Insulin & Weight Loss

Does insulin prevent fat loss? Or does insulin cause fat gain? Or neither?

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First, let's talk about what insulin is. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use glucose (sugar) from carbohydrates in the foods you eat for energy or to store that glucose/sugar/energy for future use. Insulin helps keep your blood sugar level from getting too high or too low.

Insulin is what is often blamed for fat gain, and anyone trying to sell you a Keto plan will tell you it puts your body in "fat storage mode".

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It is very important that you understand that your body wants to stay in homeostasis. So just because you spike your insulin at one point and suppress the fat burning, doesn't mean that it won't drop, at which point you will burn that fat. See, your body is constantly changing all day, that is why it matters so much how many calories you eat. At the end of the day, what matters is, calories in vs calories out. If you consume less calories than you expend, then you are going to lose MORE fat when insulin is low, than the fat you will store when insulin is high.

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You don't need a special diet, what matters is that you are eating a caloric deficit. If you are gaining fat, it's because you are eating too much. So, stay in a calorie deficit, eat plenty of protein, and eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Oh, and of course the occasional treat.

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REMINDER: There is a such thing as eating NOT ENOUGH. But I'll let you hit this link here if you want to read about that.