Does Insulin Resistance Cause Weight Gain?

For people who take insulin, obesity is a common side effect. Insulin is a hormone that controls the assimilation of glucose into the cells. In a diabetes management plan, keeping an eye on your weight is essential. Insulin weight gain can be frustrating at times, as taking in insulin can result in weight gain for you. But the bright side is, it is certainly possible for one to maintain a healthy weight while consuming insulin. Check this website for more info.

What is insulin, and what role does it play in the human body?

Insulin is known as a hormone that is secreted by the pancreas. Once you have finished eating, insulin will be released by the pancreas to transport the glucose obtained from food into the cells in the form of energy.

However, when there is more than a regular amount of glucose in your blood, this metabolism changes. In place of breaking down the fats for energy, your body begins to store and fix up the excess amount of glucose to be stored as fat and for future use.

Insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance

Insulin sensitivity is a term referred to as the response of the human body to insulin. Your body is working adequately when you are sensitive to insulin.

On the other hand, insulin resistance is caused by the incorrect use of insulin. Instead of entering your cells, glucose is converted by your body into fat for later use. This causes the glucose to be stored up as fat instead of being used up as energy. Unfortunately, the stored fat prevents you from keeping a healthy weight and results in obesity.

Weight gain due to insulin resistance

Another thing about insulin is that it plays a primary role in breaking down proteins and fats, other than regulating glucose levels. When indigestion, insulin triggers the fat cells, muscles and liver cells to take up glucose for energy. When your body finds out that there is more glucose than is needed, it will turn the excess sugars into fats to be used in the future. Thus, eating more calories than your body requires can result in weight gain and storage of extra fat, mainly in the abdominal region.

Individuals with diabetes are more likely to suffer from weight gain than other people. The World Health Organization proclaims that about ninety per cent of type 2 diabetic patients suffer from obesity and weight gain. A diabetic patient should go along with a diabetic-friendly diet or use insulin therapy to help lose weight and reduce insulin levels in the body.

Some essential tips to prevent weight gain

People who have insulin resistance might face problems in keeping their weight in check. Most of them try to control their carbohydrate consumption to prevent excess glucose from being turned into fat. This does seem like a logical action, but you should also watch over how many calories you take in.

One should try to keep a food journal and measure their helping beforehand to prevent obesity. Don’t forget to exercise regularly to keep yourself fit and healthy. Exercising helps to manage insulin resistance too. To add to it, exercise helps you to control glucose levels and burn calories.

Studies have proven that strictly following an efficient exercise plan benefits people with insulin resistance and type two diabetes.

Another essential tip to keep in mind is that people having insulin dependence should get extended hours of sleep. They need at least 7 to 8 hours per night. If they don’t get the required amount, they may undergo an increase in insulin resistance. Start going to bed early if you are not getting the recommended amount of sleep at the moment. Also, practice good sleep hygienes, which include:

• No screen time at least two hours before bed.
• Cover your windows with blinds or curtains.
• No afternoon naps.
• A regular bedtime

A healthy diet to avoid weight gain

Some foods help to prevent you from getting obese. In contrast, certain other foods assist fat storage and increase your glucose level in the blood. The best way to safeguard your health and prevent weight gain is to make a customized meal plan that includes unprocessed and nutritious foods. Some of the foods that your diet should comprise of are:

• Fresh vegetables and fruits
• Yoghurt
• Whole grains
• Plant oils
• Fish
• Poultry
• Avocados

Some foods that you should avoid to reduce weight:

• Trans fat
• Foods that are processed
• Sugary foods
• Wholesome carbohydrates

How to avoid obesity while taking in insulin?

Staying physically active and eating healthy foods can help to avoid weight gain. There are some pointers to help you prevent unwanted fat storage.

1. Count your calories

First of all, to prevent weight gain, you should not eat or drink extra calories. It would be best if you keep your refrigerator stocked with vegetables and fruits. Plan your meals accurately and eat the right amount of starch, fats and proteins. In short, try to avoid excess calories at all costs.

2. Do not neglect meals at all

You shouldn’t skip your meals just to cut down on calories. Your blood sugar levels could also decrease because of neglecting to eat. Also, you might be too hungry by the next meal and may make poor diet choices. That is why it is a good idea to not skip your meals just for the sake of cutting down on calories.

3. Try to keep yourself physically active

Doing physical activity burns calories. Try to engage yourself in physical activities such as gardening, running, bicycling, swimming, walking etc. You will find that being physically active makes your body use insulin more effectively.

Conclusion

To wrap it all up, our body uses insulin to regulate our blood sugar levels, break down fats and proteins and store fat for future energy. You gain unwanted weight, and your insulin level increases when you suffer from insulin resistance.

One should use lifestyle and nutritional changes to avoid weight gain. You should also get regular exercise, eat unrefined food such as fruits and vegetables and whole-grain can help you prevent unnecessary fat storage.

You should seek the opinion of a healthcare expert if you are facing difficulty in maintaining your weight. You will be guided on how you should keep your weight in check and your insulin levels to a minimum.