Slide deck about weight management and hormones. These slides are meant to be used in their entirety. Please contact us at info@zrtlab.com for more information.

1. THE MISSING LINK TO
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Hormones & the Hidden Truth
About Weight Gain

2. Why Can’t I Control My Weight?
I eat right, I work out …
but STILL can’t budge
my belly fat. What am I
missing here?
Lately, I can put on
pounds just looking at a
sweet roll…

3. The Missing Link
 Hormones Matter: Correct hormone balance is necessary to
maintain healthy weight.
 Know Your Symptoms: Many unaware that existing hormone
imbalances contribute to weight gain and slow weight loss.
 Test For Imbalances: Detecting weight-related imbalances
sheds new light on causes and prevention of obesity.
 Balance Your Hormones to Balance Your Weight: Obesity
rates keep rising and diets aren’t working. Make the connection
between diet, exercise, stress – and hormone levels.

4. Unlocking the Puzzle:
Hormones & Weight Gain
 Hormones are key players in
regulating weight
 Driving force behind metabolism,
blood sugar, AND when and where
the body stores fat

5. Hormones: The Key Players
Estrogen and progesterone promote healthy fat distribution in hips, thighs;
Testosterone/DHEA support lean muscle and metabolic rate; Cortisol regulates
blood sugars; Thyroid regulates metabolism, Insulin, fat storage

6. Belly fat
Sluggish
metabolism
Sugar cravings
Raging appetite
Unexplained
weight gain Fatigue +
burnout
Decreased
libido/drive
Insomnia
Less
lean muscle
Higher body fat
Emotional eating Stress
Know Symptoms of Imbalance

7. Hormonal Weight Gain in Women
 PreMenopause: irregular cycles,
cravings, premenstrual weight gain
 PeriMenopause: erratic ovulation,
shifting hormones increase stress
levels and belly fat
 PostMenopause: end of ovulation
leads to imbalances of female/
thyroid and stress hormones;
slower metabolism and steady
weight gain

8. Hormonal Weight Gain in Men
 Loss of lean muscle/
gain of “spare tire”
 Female fat pattern
 Low stamina/
exercise tolerance
 Prostate problems
 39% men >45 low T
HIM Study 2006

9. What Tips the Balance?
 Aging: all hormones shift + decline
 Chronic stress: triggers blood sugar/insulin
imbalances + weight gain – belly fat in
particular
 Poor nutrition: causes food cravings, weight
gain, insulin resistance and type II diabetes
 Lack of exercise: linked to overeating +
obesity, blood sugar imbalances, and loss of
lean muscle mass that is replaced by fat
 Xenoestrogens: endocrine disruptors that
overstimulate/cause imbalance + weight gain!

10. America the Fattest

11. America the Fattest

12. America the Fattest

13. America the Fattest
2010

14. Connecting the Dots .…
 Adults >40 have highest prevalence
of obesity in US
 This is when hormones start to shift
and decline…compounded by
stressors of 21st century living

15. Key Hormone Imbalances
 Estrogen Dominance
 Adrenal Imbalance
 Thyroid Deficiency
 Insulin Resistance
 Vitamin D Deficiency

16. Estrogen Dominance
 Too much Estrogen vs. too little
Progesterone
 Caused by history of being
overweight, poor metabolism, lack of
ovulation, synthetic hormone use,
xenoestrogen exposure and age
 Estrogen dominance makes it tough
to lose and keep off those last 10-
30lbs and 3-7” around the waistline

17. Estrogen Dominance & Weight
 Weight gain and/or redistribution of fat primarily in hips, thighs,
buttocks, breast tissue
 Difficulty losing weight and then maintaining weight
 Sugar/salt/fat cravings
 Low thyroid symptoms: sluggish metabolism

18. Estrogen Dominance & Fat Cells

19. Adrenal Imbalance
 The Adrenal Glands make CORTISOL to
regulate metabolism of blood sugars to fuel
the body, harness energy, cope with
stressors, maintain immunities.
 Imbalance destabilizes blood sugars and
insulin, induces appetite for refueling after
stress, increases fat storage as a survival
mechanism.
Adrenal Gland
Kidney

20. Causes of Adrenal Imbalance
 Chronic stress
 Diet high in sugars,
carbs, caffeine
 Unbalanced lifestyle
 Lack of sleep
 Midlife takeover

21. Adrenal Imbalance Affects Weight
Triggers:
 Blood sugar imbalances
 Food and sugar cravings
 Overproduction of insulin, which increases
fat storage – especially around the middle

22. Cortisol Connection to Belly Fat
Belly fat is the body’s answer to stress – Cortisol sends a
potent signal to abdominal fat cells to store as much fat
as possible AND hold on to it!

23. Thyroid Deficiency
 Excesses of estrogen and cortisol
stress hormones inhibit thyroid
function leading to sluggish
metabolism and stalled
weight loss

24. Insulin Resistance
 Chronically elevated insulin levels
from too much sugar, simple carbs,
high glycemic foods not only pack
on pounds in your belly but pave
the path to TYPE 2 diabetes…

25. Vitamin D Deficiency
 D-deficiency linked to increased
abdominal fat of the more health
hazardous visceral type of fat.
Framingham Heart Study follow-up data.
Diabetes. 2010

26. What Can We Do?
 Recognize signs + symptoms of hormone imbalance
 Identify the specific imbalances behind unexplained weight gain
 Take action to correct imbalances naturally

27. Test Your Hormones
 Saliva + blood spot most advanced methods
 Measure unbound “free” active hormone levels
 Standard blood tests measure bound, inactive hormones
 Saliva is gold standard for adrenal hormone testing

28. Balance Your Hormones
 Eat: whole, hormone-free foods, fruits,
vegetables, good fats, fiber
 Drink: H20 – 64oz/day
 Exercise: MOVE it every day
 Sleep: 7+ hrs night
 Stress: minimize it
 Supplement: as needed

29. Balance Your Diet

30. Balance Your Supplements
 Multivitamins/minerals
 B-complex
 Vitamin D3
 Omega 3s
 Calcium/magnesium
 Adaptogenic herbs

31. Don’t Scrimp on Vitamin Zzzzzz
 Minimum 7 hours a night
 Lack of sleep can disrupt appetite
hormones leading to increased
hunger and cravings

32. Exercise not only burns calories but
releases tension held in the muscles
to help normalize cortisol
Strength training boosts
Testosterone/DHEA and lean
muscle to lower body/belly fat!
Balance Your Exercise

33. Balance Your Stress
 Chronic stress raises cortisol . . .
 Which raises blood sugar . . .
 Which raises insulin . . .
 Which raises fat storage
especially around the middle!

34. Say NO to XENOS . . .
 Go green, organic
 Hormone-free, BPA-free etc.
 Earth friendly gardening
 No heating in plastics
 Fiber, water, crucifers clear xenos
to promote healthy hormone
metabolism

35. . . . and YES to Bioidenticals
 Hormones made to mimic Mother
Nature rebalance hormone levels
with fewer side effects

36. The Missing Link
 This is no longer just about
calories in, calories out.
 Detecting and correcting
the hormone culprits
behind unwanted weight
gain is the missing link to
weight management.
~ Candace Burch, M.A.
Hormone Health Educator

37. Q&A

38. Thank You!
Merci!
Gracias!
Grazie!
Danke!
Images provided courtesy of www.davidburchphotography.com