As London Personal Trainers, our success and satisfaction comes from the transformations we help our clients to achieve. This is less about vanity than in producing a visible increase in health, longevity and confidence. This is the change that I aspire to bring about with every one of my clients. However, there is only so much we can do within the limits of the 3 to 4 hours per week we have with you. No more so than with the nutritional choices you make for the 164 hours+ when you are away from our guiding hand. It may seem such an obvious statement – that good nutrition is essential to effective fat loss – but the reasons are perhaps more subtle than people realise.
“Insulin” is the word
As we often stress in our BioSignature Modulation consultations, the important of controlling Insulin production cannot be understated. It is the hormone responsible for fat storage and the only one over which we have complete control. Insulin is an anabolic hormone which gets released from the pancreas in response to elevated blood sugar levels. Whereas protein can have a small effect, the only foods which raise blood sugar are carbohydrates. Ingested fats have no impact whatsoever. It is important to think twice before deviating even slightly from a well-designed nutrition plan, and the reasons for this become clearer when you consider some of the ways in which Insulin inhibits fat loss.
The Body’s Storage Manager
Insulin is a ‘storage’ hormone which directs not only the storage of sugar but also that of fats and magnesium too. Elevated Insulin levels prompt increased fat storage but will also increase feelings of low energy by reducing the amount of magnesium in circulation. Magnesium is important for the production and transport of ATP, or Adenosine Tri Phosphate. ATP is the body’s energy molecule. It also increases the production of Liporotein Lipase, which is used to break down fat (triglycerides) in the bloodstream for storage in fat cells.
Fat For Fuel
Insulin inhibits Carnitine which is needed to escort fat from the adiposites (fat cells) to the mitochondria. These little organelles are the tiny power houses located in every cell. They produce ATP by a process known as the Kreb, or citric acid, cycle and the electron transport chain. Simply put, high insulin prevents fat from being used as an energy source.
That Bloated Feeling
High Insulin prompts the kidneys to hold onto sodium, causing the retention of water. This increased retention adds to any bloated appearance whilst raising blood pressure due to increased blood volume. Blood pressure is further raised by Insulin’s effect on the adrenal glands – releasing cortisol and adrenaline.
Conclusion
The importance of controlling your blood sugar and its associated effect on Insulin production can be easily seen. Our job as personal trainers is to get you maximum results, and hormonal balance is a significant element in the overall formula for positive achievement. The fundamentals remain: train hard, eat well, sleep right and think positively. Remembering that the nutritional component is completely controlled by you – with advice from your trainer – and making the right food choices will rapidly increase the level of your achievement.
A good personal trainer can guide you; not only through the science of nutrition, but also with supplements and menu advice in order to make an effective nutritional plan geared towards results.
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