I Might Get Banned for Saying This About Cortisol & Insulin

Summary

This video reveals how cortisol, a stress hormone, contributes to stubborn belly fat and insulin resistance, even for those on strict diets like keto or fasting. It explains how visceral fat, particularly sensitive to cortisol, creates a cycle of fat storage and metabolic dysfunction. The script discusses how modern lifestyle factors, like stress and late-night eating, exacerbate cortisol spikes, blocking fat burning. Solutions include managing cortisol with proper sleep, walking after meals, and adjusting fasting strategies. The video also emphasizes how gratitude, exercise, and avoiding chronic cardio can optimize fat burning and hormonal balance.

Takeaways

• 😀 Belly fat is more than just fat; it acts as a hormone factory, especially visceral fat, which is highly inflammatory and wraps around organs.
• 😀 Visceral fat has 2-3 times more cortisol receptors than other fat areas, causing it to absorb cortisol, which increases insulin resistance.
• 😀 The 'cortisol insulin death spiral' occurs when cortisol rises, increasing visceral fat, which in turn increases cortisol and insulin, blocking fat burning.
• 😀 Stress, especially from modern life (late-night eating, work stress, and lack of sleep), triggers cortisol spikes that hinder fat burning, even with clean eating.
• 😀 Cortisol can keep insulin high, even when you're following a perfect diet, fasting, or on low-carb/keto plans, preventing fat loss.
• 😀 Visceral fat thrives on cortisol, making it the last type of fat to go, as it feeds off cortisol and continues to grow.
• 😀 Modern living has flipped the natural cortisol cycle, causing cortisol spikes at night, which increase blood sugar, insulin, and prevent fat burning.
• 😀 The '3:00 a.m. cortisol spike' wakes you up, raises blood sugar and insulin, and blocks fat burning during sleep.
• 😀 Chronic cardio, such as long-distance running or jogging, raises cortisol levels, stalls fat loss, and increases visceral fat storage.
• 😀 Overfasting and overtraining can raise cortisol to harmful levels, blocking fat burning and increasing glucose and insulin production.
• 😀 Solutions to fix cortisol and insulin resistance include stopping eating 3 hours before bed, using honey and sea salt to fix 3:00 a.m. cortisol spikes, walking after meals to lower glucose, and balancing fasting with adequate protein intake.

Q & A

What is the link between cortisol and belly fat?

Cortisol, a stress hormone, is linked to belly fat because visceral fat has more cortisol receptor sites than other fat areas. This makes visceral fat more responsive to cortisol, leading to more fat storage and insulin resistance, creating a cycle that is hard to break.

What is the cortisol-insulin death spiral?

The cortisol-insulin death spiral refers to a cycle where high cortisol levels increase visceral fat, which in turn makes the fat more sensitive to cortisol. This keeps cortisol levels high, which raises insulin, blocks fat burning, and continues to promote belly fat growth.

Can cortisol affect fat burning even if I eat clean?

Yes, cortisol can raise insulin levels even when you're eating clean, fasting, or following a specific diet like keto. High cortisol triggers your liver to release glucose, spiking insulin and shutting off fat burning, making it difficult to lose belly fat.

Why is visceral fat so difficult to lose?

Visceral fat is tough to lose because it not only stores fat but also feeds on cortisol. The more cortisol it absorbs, the more it grows, creating a vicious cycle that prevents fat burning and makes belly fat the last to go.

How does modern living impact cortisol production?

Modern living increases cortisol production due to factors like late-night eating, excessive screen time, chronic stress from work or relationships, poor sleep, overtraining, and even consuming too much caffeine. These triggers disrupt the natural cortisol rhythm, causing it to rise at night, which negatively affects sleep and fat burning.

What is the 3:00 a.m. cortisol spike and how does it affect fat loss?

The 3:00 a.m. cortisol spike occurs when blood sugar drops too low during sleep, prompting the body to release cortisol to raise glucose levels. This disrupts sleep, increases insulin, and prevents fat burning, leading to morning fatigue, hunger, and weight gain around the belly.

What is chronic cardio and how does it affect cortisol levels?

Chronic cardio refers to long-duration exercises like jogging or long-distance running. It increases cortisol levels, which can break down muscle, slow metabolism, increase hunger, block fat burning, and elevate nighttime blood sugar, ultimately contributing to more visceral fat storage.

What’s the risk of overfasting and overtraining?

Overfasting and overtraining can raise cortisol levels too high, which then causes the liver to dump glucose into the bloodstream. This spikes insulin, which blocks fat burning, even though you may think you're in a fat-burning mode while fasting.

How can I fix the 3:00 a.m. cortisol spike?

To fix the 3:00 a.m. cortisol spike, you can consume one tablespoon of raw honey and a pinch of sea salt before bed or when you wake up in the middle of the night. The honey provides glucose to stabilize blood sugar, while the sea salt helps balance electrolytes, preventing cortisol from spiking.

What are some effective ways to manage cortisol for fat loss?

Effective ways to manage cortisol include stopping eating at least 3 hours before bed to promote better sleep and fat burning, walking after meals to lower insulin and glucose, balancing fasting with proper protein intake, replacing chronic cardio with sprinting, and practicing gratitude to lower cortisol naturally.