Talking about your Gut (AKA your large intestine), can be pretty taboo. But recent discoveries show that we need to talk about it STAT. Our microbiome (the trillions of bacteria that live in our colon) is related to our health in many ways – including hormone regulation, immune function, neurotransmitter production, and even weight loss.
So how is the gut involved in weight loss?
There are trillions of bacteria living within us, each with a different role. They help us process and absorb our food. They can draw more sugar out of the blood so that your body burns it instead of storing it as fat. There are even bacteria that can decrease production of your hunger hormone, ghrelin. So without your gut bacteria the hormone will not be subdued and you end up eating more than planned!
So how do we keep our gut bacteria happy and healthy?
Fiber! Our gut is nourished by fiber. Our gut wants to feed on mainly vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes. Fiber is also a prebiotic, an essential ingredient to the growth and flourishment of our gut microbiome. The other essential element for growth are probiotics, found in fermented foods like Sauerkraut. Nourishing our gut bacteria with prebiotic and probiotics allows them to do their work more efficiently and in turn, help us lose weight.
If we don’t nourish them properly, they can have quite the opposite effect – slow our metabolism and lead our body to store more fat. Yikes.
So, let’s feed our Gut and burn fat.
1) Check your ingredients! If you can’t pronounce it, your bacteria probably won’t like it. Our gut is smart, it knows what foods it needs, and what foods aren’t providing it nutrients. So it’s true when they say, TRUST YOUR GUT.
2) Cut the sweets: Check your labels for added sugar! Snacks packed with added, refined sugars are not benefiting our gut and will lead to more fat stores. Swap out the sweets for snacks like nuts and fruits.
3) Follow our Key3 Method. Focus on the right types and amounts of fibers, proteins, and fats to ensure that your gut functions optimally!
