Carbohydrate Overload

Have you heard of the Energy Balance Model? If you eat more calories than you burn, then you are going to gain weight. If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. How is this model of weight loss working for you?  

Now, let’s look at weight management from a completely different set of eyes.  Not a new concept, but one that will change your view on health. It’s not the quantity of food you eat, it’s the source of nutrients you take in. Your body is controlled by over 50 hormones.  We will talk about a few of them starting with insulin.

Insulin is an important hormone that helps keep your blood sugar regulated.  The pancreas produces insulin when it detects the presence of glucose (sugar). This occurs when you eat carbohydrates, especially in the form of starches and sugar.  Insulin has other jobs too, like taking unused calories, converting them to fat and storing them.  The presence of insulin also prevents fats from burning.  When we consume carbohydrates, our body hoards the energy for future use.  But if we never allow insulin levels to drop, we never get to the stored fats.  The fat stores spill over into organs like the pancreas, liver, kidney, and stomach.  When the organs have had their fill, the fat packs in around your abdominal cavity.  These are all signs of insulin resistance (IR).  IR is condition where our body no longer responds normally to insulin so the pancreas continues to make more.  The more insulin we have in our body, the more fat we accumulate, the unhealthier we become.  

I am not demonizing carbohydrates, but I am saying that we eat too much of them.  We simply don’t need them in the 50-60% recommended quantity.  What is the quantity you need?  It depends on your level of insulin resistance.  Are you ready to change how you eat? Let’s Talk. Click here to set up and appointment.