Walking: An Effective Way to Lose Weight
Metabolism
Millions of Americans battle stubborn weight, fatigue, and sleep troubles. What's the common link? A sluggish metabolism. This key player in our health can lead to serious issues like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Metabolism is similar to a decision-maker for the food we consume. It's in charge of determining whether to store it as fat or use it as fuel. Ideally, we'd prefer our bodies to stash just a tad of fat for health and utilize the rest for our daily energy needs. Sadly, for around 78% of Americans, this system isn't functioning optimally.
Nowadays, the typical American meal is full of processed foods—quite different from the natural foods our ancestors ate. These altered foods can mess up how our bodies handle what we eat. Plus, a lot of us prefer easy options that don’t involve moving around much, like using cars, grabbing food from drive-thrus, or getting things delivered right to our door. This lack of activity can disrupt our metabolism, which really needs us to be active to work best. Adding to the problem are obesogens, environmental chemicals present in the air we breathe and the plastics we rely on, which directly interfere with metabolic processes. Additionally, the widespread stress of modern life throws metabolic function out of balance, making it even tougher to maintain a healthy metabolism.
Understanding Metabolic Health
The well-being of our metabolic system is significantly influenced by how our body regulates glucose, also known as blood sugar, and the insulin levels in our blood. Glucose serves as the fundamental unit of energy essential for powering our bodily functions. Consuming food introduces glucose into our blood via the digestive system, which then needs to be transported into our cells. Insulin acts as the gateway, enabling glucose entry into the cells. However, when glucose levels are consistently elevated in the blood, cells develop a condition known as “insulin resistance.” This occurs because the cells, already saturated with glucose, aim to avoid excess. As a result, they start to reject insulin’s signal to open up. To counteract this resistance, the body ramps up insulin production. The downside is that insulin also cues our bodies to store energy as fat. Hence, an excess of insulin in the blood leads to a preference for storing food as fat, particularly around the abdomen. To avert the overproduction of insulin and the subsequent risk of insulin resistance and metabolic impairment, it’s crucial to maintain blood sugar levels within a normal range.
Change Your Metabolism With Walking
Fortunately, there are some easy strategies we can employ to maintain a healthy metabolism. One of these involves taking a stroll right after a meal. When we walk, our muscles become active and require glucose for energy. Interestingly, muscles have the ability to absorb glucose without relying on insulin, leading to lower blood glucose and insulin levels. This promotes a healthier, more efficient metabolism, reducing fat storage and lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. A wealth of research over the last ten years has repeatedly demonstrated that post-meal walks can significantly improve glucose metabolism and metabolic health. Notably, these advantages are not seen with pre-meal walks. The optimal time for a walk is within 30 minutes following a meal, and it should be lively but not overly vigorous. Although walking up to 2 hours after eating still yields benefits, they are generally more subtle.
Keep Improving With Core
Walking after meals is just one strategy to boost our metabolism. Core Aesthetic offers a comprehensive weight loss program that ties in all the important factors that lead to a healthy body and provides weight loss. This program includes:
a diet plan that provides real, whole food options to boost metabolism and offer alternatives to processed foods
an exercise plan that incorporates all types of suggestions for whatever stage you are at to help increase your movement
weight loss injectables (either Semaglutide or Tirzepatide) to increase weight loss by delaying the emptying of the stomach and helping you feel fuller longer
labs and body scans that use data from your body to find the unique solutions that are just for you
enhancing weight loss medications (Lipo-Mino) which ensures the body retains muscle mass while shredding excess fat
EvolveX sessions that helps tone the loose skin that has developed from weight loss
To learn more about the Core Weight Loss Program, visit our website page here. To book a consultation to talk to a provider about what is right for you, book an appointment here. To start the weight loss membership today and receive the all inclusive package, download our app and sign up here today.
