Fat Burning vs Fat Storing: The Role of Insulin in Fat Loss

by Sara Banta | Jul 20, 2016 | Articles, Keto, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Remember the Fat-Free Snack Well Cookies? Fat-Free Pretzels and Frozen Yogurt? Those were the “Free Foods” we could have at anytime. Good thing because they made me so hungry that I wanted them ALL day long!

And, there was no relation between eating those foods and feeling good. In fact, if I didn’t eat them all day long, I became impatient and HANGRY. Why?

After hours and hours of research, I realized it came down to a very simple equation.

Nothing complicated. Ready? Here it is:

  • When your body is releasing Insulin, you are STORING FAT, your Energy will “Bonk” and you will need more food/fuel soon.
  • When your body is NOT releasing Insulin, you are BURNING FAT as Energy and you have a steady stream of Energy, without the Cravings.

 

That’s it. DONE. Really.

 

Ok, here’s a little more detail…

When are you releasing Insulin?

When you are eating CARBS, SUGAR, and even PROTEIN (but to a lesser extent).

When are you NOT releasing Insulin?

When you are FASTING or not eating, and when you are eating healthy FATS. Yes, eating Healthy FATS, have now become the “free food” as some would call it.

 

Insulin: The Game Changer

Here is a list of some foods in order of the amount of Insulin that is released when eaten, from least to most:

  • 2% Butter
  • 3% Olives/Olive Oil
  • 3% Coconut Oil
  • 3% Flax Oil
  • 4% Heavy Cream
  • 5% Pecans
  • 5% Macadamia Nuts
  • 6% Avocado
  • 7% Coconut Meat
  • 9% Walnuts
  • 11% Peanut Butter
  • 12% Cod Fish
  • 14% Almonds
  • 15% Cheddar Cheese
  • 15% Egg YOLK
  • 19% Pistachios
  • 21% Whole Egg
  • 23% Chicken and Turkey
  • 25% Low fat Cream Cheese
  • 29% Pasta
  • 40% Whole Milk
  • 55% Egg White
  • 61% Chips
  • 62% Brown Rice
  • 75% Apple
  • 81% Fat free Pretzel
  • 84% Banana
  • 87% Crackers
  • 96% Whole Wheat Bread
  • 100% White Bread
  • 115% Sweetened Yogurt
  • 121% Potatoes
  • 160% Jelly Beans – the WORST!!!

Is this not the exact OPPOSITE of what we were taught?

Unfortunately the U.S. Food Pyramid was based on bad research at best.

Reset Your Thinking About Food.

We are constantly told that we need to eat continuously to keep our blood sugar stable, so we don’t “bonk.” We actually need to focus on INSULIN, and not blood sugar. When Insulin is present, and it is only present when you eat food (mostly sugar and carbs), your body stores fat. When Insulin is not present, you burn fat. Simple equation.

When you eat sugar, gluten, carbs, you release the most amount of insulin. When you eat protein, you release less. When you eat fat, you release the least amount. When you fast, you don’t release any. The body doesn’t store fat when insulin is not released. Therefore…You don’t store fat when you are either not eating or eating mostly fat and in a “ketogenic state.”

If you take two people, feed them the same amount of food, and inject one person with insulin, that person would gain fat and the other wouldn’t.

How many times have you been told you need to eat breakfast right when you wake up and follow that by eating every three hours to keep your blood sugar stable?

When you wake up, and eat carbs, you’re shocking the system with a sugar spike and releasing insulin — the roller coaster begins. Your blood sugar goes up and then down… You are starving again within an hour or two, and the headache will set in if you don’t eat soon. You are constantly thinking about your next meal — where is it, what is it? And the cycle continues. Think about all the time you would have if you weren’t obsessed with thinking about food.

If you waited to eat breakfast until a little later and replaced your breakfast with a Keto Shake, you would be relieved of those thoughts of food, have amazing energy, and be much more productive (and pleasant to be around!).

A Low Carb Diet with KETO included will give your body’s Digestive System time to rest and “heal,” Promote Anti-Aging, Improve Energy, Trigger Fat Burning, Reduce the risks of Heart Disease, and Normalizes Blood Sugar. I am not saying to eat less calories throughout the day, but just to switch those calories to a Low Carb/ Higher Fat/ Moderate Protein ratio, and eat within a shorter period of time.

This is called Intermittent Fasting.

Beyond the Fat burning and Weight Control Benefits of eating a Low Carb/ High Fat diet (LCHF), this eating pattern helps turn off the BAD Genes in your body, and turn on the Good ones.

Ever heard of “GENE EXPRESSION?”

It is referring to the fact that some of our Genes can be turned on or off through our lifestyle and environment.  We aren’t destined to have certain diseases!!! LCHF also reduces Inflammation throughout the body, which is the cause of most diseases.

Furthermore, it starves Candida, Bacteria and all the other critters in your body.

Only 3 percent of diseases are not preventable; 97 percent of Diseases are PREVENTABLE! A Ketogenic Diet, which is Low Carb, Moderate Protein, and High Fat, helps prevent disease.

John Bergman explains this further HERE.

Just by Changing the FOODS I Eat, and Not Lowering my Calories, will I see Benefits?

Eating a High Fat, Low Carb diet is really not realistic for most. That is why you haven’t heard about many people doing it until recently. The KETO helps you cheat! It puts you into that state of Ketosis within 30 minutes without experiencing the Detox symptoms from coming off a High Carb diet which usually entails Headaches, low Energy, being HANGRY.

You feel great from DAY ONE!

Benefits of Ketogenic Diet with the Help of KETO:

  • Helps promote Insulin Sensitivity – Insulin Resistance or poor insulin sensitivity contributes to nearly all chronic diseases. It is actually too much insulin floating throughout the body that causes Weight Gain, Hormonal Imbalances, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and speeds up Aging.
  • Normalizes your “Hunger Hormone” and Suppresses your Appetite.
  • Increases the rate of HGH production, which slows the Aging process.
  • Lowers Triglyceride levels and the risk of Heart Disease.
  • Helps suppress Inflammation and fight Free Radical damage, which reduces the need for Anti-Oxidants.
  • Retains Muscle Mass while Burning Fat. No more need for Protein shakes!
  • Reverses Type II Diabetes and Insulin Resistance quickly.
  • Switches your body into Fat Burning mode, especially with the help of KETO.

What Does a Ketogenic Day Look Like?

Sample KETO Day of Eating:

  • Wake up and have your coffee or tea if you usually do.
  • When you get hungry, take your KETO. Try to hold off to eat until your hunger truly sets in.
  • Eat your first meal between 11am-2pm — but not until you are hungry. Omelet with avocado and veggies, or a large salad with wild meat or fish, nuts, olive oil based dressing.
  • If you need a snack, reach for, healthy fats, protein, veggies.
  • Have a low carb dinner; saturated fats are fine — like fatty fish, lamb, bison, deer, or elk, cooked with butter or coconut oil, and veggies.  If you are used to having a cocktail, make a “virgin MOJITO” to stop the cravings.
  • Don’t eat past 7-8pm
  • If you have trouble sleeping, try a half dose of KETO (caffeine-free version) an hour before bedtime.

What NOT To Do:

  • Make sure you avoid the wrong calories, including refined carbohydrates (pasta, pizza, bread, etc), sugar/fructose, and grains. Your body will quickly become depleted of vitamins and minerals. Fill your diet with green vegetables, healthy protein, and healthy fats such as butter, eggs, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, and raw nuts, and of course, KETO.
  • What about alcohol? Well, if you are trying to lose weight, those calories make weight loss impossible, with or without KETO…
  • Don’t try this if you have TYPE I Diabetes or pregnant without the care of your physician.

Because ALCOHOL is always a big question…. Why can’t the body lose weight when I drink alcohol, with or without KETO?

The Trifecta of Alcohol

  1. Fat is metabolized in the Liver. Alcohol is metabolized in the Liver. When the body is focused on breaking down alcohol, it stops fat burning.
  2. The alcohol calories get stored directly as fat — no chance to burn them up!
  3. It lowers your inhibitions and you reach for that chip basket when you normally wouldn’t.

Finding out what schedule works for you may take some trial and error.

Sara Banta
Accelerated Health Products | + posts

Sara Banta is a Stanford University Graduate with a Degree in Economics and Psychology, and a certified Natural Supplement Expert & Graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sara is the Founder of Accelerated Health Products and host of the health & wellness podcast, Accelerated Health Radio.

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Hi, I’m Sara Banta!
I’m a certified natural supplement expert, podcaster, Health Coach, and natural wellness expert. Each week I publish articles on the latest in cutting-edge health supplements and natural health solutions. I also interview leading experts across a wide range of health topics to transform your body, mind & spirit. I’m also the Founder of Accelerated Health Products. Join my mailing list and receive 10% off your first order.

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