Glycogen is a dieters best friend

Russellb97
Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
edited October 10 in Health and Weight Loss
It really is, you just have to understand it.

You know when you step on the scale one day and you so how lost or gained 3lbs? It's glycogen
When someone says I must be building muscle because the scale says I haven't lost anything but I look better, it's glycogen.

Glycogen is tied to water weight, 1 gram for glycogen is equal to 3 grams of water. Glycogen is why our weight fluctuates so much.

So why is it our best friend?

It's stored energy in our muscles and liver, and when we eat excess calories those calories are stored there FIRST and the run-off is stored as fat.
It's the buffer between a cheat day and stored body-fat!

The more glycogen your body can store the less fat it will store.

I made a longer blog post on it a while back if you're interested.

http://spikediet.blogspot.com/2010/06/glycogen-hidden-key-to-fat-burning-and.html

Replies

  • AbbyMRiley
    AbbyMRiley Posts: 31
    Thank you. Following your posts on MFP. This is all very informative. There is too much confusion on what exactly people should eat and everything tends to contradict another statement. I am going to keep this in mind. The one off day a week is a buffer day...Not a store fat day. And better workouts through the week will follow.
  • jennieh1980
    jennieh1980 Posts: 21 Member
    Thats makes sense.

    How often would it be best to do a spike day? Once a week?
  • jdbeckers
    jdbeckers Posts: 84
    Thanks, I just read your blog post and put it in my favorites for my husband to read later. We are working on getting healthy together :)
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Thats makes sense.

    How often would it be best to do a spike day? Once a week?

    Yes, once a week is perfect. You get both the spike in leptin and the storing of glycogen.
  • krissy_pooo
    krissy_pooo Posts: 111 Member
    I started eating really strict through the week with a spike day on saturdays.. it has proven to work AMAZINGLY. I've lost 6 pounds in two weeks doing this, and my body fat % has dropped 3%. its amazing how doing something you feel is totally taboo can be such a great thing for your body! also, it keeps you sane!!
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I started eating really strict through the week with a spike day on saturdays.. it has proven to work AMAZINGLY. I've lost 6 pounds in two weeks doing this, and my body fat % has dropped 3%. its amazing how doing something you feel is totally taboo can be such a great thing for your body! also, it keeps you sane!!

    I am super excited for you! :bigsmile:

    Even better than losing 6lbs, is when this is a lifestyle the weight will never come back.

    Thank you for sharing :smile:

    Spike days work! It just takes a little faith to try it first and then you'll see how easy losing weight can be.
  • krissy_pooo
    krissy_pooo Posts: 111 Member
    spike days TOTALLY work!! :flowerforyou:
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