Many people, in a desperate attempt to get the perfect body that they want, try going on multiple diets, enrolling in different fitness programs, and taking supplements that claim to burn fat at an alarming rate. Despite all of these efforts, though, some just can’t seem to lose some weight no matter how hard they try. If you find yourself in the same situation, don’t give up just yet. Behind all of the fat, sweat, and tears is a medical reason as to why you’re struggling to shed off the pounds, and it may have something to do with your hormones.

Hormones and Hunger

According to Robert Greene, M.D., former medical director of the Sher Institute for Reproductive Health based in Sacramento, California, our bodies contain no less than 40 chemicals that can affect how hungry we get as well as the types of food we decide to eat.Two of these chemical substances, in particular, are responsible for controlling your appetite. These two hunger hormones are called leptin and ghrelin.

Leptin is made out of fat cells and makes you feel less hungry. If you’re thin, leptin levels tend to be low, but start to rise once you begin to gain weight.On the other hand, ghrelinis secreted in the stomach lining and increases your hunger. Ghrelin levels start going up when somebody is not eating enough, decreases if a person eats too much, and tends to stay low for people who have enough fat in their system.

Is there any way you can help your hunger hormones do their work more effectively? Researchers believe it’s possible, and it involves cutting out high-fat food from your diet.

Hunger and High-Fat Foods

According to University of California’s Mary Dallman, PhD, eating meals high in fat may muddle up the hunger messages your body’s trying to send. As long as your body’s still giving off hunger signals, you’ll end up eating more food than you actually need. Because your body doesn’t need the extra calories, it’ll convert and store them away as fat.

Though some people may consider drastic measures, such as investing in hormone replacement therapy in Beverly Hills or other places, you can make a major lifestyle change instead. This involves adjusting your diet so that it’s mostly made up of either protein or good carbohydrates. Research shows that either of these diets is great for keeping your ghrelin levels in check compared to a diet consisting mostly of fat. You can also help your body produce the right amount of ghrelin by consistently going to bed at a reasonable hour. One study showed that ghrelin levels increased whenever somebody deprived themselves of a good night’s sleep, compared to people who got eight to ten hours of rest.

Now that you have this information in hand, you can start working smarter instead of harder. Though we don’t suggest cutting exercise out of your regime, you can focus on the things that actually give you the biggest results. Remember: get rid of food that sabotages your hunger hormones, and get enough sleep each night. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself getting closer and closer to the ideal weight you’ve been dreaming of attaining.