How Blood Sugar levels can make or break you
posted in Home |The truth behind Blood Sugar
I know what you’re thinking:
- Why do my daily blood sugar levels relate to my weight gain; Sugar isn’t fat, and that’s what I should be worried about, isn’t it?
- Why do I have to control my blood sugar levels throughout the day; as long as my total intake isn’t too high I should be fine right?
- How does maintaining my blood sugar levels through diet and exercise stop the storage of fat?
In this article we will answer all of the above questions and give you a greater understanding of why maintaining a constant blood sugar level will help you control your appetite, energy levels and weight.
When we have a meal our body immediately begins digestion to convert our food into blood sugar (glucose), our main source of energy. Our blood sugar levels can affect how hungry and how energetic we are feeling. Both of these are critical factors when we are trying to watch what we eat and how we exercise. They also determine whether we burn fat or store it.
After a meal our blood sugar rises; this in turn causes an increase in the release of the hormone insulin.
If this release of insulin is too high our body is told that there is plenty of energy available, and that we should start storing some of it, in the form of fat.
This large insulin spike can also cause too much sugar to be drawn out of the blood; causing below normal blood sugar levels and consequently a rise in hunger and drop in energy levels. Naturally then we eat again, restarting the cycle.
So what can we do to control these levels of sugar in our blood? There are two main methods; diet and exercise.
Diet:
To control our blood sugar we must eat foods that take longer to digest, and therefore release sugar into our blood stream more gradually. This gradual release stops blood sugar and insulin spikes, resulting in maintained energy levels and control of hunger.
Foods that take longer to digest are referred to as being ‘Low G.I.’. Some examples of Low G.I. foods include:
1. Wholegrain Breads.
2. Fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes).
3. Basmati Rice
4. Pasta and Noodles
Exercise:
The human body is powered by muscles; which use two main fuel sources; sugar (glucose) and fat, to produce energy during exercise.
During exercise muscles use sugar from many sources including; sugar from the bloodstream, liver and fats. To put it simply exercise helps control blood sugar levels by promoting the transfer of sugar from the bloodstream into the muscles, where it belongs.
In addition to this, exercise also increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin; making it easier for the body to transfer sugar into the cells, hence lowering blood sugar levels.
As you can see from above, by maintaining a constant blood sugar level; through simply making small changes to your diet and adding some exercise to your daily routine you can greatly reduce you fat storage, and control your hunger, energy levels and weight. So swap that ‘Mars Bar’ for some multigrain, and substitute that T.V. with the treadmill and before you know it you’ll be well on your way to reaching you health and fitness goals.