Metabolism is the engine that keeps your body running. Every time you eat food, it is converted into energy that your body needs to function. How efficiently your body uses and stores this energy is crucial to your weight and health.
Some people have a fast metabolism and can burn energy (calories) more efficiently, while others have a slower metabolism and store more energy as fat. But regardless of your natural metabolism, the quality and quantity of what you eat plays a big role in how your body uses energy.
Insulin: The hormone that controls fat burning
One of the most important factors in how your metabolism works is the hormone insulin . Insulin helps cells take up sugar (glucose) from the blood and use it for energy. Every time you eat, especially foods high in carbohydrates, your blood sugar rises and your body releases insulin.
But insulin does more than just regulate blood sugar—it’s also a fat-storing hormone . When insulin is high, it signals the body to store fat and prevents fat burning. That’s why many people who eat a lot of sugar and fast carbohydrates can have a hard time losing weight, even if they reduce their calorie intake. As long as insulin is high, the body has a hard time breaking down and burning fat.
When insulin resistance develops
If you regularly eat a diet that raises your blood sugar—think processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates—your body constantly has to produce more insulin to keep up. Over time, your cells can become less sensitive to insulin, meaning your body has to produce even more insulin to handle the same amount of sugar. This is called insulin resistance .
Insulin resistance is a gradual process. It can take years to develop, and it often starts with weight gain, especially around the stomach. When the body is insulin resistant, it stores more and more fat, while blocking fat burning. This is a precursor to type 2 diabetes and can also lead to other health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and fatty liver.
You can see how you are doing with a simple blood test by measuring your long-term blood sugar (HbA1c). This can be done with a home test or at a health center or other testing site and only costs a few hundred Swedish kronor. A value above 42 mmol/L indicates that you have prediabetes, which is a sign that you have been insulin resistant for a long time, and that you need to change your lifestyle to reverse the development.
How do you feel when you are insulin resistant?
Insulin resistance not only affects weight but also how we feel in everyday life. Common symptoms of insulin resistance include:
• Severe fatigue after meals , especially after eating carbohydrate-rich foods.
• Feelings of hunger between meals , often with cravings for sugar or fast carbohydrates.
• Weight gain , especially around the waist, which can be difficult to get rid of.
• Brain fog and difficulty focusing.
• Mood swings and sometimes a feeling of depression or anxiety.
• High blood pressure and often elevated cholesterol levels.
These symptoms can make it difficult to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle, and many feel stuck in a vicious cycle of fatigue, weight gain, and cravings for unhealthy foods.
How can you turn things around?
The good news is that you can influence your metabolism and insulin resistance by making conscious changes to your diet. Research shows that a diet rich in protein, natural fats, and limited amounts of high-fiber carbohydrates is one of the most effective ways to restore balance.
• Protein keeps you fuller longer and supports muscle growth, which helps your body burn more calories, even at rest.
• Fiber-rich carbohydrates (such as vegetables and legumes) stabilize blood sugar levels and help keep insulin low.
• Natural fats from avocado, olive oil and nuts support your hormonal health and provide long-lasting energy without raising blood sugar.
By cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates and focusing instead on real foods that provide long-lasting satiety and stable blood sugar levels, you can help your body start burning fat again. And since fat burning is dependent on low insulin levels, this is key to losing weight and improving your health in the long term.
Are you ready to take control of your health?
If you recognize yourself in the symptoms of insulin resistance or just want to learn more about how you can turn things around and get your metabolism working for you, help is available. We offer a free consultation where we can talk about your unique goals and needs. We'll walk you through how you can make changes to your diet and lifestyle to balance your insulin and improve your health. Go to the individual coaching tab and select "Book a free consultation."
//John
