Fat Loss as a Side Effect of Metabolic Healing
So many people are trying to lose weight and fight disease today, but what we’ve been told about weight loss isn’t always they whole truth. There’s a huge, underappreciated difference between fat loss and weight loss. People oftentimes overlook or don’t understand the importance of targeting one versus the other, and struggle with weight loss because of it. The key is evaluating your metabolism, understanding how to achieve fat loss, and healing and optimizing your metabolism.
Lets talk about a couple of things today that will bring some light to your struggles in weight loss. I know this subject is incredible frustrating and emotional for many of us, so bear with me. First, we have to delve in to a touch of history to understand where our food industry is now…
A Little History Lesson
There was a movement in the 90’s that labeled dietary fat as the primary reason for weight gain and heart disease. They then moved “low-fat” into the limelight and made it the gold standard for health. Fat was removed and refined carbs, sugars, and artificial sweeteners were inserted in huge droves.
Low fat yogurt, low-calorie cereals, and steamed veggies were all the rage in the weight loss world. Weight loss recommendations included minimizing dietary fat, eat a ton of grains and carbs, and restricting calories to the point of persistent hunger, fatigue, and frustration.
Dry, tasteless chicken, some brown rice, and steamed broccoli was a staple everywhere I looked. I watched my mom make every effort possible and follow every recommendation for weight loss to just end up frustrated and sad.
It wasn’t her fault. She did exactly what she was told. The problem was the guidance she was given.
At the SAME TIME, we now can correlate rapidly rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disease, and metabolic dysfunction.
What we now know is that removing dietary fat while increasing refined carbs creates massive blood-sugar instability and insulin dysregulation. These are two of the primary drivers of modern metabolic disease.
The Science of Blood Sugar
You might think blood sugar has to do with eating a cookie, feeling a sugar high, and then feeling a “crash”.
But, the science has proven so much more.
We were taught for so long that to avoid these crashes, we needed to eat 5-6 meals a day, staving off “blood sugar crashes.” I know that’s what I was taught when I first started off in my gym days! This thinking made sense on the surface, but it was having a massive, negative impact on the body’s organ called the pancreas.
The problem with this thinking is that the body began to store glucose and energy (because it was always there) instead of accessing stored fat for burning the metabolism.
The pancreas is the important organ that releases a hormone called insulin. The release of insulin is directly related to blood sugar levels in the bloodstream and is the communication hub between what we eat and how our bodies use it. When we eat carbs, they are broken down into glucose before entering the bloodstream. When the pancreas sees that blood sugar, it releases insulin to pull those sugars to areas where the body needs it.
The problems arise when the pancreas is forced to release insulin in LARGE, CONSTANT amounts, due to repeated consumption of refined carbs and sugars. Over time, the body’s cells become less responsive to the insulin’s signal ending up in “insulin resistance.” Unfortunately, that puts the pancreas into overdrive to release more and more insulin. This elevated insulin levels creates an internal, broken storage system that promotes FAT STORAGE, suppresses fat burning, increases INFLAMMATION, and DISRUPTS HORMONE PRODUCTION.
Insulin-Resistance Diseases
According to the CDC, over one in three Americans have pre-diabetes, BUT, 80% of those don’t know they have it.
- Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
- Obesity
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Cardiovascular Disease
- PCOS
- Cancer
- Kidney Disease
Lets look at how to fight these diseases at the root.
How to Achieve Fat Loss (& Fight Disease)
Here’s the straightforward breakdown that we practice and teach others. We love helping others to understand the key steps to achieving healing and success in restoring energy an want to share it with as many as we possibly can.
- Build every meal around protein and healthy fats.
- Pair carbs with protein, fiber, or fat.
- Choose low-glycemic carb sources like vegetables, berries, and minimally processed starches.
- Aim for 3 meals, avoiding grazing.
- Consider fasting a minimum of 12 hours between days (not eating from 7pm to 7am). Preferably, 14-16 hours. This allows the pancreas a true rest to rest and rebuild.
- Avoid liquid sugars and refined carbs.
With these techniques in place, your body will finally be able to access stored fat for energy, reduce chronic inflammation, improve hormone communication, support brain function and mood, and restore metabolic flexibility.