Stubborn Body Fat Caused by Excess Estrogen

Nov
2010

So all of us have at least a little stubborn body fat. For the most part it is the last little bit of fat that stops you from having the muscle definition you are after. So what if you are creating a large calorie deficit through diet and exercise and still have a bit of fat that you can’t shake? Well you might want to blame the estrogen mimicking effects of “Xenoestrogens”. Don’t know what xenoestrogens are? Keep reading…

[I'm going to talk about ways to limiting your exposure to xenoestrogens...as well as foods to eat that counteract the xenoestrogens you do get exposed to. None of this will involve wearing a freaky suit, like pictured above!]

Excess Estrogen May be “Softening” Up Your Body

The body is meant to balance estrogen with other hormones in the body…progesterone in women and testosterone in men. Before the widespread use of chemicals, the body did a great job of regulating hormones. Today, the body is out of whack! The onslaught of estrogen mimicking compounds is so large, that it takes an active approach to maintain hormonal balance. If you don’t take precautions, there is a good chance that you will accumulate stubborn body fat that is hard to get rid of.

Stubborn Body Fat – Short Description?

A lot of people misuse the term stubborn body fat. If you have 20+ pounds to lose you have a “calorie deficit” problem, not a “stubborn body fat” problem. My definition of stubborn body fat is the last 5-10 pounds that are really hard to shake. I’m not going to get technical and talk about alpha-2 receptors vs beta-2 receptors. Let’s just say that certain areas of the body are resistant to fat loss. For men it is the midsection and women it is the lower body.

Ice Cold Butt Syndrome or…ICBS

I was trying to create the acronym ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), because then it would make sense to include this video…

I know this video is old and I put it up on my site a couple of years back, but it is funny stuff. Anyway, women are particularly affected by stubborn body fat on their lower bodies. One of the indications of true stubborn body fat is if it is cold to the touch. Stubborn fat cells have less blood flow, which is one of the reasons why this fat is tough to lose. You will notice the parts of your body that tend to get lean easy are warm to the touch…and the particularly stubborn areas are a bit cooler.

Excess Estrogen = More of These Stubborn Fat Cells

So it makes sense that we want to keep our estrogen levels in check. If you are a man this is especially true, because all sort of nasty things can happen to your body (man boobs, extra body fat on hips and butt, crying during “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”, or watching any movie with “Sisterhood” as part of the title, etc). Beyond body composition, it is simply unhealthy to have excess estrogen.

How Can We Stop This Madness?

Sorry, but I am having flashes of good movie scenes…

“It’s a Mad House…A MAD House!”

[My good friend Gerry loves Planet of the Apes. He used to use this "Madhouse" line from the movie and I didn't know what the heck, he was talking about. After knowing Gerry for over 20 years, I recently watched the movie..and must say...pretty impressive Charlton Heston impression!]

How to Balance Out Estrogen Levels

Limit substances that increase estrogen

Increase intake of “estrogen inhibitors”

So What Substances Increase Estrogen?

There are many things that increase estrogen…pesticides and herbicides in fruits and vegetables, soy products, hormones in meat and dairy, plastic in packaged foods and bottled water, excessive consumption of omega 6 rich oils (soy, corn, canola, and safflower oils). The more processed, the stronger the negative effect. Whenever possible, try to eat organic fruit, milk, yogurt, beef, etc.

Organic Food – Cheaper in the Long Run

[My girlfriend has always eaten organic food. I grew up on Doritos and frozen Banquet Chicken. I am slowly getting converted to buying mainly organic foods.]

More Foods That Balance Out Estrogen Levels

Here are some of the things that inhibit estrogen to a certain extent…omega 3 (from fish oils, flaxseed and hempseeds), citrus fruits, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and garlic. From the research that I’ve done, it is the phytonutrients in these plants that fight estrogen…and most vitamins can’t replace eating vegetables. If you do take vitamins stick to the ones that are made from whole vegetables…not synthetic made vitamins. Even if you do take whole food based vitamins, do your best to include plenty of organic vegetables in your diet.

A Calorie Deficit Still Comes First

To lose body fat you still need to create a calorie deficit with diet and exercise…this just insures that you will be successful losing those last 5-10 pounds. There is nothing worse than working hard for months and not seeing progress.

Note: Those last 5-10 pounds can be tough even without the xenoestrogens. This is just one more tweak to turn your fat loss goals into a reality. Hope this helps!

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