What Body Types Have to Do with Hormones & Why We Use Glucose Monitoring & Urine Analysis at Personalworkout
In this blog post, we get to the bottom of the uneven distribution of fat among different body types and offer solutions that we pursue at Personalworkout. They are another hallmark of our holistic and personalized weight loss offerings.
Are you more of an apple or a pear?
Everyone has probably heard or read about the “apple or pear type”. This refers to how and where body fat is distributed in different body types. You will often read in the same breath that women tend to be pear-shaped and men tend to be apple-shaped. While this is not incorrect, it has not always been the case and other “body types” have now been defined.
he apple type – stress with irregular, carbohydrate-rich meals
The apple type is primarily characterized by a distribution of fat around the abdomen. Men with this body type often have so-called “moobs“.
What causes this type of fat distribution?
The answer is poor blood sugar management. Such people are usually “metabolically inflexible” and the body’s preferred source of energy is carbohydrates. In addition, they eat irregularly, so cortisol must raise blood glucose in the absence of meals. Energy is now obtained through a process called gluconeogenesis, in which proteins are converted into carbohydrates. The proteins come mainly from the chest and triceps muscles, especially when they are not being used. This leads to the aforementioned man-boobs.
A stressful, cortisol-heavy everyday life, in which it eventually takes over, also suits this type. Cortisol by itself, but also in combination with a lack of exercise and an excess of calories, leads to excess belly fat. This belly fat helps the body make estrogen from testosterone using an enzyme called aromatase. The low testosterone levels then reflect low “sex drive” and other related problems, such as poor sleep due to high neck wrinkles and fat pressing on the lungs, causing snoring and therefore unrestful sleep due to poor breathing-to-heart rhythm ratio.
What is the solution?
There is no “solution”, but it is obvious that weight loss is only possible with a change in lifestyle. This includes a diet that is not necessarily “no carb” or “low carb”, but does include carbohydrates that do not cause a spike in blood sugar.
Glucose monitoring, in which blood glucose levels are measured continuously for two weeks, is a good option. The fact that the same food does not produce the same blood sugar reaction in all people has been known for some time, and we have been able to show this several times in Personalworkout. Here are some pictures from my own experiment, where rice caused by far the highest increase in blood sugar!
The Pear Type – low protein diet with poor digestion and allergies
The Pear Type are mostly female, but not exclusively. They have an unfavorable estrogen/progesterone ratio, which is associated with limited liver function (detoxification). If you are on a low protein diet, it becomes even more problematic. Read more about detoxification and colon cleansing.
Pear types tend to be constipated or have digestive problems of some kind. This can lead to more allergies, an underactive thyroid, and therefore a slower metabolism. In addition, people with inflammation are not “metabolically flexible” and use carbohydrates rather than fats for energy. None of this helps you lose weight.
As mentioned above, a functioning liver and detoxification is a prerequisite for a good estrogen/progesterone ratio. Also, the more body fat you have, the more estrogen you produce – a vicious cycle. In this blog post on menopause and weight loss, we also explain why menopausal women tend to be more apple-shaped than pear-shaped.In addition to foods like soy, tofu, and beer that contribute to estrogen production in the body, many cosmetics also contribute to estrogenization. Read more about this in this article on environmental toxins.
What is the solution?
The same principle applies here as above: there is no ONE solution. A good approach, in addition to exercise and lifestyle changes, is a diet high in protein and fiber (especially cabbage and flaxseed) and the DUTCH test.
DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones. This functional medicine test provides incredible insight into a person’s hormone metabolism. As a result, natural supplements can be used to target problematic enzymatic processes without using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Here is a picture of the results of my Dutch test.
Conclusion: What gets measured gets managed
If you want to lose weight, you should not only constantly measure your body fat and muscle mass, but also use other tools to get results as quickly as possible and stay motivated.
For the sake of completeness, it should be noted here that there are other figure or body types. Very rarely is anything “black” or “white”, but experience has shown that these are the two most common and best studied.
We would be happy to help you further with a body fat measurement and individual nutritional advice.
For more valuable tips on healthy living, check out our free lifestyle guide (GERMAN).
Do you want professional and, above all, practical support for weight loss and weight reduction? Then you’ve come to the right place. The personal trainers at Personalworkout will help you finally achieve your goal, with a success guarantee.
SOURCES
- https://www.marilyn.ca/Health/Articles/September-2013/How-to-rethink-your-metabolism-based-on-your-body
- Sonntagszeitung vom 23.08.2020: Meine Gene, mein Obst, mein Müesli. Von: Christina Bendt.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsphKXIabvk
- https://www.welt.de/gesundheit/article146867830/Sind-Sie-Apfel-Birne-Chili-Oder-was-ganz-anderes.html
- https://www.marilyn.ca/Health/Articles/September-2013/How-to-rethink-your-metabolism-based-on-your-body
- Estrogeneration: How Estrogenics Are Making You Fat, Sick, and Infertile. 2017: Anthony G. Jay.
- Dutch Training Seminar
- Internship Irish Strength Institute
- Seminare YPSI
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