Hormonal Diet

• 1). Eat balanced meals all day. Staying full is key to keeping your leptin and other hormones in balance. Dr. Scott Isaacs, author of "The Leptin Boost Diet," suggests you should eat three meals and three snacks. Include four starch servings of beans or whole grains, eight to ten servings of protein (fish, chicken, lean meat, egg whites or tofu), three milk or yogurt servings and two healthy fat servings like olive oil or nuts. This is a large amount of food, but that is the point--stay full of good things.
  
  
• 2). Keep a food diary. This will keep you accountable and aware of what you put in your mouth. Record what you eat, when and how much and what you were doing when you were eating. Do not wait to record your meals until the end of the day; you will forget something. A diary will ensure you are eating a diet to balance your hormones.
  
  
• 3). Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. This may be difficult at first, but eating the very best vegetables and fruits you can buy will make this daily requirement enjoyable and even adventurous. Fruits and vegetables are filling foods that will keep your hunger at bay.
  
  
• 4). Eat smart. Eat a breakfast full of protein and include protein in your mid-morning snack. Eat a light lunch and afternoon snack, but add protein to dinner along with starch and lots of vegetables. A snack in the evening is important to maintain your metabolism during the night. If you miss a meal, do not make it breakfast. The goal is leptin leveling and breakfast is the the most important meal of the day for this purpose.
  
  
• 5). Not all carbs are created equal, so eat the good ones. Slowly digested carbohydrates are better for hormonal balance than quick-digesting carbs. Slow-digesting carbs include beans and lentils. Quick-digesting carbohydrates include mashed potatoes and white rice. Fruits are great sources of carbs because of the fiber and fructose.