In the lottery of health there really is only one winner. The person whose body can efficiently utilize all carbohydrates and simple sugars has won something great that they probably take for granted. For it is the efficient use of all sugars consumed that defines how healthy a person is. It is a theory, but most systemic illnesses, diseases, and disorders can be determined by how well someone’s body utilizes the sugar consumed. Assuming you’re one of the unlucky ones (why else would you Google search this?) let’s get strategizing and put yourself on the right path for good health and low body fat. After all, it’s almost bathing suit season!
Understand The Problem
We touched on this subject a little while ago (link) read through this and get acquainted with the theory. It’s sad but there really is only one approach to this: If your insulin is at all desensitized, you need to treat your diet as if you have diabetes.
Calibrate Your Sensitivity
Of course there is a spectrum to this plan. You can check exactly how sensitive you are to sugar by consuming something high in simple sugar an hour before bed. If in about 30 minutes you feel energy, that’s a good sign; if you feel tired, that’s a bad sign. If you’re hot at night while you’re trying to sleep, that’s a bad sign. Or, depending on your body fat percentage (less than 12% or so) you may appear softer the next morning (especially around the midsection); if so, that’s a bad sign. Of course by bad sign we mean how strict you need to be with your diet.
Adapt To Change
Now for the good news: a proper strategy, mixed with discipline and consistency, you can simulate being one of the lucky ones! Trust me, my family has a history of diabetes so it was something worth investigating and have been able to maintain a sub 15% body fat percentage as a result. The first piece of advice I would give you is if you experience all of the “bad signs” avoid sugar as much as possible. If you experience some of them, try reducing your amount per serving to about 10 grams; this also depends on your weight loss goals. I know it’s easier said than done, but if you could start to wean yourself off from sugar you will notice a difference in your health, both how you feel and look. Yes, this will require a complete overhaul with your diet, but as you become more comfortable with the dieting you will realize how useless foods like candy and soda are. The second piece of advice is not to jump too fast into this diet, which usually results in binging and the yo-yo dieting that you may have heard of. The best practice is to cut down to using foods that have only about 6 grams of sugar per serving (and stick to the serving size).
Exception To The Rule
After all of this discussion regarding the importance of removing sugar completely from your diet, of course there would be a “but”. If you HAVE to consume something that is high in sugar: candy, soda, etc. do it right after your workout. This concept is based on cortisol levels in the blood immediately after a stressful event (like working out). Cortsiol actually promotes body fat development, and insulin reduces cortisol (link). Remember that your body stores fat under different conditions, but for the most part it’s stored under stress. These stresses can include (fear, starvation, and even exercising). So keep stress levels down, it’s good for your body and good for your soul!
So to recap:
- Check how sensitive you are to sugar.
- Reduce consumption based on that sensitivity.
- Wean off from simple sugar.
- Consume sugar as a post workout.
If your insulin is at all desensitized, you need to treat your diet as if you have diabetes.
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