Is boosting your growth hormone a good idea for those over 50 to lose weight?

Hormones play a huge part in overall quality of life, as well as gaining muscle & losing body fat. It’s the difference that either makes you feel unstoppable and high after a workout, or low on energy and unable to progress effectively whilst training.

Optimal hormone levels are key in order to progressing with weight loss. All it takes is a few different habits to get your body working for, not against you. Studies have shown that there is no definite evidence that artificial GH treatments work. You are far better of increasing your GH through diet, lifestyle and sleep.

7 ways for the over 50’s to boost growth hormone and lose body fat

1. Proper meal planning, placing protein as a priority.
   Protein rich foods are not only satisfying, but they promote weight loss and the potential to build muscle mass. It also lowers insulin, whilst helping to improve blood sugar levels. These kinds of foods help to promote hormone balance due to their nutrient value. Try to source only grass fed meats and wild caught seafood for their richness.
2. Intermittent fasting.
   Fasting is a great way to increase your bodies own natural growth hormone potential, allowing you to build muscle and burn body fat. It’s one of the best things that IF has to offer. GH is activated within the fasting period, therefore, the longer you fast, the more magnified your levels will be. Research shows that 20h+ is great. I personally recommend that you weight train within this period, for superior hypertrophy and fat loss.

   Get plenty of sleep you when you can.
   Cortisol is released when we lack sleep. The byproduct of this is increased hunger hormones and a decrease in androgens. Because glycemic control is also lowered, you will not be able to handle as much carbs. If you can allow that little bit of extra sleep by going to bed earlier, or having a small nap during the day, you will greatly increase your levels of growth hormone.

3. It’s very important to lift weights and perform Interval training.
   Anaerobic training produces the release of many positive hormones, keeping your metabolism active and giving you a positive state of mind. It’s a primary component of the release of growth hormone for an improved body composition, improving estrongen metabolism and testosterone. Using weight training and sprints as a weight loss and muscle building strategy, also allows you to improve your insulin receptors, allowing for more carbohydrates to be enjoyed and utilised properly by the body (instead of being stored as fat).
4. Make vegetables of high importance – avoid refined carbohydrates.
   Hormones are affected by refined carbs and sugar. It causes blood sugar spikes, reducing insulin sensitivity over time, and leads to a huge release of cortisol. Vegetables on the other hand are a very healthy carb alternative, filled with fibre (keeping you full as well as being quite low in calories) lowering inflammation whilst improving hormone balance.
5. Don’t be afraid of adding fats to your diet.
   Fats provide the building blocks for our bodies to manufacture hormones. It’s also used to make the outside lipid layer of cells. Healthy fats such as avocado, and omega 3 rich salmon, improves cellular singling, making them more receptive to insulin. This then results in optimal hormone balance and health.
6. Manage your stress levels.
   Cortisol is a key hormone that increases the potential of your body to store fat, and decreases muscle growth in the process. Learning how to manage stress is a key part of the weight-loss process – as well as building muscle mass. Try to meditate or take a walk in the park. Try to find what works for you when it comes to lowering your stress levels, and getting you back to baseline.

I hope this has helped you increase your growth hormone potential, as well as help you in your weight loss journey. I think the more tools you have to use, the faster your results. Feel free to contact me on these various platforms if you need further assistance. I have plenty of other blog posts on angedim or join me on fb and insta social standpoints. Please feel free to upvote this answer if it has been useful in some way to you.