For example, energy is required for muscle contractions, secretions by the glands, absorption of foods from the gastrointestinal tract, the life processes of all our cells, and virtually all the functions of our bodies. Many of these reactions could not take place without the aid of enzymes, co-enzymes or vitamins, and hormones. Often in the body, the cascade of events starts with a hormone being secreted from an endocrine gland, which usually operates on a negative feedback system, the hormone activates the enzyme and the chemical reaction takes place. An example of this is the hormone insulin, which is associated with glucose transport into the cells. Insulin assists glucose into the cells for utilization. In the case of late onset diabetes mellitus, often associated with obesity, the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas, called the B-cells of the Islets of Langerhans, are less responsive or non-responsive to elevated blood glucose, and the insulin receptors in the cells throughout the body either decrease or become less responsive. It is the goal of insulin therapy to force the receptors to respond, when in fact treating the obesity with dietary control, works as well if not better, since the predisposition is being treated or the underlying cause is being addressed. Since we have already mentioned obesity, let's just briefly define it. Obesity simple means deposition of excess fat in the body, caused usually by ingestion of greater amounts of food than can be utilized by the body for energy. The excess food, whether consisting of fats, carbohydrates, or proteins, is then stored as fat in the adipose tissue to be used later for energy.
At least seven hormones secreted by the endocrine glands have marked effects on fat utilization. A quick review of the principal endocrine glands of the body:
Pineal and pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, pancreas, islets of Langerhans, adrenal glands, ovaries and testes.

This short overview of hormones and regulation of body functions illustrates the importance of seeing your doctor before undertaking major changes in lifestyle or weight loss greater than twenty pounds. Your doctor can evaluate your condition more objectively than you can and can order any necessary tests to rule out any hormonal problems.

The treatment of obesity depends simply on decreasing energy input below energy expenditure. Once the weight loss has occurred, as long as energy expenditure exceeds energy input, the weight can usually be maintained. To some this can be the equivalent of starvation. To lose weight, a person's diet should include large quantities of bulk, (vegetables and fruits, with the skins, if they are edible) which in general is made up of non-nutritive cellulose substances. (Psyllium seed, guar gum, pectin, as in Metamucil and other fiber supplements) Bulk fiber can make a person feel full if taken before meals, so the tendency is to eat less. Increasing the drinking of water between meals can also give a person a feeling of fullness and is refreshing and detoxifying, and could help prevent that trip to the candy machine or the latte stand. If a person drastically reduces the amount of food intake, it is important to supplement with vitamins. It only takes one or two weeks for a vitamin deficiency to become apparent. Vitamin deficiency can cause debility and can even lead to death. That is why we have guidelines like the RDA, the required daily allowance, so that if a person maintains a diet that does not provide these nutrients, a vitamin supplement can provide the nutrient insurance necessary to prevent such debility.

Drug therapy in the treatment of obesity in the past consisted of amphetamine drugs, which although they did inhibit the feeding centers in the hypothalamus, they also overexcited the central nervous system, making a person nervous and irritable, elevated blood pressure, and in fact, adaptation to the drug occurred so that weight loss was usually no greater than 10%.

Today, newer drugs are prescribed with an eating and exercise plan. It makes one wonder if in the studies of these drugs, if there was a control group that did JUST the eating and exercise plan without even a placebo, and if they lost weight as well.

PROBABLY!

So the bottom line is, physical activity can bring about changes in the levels of hormones, which regulate fat-burning and consequently, fat and weight loss; and a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, adequate protein, and a minimum of eight 8-oz glasses of water per day can guarantee successful weight loss and maintenance. If a person fills up on the bulk-containing foods during a meal, there is a feeling of fullness, which can prevent over-eating of other foods. So fill up on vegetables and fruits!

These activity and dietary suggestions have been proven, and just need to be incorporated into a person's lifestyle and implemented to be effective.

Most importantly, food intake in humans is controlled as much by habit as it is by hunger. Sometimes, habitual eating (or compulsive or mindless eating) is used as a coping mechanism for many, but this is self-defeating behavior, and falls more into the realm of the psychology of weight loss, which is actually material for another article.

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