LEPTIN LEVELS AND THEIR ROLE IN BODY WEIGHT MANAGEMENT:
There is a direct connection between your leptin levels and your body fat. The more amount of body fat you have, the more leptin levels your fat cells will produce. If your body functions properly, then the leptin signaling in your brain to decrease or increase appetite will work just fine.
However, when you gain more body fat, then your body develops leptin resistance. That is why overweight or fat people usually find it difficult to lose weight. Their bodies contain large amounts of leptin, but they stop receiving leptin signals in their brains.
Neither large nor small amounts of leptin levels are right for your health.
Either you are on a high-fat diet or a caloric deficit diet, in both the cases, it is not suitable or right for your leptin levels. Caloric deficit diet will lower your leptin levels, and hence your metabolism will get slower as a result.
However, if you are consuming high amounts of fat, you will become leptin resistant. Therefore, it is essential to maintain healthy or moderate leptin levels to stay in shape. There is no hard and fast rule to keep or maintain your leptin levels; you have to follow a proper and healthy diet, and that’s all. However, the internet is loaded with leptin pills or supplements ads, but their purpose still holds a question mark.
We tried to discuss if these supplements or pills work for what they advertise here. You should check it out.
WAYS TO INCREASE LEPTIN LEVELS:
If you have low amounts of leptin levels and are looking for ways to increase it, you are at the right place as we have got you covered.
In this article, we will be highlighting ways to increase leptin levels, and these ways are:
GET FIBER:
In order to increase leptin levels, you should consume foods that are rich in fiber. By increasing your fiber consumption, the hormones present in your intestine will send a signal to your brain, which will trigger your mind or brain to release more leptin.
To increase your fiber intake, you must include wholegrain cereals, fruits such as oranges and melons, vegetables such as carrot and broccoli, in your diet.
Check out our post on leptin rich foods here.
DO NOT CONSUME HIGH AMOUNT OF FRUCTOSE:
The soft drinks that we drink, the sauces that we use in your meals, and several other things that we consume in our daily lives may turn out to be rich in fructose. The high consumption of fructose is terrible for your leptin levels because fructose impedes your leptin receptors. Due to the inexpensiveness of fructose, it is often used in the foods that we frequently consume.
Such as in soft drinks, honey, sweet corn, apple pie, cookies, snacks, etc. We can easily limit our fructose consumption by cutting fructose-rich foods from our diet and by adopting the alternative of consuming whole-foods.
WORKOUTS:
The exercise will play a vital role in increasing or boosting your leptin levels if you are consuming the right amount of macronutrients( protein, fat, and carbohydrate) as well. Research published in 2013, stated that exercise could do wonders in increasing your leptin levels and leptin sensitivity. If you have deficient leptin levels, then try to do intense circuit training thrice a week.
SLEEP WELL:
People do not usually pay attention to sleep when it comes to weight loss or hormonal balance. But getting the right amount of or quality sleep plays an essential role in your hormonal balancing and increasing your leptin levels. It makes sure that you have the right amount of leptin levels present in your body and if your body is responding to leptin or not. According to a National Sleep Foundation, when you do not sleep well, you are most likely to drop or lower your leptin levels.
Moreover, sleep-deprivation can also lead to starvation, and you will end up eating more. Your leptin levels tend to rise during night time when your mind and body gets relaxed. In conclusion, it is essential to sleep well for at least 6-8 hours a day to boost your leptin levels.
INCLUDE PROTEIN IN YOUR DIET:
Consumption of protein will not only build strength and increase your energy level, but it will also boost your leptin levels. Try to start your day by eating oatmeal at breakfast. Keep protein-rich fruits such as bananas along with you, whether you are working or traveling. Eat chicken steak twice a week to boost your leptin levels. If you want to increase your leptin levels by leaps and bounds through protein consumption, take 25 grams of protein shake daily.
DO NOT FOLLOW CALORIC DEFICIT DIET PLAN:
If someone has advised you to follow a caloric deficit diet plan to increase leptin levels, do not listen to them unless you have excessive body fat. The deficiency of calories may decrease your overall body weight, but it will not increase leptin levels. Furthermore, low-calorie intake can lower the production of leptin levels. Avoid foods that contain a large number of fats or carbohydrates and try to take calories through healthy eating.
If you’re looking for a method to lose excessive fat cells in your body without going into extreme calorie deficit check out this 5-second water hack method we’ve tested and reviewed.
AVOID SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES:
The consumption of simple carbohydrates should be avoided, such as corn syrup, cane juice, ice cream, soda, etc. Simple carbs increase your insulin levels, which will result in making you leptin-resistant and decreasing leptin production.
Instead of consuming simple carbs, you should consume complex carbohydrates as an alternative. Complex carbohydrates like vegetables, oatmeal, brown rice, and wholegrain are excellent sources of protein and fiber. Furthermore, consuming complex carbs will make your leptin signaling more efficient, and whenever you eat more, your brain will receive a signal, and in this way, you will not overeat.
Conclusion:
In our daily lives, we do not come across the hormone called leptin, or we do not hear much about it. But it is an essential hormone that plays a significant role in maintaining your metabolism, hunger, etc. If you have the right amounts of leptin in your body, it will keep your body fit and control your body fat. You will be able to control your appetite, and you will not feel hungry all the time.