Food is a Powerful Drug

[aresye 0]

I've decided to make an actual topic about this, so I don't keep making long, annoying replies on other topics

To start off, 2 years ago in my senior year of HS, I was in a size 36 waist, approx. 25-26% body fat. Running a mile made me tired, and I could barely do over 40 pushups, and 6 pullups.

Now I'm in a size 30 waist, about 13-15% BF, can run as long as I want, at a decent pace, do over 100 Pushups, and over 20 Pullups. So what did I do?

I discovered the Zone.

My friend, and instructor, got me turned on to a workout regiment called CrossFit http://www.crossfit.com. Workouts typically are high-intensity, and short duration, often involving olympic lifts, and bodyweight exercises.

I have been doing CF for over a year. About 6 months ago, I was in much better shape, although I had felt like I was plateuing on my workouts. I felt this way for over a month. One CF workout, named "Fran," I struggled to get below 10min. For the life of me, I could just not do it. Best time was a 10:10. I was better at pullups, running, etc, but I was at my peak, or so I thought. Frustrated, I asked around. Most people told me it was likely my diet.

Up until that point, I was eating the typical American diet. Occasional fast food, but mostly home cooked, or dining out. It was a high carbohydrate, low fat diet. I saw nothing wrong with my diet. I would eat a hearty breakfast with whole grain cereal, fruit, and some toast. I did this on days I worked out, to give me energy. Little did I know I was actually doing the opposite

There are three important macronutrients, and we all know them. Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat. Most of America's people are overweight, yet we all eat low fat diets, and have more than enough health clubs. So why are we gaining weight, when exercising more, and eating more healthy?

The truth lies in the amount of macronutrients we are getting, and the ratios between them. Ever measure your carbs, protein, and fat? You'll likely come out to around 70-80% carbs, 10-15% protein, and 10-15% fat. Doesn't seem too balanced to me.

When we ingest carbs, our body produces a hormone called insulin. Insulin's main purpose is to store energy for immediate use by our brain. It's secondary purpose, is to store additional carbs. There is very little storage space for the carbs that our brain will use for fuel, so once that is filled, any additional carbs that are ingested, are converted to fat, and stored in our bodies the way we don't want it to. To make it even worse, insulin also doesn't allow any stored energy to be used until it's own levels go down! So you get fat, and stay fat

When we ingest protein, our body produces glucogon, another hormone. Glucogon's main purpose is to release energy, and that is exactly what it tells our cells to do. Unlike insulin, which stores energy.

Store fat, or release energy?

Why do we get tired after a Thanksgiving feast? Oh, it's because of the turkey, right? Wrong.

During Thanksgiving, we ingest an ENORMOUS amount of carbs. Our insulin levels are incredibly high. So what happens 2-3hrs after the meal? Our brain has used up its own carbohdrate stores, and needs more fuel. Well, insulin levels are still high, so the brain can't get the fuel it needs. It starts shutting down, and you feel sleepy. It also triggers a craving for carbohydrates, which further raise your insulin levels. This is why we have a sweet tooth, and hunger in general. It's our brain telling us it needs more fuel, when in reality, it has plenty, it just can't access it.

The harmful effects of too many carbs doesn't just make us fat. It gets much worse

Ever hear of eicosanoids? Probably not. In fact they weren't really even discovered until 20-30 years ago, but they are the most important things our body produces. They ultimately end up regulating our blood pressure, blood clotting, pain reception, inflammation, immune system, etc. In the end, they are the ones ultimately responsible for our wellness, and performance.

Now, just like anything else in nature, there exists a balance. There are good eicosanoids, and bad eicosanoids. You cannot live without either one. For example, one good eicosanoid promotes blood thinning. It's opposite, the bad eicosanoid, promotes blood clotting. Without the bad one, you would bleed to death from a paper cut. Without the good one, and your blood will clog your ateries, and you'll suffer a heart attack. Another bad one depresses our immune system. The good one promotes it.

So where do eicosanoids come from? Well, they are produced by our cells, and are created based on different hormonal responses throughout the body. Insulin ultimately promotes the production of bad eicosanoids, where as glucogon produces good ones

With a high carbohydrate diet, you are producing more bad eicosanoids, than good ones, and you will ultimately be leading yourself towards heart attack, stroke, cancer, poor workout performance, etc. With a Zone favorable diet, you promote the production of good eicosanoids, and limiting the bad ones, but not eliminating them.

So, for anybody who actually read this and gives a crap, I strongly encourage you to go to your nearest bookstore, and look for Enter the Zone, by Barry Sears. This is by no means a form of advertisement. In fact, for those that don't feel like buying a book, you can go to http://www.zonediet.com, and get your information there.

So what happened with me on the Zone? After just 2 weeks of weighing and measuring my food intake, I scored a 7:30min on Fran. My body weight has increased, while my body fat % has gone down. I've increased my lean muscle mass by over 10lbs, and I feel energetic all day. I no longer need naps, I'm always in a good mood, and my occasional period of being gloomy has all but disappeared. I sleep better, and require less sleep time. I also don't get sick anymore. Well, that's a lie Maybe once a year tops, but it's usually a small cold that I bounce back from within a day or less.

If anybody is interested, I say to you, and you don't have to take my word for it, but just try the Zone for 2 weeks. 2 weeks of weighing and measuring your food, and getting your carbs from favorable carbohydrates. After the 2 week period, if you want to stop, go right ahead. No money lost, or at the worst, a book. I think a lot of you will stick with it though.

Good luck, and thanks for everybody who read

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[Squeak 17]

congrats
do a search CROSSFIT has been discussed here quite a few times

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[quade 4]

Quote

Maybe once a year tops, but it's usually a small cold that I bounce back from within a day or less.

You could actually do better than that if you never left your house, never came in contact with anyone and were obsessive about washing your hands, but I don't think that's the lifestyle any of us want to live.

Point is, everything is a trade off. I happen to like cheeseburgers.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[bfilarsky 0]

Interesting stuff man - congrats on your goals! You gonna be jumping this Sun?

[aresye 0]

Hehe, all those CrossFit threads probably have me in it somewhere.

A cheeseburger is fine. Most of the time all your favorite foods are fine, you just have to add something to it. In the Appendix of his book, Barry Sears also lists TV dinners and fast food items that are Zone friendly. You just have to see what you're missing in regards to quantity. Do you need more fat? Protein? Carbs? For example, 2 cheeseburgers from McDonalds is fine, as long as you take one of the patties, and combine it with the other, and eat only 1 bun, compared to 2. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich from Wendy's is fine as long as you don't get soda or fries.

I will be jumping this Sunday

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[ltdiver 3]

Thanks for the reminder of healthy lifestyling. :^)

I've been dragging for the past week and didn't really have an answer as to why (other than not getting my normal 'sleep-in' day over the weekend).

Other than some social stresses that have popped up, I can point to my diet taking a hit this week as well. I normally pay close attention to my dietary intake and have always considered myself quite healthy ( 146# with 15-20% BF ). Looking over my brunch here as I read your post: oven baked potato patties, veggie sausages, and oops---coffee, I know where I need to bone up.

Thanks for the nudge in the right direction. Your medical tirade did the trick. :^)

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[aresye 0]

Glad to help out. All I could really do is share the knowledge I've gained through his book, and pass it on, hoping to enlighten a few individuals.

Your meal doesn't look that bad, except you're likely going to be getting too many carbs from the potatos. On top of that, potatos have a relatively high glycemic index, meaning it's absorbed into your blood stream faster, due to a more aggressive insulin response. You also need some healthy fat for the meal. Almonds, avacado, olive oil, etc. Replace the potatos with a carb that has a lower glycemic index, add some fat, and you're already on your way to the Zone!

For example, when dining out, I make an effort to replace mashed potatos with mashed calliflour (sp?). Doesn't taste like mashed potatos, but great in its own way. It also has a low glycemic index, meaning the insulin response is smoother, and it takes longer for the energy to enter the blood stream.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.