The influence of hormones on fat storage sites!

As a trainer, no person has influenced me more than Charles Poliquin. Eleven years ago, I sat in his seminar and realized I had to do a lot more learning to keep up my game. Since then, I have taken training and nutrition into many forward directions..

One of the things he teaches is a subject called Biosignature. I have taken  a handful of classes with him on it and have had great results with clients using the techniques. 

Biosignature is an assessment by using skinfold calipers to measure 12 different areas on the body. Each area is connected to a hormone(s) and a thicker skinfold measurement represents a hormone imbalance.

Without going into all the technical jargon, here are the sights:

Tricep - Androgens (Testosterone, DHEA, Progesterone, etc)

Chest - Androgens

Mid-Axillary - Thyroid (Specifically T4 to T3 conversion)

Subscap - Insulin (More specifically, how close to metabolic syndrome)

Cheek and Chin - Quickest barometer for weight loss and allergens

Suprailiac (lovehandles) - Insulin

Umbilicus (bellybutton) - Cortisol

Quadriceps/hamstrings - Estrogens

Knee/Calf - Growth hormone

That about covers any problem area. All of these sites can be reduced by the reduction of sugar as well. Sugar stimulates insulin which often co-stimulates estrogen during fat building. When these hormones are flipped "on", fat burners are generally flipped off. The fat burners are of  course androgens, thyroid, and growth hormone. 

Cortisol, aka the body's best known and notorious stress hormone, is  flipped off with the introduction of sugar/insulin. That is why stressed  people naturally medicate themselves with sweets. Poliquin calls this chronic condition cortisol/insulin yoyo. 

A lack of sleep affects cortisol and sugar levels along with other  hormones that make you hungry(ghrelin) and make you gorge (leptin resistance). I generally look to help a client sleep better to assist in weight loss. Sugar levels, and hence insulin levels, are elevated from a night of low quality and duration sleep. 

There are nutrition protocols for all these issues but starting with sleep and sugar control is the best way to begin.

Feel free to join my group and ask me any further questions on fitnessinventor.com.

Also check out my previous article:

http://fitnessinventor.com/articles/591