Nutrition fundamentals for body composition and performance

Nutrition fundamentals for body composition and performance: there are two main categories that everyone needs to optimize to reach your goals. The two categories are caloric intake and macronutrient ratios. When these two categories are off track, your progress suffers. 

Your goals almost always include something to do with looking better, feeling better and performing better. People assume that losing weight is on that list because that’s what you have been indoctrinated into thinking. Building / maintaining muscle mass and losing body fat are what you should be focused on. Nobody talks about that because it’s not part of the money making narrative. 

Here are a list of questions that you should be asking yourself:

What are my specific goals?

What should my caloric intake be to reach my goals?

What is my current actual caloric intake?

What macronutrient ratio of protein, fat and carbs should I be using to reach my goals?

What is my current actual macronutrient ratio?

What changes do I have to make to go from my actual current caloric intake and macronutrient ratio to my desired caloric intake and macronutrient ratio?

Once you have the answers to these questions then you can take positive decisive actions that will actually assist you in achieving your goals. Simple doctrinal statements like “eat less and exercise more” and “slim down and tone up” are amateur hour constructs propagated by the money making industries. 

Try “burn fat and build muscle” instead for optimal healthy results. 

In my nutrition program that I have taught for years, I teach, coach and mentor people to answer those questions, calculate the answers, and develop your own nutrition plan to reach your specific goals. 

Most people are too lazy or undisciplined to do the work required. For those types, they can simply do endless cardio and starve themselves until they can cram their atrophied malnourished brittle bodies into a size zero pair of jeans. Dying skinny can be a goal I suppose. Throughout history, death camps were filled with skeletal looking skinny people (barely alive and dead). So choose your goals wisely. It’s worth doing the work to be healthy. 

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This package has tons of info covering muscle building, strength training, nutrition, workouts, and more.

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Eric Dempsey
MS, NASM Specialist in Fitness Nutrition
Dempseys Resolution Fitness

7 Ways Fasting Can Rev Up Your Fat Burning Furnace

By Brad Pilon, MS

Flexible intermittent fasting is becoming a very popular way to use your body’s natural ability to burn lots of fat in a short period of time.

Here is a list of the ways that flexible intermittent fasting will turbo charge your fat loss.

1. Increases Fat Burning Hormones

Hormones are usually at the root of most of your metabolic functioning, and fat burning is no different. Growth Hormone is the most important fat burning hormone in your body. Fasting pushes growth hormone production into high gear and this makes your fat burning furnace start to work overtime. Fasting also decrease your insulin levels, which ensures that you burn body fat instead of storing it.

2. Increased Fat Burning Enzymes

Fat burning hormones need the help of fat burning enzymes to get their job done. Fasting will sky rocket the activity of two of the most important fat burning enzymes in your body. Adipose tissue HSL (Hormone Sensitive Lipase) is the enzyme responsible for allowing your fat cells to release fat so it can be burned as energy in your muscles. Muscle tissue LPL (Lipoprotein Lipase) is the enzyme responsible for allowing your muscle cells to take up fat so it can be burnt as a fuel. Fasting increases both of these enzymes to optimize fat burning - A perfect combination.

3. Burn More Calories

Short term fasting (12-72hrs) actually increases your metabolism and adrenaline levels. This causes you to increase calorie burning during the fast period. The more calories you burn the faster you can lose weight. The extra energy you get from the fast might actually help you through a workout or get more work done at work or around the house. When I did my first fast I was shocked at how awake and energetic I was. My fasting days are now my most productive days of the week.

4. Burn Fat Instead of Sugar

Fasting shifts your metabolism from burning blood sugar to burning mostly body fat. When you eat a meal your body likes to burn carbs first, then the fat from your food. Any extra fat that your body can’t burn in the few hours after you eat get stored as body fat. When you fast your body has no choice but to burn stored body fat. By the end of a 24 hour fast your body is burning way more fat than it would during a regular day of eating.

5. You’ll Find Out Why You Eat

The most surprising benefit people report back when they start fasting is a new found awareness of what causes them to eat. When you make a conscious decision to fast for a day your less than flattering eating motivations become painfully obvious. This is the first and most effective step to getting rid of bat habits for good. Knowing what your motivations are for poor eating choices is essential before you can change them and build better habits.

6. Builds Positive Attitudes Towards Yourself and Food

Each short fast is an accomplishment that can build self confidence and gratitude. At the end of a 24 hour fast you can feel good about your accomplishment and start feeling good about your relationship with food again. The positive empowerment from each fast builds on the last until you feel completely in control of your food choices.

7. Eat All The Foods You Love Guilt Free

Short term fasting allows you to lose weight and burn fat without restricting any of the foods you love to eat. With this style of eating you can consume any and all of the foods you like whenever you choose without feeling guilty about it and still lose weight. You will never again have to be sitting in a restaurant picking at a salad while everyone else at the tables indulges in their favorite entrée and dessert.

Eating for fat loss doesn’t need to be complicated and food should never be a source of anxiety or guilt. Mixing in a few 24 hours fasts to your week can liberate you from the dieting prison and allow you to enjoy food again.

****
Brad Pilon is a nutrition professional with over eight years experience working in the nutritional supplement industry specializing in clinical research management and new product development. Brad has completed graduate studies in nutritional sciences specializing in the use of short term fasting for weight loss.



His trademarked book Eat Stop Eat has been featured on national television and helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat without sacrificing the foods they love. For more information on Eat Stop Eat, visit www.eatstopeat.com

Spot Reduction: Myth or Reality?

You have more than likely heard of the old classic Spot Reduction right? Say I want my love handles to slim down, so I do 5000 reps of side bends or I want a flat stomach so I do 5000 crunches a day and of course you can't get slim and toned without 8 hours of cardio a day - sounds legit?

The reality of it is kinda weird. The book answer is that spot reduction doesn't work because your body burns fat across it's entire spectrum overall, not in one spot.

While that is true, I have seen many strange cases over the years where people have made it happen. 

There are a few reasons as to why it can actually work. Your body is like a segmented or compartmentalized machine. 

Normally, your body operates in the whole body spectrum. But when you work harder in specific spots, more blood circulation, heat and sweat are released from that area, than in other parts of your body. And as you develop the specific area's muscles, more work and energy are expended in that specific location. 

Your body is still operating in the whole body spectrum but a little more action is going on in those specific areas. So that area by default gets a little more attention. 

Then you have things called andrenoreceptors. These receptors either help or hinder fat loss. It's very complicated science type stuff so we will skip the details. You can google it, if you want the exciting details. But the important thing to know is that different parts of your body have more of one type of receptors than others. There is a bunch of related bio-chemical actions and physiological stuff going on in conjunction with these receptors but we will keep it super simple.

The type of receptor and the amount of localized work done on a particular body part can cause things to respond faster or slower. Every person and body type is a little different. So what works for one person may not work for another. 

If you have the right type of receptor at your trouble spot, you may have an even better chance of making a big change there. Of course, the opposite is true as well. If you have the receptor that is resistant to fat loss at your trouble spot, your chances of pulling off the fabled "spot reduction" are very slim.

And then there is blood flow (circulation) and it's impact on fat loss. The areas where you store most of your excess storage fat (belly, hips, thighs, butt etc..) have a poor blood circulation ratio when compared to leaner parts of your body. The less circulation means that fatty acids from the fat cells can't get into the blood stream and make it to the muscles where it is oxidized or burned off as fuel. So the areas with poorer circulation retain more fat.

These areas usually tie in with the type of receptors you have there. See there are numerous factors that contribute to all of this. Much more than I can write about, as it goes on and on like hormonal impact and such. 

If the stars line up physiologically, a person who does 10 billions reps of ab work and hours of cardio while wearing a belly wrap may actually be able to accomplish some ridiculous stuff. 

I saw a girl one time, who had killer abs, 6 pack and all, while the rest of her body looked much less fit and lean. She was an example of this weird combination of variables which allowed it to work. She was always doing ab/core stuff and doing cardio. I mean a lot, every day. The rest of her body didn't look that great.

She worked one area more than the rest dramatically so that body area burned more calories, produced more heat and sweat and the muscles contracted more. There was much more concentrated blood flow to the over worked area so the fat mobilization increased dramatically.

It has been proven that subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin, on top of the muscle) gets more of a fat burning result because of the muscle working so much. Kinda like if I did arm curls all day, everyday, I wouldn't have too much fat on my arms.

The bottom line is heat, blood flow and work in the area of concern is critical if you want to even have a chance at spot reduction. So there actually is an amount of truth to the "1000 crunches a day for 6 pack abs" concept. 

So can it happen -yes, spot reduction can happen. Is it the norm for everyone? -NO. Most people can't pull it off.

If you want to experiment with the concept of spot reduction, here is a test technique for the belly that I recently read about and may try soon. 1. Do about an hour of fasted cardio, 2. warmup with a belly wrap or something around your belly to make it really warm. 3. about half way through the cardio session, stop and do a couple sets of AB and core exercises with high reps. 4. finish the cardio session and then do more AB/Core work like before. Say two exercises of 30-50 reps each.

Try it for a couple weeks and see what happens. Track how clothes fit, numbers and measurements, take pics etc.. It might work, it might not. But if nothing else, it's still good training and something good will happen if you are eating right. 

If it doesn't magically spot reduce your belly, then I wouldn't recommend continuing to try to figure out if you are one of the few, with a weird physiological ability to make it happen. Your time would be better spent doing it the smart, healthy way. Total body training and good nutrition. Stick to big multi-joint compound movements - preferably with weights, high intensity interval training & metabolic conditioning and a killer, dialed in nutrition program to turn your whole body into a lean sculpted work of art instead of just your love handles. 

If you have questions about how to do this effectively, contact me and I can help you get there.

Eric

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

Your #1 Fat Burning Hormone (And How To Control It)

Great article by Joel and a great deal.

Eric

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

By Joel Marion, CISSN

Did you know that there's ONE solitary hormone that pretty much controls EVERY other weight loss hormone in your body, and your ability to burn fat altogether?

In fact, when you have this ONE hormone on your side, fat loss truthfully couldn't get easier.

When you don't, however, losing even a single pound can become virtually impossible.

The hormone? Leptin. And here's the unfortunate news: Just about everyone is unknowingly fighting a losing battle with leptin each and every time they attempt to lose weight.

With that said, it's not very hard at all to see why so many people outright struggle to shed their unwanted body fat, month after month, year after year.

That's why in the next few paragraphs I'm going to explain to you exactly why and how leptin is limiting YOUR fat loss, and how 6 odd herbs—many of which you probably never heard of before—can actually solve all the problems leptin poses as you attempt to drop those unwanted pounds.

Ready?

First, in order to burn fat, your body depends on these two things:

1) high levels of leptin
2) highly-sensitive leptin "receptors"

Now for the bad news…

Anytime you go on a diet and reduce your calorie intake, leptin levels plummet and fat burning is dramatically reduced.

Why?

Because leptin's main function is to protect your body against starvation, and in the midst of decreased food intake (i.e. dieting), your body unfortunately views your stored body fat as a huge asset to survival.

After all, body fat provides a vast supply of stored energy and warmth, both highly-valued resources when food is in short supply.

You see, when you go on a diet, your body isn't aware of your hopes for a slim, tight waistline or your desire to drop 20 lbs in time for your high school reunion or summer beach season. In fact, the only thing it does know is that your calorie intake is now below "normal"… and to your brain, that's a big red flag.

The result: reduced leptin levels and dramatically decreased fat burning.

In fact, research has shown that leptin levels drop by as much as 50% after just 7 days of dieting… that puts you at only 50% of your fat-burning potential just one WEEK in to your fat loss plan, and it only gets worse with each passing day.

And if that wasn't bad enough, with every pound you DO struggle to lose, leptin levels fall even further, making it even more difficult for you to continue to lose fat.

Why?

Because, as mentioned, in the face of calorie restriction, your body views stored body fat as an asset to survival. The more fat you lose, the more "danger" your body senses, and the harder it is to strip away that next pound.

Hello fat loss plateaus!

Now, I hate to continue to be the bearer of bad news, but the scenario I just explained is actually only HALF the problem.

The other unfortunate reality is that the vast majority of people are ALSO suffering from a condition known as "leptin resistance" due to years of high body fat levels and a diet full of processed foods.

Leptin resistance simply means that even at high levels, leptin is no longer able to properly signal fat burning to your body, dramatically decreasing it's fat loss effects. That's a pretty disheartening truth for the fat loss enthusiast, but as I alluded earlier, there IS something you can do about it.

Let me ask you this:

What if I told you there was a drop-dead simple way to keep leptin levels high as you lose weight,while also increasing your body's sensitivity to the hormone?

Is that something you might be interested in?

You see, if you could do that, you could essentially keep your body in a fat-burning state all the time… high leptin levels = high levels of fat burning… 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Can you just imagine how much MORE fat you'd burn if your body was no longer limiting your rate of fat loss on a daily basis?

A LOT more.

And here's the great news: there is indeed a drop-dead simple way to achieve exactly that, and even better, it only takes a measly 30 short seconds each day to implement.

As mentioned in the subject of this email, this "trick" involves the use of 6 odd flab-belly herbs that together have been shown to tackle leptin from both problematic angles: production and sensitivity.

Here they are:

#1. Irvingia Gabonensis, a powerful extract from the African mango that has been shown to support leptin sensitivity by inhibiting the production of C-reactive protein (CRP), a chemical in the body that has been linked with the development of leptin resistance, by up to 52%.

And check this out...

To further support this extracts dramatic effect on weight loss, in one double-blind study, 102 otherwise-healthy overweight volunteers received either 150 mg of Irvingia extract or a placebo, twice daily prior to meals, for a period of 10 weeks.

At the end of 10 weeks, the Irvingia group lost an average of 28 pounds (13.1% decrease in body weight), shed 6.7 inches from their waistline, and had reduced their total body fat by an average of18.4%!

Furthermore, it was found that those who supplemented with Irvingia experienced a 26% decrease in total cholesterol, and blood sugar levels dropped from an unhealthy fasting blood level of 85.5 to a much healthier 66.3!

As expected, those receiving the placebo experienced no measurable difference in scale weight, girth measurements, body fat percentage, or health markers

#2. Oleanolic Acid. This compound extracted from olive tree leaves has a stimulatory effect on a specific gut peptide called Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1). Research shows that an oral dose of this extract can increase GLP-1 by 48%, which has in turn been closely linked to increased leptin production.

#3. Modifilan®, a potent seaweed extract harvested from pristine Arctic waters off the coast of Iceland, has been shown to stimulate increased leptin production in fat cells by up to 18% through its ability to stimulate Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) in the adrenals. Stimulation of TSH in turn stimulates the production of leptin in fat cells.

#4. Panax Notoginseng, a well-known and commonly used traditional Chinese herb called "Shan Qi" by master herbalists was recently shown to also have unique metabolic properties, including naturally suppressing appetite and increasing leptin sensitivity.

#5  YerbaX™, a potent blend of a rare green tea extract and South American yerba mate extract which together have been shown to synergistically increase resting metabolic rate and mobilize fatty acids from fat cells to be burned, all while suppressing appetite and increasing energy and alertness.

Now, while you could try to locate all of the above ingredients individually, research the actual extracts of each that yield the positive leptin effects mentioned above, purchase them all separately and pay shipping on each, then sort through study after study to determine the scientific dose of those extracts, the good news is that we already did ALL of that for you at BioTrust Nutrition and put it in to one scientifically-backed, lab-tested, ultra-convenient product called LeptiBurn™.

Just take 2 capsules in the morning and 2 capsules in the afternoon and let SCIENCE do the rest.

You see, LeptiBurn™ is the ONLY scientifically-backed dietary supplement created specifically to solve your body's BIGGEST fat-loss problem: your body's production of, and sensitivity to, the ONE solitary hormone that literally controls everything related to fat loss.

Listen, the fact is this:

You can gain control of leptin today, or you can allow it to continue to control you.

The choice is yours.
 Get LeptiBurn® up to 33% OFF right now





And why wait? With our 1 YEAR, 100% Satisfaction, Money-back Guarantee you have a full 365 days to get a full refund if for any reason you aren't satisfied.


Am I crazy?


No, I'm just so incredibility confident that you will see and experience accelerated fat- burning results with LeptiBurn that I want to make it an absolute no-brainer for you to try it right now.


And on top of that, we're even going to throw in a free copy of my brand new rapid fat loss book, The Fat Burning Hormone Diet, 100% FREE with your order as well…a $47 value, yours FREE!





To begin experiencing just how EASY fat loss can be when you have leptin on your side, simply choose your money-saving package at the link below and be sure to email me when you're fitting back into your college jeans and the compliments just can't stop rolling in...it's not long off.


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Can't wait to hear about your results! Get started now.


Excited for your rapid fat loss success,



Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

Men's FitnessTraining Advisory Team

Lifescript.comWomen's Fitness Expert Panel

Weight Loss Tips

Here are some articles with some great weight loss tips. Check them out.

Four Of The Best Ways To Boost Weight Loss

Four Calorie-Saving Food Swaps

Add YEARS Back To Your Life In Just MINUTES

50 Renegade Nutrition Rules

Please subscribe to my blog if you like my posts and want more updates on fitness and nutrition.

Eric

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

Kettlebell Exercises That I Use And Teach Part 1

Kettlebells are awesome fitness tools that develop strength, power and endurance. They teach your body fluid, explosive, dynamic movement. Kettlebells are an extreme core enhancer. -awesome core training.

Once you learn the biomechanics of kettlebells, all other lifts and exercises are quicker to learn and excel at. I train people on kettlebells and teach the standard drills and lifts before I'll ever have them do barbell olympic lifts. There are a variety of reasons about why but when I do have someone transition to barbells after kettlebells, they pick it up very quick.

Like all of the other aspects of my hybrid program, it is strength based. So heavy kettlebells are the goal.

Here are 3 of the common exercises / drills that I teach. I will cover more exercise / drills in future posts.

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

You want to look your best for the Holidays, Don't you? Try The November Rapid Fat Loss Bootcamp Special

You want to look your best for the holidays, don't you?

Prepare for the holidays with the Rapid Fat Loss Fitness Bootcamp. For all fitness levels.

You are offered 7 classes a week. Mon-Wed-Fri at 12-1pm and Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu at 7-8pm. You can attend any or all of these classes.

Special Runs from Nov 1st - Nov 30th. Reg price is $199 but if you enroll by Nov 1st, you can attend for only $100.

Nutrition coaching, 6 weeks of meal plans and targeted fat loss cardio plan included.

Get a friend to sign up with you and receive an additional week of bootcamp for free. 

For new and returning clients only. Call, Text or email to enroll. 706-573-4236.

Also visit our website at http://www.dempseysresolution.com and Facebook Fan Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dempseys-Resolution-Fitness/136864169122.

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

What Is Weight Loss? 10/21 by Fight The Fat And Get Fit | Blog Talk Radio

Check out my new radio show at blog talk radio

What Is Weight Loss? 10/21 by Fight The Fat And Get Fit | Blog Talk Radio

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

Early Morning Bootcamp Starts Monday 6am

6am Bootcamp starting Monday! NO BS! if you want to train early, this is it. First ten people. No other deals, no slack - serious people only. $120 a month limited time offer - reg price is $199. Act now or lose out. Who else wants to start your day with more energy and have your workout already done- before work or your busy day? Join the team. Sign up Now! 706-573-4236 or eric@dempseysresolution.com.


Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

It's Time For The 2nd Annual 16 day Sexy Slim Down Program

It's Time for the 2nd annual Sexy Slim Down Program. 8-29 Oct. 

Only $67 or split the cost with a buddy ($33.50). New Clients Only.

Nutrition program, cardio program and 6 week meal plan included. 

Last year's top result was Lisa with a 10.6% bodyfat loss and 5 inches from her waist in the first 10 days. 

What can you accomplish in 16 days?

Enroll Now! Call, txt or email. 

Eric

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

Meal of the week for busy people: scrambled eggs, chopped potatoes, broccoli and pecan meal.

Meal of the week for busy people: scrambled eggs, chopped potatoes, broccoli and pecan meal.

Eric

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

My Get Lean Program: Still In The Fight at Week 12

So last Saturday I ran the Midnight Express 5K after not running for about 7 years.  It was the true "couch to 5K" program. I got up off the couch and went out and ran a 5K. Not optimal! Well of course it kicked my ass like nothing in the world. I was determined to make it, so I ran the whole thing without walking. It was truly pathetic as I used to run 1-13 miles per day, 6-7 days a week for 25yrs straight. A 5K used to be a joke to me -now its a freakin workout. I made it and didn't quit regardless of how slow I ran. And I ran it alone without a big support crew cheering me on.

Well the simple run crippled me for all of this week and my eating and exercise got jacked up. I finally started pulling it together and tried to maintain some semblance of leanness. Continuing with intermittent fasting (IF) - I'm down to 211.5lbs - lowest I've been in around 20 years and I dropped another 1/4 inch off the waist. The belts on the shorts have to have new holes punched in them cause I'm cinching them down so much. So despite being crippled by the silly run, I pulled the nutrition plan out of the gutter and got back in the fight. I'm thinking of doing more silly things like lifting heavy weights again and signing up for more runs. 44th Birthday is Tuesday, Sept 4th. So maybe it's midlife crisis. I'll keep you posted.

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

My 8 Week Get Lean Program: Week 7 Update

Wow week 7 done already. This was supposed to be the 1st week back on my normal plan but I unintentionally have been doing IF the whole week. So it's my normal plan with IF time windows kinda like the combo pack. The more progress you make, the harder it is to keep making progress. Now things are hour by hour, day by day inching forward. I have learned alot during this self discovery journey.

I'm cycling carbs daily based upon activity level. Still not drinking enough water -that is tough. I'm drinking more but not enough. Carbs are mostly from vegetables with some fruit. Lots of protein and good fats. Cheat meals on the weekend only if that.

Starting to get some water off but man it's hard. Abs are starting to show better. Other body parts are responding better naturally as the abs will be the last strong hold of fat and water. But that's ok. I'm leaner now than I've probably ever been. Not skinnier but leaner. Weight is holding steady at 214.5 and body fat and water levels rise and fall slightly throughout each day. Caliper is still a zero but the hand held BEI device gives you a different number every 5 minutes as does the scale. Tape measure shows me down 1.75in off the belly. The real measure is how I feel and the mirror.

I can't get good pictures for shit. I need to get a photographer with good lighting. You can can talk shit about my pictures, when you post yours. I'm not trying to be better than anyone else or be something special. I'm trying to improve myself and be better than I was 8 weeks ago. And I'm showing you my trials and struggles using the programs that I teach my clients. I'm also trying to be normal and not crazy about things. I could be doing much more as far as training and nutrition but I'm trying to find a sustainable approach that I can do in my normal day. I'm not training for a competition or any specific event so there is no end date. 8 weeks will be a milestone but not the end.

Putting pics online is not an ego thing. It's a scary thing that holds your feet to the fire. I put my pics up for my benefit. Don't be afraid to put your pics where people can see them. It's a form of accountability that is very powerful. Always strive to be better today than you were yesterday.

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

Fat Loss Basics: Fat Loss 101

by Alwyn Cosgrove
Warp Speed Fat Loss


How do we actually lose fat? What do we mean by fat “burning”?

Here’s a very simple, (dumbed down) explanation of what actually goes on to create a fat loss effect.
The key concept that trainers and physiologists have shoved down our throat for years is that it’s all about calories in vs calories out. This is true – for weight loss - but it’s not the whole truth for fat loss– there are a number of protective mechanisms that the body has in place, called rate limiting steps to prevent fat being lost.

On a very basic level - Fat “burning” is essentially a two step process.

The first step is mobilization. How do we get actually fat out of the fat cells so that we can subsequently use it as a fuel source?

Fat mobilization is governed essentially by levels of a hormone known as hormone sensitive lipase or HSL (you can forget the name as there wont’ be a test). It’s an oversimplification but basically the higher the HSL levels, the higher the fat mobilization.

How do we get higher HSL? Increase catecholamine levels (specifically adrenaline).

How do we do that? Exercise. Particularly high intensity exercise.

But HSL is also limited by insulin. High insulin levels = low HSL levels = low fat mobilization.

So a great strategy for part one is low insulin levels (from diet and training), plus high catecholamines (through intense training).

Part two of the process is transport and oxidation.

If HSL levels are high - fat cells break down into free fatty acids (FFA) which circulate in the blood and eventually end up in a muscle (which needs energy) where they can be burned off in the mitochondria (this is the ‘powerhouse’ of the cell that your high school biology teacher kept going on about).

But there’s another rate limiting step here. Transporting the FFA into the mitochondria where it can be burned off. That transport is controlled by carnitine levels.

If carnitine levels are high - fat transport is high.

Think of carnitine like passport control officials.

If you get off a plane with 500 other passengers and there is one official at passport control - it’ll take a long time to get through. If there are 500 officials - then you go through quickly and can leave the airport. (Leaving the airport is the equivalent of fat being burned off). The more officials (carnitine) the easier the process.

So how do we ramp up carnitine levels? Well - again we have a rate limiting step. If muscle glycogen is high then carnitine levels are low.

So if we reduce muscle glycogen through metabolic work — we have the optimal fat oxidation state. Therefore high intensity glycogen depleting exercise is a the tool of choice here.

High levels of fat mobilization + High levels of fat oxidation = Accelerated fat loss.

So if you figure out how to integrate all those steps, and circumvent each rate limiting step - you’ll find that fat loss is simple …..

About the Author/More Info:

Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit Warp Speed Fat Loss. Alwyn Cosgrove, M.S., C.S.C.S. is a nationally renown fat loss expert whose work has appeared in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Men's Journal, Self, Oxygen, and Muscle & Fitness HERS. His Warp Speed Fat Loss system is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat and exactly what to do for exercise to lose weight in record time.

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

7 Ways Fasting Can Rev Up Your Fat Burning Furnace

Flexible intermittent fasting is becoming a very popular way to use your body’s natural ability to burn lots of fat in a short period of time.


Here is a list of the ways that flexible intermittent fasting will turbo charge your fat loss.

1.     Increases Fat Burning Hormones

Hormones are usually at the root of most of your metabolic functioning, and fat burning is no different. Growth Hormone is the most important fat burning hormone in your body. Fasting pushes growth hormone production into high gear and this makes your fat burning furnace start to work overtime. Fasting also decrease your insulin levels, which ensures that you burn body fat instead of storing it.

2.     Increased Fat Burning Enzymes

Fat burning hormones need the help of fat burning enzymes to get their job done. Fasting will sky rocket the activity of two of the most important fat burning enzymes in your body. Adipose tissue HSL (Hormone Sensitive Lipase) is the enzyme responsible for allowing your fat cells to release fat so it can be burned as energy in your muscles.  Muscle tissue LPL (Lipoprotein Lipase) is the enzyme responsible for allowing your muscle cells to take up fat so it can be burnt as a fuel. Fasting increases both of these enzymes to optimize fat burning - A perfect combination.

3.     Burn More Calories

Short term fasting (12-72hrs) actually increases your metabolism and adrenaline levels. This causes you to increase calorie burning during the fast period. The more calories you burn the faster you can lose weight. The extra energy you get from the fast might actually help you through a workout or get more work done at work or around the house. When I did my first fast I was shocked at how awake and energetic I was. My fasting days are now my most productive days of the week.

4.     Burn Fat Instead of Sugar

Fasting shifts your metabolism from burning blood sugar to burning mostly body fat. When you eat a meal your body likes to burn carbs first, then the fat from your food. Any extra fat that your body can’t burn in the few hours after you eat get stored as body fat. When you fast your body has no choice but to burn stored body fat. By the end of a 24 hour fast your body is burning way more fat than it would during a regular day of eating.

5.      You’ll Find Out Why You Eat

The most surprising benefit people report back when they start fasting is a new found awareness of what causes them to eat. When you make a conscious decision to fast for a day your less than flattering eating motivations become painfully obvious. This is the first and most effective step to getting rid of bat habits for good. Knowing what your motivations are for poor eating choices is essential before you can change them and build better habits.

6.     Builds Positive Attitudes Towards Yourself and Food

Each short fast is an accomplishment that can build self confidence and gratitude. At the end of a 24 hour fast you can feel good about your accomplishment and start feeling good about your relationship with food again. The positive empowerment from each fast builds on the last until you feel completely in control of your food choices.

7.     Eat All The Foods You Love Guilt Free

Short term fasting allows you to lose weight and burn fat without restricting any of the foods you love to eat. With this style of eating you can consume any and all of the foods you like whenever you choose without feeling guilty about it and still lose weight. You will never again have to be sitting in a restaurant picking at a salad while everyone else at the tables indulges in their favorite entrée and dessert.

Eating for fat loss doesn’t need to be complicated and food should never be a source of anxiety or guilt. Mixing in a few 24 hours fasts to your week can liberate you from the dieting prison and allow you to enjoy food again.

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Brad Pilon is a nutrition professional with over eight years experience working in the nutritional supplement industry specializing in clinical research management and new product development. Brad has completed graduate studies in nutritional sciences specializing in the use of short term fasting for weight loss.

His trademarked book Eat Stop Eat has been featured on national television and helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat without sacrificing the foods they love. 

For more information on Eat Stop Eat, visit www.eatstopeat.com

Eric

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness