Sugar Burner vs Fat Burner

Our cell mitochondria use two things to make energy; glucose & fat.

When we are eating, we are burning sugar for fuel and when we don’t eat, we burn fat.

First let’s address, which one are you?

The tell-tale signs of a sugar burner are:

1. Crave carbs and sugar
2. Snack regularly and experience “hanger”
3. Rarely feel sustained energy after even big meals
4. Have stubborn belly fat

The opposite is true for fat burners as they usually:

1. Can go 4-6 hours between meals without experiencing any sugar/carb cravings
2. Don’t feel the need to snack
3. Experienced sustained energy
4. Lose fat easily

Sugar burners tend to have more glucose spikes which can lead to more hunger, high BP, insulin resistance, and weight gain whereas fat burners have less hunger, better mental clarity, more energy,  and weight loss. 

Sugar burners and their glucose spikes create a roller coaster of hunger all day long where consuming adequate amounts of protein and healthy fat help signal the brain to shut off the hunger hormones making you feel full and satiated for a longer period.

Fat burners eat in a window while sugar burners eat all day long.

Being able to switch between these two energy systems is metabolic flexibility. It is good for the body to be able to get fuel from what you just ate or from what is stored as fat. In primal days this was out of necessity when sometimes there was plenty of food and other times; not so much. Our bodies had to be able to survive no matter what the external conditions were.

The Standard American Diet and the frequent eating of meals condition the body to look for carbs for fuel. When carbs go missing, your body clamors for them, and you end up with fatigue, cravings and distraction until you can refuel. This leads to a roller coaster of hunger and sugar spikes all day long. Excessive sugar spikes can lead to insulin resistance. This often looks like high BP, low HDL and high triglycerides. THIS is what is known as metabolic dysfunction. 

Our metabolism doesn’t just slow down because we are aging. We create metabolic dysfunction by our choices. This is why creating educational content and offering coaching services is so important to me. We have complete control over our metabolism!! By learning how to flex between sugar burning and fat burning, we can effectively bring our metabolism back into balance.

To make the gradual and effective switch from sugar burning to fat burning, here are my four biggest tips:

• Ditch the empty carbs. ...

• Eat fruits in moderation. ...

• Try to limit starchy vegetables. ...

• Up your intake of high quality proteins, non-starchy veggies, and all the healthy fats.

Follow along @thecornerabbey for more education and tips to becoming the very healthiest version of you. If you would like extra help on your journey and it feels right for you, consider joining my coaching program. I offer 3, 6 & 12 month options based on your specific needs. Schedule a discovery session today to find out if health coaching is the right fit for you!