Going to the gym will not be beneficial if cigarettes and alcoholic beverages remain in your daily life.
Your drinking regime is impaired.
In general, it is believed that you need to drink 30 ml of water per 1 kg of weight. If your weight is approximately 80 kg, then you need to drink at least 2.4 liters of clean water (other liquid does not count) per day. It's not as difficult as you might think. Try to drink half a liter of warm water with lemon on an empty stomach - it comes in easier in the morning. In addition, this dose will significantly reduce the amount you need to drink during the day.
Drinking water has been shown to increase the number of calories burned by 24-30% in an hour and a half.
Common mistakes athletes make
Girls play sports and don’t see results, but they carefully monitor why their weight increases after they start training. Reviews are not always clear, but the expected way out of the situation is to abandon your body and start consuming fast food. Fitness instructors insist on analyzing the mistakes of novice athletes.
Situation I. Sports activities continued for a month, but the girl did not lose weight.
Instructor's answer: muscles retain fluid to adapt to the load. Weight increases or remains the same, but body fat decreases. It is important to measure volumes and focus on their changes.
Situation II. The training has been going on for a month now, but my body weight is increasing. Volumes are measured systematically, and “before” and “after” photos are compared. There is no shift. What is the problem?
Instructor's answer: Training alone is not enough. It is important to balance your diet. 70% of success comes from a well-designed diet. Only 30% is due to sports. Thanks to physical activity, the body tightens, its tone increases, and sagging skin disappears. But without a calorie deficit, the process of burning fat is impossible.
Situation III. Training is systematic. Nutrition - balanced. But the weight stays the same or increases.
Instructor's answer: the body must consume more than it receives. Modern diets and proper nutrition are based on this principle. The best way to control the food you eat is to count calories. In this situation, you need a calorie deficit, a varied menu and a rare opportunity to treat yourself to sweets.
Situation IV. Why does a girl’s weight increase after training if she counts calories and exercises regularly? Or your body weight decreased, and then the weight loss stopped altogether.
Instructor's answer: in the first weeks, 2-3 kg of fluid is lost. Don't expect such rapid results in the future. Reducing food waste leads to the removal of excess fluid from the body.
The standard rate of weight loss is 0.5-1 kg per week. But weight fluctuations are possible. There is no need to panic ahead of time. Such dynamics defy explanation.
Situation V. 6 kg lost in 2 months. But for a long time the weight did not change one gram.
Instructor's response: Most likely, a plateau effect has occurred. At such moments, the body tries to adapt to the new weight and consolidate the result.
