What really causes your body to store fat-Lessons Learned on the Way to Skinny

This topic contains 4 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by dykask 5 years, 9 months ago.

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

fitnfast

11:09 am
8 Jun 17
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Hi, all!

I thought I would take a minute to share some of the information I learned over the past couple of years in my quest to learn as much as I could about how our bodies work, and how weight loss/gain is accomplished, especially as we age.

It turns out that it has NOTHING to do with calorie counting or low fat. Without going into too much detail (for that, you either have to read the book “Good Calories, Bad Calories”, by Gary Taubes, or read all the blogs on Dr. Jason Fung’s web site), it is all about carbs.

Yes, as it turns out, Dr. Atkins had it right all along (and no, he didn’t die of a heart attack, either.) Carbs are just chains of sugars. You eat a piece of bread or some pasta, and when it is digested, it turns into sugar. Pretty simple. We all know that is bad for you. But how does that really make you fat?

Insulin is the key. When you anything with sugar or carbohydrates, it raises the insulin level in your bloodstream.Insulin is the hormone that tells your body to STORE FAT. Instantly, the cells in your body “lock down” any fat burning at all, for as long as those insulin levels stay at a certain level. That is why intermittent fasting works. That is why 5:2 works. That is why 16:8 works. You are keeping that insulin level low. Now, add in a low carb diet, and you lower that insulin level even more, giving your body even more opportunity to burn it’s fat stores. Make sense?

Some people will say that they get tired or headaches if they don;t eat carbs. That is true….until your body adjusts to using dietary fat for energy. It takes a week or two. You have to be prepared. Drink broth, plenty of fluids, and the right low carb, high fat diet, and you will even further on your way to reaching your goal!

Sandbraes

7:26 am
22 Apr 18
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Thank you. A very interesting and useful post. Helped explain a lot. Well done!

hedgehogs

8:05 am
22 Apr 18
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You’ve explained it well! I would just add though that it can take longer than a week or 2 to adjust to low carb, depending on how low carb that it- I’ve started keto, only 20g of carbs a day, & from my experience & what I’ve read about it, it can take up to 4 weeks, sometimes longer, to get back good energy levels. But well worth it though, for weight loss, feeling good, & it improves the carb cravings a lot!

dykask

12:33 pm
25 Apr 18
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It isn’t really clear that low carb is long term healthy. I realize that can be debated, but most tribal groups that live low carb don’t exactly have long disease free lives.

Just to give 4 issues with low carb diets:

1) Very restrictive … Most fruits out, starches out, refined grains out …
2) Very high in fats and while fat may not be as bad as it was painted out to be in the 70’s, a high fat diet probably isn’t healthy in the long term.
3) People tend to compensate by eating a lot more protein, that likely has its own risk.
4) For many people ketosis is a preferred state, sadly I find myself in that group. Ketosis is fine during a longer fast but it isn’t an improvement for me. Getting into ketosis isn’t exactly a joy either.

Frankly many diets work and the ones that work well tend to have one thing in common, avoiding added refined sugar. I think that is key and it doesn’t have any the drawbacks I listed above unless you can’t give up any of the processed foods.

Purplepenguin45

5:54 pm
10 Jul 18
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Thanks this is really good information. Michael talks about how fasting effects insulin in the original book. I’ve just discovered Dr Jason Fung and have found him to be one of the better informed health guru’s around.

bigbooty

1:23 am
11 Jul 18
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Im not convinced a true low carb approach is the best way to go. I went to a Low Carb Downunder “workshop” and while I could agree with a lot of what they were saying, some of what they were saying I could not agree with. They don’t “allow” beans or legumes for example. As long as the carbs are sourced from whole foods and locked in with a lot of fibre then its not too much of a problem. Eat whole unprocessed foods and its hard to go wrong.

To me its a complete no-brainer. Just eat whole unprocessed foods. You cant go wrong eating as your grandparents used to eat.

Id have to say based on my own experience that it will take you a lot longer than 2 weeks to get used to ketosis. Took me one month before fasting was hard but doable. After 6 months I found that I could do it without too much problem. Some say they feel “keto clarity”. I do not get that. Im about the same but I find I have a slightly elevated sense of agitation while fasting. I still fast (as in no calories) once per week not for weight loss but for all the health benefits it gives.

dykask

1:16 am
14 Jul 18
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I find myself in complete agreement here with @bigbooty.

I think LCHF really does have a place but many seem to be pushing it to questionable extremes.