Ralph Moorman MSc

HORMONE- FACTOR

the

results• LOSE EXCESS POUNDS • HAVE MORE ENERGY • ENJOY A BETTER SKIN• FEEL COMFORTABLE

WITH YOURSELF • REDUCE SYMPTOMS

OF DISEASES

FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH

With test:how do

hormones make you fat?

‘THIS BOOK PRESENTS A BALANCED, COMPLETE PACKAGE OF MEASURES’PROF. PHD. FRITS A.J. MUSKIET, UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE GRONINGEN (THE NETHERLANDS)

12th edition

These people achieved the body they wanted thanks to The Hormone Factor“I have tried every conceivable weight-loss programme and diet; how-ever, without any lasting effect. That is, until I discovered The Hormone Factor. As a result, I lost 35 kilos. The only thing I regret is that I had not discovered the importance of hormones 20 years earlier.”Cathay Green, event manager

“My body has become the body I always wanted - including a flat belly and strong chest. Moreover - my skin is smoother and I feel more energetic.”Jim Lamar, hairdresser and cosmetician

“Although I was never all that overweight, I noticed that my belly flab started melting away, week after week. The results are staggering.”Partick Berger, politician

“I am not dumb, unathletic, a greedy-guts or a couch potato - there is a hormonal cause for my excess weight. And there is something I can do about it! When I discovered this, I cried with joy.”Helen Maguire, former Big Diet candidate

“I lost a lot of weight and - more importantly - I feel a lot better than before.” Ian Whitefield, physician and director of the Dutch Red Cross

Now it’s your turn!

I dedicate this book to all those people who have been trying to lose weight, year after year, and who are still overweight and unfit. And only because they have never heard of the crucial hormone factor.

Ralph Moorman, MSc

the

HORMONE- FACTOR Ralph Moorman, MSc

the

HORMONE- FACTOR

Healthy reading!www.cocobooks.nl

Original title: de HORMOONFACTORTranslated by: Liz Raadsen

1st edition: September 200912th edition: February 2014

©2014 Uitgeverij CocoBooks, AmsterdamAll rights reserved

Design inside pages: Mischa Smit Kleine, AmsterdamDesign cover: Katja VercouterenEditorial supervision: Pim Christiaans Photography cover and page 8: William RuttenPhotography (unless otherwise indicated): Melinda-Lou van der LindenRecipes: Maya FrijnSupplements advice: Ewoud van de Brug MScISBN/EAN: 978 90 79142 09 5/NUR 860

This publication has been composed with the utmost care. However, nei-ther the producer nor the publisher will accept any liability for damages as a result of any incorrect or incomplete information in this publication

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Foreword

Hormones play an important part in health and weight issues. Understanding how things may go wrong where hormones are concerned is one thing, but even more important is to maintain hormonal harmony. This may seem complicated, but

it isn’t, really. It’s not about crash dieting, or the eating of healthy yet vile foods, or the running of marathons. This is all unnecessary. Moreover, nobody will keep those things up. With The Hormone Factor, Ralph Moorman offers you a balanced, complete package of protective measures in the areas of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and the prevention of chronic stress.

What is the connection between hormones and health? We are sur-rounded by things we can feel, hear, see, taste, and smell. Our sensory system enables us to experience the world around us. These five senses are the most well-known. But, in fact, we are literally crammed with ‘senses’. We are not aware of the exact workings of these sensors, but they are constantly adapting our body to our environment. By means of these sensors, we are able to restore the imbalances caused by our surroundings. It is not by coincidence that these sensors are located in large numbers on the interfaces between ourselves and our envi-ronment - including our skin, lungs, and gastro-intestinal tract. The information about our environment, as interpreted by these sensors, are passed on to other tissues, and especially our brain, by substances such as hormones. In turn, our brain communicates with other organs, in various ways, for example by means of hormones. Even before our pancreas will notice the glucose in our food, this organ will have been informed about this via the gastro-intestinal tract, by means of hormones. In fact, hormones are invaluable to the communication between cells and organs.

It may be clear that any significant change in our environment may easily disrupt the harmony between hormonal messages in our body. It is happening to many of us.

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We are all a product of our environment - an environment based on hundreds of thousands of years of hunting and gathering. Even our genetic material is a product of this. It wasn’t until a ‘mere’ ten thousand years ago that we became involved in agriculture. After that, we learned to turn nature into something that was makeable. On the one hand, this benefited us greatly: we live longer than ever, for example because we managed to put a stop to famines and contagious diseases. However, on the other hand, this agricultural revolution itself has introduced typically Western diseases. These have reduced the number of years we spend in good health. Therefore, insight into the mistakes we made over the past ten thousand years regarding food and lifestyles will prove invaluable regarding the prolongation of our lives while retaining good health. How can we remain healthy in an environment that is far removed from our hunter-gatherer’s body? This is exactly what Ralph wants to tell us about in this book.

In The Hormone Factor, Ralph promotes a lifestyle that will restore the hormone balance. As you master this lifestyle - which, in fact, fits us like a glove - you will never want to go back.

Prof. PhD. Frits Muskiet Professor Pathophysiology and Clinical Chemical Analysis

University Medical Centre Groningen, the Netherlands

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Table of contentsIntroduction Finally; a weight-loss method that actually works! 9

Part 1 How hormones will make you fat 17 and feeling washed-outChapter 1 Not feeling top fit? It’s the hormones! 19Chapter 2 How healthy hormones will keep you slim and fit 23Chapter 3 The 9 hormones for a slim body 27 Chapter 4 Many things can go wrong where your hormones

are concerned 33Chapter 5 Why is that you gain weight as you grow older 41

Part 2 The Hormone Factor Programme 45Chapter 6 Do the test: which hormones are out of balance? 47Chapter 7 The Hormone Factor Diet 61Chapter 8 Hormone Factor recipes 73Chapter 9 Balance your hormones using food supplements 79Chapter 10 The Hormone Factor workout 85Chapter 11 Reduce your stress hormones and lose weight 99Chapter 12 Live according to the rhythm of your hormones 105Chapter 13 Hormone suppletion 111

Appendices 116 E numbers to avoid 117 Symptoms of hormonal problems 118 Sources 121 Register 127 Word of thanks 131 Success stories Claudia Jackson 14 Jim Lamar 30 Cathay Green 38 Eric Pierce 58 Patrick Berger 82 Ian Whitefield 102 Kim Chan 109 Helen Maguire 114

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Introduction

Finally, a weight-loss method that will keep you fit and slim!

Do you ever won der why so many people are trying to lose weight, while so few of them actually succeed in doing so? And if they do, how come their success is usually so short-lived? Isn’t it strange that there are so many different

weight-loss and dietary strategies, while a single, effective method should suffice? Do you also find it incomprehensible that it is so easy to gain weight as you grow older, even though you are not eating more or exercising less than you used to? And the most burning ques-tion of them all: what is preventing the pot belly or saddlebags from budging an inch?

The answer to all of these questions is as simple as it is surprising. One crucial point is becoming more and more apparent, which has been overlooked in all current dietary strategies. It is The Hormone Factor.

Hormones determine your appetite, your need to exercise, and the speed at which you burn fat. However, our modern lifestyle is greatly upsetting our hormone balance. And if your hormones are out of bal-ance, you tend to eat more and exercise less, while it is also slowing down your fat-loss rate. And that is when you start gaining weight. Because there is no existing diet or weight-loss programme that suf-ficiently takes these new insights into account, it seems impossible to lose weight and keep it off.

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11

The media, fitness experts, friends and relatives will doubtlessly have been giving you numerous tips about losing weight. And every time, it boils down to the same story: if you use more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. This sounds logical and, in theory, it is true; however, in practice, things are rather different, in a subtle way. If you eat less, and start exercising like crazy, chances are you will lose weight. Only to gain weight again, afterwards... After all, eating less and exercising more requires an iron discipline, which only a few of us will be able to maintain. This will lead to compensatory behaviour, causing you to eat even more than before in the long run. Moreover, too strict a regime will trigger the body’s survival mechanism, resulting in hormonal changes. These changes will cause a slowing down of the metabolism, loss of muscle mass, and increasing hunger pangs. In short, your slim figure is not likely to last. Did you know that people who frequently follow a strict diet will, in term, gain more weight than those who eat what they like throughout their lives?

In short, the classic approach of ‘eating less and exercising more’ will upset your hormone balance. If you are striving for a permanent ideal weight and health, you will have to balance your hormones in order to help your body function in an optimum way. I will teach you how to do this using my Hormone Factor Programme. As your hormones

Maira Mariana used to be a top basketball player. As a result of various accidents anda lot of stress, Maira’s adrenal glands had been producing too much cortisol. In ad-dition, her thyroid gland became af-flicted. Thanks to the Hormone Factor Programme, she lost weight and kept it off.

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become more balanced, you will find it easier to lose weight. And the weight you lose, will stay off.

Don’t worry - you don’t have to take any weird action or swallow strange pills to get your hormones under control. Good food, stress management, and well-balanced workouts will do the job. You don’t have to suffer aches, pains, or hunger pangs.

The Hormone Factor Programme is based on three important pillars: Food: do not eat less, but higher-quality food. Exercise: do not exercise a lot, but differently. Stress: relax your way to a slim body.

In addition to losing weight, there are many other benefits resulting from well-balanced hormone levels. The Hormone Factor Programme represents a natural way to solve a variety of problems, such as skin issues, respiratory infections, intestinal complaints, and mood swings. In addition, your body may become less susceptible to infections and your immune system will improve. And - perhaps the most important benefit of all - your energy level will improve. Many of my clients have experienced this benefit first-hand.

Compared to his testos-terone level, Mari van de Ven’s oestrogen levelwas somewhat too high before he commenced upon the Hormone Fac-tor Programme. That is why his muscles were not as firm as he would have liked. Power training and a change in eating habits resulted in bal-anced hormone levels and a perfect figure.

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How I discovered the importance of hormonesAs a lifestyle and fitness coach, I have worked in various fitness cen-tres and also coach clients in the comfort of their own homes. Before I started this work, I had studied Food Technology at the Wageningen University, specialising in sports nutrition. Subsequently, I obtained a number of American certificates in the area of sports and nutrition. I also attended various medical seminars focussed on the interface between health and hormones.

During my studies, I noticed that lifestyle advice as covered by the media is far removed from scientific developments. While the food authorities are still counting calories, the more progressive scientists have been on the track of hormones for quite some time. That is why I have developed the Hormone Factor Programme, which I use to suc-Factor Programme, which I use to suc- Programme, which I use to suc-cessfully coach my clients. It is not only based on scientific research, but also on my own experiences with clients and the many discussions I have conducted with physicians and therapists.

In 2008, I tested my programme on a group of eight men and women, and further developed it from there. By now, I have been able to act as a personal coach to hundreds of people to help them achieve better health and a slim body. Some of them ate extremely small quantities of food and did cardio until they were blue in the

From blood tests, vari-ous hormonal shortages emerged in the case of Laetitia de Haas. That is why all of her former attempts to lose weight were bound to fail. Today, things have finally taken a turn for the better.

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face – almost literally – yet without any lasting results. Thanks to the Hormone Factor Programme, these people achieved a better mind set and improved balance and managed to reach and maintain their ideal weight.

My satisfied clients include housewives, managers, sportsmen and women, workaholics, lazy people, Spartans, bon vivants, models, and television personalities - people with busy agendas and high expec-tations. Because the Hormone Factor Programme is so successful, I usually coach my clients for a short period of time only. Not a parti-cularly attractive programme for a personal trainer in a commercial sense, you may argue. After all, the results are permanent and clients are not likely to return. But this is just the way it should be!

And that is why the time has come for me to share my programme with you as well as my clients. In the first part of the book, I will explain what hormones are and how these may help you achieve optimum health. In the second part, I will present you with a complete do-it-yourself lifestyle programme based on the crucial hormone factor. Ready for your personal use.

Ralph Moorman, MSc

Before Carmen Gonsalves commenced upon the Hormone Facor Programme, her muscles were flabbyand her fat percentage too high. Because she has stronger muscles now thanks to balanced hormones and power training, she is able to lose weight easily.

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The success story of

Claudia Jackson*

‘Finally, I reached my dream figure!’

When Claudia Jackson (32) commenced upon the Hormone Factor Programme, she was 20 kilos overweight. In the course of her pregnancy and the months that followed,

she had gained a lot of weight and had tried various diets and forms of nutritional advice – in vain. During our intake interview I told her that the thyroid gland often works more slowly the first year after childbirth, resulting in difficulties losing weight. Moreover, her dietary pattern was such that she was ingesting a lot of hidden sugars. I gave her nutritional and fitness advice and promised her good results.“Sceptical, but ready to try anything, I started following the nutri-tional advice,” Claudia said. “At first, the immense quantities of food I had to eat bothered me somewhat, but after a while I got used to them and noticed that my clothes were getting rather loose. Within a period of only three weeks I had lost 6 kilos. The new dietary pat-tern was easy to stick to and, thanks to the corresponding training method, my condition was vastly improving as well. Because of the quick results, I started to believe I would, one day, achieve my dream

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figure. Occasionally, I would cheat. For example, I would have a glass of wine, an ice-cream cone, or a savoury snack. But I noticed that these had very little effect on my weight and figure because, on the whole, I was eating a well-balanced diet. After just six months, the scales pointed to my target weight. I had lost over 20 kilos! Before I started the Hormone Factor Programme, I often suffered from

heartburn, for which I took medication every day. Thanks to the Hormone Factor Programme, I not only lost

kilos, but also these health issues. I no longer need medication. Because balancing your hormones is

very easy, really, once you get the hang of it. I am still doing it as a matter of course. It has

become a part of my life.”

*FOR REASONS OF PRIVACY, ALL NAMES ARE FICTITIOUS. THE PERSON IN THESE PICTURE ARE MODELS.

LOSE WEIGHT BY RESTORING YOUR HORMONE BALANCE

Being overweight is the result of an upset balance of at least nine different hormones. There isn’t any other diet or weight-loss programme that takes this important new insight into account. That is why virtually all attempts to obtain and maintain a healthy weight are doomed to fail. In The Hormone Factor, you will read a step-by-step account of how to restore your hormone balance in a natural way. Results: Lose excess pounds, have more energy, enjoy a better skin, feel comfortable with yourself, reduce symptoms of diseases!

Ralph Moorman MSc studied Food Technology at the Wageningen University. Today, he is food consultant, company adviser regarding food & health, speaker, teacher, and health coach using his own Hormone Factor Programme. He also wrote the bestsellers The Hormone Balance Diet and The Groceries Coach.

www.thehormonefactor.comwww.ralphmoorman.com

More than 50,000 copies sold!