Energy | CrossFit Ignite Sydney

Glucagon: The Key to Burning Fat

What is glucagon? Sounds a bit like glucose… isn’t that sugar? No, NOT to be confused with glucose: GLUCAGON is actually a hormone – like insulin that we discussed last time – and is insulin’s opposite or counter-hormone in that it helps release energy instead of storing it. But why you need to know about glucagon?

What Is Glucagon?

Glucagon is a hormone also released by the pancreas, which plays a big part in keeping your energy levels sufficient when you’re not eating. I have also heard it being named the “fat mobilising hormone”, so this one is key in burning up those soft and squishy fat stores and extra skin pockets we all dream of getting rid of!

What Does It Do?

Glucagon helps to keep blood sugar and energy levels normal between meals by releasing energy from your liver and allowing you to access your body fat stores for energy. When blood sugar levels get low and your body is hungry, glucagon works to release the nutrients that will give you energy until you eat your next meal.

How Does This Affect me?

If you have too much insulin or sugar in your bloodstream, glucagon will not spring into action and we will end up keeping all of our fat stores as fat, and most likely adding to them. This will happen if you’re eating a diet high in sugar, processed white carbohydrates and man-made foods.

Eating a diet of vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar will lead to lower and more consistently released levels of glucose/sugar into the blood and therefore lower levels of insulin – resulting in your glucagon hormone being activated to start the burning of your fat stores…

So, if you eat The Ignite Way you will not only be keeping your energy levels more stable but you’ll also be able to burn more fat, more efficiently.

Take Home Message:

Follow the Ignite Way of Eating to make sure you keep your blood sugar and insulin levels lower and more stable, which will help you to use glucagon to burn up your fat stores. Get burning!

The Water Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin B1

Vitamin K finished off the fat soluble vitamin series last fortnight. Today we will start with the water soluble vitamins, so called because they dissolve easily in water and are absorbed in the intestine during digestion. The water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, but are readily excreted through the urine resulting in the need for daily intake of these vitamins from food and/or multivitamin supplementation.

Why do I need vitamin B1?

B1, also known as thiamine, is important for in the breakdown of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat – you should all know these by now from the wonderful 4 week intensives!) in the body, especially converting carbohydrates and fat into energy. Every cell in the body needs this vitamin to be able to function properly, so it’s pretty important.

Where can I find it?

Foods that contain a good source of thiamine include egg yolks, fish, lean meats, nuts, avocado, legumes and yeast. The majority of colourful veggies and dairy contain smaller amounts of the nutrient but if consuming a diet high in fruit and veg, you’ll have no problem meeting the daily requirements. Whole grains and brown rice are also a good source of thiamine but we encourage our clients to decrease their intake of processed carbohydrates for optimum health. A high carbohydrate diet actually increases the requirement for thiamine as do antibiotics and oral contraceptives as they decrease the amount absorbed by the body.

How much should I have?

The recommendations for vitamin B1 are 0.8 mg per day for women and 1.1 mg per day for men. If you’re eating plenty of fruit at veg for lunch and dinner, as well as a little dairy here and there with your lean meats, nuts, fish and eggs you’ll definitely be meeting your vitamin B1 needs!

What happens if I don’t get enough?

Deficiency shows itself through the following symptoms: depression, poor memory, muscle weakness and stiffness, nerve tingling, burning sensation and numbness, tiredness, headache, loss of appetite and nausea. It can be caused by rapid weight loss with calorie restricted diets so make sure you follow the Ignite way of Eating to ensure you’re getting plenty of vitamin B1 rich foods into your diet!

What happens if I have too much?

Toxicity of vitamin B1 is rare due to it being a water soluble vitamin, but there have been a few cases of overdose in people who have B1 injections, but nothing to worry about if you’re just having the vitamin orally. Go for gold with you B1!

Supplementation

Supplemental thiamine can be useful in circumstances where vegetable and grain intake is low, especially in those with high alcohol consumption. It has a number of benefits in those with medical problems, such as improving glucose tolerance in diabetics. If choosing to take supplements make sure you choose a B vitamin complex to ensure you’re getting a balance of all the B vitamins.

So, all you need to remember is…

Vitamin B1, or thiamine, is an important part of just about every cellular reaction in the human body. It helps the body absorb food, normalises brain and nervous system function, helps to prevent constipation and fluid retention and even plays a part in preventing aging and depression. To reap the benefits, make sure that you are eating enough vitamin B1 from plenty of colourful fruit and vegetables, lean meats, fish, nuts and seeds, and poultry. All you need to do is follow the Ignite Way of Eating!