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The Soleus Push-Ups: A Boon To People With Sedentary Jobs!
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Simple Way to Lower Your Post Meal Sugar And Insulin Spikes! Can a simple movement done while... read more
Are Almonds, Walnuts And Other Nuts Essential For Weight Loss?
Nuts and Weight Loss: Are They Worth the Calories? Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are widely regarded as healthy foods.... read more
Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!
Exercise Timing, Insulin Resistance And Blood Sugar Spikes — Does Timing Matter? Exercise is one of the most powerful tools... read more
Insulin – The Body’s Nutrient Gateway!
Insulin Doesn’t Just Regulate Blood Sugar! Insulin – The Body’s Nutrient Gateway! Most people think insulin exists only to lower blood... read more
Which Is The Healthiest Indian Cereal?
Wheat, Khapli Wheat, Jowar, Bajri or Nachani: Which Is The Healthiest Cereal? Walk through any supermarket or browse social media,... read more
Milk And Paneer Vs Soya, Soya Milk And Tofu Proteins!
Milk Protein Vs Soya Protein: Which Is The Better Protein? Protein is one of the most important nutrients for maintaining... read more
Protein: The Forgotten Nutrient in Indian Diets!
Are Proteins The Most Neglected Nutrient In our Diets? Protein is one of the three major nutrients our body needs... read more
Healthy Nutrition for Pre-Teens!
Building Foundations for Lifelong Health! The pre-teen years (roughly 9–12 years of age) are a period of rapid physical and... read more
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September 2026
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Boon To People With Sedentary Jobs!
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Simple Way to Lower Your Post Meal Sugar And Insulin Spikes!
Can a simple movement done while sitting at your desk help control the rise in blood sugar after a meal?
If your daily routine involves spending long hours sitting at a computer, working from home, attending online meetings or watching television, there is a simple movement you can perform without leaving your chair.
It is called the Soleus Push-Up (SPU).
The movement repeatedly raises and lowers your heels while you remain seated. Research suggests that this simple movement can substantially increase the metabolic activity of the soleus muscle, one of the major muscles in the calf.
What is the soleus muscle?
The soleus is a broad, deep muscle in the calf, underneath the more familiar gastrocnemius muscle.
Unlike muscles designed mainly for short, powerful movements, the soleus contains a high proportion of slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibres. It is naturally adapted for prolonged activity and is involved in standing and walking for much of the day.
Researchers at the University of Houston investigated whether this muscle could be deliberately activated for prolonged periods while a person remained seated. This led to the development of the Soleus Push-Up.
How does the Soleus Push-Up work?
During a Soleus Push-Up, you repeatedly raise and lower your heels while keeping the front of your feet and toes on the floor.
The objective is not to strengthen the calf by lifting a heavy load. Instead, it is to keep the soleus contracting gently and rhythmically for an extended period.
During sustained, low-intensity contractions, the soleus can rely heavily on oxidative metabolism. This increases its use of circulating fuels, including glucose and fatty acids, rather than rapidly using up its stored glycogen.
In simple terms:
More muscle activity → greater demand for fuel → greater utilisation of glucose and fatty acids from the circulation.
This is what makes the Soleus Push-Up particularly interesting during prolonged periods of sitting.
What did the research show?
A 2022 study published in iScience found that performing Soleus Push-Ups while seated substantially reduced the rise in blood glucose and insulin during a glucose tolerance test—by 52% and about 60%, respectively—and also improved the handling of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as VLDL.
The study was relatively small and conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, so these figures should not be interpreted as what everyone can expect after every meal. However, the findings suggest that keeping the highly fatigue-resistant soleus active may be a useful way of making prolonged sitting more metabolically active.
Why is it useful after a meal?
After eating, blood glucose normally rises as carbohydrates are digested and absorbed. Muscle activity can increase the use of glucose by skeletal muscle and help reduce the post-meal rise in blood glucose.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly interesting when getting up and walking is inconvenient.
You can perform it when you can’t get up and walk after a meal and prolonged sitting at a desk is unavoidable.
It therefore turns some otherwise inactive sitting time into an opportunity for muscle activity.
How to perform the Soleus Push-Up
Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet on the floor.
Keep your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees.
Keep the front of your feet and toes in contact with the floor.
Raise your heels as high as is comfortable.
Allow your heels to come back down.
Repeat the movement smoothly and rhythmically.
There is no need to move rapidly or forcefully.
The aim is gentle, sustained muscle activity—not exhaustion.
Do you need weights?
No.
Keep the movement simple and unweighted. Adding heavy objects to your knees is unnecessary for this purpose.
This is not a conventional calf-strengthening exercise. The objective is to maintain gentle, prolonged activity of the soleus.
How long should you do it?
A practical way to begin is with 10–15 minutes after a meal, particularly if you normally remain seated after eating.
You can also perform it intermittently during prolonged periods of sitting.
The research involved longer periods of sustained activity, so 10–15 minutes should be regarded as a practical starting habit, rather than an exact equivalent of the research protocol.
Is it a replacement for walking?
No.
The Soleus Push-Up is best thought of as a way of making prolonged sitting less inactive.
If you can get up and walk after a meal, continue doing so. Post-meal physical activity has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin spikes.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly useful for those periods when you have to remain seated.
A simple habit to try
If you spend long periods sitting at a desk, try performing gentle Soleus Push-Ups for 10–15 minutes after a meal.
If you have to keep seated for hours, you can keep doing these Soleus Push-Ups for 10 minutes intermittently.
It requires no equipment, no special clothing and no trip to the gym.
Sometimes the simplest exercise is the one that fits naturally into your everyday life, especially if your job is unavoidably sedentary.
Related articles:
‘Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!’
Are Almonds, Walnuts And Other Nuts Essential For Weight Loss?
Nuts and Weight Loss: Are They Worth the Calories?
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are widely regarded as healthy foods. They contain unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds. They are therefore often recommended as healthy snacks and are included in many weight-loss diets.
But an important question is often overlooked:
Do the nutritional advantages of these nuts justify the calories they contribute when they are eaten in the small portions appropriate for a weight-loss diet?
This is particularly relevant because many people who can afford nuts eat them by the handful, believing that their “healthy fats” may help with weight loss.
What do these four nuts provide?
All four nuts are energy-dense foods, providing roughly 550–650 calories per 100 grams. They also contain substantial amounts of fat, along with protein, fibre and various micronutrients and plant compounds.
Almonds provide about 580 calories and 21 grams of protein per 100 grams, with most of their fat being monounsaturated. They are also a useful source of vitamin E and various polyphenols.
Walnuts provide about 650 calories and 15 grams of protein, with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat. They are particularly rich in ALA, the plant form of omega-3 fatty acid, as well as several polyphenols.
Cashews provide about 550 calories and 18 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat, along with minerals and various plant compounds.
Pistachios provide about 560 calories and 20 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat. They also contain carotenoids, vitamin E and other polyphenols.
So, nutritionally, all four are valuable foods. But nutritional value has to be considered alongside calorie density—especially when the aim is weight loss.
What does this mean in a weight-loss diet?
A practical portion of nuts in a calorie-controlled diet may be only around 15–20 grams. Depending on the nut, this provides roughly 85–130 calories.
That small portion can certainly provide useful nutrients. But it also uses a noticeable part of the calorie allowance available for the day.
A few handfuls can easily add several hundred calories.
The fact that a food is healthy does not make its calories irrelevant.
This is one reason why the distinction between a nutritious food and a weight-loss food is important. Nuts are nutritious, but they are not low-calorie foods.
Do nuts actually help with weight loss?
There are reasonable explanations for why nuts might appear helpful during weight loss. Their protein, fibre and fat may increase satiety, and not all of their calories may be fully absorbed.
However, the more important question is what happens in actual weight-loss studies.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that adding nuts to an energy-restricted diet did not provide additional benefit for weight loss, waist circumference or body composition compared with energy restriction without added nuts. It also found no consistent additional improvement in glucose, blood lipids or blood pressure.
This does not mean that nuts are unhealthy. It simply means that there is no good evidence that adding nuts gives a special advantage for losing weight.
Nuts can certainly be part of a weight-loss diet. They just should not be regarded as having a special weight-loss effect.
What about their antioxidants and phytochemicals?
Nuts contain a variety of potentially beneficial plant compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols and vitamin E. Regular nut consumption may favourably affect some cardiovascular risk factors, but the amounts of individual phytochemicals vary considerably between nuts and varieties.
It would therefore be an overstatement to expect a small daily portion of a particular nut to produce a major health benefit simply because it contains a particular antioxidant.
The value of nuts lies in their overall nutritional package rather than any single component.
What about walnuts and omega-3?
Walnuts contain considerably more ALA, an essential plant omega-3 fatty acid, than almonds, cashews or pistachios. However, ALA is not the same as the EPA and DHA found in fish, and the body’s conversion of ALA—particularly to DHA—is limited.
Walnuts are therefore a useful source of plant omega-3, but are not equivalent to fish as a source of EPA and DHA.
Do you need nuts during weight loss?
No. But you can certainly include them.
There is no nutritional requirement to add nuts to every weight-loss diet. If you enjoy them, a small portion can easily be incorporated into a balanced eating pattern.
They can be particularly useful when they replace a less nutritious snack such as biscuits, sweets or highly processed foods. In that situation, nuts may improve the overall quality of the diet without simply adding extra calories.
When total calorie intake has to remain relatively moderate, however, the amount of nuts that can realistically be accommodated in a balanced weight-loss diet is quite small. It is therefore unlikely that this small quantity, by itself, will make a major or meaningful difference to a person’s overall health.
Their nutritional benefits are real, but they should be viewed in the context of the entire diet rather than giving nuts disproportionate importance as a “superfood.”
The bottom line
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are nutritious foods. They provide unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds.
They can certainly have a place in a healthy diet, including a weight-loss diet. But there is no good evidence that nuts themselves provide a special advantage in losing weight.
A small portion can provide useful nutrition, but several handfuls can contribute several hundred calories. And when calories are limited, those calories have to be considered alongside the rest of the diet.
Eat nuts because you enjoy them and because they fit into your balanced diet—not because you expect them to make you lose weight.
For weight loss and long-term health, the overall quality and quantity of the diet, appropriate portions, physical activity and the ability to sustain the lifestyle matter far more than whether nuts are included.
Related articles:
Grid
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Boon To People With Sedentary Jobs!
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Simple Way to Lower Your Post Meal Sugar And Insulin Spikes!
Can a simple movement done while sitting at your desk help control the rise in blood sugar after a meal?
If your daily routine involves spending long hours sitting at a computer, working from home, attending online meetings or watching television, there is a simple movement you can perform without leaving your chair.
It is called the Soleus Push-Up (SPU).
The movement repeatedly raises and lowers your heels while you remain seated. Research suggests that this simple movement can substantially increase the metabolic activity of the soleus muscle, one of the major muscles in the calf.
What is the soleus muscle?
The soleus is a broad, deep muscle in the calf, underneath the more familiar gastrocnemius muscle.
Unlike muscles designed mainly for short, powerful movements, the soleus contains a high proportion of slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibres. It is naturally adapted for prolonged activity and is involved in standing and walking for much of the day.
Researchers at the University of Houston investigated whether this muscle could be deliberately activated for prolonged periods while a person remained seated. This led to the development of the Soleus Push-Up.
How does the Soleus Push-Up work?
During a Soleus Push-Up, you repeatedly raise and lower your heels while keeping the front of your feet and toes on the floor.
The objective is not to strengthen the calf by lifting a heavy load. Instead, it is to keep the soleus contracting gently and rhythmically for an extended period.
During sustained, low-intensity contractions, the soleus can rely heavily on oxidative metabolism. This increases its use of circulating fuels, including glucose and fatty acids, rather than rapidly using up its stored glycogen.
In simple terms:
More muscle activity → greater demand for fuel → greater utilisation of glucose and fatty acids from the circulation.
This is what makes the Soleus Push-Up particularly interesting during prolonged periods of sitting.
What did the research show?
A 2022 study published in iScience found that performing Soleus Push-Ups while seated substantially reduced the rise in blood glucose and insulin during a glucose tolerance test—by 52% and about 60%, respectively—and also improved the handling of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as VLDL.
The study was relatively small and conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, so these figures should not be interpreted as what everyone can expect after every meal. However, the findings suggest that keeping the highly fatigue-resistant soleus active may be a useful way of making prolonged sitting more metabolically active.
Why is it useful after a meal?
After eating, blood glucose normally rises as carbohydrates are digested and absorbed. Muscle activity can increase the use of glucose by skeletal muscle and help reduce the post-meal rise in blood glucose.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly interesting when getting up and walking is inconvenient.
You can perform it when you can’t get up and walk after a meal and prolonged sitting at a desk is unavoidable.
It therefore turns some otherwise inactive sitting time into an opportunity for muscle activity.
How to perform the Soleus Push-Up
Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet on the floor.
Keep your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees.
Keep the front of your feet and toes in contact with the floor.
Raise your heels as high as is comfortable.
Allow your heels to come back down.
Repeat the movement smoothly and rhythmically.
There is no need to move rapidly or forcefully.
The aim is gentle, sustained muscle activity—not exhaustion.
Do you need weights?
No.
Keep the movement simple and unweighted. Adding heavy objects to your knees is unnecessary for this purpose.
This is not a conventional calf-strengthening exercise. The objective is to maintain gentle, prolonged activity of the soleus.
How long should you do it?
A practical way to begin is with 10–15 minutes after a meal, particularly if you normally remain seated after eating.
You can also perform it intermittently during prolonged periods of sitting.
The research involved longer periods of sustained activity, so 10–15 minutes should be regarded as a practical starting habit, rather than an exact equivalent of the research protocol.
Is it a replacement for walking?
No.
The Soleus Push-Up is best thought of as a way of making prolonged sitting less inactive.
If you can get up and walk after a meal, continue doing so. Post-meal physical activity has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin spikes.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly useful for those periods when you have to remain seated.
A simple habit to try
If you spend long periods sitting at a desk, try performing gentle Soleus Push-Ups for 10–15 minutes after a meal.
If you have to keep seated for hours, you can keep doing these Soleus Push-Ups for 10 minutes intermittently.
It requires no equipment, no special clothing and no trip to the gym.
Sometimes the simplest exercise is the one that fits naturally into your everyday life, especially if your job is unavoidably sedentary.
Related articles:
‘Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!’
Are Almonds, Walnuts And Other Nuts Essential For Weight Loss?
Nuts and Weight Loss: Are They Worth the Calories?
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are widely regarded as healthy foods. They contain unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds. They are therefore often recommended as healthy snacks and are included in many weight-loss diets.
But an important question is often overlooked:
Do the nutritional advantages of these nuts justify the calories they contribute when they are eaten in the small portions appropriate for a weight-loss diet?
This is particularly relevant because many people who can afford nuts eat them by the handful, believing that their “healthy fats” may help with weight loss.
What do these four nuts provide?
All four nuts are energy-dense foods, providing roughly 550–650 calories per 100 grams. They also contain substantial amounts of fat, along with protein, fibre and various micronutrients and plant compounds.
Almonds provide about 580 calories and 21 grams of protein per 100 grams, with most of their fat being monounsaturated. They are also a useful source of vitamin E and various polyphenols.
Walnuts provide about 650 calories and 15 grams of protein, with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat. They are particularly rich in ALA, the plant form of omega-3 fatty acid, as well as several polyphenols.
Cashews provide about 550 calories and 18 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat, along with minerals and various plant compounds.
Pistachios provide about 560 calories and 20 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat. They also contain carotenoids, vitamin E and other polyphenols.
So, nutritionally, all four are valuable foods. But nutritional value has to be considered alongside calorie density—especially when the aim is weight loss.
What does this mean in a weight-loss diet?
A practical portion of nuts in a calorie-controlled diet may be only around 15–20 grams. Depending on the nut, this provides roughly 85–130 calories.
That small portion can certainly provide useful nutrients. But it also uses a noticeable part of the calorie allowance available for the day.
A few handfuls can easily add several hundred calories.
The fact that a food is healthy does not make its calories irrelevant.
This is one reason why the distinction between a nutritious food and a weight-loss food is important. Nuts are nutritious, but they are not low-calorie foods.
Do nuts actually help with weight loss?
There are reasonable explanations for why nuts might appear helpful during weight loss. Their protein, fibre and fat may increase satiety, and not all of their calories may be fully absorbed.
However, the more important question is what happens in actual weight-loss studies.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that adding nuts to an energy-restricted diet did not provide additional benefit for weight loss, waist circumference or body composition compared with energy restriction without added nuts. It also found no consistent additional improvement in glucose, blood lipids or blood pressure.
This does not mean that nuts are unhealthy. It simply means that there is no good evidence that adding nuts gives a special advantage for losing weight.
Nuts can certainly be part of a weight-loss diet. They just should not be regarded as having a special weight-loss effect.
What about their antioxidants and phytochemicals?
Nuts contain a variety of potentially beneficial plant compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols and vitamin E. Regular nut consumption may favourably affect some cardiovascular risk factors, but the amounts of individual phytochemicals vary considerably between nuts and varieties.
It would therefore be an overstatement to expect a small daily portion of a particular nut to produce a major health benefit simply because it contains a particular antioxidant.
The value of nuts lies in their overall nutritional package rather than any single component.
What about walnuts and omega-3?
Walnuts contain considerably more ALA, an essential plant omega-3 fatty acid, than almonds, cashews or pistachios. However, ALA is not the same as the EPA and DHA found in fish, and the body’s conversion of ALA—particularly to DHA—is limited.
Walnuts are therefore a useful source of plant omega-3, but are not equivalent to fish as a source of EPA and DHA.
Do you need nuts during weight loss?
No. But you can certainly include them.
There is no nutritional requirement to add nuts to every weight-loss diet. If you enjoy them, a small portion can easily be incorporated into a balanced eating pattern.
They can be particularly useful when they replace a less nutritious snack such as biscuits, sweets or highly processed foods. In that situation, nuts may improve the overall quality of the diet without simply adding extra calories.
When total calorie intake has to remain relatively moderate, however, the amount of nuts that can realistically be accommodated in a balanced weight-loss diet is quite small. It is therefore unlikely that this small quantity, by itself, will make a major or meaningful difference to a person’s overall health.
Their nutritional benefits are real, but they should be viewed in the context of the entire diet rather than giving nuts disproportionate importance as a “superfood.”
The bottom line
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are nutritious foods. They provide unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds.
They can certainly have a place in a healthy diet, including a weight-loss diet. But there is no good evidence that nuts themselves provide a special advantage in losing weight.
A small portion can provide useful nutrition, but several handfuls can contribute several hundred calories. And when calories are limited, those calories have to be considered alongside the rest of the diet.
Eat nuts because you enjoy them and because they fit into your balanced diet—not because you expect them to make you lose weight.
For weight loss and long-term health, the overall quality and quantity of the diet, appropriate portions, physical activity and the ability to sustain the lifestyle matter far more than whether nuts are included.
Related articles:
Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!
Exercise Timing, Insulin Resistance And Blood Sugar Spikes — Does Timing Matter?
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for improving insulin resistance, reducing visceral fat and protecting long-term metabolic health.
But many people now ask an important question:
Does the timing of exercise matter?
Are morning walks uniquely beneficial?
Do post-meal walks reduce sugar spikes more effectively?
Can evening walks or slow runs also improve insulin resistance?
Modern research suggests that different timings of exercise may provide slightly different metabolic advantages — and combining them may produce the best results.
Exercise Improves Insulin Sensitivity For 24–48 Hours
Whenever we exercise — through brisk walking, slow jogging, cycling, swimming or other aerobic activity — muscles begin using glucose more efficiently.
Exercise:
- improves insulin signalling,
- increases muscle glucose uptake,
- activates GLUT-4 glucose transporters,
- and partially empties muscle glycogen stores.
As a result, muscles become more sensitive to insulin and require less insulin to absorb glucose from the bloodstream.
This improvement in insulin sensitivity may persist for:
- approximately 24 hours after moderate exercise,
- and sometimes up to 48 hours in insulin-resistant or previously sedentary individuals.
This is one reason why regular activity is so important — insulin resistance often worsens again after several inactive days.
Importantly, this benefit is not limited to morning exercise. Afternoon or evening walks, cycling sessions or slow runs can also improve insulin sensitivity into the next day.
Why Post-Meal Walks Are Especially Helpful
Post-meal walks provide an additional and particularly useful metabolic effect.
After eating, blood sugar and insulin levels naturally rise. If we remain inactive after meals, these spikes may become much larger — especially in individuals with:
- insulin resistance,
- visceral obesity,
- prediabetes,
- type 2 diabetes,
- and PCOS/PMOS.
Walking after meals helps contracting muscles directly absorb circulating glucose. As a result:
- blood sugar spikes become smaller,
- insulin spikes reduce,
- and overall glucose control improves.
Research shows that even:
- 10–15 minutes of brisk walking after meals
can significantly improve post-meal glucose control, especially after lunch and dinner.
Slow jogging may enhance this effect further, but brisk walking is often easier to sustain, gentler on joints and more practical for long-term consistency.
What About Exercise At Other Times Of The Day?
Exercise performed away from meals still provides major metabolic benefits.
Evening walks, afternoon exercise sessions and slow runs can:
- improve insulin sensitivity,
- reduce visceral fat,
- lower fasting insulin,
- improve glucose handling,
- and help reduce fatty liver over time.
Some studies even suggest that afternoon or evening exercise may sometimes improve glucose metabolism more effectively than early morning exercise, especially in insulin-resistant individuals. However, the differences are modest compared to the single most important factor:
Consistency
Regular movement matters far more than finding the “perfect” exercise timing.
The Best Strategy May Be A Combination Approach
Current evidence suggests that one of the most effective approaches for improving insulin resistance is combining:
- one dedicated daily exercise session,
with - short post-meal walks,
and - reducing prolonged sitting time.
For example:
- a morning brisk walk or slow run,
combined with - 10–15 minute walks after lunch and dinner,
may provide better metabolic benefits than only one long exercise session.
Even breaking prolonged sitting every 30–60 minutes may help improve insulin action.
Practical Take-Home Message
For improving insulin resistance, reducing visceral fat and stabilising blood sugar:
- regular brisk walking or slow jogging most days is highly beneficial,
- post-meal walks are especially effective for reducing glucose and insulin spikes,
- and exercise at almost any time of day improves metabolic health.
The greatest long-term benefits come not from perfect timing, but from regularity, sustainability and lifelong consistency.
Related articles
Medium
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Boon To People With Sedentary Jobs!
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Simple Way to Lower Your Post Meal Sugar And Insulin Spikes!
Can a simple movement done while sitting at your desk help control the rise in blood sugar after a meal?
If your daily routine involves spending long hours sitting at a computer, working from home, attending online meetings or watching television, there is a simple movement you can perform without leaving your chair.
It is called the Soleus Push-Up (SPU).
The movement repeatedly raises and lowers your heels while you remain seated. Research suggests that this simple movement can substantially increase the metabolic activity of the soleus muscle, one of the major muscles in the calf.
What is the soleus muscle?
The soleus is a broad, deep muscle in the calf, underneath the more familiar gastrocnemius muscle.
Unlike muscles designed mainly for short, powerful movements, the soleus contains a high proportion of slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibres. It is naturally adapted for prolonged activity and is involved in standing and walking for much of the day.
Researchers at the University of Houston investigated whether this muscle could be deliberately activated for prolonged periods while a person remained seated. This led to the development of the Soleus Push-Up.
How does the Soleus Push-Up work?
During a Soleus Push-Up, you repeatedly raise and lower your heels while keeping the front of your feet and toes on the floor.
The objective is not to strengthen the calf by lifting a heavy load. Instead, it is to keep the soleus contracting gently and rhythmically for an extended period.
During sustained, low-intensity contractions, the soleus can rely heavily on oxidative metabolism. This increases its use of circulating fuels, including glucose and fatty acids, rather than rapidly using up its stored glycogen.
In simple terms:
More muscle activity → greater demand for fuel → greater utilisation of glucose and fatty acids from the circulation.
This is what makes the Soleus Push-Up particularly interesting during prolonged periods of sitting.
What did the research show?
A 2022 study published in iScience found that performing Soleus Push-Ups while seated substantially reduced the rise in blood glucose and insulin during a glucose tolerance test—by 52% and about 60%, respectively—and also improved the handling of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as VLDL.
The study was relatively small and conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, so these figures should not be interpreted as what everyone can expect after every meal. However, the findings suggest that keeping the highly fatigue-resistant soleus active may be a useful way of making prolonged sitting more metabolically active.
Why is it useful after a meal?
After eating, blood glucose normally rises as carbohydrates are digested and absorbed. Muscle activity can increase the use of glucose by skeletal muscle and help reduce the post-meal rise in blood glucose.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly interesting when getting up and walking is inconvenient.
You can perform it when you can’t get up and walk after a meal and prolonged sitting at a desk is unavoidable.
It therefore turns some otherwise inactive sitting time into an opportunity for muscle activity.
How to perform the Soleus Push-Up
Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet on the floor.
Keep your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees.
Keep the front of your feet and toes in contact with the floor.
Raise your heels as high as is comfortable.
Allow your heels to come back down.
Repeat the movement smoothly and rhythmically.
There is no need to move rapidly or forcefully.
The aim is gentle, sustained muscle activity—not exhaustion.
Do you need weights?
No.
Keep the movement simple and unweighted. Adding heavy objects to your knees is unnecessary for this purpose.
This is not a conventional calf-strengthening exercise. The objective is to maintain gentle, prolonged activity of the soleus.
How long should you do it?
A practical way to begin is with 10–15 minutes after a meal, particularly if you normally remain seated after eating.
You can also perform it intermittently during prolonged periods of sitting.
The research involved longer periods of sustained activity, so 10–15 minutes should be regarded as a practical starting habit, rather than an exact equivalent of the research protocol.
Is it a replacement for walking?
No.
The Soleus Push-Up is best thought of as a way of making prolonged sitting less inactive.
If you can get up and walk after a meal, continue doing so. Post-meal physical activity has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin spikes.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly useful for those periods when you have to remain seated.
A simple habit to try
If you spend long periods sitting at a desk, try performing gentle Soleus Push-Ups for 10–15 minutes after a meal.
If you have to keep seated for hours, you can keep doing these Soleus Push-Ups for 10 minutes intermittently.
It requires no equipment, no special clothing and no trip to the gym.
Sometimes the simplest exercise is the one that fits naturally into your everyday life, especially if your job is unavoidably sedentary.
Related articles:
‘Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!’
Are Almonds, Walnuts And Other Nuts Essential For Weight Loss?
Nuts and Weight Loss: Are They Worth the Calories?
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are widely regarded as healthy foods. They contain unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds. They are therefore often recommended as healthy snacks and are included in many weight-loss diets.
But an important question is often overlooked:
Do the nutritional advantages of these nuts justify the calories they contribute when they are eaten in the small portions appropriate for a weight-loss diet?
This is particularly relevant because many people who can afford nuts eat them by the handful, believing that their “healthy fats” may help with weight loss.
What do these four nuts provide?
All four nuts are energy-dense foods, providing roughly 550–650 calories per 100 grams. They also contain substantial amounts of fat, along with protein, fibre and various micronutrients and plant compounds.
Almonds provide about 580 calories and 21 grams of protein per 100 grams, with most of their fat being monounsaturated. They are also a useful source of vitamin E and various polyphenols.
Walnuts provide about 650 calories and 15 grams of protein, with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat. They are particularly rich in ALA, the plant form of omega-3 fatty acid, as well as several polyphenols.
Cashews provide about 550 calories and 18 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat, along with minerals and various plant compounds.
Pistachios provide about 560 calories and 20 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat. They also contain carotenoids, vitamin E and other polyphenols.
So, nutritionally, all four are valuable foods. But nutritional value has to be considered alongside calorie density—especially when the aim is weight loss.
What does this mean in a weight-loss diet?
A practical portion of nuts in a calorie-controlled diet may be only around 15–20 grams. Depending on the nut, this provides roughly 85–130 calories.
That small portion can certainly provide useful nutrients. But it also uses a noticeable part of the calorie allowance available for the day.
A few handfuls can easily add several hundred calories.
The fact that a food is healthy does not make its calories irrelevant.
This is one reason why the distinction between a nutritious food and a weight-loss food is important. Nuts are nutritious, but they are not low-calorie foods.
Do nuts actually help with weight loss?
There are reasonable explanations for why nuts might appear helpful during weight loss. Their protein, fibre and fat may increase satiety, and not all of their calories may be fully absorbed.
However, the more important question is what happens in actual weight-loss studies.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that adding nuts to an energy-restricted diet did not provide additional benefit for weight loss, waist circumference or body composition compared with energy restriction without added nuts. It also found no consistent additional improvement in glucose, blood lipids or blood pressure.
This does not mean that nuts are unhealthy. It simply means that there is no good evidence that adding nuts gives a special advantage for losing weight.
Nuts can certainly be part of a weight-loss diet. They just should not be regarded as having a special weight-loss effect.
What about their antioxidants and phytochemicals?
Nuts contain a variety of potentially beneficial plant compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols and vitamin E. Regular nut consumption may favourably affect some cardiovascular risk factors, but the amounts of individual phytochemicals vary considerably between nuts and varieties.
It would therefore be an overstatement to expect a small daily portion of a particular nut to produce a major health benefit simply because it contains a particular antioxidant.
The value of nuts lies in their overall nutritional package rather than any single component.
What about walnuts and omega-3?
Walnuts contain considerably more ALA, an essential plant omega-3 fatty acid, than almonds, cashews or pistachios. However, ALA is not the same as the EPA and DHA found in fish, and the body’s conversion of ALA—particularly to DHA—is limited.
Walnuts are therefore a useful source of plant omega-3, but are not equivalent to fish as a source of EPA and DHA.
Do you need nuts during weight loss?
No. But you can certainly include them.
There is no nutritional requirement to add nuts to every weight-loss diet. If you enjoy them, a small portion can easily be incorporated into a balanced eating pattern.
They can be particularly useful when they replace a less nutritious snack such as biscuits, sweets or highly processed foods. In that situation, nuts may improve the overall quality of the diet without simply adding extra calories.
When total calorie intake has to remain relatively moderate, however, the amount of nuts that can realistically be accommodated in a balanced weight-loss diet is quite small. It is therefore unlikely that this small quantity, by itself, will make a major or meaningful difference to a person’s overall health.
Their nutritional benefits are real, but they should be viewed in the context of the entire diet rather than giving nuts disproportionate importance as a “superfood.”
The bottom line
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are nutritious foods. They provide unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds.
They can certainly have a place in a healthy diet, including a weight-loss diet. But there is no good evidence that nuts themselves provide a special advantage in losing weight.
A small portion can provide useful nutrition, but several handfuls can contribute several hundred calories. And when calories are limited, those calories have to be considered alongside the rest of the diet.
Eat nuts because you enjoy them and because they fit into your balanced diet—not because you expect them to make you lose weight.
For weight loss and long-term health, the overall quality and quantity of the diet, appropriate portions, physical activity and the ability to sustain the lifestyle matter far more than whether nuts are included.
Related articles:
Large
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Boon To People With Sedentary Jobs!
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Simple Way to Lower Your Post Meal Sugar And Insulin Spikes!
Can a simple movement done while sitting at your desk help control the rise in blood sugar after a meal?
If your daily routine involves spending long hours sitting at a computer, working from home, attending online meetings or watching television, there is a simple movement you can perform without leaving your chair.
It is called the Soleus Push-Up (SPU).
The movement repeatedly raises and lowers your heels while you remain seated. Research suggests that this simple movement can substantially increase the metabolic activity of the soleus muscle, one of the major muscles in the calf.
What is the soleus muscle?
The soleus is a broad, deep muscle in the calf, underneath the more familiar gastrocnemius muscle.
Unlike muscles designed mainly for short, powerful movements, the soleus contains a high proportion of slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibres. It is naturally adapted for prolonged activity and is involved in standing and walking for much of the day.
Researchers at the University of Houston investigated whether this muscle could be deliberately activated for prolonged periods while a person remained seated. This led to the development of the Soleus Push-Up.
How does the Soleus Push-Up work?
During a Soleus Push-Up, you repeatedly raise and lower your heels while keeping the front of your feet and toes on the floor.
The objective is not to strengthen the calf by lifting a heavy load. Instead, it is to keep the soleus contracting gently and rhythmically for an extended period.
During sustained, low-intensity contractions, the soleus can rely heavily on oxidative metabolism. This increases its use of circulating fuels, including glucose and fatty acids, rather than rapidly using up its stored glycogen.
In simple terms:
More muscle activity → greater demand for fuel → greater utilisation of glucose and fatty acids from the circulation.
This is what makes the Soleus Push-Up particularly interesting during prolonged periods of sitting.
What did the research show?
A 2022 study published in iScience found that performing Soleus Push-Ups while seated substantially reduced the rise in blood glucose and insulin during a glucose tolerance test—by 52% and about 60%, respectively—and also improved the handling of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as VLDL.
The study was relatively small and conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, so these figures should not be interpreted as what everyone can expect after every meal. However, the findings suggest that keeping the highly fatigue-resistant soleus active may be a useful way of making prolonged sitting more metabolically active.
Why is it useful after a meal?
After eating, blood glucose normally rises as carbohydrates are digested and absorbed. Muscle activity can increase the use of glucose by skeletal muscle and help reduce the post-meal rise in blood glucose.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly interesting when getting up and walking is inconvenient.
You can perform it when you can’t get up and walk after a meal and prolonged sitting at a desk is unavoidable.
It therefore turns some otherwise inactive sitting time into an opportunity for muscle activity.
How to perform the Soleus Push-Up
Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet on the floor.
Keep your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees.
Keep the front of your feet and toes in contact with the floor.
Raise your heels as high as is comfortable.
Allow your heels to come back down.
Repeat the movement smoothly and rhythmically.
There is no need to move rapidly or forcefully.
The aim is gentle, sustained muscle activity—not exhaustion.
Do you need weights?
No.
Keep the movement simple and unweighted. Adding heavy objects to your knees is unnecessary for this purpose.
This is not a conventional calf-strengthening exercise. The objective is to maintain gentle, prolonged activity of the soleus.
How long should you do it?
A practical way to begin is with 10–15 minutes after a meal, particularly if you normally remain seated after eating.
You can also perform it intermittently during prolonged periods of sitting.
The research involved longer periods of sustained activity, so 10–15 minutes should be regarded as a practical starting habit, rather than an exact equivalent of the research protocol.
Is it a replacement for walking?
No.
The Soleus Push-Up is best thought of as a way of making prolonged sitting less inactive.
If you can get up and walk after a meal, continue doing so. Post-meal physical activity has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin spikes.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly useful for those periods when you have to remain seated.
A simple habit to try
If you spend long periods sitting at a desk, try performing gentle Soleus Push-Ups for 10–15 minutes after a meal.
If you have to keep seated for hours, you can keep doing these Soleus Push-Ups for 10 minutes intermittently.
It requires no equipment, no special clothing and no trip to the gym.
Sometimes the simplest exercise is the one that fits naturally into your everyday life, especially if your job is unavoidably sedentary.
Related articles:
‘Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!’
Are Almonds, Walnuts And Other Nuts Essential For Weight Loss?
Nuts and Weight Loss: Are They Worth the Calories?
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are widely regarded as healthy foods. They contain unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds. They are therefore often recommended as healthy snacks and are included in many weight-loss diets.
But an important question is often overlooked:
Do the nutritional advantages of these nuts justify the calories they contribute when they are eaten in the small portions appropriate for a weight-loss diet?
This is particularly relevant because many people who can afford nuts eat them by the handful, believing that their “healthy fats” may help with weight loss.
What do these four nuts provide?
All four nuts are energy-dense foods, providing roughly 550–650 calories per 100 grams. They also contain substantial amounts of fat, along with protein, fibre and various micronutrients and plant compounds.
Almonds provide about 580 calories and 21 grams of protein per 100 grams, with most of their fat being monounsaturated. They are also a useful source of vitamin E and various polyphenols.
Walnuts provide about 650 calories and 15 grams of protein, with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat. They are particularly rich in ALA, the plant form of omega-3 fatty acid, as well as several polyphenols.
Cashews provide about 550 calories and 18 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat, along with minerals and various plant compounds.
Pistachios provide about 560 calories and 20 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat. They also contain carotenoids, vitamin E and other polyphenols.
So, nutritionally, all four are valuable foods. But nutritional value has to be considered alongside calorie density—especially when the aim is weight loss.
What does this mean in a weight-loss diet?
A practical portion of nuts in a calorie-controlled diet may be only around 15–20 grams. Depending on the nut, this provides roughly 85–130 calories.
That small portion can certainly provide useful nutrients. But it also uses a noticeable part of the calorie allowance available for the day.
A few handfuls can easily add several hundred calories.
The fact that a food is healthy does not make its calories irrelevant.
This is one reason why the distinction between a nutritious food and a weight-loss food is important. Nuts are nutritious, but they are not low-calorie foods.
Do nuts actually help with weight loss?
There are reasonable explanations for why nuts might appear helpful during weight loss. Their protein, fibre and fat may increase satiety, and not all of their calories may be fully absorbed.
However, the more important question is what happens in actual weight-loss studies.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that adding nuts to an energy-restricted diet did not provide additional benefit for weight loss, waist circumference or body composition compared with energy restriction without added nuts. It also found no consistent additional improvement in glucose, blood lipids or blood pressure.
This does not mean that nuts are unhealthy. It simply means that there is no good evidence that adding nuts gives a special advantage for losing weight.
Nuts can certainly be part of a weight-loss diet. They just should not be regarded as having a special weight-loss effect.
What about their antioxidants and phytochemicals?
Nuts contain a variety of potentially beneficial plant compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols and vitamin E. Regular nut consumption may favourably affect some cardiovascular risk factors, but the amounts of individual phytochemicals vary considerably between nuts and varieties.
It would therefore be an overstatement to expect a small daily portion of a particular nut to produce a major health benefit simply because it contains a particular antioxidant.
The value of nuts lies in their overall nutritional package rather than any single component.
What about walnuts and omega-3?
Walnuts contain considerably more ALA, an essential plant omega-3 fatty acid, than almonds, cashews or pistachios. However, ALA is not the same as the EPA and DHA found in fish, and the body’s conversion of ALA—particularly to DHA—is limited.
Walnuts are therefore a useful source of plant omega-3, but are not equivalent to fish as a source of EPA and DHA.
Do you need nuts during weight loss?
No. But you can certainly include them.
There is no nutritional requirement to add nuts to every weight-loss diet. If you enjoy them, a small portion can easily be incorporated into a balanced eating pattern.
They can be particularly useful when they replace a less nutritious snack such as biscuits, sweets or highly processed foods. In that situation, nuts may improve the overall quality of the diet without simply adding extra calories.
When total calorie intake has to remain relatively moderate, however, the amount of nuts that can realistically be accommodated in a balanced weight-loss diet is quite small. It is therefore unlikely that this small quantity, by itself, will make a major or meaningful difference to a person’s overall health.
Their nutritional benefits are real, but they should be viewed in the context of the entire diet rather than giving nuts disproportionate importance as a “superfood.”
The bottom line
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are nutritious foods. They provide unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds.
They can certainly have a place in a healthy diet, including a weight-loss diet. But there is no good evidence that nuts themselves provide a special advantage in losing weight.
A small portion can provide useful nutrition, but several handfuls can contribute several hundred calories. And when calories are limited, those calories have to be considered alongside the rest of the diet.
Eat nuts because you enjoy them and because they fit into your balanced diet—not because you expect them to make you lose weight.
For weight loss and long-term health, the overall quality and quantity of the diet, appropriate portions, physical activity and the ability to sustain the lifestyle matter far more than whether nuts are included.
Related articles:
Large Alt
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Boon To People With Sedentary Jobs!
The Soleus Push-Ups: A Simple Way to Lower Your Post Meal Sugar And Insulin Spikes!
Can a simple movement done while sitting at your desk help control the rise in blood sugar after a meal?
If your daily routine involves spending long hours sitting at a computer, working from home, attending online meetings or watching television, there is a simple movement you can perform without leaving your chair.
It is called the Soleus Push-Up (SPU).
The movement repeatedly raises and lowers your heels while you remain seated. Research suggests that this simple movement can substantially increase the metabolic activity of the soleus muscle, one of the major muscles in the calf.
What is the soleus muscle?
The soleus is a broad, deep muscle in the calf, underneath the more familiar gastrocnemius muscle.
Unlike muscles designed mainly for short, powerful movements, the soleus contains a high proportion of slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibres. It is naturally adapted for prolonged activity and is involved in standing and walking for much of the day.
Researchers at the University of Houston investigated whether this muscle could be deliberately activated for prolonged periods while a person remained seated. This led to the development of the Soleus Push-Up.
How does the Soleus Push-Up work?
During a Soleus Push-Up, you repeatedly raise and lower your heels while keeping the front of your feet and toes on the floor.
The objective is not to strengthen the calf by lifting a heavy load. Instead, it is to keep the soleus contracting gently and rhythmically for an extended period.
During sustained, low-intensity contractions, the soleus can rely heavily on oxidative metabolism. This increases its use of circulating fuels, including glucose and fatty acids, rather than rapidly using up its stored glycogen.
In simple terms:
More muscle activity → greater demand for fuel → greater utilisation of glucose and fatty acids from the circulation.
This is what makes the Soleus Push-Up particularly interesting during prolonged periods of sitting.
What did the research show?
A 2022 study published in iScience found that performing Soleus Push-Ups while seated substantially reduced the rise in blood glucose and insulin during a glucose tolerance test—by 52% and about 60%, respectively—and also improved the handling of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as VLDL.
The study was relatively small and conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, so these figures should not be interpreted as what everyone can expect after every meal. However, the findings suggest that keeping the highly fatigue-resistant soleus active may be a useful way of making prolonged sitting more metabolically active.
Why is it useful after a meal?
After eating, blood glucose normally rises as carbohydrates are digested and absorbed. Muscle activity can increase the use of glucose by skeletal muscle and help reduce the post-meal rise in blood glucose.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly interesting when getting up and walking is inconvenient.
You can perform it when you can’t get up and walk after a meal and prolonged sitting at a desk is unavoidable.
It therefore turns some otherwise inactive sitting time into an opportunity for muscle activity.
How to perform the Soleus Push-Up
Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet on the floor.
Keep your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees.
Keep the front of your feet and toes in contact with the floor.
Raise your heels as high as is comfortable.
Allow your heels to come back down.
Repeat the movement smoothly and rhythmically.
There is no need to move rapidly or forcefully.
The aim is gentle, sustained muscle activity—not exhaustion.
Do you need weights?
No.
Keep the movement simple and unweighted. Adding heavy objects to your knees is unnecessary for this purpose.
This is not a conventional calf-strengthening exercise. The objective is to maintain gentle, prolonged activity of the soleus.
How long should you do it?
A practical way to begin is with 10–15 minutes after a meal, particularly if you normally remain seated after eating.
You can also perform it intermittently during prolonged periods of sitting.
The research involved longer periods of sustained activity, so 10–15 minutes should be regarded as a practical starting habit, rather than an exact equivalent of the research protocol.
Is it a replacement for walking?
No.
The Soleus Push-Up is best thought of as a way of making prolonged sitting less inactive.
If you can get up and walk after a meal, continue doing so. Post-meal physical activity has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin spikes.
The Soleus Push-Up is particularly useful for those periods when you have to remain seated.
A simple habit to try
If you spend long periods sitting at a desk, try performing gentle Soleus Push-Ups for 10–15 minutes after a meal.
If you have to keep seated for hours, you can keep doing these Soleus Push-Ups for 10 minutes intermittently.
It requires no equipment, no special clothing and no trip to the gym.
Sometimes the simplest exercise is the one that fits naturally into your everyday life, especially if your job is unavoidably sedentary.
Related articles:
‘Exercise Timing, Insulin, Blood Sugar, Visceral Fat And Metabolic Health!’
Are Almonds, Walnuts And Other Nuts Essential For Weight Loss?
Nuts and Weight Loss: Are They Worth the Calories?
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are widely regarded as healthy foods. They contain unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds. They are therefore often recommended as healthy snacks and are included in many weight-loss diets.
But an important question is often overlooked:
Do the nutritional advantages of these nuts justify the calories they contribute when they are eaten in the small portions appropriate for a weight-loss diet?
This is particularly relevant because many people who can afford nuts eat them by the handful, believing that their “healthy fats” may help with weight loss.
What do these four nuts provide?
All four nuts are energy-dense foods, providing roughly 550–650 calories per 100 grams. They also contain substantial amounts of fat, along with protein, fibre and various micronutrients and plant compounds.
Almonds provide about 580 calories and 21 grams of protein per 100 grams, with most of their fat being monounsaturated. They are also a useful source of vitamin E and various polyphenols.
Walnuts provide about 650 calories and 15 grams of protein, with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat. They are particularly rich in ALA, the plant form of omega-3 fatty acid, as well as several polyphenols.
Cashews provide about 550 calories and 18 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat, along with minerals and various plant compounds.
Pistachios provide about 560 calories and 20 grams of protein, with predominantly monounsaturated fat. They also contain carotenoids, vitamin E and other polyphenols.
So, nutritionally, all four are valuable foods. But nutritional value has to be considered alongside calorie density—especially when the aim is weight loss.
What does this mean in a weight-loss diet?
A practical portion of nuts in a calorie-controlled diet may be only around 15–20 grams. Depending on the nut, this provides roughly 85–130 calories.
That small portion can certainly provide useful nutrients. But it also uses a noticeable part of the calorie allowance available for the day.
A few handfuls can easily add several hundred calories.
The fact that a food is healthy does not make its calories irrelevant.
This is one reason why the distinction between a nutritious food and a weight-loss food is important. Nuts are nutritious, but they are not low-calorie foods.
Do nuts actually help with weight loss?
There are reasonable explanations for why nuts might appear helpful during weight loss. Their protein, fibre and fat may increase satiety, and not all of their calories may be fully absorbed.
However, the more important question is what happens in actual weight-loss studies.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that adding nuts to an energy-restricted diet did not provide additional benefit for weight loss, waist circumference or body composition compared with energy restriction without added nuts. It also found no consistent additional improvement in glucose, blood lipids or blood pressure.
This does not mean that nuts are unhealthy. It simply means that there is no good evidence that adding nuts gives a special advantage for losing weight.
Nuts can certainly be part of a weight-loss diet. They just should not be regarded as having a special weight-loss effect.
What about their antioxidants and phytochemicals?
Nuts contain a variety of potentially beneficial plant compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols and vitamin E. Regular nut consumption may favourably affect some cardiovascular risk factors, but the amounts of individual phytochemicals vary considerably between nuts and varieties.
It would therefore be an overstatement to expect a small daily portion of a particular nut to produce a major health benefit simply because it contains a particular antioxidant.
The value of nuts lies in their overall nutritional package rather than any single component.
What about walnuts and omega-3?
Walnuts contain considerably more ALA, an essential plant omega-3 fatty acid, than almonds, cashews or pistachios. However, ALA is not the same as the EPA and DHA found in fish, and the body’s conversion of ALA—particularly to DHA—is limited.
Walnuts are therefore a useful source of plant omega-3, but are not equivalent to fish as a source of EPA and DHA.
Do you need nuts during weight loss?
No. But you can certainly include them.
There is no nutritional requirement to add nuts to every weight-loss diet. If you enjoy them, a small portion can easily be incorporated into a balanced eating pattern.
They can be particularly useful when they replace a less nutritious snack such as biscuits, sweets or highly processed foods. In that situation, nuts may improve the overall quality of the diet without simply adding extra calories.
When total calorie intake has to remain relatively moderate, however, the amount of nuts that can realistically be accommodated in a balanced weight-loss diet is quite small. It is therefore unlikely that this small quantity, by itself, will make a major or meaningful difference to a person’s overall health.
Their nutritional benefits are real, but they should be viewed in the context of the entire diet rather than giving nuts disproportionate importance as a “superfood.”
The bottom line
Almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are nutritious foods. They provide unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and a variety of beneficial plant compounds.
They can certainly have a place in a healthy diet, including a weight-loss diet. But there is no good evidence that nuts themselves provide a special advantage in losing weight.
A small portion can provide useful nutrition, but several handfuls can contribute several hundred calories. And when calories are limited, those calories have to be considered alongside the rest of the diet.
Eat nuts because you enjoy them and because they fit into your balanced diet—not because you expect them to make you lose weight.
For weight loss and long-term health, the overall quality and quantity of the diet, appropriate portions, physical activity and the ability to sustain the lifestyle matter far more than whether nuts are included.
Related articles: