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1. They are the body's primal energy source (along with fats). That's why they are essential in breakfast and before/after training. They provide four calories per gram.
2. They cause the secretion of insulin. This hormone is the transport of nutrients (protein and glucose) to the muscles - and to adipose tissue.
3. They also cause water retention in muscle. As a result, a drastic cut of their ingestion will lead to fluid loss.
4. There are two ways to divide them:
a1. Simple (sugar, honey, fruit, white flour products)
a2. Complex (whole-grain products, grains, oats, rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, legumes)
b1. Slow-digesting (yams, wild rice, beans, fruit, pasta)
b2. Fast-digesting (white bread, white rice, mashed potatoes, cereals, juices).
5. Simple and fast carbs release more insulin. However, the speed of digestion can be reduced by combining them with fiber, fat, or protein. Raw, whole, solid, and cold carbs are slower, too.
6. They get stored in muscles as glycogen (which is the most important energy source for the muscles, and is 75% water). This makes muscles look fuller.
7. Insulin is an anabolic hormone, but it poses two threats: it increases appetite and encourages fat storage. It might also nourish cancer tumours.
8. When there is a shortage of carbs, the body is forced to use fat for energy. Fat burning byproducts are called ketones, and in extreme situations, this state is called ketosis. Even then though, the body is able to create the glucose it needs by itself.
9. They take part in the fat burning process, which is called Krebs Cycle.
10. When carbs are low (and thus less glycogen is stored), protein must go up. The body will convert nitrogen to glucose. Simultaneously, more fat gets utilized for energy.
11. Some supplements that help carbs to get stored as glycogen (in muscles) and not as fat are: chromium, a-lipoic acid, omega-3 fatty acids. The best way to do it though is to consume carbs right after strenuous muscle activity.
12. A sharp spike of insulin levels (from simple carbs) along with the subsequent sharp reduction of blood glucose might cause a feeling of weakness.
Armed with this knowledge, you will be in a better position to understand why a low-carb diet will help you lose fat. Good luck!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Does sugar cause cancer?
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I am reading this article by Gary Taubes on sugar. In there, you will also find a lecture by Robert Lustig which has made some noise recently. Previously, I have blogged about this subject, too.
The new aspect is the following: sugar might cause cancer. To be more precise: insulin (which is stimulated by sugar) might nourish the tumours. This is the issue that has drawn the attention of the global nutrition society.
Of course, I can't tell if such a claim is true or not. I can say however that it sounds logical to me, because insulin's role is exactly this: to nourish tissue (muscle and fat).
But this is where the problem lies. You can't say that "I am cutting back on sugar and all carbs to stop insulin, and thus I will avoid cancer" because in this way you will stop the nutrition to your muscles too (and to your adipose tissue, but this is something you want, I suspect).
So, what should you do?
Bodybuilders are doing it for a long time: try to stimulate insulin (by consuming carbs) when your muscles need glycogen. That means certainly after weight training, and possibly in breakfast (if you are trying to put on muscle mass). As a result, carbs will go exactly where they should.
Other than that, it goes without saying that you should prefer good carbs: fruit, vegetables, honey, lactose (in milk), some potatoes, a little rice. Complex carbs (whole-grain) are not necessarily good. Generally, you should avoid processed carbs (flour-based products). This also holds true for sugar and sweets, of course.
Doing that, you reduce cancer's odds and simultaneously burn fat. What else could you ask for?
I am reading this article by Gary Taubes on sugar. In there, you will also find a lecture by Robert Lustig which has made some noise recently. Previously, I have blogged about this subject, too.
The new aspect is the following: sugar might cause cancer. To be more precise: insulin (which is stimulated by sugar) might nourish the tumours. This is the issue that has drawn the attention of the global nutrition society.
Of course, I can't tell if such a claim is true or not. I can say however that it sounds logical to me, because insulin's role is exactly this: to nourish tissue (muscle and fat).
But this is where the problem lies. You can't say that "I am cutting back on sugar and all carbs to stop insulin, and thus I will avoid cancer" because in this way you will stop the nutrition to your muscles too (and to your adipose tissue, but this is something you want, I suspect).
So, what should you do?
Bodybuilders are doing it for a long time: try to stimulate insulin (by consuming carbs) when your muscles need glycogen. That means certainly after weight training, and possibly in breakfast (if you are trying to put on muscle mass). As a result, carbs will go exactly where they should.
Other than that, it goes without saying that you should prefer good carbs: fruit, vegetables, honey, lactose (in milk), some potatoes, a little rice. Complex carbs (whole-grain) are not necessarily good. Generally, you should avoid processed carbs (flour-based products). This also holds true for sugar and sweets, of course.
Doing that, you reduce cancer's odds and simultaneously burn fat. What else could you ask for?
Friday, April 15, 2011
How to train naturally
Continuing the previous article, today we will show ways to make our training more natural. As we have said many times in the past, exercising should be divided in two parts: aerobic (running) and anaerobic (weights).
Running – as well as speedwalking – is a natural activity in and of itself. However, there is a way to make it even more so: run in natural surroundings (forests, parks, beaches) wearing shoes with minimum sole (ideally, no shoes at all).
As far as weight training is concerned, surely lifting and carrying heavy objects is natural, however not in the form used today (barbells and dumbbells). These weights are completely balanced and symmetrical, and thus don’t transfer fully to the real world. But there are ways to make this part of our training more natural, too:
1. Weight train in natural surroundings without shoes.
2. Utilize bodyweight exercises: pull-ups, dips, squats.
3. Lift natural loads: stones, rocks, logs, water-filled containers.
4. Push, drag, carry.
5. When using barbells and dumbbells, prefer exercises that are close to real-world conditions: deadlifts, squats, overhead presses.
Apart from improved results, these guidelines will make your training healthier and more fun. Good luck!
Running – as well as speedwalking – is a natural activity in and of itself. However, there is a way to make it even more so: run in natural surroundings (forests, parks, beaches) wearing shoes with minimum sole (ideally, no shoes at all).
As far as weight training is concerned, surely lifting and carrying heavy objects is natural, however not in the form used today (barbells and dumbbells). These weights are completely balanced and symmetrical, and thus don’t transfer fully to the real world. But there are ways to make this part of our training more natural, too:
1. Weight train in natural surroundings without shoes.
2. Utilize bodyweight exercises: pull-ups, dips, squats.
3. Lift natural loads: stones, rocks, logs, water-filled containers.
4. Push, drag, carry.
5. When using barbells and dumbbells, prefer exercises that are close to real-world conditions: deadlifts, squats, overhead presses.
Apart from improved results, these guidelines will make your training healthier and more fun. Good luck!
How to eat naturally
I am reading here a critique on traditional diets, of which I am also a fan. In short, the author criticizes these diets because – in his words – they were based on specific needs and are completely irrelevant to modern conditions.
The second argument is by definition correct, so we will not deal with it. The first one though, while also true, is exactly what gives value to traditional diets.
When we are talking about traditional diets, we are either referring to people that still live in primal tribes or the primal ancestors themselves. In both cases, we have to accept that these people didn’t have many choices. They were eating whatever was available. This meant two things:
1. These people were only eating natural foods - meaning foods that occur in nature.
2. This process went on for so long (thousands of years) that this diet – whether we like it or not – became natural for our kind.
In other words: it doesn’t matter why our ancestors ate what they ate. Indeed, they did it because they had no other choice. The important thing is that they passed our genes to us, and thus their diet is natural to us, too. We are not that different from them. We haven’t had the time to change.
And finally, no one (surely not me) will ever suggest you should copy exactly the Masai diet or the Eskimo diet. What you will possibly hear is that we should eat naturally. And that is one big and unquestionable truth. Think about it next time you are faced with a candy bar or potato chips.
It goes without saying that the same issues hold true for exercise too. But this will be the subject of a future article.
The second argument is by definition correct, so we will not deal with it. The first one though, while also true, is exactly what gives value to traditional diets.
When we are talking about traditional diets, we are either referring to people that still live in primal tribes or the primal ancestors themselves. In both cases, we have to accept that these people didn’t have many choices. They were eating whatever was available. This meant two things:
1. These people were only eating natural foods - meaning foods that occur in nature.
2. This process went on for so long (thousands of years) that this diet – whether we like it or not – became natural for our kind.
In other words: it doesn’t matter why our ancestors ate what they ate. Indeed, they did it because they had no other choice. The important thing is that they passed our genes to us, and thus their diet is natural to us, too. We are not that different from them. We haven’t had the time to change.
And finally, no one (surely not me) will ever suggest you should copy exactly the Masai diet or the Eskimo diet. What you will possibly hear is that we should eat naturally. And that is one big and unquestionable truth. Think about it next time you are faced with a candy bar or potato chips.
It goes without saying that the same issues hold true for exercise too. But this will be the subject of a future article.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Exercise at the office
Continuing the article on how to include physical activity in your daily routine, today we will take a look at some more options.
Tim Ferriss in his popular book 4 Hour Body suggests you should do the following three exercises before meals:
These are great suggestions, however I have one more: permanently leave a dumbbell at the office or in your car, and exercise with that. A lot of people are used to training with dumbbells and feel more "comfortable" with them. If you are such a case, then this is the best solution for you.
The only bodyparts you can't train with a light dumbbell are chest and back. For these, I recommend the following exercises:
Naturally, all these exercises are supplementary to your main workouts that you should be doing in a gym. So, follow this advice and watch your body improve day by day!
Tim Ferriss in his popular book 4 Hour Body suggests you should do the following three exercises before meals:
These are great suggestions, however I have one more: permanently leave a dumbbell at the office or in your car, and exercise with that. A lot of people are used to training with dumbbells and feel more "comfortable" with them. If you are such a case, then this is the best solution for you.
The only bodyparts you can't train with a light dumbbell are chest and back. For these, I recommend the following exercises:
Naturally, all these exercises are supplementary to your main workouts that you should be doing in a gym. So, follow this advice and watch your body improve day by day!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The real secret of success
Frequently you will hear that the best way to achieve your goals (either body-related or not) is to have a strong willpower and discipline. We first decide clearly what we want, then we formulate a plan, and finally we just make ourselves follow it.
Unfortunately, it's not that simple. In theory, the above approach seems perfect. However, even if you belong in the elite group having willpower of steel, it will fade out sooner or later.
In reality, there are two ways to safeguard your efforts:
1. You should have strong personal reasons for achieving your goal - or even better, you must need it. Your goal should be something you can't live without.
2. You have to realise by yourself what's true and right to do, and based on that, make permanent changes.
The first point is exactly why people with not too many extra pounds are never able to lose them: they can't find reasons powerful enough to justify the required sacrifices. In such cases, the only solution is to utilise the second way.
Which, in other words is the following: forget about temporary fast "fixes" (diets) and focus instead on principles. For example, if you get convinced (with your own research and logic) that carbs offer nothing to your health and make you put weight, then you might finally decide to never eat them again. If you understand that everyday movement is natural and essential to your body, you might be able to put it in your schedule.
And by so doing, you will start enjoying results that no diet and no amount of discipline will ever give you.
Unfortunately, it's not that simple. In theory, the above approach seems perfect. However, even if you belong in the elite group having willpower of steel, it will fade out sooner or later.
In reality, there are two ways to safeguard your efforts:
1. You should have strong personal reasons for achieving your goal - or even better, you must need it. Your goal should be something you can't live without.
2. You have to realise by yourself what's true and right to do, and based on that, make permanent changes.
The first point is exactly why people with not too many extra pounds are never able to lose them: they can't find reasons powerful enough to justify the required sacrifices. In such cases, the only solution is to utilise the second way.
Which, in other words is the following: forget about temporary fast "fixes" (diets) and focus instead on principles. For example, if you get convinced (with your own research and logic) that carbs offer nothing to your health and make you put weight, then you might finally decide to never eat them again. If you understand that everyday movement is natural and essential to your body, you might be able to put it in your schedule.
And by so doing, you will start enjoying results that no diet and no amount of discipline will ever give you.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Start early!
This blog is now one year old. I was planning an anniversary post for the occasion, but my main job didn't allow it. So I will give you two quick tips:
1. In this article from last June, I stressed the importance of an early start if we want to see drastic changes in our body until summer. However, the article was theoretical, because at the time it was already too late. It's not too late NOW. On the contrary, it is the best time to get started.
2. We all know that in order to lose weight we must consume fewer calories than the ones we burn (more accurately: we must assimilate fewer calories than the ones we burn). That's why most nutritionists will advocate a diet of approximately 500 calories less than your maintenance calories. The thing is that, as weight is being lost, these maintenance calories drop too. Thus, there is a need for constant adaptation if your diet is to be successful.
That's all for now. Talk soon!
1. In this article from last June, I stressed the importance of an early start if we want to see drastic changes in our body until summer. However, the article was theoretical, because at the time it was already too late. It's not too late NOW. On the contrary, it is the best time to get started.
2. We all know that in order to lose weight we must consume fewer calories than the ones we burn (more accurately: we must assimilate fewer calories than the ones we burn). That's why most nutritionists will advocate a diet of approximately 500 calories less than your maintenance calories. The thing is that, as weight is being lost, these maintenance calories drop too. Thus, there is a need for constant adaptation if your diet is to be successful.
That's all for now. Talk soon!
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