Hormones & Blood Sugar for Fat Loss & Energy Postpartum

When it comes to fat loss and sustained energy, it’s easy to get caught up in counting calories, trying the latest fad diets, or pushing through intense workouts. But the truth is, the secret to effective fat loss and lasting energy often lies in something much deeper: healing your hormones and balancing your blood sugar.

As a mom, you’ve likely experienced the rollercoaster of energy levels—some days you're feeling on top of the world, and others, you're just dragging. Many of these ups and downs can be traced back to two main factors: hormonal imbalances and blood sugar dysregulation. These are often overlooked but play a huge role in your ability to lose fat, maintain energy, and feel your best. Let’s dive into how these work together and how you can take steps toward balancing them.

How Hormones Impact Fat Loss & Energy

Hormones are your body’s messengers, regulating everything from metabolism to mood, sleep, and appetite. Several key hormones influence fat loss and energy levels, including:

1. Insulin – This hormone controls blood sugar levels and plays a significant role in fat storage. When insulin is consistently elevated (due to a high-sugar diet, stress, or insufficient sleep), it promotes fat storage, particularly around the belly. Balancing insulin is crucial for fat loss.

2. Cortisol – Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol helps your body manage stress. However, chronic stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels, which can increase fat storage, especially in the abdominal area. High cortisol can also impact your energy levels, leaving you feeling drained.

3. Leptin & Ghrelin – Leptin is your “satiety” hormone, signaling when you’ve had enough to eat. Ghrelin, on the other hand, is your “hunger” hormone, prompting you to eat more. When these hormones are out of balance, you may feel excessively hungry or have trouble feeling satisfied after meals, making fat loss more challenging.

4. Thyroid Hormones – Your thyroid controls metabolism, and if it’s not functioning properly, it can significantly slow down fat loss efforts and leave you feeling fatigued. Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) can lead to weight gain, sluggish metabolism, and low energy levels.

   
   

Balancing these hormones is key to not only losing fat but also maintaining consistent energy throughout the day.

The Role of Blood Sugar in Fat Loss & Energy

Balancing your blood sugar is one of the most important factors in achieving sustained energy and losing fat. When you consume a meal or snack, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. Your pancreas then releases insulin to move that glucose into your cells for energy.

Here’s where things can go awry:

• Blood Sugar Spikes: When you eat a meal high in refined carbohydrates (like white bread, pasta, or sugary snacks without pairing it with enough protein & fat), your blood sugar levels spike quickly. Which leads me to my next point--->

• Blood Sugar Crashes: On the flip side, when blood sugar levels dip too low (often after a spike), you might experience symptoms like fatigue, irritability, and cravings for more sugar or caffeine to get a quick energy boost. This can lead to more insulin spikes and crashes, making it even harder to balance your hormones and lose fat.

How to Heal Hormones & Balance Blood Sugar for Fat Loss & Energy

1. Eat Balanced, Whole Foods Meals: Start by focusing on meals that include protein, healthy fats, and fiber—this will help slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and prevent blood sugar spikes. Aim for whole foods like leafy greens, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean proteins (chicken, fish, beans), and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil). These foods nourish your body, balance your hormones, and help keep blood sugar steady.

2. Incorporate Low-Glycemic Carbs: Instead of refined carbs, opt for low-glycemic, complex carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, and oats. Try to pair your carbs with protein or healthy fats (like adding avocado to your sweet potato) to help keep blood sugar steady.

3. Prioritize Fiber: Fiber helps regulate blood sugar by slowing the absorption of glucose and preventing insulin spikes. Friendly reminder that only plant protein sources also have protein :)

4. Focus on Stress Reduction: Chronic stress is one of the biggest culprits of elevated cortisol levels and what mom isn't stressed? I know you don't have time for a 30 minute meditation every day, but what DOES de-stress you? Find it and do it for 5 minutes - dance parties also count!

5. Get Quality Sleep: Again - I know you're probably not flush in the sleep department, but trying to go to bed a bit earlier and getting the heck of off your phone before bed and try establishing a calming bedtime routine = your hormones will thank you.

6. Move Your Body: Exercise is another great way to balance your hormones. Strength training helps improve insulin sensitivity, while cardiovascular exercise can lower cortisol and improve metabolism. A mix of both, like strength training 2-3 times a week and daily walks, can have a big impact on your energy levels and fat loss.

7. Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can affect your hormone levels and your energy- gross! Drink plenty of water throughout the day and consider adding electrolytes if you’re active or feeling sluggish.

8. Mind Your Meals & Snacks: Instead of having large meals followed by long gaps without eating, try to have balanced smaller meals and snacks throughout the day. This will help keep your blood sugar levels stable and avoid the crashes that lead to fatigue and cravings.

   
   

With consistent effort, the results will show up in how you feel—more energized, less stressed, and moving closer to your health goals. So, the next time you're feeling sluggish or stuck in your fat loss journey, remember: it’s not just about calories or workouts. It's about giving your hormones and blood sugar the balance they need to thrive!

Creatine For Women: Should Moms Take It?

Creatine is often associated with bodybuilders, but research shows it has major benefits for women—especially for strength, energy, and brain health. If you’ve ever wondered whether creatine is worth taking as a mom, here’s what the science says.

🔬 The Science-Backed Benefits of Creatine for Women

1️⃣ Increases Strength & Muscle RecoveryCreatine helps replenish ATP (your body’s energy source), meaning you can push harder during workouts and recover faster—perfect for busy moms squeezing in quick workouts.

2️⃣ Boosts Energy & Reduces Fatigue

Studies show creatine can help reduce perceived fatigue, meaning you might feel more energized throughout the day (even if your toddler didn’t let you sleep last night).

3️⃣ Supports Brain Function & Mental Clarity

Creatine isn’t just for muscles—it’s essential for brain energy, too. Research suggests it can enhance memory, focus, and mental sharpness, which is a huge win for sleep-deprived moms.

4️⃣ Aids in Hormonal Balance & Mood Support

Women naturally have lower creatine stores than men, and research suggests it may support mood and help regulate stress hormones, which is crucial for postpartum moms dealing with hormone fluctuations.

Should Moms Take Creatine?

✔️ Safe & Well-Researched: Creatine monohydrate (the most studied form) is safe, effective, and backed by decades of research.

✔️ Not Just for Athletes: Even if you’re not lifting heavy, creatine can help with daily energy, brain function, and recovery.

✔️ Easy to Take: Just 3-5g daily (mixed in water or a smoothie) is enough to see benefits.

If you’re a busy mom looking for more strength, energy, and mental clarity, creatine is one of the simplest, most effective supplements you can add to your routine but not REQUIRED :)

Have you tried creatine?

7 Tips to Help Moms Prioritize Their Workouts

Studies show a significant gap between men and women (especially moms) when it comes to prioritizing fitness. While 41.3% of men aged 18-34 meet physical activity guidelines, only 24.3% of women do the same. Moreover, time for leisure and sports activities averages 5.56 hours per day for men but just 4.76 hours for women, but honestly that number has to be based on women who are NOT moms. Do you have even 15 minutes every day for 'leisure' activities? Hell no.

For moms, the mental load of caregiving and managing a household leaves little room for self-care, including exercise. By comparison, men often prioritize structured workouts more consistently, benefiting from fewer caregiving demands.

If you want to make time for exercise, and you already know why but just in case, exercise helps you feel stronger, more energized, and better equipped to handle the demands of motherhood. Regular movement improves mood by boosting endorphins and reducing stress levels, which can be a game-changer for navigating busy or overwhelming days.

It also supports better sleep quality—a precious commodity for moms—while helping balance hormones that affect energy, appetite, and mood. Beyond the physical perks, exercise fosters confidence, increases stamina to keep up with your kids, and provides a much-needed mental health boost.

7 Tips to Help Moms Prioritize Their Workouts

1. Schedule Your Workouts Like Appointments: If you are just thinking, oh I'll get to it later without an actual plan, it's no surprise you aren't going to do it. Put your workout on your calendar at a specific time and treat it as non-negotiable, this small tweak sets you up for mental success so you can plan it and prep for it.

2. Incorporate Your Kids: Stop using your kids as an excuse, most kids are not going to be upset if you do a 10-minute core workout on the floor while they're playing nearby, or you have my official endorsement to throw up a Bluey episode and move that mom bod of yours. I promise a little screen time for them is worth it for you to do something that will make you feel better. better yet - involve your kiddos or take everyone on a walk.

3. Morning Movement Before Everyone Wakes Up: First of all, don't start skimping on sleep to get up earlier if you're already depleted but if you can, starting with just 10 minutes to do some flexibility or stretches to start the day can help set a better tone for the day.

4. Shift Your Mindset: Recognize that fitness is a form of self-care, not selfishness. A healthier you benefits the entire family, you'll be balanced, strong and be able to do the things you want and need to do without being exhausted or spent.

5. Find Short and Effective Workouts: If you're past the immediate postpartum period and your hormones are balanced, doing more interval work (raising the heart rate followed by periods of recovery) is an efficient way to get a good workout in a short period of time. Even a 20-minute strength workout will go a long way for your #momgains.

6. Use Your Environment: Sure getting to the gym would be super nice but that's not always feasible so just do something around the house. You can do a lot with bodyweight or with the stuff around your house, it all adds up.

7. Build Accountability: We all do better when we have someone else to keep us on track, partner with a friend, or better yet, join my challenge in January and get the support of other moms cheering you on and a nutritionist & personal trainer in your corner! You don't have to, and shouldn't do it all by yourself.

8. Adjust your expectations: So many of my clients struggle with comparing themselves to their pre-baby selves. Of course you could go run 10 miles or go climbing for 2 hours but that's not the reality now for a variety of reasons. Stop letting comparison and your own expectations get in the way of doing something. A quick 10 minute core workout or just a 30 minute walk is still better than nothing, please please just go do the thing, anything.

   
   

It sure feels overwhelming to add one more thing to your list, but once you find a way to incorporate it into your routine it will become something you are unwilling to sacrifice. Try even a few of the things on this list and see if you're able to start exercising with more consistency, and start making your health a priority without guilt, and set an empowering example for your kids.