At Pinnacle Strength Lab, we believe that personalised training and nutrition plans are most effective when built on a foundation of science. One crucial factor that plays a significant role in fat loss and overall health is your body’s insulin sensitivity. If you’ve ever struggled with body fat around specific areas like your shoulder blades or hips, it might be worth considering how your body handles carbohydrates.
What is Insulin?
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that plays a vital role in your body’s ability to process and store energy. Think of insulin as a key: when you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. Insulin “unlocks” your cells, allowing glucose to move from your blood into your muscles, liver, and fat cells where it’s used for energy or stored for later use.
Maintaining balanced insulin levels is crucial for overall health. When insulin is working efficiently, your body can use glucose effectively to fuel your activities. However, if your body becomes less responsive to insulin—a condition known as insulin resistance—glucose builds up in your bloodstream. This not only makes it harder to lose fat but can also lead to long-term health issues such as type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and fatigue.
Understanding insulin’s role in your body is the first step toward optimising your nutrition and training to achieve better energy, health, and fat loss results. At Pinnacle Strength Lab, we take a science-based approach to help you understand and improve key factors like insulin sensitivity for lasting results.
The Science of Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin sensitivity refers to how effectively your body responds to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Poor insulin sensitivity, also known as insulin resistance, makes it harder for your body to process starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and rice. Instead of using these carbs as fuel, your body tends to store them as fat. Over time, this can impact not only your fat loss progress but also your energy levels and long-term health.
At Pinnacle Strength Lab, we use Biosignature Modulation Assessments to understand how your body handles carbohydrates. This comprehensive assessment includes body fat readings, which provide insights into your insulin sensitivity.
For example:
Sub-scapular site (shoulder blade): A caliper reading above 10mm here often indicates insulin resistance, suggesting your body struggles with starchy carbs.
Hip site: This reading reflects your carbohydrate intake. As you reduce starchy carbs, you’ll likely notice a drop in body fat at this site.
Steps to Improve Insulin Sensitivity
If you discover you’re insulin resistant, the good news is there are effective steps you can take to improve your sensitivity and support fat loss. Here’s how:
Reduce Starchy Carbohydrates
Cut down on starchy foods like white rice, bread and pasta. These should be replaced with nutrient-dense alternatives like sweet potatoes, lentils or quinoa that stabilise blood sugar levels and fuel your body effectively.
Focus on Lean Protein and Healthy Fats
Include lean protein sources (like chicken, fish, or eggs) and healthy fats (such as avocado, olive oil, and nuts) in your meals. These not only help balance blood sugar but also promote satiety.
Incorporate Berry Fruits and Fibrous Vegetables
Add plenty of fibrous vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale alongside low-sugar fruits like berries. These foods are rich in vitamins and fibre, which support digestion and overall health.
These adjustments allow your body to use stored glucose, gradually shifting it to use fat as its primary energy source. This isn’t about demonising starchy carbohydrates; they have their place in a balanced fat loss programme but need to be consumed strategically. As the legendary Charles Poliquin often said, “You must earn your carbs.”
As part of our premium personal training service, Pinnacle Strength Lab clients gain access to carefully curated recipes and meal plan ideas, designed to make these lifestyle changes easier and more enjoyable.
Why Improving Insulin Sensitivity Matters
Improving insulin sensitivity doesn’t just support fat loss—it also boosts energy, stabilises mood, and helps prevent long-term health issues. By making these changes, you’ll not only reduce body fat but also enhance your body’s ability to perform and recover.
“Understanding how your body responds to carbs can be a game-changer for fat loss and overall health. It’s not about cutting out carbs entirely; it’s about timing and quality. When you get it right, your body feels and performs better.”
Take the First Step
At Pinnacle Strength Lab, our personalised training and nutrition plans start with understanding your body’s unique needs. If you’re ready to take control of your health, book a free, no obligation consultation today.
About the Author
James Stoddart-Burrows MSc MA CSCS PICP
James holds an MSc and Masters in Sports Science; he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a Poliquin International Certification Program (PICP) coach. James brings over two decades of experience in personal training and strength coaching. Having trained NFL players, elite athletes, and high-profile professionals at some of the world’s top-tier facilities, James combines exceptional expertise with a passion for helping clients achieve transformative results. Now, he brings the same premium service to his home town with Pinnacle Strength Lab, a private gym and personal training facility based in Medstead, near Alton, Hampshire. James specialises in sustainable fat loss, strength building, injury rehabilitation and strength and conditioning for athletic performance, offering bespoke coaching tailored to every client’s goals.
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