How Insulin Affects Weight Loss

What is Insulin?

Insulin is an essential hormone produced by the pancreas that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels. It helps your body turn food into energy and promotes the storage of nutrients. If your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or your body doesn’t use insulin properly, it leads to high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). This results in an individual developing diabetes. This illness begins as prediabetes and over the course of a couple years, if your health is left unchecked, can result in full blown Type 2 Diabetes.

Insulin’s Two Roles In The Body:

1. Promotes Glucose Uptake
2. Fat Storage

Insulin moves glucose from your blood into cells all over your body. Glucose comes from both the food and drinks you consume and your body’s natural release of Glycogen. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose. Glucose is your body’s main source of energy.

Insulin also promotes the conversion of glucose into fat through a process known as lipogenesis. Lipogenesis is the metabolic process through which excess glucose and other substrates are converted into fatty acids and triglycerides for storage in body fat. When consistent high insulin levels are present, the body is more likely to store fat in the body, which can hinder weight loss efforts as fat is more difficult to get rid of.

Can your body become resistant to Insulin?

Insulin resistance is the scientific response in which cells in insulin-sensitive tissues in the body fail to respond normally to the hormone. Hyperinsulinemia is also possibility. Hyperinsulinemia is a condition in which there are excess levels of insulin circulating in the blood relative to the level of glucose. 

Causes of Insulin Resistance:

1. Obesity – Excess body fat, particularly around the abdomen, is a significant risk factor for insulin resistance. 
2. Sedentary Lifestyle – Lack of physical activity can rapidly increase the likelihood of insulin resistance. 
3. Genetics – Family history of diabetes or metabolic syndrome can increase susceptibility to insulin resistance.
4. Diet – This is mostly likely the leading contributor to insulin resistance. High consumption of processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats is bad for the body. 

Tips to Manage Insulin Levels:

1. Practice Fasting – Intermittent fasting has been studied to help manage insulin levels. During prolonged fasting periods, insulin levels naturally decrease. This is due to your body shifting away from using primarily glucose from the food you ate to the glucose and fat you have stored in your body. This reduction in insulin is important, as lower insulin levels facilitate fat burning and reduce the likelihood of storing excess calories as fat.
2. Exercise Daily – Physical activity is probably the most powerful tool for managing insulin levels. During exercise, your body uses a mix of glucose and fatty acids. It’s even better for the body if you’re doing fasted exercise because your glucose and insulin levels will likely already be lowered. Therefore working out will help you maintain those lowered levels. If you’re exercising during your eating window, your body will pull the glucose from your blood to use as fuel, lowering total blood glucose that can possibly be stored as fat and decreasing the need for excess insulin to process the food.
3. Food Choices – The type and amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins you consume play a significant role in managing your body’s insulin levels. To help keep insulin levels low, aim for smaller portions of carbohydrates in your meals. This is especially true for any meal you eat right before you begin your fast. Also, you should opt for minimally processed foods. Foods typically found in their whole form — vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and dairy – are healthier food options. For carbohydrates specifically, the more minimally processed carbs tend to have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load, which in turn cause a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar and less of an insulin release. 

How to Prevent Insulin from Storing Fat:

To prevent insulin from storing fat, consider the following strategies:

• Manage Insulin Levels – Focus on foods that don’t cause rapid blood sugar spikes and avoid overeating to prevent excessive insulin release. 
• Improve Insulin Sensitivity – Incorporate meals that combine protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbs to slow down digestion and keep blood sugar steady. 
• Incorporate Exercise – Regular physical activity increases your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, making it easier for your body to use glucose for energy instead of storing it as fat. 
• Manage Stress – Stress-reducing practices like meditation, deep breathing, or journaling can help calm your nervous system and support your body’s ability to balance hormones. 

By implementing these strategies, you can help your body manage insulin levels more effectively, reducing the likelihood of fat storage and promoting a healthier weight management approach