Is fasted cardio just a fad? Or is it superior for fat loss?

The fitness industry is constantly jumping from trend to trend. As coaches we need to develop core values based upon scientific principles and stick to them. When new stuff comes up, we need to think about it, see where it can fit in with our clients, apply it, and collect data to see whether it is working or not.

One of the current trends is training in a fasted state for weight loss. To reemphasize that last part, this tactic is used only for weight loss. Those of you looking to increase performance are best served not applying this approach. For those of you looking to drop a few pounds, let us look at what the science says.

What the Science Says About Fasted Cardio

A study performed in 2010 compared fasted training to fed training over a six-week period. Researchers looked at some key areas and compared the two groups. Training was always performed in the morning and consisted of two sixty-minute sessions and two ninety-minute sessions. 

"Both the fasted and the fed groups increased their glucose tolerance, but the fasted group increased it substantially more."

The fed group was given a breakfast of 675 calories, made up of 70% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 15% fat. On top of that, they were given 1g of maltodextrin per kg of bodyweight about ninety minutes before training. The fasted group received this exact same cocktail in the midafternoon. The areas the researchers compared were glucose tolerance, GLUT4, muscle glycogen, metabolic enzymes, body composition, and exercise capacity. The results of the study were quite interesting.

Both the fasted and the fed groups increased their glucose tolerance, but the fasted group increased it substantially more. GLUT4 is a glucose transporter that allows glucose to enter muscle cells. The more of these we have, the more glucose gets taken up into the muscles, as opposed to being stored as fat. GLUT4 transporters increased by 28% in the fasted group and only 2-3% in the fed group.

Glycogen stores increased more in the fasted group when compared to the fed group, but there was no significant difference between intramuscular lipid stores.Increased intramuscular lipid stores are seen in obesity and can lead to insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction.¹ 

"Glycogen stores increased more in the fasted group when compared to the fed group, but there was no significant difference between intramuscular lipid stores."

The only differences in metabolic enzymes were seen in translocase/CD36 and carnitine palmitoyltransferase¹. These two enzymes play a role in our abilities to metabolize both fat and glucose. The fasted group saw an increase of approximately 30% and the fed group did not see an increase. All other metabolic enzymes tested remained the same.

As expected, the fed group had a greater increase in VO2max, but the fasted group showed a greater increase in fat oxidation. As I stated previously, fasted cardio is not a way to increase performance, but instead to lose weight. With less glucose present, it is no surprise that the fasted group showed greater fatty acid oxidation for energy.

The Practical Side of Fasted Cardio

There are other studies that show similar results as the one presented in this article. After reading that study and hearing that other studies back up these findings, you may be ready to jump right into a fasted cardio weight-loss routine - but it’s not for everyone.

"[K]ey areas to assess are sleep, vitamin D, stress levels, exercise routine, and diet. If all of these are squared away, then give fasted cardio a try."

I have messed around with the fasted cardio component with myself, as well as with clients, and I have experienced a mixed bag of results. For some it worked great, but for others it didn’t. This is something you may have to mess around with for a period to see if it helps. Before doing that, I encourage you to assess your lifestyle and improve upon areas that may be weak. Some key areas to assess are sleep, vitamin D, stress levels, exercise routine, and diet. If all of these are squared away, then give fasted cardio a try.

There are some key points to keep in mind if you do decide to try it:

• This study was performed in the morning, and I encourage you to do the same. Waiting until the afternoon or evening to work out while fasting all day may be too much of a stressor and could have the opposite of the desired effects. 
• I also encourage you not to make the fasted cardio something intense. Low-level aerobic activity between 70-80% of VO2max should suffice. Anything more intense may also become a stressor. 
• Make sure you take in carbohydrates with your first meal. I ran into this problem with quite a few clients. We use a paleo diet template, and I encourage my clients to get their carbs in the afternoon or evening. This created the habit of them having a large salad with meat and very little carbohydrates for lunch. This didn’t work well for coming off a fast. So, if this sounds like your current lunch make sure to add some fruit or sweet potatoes to it.

Those of you who have tinkered with fasted cardio I would like to hear from you. Let us know how you implemented it, for how long and how well it worked for you. Your experiences may be able to help someone else trying to lose a few extra pounds.

Tips for People Who Have Big Weight-Loss Goals

On the face of it, losing weight can seem both easy and daunting. Easy because we all know that, in principle, if we eat less and move more we'll lose weight; daunting because it requires sustained motivation and the ability to resist crash dieting.

By the same token, losing five pounds in time for bikini season isn't the same as losing 100 pounds for your health.

The techniques for shedding a few extra pounds should never be the same as the ones for losing large amounts of weight. That's why I have devised a list of 10 tips specifically for people who have more than 25 pounds to shed:

1. Set a specific goal. Decide on your healthy weight and how much you need to lose to reach it. Overall and in the long run, you shouldn't lose more than two pounds per week, although the weight might drop off way faster at first.

Here is a formula for figuring out your timeframe, based on empirical evidence from my clients: Divide the number of pounds you need to lose by two. This will give you the number of weeks you'll need to shed the weight. If you've followed many diets before (more than eight), add 25 percent to this number. So, if your result was 20 weeks, you need to add five more weeks to reach your goal.

If you have more than 100 pounds to lose, you need to add another 50 percent to that total because you will need to give your body time to adjust to new weight levels along the way, stabilize and then restart losing weight.

2.Be patient. You need to accept that if it took you years to pack on the pounds, it will be unrealistic to expect to lose it all in two months. Don't just think it: Write down your goal and time frame and share it on your social networks. It will strengthen your resolve to take the time you need, not the time your social agenda might dictate.

3.Get support. Don't put this off. Don't wait. Support for long-term, massive  weight loss is key. It can be your neighbour, your significant other, your coach, a parent, a good friend or simply a like-minded person who has the same goal and shares the same values.

4.Plan ahead. Create menus up to four weeks in advance with healthy fast-food backup plans. Share those menus with your supporters. Carve out time to cook in advance and freeze or preserve healthy meals for the coming weeks so you'll never be caught short without a healthy option at home.

5. Share your results on social media. You can even create a specific account for this. You will be surprised by how much support you receive. Tweet your results, successes and failures.

6.Challenge yourself. After three or four weeks, the dieting honeymoon usually ends, so give yourself a challenge to meet each week, for example:

* A week without bread
* A gluten-free, dairy-free week
* A meat-free week
* A vegan week
* A smoothie and one buckwheat crepe every morning for breakfast for one week

Create your own challenges. Stimulating your creativity and constantly keeping yourself focused on new ways to lose weight will keep you at the top of your game.

7.Don't slack off. Being active might not have been your cup of tea before you started on this journey, so you may have started in overactive mode -- like long daily workouts at your new gym -- but now you're not feeling the same incentive to go every day, even if the results are coming.

To break this pattern, shake things up: Try one new group class each week and invite your supporters to join you, or change where and when you work out.

8.Go shopping. Buy a new gym outfit -- one size down. Keep it somewhere you see it every day so your mind will get used to this new possible size for you and it will motivate you to kick yourself in the butt and keep going.

9.Don't use food as a reward. I know you know this one, but let's reinforce it: Never ever reward yourself with food unless you cook it. Food is a pleasure that you should not deny yourself, but the method to success is to prepare it yourself from scratch.

10.Make yourself accountable. Be accountable, publicly and personally: Write a weight-loss blog, share it with your coach and your friends. Wake up and fall asleep repeating your mantra, "Yes, I will make it happen this time." In the end, it is the accumulation of all those little steps, daily battles, weekly successes and sometimes small setbacks that will help you reach your goal.

--Valerie

This post was expertly written by Valerie Orsoni. Connect with Valerie on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

The Role of Aerobic Exercise and Diet in Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, there is often a difference between what clients expect and what a trainer wants them to do. Many clients believe you need more exercise, whereas coaches often believe diet yields the greatest improvements. In a recent study published in PLoS ONE, researchers reviewed the literature to find the truth.


What the research says:

• Aerobic exercise alone caused significant weight loss.
• A combination of diet and exercise had best results for weight loss and related health factors.

Study Design

The research team examined past literature on the effects of diet and exercise on long-term weight loss. The studies they looked at had to be peer-reviewed. The research was also required to cover either an active weight-loss period of six months (although many were a year long) or a shorter weight-loss period with a longer follow up (most lasting two years in total).

Results

There were twenty studies total that fit the requirements noted above. Here's a summary of some of the important findings:

• Exercise and Weight Loss: The researchers found that clinically significant weight loss can be achieved through aerobic exercise alone. However, there was a greater amount of weight lost in the programs that used diet alone. Not surprisingly, diet and exercise together were the best option.

• Health Factors: One of the reviewed studies compared diet to exercise in terms of disease risk factors, and there were no apparent differences between the two plans. Similar to the weight-loss results, there was a greater magnitude of good health outcomes, such as better cholesterol scores and blood pressure, when diet and exercise were combined.

• Weight Maintenance: None of the plans resulted in great maintenance of the new bodyweight once the weight-loss period was over. When the participants stopped dieting, they couldn’t keep the weight off.

Considerations

The advice from this study is to promote diet over exercise for weight loss and to do both together for optimal results. As the researchers noted, the combination of diet and exercise has more benefit, both for weight loss and other related health effects:

The present systematic review found limited evidence to suggest better long-term weight loss and more favorable long-term changes in body composition and chronic disease risk factors when diet is combined with aerobic exercise compared with either diet or aerobic exercise alone.

 

The researchers also emphasized that there are variations for each individual. For example, if you already eat well and want to reduce fat just a little, it might actually be that more exercise, rather than fewer calories, is the way to go. If you struggle with weight maintenance, the only answer is consistency. Weight regain is a fact of life if you don’t stick to your plan.

The research team called for further studies to investigate the role of additional factors such as resistance training and supervised exercise programs.

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Don't Count Calories to Lose Weight: The Body Fat Set Point Theory

We have all been told that 3,500 calories equals a pound of fat. This idea is taught widely in schools and published in many nutrition textbooks. We know if we follow this rule, then we can lose a total of one pound per week by cutting approximately 500 calories per day. We take this as a fact and apply without ever questioning it.

 

The Research on Calories and Fat

But can anyone reading this article tell me where this research came from? I could not, so I took to PubMed. I searched for “3500 calories equals one pound of fat” and got a message telling me, “No items found.” I narrowed my search to “3500 calories and fat” and received six results, none of which were related to the research in determining this magic number.

 

 

So, why do we keep promoting unsuccessful weight loss ideals that are not even backed up by science? Most of us will use calorie counters found on the Internet to help us establish our daily caloric needs. The most popular equation is the Harris Benedict equation. This equation was established in 1918 after looking at extremely small control groups of 136 men, 103 women, and 94 newborn infants. This research is almost one hundred years old. 

 

Really? Science hasn’t made any new discoveries since then to alter this equation and help us fight the obesity epidemic?

 

The Body Fat Set Point Theory

Fortunately, there is good research out there to help us. But for some unknown reason it’s not as well known as the whole 3,500-calories-equals-a-pound-of-fat thing. What we need to look to instead is the body fat set point theory. This theory explains that we have a group of hormones that regulates appetite and body fat storage. These hormones communicate with one another and need to be in balance in order for us to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

 

 

"All of these hormones must be doing their jobs and working in sync in order for us to achieve an optimal weight."

The important hormones are leptin, insulin, glucagon, ghrelin, and adrenaline:

 

• Leptin was discovered in 1992 and has been found to control how much body fat we store, as well as when we are satiated. 
• Insulin is our main fat storage hormone. 
• Glucagon is the opposite of insulin. It stimulates the liver to release stored glycogen and works with adrenaline to free up our stored fats to use as energy. 
• Ghrelin tells us when we are hungry. 

 

All of these hormones must be doing their jobs and working in sync in order for us to achieve an optimal weight. Other important factors include other peptides and even certain brain regions. 

 

Leptin, Ghrelin, and Insulin

Leptin may just be the ringleader of this circus, though. Leptin is primarily secreted by our fat cells, and when levels are high, then our hunger is decreased. Ghrelin was discovered almost a decade after leptin and it controls our short-term hunger response. Ghrelin is released from the stomach lining, and when levels are high, we increase our hunger response. Both of these hormones are found to be in dysregulation during obesity.

 

LEARN MORE: Leptin: The Secret Key to Getting Shredded

 

 

Insulin has been a big focus of obesity research for quite some time. It is one reason why some people swear low-carbohydrate diets are the way to go. Insulin has a direct effect on leptin. As insulin levels rise, so do leptin levels. In fact, leptin receptors have been found on the beta cells of the pancreas, where insulin is produced. The problem is we can develop resistance to these hormones and this can cause a number of issues for us. 

 

RELATED: 60 Minutes of Exercise Can Improve Insulin Resistance 25%

 

Developing Resistance to the Hunger Hormones

When we develop resistance to these hunger-controlling hormones, it is like our body is making a phone call, but we’re not picking up on the other end. As a result, our body needs to yell louder. It does this by releasing more and more of the hormones in question. 

 

Let’s look at this scenario in terms of letpin. If we develop leptin resistance, it means more fat being stored and more food being eaten. Due to the relationship with insulin, if we have leptin resistance, then we have insulin resistance, too.

 

So, we get ourselves into this mess and then decide we need to get our weight in check. We count out our calories and subtract 500 calories per day, just as we have been taught. But in response to this low-calorie eating our body causes our leptin levels to fall. This, again, will increase our eating and fat storage. 

 

 "Due to the relationship with insulin, if we have leptin resistance, then we have insulin resistance, too."

On top of that, calorie counting does not take into effect how certain foods react with these hormones. We are told to approach everything in moderation, including our eating, but does this strategy work? Highly palatable foods have been shown to blunt both leptin and ghrelin. This is why it is easy to overeat foods such as ice cream and pizza. This can cause you to take in more calories than you even realize.

 

 

 

What We Can Do to Lose Weight

So what can we do to lose weight if low-calorie eating does not work? We can eat a diet high in nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and quality protein, such as grass-fed meat, fish, and eggs. Making sure that protein makes up at least 30% of your daily calories can decrease caloric intake and may increase systemic leptin sensitivity. 

 

I recommend nine to twelve servings of fruits and vegetables per day. If you are attempting to lose weight, then limit your fruits to one to three servings per day. Vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories. They are almost impossible to overeat. Just be careful how much added sugar, salt, and fat there is in your diet, as these increase the palatability of foods and can lead to overeating.

Science Finds the Best Way to Calculate Resting Energy Expenditure

Many athletes and coaches estimate their resting energy expenditure so they can better evaluate how many calories they should be consuming daily in order to gain, lose, or maintain weight based on the needs of their sport.

In a recent PLoS ONE study, researchers evaluated existing equations to determine the resting energy expenditure. They used these equations to create new and more accurate ones.

What the research says:

• Two new equations for measuring resting energy expenditure (REE) were proven 83% accurate for men and 72-76% accurate for women.
• An existing REE calculation called the Cunningham Formula was found even more accurate.

Muscle mass is more metabolically active than fat mass, so if you have an athletic build, the equations you find on the Internet might not accurately determine your energy expenditure. Athletes tend to have more muscle mass per pound of bodyweight, theoretically giving them a higher resting expenditure.

The researchers acknowledged that a further problem with some existing equations is that they rely on information not readily available to most trainees.Because of this, the research team came up with two equations.

• The first accounted for the lean mass of the athlete. If you know your fat free mass (FFM), you can use the following equation, which is simpler than the second equation used in the study. A pinch test or electron body fat test should be able to give you your FFM.

REE(kcal/d) = 22.771 x FFM(kg) + 484.264

• The second test only accounted for the athlete's weight and height. This would be a good one to use if the lean mass of the athlete wasn't known:

REE(kcal/d) = 11.936 x weight(kg) + 587.728 x height(m) – 8.129 x age + 191.027 x sex (M=1,F=0) + 29.279

Study Design

Ninety men and women who exercised regularly had their resting energy expenditures measured using indirect calorimetry. That means the researchers measured levels of oxygen consumption and exhaled gasses to determine how much energy each of the participants used at rest.

The participants weren’t elite athletes, but they were all well-trained. They averaged about nine hours of training every week across five sessions every week. So they were fit recreational athletes, being good representatives of the average active person. They were young as well, averaging about 23 years old.

The researchers then used the various popular equations to determine resting energy expenditure. They compared the results of each equation to the actual energy expenditure as measured by their lab tests to see what was the most accurate. They also attempted to come up with better equations if there was a need.

Results

The athletes’ average daily expenditure, as measured in the lab, was 1,837 calories per day for the men and the women together. The two calculations developed by the research team had about 83% accuracy with men and 72–76% accuracy with women.

When compared to the two equations the researchers came up with, one existing equation called the Cunningham Formula resulted in even greater accuracy. You will need to know your FFM for this one, but it is the simplest equation of all:

REE(kcal/d) = 22 x FFM(kg) + 500

As an example, if my lean body mass is 176lb (my bodyweight minus my fat mass), I need to first convert that to kilograms, which ends up being 80kg. So, 22 x 80kg is 1,760, to which I add 500 for a total resting energy expenditure of 2,260.

With these equations, athletes and coaches will now be in a better position to find out how much they should be eating. Since the Cunningham Formula is the most accurate, use it to determine your resting expenditure and add in your exercise to figure out roughly how many calories you burn per day. If you don’t know your lean mass, use the first equation above.

Underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism)

Thyroid function is intimately connected with your metabolism — thyroid hormones basically regulate calorie consumption. But a healthy thyroid also depends on the proper functioning of other body mechanisms, including your neurotransmitters, your reproductive hormones and your adrenal glands.

The thyroid and weight gain

Because patients with an underactive thyroid tend to have a very low basal metabolic rate, one of the most noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain and difficulty losing extra weight. (Sometimes an overactive thyroid can mimic an underactive thyroid by causing weight gain, although this is less common). A minority of women with hypothyroidism don’t gain weight. The difference arises from their individual biochemistry, the quality of the calories they consume, and how they use those calories.

 

Often the “metabolic burn” continues to fall as calories are reduced when dieting. That’s why some women with low thyroid can have weight gain even when they severely restrict calories. In order to fix your metabolism, you have to understand your entire health picture, not just your thyroid.

The thyroid in women

More women than men suffer from hypothyroidism, and many more women than men with thyroid issues have problems with weight gain. Most thyroid problems occur within the gland itself and often don’t reveal themselves until a broader pattern of hormonal imbalance develops. That’s why thyroid issues, menopause and weight gain often appear together.

Why do women experience low thyroid and weight gain with such frequency? The reasons are manifold, but primarily:

• Women spend much of their lives dieting, usually in a yo-yo cycle of feasting and then fasting. This undermines your metabolism and decreases your metabolic rate, a compounding factor for the thyroid, especially during perimenopause.
• Women tend to internalize stress, which affects their adrenal, brain, and thyroid function, resulting in increased cravings for sweets and simple carbs to provide instant energy and feel good hormones.
• Women experience monthly hormonal fluctuations that affect their biochemistry.

What you can do about hypothyroidism and weight gain

The first thing to do if you are experiencing stubborn weight gain is to talk to your practitioner. She or he may ask for a thyroid test or measure TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). I have found in my practice that many women who test within the “normal” range of traditional medical standards still need thyroid support. Their TSH may be only slightly elevated, but enough so that it influences their metabolism and causes weight gain.

For these women, supplemental nutrients such as selenium and a regular meal plan that balances a proper ratio of protein to carbohydrates increases their metabolic functioning and they begin to lose weight. In some cases, a low-dose thyroid replacement hormone is also needed.

There is a lot of controversy in the endocrinology world regarding hypothyroidism treatment. There are those that believe that patients who test within the normal range but have very low basal metabolic rates and very low basal temperatures need thyroid supplementation. There are others that argue that only patients with significant abnormalities should be supported with thyroid hormones.

 

You CAN lose weight with an under active Thyroid, but:

• You may not lose weight at the same rate you did before.
• You may not lose weight at the same rate as someone else.
• You may not get back to the size you were.

Be realistic about your goals and objectives and realize that being a certain weight or size is not always the best goal when living with hypothyroidism. Having more energy and reducing feelings of fatigue and depression are usually more important to your quality of life.

We have an all natural supplement called Thyax that can help you deal with your under active thyroid. Click here for more information on our product.

 

When you are setting your goals, keep these things in mind:

• Make lifestyle changes. Hypothyroidism will be with you for the rest of your life, so healthy eating, exercising and taking care of yourself must be priorities.
• Make time for healthy eating and regular exercise. Commit to prepare food, exercise and take care of you. Put yourself on your to-do list each day.
• Be optimistic and acknowledge the positive changes you have made–no matter how small. Journal about the highs and lows of the journey as an outlet for frustration and as a way to look back at your progress when the going gets tough.
• Change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes small steps to get from where you are to where you want to be. Stays focused and take it slow. Do the best you can. Take a step further each day, pick yourself up when you stumble, and keep your eyes on the goal.
• Few worthwhile outcomes are easy or quick. Be wary of the latest fad in weight loss or ploys for people with hypothyroidism.

Dietary Tips for weight loss with Hypothyroidism

• Reduce your use of stimulants. When trying to fight fatigue, stimulants like caffeine may be a way of life. Hypothyroidism makes the adrenal glands susceptible to overwork and burnout. The adrenal glands can only take so much stimulation before they begin to under-function. Weaning off of stimulants, including coffee, soda and tea, can help the adrenal system heal and recharge.
• Decrease the amount of carbohydrates you eat. Research shows that individuals with a low thyroid are more successful when eating slightly less–about 45-50% of total calories coming from carbs. Limiting your intake to the low end (about 50% carbs) will help you accomplish this. At 50% carbs, your diet will probably result in about 30% protein and 20% fat.
• Choose more complex carbs. Enjoy plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, wheat germ). These foods are nutritionally superior to their refined counterparts.
• Limit sugary (simple carbohydrate) foods such as pies, cakes, cookies, candy, soda, ice cream and chips. These foods stimulate high insulin production.
• Avoid eating carbohydrates by themselves for meals or snacks. Be sure to include a protein source at the same time. Protein is digested more slowly, helping slow down the release of insulin.
• Increase your fibre intake to 30-40 grams per day. People with hypothyroidism often experience sluggish digestion and constipation. A high-fibre diet can help move things along so to speak, while increasing satiety so that you never feel hungry. Be sure to slowly increase your fibre over time. To meet this goal, you may also need a fibre supplement such as Metamucil.
• Drink 8-12 cups of water every day. Metabolism requires water, so not drinking enough will hurt your weight loss potential as well. When increasing your fibre intake 30-40 grams, water is even more important. Drink additional water to compensate for perspiration from exercise and hot weather.

Exercise & Other Considerations to help with weight loss

Hypothyroidism does cause weight gain–typically 10-20 pounds. Gaining more than 20 pounds can usually be attributed to fatigue that limits your activity, not to the disorder itself. When you feel fatigued, you don’t feel like exercising. This can lead to a vicious cycle since not exercising can result in greater fatigue and so on and so on. Physical activity and exercise are keys to weight control and to decreasing the affects of fatigue.

• Get regular aerobic (cardio) exercise. Individuals with a low thyroid can have low levels of serotonin, the brain chemical involved in appetite control, depression, and sleep regulation. Just thirty minutes of aerobic (cardio) exercise, five times per week can help boost serotonin levels to decrease these symptoms.
• Likewise, strength training helps increase metabolism, which is also suppressed in those that are hypothyroid. Although you may not have much energy initially, get moving! The more you move the more you can boost the energy you will have to exercise each day.
• Reduce the stress in your life. Stress causes many people to make unwise food choices and overeat. Reactions to stress are controlled by the adrenal glands, which are overworked and under active thyroid in patients. Stress also increases cortisol levels, increasing hunger and affecting insulin levels. Reducing stress is an often overlooked factor in weight loss.
• Practice deep breathing. Many times the increased weight and lack of physical fitness causes those with hypothyroidism to pant for air, taking shallow, short breaths. Deep breathing exercises can help you take in more oxygen and release more carbon dioxide with each breath and can help with weight loss, stress reduction, and relaxation.

Hypothyroidism is a life-long condition. With careful management, people with thyroid disease can live healthy, normal lives. The best way to take control of your thyroid health is to work with your medical provider to develop a treatment plan that includes nutrition, exercise, and stress relief.

 

 

 

This post can be found at Macro Man's Main Blog!

 

 

The Right Way to Lose Fat: What to Eat

Let’s set the record straight from the outset: the goal of any weight loss, pound-shedding, “trimming,” or whatever-you-label-it program is body FAT loss, not necessarily scale-weight loss. So, bubble-wrap your weight scale and put it in the basement or attic and focus on your body composition: the fat to muscle ratio.

I am not a Registered Dietician so I cannot offer you specific advice on what you should be consuming. I will, however, lay out bits and pieces of some of the most recent issues and arguments in the fat loss world, such as:

• Is it simply creating a calorie deficit, so your body is forced to tap into adipose fat?

• Is a calorie a calorie regardless if it comes from protein, carbohydrate, or fat?

• Regarding the last question, what is better: a high carb/low fat or a low carb/high protein diet?

• What about the glycemic content of carbs and blood sugar levels?

Calorie Deficit

There is no question that a reduction of calorie intake coupled with high-level energy expenditure results in weight loss (all other factors being equal). But what guarantees the weight loss to be fat only? Consider these facts:

• It is a long-standing fact that a pound of fat equals 3,500 calories.

• A pound of muscle renders around 600 calories.

• People with a higher percent of body fat will lose more fat and retain more muscle with a significant calorie deficit.

• People with a lower percent of body fat will lose more muscle and retain more fat with a significant calorie deficit.

Let’s do some maths. A 500 calorie deficit per day over one week could result in two outcomes: a loss of one pound of fat (3,500/3,500 calories = 1) or a loss of nearly six pounds of muscle (3,500/600 calories = 5.8).

Obviously, the loss of muscle is not desirable. This is why attention must be paid to the correct calorie deficit based on your existing percentage of fat and your activity level. If you possess a significant amount of body fat, you can probably get away with a larger deficit in the early stages. As you become leaner – or if you are relatively lean to begin with – the calorie deficit needs to be adjusted to preserve lean tissue. This also explains why it is so difficult to shed those elusive few pounds to get completely “ripped".

Calories from Proteins, Carbs, and Fats: Is There a Difference?

Regarding the first law of thermodynamics, a calorie is a calorie. That is, no matter what source it is from, one calorie is the energy required to increase the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. It can only be transformed.

Here’s a little bit of historical science behind the accepted caloric value of protein, carb, and fat in the diet. The past work of Rubner and Atwater is the standard used today. Using a bomb calorimeter to measure the heat of combustion of various proteins, carbs, and fats, they determined the energy density of dietary protein = 4.1 calories/gram, carbs = 4.1 calories/gram, and fat = 9.3 calories. Rounded off, it is 4 calories/gram of protein, 4 calories/grams of carbs, and 9 calories/gram of fat that we currently use (and why many panic when they see fat is more than double in potency).

Past thinking was to eat .7 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight, load up on the carbs for energy, and minimize the fat. After all, 15 grams of fat has 135 calories and 15 grams of carbs has only 60, so to help shed the pounds, back off on the fat intake. But it’s not that simple. The type of protein, carb, and fat must be considered as well as how the body processes them.

High Carb/Low Fat or Low Carb/High Protein?

A review was conducted that evaluated studies comparing weight loss and energy expenditure in adults consuming high protein and/or low carbohydrate with low fat diets. I believe this is where all the support for low carb diets got its momentum.

The review analyzed nine studies where diets composed of high protein and/or low carbs resulted in a 5.5 pound greater weight loss after twelve weeks as compared to diets of high carbs and/or low fat. However, neither macronutrient-specific differences in the availability of food energy nor changes in energy output could explain these differences in weight loss.If a calorie is a calorie, then what other factors could account for the differences in weight loss between the two diets?

Low carb diets facilitate the loss of glycogen stores and associated water, which can be as great as 4.4 pounds.

Because the Rubner and Atwater factors used to calculate metabolizable energy are not exact, the standard macronutrient values are not perfect, and small errors can occur. The substitution of one macronutrient for another has been shown in some studies to be statistically significant regarding the effect on the expenditure half of the energy balance equation, especially in high-protein diets. Because the energy expenditure is minimal, however, it may account for less than one-third of the differences in the weight losses reported between high-protein or low-carb diets and high-carb or low-fat diets.

Carb Glycemic Level and Blood Sugar Stabilization

In general, high glycemic carbs create a large, temporary rise in blood sugar (glucose) because they are quickly digested. Low glycemic carbs take longer to digest, thus produce a smaller and slower rise. A rapid rise in blood sugar means:

•More insulin is released. A high insulin level promotes a quick storage of sugar in muscle and the liver. It also inhibits the hormone glucagon, which normally tells the body to burn stored fat. Obese people tend to be “sugar burners”– they mainly burn stored glycogen. Their forthcoming meals restore glycogen (especially if high glycemic) and the cycle keeps repeating. Thus, fat stores do not get touched and usually grow larger.

•Blood sugar levels then drop quickly, leaving you hungry sooner. Suddenly, the body needs more fuel. But because glucagon is still in short supply, the body does not tap into its fat supply for energy. The inevitable result? Hunger. You will eat again, needlessly, which can lead to increased fat gain over time.

Facts to consider:

 • Highly processed foods that contain refined sugars (cookies, crackers and corn syrup) usually have a higher glycemic level.

• Other factors affecting the glycemic level is whether the food is liquid or solid, raw or cooked, and the amount of fiber it contains.

• The more grams of carbohydrate consumed the higher the glycemic response because there is an increased glycemic load. So, one can over-consume even low glycemic foods.

• Most people usually eat foods in combination. The fat and protein also consumed at feedings can help lower the overall glycemic level.

• Not all simple sugars are high glycemic. Fruit, for instance, contains the simple sugar fructose. Fructose has a slow rate of digestion and absorption and thus a lower glycemic response.

Moderate and high glycemic foods are recommended during and after exercise. Consuming a high glycemic food within 45 minutes after exercise elevates plasma glucose concentrations and facilitates muscle glycogen replenishment. Post-exercise insulin secretion increases protein synthesis by increasing amino acid uptake in the muscles. Insulin also enhances blood flow into muscle, thus facilitating the removal of lactate and carbon dioxide.

Final Thoughts

Information abounds on all aspects of fat loss. Who and what can you believe? My advice would be to consult a registered dietician or a nutrition specialist for specific diet recommendations based on your fat loss goals. Even if your goal is to gain weight (muscle), there are certain dos and don’ts the dietician can address.