Eating more to lose weight = counterintuitive

Over the past 20-30 years we've been told that we need to eat less and exercise more to lose weight. In a very, VERY general sense, this was the case. But that's the same as taking an engine-less car to a mechanic and him saying you've got engine trouble. Its vaguely accurate, but doesn't come close to telling us the truth. 

Here are the basics for weight loss:

• An energy deficit must occur - calories in must be less than calories out

Pretty simple, huh? 

But lets look at both parts of that equation. What happens when we eat? 

• Metabolism increases in response to feeding
• Protein increases metabolism more than carbohydrate or fat
• Hormones are released to transport fuel either into muscle, or to be used for repairing the body
• There is an increase in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other beneficial micronutrients that help our body to run at its best

What happens when we do resistance training?

• Increase in metabolism
• Increase in protein sparing
• Increase in fat usage during rest
• Increase in muscle tissue, which in turn increases resting metabolism

So if we look at the two factors to weight loss we can deduce that eating less will

• Slow our metabolism
• Provide less energy to fuel and repair the body
• Decrease in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other micronutrients

So now, does eating less really sound like a great plan for losing weight? Maybe not as good as it first sounded. Now stay with me...I'm going to make a point soon. I promise.

A calorie deficit is needed to lose weight. Here are two drastically different models for weight loss.

A) Eat 1200 calories a day and burn 1800 calories through exercise and resting metabolism.

B) Eat 2400 calories a day and burn 3000 calories through exercise and resting metabolism.

Well if you're like most of the country who loves to eat, you'll probably choose option B. And this would be the better choice. Go back to what happens when we eat. Our metabolism INCREASES. When we exercise our metabolism INCREASES. So what if we did both more frequently? Then our metabolism would be soaring!!

A few months ago, many of you purchased "Gourmet Nutrition." One of the authors of the book, John Berardi, has an interesting thought on this concept. He calls it energy flux, or G-Flux. The basic premise is this: the more energy we get coming in and going out of our body will increase resting metabolism, increase nutrient intake and overall be much more successful for losing fat.

Here is a quick link to an interview he did that explains it in a bit more detail. Make sure you've got about 10 minutes to read it though. But its certainly worth it. 

In summary, the words of one of our more "popular" Hi5-ers are quickly becoming the truth. "I workout so I can eat," is quite accurate. But the key is you still have to maintain a calorie deficit. There is a lot more to the G-Flux concept, but once you come to understand it many of you, especially you exercise junkies are going to appreciate it. 

If you're interested in finding out more about your own energy intake and output, schedule a Nutrition Assessment with me. They are completely free to Hi-5 FitCamp members and take about 30 minutes.

Have a great weekend!

What do you see?

When you look at this picture, what do you see?

Most people will see a great Saturday morning breakfast. And it's healthy too, right? After all it's got banana's.

Hopefully now most of you realize I am being sarcastic.

What I see is a massive load of refined carbohydrates. 3 pancakes (refined grains), syrup (pure sugar), bananas (a high sugar fruit) and pecans (a nice healthy touch, but too little, too late). That comes to 783 calories, about 93% of which are from high glycemic sugars, which results in a magnificently counterproductive insulin release, which as we discussed in a prior post is WORST thing for fat loss.

What I want you to begin to see is that food is fuel. And unless you are planning on running a marathon later in the day, there is no way you are going to use all of that energy that you have just eaten.

Don't look at a bowl of ice cream as a delicious reward for ending the day, look at it for what it is - a big bowl of fat and sugar that is to be consumed with caution and at very infrequent intervals.

Remember that food is not your "BFF" (that's Best Friend Forever in text talk), its not your therapist, its not your soul mate and its not your boss. Food is energy to get you through the day and to fuel exercise and recovery from exercise.

Grains/refined carbohydrates should be looked at as currency that can only be purchased with exercise.

Only when you exercise can you "purchase" extra grains. Other than that, you stay away from them. 

Fill your fuel tank with fruits, veggies, lean meats, nuts, beans, fish, and dairy. These are foods that elevate your resting metabolism, keep your muscle building and energy storing hormones in check and keep your hunger levels stable.

Want some carbs? Payment is exercise. Keep in mind there is a direct relationship between the two. You can't run for 5 minutes and then have a stack of pancakes a mile high. 

In summary, start look at food for what it is - energy. Plain and simple. When you take the emotion out of food, all of a sudden it becomes a bit easier to manage what you eat and when you eat it.

Metabolism Matters: Part 1

Your metabolism is the basis for fat loss. The faster your metabolism, and its components, the more calories and fat your use at rest. This is why we all look at younger people with disdain - they can eat whatever they want and it seems they just get skinnier!!

But the truth is, you too can do things to speed up your metabolism!!

There are 3 parts that make up your entire metabolism:

1. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) (60-70%) - This is simply the energy required for your body to maintain homeostasis and keep all its systems working properly
2. Thermic effect of food (TEF) (20-30%) - This is the energy required to chew, digest and absorb the food you eat. Certain foods stimulate this more than others. Fat increases your metabolic rate by only 3%, whereas protein increases your metabolic rate by up to 30%!!
3. Thermic effect of exercise (20-30%) -This is the energy spent to fuel exercise. Unfortunately it is also the primary way people try to lose weight. Although it is a portion of your metabolism, however this really only counts your exercise while you are exercising.
   

So what the primary goal of each of these should be is to ramp each of them up so that we are using each to its maximal fat-burning potential! this is just a brief over view, but for the next 3 days I will address how we can do just that- Improve your fat burning potential!!

So stay tuned!