Achieving long-term fat loss around the belly is hard for many women. Hormones and the way the body burns energy play a big part in this fight. In a recent talk, health expert Dr. Stephanie Estima—with 23 years of experience in women’s health and fat loss—shares simple ideas on common errors and useful methods to fix hormone issues and speed up metabolism.
The Biggest Mistake: Eating Too Little for Too Long
Dr. Estima sees a clear error when women eat very few calories for many weeks. Many choose low-calorie diets for months, thinking that less food means steady fat loss. A lower calorie count does drop weight at first. However, our body is not set to keep a low fuel state for long. A long period of low calorie intake makes the body slow down digestion, use less energy during exercise, and conserve what little fuel it has.
This slow metabolism means that eating less can backfire. Progress stops, strength falls, and hormone signals mix up. Dr. Estima met clients who ate just around 700 calories daily—as if they fasted every day—only to see their bodies stop losing more fat.
Why Increasing Calories Can Help Fat Loss
It might sound odd, but when you slowly add more calories after a low-calorie period, fat loss can restart. When you add calories step by step—sometimes to 1,600, 2,000, or even 2,500 per day—your body sees that there is no danger. This change helps the body burn calories better, use fat for fuel, and maybe even change the body shape for the better.
This idea shows how some athletes work on their look. They switch between times of eating less and times of eating more to keep muscle, manage their metabolism, and stop the body from adapting to low calories.
Overcoming the Fear of Eating More
Many women worry that a higher calorie intake will make fat grow instead of shrink. Dr. Estima explains that the female body needs a safe signal to work well and heal. That safe signal comes when food—good proteins, carbohydrates, and fats—feeds the body and tells it that all is well.
When the body feels safe, it leaves a state of stress (fight, flight, freeze) and moves into a state of rest (rest, digest, recover). In that relaxed state, the body lowers inflammation, helps repair itself, builds muscle, and keeps hormones in balance. All these parts help fat loss that lasts.
The Importance of Resistance Training and Changing the Narrative Around Weight
Dr. Estima asks us not to judge fat loss only by the number on the scale. The scale may change with stress, sleep, menstrual cycles, or muscle recovery after a workout. Instead, look at changes in body shape—like the ratio between waist and hips, muscle tone, and strength gains—for a clearer view.
Building muscle works well for shaping the body. Muscle work not only changes how the body looks but also helps the body burn calories and balance hormones. Dr. Estima moved her goal from being "skinny" to being "strong." This change shows that celebrating power and health can be more important than counting pounds.
Key Takeaways for Hormonal Weight Loss Success
- Eat enough over time. Break free from very low-calorie phases to help the body keep its pace.
- Slowly add more food. This step tells your body that more energy is safe to use.
- Choose wholesome, full-nutrition foods. These foods calm the body.
- Include strength work. It builds muscle, helps the body burn better, and keeps hormones steady.
- Watch how you feel and how your clothes fit. The scale does not tell the full story.
Dr. Stephanie Estima’s advice shows that hormonal weight loss goes beyond eating less. It calls for understanding body signals, feeding it well, and using smart training steps. The key to belly fat loss lies in knowing what your body needs and treating it kindly while using simple changes in food and exercise.
