Insulin and Weight Loss

By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center

Published: September 13, 2023

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Insulin and weight loss are related in a number of ways. It’s important to understand insulin’s effects on weight, because too much insulin can make a person gain weight, while low insulin levels can cause serious health issues. At Scottsdale Weight Loss Center, we discuss the relationship of insulin and weight loss with Phoenix patients so they can effectively reach their ideal body-weight goals.

How Does Insulin Work?

The pancreas is responsible for producing and storing insulin. As the body consumes starches, sugars, and any type of carbohydrates, these are all digested and converted into simple sugars in the intestine. Once this happens, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream.

Insulin helps move sugar into cells by stimulating the uptake of glucose into the muscles. As the sugar moves into the cells, the blood sugar level goes down. Ideally, a person’s carbohydrate intake is just enough to give the body what its needs.

Are Insulin and Weight Gain Related?

If a person eats too many carbohydrates, this results in an excess supply of sugar in the body. The pancreas will release large amounts of insulin to try to stimulate the cells into absorbing the sugar from the bloodstream. Unfortunately, the excess sugar will not be used but will instead be stored in the body, which makes the body produce fat in the fat cells.

When a person constantly eats too many carbohydrates, the cells become less reactive to insulin. So for the sugar to be effectively absorbed in the cells, the body has to release more insulin than it normally would. This leads to the cells developing insulin resistance or even Type 2 Diabetes. Increased blood sugar levels can result in clogged blood vessels and serious health problems like strokes, heart attacks, blindness, and kidney failure.

How Does Insulin Affect Weight Loss?

Here at Scottsdale Weight Loss Center, we inform our patients that one major secret to effective weight loss is properly controlling the insulin in the body. More specifically, weight loss can be achieved by safely minimizing insulin as much as possible.

Here are four ways to keep insulin at a minimum:

Eat minimal carbohydrates – By consuming very few carbohydrates, it makes the body produce and release less insulin. In return, the fat cells will be less likely to store fat. Ideally, we recommend less than 25 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Get enough rest – People who cannot get enough sleep have elevated blood sugar levels. This makes the pancreas release more insulin.
Regular exercise – Regular exercise, including cardiovascular exercises like walking, running, and biking, uses the sugar in the body. This reduces the stored fat and insulin secretion. People who rarely perform physical activities experience an increase in both stored fat and insulin release.
Do not eat prior to bedtime – During sleep, we burn a lot of body fat. This reduces fat storage and lowers blood sugar. However, if a person eats prior to bedtime, the body will focus on consuming the newly ingested sugar and increase the release of insulin.

Wegovy for Weight Loss

Wegovy is an injectable weight-reduction medication that has become quite popular. Originally, its generic form (GLP-1) was utilized specifically for treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. Now, its effects on insulin secretion have made it an ideal option for non-surgical weight loss. Contact our office to find out more about Wegovy and its many benefits.

Contact Us to Learn More

To learn more about insulin and weight loss in Phoenix, visit Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. We are happy to answer all of your questions during an informative consultation. Contact us today to set up your appointment!

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Nick's Story

"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More

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Lost 44.5 lbs

"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.

I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More

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Lost 60 lbs

"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More

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Lost 101 lbs

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