Hormones – Glucagon
If we think of insulin as a “storage hormone” then we can think of glucagon as a “mobilisation hormone”.
Glucagon tells our muscle and fat cells to release energy for us to use to fuel our daily activities. If we consume a surplus of Calories and lots of sugary carbohydrates, glucagon doesn’t need to do it’s job because there’s already too much energy available. Insulin and glucagon are both released from the pancreas and work with each other to regulate our blood sugars and energy levels. If our insulin levels are jacked up due to having too much blood sugar, not much glucagon will be released and we won’t be able to burn fat effectively.
When our insulin levels are low, the body will release more glucagon which can then prompt the release of our energy stores (including stored body fat) which is exactly what we want!
In a nutshell, by eating the right foods to prevent insulin spikes, glucagon can do what we want it to do; help us to use our fat stores for energy – running, cycling, walking ANY kind of activity!
