Coutinho says there are loads of people moving from one diet to another. And yet they are struggling to lose weight.
HealthEdited by NDTV Health DeskUpdated: November 18, 2021, 2:53 pm IST
Given the new work culture of working from home, many people have put on weight that they are now finding it difficult to lose. People have resorted to dieting and tricks to burn fat but not all of them have been successful. So what is the key to burn fat – belly fat or abdominal fat? Is there a way to metabolise fat? Or can you punish fat with exercise? If you are grappling with these questions, then holistic lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho has some answers. In a new video on Instagram, he has offered a “little secret” about fats.
Coutinho says there are loads of people moving from one diet to another diet – from keto to low-carb to high-protein and from vegan to intermittent fasting. People are constantly chasing a way to burn fat. And, yet they are struggling to lose weight.
The coach adds tools like these may work for some but not everyone. The key, according to Coutinho, is to understand how the body burns fat and which hormone, a particular hormone, can greatly boost your success in losing weight.
“I’m talking about insulin,” says Coutinho. When people hear of insulin, they immediately think of Type and 1 and 2 Diabetes. But it is more than that. Insulin has the job of reducing blood sugar levels. This hormone knocks on the doors of cells to open up and take the glucose out of the blood and use that as energy. But if the insulin levels are higher or if the body is insulin resistant, then these cells ignore the communication and don’t open the doors, leaving the blood sugar levels high. So the insulin level has to be maintained – not high or low.
How do you maintain that level? Coutinho says to do this:
1. Do not eat all the time. Eat when you are truly hungry.
2. Eat foods that have low glycemic index and are high in fibre.
3. Late-night and carb-heavy meals are a recipe for disaster. This will cause insulin levels to remain high all through the night. If you must have meals late at night, keep it to a minimum.
4. Make your plate heavy on protein but less on carbohydrates. Eat more vegetables.
5. Exercise in the morning but remain active all through the day. After every meal, walk for 10 minutes.
6. Improve your sleeping habits and reduce your stress levels. If you are sleep-deprived or stressed, you will crave food rich in sugar and carbs.
our journey towards burning fat and better health can begin once you understand how to maintain normal levels of insulin, asserts the lifestyle coach.
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