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Why we get fat.
06 May 2014, 10:16

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Why we get fat.

by Auriga on 06 May 2014, 10:16

I have learnt a great deal from this WOE but most of all one thing stands out and that is this: if you don't fast you won't lose weight. Fasting gets your insulin levels down and it's this hormone that is paramount to your success. You raise insulin levels by eating foods which contain glucose or fructose and these raise your blood sugar levels: it's insulin's job to reduce these levels, because it's quite bad for you to have high blood sugar. If you exercise a lot then you are using up your blood glucose and this helps too. But.....if you're like me and hated exercise then fasting is the only way forward (it's very hard for very overweight people to exercise to begin with anyway!).

It is quite likely that if you've been overweight or obese for a long time your insulin levels have been high and it's insulin that makes you store fat. If you've been grazing a lot, bingeing or even just having three square meals a day you're insulin levels might have been sky high and your insulin has never had the chance to get rid of the high levels of sugars in your blood and so you store fat.
Some of us are very sensitive to insulin and fasting makes us less so.

This explanation is very simplistic and I am sure that 'carorees' (Caroline) could write it better, but it's what I understand. Some of you will only have to fast for a day a week to reduce your insulin, some of you two days and if you're particularly sensitive, like me, three days are needed or ADF.

That's why there isn't a one size fits all with 5:2. Eventually you will find what works for you. It took me some time to find what suited me best and now that I have lost the weight and got to 56k I need to re-evaluate what I eat, and when, as I have reached my maintenance level for now.

I will never underestimate the power of insulin to make me fat. It means this is a WOE that is a lifetime commitment if I want to stay as healthy and as slim as I can. Our bodies are not designed to graze like sheep!

My maintenance buddies are Wendy Darling, PennyForthem , StowgateResident and Callyanna.
Maintaining since 9th April 2014
My method: 5:2 since reaching maintenance (previously 4:3), 16:8 eating window.
Last update :24th January 2015
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