Metabolic Fire- How to turn your body into a fat burning mac
damonmath
Posts: 359 Member
We have all struggled with weight loss issues at one time or another, that's mainly why most of us are here. There are a few techniques I have discovered (not new) that can have a dramatic impact on your weight loss journey. The main topic of this article is your Metabolism and how to turn your body into a fat burning machine. I will explore several techniques that you can use to help increase your metabolic rate.
Exercise: We all know that exercise can speed up metabolism, but did you know that HOW and WHEN you choose to exercise can have a greater impact on your daily calorie burn?
When to workout: I understand that most people lead busy lives and don't always have the TIME to workout properly. They work, tend to chores, kids, etc... This leaves the time left over at the end of the day, very small, and the workouts are general less intense given the exhaustion already brought on by activities during the day. To remedy this, it would be more beneficial to exercise FIRST thing in the morning. There are 2 major benefits to doing this. 1) When you workout first thing in the morning you turn on your body's metabolism... this rate is continued (slower but still burning) for the ENTIRE day. 2) Working out first thing in the morning allows your body to use it's full potential for cardio, weights, kickboxing, zumba, etc... This allows you to maximize your workouts and get more for less.
How to workout: It is important to get your Heart Rate into your target fat burning zone. This number varies by age, weight, height, etc... Generally this number is over 120. Once your Heart Rate is up, your body will begin to burn fat. Cardio activities are the best way to jump start your Heart Rate. Weight lifting is also VERY important in the fat burning process. The more muscle you have, the faster you will be able to burn fat. Unfortunately weight lifting does not get your Heart Rate up as high as a good ole fashion run. The way to remedy this and get the most out of your workout, is by performing cardio first for about 20-25 minutes at a high rate, then workout with weights. Once your heart rate is up, your body does not know the difference between weight lifting and running and will continue to burn at HIGH rate throughout the remainder of your workout. This also works for P90X style workouts that incorporate weights and cardio together. Secondly, your body needs rest. It is important to not over train. 3-5 times a week is plenty. Make sure to get plenty of sleep to allow your body to repair.
When you workout both in the morning and cardio first, you create a high burn rate that will continue throughout the remainder of the day. It won't take as much effort to get your Heart Rate back into a fat burning zone later in the day.
Nutrition: We all know that eating healthy is the way to go, but did you also know that WHEN you eat is just as important as WHAT you eat?
When to eat: 3 squares a day is what we have been conditioned to believe is the most beneficial way to diet. Often times however, these meals tend to be a bit too large for our system. We process 70-80% of each meal and then our body stores the rest for later. A better way to eat is to spread out your calories to 5 or 6 meals instead. There is a popular saying used by body builders, "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a peasant" (the statement varies). This is a very true statement that applies to weight loss. Think of your calorie intake like an inverted pyramid. Eating your largest meal first thing in the morning (after exercise) will replenish your body's need for recovery, but also load you up to take on the day's activities. As your day progresses each meal should become gradually smaller until the last meal of the day. Eating food this way will turn your body into a fat burning machine... First you eat a large breakfast while your body is already at a high metabolic burn from your morning workout. Then as you eat less and less throughout the day, your metabolism is still burn calories, although with less and less effort required. Your body can now handle all the calories needed for the day and will NOT need to store anything for later.
What to eat: You are what you eat... Your body needs 3 main components; fats, carbs, and protein. These along with supplements and fiber will create a well rounded diet.
Fats: Fats are important and there are good and bad fats. Good fats help to rid the body of bad fats that tend to clog up our system, lay dormant within muscle, and block blood flow. A little research will give you a list of bad fats to avoid and good fats to consume. Some examples of bad fats are, highly saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Some good fats are Olive oil, Flax seed oil, walnuts, and avocado. Fats are primarily used by your organs as a means of protection. Fats are also used as a longer term energy supply. A healthy diet consists of about 20% fat per day in your diet.
Carbs: Carbs are your body's main energy source. There are good and bad carbs. Bad carbs include processed foods that contain a lot of preservatives and sodium. Bad carbs tend to hang around in the system too long, take forever to burn off and eventually become fat stores in the body. Good carbs process a lot faster in the system and can contain good cholesterol that will help to reduce heart disease. Examples of good carbs are oatmeal, brown rice, and potatoes. A healthy diet consists of about 40% carbs per day in your diet.
Protein: Protein is what makes up muscle. The more muscle mass you have the faster you will burn fat. Sustaining muscle mass however can be difficult. Protein needs a carb in order to unlock it's potential. (There is a scientific reason for this that I won't bore you with at this time.) Your body can also only handle so much at any given time. It is important to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of your goal weight. This will ensure that you are getting the proper level of protein for your body. Secondly, there are good and bad proteins... Some contain highly saturated fats, such as steak and ground beef. Others are leaner and process quicker in the system. These include chicken, fish, and whey protein. A healthy diet consists of about 40% protein per day in your diet.
Supplements: While it is not necessary to take supplements in order to lose weight, they can be beneficial to your system by providing nutrients that your body may not be getting from the limited calories your body requires to lose weight. A good multi-vitamin will work to provide those missing nutrients.
Fiber: Fiber is very necessary for your daily diet. It helps to strip out bad cholesterol, food stuck to the walls of your intestines, and creates a glue that pulls your food waste together making it easier to digest and pass through the system. Taken in the morning and at night will ensure that your system is running clean.
Friend me on MFP to see my daily activity. I have my daily diet down to a science that works with tremendous results. Good luck on your journey and hopefully you can take away what you want from this article and use it to your benefit.
Exercise: We all know that exercise can speed up metabolism, but did you know that HOW and WHEN you choose to exercise can have a greater impact on your daily calorie burn?
When to workout: I understand that most people lead busy lives and don't always have the TIME to workout properly. They work, tend to chores, kids, etc... This leaves the time left over at the end of the day, very small, and the workouts are general less intense given the exhaustion already brought on by activities during the day. To remedy this, it would be more beneficial to exercise FIRST thing in the morning. There are 2 major benefits to doing this. 1) When you workout first thing in the morning you turn on your body's metabolism... this rate is continued (slower but still burning) for the ENTIRE day. 2) Working out first thing in the morning allows your body to use it's full potential for cardio, weights, kickboxing, zumba, etc... This allows you to maximize your workouts and get more for less.
How to workout: It is important to get your Heart Rate into your target fat burning zone. This number varies by age, weight, height, etc... Generally this number is over 120. Once your Heart Rate is up, your body will begin to burn fat. Cardio activities are the best way to jump start your Heart Rate. Weight lifting is also VERY important in the fat burning process. The more muscle you have, the faster you will be able to burn fat. Unfortunately weight lifting does not get your Heart Rate up as high as a good ole fashion run. The way to remedy this and get the most out of your workout, is by performing cardio first for about 20-25 minutes at a high rate, then workout with weights. Once your heart rate is up, your body does not know the difference between weight lifting and running and will continue to burn at HIGH rate throughout the remainder of your workout. This also works for P90X style workouts that incorporate weights and cardio together. Secondly, your body needs rest. It is important to not over train. 3-5 times a week is plenty. Make sure to get plenty of sleep to allow your body to repair.
When you workout both in the morning and cardio first, you create a high burn rate that will continue throughout the remainder of the day. It won't take as much effort to get your Heart Rate back into a fat burning zone later in the day.
Nutrition: We all know that eating healthy is the way to go, but did you also know that WHEN you eat is just as important as WHAT you eat?
When to eat: 3 squares a day is what we have been conditioned to believe is the most beneficial way to diet. Often times however, these meals tend to be a bit too large for our system. We process 70-80% of each meal and then our body stores the rest for later. A better way to eat is to spread out your calories to 5 or 6 meals instead. There is a popular saying used by body builders, "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a peasant" (the statement varies). This is a very true statement that applies to weight loss. Think of your calorie intake like an inverted pyramid. Eating your largest meal first thing in the morning (after exercise) will replenish your body's need for recovery, but also load you up to take on the day's activities. As your day progresses each meal should become gradually smaller until the last meal of the day. Eating food this way will turn your body into a fat burning machine... First you eat a large breakfast while your body is already at a high metabolic burn from your morning workout. Then as you eat less and less throughout the day, your metabolism is still burn calories, although with less and less effort required. Your body can now handle all the calories needed for the day and will NOT need to store anything for later.
What to eat: You are what you eat... Your body needs 3 main components; fats, carbs, and protein. These along with supplements and fiber will create a well rounded diet.
Fats: Fats are important and there are good and bad fats. Good fats help to rid the body of bad fats that tend to clog up our system, lay dormant within muscle, and block blood flow. A little research will give you a list of bad fats to avoid and good fats to consume. Some examples of bad fats are, highly saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Some good fats are Olive oil, Flax seed oil, walnuts, and avocado. Fats are primarily used by your organs as a means of protection. Fats are also used as a longer term energy supply. A healthy diet consists of about 20% fat per day in your diet.
Carbs: Carbs are your body's main energy source. There are good and bad carbs. Bad carbs include processed foods that contain a lot of preservatives and sodium. Bad carbs tend to hang around in the system too long, take forever to burn off and eventually become fat stores in the body. Good carbs process a lot faster in the system and can contain good cholesterol that will help to reduce heart disease. Examples of good carbs are oatmeal, brown rice, and potatoes. A healthy diet consists of about 40% carbs per day in your diet.
Protein: Protein is what makes up muscle. The more muscle mass you have the faster you will burn fat. Sustaining muscle mass however can be difficult. Protein needs a carb in order to unlock it's potential. (There is a scientific reason for this that I won't bore you with at this time.) Your body can also only handle so much at any given time. It is important to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of your goal weight. This will ensure that you are getting the proper level of protein for your body. Secondly, there are good and bad proteins... Some contain highly saturated fats, such as steak and ground beef. Others are leaner and process quicker in the system. These include chicken, fish, and whey protein. A healthy diet consists of about 40% protein per day in your diet.
Supplements: While it is not necessary to take supplements in order to lose weight, they can be beneficial to your system by providing nutrients that your body may not be getting from the limited calories your body requires to lose weight. A good multi-vitamin will work to provide those missing nutrients.
Fiber: Fiber is very necessary for your daily diet. It helps to strip out bad cholesterol, food stuck to the walls of your intestines, and creates a glue that pulls your food waste together making it easier to digest and pass through the system. Taken in the morning and at night will ensure that your system is running clean.
Friend me on MFP to see my daily activity. I have my daily diet down to a science that works with tremendous results. Good luck on your journey and hopefully you can take away what you want from this article and use it to your benefit.
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Replies
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Thank you for all the info! I had a personal trainer tell me about the 5 meals a day and it definately works!0
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Well said. There is more to this journey than just calories in vs. calories out.
In all the reading/research I have been doing lately, these are points usually brought up...all in one place.0 -
Great post!0
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Thanks!!! great read
great info!! 0 -
Thanks for sharing!0
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very informational!0
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Awesome post! I LOVE working out first thing in the am!0
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Thank you for this. This is what I was taught by a close friend who is also a cert. nutritionist & winning pro bodybuilder.
I recently commented on a thread about good food vs bad food, and some 20 year old know-it-all came along throwing out his "peer-reviewed" references about this being nonsense, and it's all about calories vs calories out.
I guess that's the difference between a person who will put his face on his profile and back up his words with results (you), and a faceless guy who just want to argue with everyone about how "right" he thinks he is (him).
Thanks again.0 -
Great information, very well put. Thank you!0
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Agreed - very good advice and helps explain why I struggle so much to drop even a few pounds. I do exactly the opposite of what you said. Very light breakfast, medium to light lunch and dinner is when I eat the most, mainly because it's when I have the most time to prepare food. Got to figure out how to switch things around. Thanks for the great info.0
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thankyou very much for sharing that! just happy I did have a general idea of it and was blindly following excatlly what you said; but it really helps to know why.0
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wow thanks!0
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Agreed - very good advice and helps explain why I struggle so much to drop even a few pounds. I do exactly the opposite of what you said. Very light breakfast, medium to light lunch and dinner is when I eat the most, mainly because it's when I have the most time to prepare food. Got to figure out how to switch things around. Thanks for the great info.
I too struggled with how in the world I was going to go about eating in this manner. I decided that food prep in advance was the answer. I keep my kitchen counter lined with my supplements, oatmeal, whey powder, N.O. (Nitrous), and advanced protein powders. I keep 2 containers in my fridge, one with brown rice and one with red kidney beans or black beans in the other. My freezer is stocked with chicken breasts and fish. I pre-make enough chicken for a week and slice it up and store it in a zip lock bag. I take the chicken, another container of brown rice, and a container of cottage cheese to work. I also buy Myoplex, or 150 calorie protein bars (with minimal sugar) to work as well, as a snack.
Preparing food in this manner allows me to continue my day without having to spend hours daily in the kitchen.0 -
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Good post a few other thoughts on the points that you make.
Multiple Meals:
This is anabolic and provides your body with a steady slow stream of nutrients. This also limits insulin spikes.
Carbs/Early workouts:
The other benefit to waking up early and eating carbs pre and post is that you HIT the window for the time when your body is best able to process Carbohydrates without triggering a response for storage/fat. In fact, having carbs post workout is highly anabolic and produces a favorable hormonal environment for recovery! Slow digesting carbs are the best choice.
Spike Calories:
Eating clean all of the time and under your calories gets old. Here's some good news, upping your calories for a day allow you to increase protein, carbohydrate and overall calorie intake that can trigger new muscle growth by driving up your body’s levels of growth hormone. I like to make this my "Build" day -- some people call it a cheat day
-Tomorrow, I will have a much higher calorie day with some heavy weights!!
Pre-Bed:
Slow digesting Protein before bed - like Cottage cheese is an excellent pre-bed snack. Keeps you 'fed' with a slow digesting protein and protect catabolism while you sleep!0 -
Good post and I agree with most of it except for the meal timing bit.
Here is a very comprehensive article on some "eating before bedtime" studies.
http://www.leangains.com/2011/06/is-late-night-eating-better-for-fat.html
Calories in vs calories out as well as hormonal changes. (insulin, IGF1, leptin, testosteron to name a few)
At the end of the day, most will do well if they hit their cal/macro targets and if that is done with 1 meal or 6 I don't think it makes a huge difference.0 -
Thanks so much!! Great post! Do you suggest eating breakfast prior to your workout? I usually don't get to the gym until about 9:30am0
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I seriously hope you didn't type out any of this. Sorry, but 90% of it is bullsh*t.0
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I seriously hope you didn't type out any of this. Sorry, but 90% of it is bullsh*t.
WHY? I don't think it is fair of you to call this bull droppings and then not back it up with any information as to why you think that.0 -
This has a lot of good info., but the "fat burning zone" for heart rate has been proven to be less effective. Yes, it is technically "more efficient" because, of the calories you burning, a higher percentage is coming from fat, but the fact is, you are burning far fewer calories than if you raise your heart rate even more. In a HIIT workout, you are burning more calories overall, which mean more from fat, even if the percentage is slightly lower. Plus, you are actually increasing your cardiovascular health. The "fat burning zone" is pretty much an excuse not to push yourself to high intensity.
http://www.intervaltraining.net/fat-burning-zone.html
http://www.builtlean.com/2010/06/04/high-intensity-interval-training-hiit-best-cardio-to-burn-fat/0 -
I seriously hope you didn't type out any of this. Sorry, but 90% of it is bullsh*t.
WHY? I don't think it is fair of you to call this bull droppings and then not back it up with any information as to why you think that.
I am not the one making the claims. I can go through everything he said but why would I need to? He is making the assertions, he should provide the evidence. I don't think it's fair TO YOU and others that this sort of misinformation is spread without any evidence to back it up.
That's like me telling you that there is a giant purple monster on the moon. And if someone challenges my assertion, would you tell them that they are being unfair and they should just believe in the presence of this giant purple monster without any evidence given?0 -
I seriously hope you didn't type out any of this. Sorry, but 90% of it is bullsh*t.
WHY? I don't think it is fair of you to call this bull droppings and then not back it up with any information as to why you think that.
I am not the one making the claims. I can go through everything he said but why would I need to? He is making the assertions, he should provide the evidence. I don't think it's fair TO YOU and others that this sort of misinformation is spread without any evidence to back it up.
That's like me telling you that there is a giant purple monster on the moon. And if someone challenges my assertion, would you tell them that they are being unfair and they should just believe in the presence of this giant purple monster without any evidence given?
I am not saying I believe either one of you. I am looking for some info to back this up.
I have been working on my health for many years and it just seems there is so much information out there and many times you can find a study to back up many of these health claims. I am always looking for information.0 -
I did a little research into Kenny536's claim of 90% Bull****....
I found more articles supporting the information I laid out than against. But I did find articles that claimed it to be bull**** without any scientific explanations. Basically the articles claim that the other 90% of people claiming the information to be true do not have any scientific explanation... IDK???
What I do know is that I am 1 of many people who have followed the advice of their personal trainer and got excellent results. Here is a link to my PFT's website testimonial page. Could all these people be wrong?
http://genuine-fitness.com/Testimonials.html
Notice the first testimonial is ME!!!
Anecdotal information: My personal trainer and I are really good friends and have been for years. I was his friend back when he was in the Marines and just a twig of person. When he first started body building I laughed at him, when he showed up at my house big as life and ripped head to toe, I stopped laughing and started taking notes.
One of the things he did that I found absolutely impossible for the average person was his eating schedule. He ate 130 calories every hour and a half. He even set his wrist watch alarm to go off every hour and a half. He would pour egg whites into a pan with this carb free tortilla, eat it, and then go back to sleep.
He was 4% body fat at this time. I remember asking him why he had to do all of that. He gave me some scientific reason that I can't remember, but the facts were facts, and the results were honest and true. I indeed lost 52 pounds in under 75 days, and I continue to maintain my ripped physique.
So... IDK I think my post is more legit than bull****.
Thanks,
Damon0 -
And I can show you testimonials of people doing the exact opposite. Could all those people be wrong?
I can also give you anecdotal information about some guy that started body building and ate his meals all in one or two sittings. And he became just as "ripped" as your Marine friend.
So what then? Are you still as confident in your "facts"?
Correlation does not imply causation.
TCASMEY - I understand exactly how you feel.0 -
My brother-in-law also only eats 1 meal a day and is as ripped as me. He also works construction. I work at a desk job. That doesn't make the facts any less significant, it's simply another way to formulate calories IN < calories OUT... He does not need to spread his calories out, why? Cause he is already working out ALL DAY LONG!!!
If you personally are struggling with your own weight loss issues, then maybe this thread is not for you. So far your major contribution have been a load of bird *kitten*. Pun intended.
Most the people on MFP are here to see positive results. Please contribute only if you feel you have something positive to say... otherwise fly away little bird.0 -
And I can show you testimonials of people doing the exact opposite. Could all those people be wrong?
I can also give you anecdotal information about some guy that started body building and ate his meals all in one or two sittings. And he became just as "ripped" as your Marine friend.
So what then? Are you still as confident in your "facts"?
Correlation does not imply causation.
TCASMEY - I understand exactly how you feel.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the forums are a place where people can share the information they have gathered and what has worked for them. I have been MFP friends with Damon and watched the 50 lbs go, watched his food diary and his logged workouts. I am losing and getting fit using other methods because my life is not conducive to his workout regimen . . .that does not make his method bull . . .I don't understand why a person can't post what worked for them and people can't read it and use the info or ignore it . . .just because it isn't YOUR way doesn't mean that it can't help someone else.0
This discussion has been closed.
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