ARE YOU STILL STRUGGLING TO LOSE YOUR UNDER ARM FAT? THIS MIGHT BE THE REASON.

Hello friends how was your weekend? Mine was super relaxing and I am energised for this week, hope yours was fun and relaxing. 

I have pretty cool post for you guys, I have been studying a lot about hormones lately and wanted to share some of my findings as I believe it will really help someone. Enjoy!

Do you struggle with arm fat, batwings, bingo wings or what Nigerians call ‘christian mother’ (that’s just harsh)? Have you tried everything you know and have lost weight all over but still struggling to shift that under arm blubber? This may surprise you but it is probably not your fault.

I have a friend that struggled with this, she tried every diet known to man and lost a significant amount of weight everywhere but under her arms. It is true that it is impossible to spot reduce, but do you know that most stubborn fat
deposits are hormonal and treating the hormonal imbalance can make huge difference? I suggested she calls her doctor and ask for a blood test to check her hormone levels and as I suspected her testosterone levels were below normal. Have you noticed men hardly have underarm fat? It is the testosterone!

Testosterone is an important hormone in both men and women and is needed in varying amounts. It is important in women in small amounts as it helps you stay lean, have stronger bones, increases sex drive and even improves your mood. Low testosterone in women can cause symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, low libido and osteoporosis. Some common causes of lower-than-normal testosterone levels in women are are; stress, low protein intake, lack of quality sleep and excessive oestrogen in the body by eating hormone-laden meat and dairy, drinking out of plastic water bottles, medications like birth control pills, and using cosmetics that contain parabens (common preservatives).

So how do you balance your hormones and increase testosterone naturally to the normal level and get rid of that arm fat?

1. EAT HEALTHIER BALANCED MEALS- 

 

Eating whole unprocessed foods are not only healthy and good for you, it can help you get rid of stubborn fat by balancing your hormones. Testosterone and related fat burning hormones are made out of cholesterol therefore eating a diet rich in protein and good fats like eggs, avocados, coconut oil, salmon, mackerel etc help stimulate the production of healthy balanced hormones in your body. 

2. STOP EATING CRAP-

These foods contain numerous chemicals and processed fats your body cannot metabolise efficiently there by slowing down your metabolism, increasing your insulin and  creating stubborn hard-to-lose fat accumulations in your body.

3. CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTING WITH HERBS- There are some herbs and supplements that have been shown to improve hormonal balance in the body and lead to weight loss but please speak to your doctor and do your research before taking any drug or supplements. Ginseng available in teas or capsules have been shown to act as an adaptogen by naturally balancing out sex hormones in the body through stimulation of the hypothalamus gland. 

Other herbs like Vitex or tribulus are regularly used in alternative medicine to balance hormones. Female bikini competitors use supplements likeCLA(Conjugated linoleic acid) a natural fatty acid found in cheese and meats in small amounts, to lose fat in stubborn areas like under arm and thighs with good results.

                     

Zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 are three powerful vitamins and minerals that promote testosterone production and increase your immune system response, muscle building capacity and mental alertness.

4. LIFT WEIGHTS WITH INTENSITY- Lifting heavy weights or high intensity training are effective at raising testosterone level. A simple way to do this would be to do some 30 seconds sprints and 15sec rests in between your exercises.

5. SLEEP- Is very important when it come to balancing hormones, sleep disturbances can decrease the release of testosterone by almost half, so make sure you get your nightly zzz.

Here is an infographic of how sleep affects you

Hope you found this article helpful, and you win the battle against stubborn fat. Is there any thing that has helped you shed stubborn fat in the past? Please share as sharing is caring :).

Have a great week guys

Nemi x