‘Tis the season! It’s the new year and many people have started their new diets.
Though counting your calories and focusing on your macros isn’t a fad or trend diet, it is one of the top methods people use to dial into their nutrition, clean up their eating, and get ready for weight loss or use to lose weight.
The problem is, a lot of people use calorie counting and hitting your macros as an excuse to eat whatever they want (IIFYM, aka, if it fits your macros), not eat frequently enough, or to have one or two large meals but not eat the rest of the day.
And though most weight loss is about calories in / calories out, when you aren’t focused on eating frequently and eating the right things, you’re impacting your blood sugar, which ultimately will impact your energy levels, your hormones, and your ability (or inability) to lose weight or change your physique.
Blood sugar imbalances and your hormones
When your blood sugar is imbalanced, there is an impact on your hormones. And when you have an imbalance of one hormone, your other hormones work together to restore balance in your body.
But in the meantime, it can also cause hormonal symptoms. When you have hormonal symptoms, it’s harder to lose weight, build muscle, get toned, and feel good in your skin.
Some hormones that are impacted when you have funky blood sugar are:
- Epinephrine. Your fight or flight hormone.
- Growth hormone. Which will impact your metabolism.
- Estrogen. An imbalance can lead to estrogen dominance that causes weight gain, painful periods, and disease.
- Testosterone. Making it harder to regulate your muscle, lose fat, and can make you insulin sensitive.
Basically, if your blood sugar is all over the place, it’s going to cause hormonal chaos in your body, which is what counting calories and macros misses when you aren’t using them in conjunction with habits that support your blood sugar, hormones, and body.
Symptoms of funky blood sugar
Your blood sugar levels can and should be tested by your doctor. If you are concerned about your blood sugar, please make an appointment to get it checked.
Symptoms are signs from your body that something isn’t right under the surface. Here are several symptoms to be on the look out for that are connected to blood sugar imbalances (either high or low):
- You’re more thirsty or have a dry mouth
- You’re always tired
- Your vision is blurry
- You crave sugar and or carbs
- You get shaky and sweaty
- You’re hangry and snappy
- You get dizzy or lightheaded
- Your heart beat is irregular
- You feel sick between meals
- You have tingling or numbness
I also recommend to record what symptoms you feel to give to your doctor if you are going to get your bloodwork done to confirm your blood sugar imbalances.
What to do if you’re experiencing funky blood sugar
Though I think counting calories and macros can be very helpful with your blood sugar levels, especially when done correctly, there are several habits I would focus on in addition to counting calories and macros to support your blood sugar:
Eat every 3 to 4 hours.
Eating every 3 to 4 hours, even a small snack, will go a long way to keeping a stable blood sugar throughout the entire day. No dips from going too long between meals, no shakiness and sweating, no hangry outbursts.
Combine at least 2 of the 3 macros in every meal.
Yes, including your snacks. Combining either a protein and a carb, protein and a fat, or a carb and a fat will make sure you get enough nutrients throughout the day. But it will also help you stay full (with a balanced blood sugar) longer.
Limit processed foods.
Sure, processed foods are easy, especially when you’re on the go. However, they’re also one of the leading causes of blood sugar imbalances. Stick to whole foods where you can.
Stay hydrated and get 25 grams of fiber per day.
Hydration and fiber help with regular bowel movements. Fiber is a slow digesting carbohydrate, absorbs sugar, and helps prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes. While water helps to flush the system, including by flushing out excess glucose that the body doesn’t need.
Manage your stress.
When you’re stressed, your body releases more cortisol and adrenaline, which trigger your liver to release more glucose for energy and make your body less responsive to insulin. This is important because glucose is the main energy source in your body, but needs insulin to balance your blood sugar levels and prevent high blood sugar.
Get adequate sleep.
Poor sleep impacts your cortisol levels, your insulin sensitivity, and leads to changes in your appetite hormones (Ghrelin and leptin) that signal hunger, cravings, and fullness. Poor sleep also makes your cells less responsive to insulin, meaning your glucose will be higher.
In conclusion…
Though it’s the new year and calorie counting and tracking your macros may be buzzy right now, if you have blood sugar imbalance, your focus should be on your blood sugar over your calorie counting.
If you’re curious if your blood sugar is holding you back, take the Hormone Symptom Analyzer quiz or schedule a free Hormone Analysis Call to chat!
