Jenn Lighting the candle to Matt’s Funfetti birthday cake. Matt proceeded to eat the entire thing. (jk)
Today I want to attempt to explain an oft used term in health, dieting and fitness that I always heard growing up but didn’t grasp. If you plan to have any success in any of those areas it’s pretty crucial to understand certain terms and concepts so from time to time I’ll be focusing on one. Today is Insulin.

What Is Insulin?

I throw  this word around pretty often and realize that although it’s a familiar word, I’m guessing not a whole lot of people really understand it. I heard it my entire life because my dad (and several other family members) was a diabetic so it was something he had to constantly monitor.
Insulin is a storage hormone released in response to eating.
For example, when you eat this happens:
1. Your food is converted to glucose (blood sugar).
2. Insulin is released to move the glucose (blood sugar) into your cells.
The amount of insulin that gets released everytime you eat varies depending on what you eat. Certain foods have significantly more impact on how much insulin is released into the body, carbohydrates (namely sugar) have the largest impact on insulin secretion. Protein has the second greatest while fat has little to no impact on insulin secretion.
2 More terms:
“Insulin sensitivity”– refers to how well or poorly the body responds to the hormone insulin. Sensitivity is a good thing. It you have good insulin sensitivity it means insulin is effective at lowering your blood sugar. if not we call it…
“Insulin Resistance”– Pretty much means when your body releases insulin, the insulin cannot effectively regulate and remove the sugar in your blood, so it runs free causing your body to release more and more insulin. (this is bad. very bad)
Individuals who are insulin resistant tend to have higher baseline insulin levels because the body is releasing more in response to try and overcome the resistance. This leads to Type 2 Diabetes (and many other very bad things)
What Causes Insulin Resistance?
Sometimes Genetic Predisosition (Which I may have) but a great majority of insulin resistance is determined by lifestyle (training and diet play a huge role, as does body fat)
This comes back to the ideas I mentioned in other posts. Eating starchy and sugary foods causes your blood sugar levels to rise and fall into steep peaks and valleys while healthier foods keep levels at a flatter stable level.
I hope that was a simple explanation. I’m not an expert on this but I can elaborate if you need me too.
Now For Matt’s Birthdaty WOD!!!!
WOD
“Quarter Life Crisis”
3 Rounds
25 Deadlift #185 #135
25 Situps
25 Goblet squat
25 (1 set Dumbbell Press #35/ 1 set is Handstand Pushup/1 set is Jerk #95/#65)
*I will have subs if youre laying off the shoulder
** May be done in teams depending on the turnout