burn fat), while too much food over a long period of time will result in ‘leptin resistance’ wherein satiety signals from leptin never make it to the brain’s receptors resulting in the obesity cycle of consistent overeating and fat storage. Leptin resistance comes from overeating, so portion control and meal frequency are the key to control its output. Quality ‘clean’ foods, those that have been farmed, fished, gathered or plucked, should be the foundation of a good nutrition plan. I always encourage people to shop at the markets instead of the supermarket and stick to foods that need to be weighed as opposed to scanned with barcodes. These foods, organic vegetables in particular, are always much lower in caloric density than take away and processed options, full of essential micronutrients as well as fibre and protein for sateity. Insulin, the foundation of overall hormone optimisation, is the final and probably best understood piece in the hormonal puzzle. Insulin is our bodies ‘Uber’ service, shuttling nutrients to our bodies cells for storage. Without adequate insulin, our cells would literally starve and our bodies die (which is why a Type-1 diabetic needs to self administer insulin). On the other hand, too much insulin production (due to insulin resistance) leads to Type-2 diabetes and cellular degeneration. Excess insulin production resulting from dietary carbohydrates increases body fat, which in turn compromises sex hormone production and your metabolism. Insulin is anabolic in nature, meaning that any time there is insulin being released your body is storing nutrients (or ‘growing’), which is great when muscles are recovering and amino acids (proteins) are being shuttled into them, but not so good the majority of the time when free fatty acids (fats) are trying to find a new home to rest! When you have insulin resistance, you require a much higher insulin response to get calories into the liver and muscles while the rest is stored as fat. To ensure insulin levels stay within an optimal range it’s important to monitor your carbohydrate and in particular your sugar intake. You should also always try to take in protein (and to a lesser degree fats) when consuming carbohydrate as well as stick to low-glycemic, high fibre sources. A good rule of thumb is to fill your plate with two thirds non-starchy vegetables and a quality protein (fish, tofu, tempeh, chicken, red meat, eggs) for the other third. Like many things in life, the concept of bio-individuality says we are all unique and therefore there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You must create an optimal hormone balance that is right for you. And the best way to achieve this is to build sustainable healthy habits, start with daily exercise (preferably including strength training at least twice a week), then a healthy (and realistic) meal plan loaded with vegetables and organic proteins, then you need to look at your lifestyle, how you manage stress and the environmental toxins you’re absorbing, and finally any micronutrient deficiencies and the appropriate supplements, herbs or food sources to repair them. Mention this article and receive x1 complimentary strategy session to get started with a training and nutrition program.
Hamish Evans 0402 117 138 | hevans@f45camberwelljunction.com.au
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