Unbalanced hormones in your body may cause you to gain weight

learn about them and lose extra weight

All of us have exposed that — we are eating right, exercising, and actually seeing some pretty impressive results when, BAM! You hit your plateau and can't seem to lose one ounce more. Why does this happen? You're following all of the usual diet rules — cutting calories and exercising more. So you should start cutting even more calories, right? NO!

At this point in your healthy lifestyle change, I hope calories rarely cross your mind. Instead, you should be thinking mostly about controlling your portions and balanced hormones.

Hormones?! When was dieting ever about hormones?

Weight gain is not only related to an incorrect eating system, but also related to the secretion of hormones in the body, as unbalanced hormones increase the storage of fat in your body and lead to weight gain.

Weight loss and hormones are so consistent that each depends on the other to maintain the proper balance of health in the body. If your metabolism has slowed, feels "broken," or if you are one of the millions of Americans struggling with "problem areas," then hormonal imbalance could be what's keeping you from beating that weight loss plateau.

Keep on your mind these 3 hormones...

1. Cortisol.

Ever see those individuals who have a bit of a potbelly?

Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, is instrumental at regulating blood sugar levels, maintaining energy levels, and helping the body heal.

However, when this hormone is being overproduced because the body is physically or emotionally stressed, a potbelly generally ensues. High cortisol levels also increase risk for depression, sugar cravings, and overeating.

While this hormone is generally referred to as the "stress" hormone, it should be more aptly named the "sneaky" hormone.

As I said, when our bodies are stressed, either physically or emotionally, cortisol production gets kicked in to overdrive. This means that if we exercise too much and overstress ourselves in that manner, we will overproduce cortisol. Sneaky, huh?!

Of course, I'm not here to condemn exercising. In fact, moving your body for 30 minutes each day can be very beneficial to your metabolism and blood flow. But those 60 minute sessions on the exercise bike or elliptical should be eliminated in favor of interval training peppered with resistance training. This will work the body efficiently and effectively without stressing it out.

2. Estrogen.

Though estrogen is an essential hormone for all women, it can cause problems if it falls out of balance.

Typically, women with high estrogen levels tend to have a difficult time losing weight from their buttocks and thighs.

Unfortunately, that extra weight makes losing additional pounds even harder! Studies show that women who are overweight have much higher levels of estrogen than women who are of average weight.

Not only should you monitor your estrogen levels, but it’s also important to make sure your estrogen to progesterone levels is acceptable. Otherwise, you could experience "estrogen overload" also known as "estrogen dominance" (and yes, this is possible in men, too).

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

Thyroid imbalance
Weight gain
Bloating
Headaches
Mood swings

On the flip side, women who are entering menopause or who are extremely active with low body fat percentages tend to have very low estrogen levels.

According to Web MD, "Reduced estrogen may also lower metabolic rate, the rate at which the body converts stored energy into working energy. It's possible the same thing happens with women when estrogen levels drop after menopause. Lack of estrogen may also cause the body to use starches and blood sugar less effectively, which would increase fat storage and make it harder to lose weight."

3. Insulin.

The problem area termed the "muffin top" is directly related to the hormone insulin.

Insulin is vital for our bodies as it converts glucose to glycogen, which is then stored in the muscles and liver.

When we produce too much glucose, the extra glycogen is converted into new fat stores — right in your love handles.

The main culprit behind elevated insulin levels is the high carbohydrate diets that most Americans eat.

And I'm not talking about healthy, gluten-free carbs such as spaghetti squash, quinoa, rice, and fresh fruit.

In fact, here are gluten-containing foods to avoid while balancing your hormones, and gluten-free foods you can easily incorporate (plus healthy protein!).

Prepackaged and processed foods are lousy with carbohydrates and our bodies just can't convert it all into usable energy.

Instead, these excess carbs lead to:

Fat from the blood being stored in our fat cells
Our bodies burning carbohydrates for energy instead of fat
Inhibited use of fat for energy

Okay, you get it — hormones help us function but can also lead to weight gain or inability to lose weight if they are misfiring. But that doesn't mean you're stuck with a slow metabolism and "problem areas" for the rest of your life.

The best way to naturally combat hormonal imbalance — naturally — is with a proper diet (surprise, surprise)!

Start by:

Cutting out all processed foods (or as much as possible),
Choosing natural and anti-inflammatory foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and unrefined coconut oil,
Eating more fiber,
Eliminating dairy, grains, and other inflammatory foods (for at least 7 days), and

Moving your body (without over-doing it)! Choose appropriate exercises so you can kiss those love handles goodbye and speed up your metabolism.

There's no reason to work yourself into the ground at the gym — or restrict your calorie intake — in order to see the scale budge.

Just start with 7 days. 7 days of eating the right type of food, while eliminating anything your body can't process, to completely reset your metabolism and balance your hormone levels.