Scientists say that as many as 80% of fat people have a problem with insulin sensitivity.
Insulin is one of the most misunderstood hormones in the body, but yet it is also one of the most important if ya wanna look good nekkid.
L Insulin is a two edged sword, it can be both friend and foe; it all depends on how you control it.
In a nutshell insulin sensitivity refers to body tissue and it’s response to insulin. If the tissue is insulin sensitive, it will respond easily to the insulin and a little insulin will do the job. If it is insulin resistant, you’ve got a problem because your insulin response will be poor.
Also some cells in the body will be more sensitive than others.
Why is this important?
It’s actually critical to body composition.
Insulin is the hormone that carries nutrients to the cells.
When you consume anything, the pancreas produces insulin, which carries the nutrients of what you have just digested, around the body. It kind of knocks on the doors of the cells and says”Open up guys, I got nutrients for you”
Now if the tissue is sensitive it will open up, no problem, if it’s resistant, it won’t.
If the fat cells (adipocytes) are more sensitive to the insulin than the muscle cells, guess which ones get larger?
Also if the fat cells have more doors to knock on, they gonna get more nutrients. This is a very bad thing.
A very good thing however, is that if the muscle cells have more doors, then they will get most of the nutrients. That’s why muscular, lean people generally stay that way, and fat people just get fatter and fatter.
The lean and muscular generally stay that way
So the bottom line is this, put on more muscle (more doors) and drop body fat percentage to become leaner (more sensitive) and you will never have a weight problem ever again. That’s why yo-yo diets and low calorie diets just cannot possibly work. They don’t do anything for insulin sensitivity; they in fact make it worse!! The result is 3 months later these people are fatter than ever.
I have always maintained that your post workout meal is the most important of the day, followed by breakfast. The reason is simple. For most people, the only time of the day when the muscle cells are more sensitive than the fat cells, is after a weight training session. You can eat practically anything and the muscles will just gobble it up. This is a good thing.
The best time to digest carbs is AFTER a weight training session
During the rest of the day when most of us are chained to our desks, or driving to customers, we are inactive and our fat cells are more sensitive. This is a bad thing.
Simple sugars or unrefined carbohydrates cause massive amounts of insulin to be produced, an insulin spike if you like. When the fat cells are more sensitive, this is a bad thing.
That’s why it is advisable to have some simple carbs (and of course protein) after you train, because it’s the ONE time you want to have an insulin spike, the muscle cells are more responsive after training, remember?
Of course the other message is to reduce your carb intake when inactive.
However there are certain tricks of the trade that can help insulin sensitivity.
Ground Cinnamon
Take 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon before every meal. Cinnamon is one of those best kept secrets nobody knows about. It full of minerals and fibre and it controls insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Yep, this one of those ancient old wives tales that just happens to be true. No one quite knows why, but it definitely increases muscle insulin sensitivity.
Fish Oil Supplements
I have been touting these supplements for so long. The enormous benefits of fish oil supplementation have been documented in previous posts. They also help with insulin response. Just make sure they have at least 300mg of combined EPA/DHA. The best fish oil supplement in the world is Biotest's Flame Out. You can get them at Springbok Pharmacy.
Fibre
Take a proper fibre supplement. And no, not the crap in Special K or All Bran Flakes. A proper fibre supplement. Talk to your pharmacist. Fibre in the body slows down the digestive rate, which in turn helps slow down the insulin spike. Also eat lots of high fibre green veggies. Apples are good too. One a day in the morning, also works well.
Protein
And of course as you know from previous posts, protein also slows down insulin response, and you should be having protein with every meal anyway, because of it's obvious anabolic effect.
If you learn to manage insulin, you will mange body composition. It might mean eating certain foods at certain times that you are not used to, but boy, you gonna love the results.
Scientists say that as many as 80% of fat people have a problem with insulin sensitivity.
Insulin is one of the most misunderstood hormones in the body, but yet it is also one of the most important if ya wanna look good nekkid.
L Insulin is a two edged sword, it can be both friend and foe; it all depends on how you control it.
In a nutshell insulin sensitivity refers to body tissue and it’s response to insulin. If the tissue is insulin sensitive, it will respond easily to the insulin and a little insulin will do the job. If it is insulin resistant, you’ve got a problem because your insulin response will be poor.
Also some cells in the body will be more sensitive than others.
Why is this important?
It’s actually critical to body composition.
Insulin is the hormone that carries nutrients to the cells.
When you consume anything, the pancreas produces insulin, which carries the nutrients of what you have just digested, around the body. It kind of knocks on the doors of the cells and says”Open up guys, I got nutrients for you”
Now if the tissue is sensitive it will open up, no problem, if it’s resistant, it won’t.
If the fat cells (adipocytes) are more sensitive to the insulin than the muscle cells, guess which ones get larger?
Also if the fat cells have more doors to knock on, they gonna get more nutrients. This is a very bad thing.
A very good thing however, is that if the muscle cells have more doors, then they will get most of the nutrients. That’s why muscular, lean people generally stay that way, and fat people just get fatter and fatter.
The lean and muscular generally stay that way
So the bottom line is this, put on more muscle (more doors) and drop body fat percentage to become leaner (more sensitive) and you will never have a weight problem ever again. That’s why yo-yo diets and low calorie diets just cannot possibly work. They don’t do anything for insulin sensitivity; they in fact make it worse!! The result is 3 months later these people are fatter than ever.
I have always maintained that your post workout meal is the most important of the day, followed by breakfast. The reason is simple. For most people, the only time of the day when the muscle cells are more sensitive than the fat cells, is after a weight training session. You can eat practically anything and the muscles will just gobble it up. This is a good thing.
The best time to digest carbs is AFTER a weight training session
During the rest of the day when most of us are chained to our desks, or driving to customers, we are inactive and our fat cells are more sensitive. This is a bad thing.
Simple sugars or unrefined carbohydrates cause massive amounts of insulin to be produced, an insulin spike if you like. When the fat cells are more sensitive, this is a bad thing.
That’s why it is advisable to have some simple carbs (and of course protein) after you train, because it’s the ONE time you want to have an insulin spike, the muscle cells are more responsive after training, remember?
Of course the other message is to reduce your carb intake when inactive.
However there are certain tricks of the trade that can help insulin sensitivity.
Ground Cinnamon
Take 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon before every meal. Cinnamon is one of those best kept secrets nobody knows about. It full of minerals and fibre and it controls insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Yep, this one of those ancient old wives tales that just happens to be true. No one quite knows why, but it definitely increases muscle insulin sensitivity.
Fish Oil Supplements
I have been touting these supplements for so long. The enormous benefits of fish oil supplementation have been documented in previous posts. They also help with insulin response. Just make sure they have at least 300mg of combined EPA/DHA. The best fish oil supplement in the world is Biotest's Flame Out. You can get them at Springbok Pharmacy.
Fibre
Take a proper fibre supplement. And no, not the crap in Special K or All Bran Flakes. A proper fibre supplement. Talk to your pharmacist. Fibre in the body slows down the digestive rate, which in turn helps slow down the insulin spike. Also eat lots of high fibre green veggies. Apples are good too. One a day in the morning, also works well.
Protein
And of course as you know from previous posts, protein also slows down insulin response, and you should be having protein with every meal anyway, because of it's obvious anabolic effect.
If you learn to manage insulin, you will mange body composition. It might mean eating certain foods at certain times that you are not used to, but boy, you gonna love the results.