Simple Guidelines for Fat Loss

Since summer is upon us and it might be time to start getting ready for the lake, beach or wherever we want to go for vacation, I thought I would repost this article.

So ya wanna get rid of some fat or that spare tire? We can get get rid of that spare tire or unwanted fat by following some simple guidelines and use a little "physiology-101."  So, with that in mind, let's talk about fat loss or "leaning out" and what we can do about it.  For those of you short attention span folks who are already tired of reading this, here it is: fat loss is about hormonal balance, in particular, controlling insulin levels.  Fat loss is NOT about calories in, calories out...that is weight loss and a great way to be a "skinny-fat" person.  So to keep insulin low, pull back on the carbs and increase the low-intensity cardio.  There, now you can stop reading.  For you other folks who seek more knowledge and have a greater attention span, please, read on.

Some of the things we need to remember is that hormonal balance is the key to fat loss.  What do I mean?  Simple.  Insulin, a hormone our pancreas makes that is released in response to carbs, is a FAT STORAGE HORMONE.   Insulin drives nutrients into our cells including fat.  When our cells are depleted, this is a good thing.  For example, someone who has had an intense metcon session or even strength building session will be in a depleted state and require more carbs, which releases insulin, to recover and repair.

Let's look at the other side of the coin.  If we are not in a depleted state or involved in regular intense exercise our "tanks" are topped off and we do not need to be replenished.  So guess what happens when we consume carbs?  Our body releases insulin which takes the carbs to the liver instead of depleted cells and makes triglycerides and sends those out to be stored as fat.  There is more.  After insulin is released it slowly diminishes or lowers after a couple of hours.  Since it is a fat storage hormone, insulin makes it very difficult for our body to access not only stored glucose but stored fat as well.  Physiologically, the human body requires only about 150g of carbs, if that, unless it is in a depleted state...i.e. exercising consistently.

The brain, which cannot use fat, requires glucose (it can use ketones too but that is another article all together) at about 4-6g per hour, the kidneys and red blood cells, which use only glucose, require much less closer to 1g per hour.  Do the math and you get about 150g of carbs.  The USRDA recommends that a person who consumes a 2000 calorie diet to eat 300g of carbs per day, twice the physiological limit of what the body requires, which drives and keeps insulin levels unnecessarily high.  Elevated insulin levels also leads to insulin resistance, Type-II diabetes, cardio vascular disease, Alzheimer's, increased levels of advanced glycation end products (AGE's), metabolic derangement, mood disorders and depression and a long list of other issues.  Additionally, it is excess carbs which are primarily responsible for causing the liver to make the small dense type-A LDL cholesterol that accelerates vascular inflammation which is linked to cardio vascular disease.  I could go on but have written several other detailed articles on the topic in previous posts.

So here is how it goes.  A person who isn't training consumes a diet high in carbs, releases a lot of insulin, stores fat, can't access stored energy so gets tired and craves more carbs, can't think clearly because the brain is competing with the insulin for glucose, develops insulin resistance and obesity, has to take several prescriptions to deal with health issues and dies unhealthy and much younger than they should.  Not very complicated.  So what is the solution?  Keeps carbs low and protein and fat moderate to high...sound familiar...Paleo?  Now this is not a one size fits all solution.  Depending on a person's type of training, then their carb intake will increase or adjust accordingly.

Now that we understand that excessive carbs, which causes excessive insulin production, are primarily responsible for fat storage and obesity we can make some better decisions when trying to "lean out."

Here is what I recently did, and usually do this time every year:  I recently completed my strength building phase, which lasted about 4 months and gained about 15 lbs, some muscle and some fat.  Now I want to lean out to see some of the muscle I gained.  Here is what I do that works really well for me.  I don't focus on meal frequency.  I did this in the past believing that it accelerates my metabolism which is a myth.  Our metabolism is determined by genetics, muscle mass, exercise (which increase mitochondria in the cells) and hormone regulation.  Not how many meals we eat.  What I simply do is decrease my carb intake...that's it.  Here is what a normal day may look like for me when I am leaning out:

• breakfast 3-4 eggs with a lot of coconut oil with a handful of berries and occasional oatmeal
• lunch 6-8 oz of meat, usually grass fed beef, 1/2 sweet potato, 1-2 cup of green veggies like broccoli or greens
• snack 1 can tuna or chicken breast, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 cup kefer yogurt
• dinner 8-10 oz meat, 1/2 sweet potato or 1/2 cup of cooked rice and a lot of veggies

On days I exercise I may have a slightly larger portion of carbs post workout.  My primary sources of carbs will be squashes, gourds, sweet potatoes, rice, oatmeal, occasional fruit and LOTS of veggies (canned crap, uh...I mean canned veggies doesn't count).  As usual, I avoid anything containing gluten...yes, that means bread and pasta. I also avoid corn and carrots during this time because of the sugar content.  I also may have a handful of raw nuts as a snack.  I don't worry too much about meal frequency or eating at set times.  I eat when I am hungry, I eat a lot of meat, a lot of good healthy fats, a lot of veggies, some nuts and seeds, occasional fruit and dairy.  When I do consume dairy it is in the form of aged cheeses, kefir yogurt or raw milk.  I also avoid stimulants or excessive caffiene as this causes a cortisol response which signals the liver to release stored glycogen thus releasing insulin and back to square one. That's all I do.  And the fat melts off.

My training also changes accordingly. If I am trying to build muscle, which requires a calorie surplus,  I eat A LOT more carbs which will likely include gluten containing foods.  When I decide to lean out or lose some fat, I simply reduce my carb load and start doing some low intensity cardio, occasional metcon, occasional strength and that's about it.  So a typical week of training for me in my "leaning out" phase may look something like this:

• Jog, bike or row 2-3 times per week at low intensity
• Metcon or interval training 1-2 times per week
• Strength/Olympic lifts 1 time per week
• Boxing/Grappling 1-2 times per week since I enjoy it
• Yoga, when I can

If I feel like my performance is taking a dive, I'm not recovering well or feel tired I simply back off the training and get some more sleep.  I have mentioned this before but something else I throw in every now and then is intermittent fasting where I may eat my last meal at 5pm and won't eat again until the next day around noon.  The cool thing is, because my carbs are low and my protein and fat are high, I don't get hungry and my energy levels stay high.  Robb Wolf's site has some really good info on the topic.  It is also increases insulin sensitivity...this is a good thing.

I try not to worry too much about counting calories, meal frequency or feeling like I have to get a workout in or if I miss one then the world is going to end.  This adds extra stress for me.  I like to keep it simple and have fun with my training.  Usually after a strength training phase my body fat will be around 11-12% and by following the info above, I will drop it down to about 7-8% in about 6 weeks...not too bad.  It will vary from person to person depending on where they are starting from, but either way, it works.

So let's sum it up:

• To lose unwanted fat or "lean out"
• Increase low-intensity cardio, with occasional strength/conditioning work
• Keep carb intake low unless it is a strength/high-intensity/conditioning day
• Cardio or non-training days, keep carbs under 150g 
• Keep protein and fat intake moderate to high
• Get plenty of sleep and manage/reduce stress
• Have fun and hold this pattern until goal achieved

With some slight adjustments in our diet and activity level, getting rid of the unwanted fat (on our body, not our food) is easier than we think.  Congratulations you made it to the end!  Now you have what you need to make your plan and get ready for the beach!  Until next time, pick up something heavy and get some sprints in!