People who eat less food in the hope of losing weight don't always get the results they want because the most important aspect of losing weight is eating the right foods. For example, foods with a high glycemic index promote weight gain by stimulating the secretion of the “fat storage” hormone. insulin. Low glycemic foods, on the other hand, help maintain stable blood sugar levels, but this is not enough for weight loss. The fact is that in order to activate the fat burning process, we need the so-called fat-burning hormone – glucagon. To get rid of fat, you need to understand how these two hormones interact and how you can stimulate the production of glucagon for weight loss.
Insulin and glucagon – in the fight against body fat
Both insulin and glucagon are secreted by the pancreas, but this is the only similarity between them. In fact, these two hormones are antagonists, i.e. when the level of one of them increases, the level of the other decreases. Insulin and glucagon also perform opposite functions.
Insulin – fat storage hormone
Insulin's job is to lower blood sugar levels by storing glucose as an energy source in the muscles and liver. When glucose circulates in the blood, insulin blocks the body's fat stores. Why burn fat if your blood is full of another source of energy – glucose? In addition, it is insulin that causes excess glucose to be stored as fat.
Insulin promotes the accumulation of fat and prevents its burning. Glucagon is responsible for breaking down fat and using it for energy.
Glucagon – fat burning hormone
Glucagon can cause blood sugar levels to rise by converting glycerol in fat cells into glucose for energy. Glucagon also instructs adipocytes to release free fatty acids (a process called lipolysis). It is glucagon that tells the body to use fat stores for energy.
Next we will look at:
- how glucagon promotes weight loss;
- how to stimulate the production of glucagon.
Read also: Fat deposits – result of imbalance of insulin and glucagon
How to use glucagon to activate the fat burning process?
If you want your body to use body fat for energy (thanks to glucagon), the first step is to get insulin and blood sugar levels under control. The fact is that between burning sugar and fat, the body, as a rule, chooses sugar. And the more carbohydrates you have in your diet, the higher your blood sugar levels, and the higher your insulin levels.
Insulin stimulates fat storage by burning sugar.
Because your body is used to burning sugar for energy, the absence of glucose in the blood is perceived as a lack of energy. Therefore, you begin to pull on harmful and carbohydrate-rich foods. Fluctuations in blood sugar lead to mood swings, fatigue, and increased cravings for high-carbohydrate foods. How to deal with it?
How to stimulate the production of glucagon to lose weight?
The first thing you need to stimulate the production of glucagon – reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the diet and opt for foods with a low glycemic index. Also an important step towards increasing the production of glucagon is eating food with high protein content.
The block directly stimulates the production of glucagon and sends a signal to the body that it has enough food, and therefore it can burn excess fat. Protein also makes you feel full for longer, so you eat fewer calories.
The following are sources of protein that should be included in the diet:
- lean meat;
- seafood;
- bird;
- chicken eggs;
- milk.
The plan for healthy weight loss is simple: eat plenty of protein and healthy fats. And the carbohydrates you choose should be characterized by a low glycemic index and high fiber content. By balancing your diet, you can put your hormones into fat-burning mode.
See also: Losing 4 to 8kg in a Week: The Mayo Clinic Diet
Over time, you will notice that you will need to eat less to be full, and cravings for sweet and unhealthy foods will gradually fade away. To balance insulin and glucagon levels, you need to balance your diet – and you can enjoy the result. And to speed up fat burning, choose the exercise plan that suits you.
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