Why Weight is simply a VANITY METRIC

Eat some Carbs, Digestible Fat and Cholesterol it’s OK

Here is some interesting information I have been churning around for years but have never been able to put togheter til now.
Weight loss myths, glycogen stores and low carb diets. This is something I have been preaching for years ~ “That we do not vilify carbs! We just eat good ones”. Oh, I mean good for you carbs.

Note here that digestive fat is not you enemy either.  WHAT? Carbs and Fat not my enemy?  Yes.  Read on.

If you dig into the facts, what weight really comes off during that first week or two of a low carb diet is not so impressive is it?  Well because weight is a vanity metric.  It is way down the list of healthier living metrics as far as I am concerned.  Low carb diets are just not thee answer long term ………..Please Christopher do tell!

Well, when you cut the carbs out of your diet, your body empties out the “emergency” stores of the carbohydrate it keeps in the liver and muscles in the form of a substance called glycogen. Glycogen is a normal part of our metabolism and allows us to do energy-intensive things like sprinting and jogging, Yates bent over rows (best single exercise in the gym), and explosive activities by letting us draw on the carbs stored in our muscles for energy. These are chains of glucose, Master Sugar if you will.  The big daddy of all sugars as far as an energy source is concerned.

Moreover, the glycogen stored in our liver allows us to keep our melon functioning. Makes us smarter, happier you know.  The normal person, someone eating a regular well balanced diet, needs 100-120 gr of glucose a day merely to supply the brain’s basic needs (unless you are like me and have to account for the extraordinary brain function).

If the body can’t get glucose from the dietary sugar and carbohydrate ingested, it has two choices: consume glycogen (the stored carbohydrate in the liver in this instance), or convert another digestive substance for energy.  But what if there is no dietary carbohydrates to munch on?  

In low/no carb environments we create with Atkins etc. the source the body will go to for energy is the muscle.  Oh shit.  Aren’t we trying to BUILD muscle not feed it to the body?  Aye Aye Captain! To make it more clear for the lay person, the body converts protein into energy using a lengthy process called “gluconeogenesis” which takes place in the liver. Simply Illustrated here: 8^)

Because we “Leanergetics”, and the body, want to avoid using its/our own muscle fibers for fuel, it does what it/we can to keep that liver glycogen store filled up.

So now what you selling some supplements Christopher? You know me better than that.

Hmm how bout another awesome health wellness offer on the interwebs.  Like this: ACT NOW!  Just pop a glycogen supplement in your gullet and wella, magic.  Lose 12 lbs in 6 days!  You must hurry ~ sign up now.  ~ THE END ~

 

 C’Mon, we have seen enough of those right?  And this can’t be the end of my blog post because I haven’t even rambled on endlessly,,,,,,,yet!

Now let’s move to Dog analogies. I do base my internet celebrity on comparisons of dogs to humans. This in mind, I submit the following argument.  George Hicox, an extraordinary dog trainer (the psychology), nutritionist (it’s the food stupid), and health practitioner (injury prevention~endurance), wrote in a 2003 article which has stuck with me over the years.

“Fat is the most critical nutrition as digestible fat is the only easy way to increase caloric energy (I believe because we have a maximum of volume we can intake). Performance dogs (Leanergetix Master’s Program in humans) will STORE up to 50% of their energy requirements. In fact the more fat is put into the bloodstream there is more available to use. Studies now show that even an off-season dog (or sedentary human) will benefit from a high-fat high-protein balanced diet” (The Program).

See George’s full article here.   And if you have gun dogs FFS attend one of his classes!

George peaked my curiosity with the Glycogen replacement mantra almost 10 years ago, and I have wanted to create a Glycogen ingest-able for humans ever since.  If gun dogs like Annie (Yoked) and Ruben (not so much), eat, sprint, and sleep (recover), to get in great shape, then why won’t a high fat, high protein, well balanced diet, work for us?  ——    if followed precisely it can.
 

Please note – this is for extremely active people performing sprints and high intensity resistance training not for people doing what Rueben and Annie are doing here.  For that kind of weight loss we have Leanergetix “The Program” for more sedentary dogs.

It does work. We Leanergetics know it works….ask anyone.  Can I ask my mother, can I tell that I love her……….can I call her now?(Quote: F-Fletch)

We know this to be true through experience with many subjects on the Leanergetix Master’s Program and though much of my own self experimentation.  You do not want to live me, no seriously.

Nutritional research that shows that a typical 150 lb man holds about three quarters of a pound of glycogen. But what most people don’t know is that each molecule of glycogen is bound to four molecules of water. (well come to think of it most people do not know that a man holds any Glycogen).

Water has weight too, a lot of weight. This means that when your liver and muscles are charged up with glycogen it adds an additional four or five pounds or more to your body weight.  Being that I am the Jerry McGuire of health coaches, this kid keeps asking me random questions.  “@Lentilchef, do you know how much a pound of water weighs?”
“No Ray. How much?”  8.36 pounds slightly less than the human head!”  Thanks Ray.

Those first few pounds on a low/no carb diet get you motivated to continue your diet.  I am all for that.  But if not followed by an exit strategy of maintenance, that weight returns swiftly and abandon rates on long term adherence to a sustainable nutritional plan skyrocket.  Digression ensues.  But hilarity does not.

This is what happens after the medically supervised HCG diet. I had early success on this diet and if followed precisely it has tremendous benefits.  However, I now contend with the three week maintenance period of no sugar/no starch required after, why not just do the “Better than HCG diet” which is Leanergetix to the core.  No Sugar or Starch for three weeks and you are no worse for the wear.  You can loose a lb. a day on doing this, but it is still not the whole truth about body composition.  

AM I writing a book or a blog post?  Rabbit trails, rabbit trails, back to our main story.

When you start a very low carb diet you cut off the body’s supply of dietary carbohydrate and this leads to a rapid emptying of these liver and muscle glycogen stores. And when you lose that glycogen, you also lose the associated water; not to mention stamina and endurance in a big way sweety cakes.  That’s the reason why, during the first couple days of a low carb diet, you lose weight so dramatically. It’s also why you may feel slimmer and lose “inches.” You haven’t lost fat. You’ve simply dumped the water out of your muscles,and most alarmingly, your liver and your heart. This is why I insist that our participants measure body fat content and measure it as they go along.  It tells the story more precisely about body composition.  But weight is the vanity value.  As you know, Leanergetix is about rich life and goes beyond vanity.  We need to know, are we losing fat and gaining muscle? Yes…..awesome.

But what happens when you go off the diet for one day like during the Leanergetix Swedish Saturday? If you eat a significant amount of carbs, your liver and muscles grab glucose from your bloodstream to replenish your emergency supply of glycogen . As they do this, four molecules of water join each molecule of glycogen and, as fast as you can say, “For f(*ks sakes @Lentilchef I gained 8 lbs. on Saturday”!) The pounds you lost all week stack up on your all ready distended boiler like canned hams.  Be not discouraged and stop the weighing thing already, get your body ft measured.

So does it take a boatload of carbs to replenish your Glycogen?  I think not.  Lyle McDonald’s book, The Ketogenic Diet, and in the cyclical Ketogenic Diet, the author assumes that three quarters of a pound of glycogen that a 150 lb. person stores in his body only equates to about 70 grams of carbohydrate.  That, plus the Glycogen stored in the muscles added to it, you simply have to Eat that half a bag of white chips you love so much and you have arrived.  Plenty of carbs loaded for the next week.  You are replenished.

So if you cut your carbs or eat slow carbs (as recommended by yours truly, also in BFL, 4 Hour body, Slow CarbDiet ), you eliminate the blood sugar swings that cause hunger in most people and dips in your energy levels later in the day. The cravings you used to get when dieting may fade out in as little as two weeks (when I figure out the psychological cravings I will put my peanut butter down). When you stop eating in response to those nasty hunger cravings, you will find it much easier to eat a whole lot less than you used to. It is the drop in calorie intake that follows this drop in hunger that that results in the very real and often dramatic weight loss so many long-term low carbers report.

Will you gain it all back when you go off the diet? I’m hear to report; you will, and then some.

If you go off plan for a day, gain a few pounds of water weight don’t panic when you step on the scale. That instant 3 to 8 pounds you gained is only water.  how bout not ever weighing on Sunday why not just weigh on Saturday mornings.  Then eat a high fat, high protein, high fiber breakfast going into the rest of your Swedish Saturday and maybe even perform a high intensity resistance training sessions.  Your off to the races.

Conclusion.  Let’s get on a sustained program that increases energy and promotes real fat loss while adding to our muscle composition. Is this possible?  HELLO.  See Greatist for more tips

 
We do not have  problem with digestive fat on our Programs especially if your active, so go out and have a little peanut butter and rendered Kobe beef fat (Snake River Farms) drizzled over your Breyer’s no sugar added Ice Cream, and have a wonderful fat losing~learning experience.
 
Throw some toasted Macadamia nuts on there for good measure why don’t you, and remember this program is simple, and its here to stay.

Now you say what is this Leanergetix diet?  It’s a personal program delivered to each person individually.  We do promise three things: it will simple (not EASY), it will be Badass tasty, and it will be inexpensive.  We teach three things; How to shop, how to cook, and how to eat.  One more thing if you commit yourself to this simple protocol you will lean up, you will gain extraordinary energy, and your life will get better!

So back to my title, if taken in the context of a healthy eating lifestyle like Greatist the best health and wellness site out there, you can, and should eat these things!

3et’s se what you are made of, comment below.

Exploring Metabolic Adaptation

The title of this blog post will have readers clamoring to get a spot in line to read it first, I know.

 And all though I tested this post first by getting insomniacs to fall asleep, it is really a key component to my assumptions about glycogen and increased energy and endurance.  How muscle growth and fat burning are a result of well executed nutrient delivery and timing.  So if you can’t sleep anyway, give it a read.  I will always be looking for ways to source more endurance and personal energy.

Great news our metabolism adapts to changing conditions, the bad news is it is typically working against us.  Weeeeeheeeeeee another hurdle to overcome in our quest for that six pack.

As we get closer to our leaner goals, our metabolism slows.  What’s interesting is most people have been led to believe the opposite is true.  Many people eat more as they become leaner because they believe their metabolism is up.  Not the case.   From a purely caloric perspective, the lower in body fat% you go, the more calories you must restrict and the harder you must exercise.

However there are ways to turn this adaptation into a benefit if we understand the delivery of fuel to the muscle cells and the delivery of Glycogen (a group of glucose ((sugar cells)) to the muscles.  And the fact our endurance can also adapt to changing conditions will enable us to achieve our goals when the chips are down, when we are in that overtime period of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Now for more of the technical physiology we defer Dr. Mike Davis of Oklahoma Sate University.

…samples taken immediately after they(iditirod dogs) finished racing and samples taken many hours afterwards. The muscle tissue was tested for muscle glycogen levels. The researchers found that during the first day of racing, the sled dogs used a significant portion of their stored glycogen. On the last day of racing, though, the sled dogs had used only a small portion of their stored glycogen, even though they had completed the same amount of exercise. Based on this experiment, Dr. Davis concluded that the sled dogs must adapt to such strenuous levels of exercise so that they no longer rely on their stored glycogen.

In a previous set of experiments, he and his team took blood samples of dogs before, during, and after racing five consecutive days. The blood samples were tested for many components, including two important markers of tissue damage: creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and cardiac troponin. When tissue cells die, their components are released into the blood stream, so high levels of these components indicate tissue damage. CPK is a marker for skeletal muscle cell damage and cardiac troponin indicates cardiac muscle cell damage. Dr. Davis found that CPK and cardiac troponin levels in the sled dogs were high after the first day of exercise, indicating significant tissue damage which would be expected from such strenuous exercise. After several days, though, these levels started to decrease as the dogs adapted to the high levels of exercise.

Fatigue, and Then No Fatigue

The experiments on muscle glycogen levels supported Dr. Davis’s previous findings on CPK and cardiac troponin. After the first day of exercise, the dogs exhibited all the symptoms of strenuous exercise: fatigue, decreased glycogen reserves, and increased tissue damage. By the last days of the race, though, these symptoms had dissipated and the dogs were not experiencing fatigue. In fact, their glycogen reserves had increased, and the CPK and cardiac troponin levels were lower. With these changes the sled dogs were the same metabolically on the last day of racing as the first, except for the fact that they were burning 8,000 calories per day. “The sled dogs’ ability to adapt is absolutely astonishing,” remarked Dr. Davis. “We now know what they’re doing. What we want to know is how.” 

My assumption is that the dogs are either being administered high levels of protein, high levels of fat and low levels of slow burning carbohydrates, they are being administered external source of glycogen, or both.  I think it is both.  Any mushers out thee that confirm my assumptions?

Bad news, if we train hard we our body will adapt, and then we will have to train harder to get leaner.

Good news, with are new found nutrient intake, we will have the energy!

If so this would be in line of what we are trying to achieve with Leanergetix.    Of course we can not administer external glycogen today but we can control what we eat and when.

So we will continue to eat a high Protein, med fat, and low slow carbohydrate diet as we continue to lean up.  Further, we will need endurance with the declining number of calories we will be ingesting as we get leaner so nutrient delivery and timing will become more paramount here.

Is my assumption ludicrous or could it make sense?

If this is interesting to you.