Over the last twenty five years the most common questioned asked me by frustrated exercisers, has been what exercise routine will get me the body I desire? My answer is always the same. They need to start exercising better judgement and learn that exercise alone will not solve their body composition problem. I believe the number one reason for starting an exercise program is weight reduction, even before fitness and health concerns. Exercise by itself is a poor weight manager and it increases the need for better nutritional requirements. I believe I would receive very little disagreement that a combination of nutrition and exercise is the answer to improvement in weight loss ( fat loss ), fitness and health risk concerns. With obesity reaching epidemic rates and the drop out rate of most health clubs' remaining high this article intent is to lay the foundation why exercise and low carbohydrate diet's are poor partners.
Over the last three decades I have seen extreme changes in the macro nutrients ( proteins, carbohydrates and fats ) combinations in our quests for the ideal body. Everything from high carbohydrate, low fat, high protein, to the current low carbohydrate craze has bombarded us, though the failure rates in managing our weight continue to rise. The problem lies in our bodies ability to adapt to change, especially extreme change. If your goal is to lose fat you must provide your muscle enough quality fuel without being over fueled. This is especially true if your goal to lose fat includes exercise. The secret is not found in elimination of macro nutrients, but in management of them. Understanding how to fuel your muscles prior to exercise sessions and replacing fuel after workouts is critical or your body will break down muscle for fuel.
Understanding how our muscles use the calories we eat as fuel for muscle contraction is the first step in knowing what to do and not to do. A basic nutritional knowledge tells us that proteins repair and rebuild cells, carbohydrates energize cells and fats provide hormonal foundation for cells.
When we lack balance in protein, carbohydrates and fats are bodies adjust and can use all three as a source of fuel for muscle contraction and cellular energy. Though energy is needed for all cellular function, the focus of this article is muscle contraction and body composition. All muscle contraction derives energy from adenosine triphosphate or ATP. The primary source of ATP comes from glucose, which is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen ( glucose and water ). Muscle contraction during anaerobic activity ( resistance training ) can use glycogen directly to form ATP. The process is anaerobic glycolysis, meaning it can use the glucose as energy with very little oxygen ( 90% glucose, 5% oxygen and 5% fatty acid ).
Our muscles only store enough ATP for short periods of muscle contraction, when depleted leads to muscle failure. The rest period between weight training sets allows additional ATP to be produced. During early stages of aerobic exercise, ATP is again created primarily from glucose until the heart and lungs provide enough oxygen to the muscles to allow fatty acids to be used to create ATP. So there you have it during resistance training and the beginning stages aerobic training the primary source of fuel is glucose.
This supports my claim that low carb diets and exercise make poor partners. To uncover why, we need to quickly look at the concept behind low carb diets and how they work. Any diet that provides 100 grams or less of carbohydrate daily. This article classifies as low carb diet's. This will quickly deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle and liver. This by itself is testimony that our muscle's primary source of fuel is glucose. Fatty acids stored in the adipose tissue ( fat cells ) are now released into the blood and processed by the liver and some are turned into glucose ( gluconegenesis ) and some remain fatty acids and both provide ATP for muscle contraction. One of the by products of this process is ketone bodies which can provide energy to brain and nervous system. The problem gluconegenesis ( non glucose turned into glucose ) provides fuel to the muscle less efficiently than glycogenesis ( glucose ). The end result is increased muscle fatigue, decreased muscle power, which leads to poor athletic performance.
A recent study performed at the University of Connecticut showed that exercisers who switched from a balanced diet ( proteins, carbohydrates and fats ) to a low carb diet experience the following drop's in athletic performance. There was a 7 - 9 percent drop in muscle power and 6 percent drop in VO2 max of cardiovascular performance. Another factor to consider is the recuperation of muscle between workouts is decreased on low carb diets. So why would someone go on a low carb diet, especially when exercising? Because the initial weight loss that comes from the glycogen depletion is believed to be fat loss. We have become so focused on weight loss, that any weight loss is seen as good. As identified earlier in this article glycogen is a mixture of glucose and water and the majority are stored where? You guessed it, the muscle. A large percentage of the initial weight loss is coming from muscle loss.
I don't think any exerciser's desire is to have smaller muscles as a result of their exercising. The goal of exercise should be to improve body composition, the percentage or ratio of muscle to body fat. This can only be accomplished by losing fat without the loss of muscle tissue. Maintaining muscle mass is vital to sustainable weight control. The following steps will protect your muscles as your losing fat, while reaching your ideal weight and ideal body composition.
FAT LOSS COACH Keys to losing FAT without losing MUSCLE
1. Cycle fat burning days with recovery days.
The secret to losing fat without losing muscle starts with not being too aggressive or extreme with your reduction of carbohydrates. You need carbohydrate management, not carbohydrate elimination. Over the last 12 years, with more than 10,000 clients I've found by reducing carbohydrates by 20% of daily needs and within 48 hours replenishing the glycogen in the muscle by eating 100% of daily carbohydrate requirements, allows for fat loss, without muscle loss. In essence you have two fat burning days, then a recovery day. By doing this you'll have the best of both worlds. You will experience fat loss that averages between 1-2 pounds weekly, while muscles are being well fed. You never drastically deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle so athletic performance is not affected like on a low carb diet.
2. Exercise on days where you are receiving more carbohydrates.
Exercising on days where muscle are getting more carbohydrates for fuel and taking days off from exercise when you are being aggressive about fat loss. One of the most difficult thoughts for exercisers to accept is that most of the results from exercise come when we are not exercising. They come after we exercise and in direct response to how the muscles receive nutrition after exercise.
3. Exercise 1.5 - 2 hours after eating when blood sugar levels and insulin levels are slowly declining.
As insulin levels increase in response to a rise in blood sugar after a meal, the cells are in an anabolic state ( receiving nutrients ). Insulin is the hormone that feeds are cells. As blood sugar levels drop, insulin levels drop and the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon and nutrients stored in the fat cells are released to the blood and used for energy. The management of this blood sugar rise and drop is important. If blood sugar levels go to high insulin feeds the muscle cells and deposits excess into fat cells. If insulin levels go too low, the muscle cells are being under fed. A slow rise in blood sugar provides good nutrition to the muscles and a slow drop allows glucagon to take from the fat cells. Timing your exercise to this blood sugar decline allows the muscles to receive from the fat cells more effectively. It is important to never exercise without having at least one meal left in your day so that muscles can recuperate from exercise.
Final Thoughts
Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process. To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losingmuscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term makes low carbohydrate diet's poor solutions for life long weight management.
About The Author
By Charles Remington
Nutritionist
Founder of THE FAT LOSS COACH
Customized Fat Loss System
1303 Highland Ave
Cheshire, Ct. 06410
203-272-0014
http://www.thefatlosscoach.com
charlie@thefatlosscoach.com
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Low Carb, Low Fat, More protein, Eat all the fat... Read More
Okay, so you've read some of these articles, done your... Read More
Have you ever wondered why diet books always seem to... Read More
No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy... Read More
While low-fat dieters and non-dieters may want to avoid chicken... Read More
Have you ever just felt like you were doing everything... Read More
With the number of people suffering from obesity rising so... Read More
Have you ever decided to take a trip somewhere relatively... Read More
I've worked with hundreds of people who were interested in... Read More
A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for... Read More
Have you noticed since your WLS and return to regular... Read More
When embarking on a weight loss program people will almost... Read More
What a great world we live in. You want something,... Read More
I have been seriously working on losing weight for about... Read More
At the beginning of December, WeightWatchers.com announced the release of... Read More
Yes, there is more to the Mediterranean than sun, beach... Read More
Women on diets need more calcium than normal to avoid... Read More
Losing weight quickly is not advisable as most of the... Read More
A pound of fat represents approximately 3500 calories of stored... Read More
Are you a 'look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet... Read More
If you have been eating as usual and the pounds... Read More
ATTITUDESIT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!Exercising has so many physical benefits that... Read More
"Help, none of this mainstream stuff works!"There is a specific... Read More
Do you know this year Florida will go through a... Read More
We must all now be familiar with the Atkins Diet.... Read More
Ah the ever present battle to lose those unwanted pounds.... Read More
I want to talk to you about cows and what... Read More
The most common and popular diet fad over the past... Read More
Both men and women around the world are becoming fatter... Read More
Cleansing: How to Kickstart your Alkaline LifestyleDue to the highly... Read More
Any true body transformation starts with self?discovery. It is an... Read More
If you are overweight and searching for the diet program... Read More
The Zone Diet as a weight loss program has been... Read More
ATTITUDESIT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!Exercising has so many physical benefits that... Read More
Congratulations on waking up each morning and greeting the day... Read More
The right diet pill should be carefully considered when deciding... Read More
As a low carb dieter, you have probably been bombarded... Read More
One thing's for sure, in this day & age, if... Read More
With all the excitement regarding high protein diets, one area... Read More
Have you been on a new diet for a couple... Read More
Yes, you must be aware of the following 7 points... Read More
There are as many reasons you've given yourself to eat... Read More
"I'm too busy!" "I'm always on the run." "I... Read More
Here's what to do if you want to wear that... Read More
Your Non-Conscious Mind is 98% of your full power.Your Inner... Read More
All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded... Read More
Dieting doesn't have to be a chore. Actually, you can... Read More
I really like Dr. Phil, so I wanted to like... Read More
I remember back in my senior year of high school... Read More
Living a powerful, healthy, fit and trim life is a... Read More
The Government of the Australian state of Victoria has started... Read More
Not so resolved on that "New Year's Resolution" to be... Read More
Changing our eating behaviour is one of the critical lifestyle... Read More
Foods that are high in fiber and protein are the... Read More
Natural therapies uphold the importance of minerals, vitamins and herbs... Read More
The holidays are definitely a special time of year. These... Read More
Did you know that less than 2% of dieters lose... Read More
"I'd love to lose weight, but I don't have the... Read More
The long marginalized San tribe of South Africa has suddenly... Read More
Finding Mad Cow in Oregon puts a new wrinkle in... Read More
Every day you walk down the street it is becoming... Read More
If you are fighting the battle of the bulge (overweight... Read More
Are you often overcome with an urge to splurge on... Read More
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
1. Start Exercising first thing in the morning.As soon as... Read More
The human body is designed to run best on a... Read More
Weight Loss |