Natural Hormonal Enhancement
by Rob Faigin
Excerpts
Natural
Hormonal Enhancement, 351 pages, charts and
graphs, indexed and referenced
From
Chapter 9
Working with Your Body, Not Against it
Overriding Your Fat Setpoint, page 67-68
Similarly, if there existed an airtight mathematical relationship between caloric intake and weight loss, cutting daily caloric intake from 3000 to 1000 calories would result in a 60,000 calorie deficit and, correspondingly, a 17-pound weight loss in the first month - that's possible (although much of it would be water and glycogen loss, not fat loss) - and would result in a 200-pound weight loss after a year. What if the person began the diet weighing 200 pounds, would he disappear?
Clearly, there exists a weight-regulating mechanism, mediated by genetic and hormonal factors, which determines how much, if any, extra calories will be stored, and how much will be burned up or "wasted." The genetic influence accounts for wide inter-individual differences; a 1999 study published in Science found ten-fold variation in fat storage among subjects in response to overfeeding. Insulin and glucagon are the principal hormones involved in weight regulation, and we will examine them more closely in the next chapter.
The effort to explain weight regulation has led to the elaboration of a "fat setpoint" theory. The setpoint theory holds that bodyfat is maintained in each individual according to a predetermined, "preferred" level, The test of a good scientific theory is whether it provides a rational, unifying explanation for established clinical observations. The setpoint theory meets this standard by plausibly explaining why bodyfat tends to hover around a certain level, which varies with the individual, in defiance of mathematical predictions of the outcome of caloric restriction or excess.
While there is considerable merit to the setpoint theory, it is important to bear in mind that it only describes a genetically ordained advantage or disadvantage in relation to losing fat, Ultimately, though, as with anything else, disadvantage does not mean defeat, nor does advantage mean victory. This is especially so with respect to fat loss as studies show that neither the number of fat cells one possesses, nor the size of fat cells, is genetically fixed. Likewise, the fat setpoint is not unalterably dictated by genetics.
The Natural Hormonal Enhancement program aims at tweaking two factors that can lower your fat setpoint; 1) insulin/glucagons 2) quantity of metabolically active tissue (i.e., muscle mass). Hence, it is both possible and practically feasible to change your fat setpoint, but it requires sustained effort and a sound plan. Fad diets and quick fixes won't do the trick. To override your fat set point and build the body you want regardless of genetic advantage or disadvantage you must change your metabolism and your internal hormonal environment.
The Calorie Theory Refuted
The problems with the calorie theory go even deeper, At the most fundamental level, the concept of calories as human energy units is questionable. The calorie counts you see on food labels and calorie charts were determined without reference to human biochemistry. Rather, calorie counts for foods are obtained by burning food in a calorimeter and measuring the heat produced. To assume that the same rules that govern combustion in a calorimeter govern human metabolism is like assuming that because life exists on Earth, life must also exist on Pluto.
Nonetheless, the values of four calories per gram for carbohydrate and protein, and nine calories per gram for fat, which are approximations conceived almost a hundred years ago, have become a central fixture of dietary mythology.
Fat metabolism provides one example of how the intricacies of human metabolism defy calorimeter-derived generalizations. The textbook rule, which is one of the many faulty rationales underlying the "fat makes you fat" myth, is that fat contains 2.25 times as many calories as carbohydrate (9 and 4, respectively). The practical reality of the matter, though, is that the caloric value of fat varies depending on hormonal state and type of ingested fat.
When the insulin/glucagon ratio is low for several days as result of a diet low in carbohydrate and high in fat, fat molecules are burned incompletely, yielding less energy and producing fat fragments called ketones which are excreted via the breath, stool, and urine. Under these metabolic conditions, more fat must be burned to provide a given amount of energy. Similarly, the chemical structure of fats, particularly the degree of unsaturation, influences their fate within the body. Specifically, unsaturated fats are less likely to be stored as fat because they burn at a higher rate.
There is an even more basic reason why the calorie theory should be discarded. Even if the popularly accepted caloric values were correct, ultimately what matters is not how many calories you ingest but how many calories you absorb. Fiber, by binding with fat and by speeding the transit of digested food through the intestines, reduces the bioavailability of ingested fat. The upshot is that butter is less fattening when eaten with broccoli than with white bread, because less of the butter eaten with broccoli is absorbed.
In the final analysis, whether a gram of fat has 9 calories or 900 is a immaterial if it is not absorbed. Although the difference in fat absorption rates for fat plus fiber versus fat by itself is marginal when viewed on a per meal basis, it can add up - and my point is that the calorie theory ignores fat absorption rate differences.
Along the same lines, protein and essential fatty acids, in contrast to carbohydrate, serve vital functions in the body aside from their role as an energy source. Essential fatty acids and protein form the structures of the body, all the way down to the cellular level. Fats and proteins that are used for building purposes are not available for use as energy or for energy storage in the form of bodyfat. The calorie theory does not take this basic fact into consideration, and instead it incorrectly assumes that all calories are equally available for use as energy.
There are two practical consequences of all this:
1) Calorie restriction, while it may be logical on paper, is not effective in practice. As millions of star-crossed dieters can attest, upon quitting a restrictive diet the missing fat comes bounding back like a golden retriever playing fetch. The setpoint theory, described above, explains why fat returns so doggedly after a period of reduced caloric intake. In order to lose fat, you must change your approach to the problem, addressing it from the inside, out - by altering your metabolism and the hormones that influence it, rather than using a simplistic ploy like calorie restriction to try to outsmart your body.
2) Because your metabolism will speed up or slow down in response to how many
calories you consume, you have a certain amount of "wiggle room" in
regard to calorie consumption. In other words, more calories does not necessarily
translate to more fat storage. Within a certain range, greater or fewer
calories does not make a difference because your body will up-regulate
or down-regulate metabolism to match caloric intake.
But what if you go outside that range on the upside - will consuming excess calories make you fat? It may, but that virtually never happens to people on the NHE Eating Plan even though calorie counting is strictly prohibited. The reason for this relates back to the human body as a "brilliant adaptive organism."
...And
from Chapter 13 Getting Started
Making the Metabolic Shift, page 117
The first step is to change your metabolism from reliance on glucose for energy to reliance on fat. The metabolic shift from sugar burning to fat burning is achieved during the first 7 days of the Natural Hormonal Enhancement Eating Plan. This period is a one-time feature. Macronutrient cycling, the centerpiece of the NHE Eating Plan, does not begin until after 7 days.
Unlike the doctor or dentist who, before performing a procedure on you, tells you that you may experience "a bit of discomfort" only for you to discover that he really meant “a lot of agony," I will be honest with you: the first 3 or 4 days of this 7-day period is likely to be difficult. However. equally honestly, if you get past the initial period, and you follow the NHE Eating Plan diligently, you will be well on your way to achieving your fat loss goals. So please, commit yourself. Think of the rewards and remember that 7 days in the scope of a lifetime is like a grain of sand on the beach.
Getting Out of the Sugar-Burning Mode
In order to get out of the sugar-burning mode, you must see to it that glucose is unavailable to your metabolism. This means not only incoming glucose in the form of carbohydrate, but also glucose stored inside your body as glycogen. Recall from Chapter 10 that carbohydrate is broken down to glucose and stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver, or converted to fat when glycogen stores are filled. After about 3 days of strict carbohydrate restriction, liver and muscle glycogen will be depleted.
As glycogen levels wane, your body, being the versatile adaptive organism that it is, adjusts by recruiting energy (ATP) from a different source - fat. Your body will begin to use the fat from your body and food in much the same way that it currently uses sugar. Triglycerid, the storage form of fatty acids, is the analog to glycogen, the storage form of glucose. After making the metabolic shift, triglyceride will displace glycogen as the primary energy substrate in your body. And, instead of "low-octane" glucose, your body will run on "high-octane" fatty acids.
The Metabolic U- Turn
Energy levels will increase after the first four days and cravings will disappear as you make the metabolic shift. However, during the first 4 days you will likely experience some version of the "sugar-burner-deprived-of-sugar" syndrome that I described in Chapter II. Energy levels may sag, and you will probably experience some degree of carbohydrate craving, possibly intense. And then, you will make the metabolic shift and these symptoms will disappear.
Think of the 7-day metabolic shift period as making a sudden U-turn in your car at a high rate of speed. All of a sudden you slam on the breaks and cut the wheel sharply. There is a lot of screeching and friction. Then, before you know it, you have regained control and you are cruising in the opposite direction. In effect, your metabolism is going to make a similar U-turn. The screeching and friction may or may not be as bad as I have portrayed it. In either case, you'll overcome it - I know you will.
How Much Carbohydrate?
During the 7 -day metabolic shift period, you should aim for fewer than 20 grams of active carbohydrate each day. In addition to initial cravings, this period will be difficult from a practical standpoint because carbohydrates are ubiquitous in our sweet-tooth society. Be sure to read: "Don't Get Nickel and Dimed to Death by Hidden Carbs," in Chapter 19, before embarking on the metabolic shift. Also in Chapter 19, the discussion of "eating to prevent hunger rather than eating in response to hunger" will be particularly helpful. By consuming smaller meals more frequently, rather than larger meals less frequently, you will go a long way toward defeating the cravings that will likely arise during the first few days of the metabolic shift period (but smaller meals consumed less frequently can aggravate cravings, so make sure to eat enough food).
What to Eat during the First Seven Days
Basically, you should focus on meat during this period: steak, fish, shrimp, ribs (without barbecue sauce), lobster, chicken, etc. As well, cheese, eggs, and cottage cheese are good choices during the first 7 days. Don't worry about fat consumption during this period - eat as much fat as you want. In fact, fat will facilitate the metabolic shift to fat burning and it will help quell cravings (see Chapter 18). The key factor here is the carbs. If you stay under 20 grams, you will make the metabolic shift; if you don't, you won't.
What about Vegetarians and Vegans?
If you are a vegetarian, soy-based products, like tofu, are the solution during this period and will prove valuable later, as well. Making it through the first seven days without meat (and especially, as is the case with vegans, without meat-derivatives) will require initiative and creative effort. Visit your local natural foods store; there you will find an assortment of soy-based "meat analog" products. Some are quite tasty, but check that label. Many such products are dressed-up with barbecue sauce or other sugar-containing flavorings.
In order to stay under the 20-gram carbohydrate limit, I recommend that you limit yourself to the following vegetables, eaten in moderation: cabbage, celery , broccoli, lettuce, carrots, spinach, onions, garlic, asparagus, radicchio, mushrooms, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, and radishes. Although it is not necessary to eat vegetables in order to make the metabolic shift, I recommend that you eat at least one serving per day of fresh vegetables during the metabolic shift period. Otherwise, you may find yourself constipated from the switch to a protein- and fat-based diet.
If none of the vegetables listed above appeals to you, try melting some butter or cheese on them. It's amazing what melted butter or melted cheese can do to spruce up the taste of an otherwise unappealing food. You may wish to snack on pieces of fresh broccoli, celery, or cauliflower dipped in high-fat, low-carb dressing. French dressing is out of the question, while most blue cheese dressings are fine. Check the label and be wary of "hidden carbs."
What Not to Eat
Essentially, everything except those foods mentioned in this chapter are to be avoided during the metabolic shift period. Starchy or sugary foods, obviously, should be forsaken. Less obviously, fruits and nuts, while not nearly as high in carbohydrate as starches and dessert foods, are off-limits during this period. Remember, we are trying to totally reverse your metabolism in 7 days, and this requires eliminating incoming carbohydrate and depleting internal sugar stores (i.e., glycogen). To achieve this feat, you must be very strict and very vigilant about what you eat.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important these first 7 days are to your success on the NHE Eating Plan. It will reset your metabolism, give you fat-burning momentum, and subdue your appetite making it easier to get into the groove of macronutrient cycling which begins on the 8th day.
Changing Your Body Requires Changing Your Mind
In addition to the metabolic benefits, there is a psychological advantage to the first 7 days. After this 7-day "boot camp," the moderate carbohydrate restriction of the NHE Eating Plan will be a breeze. On the other hand, after a period of eating whatever you want (which is the mode that most Americans are in when they are not dieting) any structured dietary program, no matter how flexible, would seem like an imposition by comparison. In addition to changing your metabolism, I want to change your perspective about what, in terms of diet, constitutes "difficult." As you can see, you are about to embark on a dietary program that attacks bodyfat from every conceivable angle.
I
will now go one step further in transforming your perspective on
eating. Before I do, let me assure you, you will never have to
eat any food that you dislike on the NHE Eating Plan. Having said
that, the prevailing outlook on eating in the U.S. and other Western
nations is a strange anomaly caused in large part by the billions
of dollars spent by the food industry to promote their products.
Somewhere along the way, people have acquired the notion that every
meal has to be a source of great pleasure.
I do not dispute that everything one eats
should be at least palatable, but a source
of great pleasure? Every meal? Do you derive
great pleasure from every minute you spend at your job? Hopefully,
you find your job "palatable" and
at least sometimes pleasurable, but few people hold the view that every minute
of work, including Monday mornings, should be a source of great pleasure. What
would you say to someone who expressed that view? You would call that person
unrealistic, wouldn't you? You might also say that he has his priorities out
of whack, his head in the clouds. For the average person, practical considerations
like paying the bills factor into the mix.
In our society, eating is viewed similarly to sex. However, people rely more on food for pleasure than on sex. You don't see people constantly seeking pleasure from sex in the way they do with food. Rather, sexual pleasure, pleasure from hobbies, pleasure from playing sports, and pleasure from interacting with friends and family are all treated as enjoyable activities to be indulged in at appropriate times. I don't see people fornicating in the streets, nor do I see people leaving work in the middle of the day to play basketball or go fishing or do whatever else they find pleasurable.
When it comes to eating, though, the underlying, subconscious idea that has been instilled in peoples' heads is that every meal, of every day, of every week, must taste so good that you are overwhelmed with pleasure. Very few people that I know dislike the taste of apples. But few Americans eat apples with the same frequency as they eat starchy or sugary snack foods, even though apples are more healthful. Similarly, very few people that I know dislike the taste of water. But few Americans drink water with the same frequency as they drink soda or other sweet-tasting fluids. Why? Because apples and water don't cause people to go ummm when they consume them.
Outside of Western culture - in rural India, China, and Africa, for instance - eating is viewed primarily as a source of nourishment, not pleasure. Sure eating is one of the pleasures of life, but that's not the purpose of eating. Few people realize how completely they have been brainwashed by powerful market forces in society; but the fact is that many Americans subconsciously hold every meal to the standards of an orgy. Long-term success requires that you replace this self-defeating mindset with a self-empowering one.
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