If eating less and moving more isn't working for you, check out my top tips for improving insulin & weight loss resistance. Pin this post for later here.
Are you struggling to lose weight? Maybe you’ve tried all the diets and yet nothing seems to be working. If you go on google and type in “how to lose weight” the most common answer you’re bound to get is just to eat less and move more.
But did you know that doesn’t always work? In fact, one of the most common reasons women can’t lose weight doesn’t have to do with how much they’re eating but instead - WHAT they’re eating.
If you feel like you’ve been eating less and less every week and working out like a maniac AND still not seeing results, then this post is for you! The truth is, in order to overcome weight loss resistance, we need to balance our blood sugar levels as well as double check that our insulin is in check.
If we have excess insulin in our bodies, over time our bodies can become insulin resistant and not properly burn food for energy. Drastic blood sugar fluctuations (with or without diagnosed blood sugar conditions) can also cause hormones to rise that cause our bodies to store fat.
Oftentimes, these are the two main culprits to not being able to lose weight. I suggest targeting the root issues that will allow your body to optimize fat losses. Here are my top suggestions to do this:
1. Discover Your Carb Tolerance
The definition of carb tolerance is simple: it’s basically how well your body tolerates carbs. The lower your carb tolerance is, the harder it will be for you to lose weight if you're eating them in excess. Finding out what range your carb tolerance lies in will help you determine how many total carbs you need per day. This will help keep your blood sugars balanced and keep you out of what I call the red zone (where fat storage or cravings happen!) I help women discover the right amount of carbs for their bodies
2. Use the Tone Up Trio
I’ve created a unique formula that stabilizes blood sugars. I used this approach myself to use myself to lose 20 pounds. This meal formula targets and lowers the hormones that cause your body to hand onto stubborn fat and causes high blood sugars. So make sure you're getting adequate protein, healthy fat and non-starchy veggies at each meal to help control hormonal hunger and allow for easier weight loss. By making sure we have protein and a healthy fat at each meal keeps up satiated and the non-starchy veggies adds in our micronutrients without spiking our blood sugars & insulin levels.
Some examples of non-starchy veggies include: broccoli, bell peppers, onions, cucumbers, celery, asparagus, etc. I
3. Move Your Body
Exercise is extremely important when it comes to weight loss. Not only that but exercising and getting some form of physical activity everyday keeps our heart healthy and is a great way to increase insulin sensitivity. Aerobic exercise is an amazing way to get the heart rate up and to get you up and moving. You can do this by going for a job, a brisk walk, using the elliptical, or going for a swim.
One of the best exercises in help with weight loss and insulin sensitivity is resistance training. This type of exercise includes exercising a certain muscle or muscle group against external resistance. Some examples can include lifting heavy weights or doing bodyweight training such as pushups and squats. By combining both resistance training and aerobic training, you can greatly increase your chances of overcoming insulin resistance.
Be careful not to overexercise or go too crazy with intensity as high intensity workouts cause our bodies to pump sugar into our blood causing the cycle to continue. SO keep things nice, slow and steady paced so that your body can properly use the sugar in your blood and become more insulin sensitive!
4. Get Adequate Sleep
A lack of sleep actually increases your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes and causes cortisol to rise (a stress & fat storing hormone), and that’s exactly what we want to avoid. Studies have also shown that poor sleep leads to greater insulin resistance which will make losing weight more difficult & increase your chances of getting prediabetes. The good news is that once you start catching up on sleep and getting at least 8 hours in a day, the negative effects on insulin resistance tend to reverse!
5. Reduce stress
In the world we live in today, we are constantly stressed. Many times we let stress get to us and this can harm our weight loss efforts. Stress has been shown to affect how your body regulates blood sugar and ongoing stress keeps stress hormones high which in the long term can make your body more insulin resistant.
Having a stress management routine and coping strategy is essential for overcoming stubborn weight. A couple ways to decrease stress levels can include incorporating meditation into your daily routine, journaling, taking a bubble bath or going for a walk.
If you’re ready to build healthy & sustainable habits to manage or prevent prediabetes & overcome insulin and weight loss resistance, click here to learn more about my 12-Week Holistic Hormone & Metabolism Reset Mastermind!
Comment below one goal you’re going to work on to start reaching your goals in a more sustainable way!
