Taking control of your weight involves a whole lot more than just cleaning up your daily diet and moving your body a little bit more frequently.

For most folks, however, the weight loss journey starts and ends with a calories in/calories out and hours and hours grinding in the gym kind of mentality – but this kind of approach almost never produces the weight loss results that people are looking for.

That’s because your underlying biology (all of our underlying biology) has a much larger impact on whether or not we are able to lose weight than most people realize or expect. By gaining control over your biology – and gaining control over your hormones – you’re able to effortlessly lose weight without headache, without hassle, and without feeling as though you have to deprive yourself of favourite foods that might not be “diet friendly”.

Here are nine proven ways – clinically proven ways – to fix the hormones that are most responsible for controlling your weight so that you can get the body of your dreams with no difficulty at all.

#1 Insulin

The number one “fat storage” hormone in the human body, you need to make sure that you control your insulin hormones more than any other if you’re looking to gain control over your weight.

The pancreas is responsible for secreting a small amount of insulin throughout the day, but it ramps up production with your meals depending upon the foods that you eat in the foods your body breaks down. This is the hormone responsible for flooding your cells blood sugar to help energize them, as well as the hormone responsible for storing sugar as fat as well.

By avoiding foods high in sugar and carbohydrates you’re able to even out your insulin levels dramatically. This will help control your weight more than almost anything else.

#2 Leptin

Fat cells throughout the human body produce leptin, a hormone responsible for reducing your appetite and giving you the feeling of being full regardless of whether or not you actually are. If you are able to trigger a larger release of leptin with smaller amounts of food you’re able to gain complete control over the portions of food that you eat – one of the easiest ways to control your caloric intake and a great way to help you cut down on food without feeling as though you are sacrificing much.

Foods that cause inflammation – sugary drinks, trans fats, etc. – should be eliminated as much as possible to improve your overall leptin sensitivity.

#3 Ghrelin

Whenever you are feeling hungry, your stomach is going to release a hormone known as ghrelin, a hormone that is going to trigger specific biochemical messages to your hypothalamus that tells your brain it’s time to eat. These levels of hormones are going to be at their very highest before you eat a meal (and at their lowest after you eat a meal) but if you are obese your ghrelin levels are going to be lower across the board – which can lead to overindulging.

Cut out the high fructose corn syrup, sugar sweetened drinks, and improve your overall protein intake and you’ll be able to effortlessly even out your ghrelin levels.

#4 Cortisol

The hormones known as cortisol in our bodies are produced by the adrenal glands. These glands secrete cortisol when you are feeling stressed out or anxious, and when this happens your body naturally begins to store food as energy to prevent starvation – which was the traditional biological trigger for stress and anxiety in the first place.

Get more sleep, consume a more balanced diet rich in vegetables, and try and practice meditation to calm yourself and you’ll deal with much lower levels of cortisol across the board.

#5 Estrogen

Estrogen is much higher in women than in men (produced overwhelmingly by the ovaries, which is why it is the most important sex hormone for women), but it’s also present in men in smaller quantities. When estrogen levels get sky high or reach rock-bottom levels, however, natural processes that lead to weight gain throughout the body is triggered – causing you to put on more than a few pounds then you would have liked to otherwise.

In an effort to better regulate your estrogen levels you’ll want to eat more fibre and leafier green vegetables. Routine exercise – at least 30 minutes each day – will go a long way towards helping you to regulate your estrogen levels, too.

#6 Neuropeptide Y

This hormone is released in the brain by the central nervous system, and is responsible for triggering your appetite, telling your body that you are hungry, and causing the sensations that lead you to want to eat in the first place.

By eating on a regular basis (and not fasting) you’ll be able to reduce this hormone across the board and prevented from causing you to over eat.

#7 Glucagon-Like Peptide-1

This hormone is produced in your guts, your stomach, and your intestines and is the chief operator when it comes to regulating blood sugar levels and reducing your appetite after you have eaten.

By eliminating high inflammatory foods and instead choosing to eat leafy greens, more protein, and consuming probiotics on a regular basis you’re able to improve your “gut flora” with healthy bacteria that helps to regulate this hormone significantly.

#8 Cholecystokinin

This hormone is also produced in your gutsy and your intestines and is also used to help reduce your appetite and kill off feelings of cravings. Protein, fibre, and healthy fats – like fats from healthy oils and knots – will improve the production of this hormone.

#9 Peptide YY

The last of the trifecta responsible for controlling your appetite in lowering your risks of obesity, this hormone also lives and is produced by your guts and can be (surprise, surprise) controlled with protein, fibre, and healthy fats as well as a low-carb approach to daily dieting.

At the end of the day, the more you can do to get these hormones in check the better off you are going to be when it comes time to clean up your diet, eliminate weight control issues, and get the body of your dreams.

Karen Boyle is interested in Functional Health at Amchara (Somerset, UK & Malta) which has been voted ‘Top 10 wellbeing retreats in the world-2017” by CNTraveller.com & ‘Top 10 retreats for health in the world-2016” by Telegraph.co.uk. Amchara Health Retreats have been featured in: VOUGE, INDEPENDENT, PORTER, MARIE CLAIRE, HEALTH & FITNESS, CHANNEL 4 and more.

Follow her on Instagram @amcharahealth