The fitness industry has exploded in the last decade with so many new and exciting trends taking off. From Crossfit to bare workouts. From online training to MMA inspired workouts, there has been a proliferation of choice for the fitness enthusiast to choose from.
On the nutrition front, there are interesting discoveries being made on nearly a daily basis.
As far as fat loss is concerned the basics are still the same, Calories in /Calories out, macronutrient balance and timing, etc. Nothing new there, but the big breakthroughs have been in our understanding of how our hormone balance affects how our bodies deal with fat, so perhaps we should take a look at what we now know and how it can help us fight the flab.
There are a few hormones that play a big role in controlling hunger, what our bodies do with fat, how we handle carbohydrates and even which part of the body we store the fat and the actual composition of the stored fat.
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas in response to raised blood sugar and is released into the bloodstream following a carbohydrate meal. You may have heard that insulin is the most anabolic hormone in the body, this is true and great news for those wishing to build muscle. But the problem for those wishing to lose fat is that those same anabolic (muscle building) properties have a powerful ability to prevent fat breakdown
What we need to understand is that unless we are engaged in regular bouts of strenuous exercise, long periods of mental focus or hard physical labour we are simply not built to consume many carbohydrates. And considering the increasingly sedentary nature of modern life, most of us consume way more carbohydrate-rich foods than we need.
And to make matters worse research tells us that Insulin sensitivity increases when you lose weight or decrease your body fat percentage. This means that not only do you have to reduce your carbohydrate intake if you wish to lose fat, but as your fat levels decrease your ability to handle carbs decreases as well, facilitating a need to reduce carbohydrate consumption even further if you want to continue getting results.
