| Almost all of us have been there at some time in our | | | | Then comes the part that should scare the dickens |
| lives, especially as we get older, when the fat just | | | | out of you: Your body's command center (your brain) |
| piles on, we find ourselves looking in the mirror and | | | | says, "No more glycogen left, so let's start |
| then we do what millions of dieters do every year all | | | | cannibalizing muscle tissue to turn it into glucose so I |
| across the world: We pick up the phone and call the | | | | can survive!" That, in a nutshell, is the hierarchy of |
| TV infomercial 800- number for that quick weight | | | | survival and that is the dieter's dilemma. Your muscle |
| loss gimmick. Deep down, we know it won't work, | | | | tissue isn't important during a famine, and your body |
| yet we are always teased by that glimmer of hope | | | | doesn't know the difference between dieting and |
| so we continue to pursue the ups and downs of this | | | | famine. |
| dieter's lifestyle. | | | | No matter how much you grit your teeth; no matter |
| Beginning a brand new weight loss regime can be a | | | | how much willpower you have, no matter how strict |
| confusing, stressful and even maddening period of | | | | your discipline, very low calorie diets will eventually |
| time. Some of us tend to over-think, procrastinate | | | | always cause you to lose muscle mass as your |
| and wait until "the time is right" before we get | | | | muscle protein is used for "food." By the way, did I |
| started. Others make emotional decisions and jump | | | | mention that muscle tissue is the "burning center" for |
| right into the latest infomercial diet without doing any | | | | calories? So when you lose your muscle, your calorie |
| research or thinking at all. I have seen many of my | | | | burning furnace is gone. |
| clients go down both of these roads and either way, | | | | Think that's bad? It gets worse: If the diet continues |
| it always ends in failure and lack of results. | | | | long enough, you begin to produce fat cells full of |
| Those who jump on the latest bandwagon often lose | | | | toxic waste products and start to develop stubborn |
| some weight in the first few weeks, but it's never | | | | fat. Stubborn fat is metabolically very inactive and |
| long before the breaking point comes and you give in | | | | very hard to burn up, because your adrenal system |
| to that double cheese burger and you're right back in | | | | can not unlock the fat cell to burn the "fat" inside as |
| the fat-storing mode. All the weight you lost comes | | | | energy. Your body still has to rid itself of toxins and |
| back with a vengeance, along with a little extra to | | | | other waste products and it does not do it well with |
| add insult. | | | | minimum energy stores or working overtime to |
| If you do get some long term results, for the | | | | produce energy from muscle tissue. |
| amount of effort it seems that you're putting into | | | | It gets even worse still: Your body "remembers" all |
| your diet plan, you end up with minimal rewards. This | | | | your past diets and yo-yo ups and downs and every |
| dissatisfaction with your results leads you to scream, | | | | time you repeat the diet cycle, the weight gets |
| "This isn't working!" and you start looking for the | | | | harder to take off and it comes back faster when |
| "next big thing" and the diet roller coaster ride | | | | the diet is over. |
| continues. | | | | What is the solution to this dieter's dilemma? |
| Listen! There are some simple reasons why diets do | | | | Just stop dieting and start eating nutritiously. Stay |
| not work, especially a diet that requires you to | | | | clear of very low calorie diets that ask for more than |
| reduce caloric intake to an amount that would barely | | | | a 15% reduction below your body's maintenance |
| satisfy a Guinea Pig. It has been said many times by | | | | needs. This is the safe level that prevents this yo yo |
| many nutrition experts to: When you have a | | | | syndrome and metabolic nightmare. |
| dramatic reduction in caloric intake, your metabolism | | | | Find an eating plan that is suitable for your body |
| slows down to conserve energy and survive. | | | | type. I know this seems like general advice and you |
| As your body goes into melt down mode, your body | | | | may be thinking, "just tell me what to eat David!" |
| loses its sense of hormonal and metabolic balance. | | | | However, common sense and intuition will guide you |
| You begin to feel deprived and sluggish. When you | | | | at first. Those trained in the nutrition field of |
| begin eating more after being in starvation mode, | | | | metabolic typing can help you out tremendously in |
| your body's sympathetic nervous system goes on | | | | this regard. For example: If you drink milk and your |
| high and packs fat away for future starvation faster | | | | nose starts to run a little, that is a food intolerance |
| then a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter. | | | | issue and needs to be addressed. Feel free to send |
| Remember that your body will place a hierarchy of | | | | me an e mail about your type. |
| importance inside your body in order to survive. | | | | When you stop starving yourself, you eat a |
| There is no changing the genetic survival code. | | | | sufficient amount of food and eat right for your |
| Thousands of years ago, we learned to store body | | | | body type, you will find your energy soaring, weight |
| fat efficiently for the lean times, and our bodies still | | | | problems will be a thing of the past and your immune |
| retain this genetic memory. | | | | system will be charged up to fight off disease and |
| When you start a diet with a dramatic caloric | | | | illness. When you chose the right foods, you may find |
| reduction, your body will first burn through all the | | | | that you don't even have to worry about counting |
| glycogen in your system, which is stored in the blood, | | | | calories, because your body will find a natural balance, |
| muscles and liver. Your brain needs simple sugars to | | | | and the result will be a lean body and a richer life. |
| operate properly, so when calorie-deprived, your | | | | David Grisaffi is a Sports Conditining Coach and holds |
| body says, "Where is the glucose? I need glucose for | | | | multiple certifications including three from the |
| my brain!" | | | | prestigious CHEK Institute: Level II Corrective Holisic |
| So a signal is sent to your liver to release glycogen | | | | Exercise Kinesiologist, Golf Biomechanic, and Nutrition |
| and convert it to sugar. About 80 grams of glycogen | | | | and Lifestyle Coach. Plus he is also the author of the |
| is stored in your liver, so after just one day, you are | | | | popluar selling e book, "Firm and Flatten Your Abs," |
| liver glycogen depleted. What then? Your body looks | | | | which teaches you how to develop a ripped |
| at the other source - muscle tissue - and takes all of | | | | abdominal region. |
| that muscle glycogen and does the same thing. | | | | |