hypothalamus
How does exercising in the heat impact your performance? Does it cause you to fatigue more quickly? Find out more about exercising in hot and humid environments, how and why it affects your workout and tips for staying safe and improving performance.
What is it that motivates you to eat – or to overeat? Your appetite is regulated by a complex group of peptides including appetite hormones like leptin, produced by fat cells. Leptin turns off your appetite and reduces the desire to eat. Ghrelin, a hormone produced by the lining of your stomach has the opposite effect – it strongly stimulates the desire to eat. Think mad rush to the refrigerator! These hormones exert their effects on a portion of your brain called the hypothalamus.
You’ve lost weight? Congratulations! Now comes the hard part – keeping it off. Unfortunately, sometimes your body works against here. Here are three hormones that make it more difficult to maintain your new weight once you’ve lost it.
You already know that your thyroid is the “master gland” when it comes to controlling your metabolism. Have you ever wondered what effect dieting and calorie restriction has on your thyroid function? Read on and find out why it’s not a good idea to cut calories back too low even if you’re trying to lose weight.
Fructose and high-fructose corn syrup has been in the limelight recently, and not all experts agree on whether high-fructose corn syrup is worse for you than table sugar. Now a study sheds new light on the issue by looking at what happens in your brain when you drink a fructose-sweetened beverage. Find out more.
Have you ever wondered what controls your desire to eat? Leptin is a hormone that controls appetite and metabolic rate. Find out how this hormone affects your weight – and your appetite.
Appetite versus hunger – what’s the difference? Distinguishing between the two is more important than you think. Many people confuse appetite with hunger, which causes them to snack too frequently, make the wrong food choices and take in too many calories. Find out how to distinguish true hunger cues from emotional eating triggers.
Leptin resistance is a common problem among people who are overweight and obese, and it makes it considerably more challenging to lose weight and maintain it. There are natural ways to reduce inflammation, which should have an impact on leptin resistance. Eliminate processed foods and high-glycemic carbs, and add more fruits, vegetables and fatty fish to your diet.
Hungry all the time? It may be what you’re eating – or not eating. According to a new study published in the journal Obesity, eating a higher protein diet and adding a source of protein to every meal helps to control appetite.
Manufacturers like it because it’s inexpensive and adds flavor to food. But too much of it could spell trouble for your waistline. Why? A new study links MSG with weight gain.
