How: bring out more cuts for defining &

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By Jill Coleman 

  Visible muscle definition is the holy grail of physique development.But for many regular exercisers, no matter how much they exercise, they simply cannot get the kind of defined "cuts" that they seek, nor shed that layer of subcutaneous water beneath their skin leaving arms, legs and torsos smooth and tube-like.   So what gives? 

Unfortunately those elusive cuts spring up only after a variety of factors are in place including optimal body composition, correct training and balanced, hypoallergenic nutrition for fat loss.  What many people miss is that the toned appearance of muscle is more of a result of diet than exercise.  Even for someone whose body fat percentage is normal or even low, the foods they put in their bodies may be preventing them from seeing any chisel at all.

First and foremost, visible definition will not occur without a low enough body fat percentage.  For women, this will most likely be below 20% and for men, below 15%.Reducing overall body fat through consistent fat-loss exercise and correct nutrition will help get your physique in the ballpark where visible muscle separation and tone is possible, but from there, it's all about the details. 

  Exercise for more muscle, less fat 

Decreasing body fat alone will not suffice, since taking someone with very little muscle to begin with and getting them leaner will simply make them look skinny and gaunt.  Thus, the first goal is to maximize muscle building, while reducing body fat to make muscles "pop."  

 To begin, step off the cardio machines and into the weight room for a fat-blasting strength circuit.Circuit training 2-requires the exerciser choose 4 exercises and perform consecutive sets in a rotation, rather than performing the same exercise in straight sets.  By moving from exercise to exercise with little rest time in circuit-fashion, the heart rate and breathing remain elevated, while eliciting spikes of metabolic failure (burn in the muscles) throughout.  Choose challengingly heavy weights so that failure or near-failure is reached on every set.  

  Try the following metabolic effect strength circuit to build muscle, while decreasing body fat.  Move from one exercise to the next in a circuit, resting as little as is needed.This type of workout will elicit a strong cardiovascular response but also signal the release of key fat burning hormones like growth hormone and testosterone.Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes, using the rest-based concept of "push until you can ' t, rest until you can." 

In addition to weight training, perform short duration, high intensity cardio intervals (HIIT) to help keep the metabolism revved and so hang onto precious muscle.  Interval training, which alternates working segments of high-intensity (such as sprinting swift) with resting segments of low intensity (like walking), is superior for fat burning over steady-state aerobic exercise and thus spares muscle by burning sugar mostly during exercise and fat post-exercise.To perform interval training, choose your favorite cardio machine.  Rotate doing 1 minute at a very high intensity to get breathless and burning by the end, followed by 1 minute at a recovery pace to bring the heart rate and breathing back down.   Alternate bouts these 1 minute to complete a total of 20 minutes.Keeping you will ensure the greatest exertion interval workout short.

Eating for fat and water loss  

First, clean, hypoallergenic eating will ensure the greatest chance of revealing muscle definition.  Hypoallergenic means choosing foods that are not likely to produce to allergic response in the body (e.g. many people who eat dairy-containing products elicit in inflammatory response that presents as gastrointestinal upset). 

  Common culprits of food-induced allergic reaction in the body include dairy products, gluten-containing foods like grains, as well as soy and peanuts.Though consuming them may not always lead to gastrointestinal upset, they in effect may cause a small (or large, depending on your specific sensitivity) allergic response in the body, one result of which is water retention.  

Specifically, grains and dairy both induce the release of the hormone insulin, whose main job is to shuttle excessive blood sugar into the liver and muscle tissue for storage.Insulin also exerts a regulatory effect on sodium reuptake in the kidneys, causing at increase of sodium in the blood stream.  A relative increase in sodium in the blood will trigger certain other hormones that cause an increase in water retention to balance the ratio of water-to-sodium in the blood.

  And so the cycle continues of water and sodium retention feeding into one another, induced by insulin.Thus, one key way to shed water is to limit the amount of insulin-inducing foods we consume. 

  For example, the above mechanism is responsible for the initial water loss associated with the implementation of diets like the Paleodiet or the Atkins diet, both of which are lower in carbohydrates and thus require less insulin release.Followers of these diets usually report a large water loss within the first week, and as a result, more visible muscle definition. 

  Sodium consumption itself is excessive in the U.S., and drastically increases water retention.Be vigilant in your choice of foods, taking into account not only total sodium, but also the sodium/potassium ratio.These two electrolytes balance one another in a sense to choose foods that are higher in potassium and lower in sodium.Sodium is prominently in many processed foods, which is why eating real, whole foods is always superior in terms of preventing water retention.

Finally, watch out for sneaky culprits like sugar alcohols (like the ones commonly found in gums and sugar-free items) and artificial sweeteners like SPLENDA, both of which can impact subcutaneous water retention and bloating.This is common in people who try to curb appetite by chewing lots of sugar-free gum and cutting back on food intake; they will complain of abdominal bloating, discomfort and pain.

Drinking for fat and water loss

We love diet drinks in the US.With no calories, sugar-free energy drinks, diet sodas, zero-calorie lemonades and coffee sweetener packets are a dieter's dream.Unfortunately the artificial sweeteners, preservatives like potassium benzoate and various electrolyte varieties like phosphoric acid that they contain may disrupt our balanced blood solutes and cause water retention in their minute anti-inflammatory effects or electrolyte disruption, not to mention how they influence other physiological factors.Many people who quit these drinks report a huge initial water loss, much of which is coming from the space under the skin where many hold excess water.

Finally, if you want the body to release water, you have got to drink water.Though it sounds counter-intuitive, consuming at least 3 liters of water each day will help to shed water.Even though you might be running to the restroom more often, it is preferable since you are able to maintain at ideal blood-water volume in effect optimizing electrolyte balance as well.

Though it may seem as though increasing muscle definition is a simple matter of getting leaner, that is only one piece of the puzzle.Diet choices can drastically impact your "look" in the direction of puffy or in the direction of chiseled.Be vigilant in your food choices away from insulin-producing foods, sodium - download processed products and quit those diet drinks once and for all.

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The carbohydrate turning point

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Jade Teta ND, CSCS

Our book the new ME diet, Keoni and I talk about different burner types and how carbohydrates impact hormones differently in each. We try to help people understand how to use food to send signals for fat burning to the body. This is different for everyone. The smart use of carbohydrates is one of the most important concepts in fat loss and body change.Smart manipulation of hormones allows for two of the most critical aspects of fat loss: the right amount of calories and balanced insulin. Notice that I did not say lower calories and lower insulin? 

One of the most common mistakes made by fat loss experts is the "lower is better" mantra. This is especially true of carbohydrates. However, cutting carbs or calories too low can cause a slowed metabolic rate changes in mood, insatiable hunger, uncontrollable cravings, unbalanced energy, lack of energy for workouts, and most importantly a loss of muscle.It is no wonder that these programs rely so heavily on Ryan power.The solution is not to make the mistake of assuming lower is better, but rather to find the tipping point (the amount of carbohydrates or calories that is low enough to initiate fat loss, but high enough to maintain energy, reduce cravings, and blunt hunger). We have found the "carb tipping point" is individual, needs to be adjustable, and when used correctly is a reliable and reproducible way to help people find their fat loss formula (the unique mix of diet, exercise and lifestyle factors to generate fat loss).

Adjusting to the tipping point:

ME the carb tipping point is the amount of starch / sugar a person to supply energy for tough can eat workouts, but not over produce insulin to engage fat burning.Finding this spot is important. The burner types in our book are simply a blueprint and in no way can represent every person. However, knowing your type can take much of the guess work and trial and error out of this process. We are all uniquely different and require a unique blend of macronutrients.  Here is how we help people find their tipping point.

1. Know your burner type and start with that. Our book has to easy way to help you know where to start and easy way to control carb intake based on bites. However, for those of you who not yet have the book, you can still do this by tapping into the way your body feels.Hunger, energy and cravings can key you in to your carb tipping point.  These biofeedback measures need to be balanced, otherwise there is no way you can sustain any body change effort. For fat loss we usually suggest people drop there carb intake to 100 g total for the day. This is a good starting point. From that beginning point you can increase or decrease your intake based on two measures: fat loss results AND monitoring of hunger, energy and cravings. Paying close attention to these two measures helps you quickly dial in on your carb tipping point.

(2) Again, pay close attention to your body's hormonal feedback mechanisms. These include hunger, energy level, and cravings as I stated, but also include mood, motivation, digestion, focus and sleep.  The proper response should be no hunger between major meals, no cravings, and increased energy. You should also feel motivated and focused without anxiety and depression.Gas and bloating should not be present and normalize sleep should.  Don ' t make the mistake of assuming these symptoms are not related to food intake. Getting your carb tipping point correct will balance metabolic function. Get it wrong and your body will let you know.  Use these symptoms to monitor the mix of energy you put in your body. Remember carbs don ' t work alone. Your protein, fiber and fat intake will need to be regulated as well.

  (3) If hunger, energy and cravings are stable you can be assured you have things balanced, but you will need to monitor fat loss using a body fat machine. If all the biofeedback sensations are stable AND you are losing fat, you found your tipping point.All you need to do now is stay there. Do not make the mistake of trying to cut carbs further.Doing so will sacrifice your energy and make your fat loss results unsustainable. If you want to speed results, proceed slowly and immediately increase carbs back again if your energy falters. Besides, one thing many forget is that insulin, while it does increase fat storing, so increases muscle building. Insulin in the right carb balance with plenty of protein and quality will exercise help build muscle and do little to hinder fat burning. This is the best of all worlds. Think insulin sensitivity emergency lowering insulin as much as possible. 

(4) If the biofeedback sensations are not stable or they are stable but you are not losing fat, you have not found the tipping point. You will need to old your plan in one of two ways:

-FIRST - if sensations are not balanced, increase the amount of fiber, protein and water you take in. This is important. More times than not the issue has nothing to do with carbs, but is a protein issue. Wait a few days. If still having issues raise the protein content and fiber content one more time. If this still is not effective, increase the starch content of your meals by 5 to 10 g starch at a time until you find resolve the issues. This is a trial and error phase where you will need to old your intake of the major macronutrients to find your unique fat loss formula.This takes time and patience for some, and involves manipulating protein, fiber, starch and fat intake.This can take some work, but once you find it you have a system of body change that will never fail you even when your metabolism changes as you age.

-SECOND - if all hormonal sensations are stable and you are not losing fat, then begin to decrease the amount of starch at each meal by 5 to 10 g. So, begin to look at your fat and sodium intake.  Adjust fat, carb, and sodium intake downwards every few days until the fat begins to come off. As you this you should be ramping up protein and vegetable intake.Often, this is the stage where you will learn the difference between healthy food and fat loss food.If managing carbs/starch and fat are not helping the desired results, then look at fruit and dairy next.These are two important sources of suagr/starch that can keep many from the results they want.Finding your carb tipping point may mean you need to cut these foods back as well.

Final thoughts:

While there is much more to the carb tipping point then this, the above can get you started.The new ME diet book can aid you in helping you find your tipping point by keying you into your burner type and teaching you a much easier way to control this process through bites... .or, even better, look into the ME 10-week fat loss program.This is a 10-week self fast-paced and email based fat loss coaching program that walks you through the entire metabolic effect fat loss system.This program has become ^ popular.Our clients refer to this program as "fat loss school" because it walks you through an entire education with a complete diet, exercise, supplement, and lifestyle plan with weekly lectures and daily emails.We have had over 1,000 participants from 10 different countries and the program continues to grow in popularity.

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3 Ways to make healthy food fat food

By Jade Teta ND, CSCS

A healthy diet is no fat loss diet plan.  Choice of healthy food is a good start and can lose anything on weight, but you probably will help your fat loss goals. You heard to say us but fat loss and weight loss are not identical. You can burn calories and lose weight, but the weight and calories can or are also bold. Fat loss foods on the other hand are almost always healthy food, ensure the weight you lose fat comes.So what is the difference between healthy food and fat loss foods? need to understand the difference only 3 things to remember.

(1) The protein, carbohydrate ratio of food to

(2) Of carbohydrates to fat ratio foods 

(3) The fiber carbohydrate ratio of foods

The protein CARB ratio of food:

Most people get caught up on totals of things. Want to know the total calories.The total content of Fett.Wie many grams of fiber, etc. The problem is the body works in related. Food is information for the body. Every time you eat you are sending a hormonal "software program" to your body, indicating that fat to save or to burn fat. Different nutrients will send several signals. The proportions of these signals are therefore determine the metabolic outcome.

When the protein and carbohydrates role their means a ton.  Carbohydrate, means incidentally biochemical sugar or Glucose.So is a carbohydrate is any starchy or sugar laden food. Think in a range of cakes, biscuits and sweets entirely up to whole grains, beans and potatoes.These starchy sugary foods signal the body's memory hormone insulin. This is not necessarily a terrible thing, because insulin nutrients, helps to get in the cell. But, is a memory hormone too much insulin will work to carbohydrates, proteins and fat than fat speichern.Das does other stuff insulin works to block fat in the place. If insulin is, not only is stored fat, but it can't either burned.

Glucagon is insulin Alterego.Es helps the effects of insulin, increase the message release of fat from the store and burn to signal umzukehren.Proteine frees both insulin and glucagon balance of hormones to increase fat burning place decrease. The higher the protein gets relative to the / in a food, the more the fat burning starch sugar signaled. So if you want to burn more fat you have this ratio to correct.

To enable food healthy fat loss foods reduce the carbohydrates and protein. This has a decisive advantage. Protein is digested more slowly and evenly compared to carbohydrates, the him an impact on hunger hormone and energy.Increasing protein relative to the carbohydrates keeps you more satisfied, reduce hunger and cravings and is a stable and sustainable energy.

The carbohydrate fat ratio of foods:

As with protein and carbohydrates, fat and carbohydrate must be managed well. Again, if think relationships think fat loss. Now, know that insulin in response to starch sugar / is released.  Bold is hormonal neutral if it is itself, but if you it in dump with strength it is like throwing gasoline on the fire.Bold, which combines the insulin response to a meal significantly enlarged with sugar and starch.The worst combination of fat loss are ice, bagels with cream cheese, pizza and burgers. Simply because these foods are rich, but because you both fat and sugar/starch record loaded with you want to burn fat, it is best, then avoid this Kombination.Ironischerweise, protein and fat is not nearly as harmful.

The fiber carbohydrate ratio of foods:

Another factor which blunts the effects of carbohydrate and insulin is fiber. Don't make the error go back to absolute or think total amount here.It is true that grains have more fiber than most food but come insulin strength and sharing with a whopping portion.Have a much more balanced fiber carbohydrate equilibrium, vegetables and many Früchte.Faser protein food slows and regulates sugar easier absorption.This forces the body to respond to the food more evenly and requires much less insulin.As protein fiber with the release of hunger hormone helps.Whole grains can healthy but vegetables are suitable more fat loss for these reasons.

Here are 5 quick examples balancing these 3 conditions for fat loss:

1) With a healthy oatmeal recipe many people will add nuts, berries, flax seed, organic milk and honey .Instead try this fat loss oatmeal recipe.Opt for oat bran instead of oatmeal.This increases the fiber and protein of the grain and reduces carbohydrates. your favorite protein powder now add a few shovels,.Renounce to the milk and honey, and take the berries.Reduce the amount of nuts to only 2 or 3 to smash you to pieces and distributes them.Add cinnamon and nutmeg for taste and use Stevia or xylitol to sweeten.

(2) A whole wheat chicken salad sandwich is healthy, but try this statt.Das bread completely throw away and the lettuce tomato and onion to verdoppeln.Entscheiden you for grilled chicken breast and throw the chicken tomatoes and onions in the salad and food from the Mayo.Wickeln.

(3) Yogurt with Granola and fruit is healthy, but try this for the Fettabbau.Entscheiden themselves for a higher protein & fat Greek yogurt and add a small amount of your favorite Molkenprotein.Jetzt throw in 3 sliced strawberries and a little stevia for sweet.

(4) Whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables is gesund.versuchen to make this a fat loss Mahlzeit.Ersatzspieler Shirataki noodles (www.miraclenoodle.com) for the pasta. Add meatballs and a low sodium marinara chicken or Turkey now.

(5) A low fat blueberry muffin like healthy, but try this for the Fettabbau.Machen you protein pancakes, through the mixing of almond flour, oat bran, egg white, almond milk, Molkenprotein.Kochen in a pan with low fat Kochspray.Streuen click xylitol and cinnamon and food.

Finally, if it really is fat loss, are sollte.Runden 80% your meals protein and vegetables a fat loss diet is the remaining 20% with the tricks above and your healthy diet.

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Increase the exercise on an empty stomach fat loss?

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By Jill Coleman

The most frequently asked question in fat loss: should you eat before a morning workout or not?  Ask some fitness experts and surprisingly, many of them are fairly impassioned on the subject.   However, the experts’ opinions are diverse on the topic, most likely because the ever-evolving research is mixed.  However, let’s try to make sense of this quandary first by evaluating an individual’s goal and second by examining an individual’s preferences.

Many dedicated exercisers like to work out early in the day; in fact, it’s been shown that people who exercise first thing in the morning have a higher level of exercise adherence.  However, there exists much debate over whether a pre-workout meal will ultimately benefit or hinder exercise outcome.  Unfortunately, this debate is not easily solved, simply because the outcome is not defined.  Is the goal performance?  Fat loss?  Muscle gain?  For our purposes, let’s create two distinct goals and evaluate each.  The first is performance, including both training for physical competition like a road race or triathlon, as well as training for muscle strength or size. The umbrella of “performance” covers both of these types of training because they both require the same hormonal and caloric environment to be attained.  More on this later.  The second goal to be addressed is fat loss (i.e. decrease in body fat %).  Once the goal is defined, it becomes easier to steer the debate.  Likewise, it will depend on the mode of exercise: weight training versus cardiovascular exercise.

Morning Cardio for Fat Loss

The old bodybuilding mantra declares that doing morning cardio on an empty stomach will help burn more fat than eating beforehand.  Let’s begin by dissecting this statement and evaluate its truthfulness.  It’s true that 90% or more of exercisers want to lose fat and improve body composition.  And it seems logical enough that doing cardio on an empty stomach would facilitate this goal since if there is nothing on the stomach to burn, like a breakfast, the body must resort to using its fat stores for energy to exercise.  Unfortunately, it is not this clear cut.  It is important to evaluate the hormonal situation of the body upon waking.  The body has just undergone an overnight fast and during the night, the body uses both its blood sugar and some of its sugar stores (glycogen) to do work, like repair muscles, digest food, detoxify the body and boost immunity, etc.  Luckily, the body also uses fat to propel this work too; you are always using both fat and sugar as energy all the time, the ratios of which are determined by intensity of movement and available substrate.  Upon waking, several important catabolic hormones are usually elevated because they assist in breaking down sugar stores, fat and even a bit of muscle to continue to make sugar available to do the work described above.  These catabolic hormones are cortisol, glucagon and adrenaline.  On the other hand, human growth hormone (HGH), an anabolic hormone is also elevated during sleep since this is the most optimal time for muscle building.  So, what does this hormonal soup mean for potential fat loss efforts?  Well, it really depends on the substrates available, particularly the amount of stored carbohydrate that is left in the muscle and liver to be used for energy to propel exercise.

In a recent study, published September 2008 in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, researchers wanted to see what substrates would be used to propel exercise if participants underwent glycogen-depleting exercise prior to bed (90 minutes of aerobic activity sustained at 70% HR max).  After exercise, they went to bed without eating.  Upon waking, three groups were formed: Group 1 consumed 1000 calories considered “high carbohydrate” 2 hours before morning exercise.  Group 2 ate 1000 calories considered “low carbohydrate” 2 hours prior to exercise and Group 3 did not eat anything at all.  All three groups then participated in graded exercise to exhaustion, with measurements of fat-derived energy substrate (i.e. fat stores) taken at intervals.  The study showed that depletion of carbohydrate stores enhanced fat usage significantly at sub-maximal workloads.

Another study, published in the International Journal of Obesity in June 2006, was done on post-menopausal obese women.  The study evaluated the effects of pre-workout meal timing on fat utilization during exercise.  Each participant performed 2 separate exercise training sessions on non-consecutive days: the first session was performed 1 hour after consuming a standardized meal, while the second session was performed 3 hours post-meal.  The exercise sessions were identical in intensity and workload, thus the only difference was the amount of time since eating.  The relative amount of fat used during exercise was measured in each of the two protocols, and resulted in higher lipid oxidation (fat use) during the exercise session following a 3-hour pre-workout fast.  These results support a longer period of fasting prior to exercising to maximize fat usage.  The interesting thing was that the amount of calories burned in both protocols was the same, yet the semi-fasting state pulled more calories from fat.  This begs the question—is a calorie really a calorie?  More on this later.

Though there is much research that supports exercising on an empty stomach to increase fat oxidation, these studies tell us nothing about the individual tendencies of the exerciser.  For example, many trainees cannot and should not exercise on an empty stomach because they experience lightheadedness, dizziness and even nausea as a result of low blood sugar.  Interestingly, this occurs more with untrained exercisers hinting at inefficiency in fat and glycogen break-down.  If you tend to get dizzy or lightheaded when working out intensely, eat a small meal 1-2 hours prior to exercise.  If you must eat, what is the ideal combination?  Carbohydrates alone will increase insulin production, an anabolic hormone which will help increase blood sugar to the detriment of fat burning; insulin shuts off lipolysis (fat burning) completely.  If insulin is present in the blood stream, fat cannot be burned for energy.  Eating amino acids (protein) will provide an energy source for exercise and certain amino acids—branched chain (BCAAs)—help prevent muscle break-down during exercise.  BCAAs are metabolized in the muscle for energy and their breakdown aids in the carbohydrate production process to maintain energy and optimal brain function during exercise.  Thus, the ideal combination for a pre-workout snack to aid in fat loss consists of a variety of amino acids mostly, with minimal carbohydrate input.  Whey protein powder mixed with a cup of water is a perfect choice.

The final word: if you can exercise effectively on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, do it.  Research shows that the recruitment of fat for energy is substantial.  However, be smart.  If you are dragging and can barely make it through, there is an obvious energy problem—consider a high-quality protein source prior to exercise.  If energy remains low, slowly add in quality carbohydrates until you find the optimal ratio.

Performance Outcomes on an Empty Stomach

Many who advocate eating before morning exercise cite detriment in performance outcomes on an empty stomach.  For race or triathlon preparation, the research hints that indeed this is the case.  Trainees who eat before high-intensity exercise can potentially train longer and report a lower rate of perceived exertion.  For race prep, eat a small amount of both carbohydrate and protein.  This combination improves energy and prevents the potential for an insulin spike and corresponding energy nose-dive.  Try a ½ cup (dry) old fashioned oats made with water, and then mixed with 1 scoop whey protein 1-2 hours before exercise.  The timing will depend on the individual as many cite not being able to stomach a meal before intense training, while others simply wake up too early to fit it in.  Remember, morning cardio junkies will get up as early as 4am to get their cardio fix, which means a pre-workout wake-up call at 3am?  No thanks!  The bottom line: it depends on your unique fitness level, preferences and quality of energy.

The hormonal responses to weight training, however, are much different than that of cardiovascular activity.  When performing long duration cardio activity, the body burns both fat and sugar calories during, however there is minimal after-burn associated with this type of exercise.  Weight training, on the other hand has been shown to increase fat-burning and muscle-building hormones HGH and testosterone significantly, as well as impact post-workout caloric and fat burning.  This phenomenon is called EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and it has been shown nearly conclusively that weight training increases EPOC over steady-state cardio.  The more intense the weight training, the higher relative proportion of carbohydrates is used for energy during.  This situation is favorable in terms of fat burning post-workout, because when sugar stores are depleted during exercise, fat stores are utilized to replenish them!  This effect can last up to 2 days following a tough weight training workout.

So what does this mean for pre-workout intake?  Remember in the beginning when we grouped weight training in the “Performance” category?  It’s because the above scenario calls for intensity and sugar burning during exercise.  Therefore, increase intensity and give the body the fuel it wants by eating a small amount of carbs before a weight-training workout to maximize the fat-burning after-effect (and shut down cortisol production which will pull from muscle).  However, to avoid an energy crash, remember to pair it with protein.

This point it illustrated in a study published in November 2006 in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.  It looked at nutrient timing and its effects on muscle hypertrophy, strength gains and body composition.  The 10-week study used a protein/carbohydrate dietary supplement. Participants were split into two groups, and were assigned to either a) drink the supplement immediately before and after an intense weight training bout or b) drink the supplement in the morning and late evening.  Upon completion, all participants’ strength, hypertrophy and body composition were measured.  Participants who consumed the beverage before and after the weight training work outs demonstrated a significant increase in lean body mass (hypertrophy) and strength, as well as an improved body composition as determined by a significant increase in muscle mass.

The bottom line?  For performance, whether aerobic or muscle gain, give yourself the opportunity to get the best, most intense workout possible by providing energy in the form of healthy carbs along with enough amino acids to prevent a large insulin spike and prevent muscle break-down.  But remember, exercise for performance and exercise for fat-loss are very different and each individual should decide to eat or not to eat based on their specific goals.

The Caloric Perspective

Many fitness experts will cite calories as an explanation for why it does not matter if one eats before or after morning exercise.  The idea is that a calorie is a calorie, and when exercising, you burn the same amount of calories whether you eat beforehand or not.  And since, many argue, weight loss is the culmination of calories “in” versus calories “out,” it should not matter when you eat them.  However, as we have shown here, it is in fact not calories that matter, but instead the hormonal situation and available substrates in a “fasting” versus a “fed” state.  Doing cardio in the absence of carbs will increase fat burning, even if the caloric expenditure is the same.    As for weight training, eating some carbs (along with protein) will powerfully impact intensity and thus EPOC potential.

Thus, the final message: it’s up to you!  Take a look at the science, but more importantly take a look at your individual tendencies and preferences.  If you can do it effectively, morning cardio on an empty stomach will increase fat burning, period.  Eat a small amount of healthy carbs and lean protein before weight-training and long-duration, performance-oriented exercise.

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To foot & intensive training: Synergistic for fat loss

Jade Teta ND, CSCS

Wander-and high intensity exercise like intervals and strength training are synergistic in their actions. This is no calorie phenomena, but rather a hormonal. Thus the body to properly age recover well, build muscle and burn fat it needs the right balance of stress, the production of hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline) compared to growth promoting hormones (testosterone, and human growth hormone (HGH)). During the training session the desirable effect is together all these hormones, maximize fat loss increase. It has shown that it dramatically increased growth hormone adds to the potential of growth hormone fat burning increases in cortisol by itself.Studies, this was in 2000 from the journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism (vol. 85 # 2) and published in the edition of March 2004 the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and metabolism (vol. 286). so while the intense workouts is useful to train enough to elicit this beneficial hormonal response in the intensity high.

In the days and hours after intensive training, however it is for the levels of growth hormones to maximize most beneficial while minimizing levels of stress hormones. This is where foot comes in.  Foot reduces cortisol levels.  A 2007 article published in the journal of physiological Anthropology (vol. 26 # 2) showed that walk, reliably and predictably cortisol levels lowers. This effect has been reinforced if that took on foot, place in a natural that define what the Japanese Shinrin Yoku call. It is important to note that should be walking at a leisurely pace. It is easy to turn on foot in a "aerobic zone" training that is not as beneficial. This is because aerobic exercises cortisol raises moderate intensity instead it lowers and never a high reached enough intensity to generate the growth-promoting hormones.It is very easy tip the scales towards stress production if aerobic exercise all you tun.Dies muscle loss just as easily as fat loss. Moderate intensity aerobics burns calories, but hardly hormonal benefits. 

A workout program for optimal fat burning and slows down aging would Sprint high intensity exercise as weight lifting, and interval training combine walking with low-intensity activity such as leisure.We would say our customers that not even exercise but need should be considered on foot.Leisure walking is slowly at a relaxed pace, so complete and easy conversation (a speed of 3.5 or less on a typical treadmill) and as much as possible should be done every day.Add 2-3 intensive weight lifting and 2-3 of intensive interval exercise sessions throughout the week along with this sprinkled on foot is a great plan for body composition and healthy Altern.Intensive Workouts should short (less than 40 minutes) be kept, while 5,000 to 10,000 Schritte.Diese can at once be leisure walking, as long as you like his can. shooting at least 30 to 60 minutes, one day or or throughout the day.

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4 Carbohydrates for fat loss

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Jade Teta ND, CSCS

Carbohydrate intake has replaced fat as one of the most talked about issues in body change. Body change or body transformation is a term I like to use to not only distinguish weight loss from fat loss, but also to take fat loss one step forward. Fat loss is when weight is reduced with as little muscle lost as possible. The body fat % goes down, but it is still possible to be losing some lean tissue when you lose fat. Body change is fat lost and muscle gained, a very difficult process to pull off, and widely regarded as the Holy Grail of physique development. While fat loss can be accomplished fairly easily with the reduction of all or most carbohydrates, many will often watch some lean muscle be lost in the process. When we are talking body change and want to lose fat but also add muscle, it is almost impossible to avoid the smart use of carbohydrates.

4 Carbs to know

In particular, there are 4 carbohydrates that seem most beneficial in physique development. For a long while this information was handed down by physique coaches and bodybuilders in more of a “folklore” capacity; it was just the way it had been done. In my late teens and early twenties when I first got into bodybuilding, the advice I got was to eat only oats, brown rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes……that was it.  Because this was a little heretical to my Italian roots, I asked why I could not have pasta. The answer I received was “it will make you hold water”…the look I got was more, “shut the hell up and do what I tell you”. So I did.

As I watched my good friend Gary Leake become a national level bodybuilder in the 90's, I saw him doing the same thing. Oats, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes. When I met my wife Jill Coleman, a natural professional physique competitor and coach, I watched her go through the same process….oats, rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Over the years I continued to wonder what about these carbs made them different and why they were used over others.

Oats, potatoes, rice, and sweet potatoes, when eaten together in a mixed diet, have three main characteristics that make them uniquely suited to body change. They are generally hypoallergenic (i.e. are less likely to cause allergic reactions), they have a lower acid load compared to an entirely grain based carbohydrate diet, and finally the four together allow for smart manipulation of the glycemic index (a measure of how fast a carbohydrate enters the blood stream).

Hypoallergenic:

This is a concept not very well understood by most in the bodybuilding and physique competitor world. Mostly because their interest is usually centered on purely biochemical considerations and rarely focuses on immunology. Food allergy is a misunderstood term. Allergies are usually thought of as immediate reactions to things the body does not “like”. Examples are reactions to peanuts, shellfish or bee stings where there is an immediate reaction of redness, swelling and potential life threatening reactions (i.e. anaphylaxis). These immediate reactions are mediated mainly by and immune compound called IgE. However, most food “allergies” are not nearly as noticeable as the reactions just mentioned. Instead, most reactions to food are more aptly described as “delayed sensitivity reactions” and are mediated through a different immune compound called IgG.

This distinction is important because in delayed reactions to food the immune reaction is more subtle and can occur up to 4 days after consuming the food. This makes connecting a food to a symptom very difficult. In traditional allergies the hallmarks of inflammation are immediate and include redness, swelling and pain. In delayed reactions they are more subtle and will usually result in digestive upset, diffuse joint pain, increased mucous production, and most important for physique athletes water retention. The most common delayed sensitivity reactions I see in my clinical practice are to dairy and grains (soy a close third); especially gluten containing grains (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, etc.).

The major reason wheat is such an issue is because of the protein gluten. Gluten can trigger subtle inflammatory reactions in many people. Rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes are “gluten free” and the gluten like compound found in oats, called avenin, is not reactive, or at least less reactive, in most individuals. However, oats can become significantly contaminated with other gluten molecules if they are processed in a factory that also processes wheat. Here is an excerpt  from The Paleo Diet Update ?(Vol. 4 # 16) to understand gluten: “Gluten is a water-soluble protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats.1 It is composed of an insoluble fraction called glutenin and alcohol-soluble proteins (prolamines) called gliadin in wheat, hordein in barley, secalin in rye and avenin in oats.1 It is believed that the gliadin proteins constitute the fraction in gluten responsible for celiac disease (CD).1 Recent reviews on gluten sensitivity show it is far more prevalent then we believe and does not necessarily result in outright celiac sprue.” In other words, many people react to gluten without even realizing it and the gluten compound they are most reactive to is gliadin from wheat. This reaction can cause whole body inflammation and result in an appearance of looking puffy/bloated…hence the common dogma that bread and pasta make you “hold water”.

Potatoes, rice, and sweet potatoes are very well tolerated by even the most allergic individuals and the gluten, avenin, in oats is not reactive in most people. This is one reason these four carbohydrates are preferred in body change.

Acid load

Acid base balance is perhaps the most confusing issue in all of medicine and is not usually a consideration for physique athletes. None-the-less, I believe it is a benefit of these 4 carbs, especially potatoes and sweet potatoes. The blood must remain within a narrow PH, not too acid and not too alkaline. All food, when eaten, enters the blood stream and will transiently alter the blood PH. The body then works to restore tight control of acid/base balance via the kidneys and lungs. Recent research has shown acid-base balance to be a factor in health, muscle development and recovery from exercise. This is important when considering carbohydrate intake since the two major sources of acid load in the diet are protein and grain based carbs. Vegetables and fruit on the other hand are net alkaline producing.

Most all starchy carbohydrates are acid producing in the body especially grains, including whole grains.  However, two of the 4 carbs for fat loss are alkaline.  Potatoes and sweet potatoes have a net alkaline effect on the blood PH. Oats and rice remain acid producing, but when balanced with potato and sweet potato the impact is far better than a high grain based diet without the use of potato. Interestingly, most bodybuilders and physique athletes prefer potatoes in the post workout period. The benefits of this have been thought to be all about glycemic index, but the alkaline nature of theses two carbs is likely another positive benefit of this practice. Two other carb sources, I often recommend as substitutes for oats and rice, are banana and quinoa. Bananas and quinoa are also more alkaline forming in the body.

GI manipulation

Glycemic index (GI) is a concept many people talk about. However, it is misunderstood by many including those helping people try to lose weight. There are times when you want higher glycemic index carbohydrates and times when you don’t. Higher glycemic index carbohydrates after a workout can be useful. Low glycemic index carbs are best done away from workouts. Rice and oats are often see as low glycemic index carbs.  However, that is only the case for brown rice and whole oats. White rice and quick cook oats have a higher glycemic impact then their less refined counterparts.

Potatoes are the most misunderstood carbohydrate in my opinion. It always amazes me to see many weight loss experts telling people to avoid them. There is a reason potatoes are the preferred carbs of many in the physique development world. They are easy to cook, require no extra preparation and travel easily. Many people have been misled by nutritionist, trainers and physicians who dont have the experience to combine with their book smarts. Potatoes are NOT the high glycemic index bad guys they are portrayed to be and can actually range from 5o (low GI) to 85 (higher GI) on the glycemic index depending on what type (new, sweet, russet), how they are prepared and processed. The glycemic index of potatoes can then be lowered further by cooling potatoes down to room temperature or less. This “adjustable GI” of potatoes allows for a very versatile carbohydrate source when working for body change.

When a potato is cooled its starch becomes “resistant” to digestion effectively lowering the glycemic index between 10 and 20%.  Ironically most fat loss competitors eat their potato at room temperature as a matter of convenience. By doing this they are reducing the glycemic index of the food substantially. This is very different than the mashed potatoes and gravy many people think about. A room temperature potato eaten like an apple with the skin on is an entirely different animal than a hot baked potato with butter and sour cream.

Sweet potatoes too, especially the white ones are very beneficial. Like regular potatoes, sweet potatoes can be manipulated to have a greater or lesser glycemic impact.  Removing the skin, eating hot and mashing raises the impact on blood sugar allowing an extra insulin kick for muscle building. Leaving the skin on, eating them cold and covering them with cinnamon controls insulin levels to decrease the fat storing potential. White sweet potatoes in particular have an even greater beneficial impact on blood sugar. Several studies have shown the pale variety of sweet potato has compounds in it that improve insulin sensitivity in even the most insulin resistant populations; diabetics.

Final Thoughts

Carbohydrate intake is essential for those who wish to go beyond fat loss and build muscle as well. Low carbohydrate diets need to be replaced with smart carbohydrate diets. These 4 carbs have been used by physique competitors for decades. Combining these 4 carbohydrates with ample vegetable intake and adequate protein can create the correct environment for fat loss and muscle gain. By working within your carbohydrate tipping point (what ME refers to as “enough carb to train hard, but not enough to store fat”) these carbs provide a great tool kit for smart insulin manipulation and effective body change.

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Metabolic effect of top fitness model Obi Obadike

“The World’s Most Ripped Fitness Model and International Cover/Spokes Model”- Obi Obadike!! That is the way many describe one of the biggest superstars in the world of physique development and fitness modeling. This blog post is a transcription of a recent interview Metabolic Effect (ME) did with Obi.

Intro to interview:

Metabolic Effect is all about learning and living the fat loss lifestyle.  Many people wrongly assume weight loss and fat loss are the same. They also believe if they eat “healthy” and go for a few long runs every week they will look and feel the way they desire. Healthy exercise is not the same as fat loss exercise and a healthy diet differs from a fat loss nutrition plan.

Unfortunately, these distinctions can sometimes be hard to understand. It sometimes helps to have a fat loss coach. Someone who lives, eats, and breathes the fat loss lifestyle to clue you in on what the fat loss lifestyle “looks like”. So, we went out and asked one of the most well known, respected and leanest physique athletes on the planet, Obi Obadike, to enlighten us on what it takes to make real physique change and keep it. By the way, in case your wondering how his last name is pronounced, its Oh-bah-dee-kay.

Before we get into the interview, let me tell you about Obi. He is a professional fitness model. But, that moniker really does not do him justice. Picture the guy gracing the cover of any major fitness magazine with ripped abs and a chiseled physique, but instead of the big bulbous muscles of a bodybuilder he has the perfect symmetry you would expect from an elite athlete. Obi is part of a unique group of professionals who are some of the leanest people on the planet. And he, is the leanest of the lean. And because his job demands it, he stays that way year round. Among his peers of elite physique models and athletes, he is widely regarded as the most “ripped” in the industry. For those not familiar with the term “ripped”, it is used to describe a physique so lean that every muscle can be seen in detail as if on an anatomy chart.

If this is your first time exposed to Obi, you are in for a treat. Rather than go through Obi’s extensive accomplishments, we have linked to his website where you can read more about this athlete. For now, lets get into the interview.

Interview:

ME: Obi, lets get right into it. Many in the physique and fat loss field, myself included, view yours as the model physique. Can you help us understand what it is you do differently then everyone else? How do you keep such a lean physique? Please don’t tell me its all genetics ?

Obi: Genetics always plays into the development of anybody’s physique as it just a fact of life. I did go through a period a couple of years ago where I was focused on size and bulk but I realized after going through that period that I enjoyed much more just staying lean and not trying to be that guy who is always trying to measure how big his arms are. I train like an athlete and not like a bodybuilder. I see myself as an athlete first and a fitness model second. I follow a simple method of eating good 5 days a week and cheating twice a week.

I’ve been an athlete since I was 5 years old and I’ve been weight-training for over 18 years so it wasn’t like I looked like this overnight. I try to tell people building muscle won’t happen overnight. Lord knows it didn’t for me. I remember being that skinny kid in high school that people used to make fun of.

Here is a brief overview of my exercise regime. My training consists of sprints once a week, I do about 20 minutes of cardio three times per week. I weight-train 4 days one week and 5 days the following week. I alternate each week from 4 days to 5 days.

ME: It is interesting because many people would think you need to do a lot more cardio.  But you illustrate a key point we try to make with the ME lifestyle. Weight training should be the focus. Now, I know you are a physique coach as well and help others with their physique development. What I have noticed is that these individuals take on the same quality as your physique. They just look leaner and harder than everyone else? What have you figured out about developing this type of physique that everyone else has yet to catch on to?

Obi: In my opinion, getting lean and ripped for most of the general society is 80 percent diet and 20 percent training. For me, I know my body very well and so the way I eat and train works for me but it may not work for everybody else. The main thing is you have to figure out what diet and training method works for your body type and your current metabolism. If I sat on my butt and just ate like crap and didn’t work out trust me I would gain weight and wouldn’t look too good. If I train consistently and eat healthy the majority of the week then I can walk around at 4 percent body fat all year round. It is very easy for me to go from 4 down to 2 percent. I only get that lean typically just for photo-shoots.

I want to tell people that it is very dangerous to get your body fat percent that low and I wouldn’t advise the average non-competitor to do that. I think for me I am used to it and it isn’t that hard on my body because I am not coming from 12 percent down to 4 percent. My drop is very minimal compared to others when I get that razor lean. This may be the first time I’ve talked about this but being under 4 percent doesn’t feel good mentally or physically. My energy level is low and my attention span is minimal and I am frankly not as functional as I could be if my body-fat percentage was higher. Any guy that wants abs I would say to get your body-fat percentage at a healthy 6 to 10 percent body-fat. For my clients I just try to construct an appropriate diet and training plan geared toward their fitness goals and metabolism and body type. And, that is the point of this, people should learn how their own body responds. I spend time with my clients helping them understand that.  Once they do, they are able to achieve the results.

ME: Tell us about a typical day in the life of Obi? How many meals do you eat daily? What types of workouts are you doing? Do you pay attention to things like sleep, stress, etc?

Obi: I wish I could say I get 8 hours of a sleep a day but I don’t because I am so busy with so many things going on in my life. I eat about 4 small meals a day typically and my training consists of sprints once a week and 3 miles a day running on the road or track about 3 times a week at an 8 minute mile pace.

I weight-train 4 days one week and 5 days the following week. I alternate each week from 4 days to 5 days. I also use a new innovative fitness device called the ISO BO.  Full disclosure, I am the new global spokes model for this product.  But, despite that I really feel it is an extremely useful product. It is a 2 and ½ pound device that will kick your butt more than 400 different ways anerobically.  And, that is the point and something I know ME stresses.  Anaerobic exercise is key to a lean physique. I use this product about two to three times a week. It will tone your upper body and lower body and you can use the product anywhere because of its portability. The website to the ISO BO is www.isogear.net

ME: I have to ask it? Your abdominal development is widely regarded as the best in the industry. You have changed the 6-pack into and 8-pack. Do you work your abs? Is this from your days as a sprinter? Is it all diet? Give us an idea of what it takes to develop that kind of midsection?

Obi: First of all I am flattered that any person would regard my abs as the best or one of the best. I see so many fitness models with incredible abs every day that it is hard to even acknowledge something like that. I do attribute my ab development to my sprinting days from a young kid to high school and then to college. Think about it, every time you lift your leg up in the air you work your abs. So imagine how many times you are contracting your abs while sprinting. After many years of doing this you will eventually develop some pretty decent abs. Many fitness competitors these days seem to implement sprinting in their training because of its positive effects. I work my abs every other day and I keep it simple. I do regular sit-ups, leg raises, crunches and sometimes broom twists. My abs exercises are honestly nothing out of the ordinary.

ME: What are your top 5 fat burning foods?  The ones you eat daily?

Obi: Typically the best fat burning foods are ones that are rich in Protein or those containing fiber. The examples are oatmeal, apples, chicken, vegetables, and tuna. Protein, fruits and vegetables are all great foods that will help in the fat burning process. What I eat daily is chicken, turkey, oatmeal, vegetables and I do eat fruit. By the way I eat fruit within moderation and am careful not to overdo it because too much can slow my results.

ME: What are your workouts like? Are they old school bodybuilding routines, athletic conditioning, metabolic workouts, interval training? Is it really necessary to spend hours in the gym?

Obi: I superset all my weight-training exercises which allows me to accomplish more anaerobically then just focusing on one body-part. This speeds the workout up and allows me to get more work done.  For example I will train chest/biceps and I will do one exercise of chest and one exercise of biceps. I do these back to back with little or no rest. Or another example, I will do one set of shoulders and then one set of back. I try to have very little rest for me while I train this way. Typically I will rest a little if I am fatigue or just need to catch my breath because training like this can be very intense.

ME: How about cardio? Is this something you do daily?

Obi: I do cardio four days a week. Three days running and one day sprinting. I perform my running outside on a track or on the road. As I mentioned, I keep these short. It is basically 3 miles at an 8 MPH pace. The sprints are once a week. This workout consists of ten 100 meter sprints. I will run a sprint and then slowly walk back to the starting line.

ME: I think most people might look at a guy like you and just think, “this guy is a machine, he simply does not have the same urges for junk food as the rest of us.” Or “He must not have a life and just sits around and eats broccoli and chicken all day.” Is developing this kind of physique really that hard for people?  How do you manage? Are you really not interested in food the same way others are?

Obi: I do eat junk food occasionally. This is typically after a photo-shoot when I get down so lean. For me to come out of that phase I have to eat junk food to raise my body-fat levels back up again. The main thing I say is it is ok to eat junk food, but just use it as a treat to yourself. One or two times a week with eating healthy throughout the rest of the week. I cheat just like the next person I just try to be smart about it so it doesn’t affect my physique too much.

ME: What are the supplements you take daily?

Obi: A Basic Whey Protein supplement, NutriVite Multi-Vitamin Shot and an appetite suppressant pill called SBL Lean which helps to curb cravings when I am dieting. That can be purchased on my website (www.obiobadike.com) and there is an SBL Symbol on the right hand side with my upper body and abs. You can click on that and can purchase the product. When dieting it is very easy to have the munchies and want to cheat; The SBL Lean helps me stay more in control and not feel so hungry.

ME: Finally, give us a glimpse into how you would help the average Jane or Joe develop the physique of their dreams? What are the things they must do?  Eat 100g of protein, avoid all carbs, go low fat, exercise everyday for 3 hours? What are the things you would say are absolutely essential?

Obi: The main thing is having a balanced macronutrient diet. A diet high in protein, low in carbs, and also low in fats. I don’t believe in zero carb diets as it is not effective at all in attaining your fitness goals. My advice for any new client is to follow a high protein, low carb/fat diet and then train about 4 times a week. Weight-training about 3 days a week and then perform cardio about 4 times a week. Weight-training should be about 45 minutes and cardio about 45 minutes for the average person.

ME: Obi, thanks so much for spending the time with us. It is always a pleasure to talk with you and learn from you.

Obi: It is my pleasure.  Thanks for having me. I would like to thank Jade for the opportunity of this interview and I wanted to say thanks to all my fans and close friends that have supported me unconditionally in my career.

To learn more about Obi check out his website www.obiobadike.com

Here is a sample training regime from Obi’s own workouts:

Obi:  I train chest/biceps on Monday, shoulders/back on Tuesday,  Wednesday I do leg/triceps, Thursday is chest/biceps, and Friday, shoulders/back. I do abs and calves every other day. I super-set all of my weight-training exercises. I perform only about 3 days a week cardio running which consists of about 3 miles a day at an 8 minute mile pace which would be about 24 minutes of cardio. I run sprints once a week doing 10 100 meter sprints at 60 percent speed. My diet consists of mostly chicken, vegetables, brown rice, and oatmeal.

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