How to Balance Carbs, Blood Sugar, Exercise (and optional Weight Loss)

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How to Balance Carbs, Blood Sugar, Exercise (and optional Weight Loss) is a post about insulin production, carbs, copper intake, general health and wellness. “We are what we eat” is increasingly true — at this time in history, and as we age — so each choice we make can have an impact on how we feel.

In this post, we’ll discuss:

• the relationship between carb intake, copper intake and fat storage
• insulin production in the body, so we can create safer blood sugar levels for ourselves
• how exercise supports a healthy diet and healthy blood sugar levels
• how many carbs to eat based on the energy you expend

Eating more carbohydrates (and/or more copper) than your body needs for the energy you expend each day means you’re making more insulin than your body needs.

Understanding this isn’t only a weight loss or exercise tool — it also increases our awareness of which foods actually deliver energy, and how much of those foods we need based on how much we move.

While most people know that eating a lot of carbs can cause weight gain and blood sugar dysregulation, most don’t know that the same is true of copper (and some other toxins, too; after all, fat is one place the body stores toxins to protect us from them).

Nor do most of us know how to gently implement exercise so that it correlates with our carb intake.

This post was not written to encourage you to start a low-carb diet. However, reducing carbohydrates and modifying one’s diet may be necessary for some people.

Whereas, I have found it helpful at times to eliminate unrefined sweeteners like raw honey and pure maple syrup (simple carbs), while increasing my fiber intake, as I work to balance my blood sugar levels, others may find they need to even reduce complex carbs.

Most importantly, I now always incorporate daily exercise to balance my body — understanding yet another reason that daily walks are such a healthy discipline to include (and one that also brings joy).

Carbohydrate and Copper Intake and Insulin

The body produces insulin when it has too much sugar — and also in response to high dietary copper intake.

If your diet is causing you to make more insulin than you need, your body will store more fat. To understand why we gain weight, we need to look at what’s happening with toxin intake and insulin production.

Here are some basic facts:

• We eat carbs to make energy to do activities.
• From the standpoint of fuel production, all carbs must break down into glucose and enter the bloodstream.
• For someone working from a chair all day who doesn’t want to gain weight (or who wants to lose weight), a balanced diet might be: low in fat, modest to high in protein, inclusive of some non-carb vegetables and — have about 60 grams of carbohydrates total (or less for some people) — based on very little activity.

What carb sources equal about 60 grams per day?

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to focus on counting exact carbohydrates, but rather on internalizing the concept that carbohydrates provide energy — and that energy needs to be used. When carbohydrate-derived energy is not utilized, it is more likely to lead to excess insulin production and/or be stored as body fat.

Some examples of roughly 60 grams of carbs from lower copper sources in a day include:

• an apple or serving of beans (25g) + a bowl of rice (30g)
• a handful of blueberries (11g), 1 pear (25g) + 1 small potato without skin (25g)
• a slice of bread (20-30g) with almond butter (5g) + 1 banana (30g)
• bunch of grapes (30g) + pasta (20g) or roasted parsnips (20g) for dinner

One of the major problems in our modern world is that movement is no longer necessary, and exercise is often inconvenient. This reality is paired with the fact that humans still want to eat the amount of carbs a marathon runner needs in a day.

To make matters worse, most Americans are filling up on processed foods that are high in both carbohydrates and copper.

The result is that many people end up eating over 200 grams of carbs, along with more copper than their bodies can use — and they have no physiological outlet for either.

High Copper Intake and the “Rainbow Diet”

To some extent, Americans eat a high-copper diet simply because it’s easy to do so when filling up on carbs.

We’ve also been told that eating a high-copper diet is healthy — lots of nuts, seeds, and rainbow-colored fruits and vegetables.

But no precedent in history, nor solid evidence from studies, shows that a rainbow diet — or one high in nuts and seeds — is inherently healthy. In fact, the rainbow diet fad was popularized by Sesame Street. 

While the intentions were likely good — aiming to lead kids away from junk food — there was zero evidence that brightly colored produce created a healthier body than diets centered on meat, beans and rice, for example.

Unfortunately, that’s where the movement went. Instead of leading people away from junk food, the rainbow diet was soon adopted by the Weston A. Price Foundation and many “anti-inflammatory” and “healing” diets, which began focusing on vitamins and fats instead of minerals and protein. (It’s worth noting that vitamins were “discovered” in the last century, and much of our understanding of them remains theoretical.)

What we do know for sure is the importance of minerals. Our soil used to be mineral-rich, and our produce and meat reflected that. We need minerals for optimal health — just as we need protein to build and sustain the body, and both protein and fiber to properly detox.

But copper is a mineral that’s also a heavy metal. We need very little copper.

Instead, most bodies need more zinc, molybdenum, magnesium, potassium, selenium etc — ideally based on personal tests run by a good doctor.

Regarding Low-Carb Diets

While low-carb protocols miss the mark for most people’s best health, we can glean something important from them: the strong correlation between carbohydrate intake and energy output.

Several years ago, I began intentionally working to balance my blood sugar. I was experiencing hypoglycemic symptoms that concerned me. Learning how insulin production relates to macronutrient choices — protein, carbs, fiber, fat — made a big difference.

Proteins and fats do not significantly affect insulin levels. Insulin is not required to digest them.

When we eat carbohydrates, the body must process the resulting glucose in one of two ways:

• by producing insulin (which acts as a key that allows glucose into cells),
• or through exercise.

When blood sugar levels run high on a regular basis, the body compensates by producing more and more insulin.

With copper, scientists disagree on the exact mechanism, but they agree that high copper intake disrupts insulin signaling.

Over time — in both scenarios — a person becomes insulin resistant, meaning insulin becomes less effective.

One more point in favor of regular exercise and weight lifting: Insulin transfers glucose more effectively into muscle cells than fat cells. The more fat cells a person has, the more likely they are to become insulin resistant.

Better Food Choices for Lower Insulin Production

I have sympathy for anyone who gives up favorite foods for improved health — I’ve done it many times. The first week or two is the hardest. After that, a new routine sets in, and it gets easier.

What helps most is having alternatives you genuinely enjoy, getting outside for walks, and — most importantly — seeing the difference the changes make in your body. Feeling better is powerful motivation.

For example, I used to eat homemade waffles with maple syrup every morning. Eventually, the simple carbs from the syrup became too much — too much insulin. (Shakiness after eating sugary foods occurs because excess insulin causes a rapid drop in blood sugar [hypoglycemia], triggering a “sugar crash.” This sudden low triggers the release of stress hormones, such as adrenaline — which can cause shakiness and fast heart rate.)

I wanted to switch to using nut or seed butter on my waffles instead, but those are very high in copper and manganese — two minerals (and heavy metals) that lead to Parkinson’s Disease and many other imbalances.

Now, I always start my day with protein — usually a meat patty, since meat is the gentlest and best protein source. I still eat carbs, just not usually with sweetener on top: Sometimes it’s oatmeal, sometimes homemade bread, and I love sourdough toast with beans (weird for some, but delicious to me — and a great fiber source). I’ve found new favorites.

Secret Tip

If you do want a little sweetener, the best way to include it is to plan exercise immediately before or after your meal — preferably after (or both). (For me, this just looks like going for a long brisk walk after breakfast!)

That way, your body doesn’t need to produce insulin to store that sugar. Instead, the glucose gets used during exercise.

It really works. If you love sweeteners, try reducing the total amount and pairing them with movement.

High-Intensity Workouts

The higher the intensity of a workout, the more carbohydrates the body needs for fuel.

Low-impact workouts don’t necessarily require increased carb intake.

Carbohydrate needs are highly individual and depend on gender, weight, insulin sensitivity and overall health.

Find What Works for Your Body

Disclaimer: Experiment with carbohydrate intake to find what works best for you.

Health conditions matter. Someone with adrenal fatigue (HPA axis dysfunction) or hypothyroidism may need more complex carbs to heal, while someone with SIBO may need to reduce carbs. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Kids and Carb Intake

The principles in this article do not usually apply to children or teenagers — especially active teens. As long as kids eat plenty of whole-food protein, complex carbohydrates should not be restricted.

(That said, teens struggling with weight or blood sugar issues may benefit from reducing carbs and glycemic load, while eliminating refined sugars and processed foods.)

Simple carbs — sweets and treats — should be limited at any age.

For perspective: An active teenager can easily eat 250 to 300 grams of carbs per day. In adults, that level of intake is typically reserved for marathon runners. Adult lifestyles are more sedentary, and we’re no longer growing.

How Many Carbs to Eat Based on Activity Level

What a person’s low copper ideal carb intake might look like in a single day, without weight gain, these are just examples:

• Walking 1 mile/day — 60g carbs (3 dates or 1 apple + a small bowl of rice)
• Walking 3 miles/day — 75g carbs (sandwich + banana)
• Same as above, but male and active all day — 150g carbs (large bowl of oatmeal, blueberries, rice or pasta at dinner, small scoop of ice cream)
• Intense one-hour workout — 150g carbs (big bowl of cereal, big baked potato, grapes, apple)
• Beyond this generally requires a high-carb diet (like the one my teenager eats!)

Reminder: This article is not intended to focus on counting exact carbohydrates, but rather on internalizing the concept that carbohydrates provide energy — and that energy needs to be used. When carbohydrate-derived energy is not utilized, it is more likely to lead to excess insulin production and/or be stored as body fat.

Conclusion: Where to Begin

Start by increasing awareness of what you eat and how it makes you feel. Notice how active you are. Do certain meals make you shaky or sluggish? Which meals give you energy — and which make you want to nap?

Could you go for a walk after one of your meals? Which one?

If you already exercise, which foods fuel your workouts, and which weigh you down?

If dietary changes feel daunting, remember: Wellness is a journey, and the scenery always changes.

If you’ve grown attached to certain foods or rituals, think of life as an adventure. Invite longevity by staying open to a new view.

Focus on moderate portions and the beauty of simple, nourishing foods: beef, chicken, turkey, wild game, beans, oats, rice (or grain-free alternatives), grapes, bananas, apples, lettuces, green beans, asparagus (and more) … 

Stress and Energy Levels

To further support healthy blood sugar, keep stress low. Support circadian rhythms (light therapy and vitamin D in winter can help), and prioritize good sleep.

While change can feel hard at first — whether your goal is reducing toxins, blood sugar regulation, exercising more, eating better or weight loss — the process becomes encouraging. Success builds on itself, and those wins propel us into even better choices.

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