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Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Programming your body to burn fat


Programming your body to burn fat as a primary fuel


I've been meaning to post this for a while. Many people who come to this forum are looking to lose fat...alot of fat...and retain or build muscle. If you're a middle aged person who is 40 to 100+ pounds overweight, and you're overwhelmed with info or frustrated, this is for you. 

Follow this program TO THE LETTER and I can guarantee healthy and speedy fat loss, along with numerous other benefits. Make sure to have a physical checkup from your doctor and feel free to print this information out to show your doctor. 
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Humans are fortunate to be able to utilize a variety of fuels for energy. Excess fuel is stored as adipose tissue (fat) until required. Starvation programs the body to conserve fat and burn protein for fuel at the expense of muscle. Ketogenic diets can program the body to burn fat at the expense of utilizing ketones for energy and limiting the intake of healthy fiber and foods with high amounts of anti-oxidants. A high carb diet delivers ample amounts of fuel but it notorious for excess energy supply resulting in fat gain.

In order to burn fat as the primary fuel, we need our body to be pre-disposed to leaving muscle tissue alone and not providing it enough energy resulting in a draw down of fat. This takes a bit of work, but it can be done. Here's how...
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Lifting weights (all muscle groups must be utilized) programs the body to not break down muscle for protein if it is provided an adequate amount. The body responds to external stresses by "ramping up". Not using muscles causes them to atrophy. Using muscles causes them to stabilize or grow. This is true of the bones as well, provided you get enough calcium and minerals in your diet.

This plan is simple and utilizes very basic, but healthy, foods. It shouldn't be too hard on your grocery bill and won't require you to do much work, with the exception of baking meat now and then. 

Food checklist
- bag of carrots
- bag of apples
- bag of oranges
- bunch of bananas
- sweet potatoes (optional)
- frozen or fresh mixed veggies (optional)
- raw unsalted unroasted walnuts or almonds
- low fat cottage cheese
- chicken breasts
- fish (wild if you can afford it)
- canned albacore tuna, canned chicken, canned salmon (if you can afford it)
- frozen berries
- plain quaker oats or generic equivalent
- low carb protein powder that you can drink with water

Follow this plan for 2 weeks. You will lose fat, retain muscle (build muscle if you're a new weightlifter)...your blood pressure probably will lower, your cholesterol will improve and you will feel a difference!

AM - Wake up early, walk (not run)....walking utilizes Type 1 muscle fibers which use fat for energy. Your glycogen reserves are minimal since you just woke up....this means that nearly all energy expended is directly fueled by your body's fat reserves. Each mile burns about a 100 calories and, over the course of a week, adds up! Drink a glass of water to prime your metabolic pump and hit the road....build up to 3 miles in the morning (6 days a week)...if you're very overweight, running is brutal on your knees. Get the weight off, then run if you wish.
Breakfast EVERY DAY
- 1/2 cup of oats + 1 cup of berries + water
- drink an tall glass of water that has 35-40 grams of protein powder in it

9 AM - Eat an apple, drink a tall glass of water, eat a source of protein - can of tuna or chicken or chicken breast or 4 oz of fish

12 AM - Eat a banana, drink a tall glass of water, eat a source of protein - can of tuna or chicken or chicken breast or 4 oz of fish

3 PM - Eat an orange, drink a tall glass of water, eat a source of protein - can of tuna or chicken or chicken breast or 4 oz of fish

6 PM - Eat 4 OR 8 ounces of meat (depending on your hunger), a sweet potatoe or mixed veggies and a PALMFUL of walnuts or about 13 almonds (your daily HEALTHY fat)...drink a tall glass of water

Before bed - eat 1-2 cups of cottage cheese (depending on how hungry you are)...drink water if you wish...I don't because I hate waking up to pee...and eat a carrot if you didn't eat a sweet potatoe (you want a source of beta carotene in your diet daily). Cottage cheese is a slow digesting protein that will feed your body all night long. During sleep is when your body repairs and builds...giving it protein is helpful. If you can't stomach cottage cheese, substitute a piece of meat.

DON'T USE SALT ON YOUR FOOD!

You will need to lift weights at LEAST 3 days per week and make sure all major muscle groups are used at least 1 time per week. The amount of weight you lift should be challenging. It's not necessary to kill yourself....but the amount of weight you lift should be WORK. Work to build up to 2-3 sets per lift. Make sure to drink a glass of water with 25 grams of protein following your workout. This is over and above your next meal. DO NOT SKIP YOUR NEXT MEAL. 

Regular meal timing is important for keeping your metabolism high even with fewer than normal calories...as well as blood sugar regulation and steady fat burning.

If you are already eating healthy and exercise, fat loss will be slow but steady. You will notice increased vascularity over several weeks, particularly in your arms. If you are just starting out on a regimen, you will shed 10-20% of your initial weight loss in fat and water...after the first month or so it will be mostly fat provided you eat enough protein (30-40 grams per sitting) and do resistance training. This is not an ideal regimen for someone with healthy amounts of bodyfat who is looking to add muscle mass. More complex carbs would be helpful in that case.

This is a simple, easy to understand plan. Notice the eating takes place every quarter (3 hours) at easy-to-remember intervals. If you cheat and eat garbage, it won't work. If you skip meals, your calorie intake will be too low and your body will PRESERVE fat. If you don't lift weights, your muscles will also be metabolized for energy (atrophy). If you do not walk, your rate of fat loss will be substantially slower.

If you stick with this and you are happy with the results, feel free to fine tune it. Substitute different fruits/veggies if you wish....just remember to use DIFFERENT COLOR fruits/veggies to maximize the micro-nutrients you provide your body. This regimen gives the body minimal opportunity at storing additional fat and pushes it to preserve/build muscle.

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