Posts Tagged ‘slow metabolism’

Delorean: Symptoms of Fat Loss (parts 1&2)


20 Feb

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Posted in Fat Loss, diet, female training | 16 Comments »

I have talked about this a lot lately with my clients and board members. Here is a quick run down of what fat loss is.

Fat loss is the removal of stored body fat from your body. In order to achieve fat loss you need to be in a deficit of energy. Meaning what it takes to run your body for a day, you need to consume less than that. If your body needs 2,000 kcal of energy to run, and you consume 1,500 calories, you are in the negative by 500 calories.

Take away the numbers and think about what that really means. Your body, in order to function properly, needs a certain amount of energy.

One could compare this to say, a flashlight. Oh, here comes another analogy!!!

A flashlight running 100% on charged batteries shines bright, is lucid, and performs perfectly when needed for a task. What happens when those batteries start to drain of energy?

The light is less bright, performance is shaky, and the crystal clear stream of light is now muddy.

You know how it is when the batteries are almost dead, you start to bang the flashlight to get those extra jolts of connection before that moment where the fat lady has sung, and no more power.

NOW, imagine your body if that flashlight. As time goes on your batteries are running low. How are you going to feel?

  • Less lucid, foggy
  • easily emotional
  • fatigue
  • hunger
  • harder to wake up in the morning
  • muscle soreness
  • sadness
  • insomia

These are not symptoms of overtraining. These are symptoms of fat loss.

Think about it folks – you are removing a physical substance from your body. It was once there but you are trying to take it away. You might say, “well, I put it on easily. Taking it away can’t be that hard. ”

When is the last time you glued something? How easy was that to get on? How much of a pain in the ass was it to get off?

Just fat loss alone doesn’t feel good, it shouldn’t feel good. Anyone that tells you that either doesn’t know, or doesn’t want you to know. That doesn’t mean fat loss can’t be good for you in the long run. It just means what you have to endure while getting there is a real task to be undertaken.

This is why I try to get my clients to lose fat as quick as they can, but as safely as they can. So that “The Drain Effect” doesn’t turn into what we are going to talk about in part 2.

Part 2: The Drain Effect

In the last section, we talked about how even smart fat loss can leave you not feeling great. Now we are going to talk about what happens when you take this effect to another level, or allow it to go on for too long.

Some clients have come to me having been on a diet, in one form or another, for the majority of their life. They have had short bouts of breaks, but for the most part life for them has been a never-ending cycle of starve and stuff. This would be fine is they actually achieved something with it. Usually, they take one or both to the extreme,and end up worse off than they began. Combine this with aggressive training in aerobics and lifting, and we receive a ticket to overtraining.

Now before I dive right in, yes, I am mixing the two together. This is not a conversation about just overtraining. Most of the following problems can occur by eating a low caloric diet for too long if you aren’t training, AND some of these problems can present themselves if you aren’t taking good training rests even if your feeding is on point.

Good? Moving on.

If you don’t feed your body well enough for an extended period of time what do you think is going to happen?

What if you decided to drive your car with little to no oil day after day after day? Stuff would start wearing down, wouldn’t it? It wouldn’t be functioning right.

The concept is really pretty simple. If you dirve hard, fuel hard. YOU CAN’T CHEAT THE BODY. Go ahead though, defy the law. Here is what to look for if you do.

  • Sudden inability to complete workouts
  • Feeling unmotivated and lacking energy
  • Increased susceptibility to colds, sore throats, and other illnesses
  • Extremely hungry or not hungry at all
  • Decrease in performance
  • Long standing Insomnia
  • Aches or pain in the muscles and/or joints for longer periods
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Elevated morning pulse
  • Decreased body temperature
  • Decrease lab levels in vitamins and thyroid
  • Anxiety/depression
  • Hair shedding

In short, you don’t feel so hot and why should you, your running on empty over and over again. Did I mention how not good for fat loss this is?

So what is the best method to assure yourself that you are training for fat loss, but not burning yourself out?

How do we gauge the middle ground that leads us to the ultimate goal we have?

http://www.fatlosstroubleshoot.com

Eat More Food, Lose More Fat


30 Jul

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Posted in Fat Loss, metabolism | 4 Comments »

*New Article up at Figure Athlete.com*

I was in the grocery store the other day, and in the checkout line in front of me I noticed a guy reading an issue of Men’s Health while chewing on a Double-Stuffed Oreo he took from the box but hadn’t yet paid for.

I found the irony of the visual quite excellent.

I have a habit of browsing other shopping carts out of curiosity, and the Cookie Monster in front of me had all the goods. Chips, cookies, doughnuts… it was a trainer’s worst nightmare! Now, I’m not exactly judging his food choices. What I was struck by was the recurring thought in my head, “Well, at least he is eating.”

cookie monster

He can try to change his ways. But we all know his true instincts.

I actually confused myself! So I took a second and wondered why, when I looked at his bountiful cart of trans-fat and sugar, I didn’t think, “Holy crow, this guy is a heart attack waiting to happen. I hope he’s got a will prepared.”

Could it be because I spend so much of my day trying to convince people to eat? Could it be that I’m hoping for a client who, before they come to me, has actually been stuffing herself with three big meals, daytime snacks, and a nightly dessert?

In a time where obesity is the (not-so) secret killer around the world, why do I find myself eager for a gut-busting, jean-popping client to train?

Stop Dieting. Start Living.

When people come to a trainer to lose fat, it’s usually as a last resort. We usually get a client who has already hit rock bottom with frustration, despair, and an almost-complete loss of hope to lose their fat.

By the time they get to me, they’ve tested Weight Watchers, bought Turbo Jam, tried Atkins (twice… once to learn it, and then once “for real”) and they usually have enough Ab Lounges, mini-steppers, and Gazelle walkers to start their own small gym.

gazelle

Yeah, baby? How about noooo, baby!

By the time most people finally hire a trainer they’re cynical, untrusting, and about to scream at the world. And why shouldn’t they be mad? They’re hungry, they’re tired, and they’ve been repeatedly lied to by TV commercials and magazine ads.

Why is it then, when I tell my clients, “Guess what? You get to eat more and workout less!” They get mad and argue with me?

I get so perplexed! I sit there completely dumbfounded that they don’t turn to me and say, “Thank you, Leigh, you’re a lifesaver. I’m so hungry and tired, I just don’t think I could have lasted any longer.” Nope, this isn’t the response I get. Instead, I usually hear one of three things:

Excuse #1:

My immediate response is, “Okay then, no problem. Thank you for your time.” They look very confused, until I follow up with “If it’s working, and you’re happy with it, then you don’t need my help.”

Of course, that’s a bit of reverse psychology, but when they hear me say it, they realize that it either isn’t actually working or it won’t continue working for long. They can’t starve themselves or they’ll be stuck at their current weight.

They know, deep down, that something isn’t right about what they’re doing. It’s why they came to me in the first place; they just needed me to point it out.

Excuse #2:

The act of dieting triggers a lot of different hormones in the body. Some of these hormones, when they become slowed or when triggered, can blunt appetite stimulation. For some, this is a good thing, and it’s what you want because it makes the dieting easier.

The problem comes when you’ve suppressed hormone function to the point of slowing its overall process, which leads to slower fat loss. Next thing you know, 1,200 calories a day is all you need, and anything more than that will now be seen by the body as a surplus. It’s your body’s natural defense mechanism to a lower caloric input.

left hook

Your body’s other defense mechanism… a quick left hook.

 

 

You will see some weight loss on such low calories, but it isn’t healthy, and at some point, a change will have to happen. That change can either be you totally giving up and going back to “normal” (non-training, non-dieting) habits, or you can approach your nutrition in a smart and healthy manner. It’s up to you.

Excuse #3:

“I know I should be eating more, but I’ve also heard that when you increase your calories, you just regain the weight quickly. I can’t stand to put any weight back on.”

I get it, really, I do. It’s hard enough going through all this, and then to be told that the only way you’re going to continue losing fat carries a chance of gaining some weight back. However, you don’t have to gain fat while upping your calories.

There really isn’t any kind of argument you can give me for starving yourself and overtraining that I won’t shoot down. The science and experience speaks for itself here. This goes beyond opinion.

It isn’t just fat loss ability or metabolism we are talking about here. It’s nutrient needs, immune system requirements, and bacteria growth, just to name a few. A lot of things come into play with extreme cuts in calories.

Why, then, are people still arguing with me about not wanting to eat?

The Smart Decision… E-A-T

Picture this… in front of you, there are two tables. One table has a big plate of herb-spiced chicken, a side of seasoned brown rice, and a bowl of fresh, mixed green veggies. The other table has a container of store-bought, “healthy,” low-fat (which means high sugar) yogurt, and few carrot sticks.

healthy foods

One’s the smarter choice, the other is what some will choose anyway.

Now, if I tell you that the chicken, rice, and veggie meal will be better for your fat loss and overall health, are you really going to turn to me and say, “No thanks, I’d rather have my cup of sugar-filled yogurt and some carrot sticks?” I know that some of you actually will, and I also know the most common reasons why.

Reason 1: “They” Told You To Do It.

Who are they? “They” are misinformed doctors, old school dietitians, and lousy personal trainers that want results, but care more about getting a paycheck instead of your health and well-being. “They” are your friends who absolutely swear by the results they see from the latest new diet, even though they just finished regaining all the weight they lost from last year’s fad.

doctor

It’s a safe bet that ANY diet advice this guy gives, is useless.

“They” are the media, with fast-acting fat loss infomercials, shows about the biggest losing celebrity fat camp, and news channels that keep us informed about which celebs are anorexic and who just got gastric bypass surgery. All of them preach overtraining and undereating to get the most out of their time slots.

Reason 2: You’re the Exception to the Rule.

We like to think that we’re special. That somehow with all of the science and all of the research, we’re just more unique than that and the rules just don’t apply to us. We all like to overlook the problems that put us in the 1% category because, hey, someone has to be that genetically-gifted 1%, right?

nice bod

Great genes or not, hard work is always rewarded.

I do want you to believe in your gifts. I want you to be encouraged by the things that make you, you. But that still doesn’t mean you defy the laws of science. Sorry, babe.

Reason 3: You’re Afraid.

We all have some fear. We’re afraid we’ll gain the weight right back and we’ll have to start all over. Or we’re afraid to actually lose the weight, and then we’ll have to put our self-esteem issues elsewhere.

scale

Don’t be a wuss. It’s not a monster; it’s just a piece of plastic with some electronics inside.

Maybe it all won’t work, and we’ll lose all the hope that keeps us going. Maybe we’re afraid that we’ll anger those we love by changing ourselves for the better. Or we could be afraid that eating better, and eating more, will just lead to making bad food choices.

We can’t let any of these reasons get in the way of our goals. Every one of us is special – special in our strength, special in our character.


The Final Word: In the end, eating will lead to your goal. Proper nutrition is the key to getting the look you want, and if you are finding yourself stalled over and over again, it may not be that you’re eating too much, it may be that you’re eating too little.

Featured Images

Red bikini: Sharon Van Der Horst – www.SharonVanDerHorst.com

Are Bodygem and Gym RMR Readings Accurate?


08 Jul

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Posted in metabolism, questions | No Comments »

I recently received a question from one of my readers that was a bit more personal. I don’t want to just toss it out without context but the main focus of the question is, “how accurate are RMR tests, specifically at gyms?”

First what is RMR?

RMR is an acronym for Resting Metabolic Rate. The beauty of the term is that it should be self-instructional in how it should be interpreted but alas it’s not. The hint is all right there for the telling; and there is one big clue on the most important aspect of those three words.

REST.

Your resting metabolic rate is the rate of energy usage your body expels at rest. This is what I like to call BRR (Bed Rest Rate) because it’s the rate that you burn basically on bed rest.

Anything beyond that and you have to add activity into the equation. This is how someone can go from burning 1400 calories a day to 2500 calories a day. The more you move the more you burn. But if we continue on calorie-burning then I digress.

The point to take home is that an RMR should be a test to show an estimate of your burn in a BRR state.

How do they work?

The idea behind this test is to calculate your rate of burn while breathing into a tube/air measuring device. The tests usually take anywhere from 5-20 mins in your standard gym setting. Once completed, a trainer gives an estimate on what your daily caloric burn is based on the results of those few minutes of work.

The more or less you breathe is the determining factor of what your RMR, simple as that.

In short, the RMR breathing test assumes by your rate of oxygen that your energy production in your body is using/requires X amount of calories.

Why get a RMR test?

A lot of people get RMR tests because their fat loss efforts aren’t working and they want to see if they have a slowed or broken metabolism.

They also try the test so that they aren’t playing the “guessing games” of what their caloric burn is.

Does it work? Should you spend more money on it? Will it solve your metabolism problem?

We’ll cover part two in the next post.

I know, I’m a stinker.

What makes you any different?


22 Jan

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

That is what she said to me 4 months ago. “What makes me any different than the rest of them? What makes you better”? Now you are going to think that this post is about self-glorification, but it isn’t. It’s actually a how to guide to getting real results and NOT killing yourself in the process.

-I look- At the facts of your life, your personality, your habits, your bloodwork, your body. It all leads me to the answer of your problems. Guess what? Since you know yourself this shouldn’t be that hard. Just don’t get in your own way.

-I listen-I listen to your worries, your concerns, your fears, you triumphs, your dreams and your goals. It all leads me to the answer to your problems. If you can’t hear yourself, then at least don’t forget yourself and start writing every single thing you can down until your hearing gets better.

-I learn-I learn why, I learn where, I learn what is truth and what is crap. I don’t just read an article. I read the article, then the study behind it, THEN who funded that study, then who watched over that study. When all is said and done if I say something is a truth, well it’s as damn close to knowing it’s true as I can get. But don’t take my word for it, look it up yourself. DO NOT give into hero worship, even with someone as awesome as me.

Oh and for the record, 4 months later, “she” is eating 2,500 calories a day, is the leanest she has ever been, and will never have to really cut again for the rest of her life, just maintain.

The Fat Loss Troubleshooter – Leigh Peele

Common Sense Meets Advanced Knowledge