Weight Loss Science: Hormones, Nutrition, & Behavior Change

Name: Weight Loss Science: Hormones, Nutrition, & Behavior Change
Rating: 4.9 (54 reviews)

Mastering Energy Balance and Body Weight Regulation, Metabolic Health Coaching and Weight Management for Success.

Created byHamza Majeed

Last updated 5/2026

English

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What you'll learn

Understand the scientific principles of energy metabolism and human physiology
Learn how Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) influence body weight
xplore the thermic effect of food and the role of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
Understand carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber metabolism in relation to energy balance and satiety
Examine the biological mechanisms of glycogen storage, lipid oxidation, and adipose tissue function
Learn how hormones such as insulin, glucagon, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones regulate appetite and metabolism
Understand the physiological causes of hunger, cravings, and weight gain
Explore the psychological and behavioral theories behind eating habits and lifestyle change
Learn evidence-based strategies for habit formation, behavior modification, and long-term adherence
Understand the differences between hedonic hunger and homeostatic hunger
Analyze the role of stress, sleep, and circadian rhythms in metabolic health and weight regulation
Explore the relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolic efficiency
Understand the influence of genetics and epigenetics on body weight predisposition
Examine how environmental and socio-economic factors affect nutrition and obesity risk
Develop the ability to critically evaluate diet trends, weight-loss claims, and nutrition misinformation
Gain a comprehensive understanding of sustainable and science-based weight management principles
Learn how biological, psychological, and environmental systems interact to influence long-term health outcomes

Course content

5 sections • 24 lectures • 1h 45m total length

The First Law of Thermodynamics in Human Physiology4:30
Defining Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)3:16
Define total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) as the 24-hour energy burn, including basal metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, and physical activity, guiding sustainable weight management.
Determinants of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)3:14
The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) and Nutrient Processing4:54
Explore the thermic effect of food and how macronutrients drive expenditure, with protein costing 20–30%, carbs 5–10%, fats 0–3%, and how whole unprocessed foods and meal size influence weight management.
Mechanics of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)5:11
Explore non-exercise activity thermogenesis and how daily movement, environment, and biology shape energy expenditure and long-term weight maintenance. Learn how small daily choices boost metabolic health.

Carbohydrate Metabolism and Glycogen Storage Concepts4:43
Explore carbohydrate metabolism: how glucose becomes glycogen in liver and muscle, how glycogen binds water, and how limited glycogen storage shapes fat loss and metabolic shifts toward de novo lipogenesis.
Protein Quality and the Protein Leverage Hypothesis4:37
Discover how protein quality and nine essential amino acids, with bioavailability—via complete versus incomplete sources—drive lean muscle, satiety, and weight loss via the protein leverage hypothesis.
Lipid Oxidation and Adipose Tissue Function4:59
Fiber Classification and its Role in Satiety Signaling3:15
Explore fibre classifications and their satiety roles, detailing how soluble fibre slows glucose absorption, expands the stomach, triggers CCK and GLP-1, and supports gut microbiome health.
Theoretical Impact of Liquid Calories on Metabolic Homeostasis4:16
Examine how liquid calories bypass digestion, trigger rapid insulin spikes and hunger cycles, and disrupt metabolic homeostasis and satiety signals.

The Insulin-Glucagon Axis in Energy Partitioning4:50
Explore how the insulin-glucagon axis controls energy partitioning, influences fat storage and mobilization, and how meal timing, fasting, and protein and fiber shape metabolic balance.
Physiology of Leptin Resistance and Satiety4:30
Ghrelin and the Biological Basis of Hunger4:47
Explore ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and how it drives meal anticipation and hedonic cravings, with strategies like protein, leafy greens, and regular meals to modulate it.
Cortisol and Chronic Stress-Induced Metabolic Shifts4:34
The Role of Thyroid Hormones in Metabolic Regulation4:33
The thyroid, through T4 and T3, sets basal metabolic rate and thermogenesis, while nutritional status and minerals like iodine and selenium influence T4-to-T3 conversion and lipolysis.

The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change4:27
Explore the transtheoretical model of behavior change, a cyclical journey from pre-contemplation to maintenance, using cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes like consciousness raising, dramatic relief, stimulus control, and relapse.
Cognitive Appraisal and Eating Behavior Frameworks4:50
Examine cognitive appraisal, including primary and secondary appraisal, and how it shapes eating behavior by differentiating homeostatic and hedonic drives to foster flexible, mindful restraint.
Habit Loop Mechanics: Cue, Routine, and Reward4:29
Explore habit loop mechanics, cue, routine, and reward, and how these shortcuts shape actions. Learn habit substitution, environmental design, and micro-wins for sustainable weight loss and metabolic mastery.
Environmental Design and Stimulus Control Theory4:30
Leverage environmental design and stimulus control to make cues and affordances promote automatic healthy choices, reducing decision fatigue and reinforcing a healthful identity.
Psychological Theories of Hedonic vs. Homeostatic Hunger3:24
Explore homeostatic versus hedonic hunger and their interaction, then apply interoceptive awareness to distinguish true hunger from cravings and manage eating.

The Gut Microbiome and Metabolic Efficiency4:37
Explore how the gut microbiome, a diverse community acting as a hidden metabolic organ, shapes energy harvest and satiety signals via short-chain fatty acids.
Circadian Rhythms and Metabolic Timing Frameworks4:53
Align your eating with your circadian rhythm through time-restricted feeding, supporting autophagy and balanced ghrelin and leptin. Minimize late-night light exposure to protect sleep and metabolic health.
Genetic and Epigenetic Factors in Weight Predisposition4:57
Discover how genetic architecture and epigenetics shape weight predisposition, including the FTO gene and thrifty genotypes, and how environment and lifestyle modify gene expression and the setpoint.
Socio-Economic and Environmental Determinants of Weight Status3:31
Explore how socio-economic factors and obesogenic environments shape weight status, from income and food access to marketing, urban design, and policy, and ways to counteract these external determinants.

Requirements

No prior knowledge of nutrition, metabolism, or weight management is required
An interest in health science, nutrition, fitness, wellness, or behavioral psychology
Willingness to learn scientific and evidence-based concepts related to metabolism and weight regulation

Description

This course contains the use of artificial intelligence

This an Unofficial Course.

This comprehensive course provides an in-depth exploration of the scientific, physiological, nutritional, hormonal, psychological, and environmental factors that influence human body weight and metabolic health. Designed for students, health enthusiasts, fitness professionals, nutrition coaches, and wellness practitioners, the course offers a research-informed understanding of how the human body regulates energy balance, appetite, fat storage, and long-term weight management.

Throughout the course, students will examine the foundational principles of energy metabolism, including the laws of thermodynamics as they apply to human physiology, total daily energy expenditure, basal metabolic rate, and the complex mechanisms involved in calorie utilization.

The course explains how the body processes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and dietary fiber while exploring how different nutrients affect satiety, energy production, and metabolic efficiency.

A major focus of the course is the endocrine system and its critical role in regulating body composition and appetite. Students will gain insight into hormones such as insulin, glucagon, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones, learning how these biochemical messengers influence hunger, energy partitioning, stress responses, and metabolic adaptation.

The course also explores how chronic stress, sleep disruption, and hormonal imbalance can contribute to weight gain and difficulties in sustaining healthy body weight.

In addition to biological mechanisms, the course provides a detailed examination of psychological and behavioral theories related to eating patterns and lifestyle change. Students will study evidence-based models of behavior modification, habit formation, environmental influence, emotional eating, and motivational psychology.

The course highlights the relationship between cognition, emotion, reward systems, and food-related decision-making, helping learners understand why sustainable weight management requires more than simple calorie restriction.

The program further explores the influence of gut microbiota, circadian biology, genetics, epigenetics, and socio-environmental factors on metabolism and body weight regulation. Students will discover how modern lifestyles, food environments, socioeconomic conditions, and biological predispositions interact to shape health outcomes and weight-related behaviors.

By the end of the course, learners will possess a strong scientific understanding of the multidimensional nature of weight management and metabolic health.

They will be able to critically evaluate common diet claims, understand the physiological basis of fat loss and appetite regulation, and apply evidence-based principles to support healthier lifestyle practices.

This course combines nutritional science, endocrinology, behavioral psychology, and metabolic physiology into a complete educational framework for understanding sustainable and informed approaches to weight management.

Thank you

Who this course is for:

Students interested in nutrition, metabolism, health science, or behavioral psychology
Fitness trainers and gym instructors who want a deeper understanding of weight management science
Health and wellness coaches seeking evidence-based knowledge about metabolism and behavior change
Nutrition enthusiasts who want to understand the biological and psychological factors behind body weight regulation
Individuals interested in sustainable weight loss and long-term metabolic health
Healthcare and wellness professionals looking to expand their knowledge of energy balance and appetite regulation
Personal trainers who want to improve their understanding of fat loss physiology and client behavior
Anyone curious about hormones, metabolism, eating behavior, and the science of body weight control
Professionals working in lifestyle coaching, preventive health, or wellness education
Beginners who want a comprehensive introduction to modern weight management science without needing prior experience

Weight Loss Science: Hormones, Nutrition, & Behavior Change

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Fundamentals of Energy Metabolism5 lectures • 21min

Nutritional Science and Macronutrient Roles5 lectures • 22min

Endocrine Regulation and Weight Control5 lectures • 23min

Psychological Models and Behavioral Theory5 lectures • 22min

External and Biological Influences4 lectures • 18min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: