Categories
ARTICLES OF INTERESTBestsellersInformation |
Training, Diet & Supplementation for Women #3Stored Triglycerides - Body Fat We Want to LOSEWhile all cells contain some fat, it is mainly stored in muscle (intramuscular triglycerides) and in adipose tissue (body fat). Adipose tissue is the body's main fat storage site and the fat we all want to lose. Adipose tissue is divided into individual cells called adipocytes. These adipocytes hold stored triglyceride (1 glycerol molecule bonded to 3 fatty acids) droplets, which serve as a source of energy for the body. These droplets make up 95% of adipocytes' volume. In order for this storage of potential energy (60,000-100,000 kcal) to be used and to LOSE BODYFAT (everyone's goal), it must be mobilized through lipolysis (the breakdown of triglycerides). Lipolysis involves splitting the triglycerides into a glycerol molecule and 3 separate fatty acids (FFA). Once the fatty acids diffuse (exit) from the adipocytes, they bind to plasma albumin (a protein in the blood) in order to be transported to active tissues where they can be burned. In order to lose body fat, the fatty acids must be burned!
Transport of FFA to be Burned!Blood flow is of prime importance to the transportation of FFA away from adipocytes and through the circulation to active tissues where they can be burned. This is especially important during exercise where energy requirements are heightened. Low blood flow could cause the accumulation of FFA within adipose tissue resulting in less available FFA to be oxidized and a greater chance of FFA to be turned back into triglycerides. It has been found that the stubborn fat areas (thighs and butt) have poor blood flow. Therefore in order to get rid of stubborn fat we must increase blood flow. What is the best way to increase blood flow? Exercise! In addition to this certain supplements can also increase blood flow (more on this later). Increasing blood flow throughout the body will assist in losing weight by transporting FFA to where they can be burned. FFA Oxidation - Burning Body FatWhen the FFAs reach muscle tissue, they are transported into a muscle cell. Once in the muscle cell, the FFAs can re-esterfy (rebind) with glycerol to form triglycerides to be stored in the muscle or bind with intramuscular proteins to be used for energy production in the mitochondria. In the mitochondria, the fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation, meaning they are burned for energy. We want the FFAs to be burned in the mitochondria. Increasing energy demands through exercise is the best way to accomplish but there are supplements that can help give you an extra boost. Summary Thus Far:
Knowing these facts allows us to choose supplements that will assist in burning through stubborn fat. The next chapter will go over a cardio protocol that can help burn stubborn fat and then go over some supplements to help burn fat in stubborn areas. Stubborn Fat Cardio ProtocolWe learned that NE/E activate the receptors that stimulate lipolysis (fat breakdown). Research shows that NE/E secretion increases with exercise intensity. In addition, as cardio duration increases fat utilization increases while carbohydrate utilization decreases. So we need to perform high-intensity cardio for a long duration of time to maximize fat burning. The only problem is one cannot maintain high-intensity cardio for a long duration. So how can we overcome this while maximizing fat loss? By doing the following: 10-15 minutes HIIT followed by 15-30 minutes of Low-Intensity Cardio. High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is training where you alternate between intervals of high-intensity and low-intensity exercise. An example would be sprinting all-out for 100 meters then walking for 100 meters then repeating. One cannot sprint at full intensity for a prolonged time because sprinting and any other form of high-intensity cardio utilizes the anaerobic energy systems, specifically the Phosphocreatine system, which power short-term activity. After going all out, one must rest and give the Phosphocreatine system time to "recharge". Additionally after sprinting all-out a couple times you are going to start feeling fatigued. After 10 sprints you are pretty much worn out. While you might not be able to sprint at full speed anymore you can still walk and jog as the intensity is not as high as sprinting and other uses the aerobic energy systems. Knowing this we can setup a cardio program to maximize fat burning:
This cardio could be done on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, running track, etc. We usually recommend the elliptical machine as it is low impact and easy to change speeds. We also recommend doing the Stubborn Fat Cardio Protocol separate from weight training, either first thing in the morning (if training in the evening) or on off days from the gym. To start, we recommend doing the Stubborn Fat Cardio Protocol 2-4 times per week. In addition, you can perform low-intensity cardio post-workout or on off days if Stubborn Fat Cardio is done on weight training days. This is optional, but will speed up fat loss. We recommend having at least one day a week completely off from all exercise. The Stubborn Fat Supplement StackIn order to lose that last bit of stubborn fat, you will have to diet and train more intensely. Sometimes that doesn't work or is just straight up not possible. This is where specific dietary supplements that target fat loss come into play. We will now go over supplements that will help increase fat loss in stubborn areas. This strategy works great when coupled with a diet from GetPhatOnline.com to help increase fat loss especially in stubborn areas. Have you been working out and dieting consistently but you are not seeing the results you want? Are you starting to lean out, but you have some stubborn fat that will not go away? Most likely, this stubborn fat is on your hips and thighs. No matter how many lunges and squats you do, this fat just will not go away. Well, there is a reason for this. Women tend to store fat on specific areas of their body (hips and thighs) to the placement of specific receptors that make it hard to burn fat in those areas. Knowing this, PGN and its team of experts has developed Trimfat to increase fat loss and get rid of those stubborn fat areas once and for all! Read on to find out how you can be on your way to the tight, sexy body of your dreams! Norepinephrine and Adrenergic ReceptorsBody fat storage is controlled by many different factors ranging from diet to hormones to receptor density (the amount of receptors in one area). Of importance to this article is receptor density. Without diving to deep into the nerdy science stuff, a receptor can be looked at like a lock that a key (i.e. a hormone) fits into. The term "adrenaline" is commonly used to refer to the body's excitatory catecholamines, Epinephrine (E) and Norepinephrine (NE), which are regulators of lipolysis (fat breakdown). NE and E acts on receptors called adrenergic receptors of which there are alpha (1 & 2) and beta (1, 2, & 3) subtypes. Activation of the alpha1 and beta-receptors is lipolytic (causes fat breakdown) while activation of the alpha2 receptor is anti-lipolytic (blunts fat breakdown). Stubborn fat areas have a high density of alpha2 receptors, making it harder for fat breakdown to occur in that area. If you are a women this means you have a large amount of alpha2 receptors in your thighs and glutes. This is the reason why the fat in those areas are so hard to get rid of! In order to burn stubborn fat we must override the inhibitory effect of the alpha2 receptors. PGN Trimfat was designed to target stubborn fat areas in addition to providing an exercise and overall metabolic boost. B VitaminsVitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCl): 50mg The B vitamins are essential to whole body metabolism, especially fat loss. Whey Protein - Lose Fat and SMILE for Taste!Protein Benefits and Requirements for Active Women - Throw Your Old Diet Away!Absolutely ridiculous! This is what I thought aloud while reading a popular diet book for women. It was appalling. Yogurt, cereal, coffee and a glass of juice for breakfast. Where the heck is the protein!? Sure, yogurt has some, but not enough to sustain the energy, satiation and nutrition that an active woman needs. It is time to set the record straight. We need to take these old school, fairy tale diets and trash them! Just as we burned our bras in the 60's for equal rights, let's burn our old diet books and get with the program-Women NEED protein! Unfortunately, protein is a nutrient often downplayed when it comes to women's diets. For some reason, many people seem to think women don't need to emphasize protein in their diets, but I am here to tell you that we DO. Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of many tissues in the body, including muscle. Certain amino acids are "essential", which means the body cannot make them and they must be obtained through your diet. When you workout, you breakdown muscle tissue. In order to repair that muscle tissue and gain lean mass and become stronger, you must give the body protein to supply the amino acids needed for recovery. If you do not get enough protein in your diet your body will not have enough amino acids, specifically essential amino acids, to work properly and recovery from workouts. Where will it get these amino acids you are lacking? That's right, from muscle tissue! All that hard work will be wasted! In addition to being required to recover from workouts, protein and amino acids are important for many reasons, such as:
Now that we know why protein is so darn important, let's find out how much protein a woman needs. The recommended daily allowance of protein for SEDENTARY adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight (0.8g/kg) or 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight (0.36g/lb). One should note that the recommended protein ratio is the same for both men and women. But what about active women, do they need more protein than sedentary women? The answer is a resounding YES.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition's recently released its current stand on protein intake:
From this we see that active women would benefit from consuming 2 grams/kg of bodyweight, which is about 1 gram/lb of bodyweight. For a 150 lb woman, this means that she needs 150 grams of protein per day. Ideally your protein should be spaced out throughout the day. If you eat five meals a day, this would be 30 grams of protein per meal (continuing with the example above). So let's put this number into action and outline and example diet. I will just list the proteins and not the carbs and fats because they will vary depending on your diet and goals.
Good Protein Sources
There is no reason why you cannot hit your protein needs DAILY! With quality, low carb and fat protein powders, it is delicious and easy to whip up a fast shake and satisfy that sweet tooth at the same time. Dietary protein is very important in a woman's diet. Women need the same amount of protein as men (adjusted for bodyweight). It is recommended that active women eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you want to progress in the gym and reach your goals for the body of your dreams, eat your protein and don't let anyone tell you that women don't need to eat protein!
Note: Low-intensity cardio can be done post-weight training or on your off days when you don't do the Stubborn Fat Cardio Protocol. Conclusion and Summary of Main PointsWe have gone over a lot of information and hopefully helped you understand the way women need to diet and train in order to gain lean muscle and lose fat. To make things easy, we will now summarize the main points of this Women's Bible.
|