You have probably heard the good, old mantra – it is not food that is making you fat, it is the chronic lack of physical activity. In some cases, the adage is true: you cannot expect to lose weight unless you get up and start working out. Unfortunately, tough trainings alone will not get you far on your slimming path because excess weight and obesity cannot be always pegged on sedentary lifestyle alone. Hormones, diet, gender, age, genes, and certain medical conditions also play an important role when it comes to the figures on the scale, and there are numerous science-based facts to support this.

Health Issues and Medications Can Trigger Obesity

Although scientists have not yet figured out all of the complex connections between body mass and hormones, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was found to be a factor in obesity and chronic weight issues. Around 50% of women diagnosed with PCOS are either overweight or obese, and some studies show that 70% of them suffer from insulin resistance, a condition that also contributes to weight gain. Other health issues hiding behind the obesity label include Cushing’s disease (a condition characterized by the excess production of cortisol in the adrenal glands) and hypothyroidism (an insufficient production of the thyroid hormone by the thyroid glands). Depression and disruption of sleep cycles can also fuel an existing weight problem, but medications used to remedy them do not always promise hope. In fact, some drugs can even trigger weight gain.

Certain Medications Can Contribute to Weight Gain

The list of medications linked to unwarranted weight gain and obesity includes certain antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antihistamines, oral contraceptives, a few diabetes and high blood pressure medications, and most corticosteroids. This is bad news for both patients with chronic disorders and the pharmaceutical industry, but it is true: treating one problem can impact the development of another health issue, especially in terms of body mass. In these cases, physical activity can promote weight loss, but trainings alone will not be an effective remedy for obese and overweight persons whose primary cause of body mass problems is concealed behind pharmaceutical products and not just a sedentary lifestyle and an improper diet.

No Amount of Physical Activity Can Burn Thousands of Calories

We all know that habitual consumption of starchy foods, sweets, and too much trans fat inevitably shows in the belly area – but workouts are not a sufficient lifestyle change to reduce waistline inches. Do not fool yourself. According to the simple laws of physics, the more empty calories you eat, the chunkier you will be, and no amount of training will produce a visible effect without long-term dietary adjustments. Our bodies are intelligent mechanisms; they use fuel obtained through food for everyday activities, and store extra calories as fat for a rainy (i.e. foodless) day. This means that overweight and obese people (those of us with more than 20% weight than is considered ideal for our build, age, and gender) have surplus energy accumulated as fat, and they need to burn it off. Admittedly, you cannot starve for days and weeks on end so that your body could shed all the built-up fat – but what you can do is watch your daily calorie intake and swap foods that promote weight gain for figure-friendly alternatives. Of course, an odd cheat day is okay as it can help keep leptin levels and your dieting motivation in check, but bear in mind that cheat days occur usually once a week, not every time you feel sad, lonely, or bored.

Heredity Is a Force to Be Reckoned With

Some people use genetics as an excuse to justify their extra pounds, but heredity is not just a phrase to be thrown around lightly. Although their share in the total obesity count is relatively limited, certain hereditary conditions such as Prader-Willi syndrome can in fact be a major stumbling block on the quest for a lean figure. Certain studies note that heritability estimates for corpulence are surprisingly high (typically >0.70), as four genes in the human DNA (MC4R, PCSK1, POMC and BDNF) are responsible for monogenic and polygenic obesity. In addition to that, defects in eight genes have been linked to appetite regulation disorders, and there are also scientific studies that argue weight and body shape can be influenced by as many as 97 different gene variants. Although training can help with the fat-to-muscle ratio, certain genetic factors can get in the way of weight loss success and cause persistent chubbiness in spite of everyday workouts and an active lifestyle.

Although exercising is inextricable from increased muscle mass, weight loss, and a slender shape, it will produce little or no results unless other long-term factors that contribute to your weight problems are tackled as well. This means that you should run medical tests and establish the real reason behind your chubby looks, such as a lack of hormonal balance, insulin resistance, heredity, or simply one too many trips to the cookie jar.

Recommended Reading:

• How I Lost Over 150 Pounds, and How My Life Changed
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• Is Your Gut Health Making You Fat?
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• After taking antibiotics, this is what you need to do to restore healthy intestinal flora

Sources:

• Obesity and the polycystic ovary syndrome – NCBI
• Sleep and obesity – NCBI
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Weight Gain – Web MD
• Screening for Cushing’s Syndrome in Obese Patients – NCBI
• Thyroid and Obesity: An Intriguing Relationship – Endocrine Society
• Depression and Obesity – Everyday Health
• Is Your Medicine Cabinet Making You Fat? – Medicine Net
• Are Your Meds Making You Gain Weight? – Web MD
• The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between – Harvard Health Publications
• The Truth About Cheat Days – Symmetry Gym
• Need to know Nutrition for children withPrader Willi Syndrom; A Guide for Parents and Carers – Prader Willi Syndrome Association
• ‘Obesity genes’ help determine size and shape, studies find
• Genetics of obesity and the prediction of risk for health

For years now, we have been taught to count calories, to balance the ratio of our calories in vs calories out for the most effective way to lose unwanted pounds. But does this system work for the countless number of  people around the world who are diligently counting calories?

Well, the simple answer is no. Here’s why the calories model is outdated and what the new research is telling us to do instead!

Not All Calories Are Created Equal

While it seems simpler to try and think of each calorie having the exact same effect on our bodies, this is simply not the case. Not all calories are created equal. For example, the calories from an apple have a very different effect on your body than those from a snickers bar. Food is information for our bodies and every time you eat, every time you make a choice about what types of foods you are going to consume, you are sending messages to your cells and to your hormones that can have varying effects on a whole range of processes within your body.

Our hormones play a major role in the way our bodies process our food. They tell us when we are full and they signal our body to either burn or store fat. For example, your body has two fuel sources to choose from for energy: fat or sugar. If under stress, the body will produce excessive amounts of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These two hormones signal your body to use sugar as an energy source as it is available much faster than fat, which is a slower releasing energy source. This isn’t helpful if your goal is weight loss as it makes it difficult to burn fat regardless of what you are eating.

It’s Impossible To Accurately Count All Calories

If the calorie in calorie out model did actually work, then you would need to make sure that the calories you are counting are really accurate or risk gaining unwanted pounds. Realistically it’s impossible to accurately determine the calories you eat and trying to can create stress or anxiety around eating. Just imagine you are out for dinner with your friends or family and while everyone is choosing what they want to eat, you are trying to figure out how many calories each meal has to fit into your daily target. Not fun!

Labels Can Be Inaccurate

Little do the calorie counters know, there is an allowable margin of error in product labeling. This simply means again that accurately counting the number of calories in different foods is almost impossible.

We Could Potentially Restrict Ourselves From Eating Healthy Foods

Some foods are high in calories but are high in essential nutrients that actually help your body burn fat, for example, foods like avocados, coconut oil, nuts, and seeds. These foods are full of healthy fats that help your cells function optimally. Adding healthy fats to your meal can also help you feel full faster and stay full longer. They can also help in controlling your cravings and your blood sugar levels. If we focus only on calories, we may miss out on the many benefits that we can get from these foods.

Counting Calories Is Not Sustainable Because It Does Not Address The Root Cause of Why People Overeat

There are several reasons why people overeat or become overweight. Emotional eating, eating when bored, food cravings – all can lead to making poor food choices. How many times have you gone for a muffin or a bag of potato crisps while doing menial tasks at work? If these underlying issues are not addressed, then those who are counting calories will quickly run out of calories before they hit dinner. They then have the option of skipping dinner or “cheating” and having dinner anyway. After eating dinner and feeling guilty, many will overeat or snack while vowing to “start again tomorrow”. This is not a sustainable or healthy way of eating.

In Order For Any Weight Loss Program To Be Sustainable, One Has To Focus on Developing Healthy Habits and Lifestyle

So if we are not counting calories, what works instead? The most effective way to make healthy sustainable lifestyle changes is to choose whole foods whenever possible, real foods like fruit and vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and organic grass fed or free range meat and dairy products.

All of our bodies are different, so learning to listen to and trust your body can be really life changing. Try to focus on eating only when you are hungry and not when you have nothing to do. Making a conscious effort to eat healthy foods rather than focusing on what you cannot have is an act of self-care, and your body will thank you.

Also, look at other aspects of your lifestyle. Exercise not only helps boost your metabolism, it has a great effect on your mood and energy levels, which makes it easier to make good food choices. Keeping yourself hydrated at all times is also super important as is sleep! Find an activity that will better manage your stress such as meditation, deep breathing, or a restorative practice such as yoga. Don’t get overwhelmed. Just take it one step at a time. The small things you do consistently every day will have a much bigger impact on your health than big changes you only sustain for a week.

Have you tried counting calories in the past as a weight loss method? We would love to hear your experiences in the comments below.

Further Reading:

• How I Lost Over 150 Pounds, and How My Life Changed
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good

A staple in the Mediterranean, extra virgin olive oil can be found in most dishes originating from the region. The oil is also a main ingredient in the Mediterranean diet that was developed as a way to safely lose weight while improving your overall health. High in essential fatty acids, plant sterols, and even vitamin K, there are several benefits associated with extra virgin olive oil that include its great taste.

Improve Your Immune System

Extra virgin olive oil is high in certain antioxidants that can help strengthen your immune system, along with vitamin E and natural carotenoids. These compounds are necessary for your body to successfully fight off certain cancers and diabetes and prevent inflammation and coronary artery disease. These naturally occurring antioxidants are also responsible for the distinctive flavor of the oil and are also beneficial in helping to prevent some types of degenerative nerve disease.

Relieves Aches and Pain

The nutritious oil is also high in oleocanthal, which acts like a natural pain reliever. This compound mimics the active ingredients found in ibuprofen and is a natural and safe way to ease various aches and pains due to inflammation. Extra virgin olive oil can also help treat the discomfort associated with sore and swollen joints that are usually caused by arthritis.

Weight Loss Aid

With the growing popularity of the Mediterranean diet, many people are discovering the great taste of the extra virgin olive oil, which can make it easier to eat healthily and lose the extra weight. While it is high in fat and calories, it can also help you shed the extra pounds. The calories contained in olive oil are used for energy while the fatty acids are essential for your general health. It can also improve digestive health, which is always beneficial even if you are not trying to lose weight.

Improve Your Sex Life

The compounds found in extra virgin olive oil can also improve your sexual performance, along with your general health. The plant sterols can reduce cholesterol and reduce your risk of developing heart disease while the essential fatty acids improve blood flow and circulation. Increased blood flow can treat several sexual dysfunctions, and prevent any from occurring. When your entire body is healthy, it is easier to have a satisfying sex life.

Prevent Loss of Brain Function

One of the biggest fears people face when they are growing older is the loss of brain function. The vitamin K in extra virgin olive oil has proven to be successful in preventing damage to the neurons, a key step in treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin K can also increase bone density, and prevent osteoporosis.

Reduce Signs of Aging

Along with helping to prevent and treat arthritis, memory loss, and osteoporosis, this healthy and natural oil can also improve the appearance of your skin. The vitamins and plant sterols can help fight the signs of aging, along with minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. High in essential vitamin E, adding extra virgin olive oil to your daily diet can help improve cellular regeneration. This can not only “erase” tiny wrinkles, but the beneficial compounds can also even skin tone for a fresh and radiant appearance.

Improve Overall Health

Along with being an effective weight loss aid, extra virgin olive oil can improve your overall health. The naturally occurring antioxidants can reduce your risk of developing certain diseases while the plant sterols work to lower cholesterol and improve the health of your heart. Essential vitamins improve your skin tone and digestive system while also helping to treat and prevent several health conditions. This delicious and nutritious oil can also improve memory function, along with your sex life.

Summary

It is hard to believe that this natural oil can offer so many health benefits while also making salads, pastas, and even bread taste unbelievable. Used for centuries in the Mediterranean for its nutritional properties, it has now become a popular choice for many people looking to lose weight and improve their health. Extra virgin olive oil can be used in cooking, as a dressing for vegetables and pasta, or to simply dip your bread in. It will improve your digestive system making it easier to lose weight safely, and its natural compounds work to improve the health of your body. As a bonus, this natural oil does not contain any allergens and is generally considered safe for anyone to ingest.

References:

• OliveOil – Wikipedia
• Multiple Articles – Consumer Health Digest
• Multiple Articles – Glozine

Did you know that your human cells are actually outnumbered 10 to 1 by the bacteria in your gut?You are actually more bacteria than human being! And that’s why the composition of the bacteria in your gut majorly affects not only your gut health but also the health of your entire body.

Research shows that the health of your gut is linked to a whole range of chronic health conditions as well as how you digest your food and your mental health. It has also been linked to obesity in some really interesting studies that are starting to emerge as scientists are beginning to learn more about exactly how your microbiome affects your immune system, mood, and ability to lose weight.

Did you know that your gut actually has more neurotransmitters than your brain? This is why the health of your gut can affect your mood and mental health and why stress and lack of sleep can affect the health of your gut. An unhealthy gut can cause mood swings and depression, which can lead to emotional eating and can even cause cravings.

The microbiome of a healthy person is vastly different in composition to that of an obese person. It has been found that your gut bacteria can actually influence not only how many calories you absorb from your food, but how much fat you store.

A really interesting study was conducted on mice to show the role that gut bacteria has in contributing to weight gain. The researchers took the gut bacteria from human twins, one healthy and one obese and transferred these into healthy mice. What they found was that the mouse that had been transferred bacteria from the healthy twin stayed a healthy weight, while the mouse that was transferred the bacteria from the obese twin quickly started putting on weight.

So what affects the health of your gut microbiome?

Well, a diet high in processed foods and refined sugars can contribute to an imbalance in gut bacteria as can environmental toxins, stress, and pharmaceutical drugs.

What can I do to improve my gut health?

These are the four most important things you can do to improve the health of your gut.

1. Eat Prebiotics

Confused as to the difference between probiotics and prebiotics? While both are great for your gut health, probiotics are foods, which contain healthy bacteria. Prebiotics, on the other hand, can be explained as an indigestible food source (high fiber foods) for the good bacteria already in your gut. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of good bacteria and can, in doing so, have a whole range of health benefits. Some great prebiotic foods to add to your diet include asparagus, bananas, onions, garlic, cabbage, leeks, and root vegetables.

2. Eat Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are an awesome source of probiotics that along with prebiotics help to restore balance in your gut and develop a healthy composition of bacteria. Some great fermented foods to try include sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled vegetables, organic tempeh, and kefir.

3. Reduce Sugar & Processed Foods & Add in Healthy Fats & Greens

Replacing refined sugars and processed foods that cause havoc in your gut with healthy fats and leafy greens will transform your gut health and help you finally shed the pounds.

4. Stress Less and Sleep More

Stress has a really massive impact on the health of your gut microbiome. So taking the time to do some stress busting activities such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing can really kick-start your gut healing process. Sleep is also super important to restoring your gut bacteria composition and also has a range of other health benefits.

Could your gut health be what’s stopping you from losing weight? I would love to hear your story in the comments below as well as any of your favorite tips that I may have missed!

Further Reading:

• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem
• The Fascinating Bacteria in our Gut, and How it Affects Our Whole Lives
• After taking antibiotics, this is what you need to do to restore healthy intestinal flora

We all know that exercise is good for our bodies. We’ve known it from our earliest school days when we were encouraged to take up sports and stay active. However, what many of us don’t know is just how deep this positive impact can go.

New research suggests exercise could have an effect that’s as far-reaching as our DNA. Rather than just honing our muscles and reducing our risk of illness, exercise could actually be changing the shape and functioning of our genes in a complex and dynamic manner.

The Study of Epigenetics

The human genome is fascinating. Far from being static, it experiences a continuous cycle of change, with genes constantly turning themselves on and off in response to biochemical signals from the body. The easiest way to understand this is to imagine these genes as traffic lights. When the green light is on, proteins are released, catalysing physiological responses throughout the body.

It has long been understood that exercise can cause these “traffic lights” to switch on or off, becoming more or less active as it impacts the body. However, the exact cause of these fluctuations had always remained a mystery until the study of epigenetics. Epigenetics refers to a process whereby the DNA remains unaltered, yet the operation of the gene is changed. These modifications occur on the outside of the gene, via an event called methylation. This is where methyl groups – essentially clusters of atoms – attach to the exterior of the structure much like molluscs on a rock. As a result, the gene is rendered more or less able to receive and respond to the biochemical signals it receives.

The Effect of Exercise on Methylation Patterns

One of the main catalysts for changing methylation patterns is lifestyle. This means that environmental factors, from certain food types to chemicals that we’re exposed to, can cause these ‘traffic lights’ to become more or less likely to show green or red in response to stimuli, thus affecting the likelihood of certain proteins being expressed. Depending on the exact changes that take place, this can affect our health or our chances of developing some diseases.

The exact impact of exercise had not been fully explored until recently. Interestingly, the first tentative research suggested that a single bout of exercise was capable of causing immediate changes to methylation patterns of some of the genes in our muscle cells. It’s thanks to these findings that scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm were inspired to carry out a more in-depth study into the effect of long-term physical training on gene structures.¹

The Karolinska Study

The scientists in Stockholm decided to answer their questions with a specially formulated study. They recruited 23 young men and women and asked them to undergo a series of physical performance and medical tests in a laboratory environment. They were then asked to go away and exercise their lower bodies for a period of three months.

In order to rule out other environmental causes for altered methylation patterns, it was requested that they only exercise one leg so that the two limbs could be compared.  Each participant became both a test subject and a member of the control group.

The changes discovered within the cell structures were intriguing. Genomic analysis revealed more than 5,000 altered methylation patterns in the genomes of the muscle cells they biopsied.

A large number of these changes were on parts of the genome known as enhancers, which are responsible for exaggerating the expression of proteins by genes. Most were identified as influencing energy metabolism, insulin response, and muscle inflammation i.e. the level of health for the muscle.

What Does This Mean?

Although further research will be required to fully understand the impact of exercise on our genes, the message should be enough to encourage all of us to review our lifestyles. As Malene Lindholm, one of the progenitors of the study so succinctly puts it, “Through endurance training  – a lifestyle change that is easily available for most people and doesn’t cost much money – we can induce changes that affect how we use our genes and, through that, get healthier and more functional muscles, which ultimately improve our quality of life.”

Could it be time to break out your exercise gear and step your fitness regime up a notch?

Contributor’s Recommended Products:

• Keeping hydrated for exercise

OLM Recommended Supplements:

• Fitness Nutrition

Further Reading:

• Four Things Gym Goers Usually Do Wrong
• 80% Raw Food Diet
• Yoga – A Beginner’s Guide
• What to Expect When You Hire a Personal Trainer
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula

Sources:

1. An integrative analysis reveals coordinated reprogramming of the epigenome and the transcriptome in human skeletal muscle after training – NCBI
2. Long-term endurance training impacts muscle epigenetics – Karolinska Institutet

Green tea is one of the natural foods that can increase fat loss. The Chinese have known for centuries about the many benefits of green tea, using it to treat headaches, body aches, and poor digestion. The Chinese also revere green tea for its ability to improve well-being and life expectancy. Now the rest of the world is finally catching up and starting to drink their own healthy dose of green tea.

Research has shown that green tea has a combination of natural caffeine and phytochemical antioxidants called catechins. Both of these substances are incredibly effective at promoting fat loss.

Green tea also contains volatile oils, vitamins, and minerals. The primary elements of interest are the polyphenols, especially the catechin known as EGCG. The polyphenols are believed to be responsible for most of green tea’s health benefits.

Even though green tea contains caffeine, it does not significantly change your heart rate or blood pressure. This is why it is considered to be a safe weight loss supplement. On the contrary, many of the fat burners that you see advertised contain products like ephedra, which can raise heart rates and blood pressure.

Green tea also revs up your metabolism. A study conducted in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that green tea extract significantly increased metabolism.

In fact, this study also concluded that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increased the metabolic rate by 4%. This is probably due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in green tea.

How Much Green Tea do You Need?

Experts vary in their opinion, but the general consensus seems to be that 3 – 5 cups of green tea per day is optimal. Drinking this amount  can help you burn an extra 70 calories per day, which equals  7 pounds per year.

If 3 – 5 cups is just a little too much for you, you may want to consider green tea extract or green tea pills.

However, the benefits go beyond fat loss. When studied closely, this ancient Japanese brew provides so much more.

The Many Benefits of Green Tea:

There is also evidence that chemicals in tea help to protect lean muscle tissue and stabilize blood sugar levels. Green tea also boosts your immune system, kills dangerous bacteria, and a whole lot more.

Drinking 2 cups of strong green tea half an hour before your workouts will boost your energy and promote fat-burning, muscle-saving, and health promoting benefits.

Let’s also not forget the loads of antioxidants that are packed into green tea. In fact, green tea contains more antioxidants than broccolli. These antioxidants include polyphenols, flavonoids, and catechins. These powerful nutrients support your body’s immune system and help to eliminate harmful toxins from your body and make you more relaxed, which is helpful if you have to deal with stress.

In fact, these antioxidants are so powerful that much research is showing that it may help to prevent cancer. The PubMed database now contains over 2,000 studies on green tea. EGCG is believed to play a large role in the green tea’s anticancer and antioxidant effects. EGCG inhibits the growth of cancer cells and kills cancers cells without harming healthy tissue.

Green tea’s anticancer benefits have been widely supported by epidemiological, cell culture, animal and clinical studies. In fact, green tea’s aid in cancer prevention is so overwhelming that the Chemoprevention Branch of the National Cancer Institute has created a plan for developing tea compounds as cancer-chemopreventitive agents in human trials.

This same EGCG protects against digestive and respiratory infections and blocks the actions of carcinogens which promote cancer. EGCG also helps lower cholesterol levels. This antioxidant is over 200 times more potent than Vitamin E in fighting free radicals and pro-oxidants.

However, the health benefits don’t stop there. Green tea also reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, colon cancer, high cholesterol, bacterial and viral infections, cardiovascular disesase, stroke, periodontal disease, osteoporosis, and leukoplakia.

Green tea’s rich supply of polyphenols has also been shown to protect against heart disease.

In Japanese studies, green tea consumption has been found to help protect against coronary artery disease. In one study, those who drank 5 or more cups of green tea each day were found to be 16% less likely to suffer from coronary artery disease.

Researchers concluded that, “The more green tea patients consume, the less likely they are to have coronary artery disease.”

Best of all, green tea is a great alternative to your morning coffee. It doesn’t give you an insulin crash like soda and its not hard on your stomach like coffee.

I challenge you to replace soda, coffee, or any other sugar filled beverage with green tea. I guarantee you you’ll start to see positive changes within days.

Burn Fat and Build Muscle with a Cyclic Ketogenic Diet

What constitutes an optimal physique?  This is different based on each individual’s unique genetic potential but researchers would agree that we should have a moderate to thin structure and good muscular development.

While many have sought after a thin physique, the mantra of the 21^st century is that strong is the new thin!  We want to have a good body fat percentage (6-15% for men and 15-30% for women) and have developed well-toned musculature.

Ketogenic Diet and Fat Metabolism

A ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat based nutrition plan.  A ketogenic diet trains the bodies metabolism to run off of fatty acids or ketone bodies.  This nutrition plan has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation.  This leads to improved muscle development and fat metabolism.

The ketogenic diet is built around good fats such as grass-fed butter, coconut products, avocados, nuts/seeds, pasture-raised animal products and extra-virgin olive oil.  This diet should also focus on low-carbohydrate fruits, vegetables and herbs as staple components.  The fat levels will be between 60-80% of calorie intake.

How Ketones Are Formed?

The body has two major energy sources, it burns glucose or ketone bodies.  The majority of people burn glucose primarily because they are constantly supplying a steady form of sugar, starches, and proteins that can be turned into blood sugar.  When one either fasts or goes on a low-carb, moderate protein, and high fat diet they switch their energy source to fat.

In particular, the fatty acids are broken down into ketone bodies.  The three major forms ketones produced in the body include Acetoacetate, Acetone and Beta-HydroxyButyric acid.  These are released into the blood from the liver when insulin levels are low and hepatic liver metabolism is increased.

Healthy Cell Membrane

The cell membrane is the double outer layer of fatty acids.  This structure is made up of a blend of saturated, monounsaturated and highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs).   The cell membrane and particularly the HUFAs are very susceptible to free radical damage.  This free radical damage causes something called “lipid peroxidation” and negatively effects hormone sensitivity.

Elevated lipid peroxidation leads to issues like insulin resistance and poor blood sugar metabolism.  Insulin resistance and poor blood sugar metabolism leads to fat storage and muscle tissue breakdown.  This is the antagonist to healthy aging and a desirable physique.

The two biggest dietary factors that reduce lipid peroxidation include

1. The Anti-oxidant Content of the Diet
2. Carbohydrate Level of the Diet

Research has shown that a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet reduces oxidative stress in the body¹.  The reduction in oxidative stress on the cell membrane allows for the formation of healthy insulin receptors and normalized blood sugar regulation.  This improves insulin sensitivity which further reduces inflammation and fat storage in the body.²  The more sensitive the body is to insulin, the less stress it puts on the rest of the system and the easier it is to build muscle and burn fat.

Protein Sparing and Healthy Muscle Tissue

A healthy body is not thin and weak.  A desirable physique is strong and has well-developed muscle tissue that is genetically congruent for the individual.  The antagonist to this is again poor blood sugar sensitivity and insulin resistance.

High carbohydrate diets increase the level of muscle cell inflammation and reduce protein synthesis.  For many body types this leads to a catabolic or cannablistic state where the body eats up the muscle tissue.  This leaves the individual with a very thin and under developed physique.

A properly formed ketogenic diet maintains circulating branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).  These BCAA’s (leucine, isoleucine and valine) and especially leucine are critical for protein and muscle synthesis in the body.  Blood leucine levels, a powerful regulator of muscle protein synthesis, increases on a ketogenic diet.  Meanwhile, insulin levels decrease on a ketogenic diet as does muscle inflammation ³

The result of this is that the muscle cells will have an environment that promotes proper development and optimal function.  The keto-adapted state improves the efficiency of protein utilization.  The   greater economy of protein allows for less to be consumed while still maintaining healthy blood leucine levels for proper muscle development and recovery.

Practical Considerations

There is a popular idea that the body needs carbohydrates and protein immediately after exercising in order to properly recover.  However, with the application of a properly formulated ketogenic diet to achieve a keto-adapted state this is not necessary.  Keto-adapted individuals can often fast for periods after a short high intensity workout and see improvements in strength and muscle development.

In my late teens and early twenties, I would eat around 5,000 calories a day with over 200 grams of protein.  I used to have to eat before and after I exercised.  My diet was probably 50% carbohydrate, 25% protein and 25% fat.  This nutrition plan resulted in good strength gains but also destroyed my gut, desensitized my cells to insulin leading to blood sugar instability and chronic inflammation.  The elevated carbohydrate and protein levels also promoted the development of cancerous growths in my body.

This resulted in severe health problems and a 5+ years of learning better strategies to improve my health.  I noticed incredible improvement with the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting.  I also learned to focus on super hydration with anti-oxidants in the morning hours.  I typically drink 64oz of water before 12pm and use anti-oxidant extracts such as lemon and/or anti-oxidant supplements in the morning hours.

Now, I eat 2 meals a day between a 4-8 hour eating window and consume around 3500-4000 calories with approximately 60-70% fat, 20-25% protein and 10-15% carbohydrates on average.  Some days, it is 70%, 25%, 5% while other days it is 60%, 20%, 20%.   I work out intensely in the morning and NEVER eat afterwards.  I eat my meals between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. on most days.

The results – I am stronger in my upper and lower body and feel significantly better than I did in my teens and 20’s.  The pic below is not me…haha!

What This Means to You

As a clinician, I believe that everyone on the planet will benefit from a well-formulated cyclic ketogenic diet.  This will look different for each individual.  Some will do great with 80% fat, 15% protein, 5% carb.  Some will need a more carbohydrate and protein, or maybe just one or the other, etc.

I am not strict about counting calories or percentages of macronutrients and the numbers I provided were approximations based on the foods I typically consume.  I would encourage you not to be dogmatic with macronutrient counting but instead be strongly considerate of the quality of fuel you are putting into your body and you should categorize it as primarily fat, primarily protein, protein/fat, protein/carb or primarily carbohydrate.

There are many key variables that play a role in the proper formula for success.  These include your unique genetics, your exercise, activity and stress levels, your sleeping habits, levels of inflammation and the health of your thyroid, adrenals and liver/gallbladder.

By cyclic ketogenic diet, I am referring too a state of cylcling in and out of ketosis.  I will typically have a larger carbohydrate meal (using healthy starches like sweet potato, quinoa, brown rice, or a good sweetener like fruit, raw honey, or coconut nectar) once a week.  This pulls me out of ketosis for a short period and then I enter right back in the following day while I am doing my morning fast.

Some individuals do well with the inclusion of a higher carbohydrate meal 2 or 3 times a week while others will do better staying in ketosis for a month at a time.  You will have to experiment to find what you feel best with.

Would love to hear about your experiences with a cyclic ketogenic diet in the comments box below.

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17009256
• http://www.sott.net/article/249143-Ketogenic-Diet-high-fat-low-carb-Has-Neuroprotective-and-Disease-modifying-Effects
• http://www.jissn.com/content/1/2/7
• Volek J, Phinney S.  The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance.  Beyond Obesity LLC.  2012.  Pg 32-33.
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/cyclical_ketogenic_diet.htm
• http://biohackme.net/blood-sugar-insulin-ketosis/
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark91.htm
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/keto.htm