This article provides diet and resistance training plans to condition the body optimized for fat utilization of energy. It also debunks some common myths.
A simple yet rigorous diet and exercise regime can help increase lean body mass and at the same time condition internal metabolism to exhaust more favorable ratios of fatty acids for energy instead of carbohydrates. The crash course on basic metabolism allows for a better understanding of the subsequent schemes.
Basic Misconceptions
Due to higher density, muscle and bone tissues (Lean Body Mass) weigh more than fatty acids and therefore individual weight does not provide an accurate measure of progress. Not only does malnourishment from starvation diets condition the body to preserve every ounce of fatty acid for reserve energy, it promotes gluconeogenesis, where non-sugar molecules become broken down (e.g. muscle, bone, organ cells… and etc.).
Despite conventional belief, low intensity cardiovascular exercises do not contribute to significant fat loss. The body typically uses up glycogen and fatty acids for energy throughout the day for respiration, organ functions, and of course any mechanical movement. Once the body adjusts to efficient fat burning state, a significant amount of fatty acids could be used up during sleep for lean body mass and respiration associated energy requirements.
The Diet
Insulin serves as an anabolic agent. In other words, it helps the body absorb nutrients indiscriminately. Muscle cells take in more glucose, later stored as glycogen, and fat cells to take in lipids more easily with higher insulin release. Naturally, lower levels of insulin lead to a body low in fat composition (and virtual immunity to diabetes).
The diet conditions the body into using up more fatty acids for energy by lowering average level of the hormone. This calls for a carbohydrate cycled diet, and it requires an adequate amount of calories intake per day to maintain lean body mass.
The diet program calls for low carbohydrate, high fat and protein intake for the first five days of each week. Then two days of high carbohydrate yet low fatty content meals to keep metabolism fired up. The low carbohydrate intake days trigger low insulin release and force the body to adapt a catabolic state where it becomes more efficient to burn fatty acids for energy.
As long as insulin levels remain low, the fat intake via food will not easily become absorbed due to the lack of anabolic state. The higher protein intake will allow for some used for energy so no existing lean body mass cells risk breaking down. The two subsequent days of high carbohydrates become necessary to keep the body at optimal fat burning rates due to sudden drops in insulin each new week.
Resistance Exercise
Resistance exercises promote growth, or maintenance of lean body mass. Even as caloric intake decreases, professional bodybuilders apply heavy work outs to maintain muscle mass while lowering body fat. When it comes down to it, lean body mass demands for more energy to maintain which in turn potentially help burn more fat.
At least four days of resistance training with calisthenics or weights should be utilized for optimal results, each with at least five sets of resistance exercises. Having an exercise session after the last meal of each day helps the body use up remaining glycogen, and allows for more efficient fatty acid break down during sleep.
Final Wrap Up
The above gives the simple and clear system to become lean. Adequate monitoring of total caloric intake is highly recommended for newbies to avoid gluconeogenesis. It takes work, but what doesn’t? It is like all other good things in life.
