An Absurdist Monologue on Physiology and Endocrinology

This post is reference-free. Due to the speculative nature of this 'stream of consciousness' piece, please refer to this site's disclaimer. What a good way to usher in the looming London Summer Olympics.

A shredded 155 pounds is my goal, which I plan to achieve by way of IF coupled with coffee and 2x/day sessions.

My single-meal IF scheme more closely reflects Ori Hofmekler's Warrior Diet than Martin's Leangains protocol, but I apply principles from both.

Former Mr. Olympia Franco
Columbu, the "Sardinian Strongman"

A small 20-minute fasted morning cardio session on the treadmill will take care of insulin's inhibitory effect on hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), leverage high morning cortisol levels as well as lower alpha-2 adrenergic receptor activity toward the goal of fat oxidation, and, while inconvenient (inasmuch as it requires waking up earlier in the morning to allow for shower time before class), improve general mood throughout the day thanks to the opponent-process theory of emotion. To reinforce execution of the cardio session a la Premack's principle, the pace of the cardio will start out at 6.5 mph and progressively decrease at regular time intervals. Furthermore, the training scheme for each week will reflect the Premack principle: the cardio will be front-loaded during the first half of the week and decrease as the week progresses. Concurrently, in order to progressively reward myself for getting through the week, intake of carbs and dirty food will gradually increase. The dual purpose of better lipolysis and oxidation (first half of the week) as well as acute leptin, dopamine, and serotonin restoration (latter half of the week) will thus be served.

For breakfast, coffee and green tea. Not just for their appetite-suppressing properties, but also for their myriad of other benefits. To wit, coffee consumption is associated with lower skin, breast, and prostate cancer risk, lower risk of developing dementia (most notably, Alzheimer's, via its effect of increasing plasma granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, GCSF, which suppresses beta-amyloid deposition in the brain), type-2 diabetes prevention, and lower incidences of cardiac arrythmias. The caffeine in coffee is also a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (PDE); PDE inhibition leads to less degradation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which phosphorylates HSL, the activity of which was preserved owing to the morning cardio session's insulin-lowering effect. Lastly, coffee increases non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and potentially induces borderline hyperpraxia, which is fancy for fidgeting. As for green tea, the anti-amyloidogenic properties of the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) present in the tea are enhanced by fish oil supplementation (in mice, at least). Fish oil also increases the bioavailability of EGCG in the body.

The fast continues after the dismissal of class at 3PM, at which time I perform my second session. On cardio days, it's simply an identical 20-minute session. On heavy training days, it's, well, heavy training. I generally follow Martin's rest-pause scheme. I include heavy training at least twice a week, and I execute it according to the Premack principle: the least enjoyable exercises first, the most decadent ones last. And while Martin strongly advises in favor of having a pre-workout hit of BCAAs, EAAs, or at least some whey for the purposes of halting fasting-exacerbated peri-workout proteolysis and increasing p70s6k and mammalian target of rapamyacin (mTOR) phosphorylation, for personal behavioral reasons, I prefer to wait until after I have completed my second session of training for that day. Only then do I deserve my 'reward': feeding. And while a study showed that exercise acutely suppresses regional brain reactivity to enticing meals, the goal of classical conditioning is more important here: the only time to feast is after a hard day's work.

Food choices will include clean and dirty food. I don't shirk microwaveable foods, ice cream, and the like because I feel these to be tantamount to a sustainable eating lifestyle that does not neurotically demonize any category of food and possibly contribute to an eating disorder. Just take a look at pre-contest dieters; I do wonder if they truly mean to bulk up that quickly upon exiting the stage, or if some other underlying problem exists. That's what 12 weeks of eating bland chicken and brown rice does to you.

For supplementation, a daily intake of 13 USP-verified omega-3 fish oil capsules by Nature Made, amounting to 2340mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1560mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These amounts satisfy the conditions necessary for subchronic omega-3 supplementation to ameliorate leucine resistance and improve muscle protein synthesis (MPS) following aminoacidemia. They also more than replicate the methodological conditions of a study that found that administration of at least 8mg of fish oil per kg of body weight (again, in mice) allowed EGCG to do a better job of suppressing cerebral beta-amyloid deposition. Furthermore, fish oil boasts a host of other perks that Martin discusses: suppression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), which lowers atherosclerosis risk, lower incidence of depression (epidemiological link, mind you), and lower cancer risk.

Calcium consumption has been shown to influence regional adiposity (the trunk region, namely), though I would say the phenomenon is still contested. It will be be taken in the form of a calcium-magnesium-zinc pill.

Dieting in general lowers tryptophan availability to the large neutral amino acid transporter (LAT1), and low-carb dieting moreso. Not good for those having trouble sleeping as the BCAAs leucine, valine, and isoleucine can then better compete for LAT1, blocking out tryptophan and consequently lowering serotonin production. Bad implications for both mood and sleep, and it explains why both dieting and the high protein intake that it entails have led some dieters to complain about their sleep.

On that note, given that a bolus of intact casein protein will continue to yield metabolites in the blood at even the 8-hour mark, it would be prudent for me to separate my protein-heavy and carb-heavy meals in order to direct traffic at the LAT1. In fact, another individual with stellar results follows a similar protocol (his 2 meals are a giant, 100g protein shake and a normal meal). Barring supplemental L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a likely scheme for maximizing serotonin synthesis and avoiding diet-induced insomnia, then, would be to follow up 100 grams of alpha-lactalbumin (LALBA), a rapidly digestible whey protein derivative high in tryptophan, with a carb-heavy (with some fat) meal around 4 hours before bed (in accordance with a study that found that a high-glycemic-index carb meal 4 hours prior to bedtime shortened sleep onset). PeptoPro's hydrolyzed caseinate has an astonishing 8 grams of tryptophan per 100g of protein material (Lyle has stated that most protein brands contain 1-2g of tryptophan per 100g of protein material). The blend happens to be near-optimal for the purposes of providing more dietary tryptophan as well as preserving peri-exercise fat oxidation (however negligible). Plus, owing to its faster absorption kinetics, hydrolyzed protein has a better chance of bypassing splanchnic extraction. First-pass portal-drained visceral (PDV) and hepatic metabolism utilize the majority of amino acids before the remainder is passed on to the peripheral tissues (and, relevant to our purposes, muscle). That's a long-winded way of suggesting that total daily dietary protein requirements may be lowered if more of it is reaching the muscles. Anyway, better sleep equals better appetite control equals better diet adherence. And besides, the two-a-day sessions should ensure that I sleep like a rock.

On the topic of sleep and ensuring its quality, carb-centric refeeds will be incorporated, though still done on training days after sufficient whole-body metabolic work is done to stress the energetic components of the muscle (especially adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, or AMPk) and divert calories to the lean tissue compartment. Anecdotally, my sleep begins to deteriorate 3-4 days into the diet week probably for the reasons discussed above. Not surprisingly, pre-contest dieters have complained about sleep issues, at times having as low as 4 hours of sleep each night. For this reason, progressively re-introducing carbs throughout the week, supplementing with alpha-lactalbumin, and having bi-weekly refeeds will be the measures taken to fix the problem. At least then, the higher-tryptophan conditions of a eucaloric or hypercaloric diet can be simulated.

All things said, I don't want it to appear that an over-reliance on supplements is a requisite for success. Insofar as drugs cannot conceivably correct any behavioral problems associated with diet and weight control, the myriad of pharmaceutical 'solutions' being released to the public will fail as usual. People tend to believe that the drugs will chronically facilitate their weight loss goals. For some, use of the drugs may only serve to bring their behavioral problems to the surface. Some examples of drugs (both approved and withdrawn) and drug components: Belviq (lorcaserin), Qsymia (formerly Qnexa and containing extended-release phentermine and topiramate), Alli and Xenical (orlistat, also known as tetrahydrolipstatin), Hoodia gordonii and XR, bitter orange (citrus aurantium, active compound synephrine), Sensa, chitosan, Meridia (sibutramine), rimonabant, and raspberry ketones.

Let's begin, shall we?

Cyclic Hedonic PSMF Diet for Satiety, Adherence, Reward

Thai green curry

I. A diet that doesn't suck

II. Why diets eventually suck (bullet style)

III. Instant gratification and goal-setting

IV. Cyclical IF and the PSMF

V. Reasons behind the diet

VI. Other ways I've maintained adherence

VII. A case study: me

VIII. Throwing supplements into the mix (optional)

IX. Closing

A diet that doesn't suck

Over the years, I've progressively changed my dieting style. Each step is generally in the right direction as far as improving overall adherence. Here's how it's evolved:

Vietnamese beef pho

1. Beginning: 3 meals/day

2. 3 meals + 3 snacks/day

3. High school: 3 meals + 3 protein shakes/day

4. 6 meals/day, Atkins style

5. College: 6 meals/day, low carb, mostly protein shakes + nuts (Dave Palumbo style)

6. Recently: 1 meal, intermittent fasting (IF), no food restrictions

7. Current: 1 meal, cyclical IF with protein-sparing modified fasts (PSMF), no food restrictions, no protein shakes

The jump from number 5 to 6 greatly improved my adherence, but not entirely. The problem was in my head.

I'm a goal-oriented person, which I'd like to say is a good thing. However, humans are evolutionarily hardwired for instant gratification; I'm personally more likely to accomplish a goal if it's in the near-immediate future.

That said, there's already a problem with dieting, a relatively long-term commitment. Neurophysiology explains why the problem exists.

Why diets eventually suck (bullet style)

There's lots of chemicals involved, but there are 3 we'll worry about today:

Had too many carbs.

1. Leptin, a hormone that for our purposes acts as a satiety/fullness signal and increases fat burning. Levels of it drop a lot within a week of dieting.

2. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter implicated in mood (depression and anxiety), sleep, appetite, and alpha-male syndrome in animals. Dieting lowers serotonin (low-carb diets even more so), while eating a boatload of carbs increases it (people tend to get drowsy afterward).

3. Dopamine, the reward hormone crucial to pleasure-seeking behavior. You can probably guess that dieting lowers it.

Exercise, overfeeding (especially with carbs), and fish oil supplementation either increase the synthesis of the above or improve the sensitivity of the receptors that bind them. Some regular combination of the 3 should help combat some of the physiological problems associated with dieting, which in theory should make it more bearable.

In reality, it doesn't. Not without some tweaking, at least.

Instant gratification and goal-setting

I'm a man of extremes. While it sits well with many, moderation feels like stagnation to me. I'm someone who'd probably do only marginally well on the marshmallow test. I can hold off for a bit and distract myself, but I'd like my marshmallow pretty soon - within 24 hours. That's why I landed on Diet Incarnation No. 7.

I mentioned earlier that I'm more likely to reach a goal if it's in the short run. And in the big picture, several completed short-term goals contribute to the realization of a more long-term aim, which in this case is the attainment of low body fat. There's nothing earthshaking about this approach to dieting; most people set a weekly weight loss goal (e.g., 1 pound of weight loss/week). Breaking it down even further, many strive to achieve a daily energy deficit to ensure they meet their weekly weight loss.

So what are the short-term goals of my diet?

Cyclical IF and the PSMF

My diet breaks down into 2 alternating days:

A sign of better things to come.

1. PSMF: A single, ~1200-calorie meal eaten in the PM and consisting of ~225 grams of protein in the form of boiled chicken breasts and shrimp, the incidental fat found within the chicken, and 8 fish oil capsules. The "goal" of this day is fat loss.

2. "Mini-refeed": A term I first learned of from Martin Berkhan, this day consists of a gigantic and very satisfying ~2800-calorie meal eaten in the PM and consisting of whatever I want that day. The "goal" of this day is to restore leptin, serotonin, and dopamine and the sensitivity of their receptors.

Reasons behind the diet

1. PSMF: Studies have shown protein to have the greatest satiating effect of all macronutrients. However, similar to the relationship between carb consumption and serotonin synthesis, the hunger-curbing properties of protein are most effective when it's eaten in isolation. That has been the experience of myself and a few others, at least.

Under normal conditions, 1200 calories a day doesn't make for a very fulfilling diet. However, eating over 200 grams of protein in one sitting removes any desire I have to eat anything else for the day. Additionally, as advised by Martin, nothing is done to make the chicken or shrimp palatable. Both are boiled dry and no condiments are added. This is crucial to maximizing the effectiveness of the mini-refeed.

The purpose of the PSMF is twofold. First, due to the absence of carbs and the fact that I prefer training on this day, the PSMF serves as a caloric sink that improves partitioning during the mini-refeed that follows. Second, and more importantly, it's meant to enhance the hedonic quality of the refeed. This is important; if the refeed doesn't hit that "hedonic threshold" (the level of which depends on the person), then in that person's eyes, it isn't worth subjecting himself to the PSMF day. This also explains why the target calories for the PSMF are so low; it allows for a larger feast the following day. And for me, anticipation of a rewarding refeed makes the PSMF day bearable, and overall adherence to the diet is more likely.

Examples of my refeed foods.

2. Mini-refeed: Despite the nominal goal of this day being the restoration of hormone levels to normal, the real purpose of the refeed is to make it so that the diet feels like less of a diet. Most diets are  devoid of the hedonistic aspect of eating. On these days, I'm practically eating at above-maintenance levels while still losing fat in the overall picture (that's what the PSMF days are in place for). In addition, by frequently refeeding, I'm somewhat avoiding the natural deterioration in mood, metabolism, and hormone levels that a  stringent PSMF would normally cause. That definitely beats going day to day on a measly 1800 calories.

If we examine the day-to-day goals of this diet, we see that the goals aren't always to "achieve the day's deficit to burn fat". That's not what I'm telling myself, at least. It gives me a mental break and allows me to reward myself very frequently. And that's the winning ticket if I want to guarantee adherence.

Lastly, notice that when averaging the 2 days, my daily intake would amount to 2000 calories a day. Not that extreme of a diet when you take a step back.

Other ways I've maintained adherence

1. I don't step onto the scale. It messes with my head too much, and I forget that the mirror is a better means of physique assessment. Even then, I try not to look into the mirror too often. I remain steadfast in my belief that on my PSMF days, I'm losing fat. However, the water weight caused by the mini-refeeds will mask it.

2. I use someone as a frame of reference. Pick someone you don't see too frequently, yet whom you can rely on to see around roughly the same time of year. A cousin at your annual Christmas gathering, for example, who happens to be quite receptive to the changes in others and is vocal about it. This person can act as a more objective means of feedback (more objective than your own eyes, at least) on how much progress you've made since the last time you saw each other. This is similar to Martin's technique of using checkpoints throughout the year to assess his physique progress.

3. I avoid proximity bias. In a roundtable interview JC Deen conducted with several respected names in the fitness industry, John Romaniello, one of the interviewees, explained a phenomenon called proximity bias, where we dismiss the advice of family and close friends because we've known them so intimately that we can't see them as a legitimate authority on anything but maybe parenting. The bias applies to the self as well. I can dispense advice to clients about how to lose weight, but I don't always adhere to those same guidelines when trying to lose weight myself. What I've just described is known as the coaching paradox. A creative way in which Martin has dealt with the problem is to treat himself as a client and write up a diet/training template for himself.

4. I don't think about the marshmallow (for 24 hours, at least). In his article "How To Walk The Talk and Unlock Your True Potential", Martin discussed the addictive personality type. A person with this trait will lock onto a thing or hobby and becomes obsessed with it. The behavior has to do with dopamine and the brain's reward system. What Martin suggests is not to try and abolish it; this entails defying human physiology, and that's something that normally can't be done without drugs. Instead, people displaying addictive behavior should channel it into another hobby in order to avoid short-circuiting their efforts in the former. Martin's example of this was playing Starcraft 2.

Intermittent smoking/starcrafting, anyone?

While it isn't universal, many gamers lose weight because they forget to eat. Their hunger signal may, to some degree, be appeased by the dopamine kick they get out of the game. In a similar vein, some habitual smokers get the kick they'd normally get from eating by smoking a cigarette instead. Some dieters will do this - turn to smoking - because nicotine increases dopamine. Thus, smoking is a rewarding, reinforced behavior. On the flip side, people trying to quit smoking will eat more and gain weight. In either case, the person is replacing one activity with another to  instinctively compensate. On a related note, depressed people who turn to smoking may unknowingly be trying to get out of their rut. There are other, healthier alternatives to that, of course.

A case study: me

Currently, I'm in my 7th day on this diet. No problems with adherence yet, which is more than I can ever say about most diets I've tried. My progress is below.

Day 1 (PSMF): 1200 calories

Goal achieved: fat loss, increase lifts in the gym

Day 2 (mini-refeed): 2950 calories

Goal achieved: hormone restoration

Day 3 (PSMF): 1205 calories

Goal achieved: fat loss

Day 4 (mini-refeed): 2870 calories

Goal achieved: hormone restoration

Day 5 (PSMF): 1230 calories

Goal achieved: fat loss, increase lifts in the gym

Day 6 (mini-refeed): 2890 calories

Goal achieved: hormone restoration

Day 7 (PSMF): 1200 calories

Goal achieved: fat loss

Throwing supplements into the mix (optional)

A cup of sunshine.

There's a few pharmaceutical options we have that can help things along. For appetite control and a slight increase in fat burning during the fast, caffeine can be pulsed. Alternatives include coffee and green tea.

For those who have access to it, bromocriptine can work wonders on satiety as it acts as an exogenous substitute for leptin. Generic bromocriptine mesylate will do. If taken on the PSMF day, it should evoke a general desire to stay away from food after having the meal. If taken during the mini-refeed, it will make the refeed that much more filling, a characteristic every good refeed should have. No recommendations regarding bromocriptine dosing will be included here. For that, purchase Lyle McDonald's book by the same name. Though it was originally used in the clinical setting to treat people with Parkinson's and acromegaly, 2 years ago the FDA approved it for use in the treatment of Type-2 diabetics.

Closing

Currently, my dieting experience is more goal-oriented than it is process-oriented. Although being the latter is arguably more important, having been goal-oriented this whole time (as a result of my difficulties with adherence) has forced me to continue experimenting with new ways of dieting. Some techniques work, and some don't. I take the ones that do work and throw them into my goody bag. Later, when I finally reach my overriding goal, I can transition into a more lifestyle-friendly diet and be more process-oriented. The word itself entails a continual process of self-improvement. As one wisely put it, when one is process-oriented, the goal merely becomes an eventuality, an event bound to happen as long as the process is consistently undertaken. The upside is that when I reach this point, I won't be so fixated on body fat.

My diet is a step in the right direction toward being process-oriented. For now, it serves as a proactive measure against failure.

Partitioning and Drugs, Spices, Training, and Fish Oil

Let the Chips Fall Where You Want

When people ask about gaining muscle or losing fat, the implicit questions being thrown out there are "How do I make what I'm eating turn into muscle?" and "How do I preferentially pull from my fat stores?"

These questions ultimately point to nutrient partitioning, an issue that understandably slips through the cracks. And that's okay because we can generally count on  the laws of thermodynamics to strip our physique goals down to the bare-bones basics of eating more or less to bulk up or get shredded, respectively (with heavy training in either context, of course).

However, we do have some pull in getting nutrients to go where we want them to, albeit marginally. Optimization of our food intake, within reason, is the name of the game. Now, it's time to sift through the sand and uncover the gems in partitioning.

Glucose Disposal Agents

Also known as insulin sensitizers or insulin mimetics (mimickers), these include alpha lipoic acid (ALA), chromium, vanadium, cinnamon, and vinegar.

So, the good news is that whole-body insulin sensitivity is improved by the use of any one of the above, and that includes muscle cells. This helps muscle glycogen resynthesis following exercise. The problem: that includes fat cells as well. A contemporary (and bright) theorist once pointed out that the problem with Ceylon cinnamon is that it indiscriminately dumps glucose to whatever cells are willing to take it, but the same can be said for glucose disposal agents in general. In the end, it's a crapshoot, and they don't provide the control over nutrient diversion that we're after.

So, when a study comes out that finds improved post-exercise glycogenesis  using vinegar or, say, caffeine, we must ask if adipocytes are  also enjoying the same benefit. By the way, fat cells have the same GLUT4 (glucose transporter type 4) receptor found on muscle cells that has been implicated as one of the mechanisms in improved insulin sensitivity. Use of these agents would be advantageous to Type 2 diabetics, who have abnormally high blood sugar and could benefit from improved glucose clearance regardless of the route.

Psychotropics and Nootropics

I mentioned caffeine just a while ago, and I'm sure you're wondering why I lumped it in with the insulin mimetics. And you'd be justified; under normal conditions, caffeine actually induces acute resistance to insulin. Not necessarily a bad thing for healthy people; high blood levels of free fatty acids (also called "non-esterified fatty acids", or NEFAs) lower the rate of amino acid oxidation (caffeine creates a protein-sparing environment).

To be thorough, researchers back in 2008 found that post-workout co-ingestion of caffeine with CHO amplified glycogen resynthesis. However, a closer look at the study reveals that the dosing that the protocol called for (around 574 grams of caffeine) was grossly unrealistic. Not safe for application.

Still, caffeine has other merits, and this is a good segue into the topic of lipolysis, respiratory quotient (RQ), and beta-oxidation.

If we can't reliably partition nutrients into the desired tissue compartment, can we at least reliably influence what comes out? The answer to that question is yes.

I once discussed the dual use of yohimbine and caffeine in an older post that has grown quite popular to viewers.

To summarize some of what I said in that post, Y and C make fat release, transport, and burning possible in that small segment of the population dealing with stubborn fat. Y, in particular, is profoundly anti-lipolytic and has implications in fat burning at rest.

That's because resting lipolysis is under the control of the alpha-adrenoceptors, and Y conveniently blocks one of them (the one most intimately linked to fat release).

In fact, a study referenced in the clinical pharmacology section of the Proceedings of the British Pharmacological Society showed Y to enhance not only exercising, but also resting, lipolysis. In other words, it may even be useful to dose yohimbine at rest.

That's great news for couch potatoes watching their ESPN or surfing the Internet all day. And due to Y's mechanism of action, I'd expect any additional fat oxidation to be meaningful because the fat is actually reaching the mitochondria unimpeded (this has to do with a phenomenon known as fatty acid cycling, which I'll save for another post).

With that said, depletion training or restricting carbs (or both) would further improve fat oxidation by lowering one's RQ, which is influenced by muscle glycogen levels. That would conceivably magnify Y's effects.

Find a brand with a good amount of EPA and DHA.

Fish Oil
While the acute benefits that fish oil supplementation was purported to have never panned out, a mere 3 weeks of supplementation did reduce cortisol levels, which might minimally improve partitioning.

However, it could be argued that fish oil supplementation would also blunt the perks that come with YC ingestion: heightened catecholamine levels and blood FFAs. Yohimbine also significantly increases cortisol secretion, but its anti-lipolytic effects outweigh any negative impact it has on partitioning. Clearly, both sides must be weighed and a poison picked if one is to facilitate his or her physique goal.

And by the same token, the myriad of health benefits conferred by fish oil, in addition to its newfound effects on increased protein synthesis and sensitivity to amino acids (Martin Berkhan  recently expounded on these in exhausting detail), makes it a legitimate tool in altering body composition.

GLUT4 and the Controversy of Carb Cutoffs

How the last meal before a carb cutoff might look.

The idea of cutting out carbs from one's meals before it got too late in the evening gained quite some notoriety several years ago. I first heard about the practice from advocates of Doggcrapp, or DC, Training. Because thermodynamics trump the "carb cutoff" rule, it just wasn't necessary to resort to macronutrient separation.

However, if we are nitpicking, GLUT4 sensitivity is higher during the first half of the day than it is the latter half. Short-term fasting (assuming no stimulant use) increases this effect. Considering this, the body is technically less receptive to the downstream effects of insulin on GLUT4 translocation and subsequent glucose uptake as the day wears on.

But then we return to the crapshoot model of generalized insulin sensitivity, where fat cells are more likely to soak up the glucose as well. So, more likely than not, the timing and composition of meals (excluding a low carb diet's effect on lowered RQ) is a moot point.

A food hedonist's carb-centric haven.

Refeeds
The dietary practice with probably the most diverse range of partitioning effects is the carb-centric refeed, which is leveraged extensively in Lyle's Ultimate Diet 2. But it needs to be coupled with the right kind of training, which happens to be the key factor in getting the right kind of partitioning to happen, and without which the carb load would be fruitless.

In The Ketogenic Diet, Lyle used research to give a rough guideline of fat intake concurrent with the carb-up that likely wouldn't go toward storage, assuming full glycogen depletion. I will issue a similar recommendation: don't restrict, but don't go to excess. By the way, the nature of the fat being consumed affects the insulin response to a meal (unsaturated fats attenuate the response, but saturated fats amplify it).

A Concentric-centric Mindset

My childhood buddy Ryan at 16.

A string of studies in the 90s revealed the detrimental impact of eccentric exercise on glycogen resynthesis.

On the other hand, it is the concentric portion of contraction that generates improved partitioning (the "metabolic stress" model of training). This is the reason that Bryan Haycock advocates "pulsing" in his novel HST (Hypertrophy-Specific Training) protocol. Training is one of the few things that can preferentially improve GLUT4 translocation on muscle cells. That and the inhibitory effect of exercise on fat lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and acylation-stimulating protein (ASP) within the fat cell make for a hard case for improved nutrient uptake into the fat cell.

Conclusions

In the end, only some of the above mentioned techniques aimed at improving nutrient partitioning are actually worth investing time, energy, and money in.

Training and refeeds are the winning ticket to diverting incoming calories away from adipocytes and shuttling them toward muscle cells instead. Their prudent application can be more readily appreciated for those bulking up.

But fish oil and YC also carry great utility in the contexts of health and fat loss, respectively (also, fish oil, as Martin mentioned, has implications for sarcopenia in the elderly). They may not directly influence partitioning per se, but they are worthwhile toys that may be taken out of the box when the time calls for it.

Thermal Sympatholysis, Adrenoceptor Blockers, and Fat

Ice cream and fireworks.

Ice Cream Haven

Last weekend, I joined the family on a trip to Disneyland.

This past weekend, I went with some friends to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. In semi-keeping with the blog's theme, I found myself in Shangri-La amidst a ton of desserts from the snack carts at both parks, including funnel cakes with Cold Stone ice cream and strawberry syrup, Ben and Jerry's, frozen bananas, and Dippin' Dots.

Thermal What?

It was notably sunnier at Discovery Kingdom than at Disneyland, and my lengthy exposure to the heat brought about a remarkable change in my appearance: I was profoundly more vascular in my extremities than before. I could clearly see the large cephalic vein running down my biceps in addition to the multitude of veins in my forearm.

Strauben.

My veins in my legs were terrifyingly superficial in a degree I'd never seen before (which explains why it was terrifying). I had veins running horizontally across my tibia (the shin).

It makes sense: one of the reasons that blood vessels dilate is to increase the dissipation of heat. Consequently, blood flow is improved.

And, in the context of fat loss, what else improves blood flow (or, at the very least, prevents it from being compromised)?

Wee!

Alpha Blockers

The answer is yohimbine.

So, I have a theory: to speed up fat oxidation following yohimbine supplementation, ideally one might want to promote vasodilation throughout the body during the period between ingestion and actual absorption of the drug, which would conceivably open up all avenues for fat oxidation in active tissues. This would mean either performing a small training bout, sitting in a sauna, or laying out in the sun. As exercise has variable effects on drug pharmacokinetics (and it depends on the drug), it is possible that the results would be more unpredictable following the former option.

And then, once yohimbine begins to be absorbed, you do the usual: be active. The conventional, but boring, route, is to do some formal cardio, but one can also do chores, work (and it obviously helps if the job requires you to be active for hours, like certain retail positions), or walk around in an amusement park all day while under the sun.

Low Carb Intermittent Fasting with Ice Cream Refeeds

Overcoming the Sisyphean feat

Reached the same bump in the road that I did last September.

Last July, 158 lbs.

In other words, top 4 abs are visible, and getting the last 2 to show is the (usual) uphill battle. Stubborn fat sucks.

Weight has been fluctuating between 160 and 165 pounds, as has appetite.

The aim now, like last time, is to help fat loss along using a few novel approaches. The goal weight is still 155 pounds, a good weight to be at for the Air Force (or the United States Marine Corps, USMC, which I've been considering joining lately).

There will be some variations on the theme this time around - not that they're exactly noticeable - in order to increase my chances of adhering.

The diet will be cyclical and will involve alternating of supplements depending on the day.

It's time to get over this hill. I have other goals I want to set. But before that. . .

Detour

I want to share the inhuman results of someone whose diet I've emulated. He's landed on a simple method of reaching one's goals that doesn't involve the confusing BS from bodybuilding magazines.

Eating less while eating whatever you want, eating enough protein, and training heavy are the guidelines he abides by.

His accomplishments are so inspirational, and I hope to achieve similar results some day.

Some of the meals he's posted pictures of (yum):

The plan

The diet*:

1. 1700 kcal on Day 1

Usual foods eaten include a pint of Ben and Jerry's Imagine Whirled Peace (my favorite flavor) and a McDonald's McChicken; whey protein makes up the rest of this day's calories.

2. 2100 kcal on Day 2 (low carb)

Usual foods include eggs, chicken breast tenderloins, caramelized onions, and asparagus fried in coconut oil (a medium-chain triglyceride, MCT).

3. 2500 kcal on Day 3 (ice cream carb-up)

Usual foods include Ben and Jerry's Half Baked FroYo, In-N-Out, Japanese ice cream dumplings (mochi), and Subway. And whey, of course.

4. 24-hour fast

Usual foods include nothing.

5. Repeat

*All days consist of IF followed by feeding during the second half of the day

The training:

1. Heavy, reverse pyramid training

2. Cardio

3. Cardio, depletion (using mainly machines)

4. Off

Supps (spaced apart):

1.

Fish oil

Vitamin A, iron, vitamin B complex

Calcium, magnesium, zinc

Multivitamin/multimineral

2.

Yohimbine hydrochloride, caffeine, YC

Vitamin A, Fe, vitamin B complex

Ca, Mg, Zn

3.

Fish oil

YC

Vitamin A, Fe, vitamin B complex

Ca, Mg, Zn

Multivitamin/multimineral

4.

YC

The reasoning (skip if the science bores you):

1. Even on 1700 cals/day, muscle loss unlikely assuming adequate protein and heavy training.

2. This low carb day sets off the glycogen depletion ultimately achieved the next day; cardio is done during the fast following YC; all 4 techniques (the fast, low carb, YC, and cardio) help to improve mobilization, transport, and oxidation of stubborn fat through low insulin (high hormone-sensitive lipase, HSL, activity and improved lipolysis), alpha-2 adrenergic receptor and adenosine A1 receptor inhibition (improved transport),  and low malonyl-CoA content (high carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1, CPT-1, activity and improved oxidation). My hunch is that the low carb day will improve my adaptations to endurance training.

3. The benefits of the previous day will linger on into this day, so another dose of YC will be taken and another session of cardio done before the depletion workout, which will improve insulin sensitivity before the coming carb-up. This day is all about playing around with partitioning while eating more to restore hormone levels (testosterone, growth hormone or GH, insulin-like growth factor 1 or IGF-1, triiodothyronine or T3, and leptin), at least for a while. On the topic of resetting hormone levels, the drug bromocriptine can reverse a lot of the negative  hormonal, metabolic, and psychological changes associated with chronic dieting.

4. Thus far, calories have been gradually increased. Along with the carb-up, this will help to return metabolism to pre-dieting levels. Now, the goal of the 24-hour fast is to leverage the benefits of the refeed while T3 and leptin are still high. The sharp drop in calories from 2500 to 0 should not be detected right away. Research has shown a delayed response by the body to recognizing and adjusting to an energy deficit. Formal exercise will be avoided because of its variable effects on appetite. However, activities of daily living (ADL) will be done throughout the day to keep incidental energy expenditure (and NEAT) high. YC will be dosed during the AM hours to help with stubborn fat mobilization and burning. Also, Martin Berkhan cited 2 relatively recent studies showing that metabolic rate increases during short-term fasting.

5. Repeat. The day following the 24-hour fast (the 1700-calorie day) consists of heavy training. It's a good time to go heavy while I'm still carbed up from 2 days prior. Calories will be eased back in to prevent putting any fat back on. This entire period of slowly increasing calories throughout the week is a biding time for metabolic rate to pick up again before calories are again abruptly dropped.

End of Ice Cream Diet and Photo Shoot

 

For Ariel and Rod, my brothers in iron.

Rest in peace, Rod.