Is Eating Less What’s Keeping You Fat?
Chronically eating less could be exactly what’s keeping you fat.
Excuse me? What did she just say?!
Yes, you heard me correctly. Eating less – in the form of multiple small meals per day, or grazing throughout your day – can make you fat. I’m talking, even eating as little as 500 calories per day and still gaining weight in the form of FAT!
{gasp!}
How on earth this could happen?
Insulin. (The storage hormone.)
You can lower your overall caloric intake each day, and you can eat healthier foods (ie. more veggies, whole foods, skip the fast food & junk food, go keto, paleo, primal, or whatever else floats your boat), BUT, if you’re simultaneously increasing insulin, you will STILL pack on the extra weight and inches in the form of BODY FAT!
Not fair!
You can’t exercise your way out of this. There’s no magic pill, potion, or lotion… no supplements, cleanses or slap-a-patch-on-your-arm nutrition that will prevent it or stop it. Never skipping breakfast and eating several small meals every day to “keep your metabolism up” or “your blood sugar stable” will not help one bit.
“WAIT A MINUTE, LADY!!! I don’t even inject INSULIN! What does this have to do with ME??”
Well, WHAT you’re eating, WHEN you’re eating (how often), and your overall lifestyle (exercise, stress, sleep) may actually be creating what is known as insulin resistance. Even without insulin injections, you could be maintaining chronically high levels of insulin in your system, day after day.
High insulin means high storage. As long as your insulin is high, your body is getting the signal to hang onto that fat! It’s HORMONAL!
Want to lose those extra pounds and inches? You can eat less while on your “diet”, exercise ’til you’re blue in the face, count calories all day long… but as long as insulin is overlooked, we’ve got a problem.
Instead, shift your focus to eating LESS OFTEN and eating insulin “friendly” foods.
Every single time we eat, our body responds with a rise in insulin. (That’s where the notion of eating several small meals per day, or grazing can get us into trouble. Insulin levels never get the chance to recover.) The more “sugary” the foods, the more dramatic the insulin response. So, with some reverse engineering, we can deduct that two things will help resolve this:
- eat less often so the increase insulin response is happening less frequently each day
- eat foods that are less sugary – ie. eat healthy sources of high fats, moderate amounts of protein (quality sources), and low carb
You don’t have to count calories, or fret about having to eat less, necessarily. Many people would be better off eating some bigger meals than what they’ve been eating, but eating those meals less often. Call it intermittent fasting… or call it eating less often. Whatever makes it click for you!
You certainly don’t need to avoid fat! When your sources of fat are healthy and non-toxic, they will actually help you improve your weight loss efforts AND improve every other facet of your health in the process!
As far as exercise goes, working out more is not the answer… unless you currently do nothing to move your body. Working out smarter is the goal! We’re not working out for the purpose of burning calories – we’re doing it for the hormonal impact. That’s where the transformation takes place. As such, we can accomplish more in 10-20 minutes of high intensity exercise than in hours of old-school, steady state aerobic activity. (Mind you, that old school cardio stuff is fantastic for stress reduction… which is also key.)
Look at it this way: You will not get healthy as a result of losing weight. You will lose weight as a result of getting healthy!
It’s time to stop counting calories… eat less often… add more healthy fats… eat an insulin-friendly diet… and live an insulin-friendly lifestyle that includes strategic exercise, effectively managing stress, and improving the quality of our sleep!
Dr. Colleen Trombley-VanHoogstraat (“Dr Mom Online”) is a popular personality in Natural Health & Wellness and is in her 24th year of active practice in Michigan, along with her husband Dr. Marc VanHoogstraat. She’s also the proud mom of two rather fabulous kiddos that she currently home schools. Her unique perspective of the science of Wellness provides predictable solutions and transformational results for those struggling with chronic health issues, as well as those seeking lifelong health. To discover her simple strategies for creating better health through nutrition, movement, mindset, cellular detoxification, and metabolic re-setting, jump on board as a regular reader of Dr Mom Online when you plug in your name and email address.
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