Improving insulin sensitivity is the first step in losing fat or gaining muscle. When you’re insulin resistant, your body stores food as fat instead of using it for energy. Insulin resistance also leads to inflammation and a range of health issues like:
– Reduced athletic performance
– Poor sleep and fatigue
– Slower recovery
– Increased muscle soreness
– Higher risk of diabetes and heart disease
– Other complications like nerve, gut, and eye issues
What Is Insulin & Why It Matters
Insulin is a hormone that helps store glucose in muscles (as glycogen) or fat. If you’re insulin sensitive, your body prioritizes glycogen storage. If you’re insulin resistant, your body pumps out more insulin to deal with high blood sugar, leading to more fat storage and weight gain.
Strength Training & Anaerobic Exercise
Exercise is key to improving insulin sensitivity, especially strength training. Muscle cells consume most of the glucose in your blood (up to 90%), and exercise increases this demand. This helps improve insulin sensitivity for up to 24 hours after a workout.
- More Muscle = Less Insulin Resistance:** For every 10% increase in muscle mass, insulin resistance drops by 11%.
- Anaerobic Exercise:** Strength training and high-intensity sprints build muscle and improve insulin signaling and glycogen storage.
- How to Use It: Aim for 2-4 strength training sessions a week and incorporate sprinting or high-intensity intervals for maximum benefit.
