While the way forward from being overweight or obese may seem to be exercise or dieting, the reasoning may be far more complex, ingrained in how your body processes food and, in turn, manages vital hormones like insulin. Weight loss is not all rocket science, as the solution is about embracing smart habits, one of them being walking after meals.
Your body is less likely to store fat if the blood sugar levels are not high,(Shutterstock)
Christine Stines, who lost 20 pounds (9 kg) in four months, often shares weight loss tips based on her experience. In an August 12 Instagram post, she revealed: “Fat loss becomes so much easier just by doing this two-minute trick after dinner. ”
What goes on when you eat something?
Let’s first zero in on the missing piece of weight management and how it all revolves around how the body handles sugar and insulin. Christine explained the process, “So when you eat, your blood sugar naturally rises and in response your pancreas releases insulin, which is the hormone that carries that out of your blood sugar and tells and tells your body to store this as energy.”
But here’s where the problem lies, as the fitness trainer highlighted that when insulin levels are high, fat burning stops, and if the body keeps producing insulin, due to frequent snacking, high stress, poor sleep, hormonal changes, or inactivity, it can lead to insulin resistance.
But how is the blood sugar management related to fat burning? She added, “Your body needs more insulin to do the same job that keeps you stuck in fat storage mode twenty-four seven, even if you are eating really healthy and clean, and the more fat you have, the more your body craves sugary food, which then makes this even harder.”
How to lose belly fat? 
The belly fat is stubborn, more so if it stems from hormonal imbalances, like insulin problems. (Shutterstock)
Belly fat is often the result of blood sugar problems. She revealed that there are two ways to go about dropping belly fat. One is limiting glucose and insulin spikes, and the other is making sure you remain sensitive to insulin, so when it does go up, it comes back down quickly, and you can get right back to burning fat.
Christine cited a study published by the Journal of Sports Medicine from 2022. The findings suggest that just a two to five-minute walk after meals can lower post-meal blood glucose by up to 30 per cent. While standing is also good, the benefits are not extensive.
So why does a brief walk after meals work? Christine revealed, “It works because your muscles act like a sponge, and when they move, they pull glucose out of your bloodstream without needing extra insulin, and if it gets stored in your muscles, it doesn’t get stored in fat cells. So less blood sugar equals less insulin, equals less fat, equals more fat burning.”
But if you think you need to hit a specific step count or hop on a treadmill, the fitness trainer explained that a simple walk works just as well, as it signals the body that it’s active and doesn’t need to store extra fat. So you don’t need to really store fat.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.