clarification on glycogen stores....

doctorregenerated

I read a post about Glycogen and it got me thinking.
(see this link)
http://justinowings.com/understanding-bodyweight-and-glycogen-de/

When you first begin to diet, you tend to lose a lot of weight all at once. This is water weight because of depleting the glycogen store. It tends to be 5-10 pounds. After that, your next 4000 calories burned (I know its 3500, but the article quotes 4000)....causes a 1 pound loss in fat. Yea! Success.

...My 1st question is - if you give up in the first week and go back to maintenance, will you not gain back everything you lost because your body is going to replenish the glycogen store?

My 2nd question: If all of this is accurate info, then it would appear to me that this needs to be added into the formula when you are calculating calories in, calories out. For instance, if you binge 4000 carb calories, that would go into the glycogen store and now you have to burn that off before you resume burning actual fat. Additionally, that same binge will result in a 5-10 pound gain.

Someone check me for accuracy?

AJ_G

Your body is constantly breaking down both glycogen and stored fat for energy. It is not as though when you burn stored fat for energy that you are breaking down zero glycogen for energy as well and vise versa. Your body does not break down glycogen primarily for energy, and switch to burning fat when glycogen is depleted, that's not how it works. It's easier and faster for your body to break down glycogen which is why it is the preferred fuel source for high intensity exercise. At rest most of your body's energy needs are coming from the breakdown of stored fat, but glycogen is being broken down as well. It is the rates of the two processes that change based on different factors and activity levels. When you eat, those calories are either used immediately for energy, stored as fat, or stored as glycogen. This is why there is no need to factor that information in to the calories in calories out equation. If you are in a calorie deficit you will be decreasing body fat. If you are in a calorie surplus you will be increasing body fat. This is what happens regardless of your macronutrient intake.

doctorregenerated

Thank you for this info!