I had a brave doctor who addressed obesity with me. At the time, I was experiencing knee issues and trying to figure out what was going on - I wanted to get back on the hockey field. After many referrals and weeks of poking, prodding, twisting and scanning, it turned out that I had the beginnings of osteoarthritis in one of my knees.
The doctor told me, “It’s time to give up hockey and play golf instead.”
He then added, “You might want to lose some weight as well.”
What a brave man! My eyes popped—did he just say what I thought he said?
I felt like crying and laughing at the same time. It made me realise how tough a message it is for doctors to impart. I never saw him again (what would he know?), but I never forgot the conversation. I thank him for that. It helped me start moving the needle on my metabolic health (albeit slowly).
Here is the acid on obesity: it leads to poor metabolic function, which in turn drives chronic inflammation and contributes to chronic disease.
But here is the problem no one talks about.
⚠️ Once you have been overweight, the rules and biology that apply to lean people may not apply to you anymore.
And this is where things get interesting.
Much of the mainstream advice around weight assumes that obesity is simply about eating too much and moving too little, or calories in, calories out. But that explanation doesn’t match what many people experience, particularly those who have struggled with weight for years.
Right now, I am deeply diving into books by investigative health journalist, Gary Taubes (The Case for Keto, Rethinking Diabetes …).
He goes into the history of research into diets and diabetes - a fascinating read and argues that hormones, especially insulin, play a more central role once we have tipped into the overweight category.
When we eat foods that raise insulin (particularly refined carbohydrates and sugars), the body is signalled to store fat. Over time, persistently high insulin levels can make it harder for the body to access that stored fat for energy.
In other words, the biology shifts. Hunger, energy use and fat storage no longer behave in the same way they do in someone who has always been lean.
How I have come to think of it is that once you are overweight/obese, your body changes at multiple levels. Here’s an example.
Fat tissue can secrete more than 50 hormones and signalling molecules (referred to as adipokines). These adipokines play a crucial role in immunity and glucose metabolism.
Adipose tissue from lean individuals secretes anti-inflammatory adipokines.
In contrast, obese individuals have adipose tissue that predominantly secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Scientists don’t fully understand why these pro-inflammatory cytokines are released, but one theory is that the body is trying to disrupt further fat storage when it senses excess.
Great plan, but not so useful when the calories keep coming, insulin remains elevated and the body slips into a state of sustained obesity and chronic inflammation.
Over time, this creates a vicious cycle. Elevated insulin promotes fat storage.
Expanding fat tissue increases inflammation. Inflammation worsens insulin resistance. And insulin levels rise further.
⚖ Calories-in Calories-out is too Simplistic a Solution for Long Term Weight Loss
This is why the experience of someone who has been overweight is fundamentally different to someone who has always been lean. It’s not just about willpower. It’s about biology that has adapted and in many cases, become dysregulated.
So when advice comes from someone who has never been overweight, “Just eat less,” “Just move more,” it can miss the mark entirely.
Because for many of us, the challenge is not simply how much we eat but how our bodies respond to what we eat 🥦
If this is you, then reducing foods that spike insulin can help shift the system back into balance. Appetite settles. Energy stabilises. Fat becomes more accessible as a fuel source again (I will discuss this in my next blog).
How to do this?
If you think you are in this category (and I am), it’s about balancing what you eat.
Reduce the foods (simple carbohydrates and sugars) that increase insulin levels - breads, potatoes, cakes etc 🍰
But don’t starve yourself and end up feeling ravenous all day - this is not a salad diet! Instead, replace these foods with:
✅ Fat (yes, I know!) - but fat does not increase insulin levels and is a legitimate fuel source;
✅ Protein - carefully, because this will break down into glucose if you overdo it
✅ Leafy greens and vegetables.
Does this sound difficult?
Here’s an example of the type of meals to eat which support sustainable weight loss without the hunger pangs and the yo-yo bounce back (providing insulin-inducing high carbs don’t sneak back into your diet)!
🥑 Salmon with a large leafy green salad (avocado, spinach, rocket, cucumber, herbs) dressed generously with olive oil and lemon, topped with a handful of nuts.
Eggs cooked in butter with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini and spinach, finished with feta and fresh herbs.
Roast chicken thighs (skin-on) with broccoli and cauliflower, drizzled with olive oil or tahini dressing.
Pork belly, kale crisps and broccoli salad (that’s what I had for dinner last night!).
Greek yoghurt (full fat) with chia seeds, walnuts, almonds and berries.
These meals are not about restriction; they are about keeping insulin stable, staying full and giving your body access to its own stored energy again.
Darcy has lost 40kg eating like this, and I have lost 10kg. However, it’s a long-term change, not a quick weight loss journey.
The question to ask yourself when you look at food is - how much will this raise my insulin levels?
