craigo3154 wrote: »

December 21
Exercised?: Yes (3 km in 24 mins - hills)
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes

Late walk today after lunch with friends. Great to catch up.

Just before walking, my daughter requested to come walking, so I split into two walks, my 3km power walk (short circuit), then a further 2km with daughter at her pace so we could talk (well her talk and me listen ). When my daughter asks to walk, I know it's mainly to talk, so I will not let that pass unless COMPLETELY unavoidable. She knows I walk to help with my mental state, so she did not want to interfere with that.

@RangerRickL.


Metabolism repost (by request)
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Have not soap boxed for a while but inspired to do so today.

Summary:
- Carbohydrates WITHOUT fibre spike blood sugar VERY rapidly
- The body switches to use FAT, ONLY when carbohydrate is depleted
- The QUICKEST way to burn FAT is to proportionally limit CARBOHYDRATE intake in your diet

This is what science has worked out on carbohydrate metabolism on a normal person.

When carbohydrate enters the digestive system it is broken down into glucose for absorption through the small intestine into the blood stream. Fibre slows down the absorption by moderating the speed at which carbohydrate leaves the stomach and disrupting the smooth flow of nutrients though the membranes in the small intestine. High blood sugar is detected by the pancreas and promotes the release of insulin from the beta cells. The pancreas alpha cells stop producing glucagon.

Insulin:
- ushers glucose into cells for immediate use
- signals the livers glycogen store to store excess glucose
- signals the body to combine the glucose molecules into fat from storage in the fat cell stores (adipose tissue) if unable to be used or stored in the livers glycogen store.

Glucagon:
- signals the livers glycogen store to release glucose into the blood stream.
- signals the fat cells to start releasing stored fat from the fat cell stores and breaks the fat into fatty acids for consumption by the cells for energy.

There are other back up systems (like ketosis) to get energy to the cells, but the insulin/glucagon system is the primary one to work and the quickest to change. (It takes multiple days on REALLY LOW insulin to switch the body into ketosis. Essentially the liver glycogen stores must be empty).

When glucose is consumed, the MAIN byproduct is CO2 and Water. BOTH are expelled with every breath.

When reducing FAT normally, it is converted to fatty acids then into acetyl CoA molecules that are consumed by the cells. This can ONLY occur once the blood sugars are low enough for the pancreas to produce glucagon to do it's magic (this is a GROSS over-simplification, but the nett affect is the same).

When acetyl CoA molecules are consumed, the MAIN byproduct is CO2 and Water. BOTH are expelled with every breath. (note the similarity with glucose).

You only need to breath (exhalation) to get rid of the waste products. Perspiration and urination are the other means of eliminating water.

Keeping the brain fuelled is the PRIMARY job of the digestive system. For most people, well over half the calories they burn in a day are consumed by the brain.

Why is all this important:
1) It is the excess calories CARBOHYDRATES, FATS and PROTEINS that make you gain weight.
2) CARBOHYDRATES are metabolised FIRST. Only when depleted does fat get metabolised.
3) FAT is metabolised as fatty acids and do not require insulin to get through the cell walls.

It takes time for the fat burning process to kick in. Lots of small meals per day (snacks), can slow down the fat burning process as the insulin levels remain high and the glucagon levels are not allowed to rise.

Processed carbohydrates (with fibre removed or reduced) hit you twice.
1) It is fibre, protein and fats that makes you feel full.
2) A large excess of glucose in the blood is more likely to be stored as fat in adipose tissue if the livers glycogen stores become full.

Reducing the frequency and proportional amount of carbohydrate (particularly processed carbohydrate) in your diet, you will lose weight faster.

The problem with processed carbohydrate is that they are:
- Traditionally comfort food
- Less filling so you are tempted to eat more
- Subsidised to produce (makes them cheap)
- Have a long shelf life (less loss in getting to market - makes them cheaper)

Long, high levels of insulin also lead to insulin resistance (Type 2 diabetes). There should be no mystery as to why the prevalence of processed food coincides with the Obesity/diabetes epidemic.

If you are struggling to lose weight. Look at your diet. How much do you eat (MFP tracking)? Is too much coming from carbohydrate that is not filling you up?

CICO works. However, it's hard to measure the output. But by measuring the input and tracking your weight a good estimate of the output can be derived.


Soap box away.

(I hope you learned something today )