Are you one of those people who are struggling to shed weight despite following a textbook perfect fitness and health regime? According to Australian dietitian Susie Burrell who spoke to Daily Maul, there may be a clinical reason for it.
According to her, there is a surprisingly common hormonal issue that can explain why some people have such difficulty losing weight: insulin resistance.
She says that over time high levels of insulin in the bloodstream can cause insulin resistance which may explain why some people cannot seem to lose weight no matter what they eat or how much they exercise.
Susie explained that over time, numerous factors including a diet high in processed carbohydrates, an inactive lifestyle and genetics can lead to insulin becoming less efficient at processing the glucose that people consume in carbs like cereal, bread and fruit. She adds that when insulin is not working properly, the body is forced to produce more and more insulin to process the same amount of glucose that one consumes in food to fuel the muscles and the brain.
However, one of the negative effects of such is that when it comes to weight control is that the higher the amount of insulin that one has circulating in the body, the harder it becomes to burn body fat.
Worryingly, as insulin is the central regulator of both glucose and fat metabolism in the body, when it is not working, the basic energy balance equation when it comes to weight loss, calories in versus calories out simply does not hold true.
The signs include:
- Fatigue, as glucose is not being taken to the cells as efficiently as it should be.
- Sugar cravings, as insulin and glucose levels fluctuate widely during the day.'
- Fat deposits in body, as insulin likes to deposit fat around the abdominal area, which is why women (and men) with severe insulin resistance have a large belly.
