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"Optimizing your Body Composition"

By Tony Falaro

If you’ve ever tried to lose fat and get in shape, more than likely you have discovered that it is not quite so easy as many fitness magazines make it seem. With all of the conflicting information out there, it can be incredibly difficult, not to mention overwhelming, to choose a diet that can properly meet your needs.

Before we get to diets and application, lets discuss macro-nutrients and their role in the body. In order to choose a way of eating that works best for you, it is probably a good idea to have, at the very least, a basic idea of what happens inside of your body when you eat a certain macronutrient.

Carbohydrates are sugar-based molecules. Today, they are most commonly placed in one of two categories: starches and sugars. There are several types of molecular branches of carbohydrates, however, when ingested they are broken down, by amylase, into glucose and travel though the blood stream.

At this point, carbohydrates can either be used for energy, or stored as glycogen in our liver and our muscles. It is important to note that all carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose. The difference, however, is the rate at which the specific branch of carbohydrates is digested and utilized the cells of the body.

Of course the digestion and properties of carbohydrates are far more complex than previously explained, however, delving any further into the science would be beyond the scope of this article.

Fats are chains of molecules (carbon and hydrogen molecules with one oxygen molecules that are bonded to glycerol [triglycerides]). There are three classifications of fat: saturated, mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated. Each one is defined by the number of hydrogen molecules that bind to the carbon. Saturated fats are not double bonded, meaning that the carbon will bond with as many hydrogen molecules as it can.

These fats are solid at room temperature and are generally found in animal products. Mono-unsaturated fats have a bond between two carbon molecules, each with an attached hydrogen molecule. These fats are found primarily in foods such as extra virgin olive oil, almonds, peanuts, etc. Poly-unsaturated fats have more than one double bond, meaning that several carbons will bind to one another, while each will also bond with a single hydrogen molecule.

Fats are the most readily available energy source in the body (i.e. body fat). When ingested, bile is secreted by hepatocytes in the liver and digest and emulsify the fat, creating fatty acids. In addition to bile, lipase is also a digestive enzyme designed specifically for fat digestion. This will allow the ingested fat to be absorbed by the small intestine and utilized by the body.

Protein is a chain of several combinations of 20 different amino acids. They are essentially the “building blocks” of the body. There are non-essential and essential amino acids. Your body can produce non-essential amino acids on its own. Essential amino acids, on the other hand, are just that- essential. They must be consumed through the food that you eat.

Generally, whole food animal products such as beef and eggs provide all of the essential amino acids, meaning that if they are not a staple in your diet, then it is time for a complete dietary overhaul. When protein is ingested, it travels to your stomach where it is broken down by enzymes called protease and pepsin.

They allow the amino acids to flow through the blood stream and perform their specific tasks, based on the specific amino acid chain (hair, nails, muscles, etc.).

Okay, so enough with the boring science gibberish; Lets get into how to construct an eating plan that allows you to lose fat and gain muscle optimally, while still allowing a little “wiggle room” for some of the foods that you love.

Now, when it comes to making an eating plan you should first consider whether or not you will be able to eat this way for the rest of your life. With fad-diets the weight will come and go, but a consistent eating plan will allow you to change your body composition (body fat %, muscle mass, etc.) permanently.

With this in mind, you have to be realistic with your eating plan and the kind of results that you expect to get. Changing the way your body looks will not happen over night or in 30 days. Sure, you’ll make progress, especially if you are new to exercise and healthy eating, but making permanent changes takes time. Remember, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Neither is the perfect body.

So, how do you start? Well, keeping a food log for a few days of everything you eat is a good start. It allows you to see some of the areas that you may need to improve. Secondly, you have to realize that eating fat will not make you fat, and that eating a low calorie diet with no regard to macronutrient profile (remember those?…carbs, fats, proteins) will not help you achieve your goals.

That said, I believe that the most optimal, and easiest, way to eat is high protein, moderate fat, low carb, while understanding the importance of nutrient timing.

All of your meals throughout the day should consist of fats, protein, and vegetables. Counting calories is not the goal here. The goal is to balance your nutrient intake. This alone will help you change your body composition. By doing this, your body will become more efficient at burning fat, while keeping your metabolism high.

Diets that are higher in protein cause your body temperature to increase. This is called the thermic effect of food (TEF). Protein has the highest TEF on the body. This will allow fat oxidation, the mobilization of fat stores to the blood stream for energy, to increase while retaining, as well as, building muscle (don’t worry ladies, you won’t be walking around with bulging biceps…it’s physiologically impossible). (1)

Consuming fat with the high protein meal will allow for a slower rate of digestion, causing more stable blood sugar and insulin levels in the body. The carbohydrates in the form of vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce, peppers, etc. will allow you to ingest a significant amount vitamins and minerals, which are essential to proper health and bodily function.

As stated above, nutrient timing is a very important aspect of a good diet. We’ve already covered the majority of your daily food intake where carbohydrates are low. Doesn’t sound like a very appealing lifestyle does it? This is where exercise becomes a critical part of the equation. If you want to eat your carbs, then you had better be exercising, and I’m not talkin’ about Pilates!

Before I discuss the nutrient timing and the “workout window” I should probably explain to you what happens to your body when you eat a high carbohydrate meal. The amount of blood glucose will increase to levels above its normal level of 100mg of glucose per 100mL of blood volume.

At this point your pancreas will release beta cells, which release insulin and bring your blood glucose levels back down to 100mg per 100mL of blood. The insulin will then allow the glucose to be metabolized into glycogen and stored in your liver and your muscles. This is called insulin sensitivity, which basically means that you can tolerate a slightly high carbohydrate diet.

If this were a perfect world, then the process above would take place 100% of the time and we could have our cake and eat it too- literally. The fact, however, is that it is not a perfect world, and for a majority of the population, the high carbohydrate diets that are in vogue alters the above process (don’t be fooled by the idea of complex carbs and simple carbs; many of the “complex” carbs are still much simpler, processed versions of their ancestors).

Blood glucose levels will remain elevated for extended periods of time. As a result, insulin levels will remain high while they attempt to normalize blood sugar. After a while, you body will become accustomed to an elevated blood sugar. This will minimize the release of insulin, thus the glucose will not be metabolized and stored. This is called insulin resistance. When you reach this point, you are at a very high risk for developing type II diabetes.

Does this mean that you are limited to meat and vegetables only? No! It means that you have to time your nutrient intake. And the best time to consume large amounts of carbohydrates is immediately following your intense weight training or sprint workout. Why? Because insulin sensitivity is through the roof during this “workout window,” which varies in length but is at its highest 1-2 hours after intense exercise (1).

This is how you can add some of your favorite foods into your diet, and generally a time when your macronutrient profile will be completely backwards. Rather than high protein, moderate fat, low carb it will be high carb, moderate protein, and low fat.

The idea is to cause your blood glucose levels to rise so that insulin can be released and shuttle the nutrients into your muscles rather than your waistline. An example of a good post-workout meal could be spaghetti and meatballs or a chicken burrito.

Obviously you don’t want to go too crazy and leave your kitchen looking like a bomb went off, but it is the most optimal time to enjoy some of the foods that you may have had to give up if you were not exercising.

Take away points:

-increase protein intake (not soy!)

-increase green vegetable intake

-increase intake of olive oil, peanut butter, almonds, butter, etc. (no soybean oil!)

-keep carbohydrate intake limited to vegetables except after workouts

-exercise and perform at least 4 hours of physical activity a week (2)

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but assess your daily routine. What can be taken out? Maybe a little TV? If being healthy and fit is important to you, then finding some time to exercise shouldn’t be too big of an issue. Honestly, after a few weeks, it will become second-nature and you‘ll start to notice improvements in your life. Get excited! They will only get better the longer you stick with it.

References

1. Berardi, John M., “Massive Eating Reloaded, Part II.” T-Nation, March 2004.

2. Berardi, John M., “G-Flux: Building the Ultimate Body.” February, 2006.

About the Author:

Tony Falaro is a trainer at Bodylines Fitness in Point Loma San Diego. To find out more details about Tony, and the studio go to Bodylinesfitness.com