Expert Fat Loss Guide: Learn How To Lose Fat. Too many people view fat loss like it is a secret VIP party that requires you to do or say the right thing to get invited. In one sense this is true. Those that are lean understand what must be done to lose fat without gimmicks or quick fixes. Fat loss is a biological process that does not need to be shrouded in mystery.
It is not as easy as some of the gimmicks would have you believe but an understanding of the processes that lead to fat loss will allow you to make the correct decisions to get you where you want to be. This guide contains everything you need to achieve real, dependable fat loss.
There are no quick fixes here. This is only for those that are willing to put in the work and reap the benefits of that work.
So read up, because this is your formal invitation to the party. Setting Goals. Before you even get started on a fat loss plan the first thing you want to do is to set goals for yourself. This goal could be to lose 3. Whether your goal is to lose a certain number of pounds or to just achieve a certain look you will need to set a reasonable time frame to achieve this. If you do not set a time frame there will be no sense of urgency when trying to make progress. Rate of Progress. When it comes to the rate at which progress can be made fat loss is far different from muscle growth.
Whereas building muscle is a slow process, fat loss can take place at a pretty rapid pace. We have all seen the commercials that promise to help you lose 1. While it is entirely possible to lose huge amounts of weight in short periods of time, this is not what we are aiming for.
I firmly believe that this is THE bodybuilder’s diet. Nothing is going to pack on mass quite like it. You are about to be introduced to a diet that will allow you.
Losing weight too quickly will lead to muscle loss. Losing muscle on a fat loss plan will only result in a lower metabolism, a less attractive physique, compromised health, and ultimately a higher chance that the weight lost will be put back on. On any fat loss plan you should strive to lose 1- 2 lbs. This rate of loss will ensure that all weight losses will be fat and not muscle tissue.
This will also make sure that progress will continue without a metabolism stall. Individualized Approach. One common theme you will see as you read this guide is that fat loss is best maximized with an individual approach. To get the best possible results a cookie cutter plan will not do. Many things must be taken into account when putting together an effective plan. This guide will show you how to make adjustments based on your individual body type. Definitions and Common Terms.
Calories - Calories are a unit of measurement used to describe how much energy value is in food. Excess calories that are not used as energy are stored as fatty tissue within the body. Micronutrients - Micronutrients are nutrients that the body only needs in trace amounts. Examples of micronutrients are most vitamins and minerals. Amino Acids - Amino acids are the compounds that make up proteins. They are commonly referred to as the building blocks of protein.
Different types of proteins vary in the types and amounts of amino acids that they contain. Glycogen - Glycogen is carbohydrate stored within the human body.
When carbohydrates are ingested they are stored within muscle tissue and liver as glycogen. Glycogen is a primary energy source for the body. Metabolic Rate - Metabolic rate refers to the rate at which a person's body uses energy. A higher metabolic rate will use energy more quickly, leading to a leaner physique. Protein Synthesis - The process through which amino acids are arranged into proteins.
Protein synthesis is the process of muscle growth. Anabolic (Anabolism) - Anabolic is the state of muscle growth. If you are building muscle you are in an anabolic state. Catabolic (Catabolism) - Catabolic is the state of muscle breakdown. If you are losing muscle you are in a catabolic state. Aerobic - Aerobic exercise is exercise that requires the presence of oxygen.
Anaerobic - Anaerobic exercise is exercise that does not require the presence of oxygen. Substrate - A substrate is any material or substance upon which an enzyme acts. Determining Your Body Type. Role of Body Type in Fat Loss.
When trying to lose fat body type is very important to both diet and training. Different body types will require varying levels of calories, macronutrients, and training volumes. Before you can determine how much to eat and how much to train you must know your body type. Image courtesy of Govt. Ectomorphs (or ectos for short) are categorized by one word, THIN. The bone structure of an ectomorph is very narrow. This means that ectos usually have a small rib cage, narrow shoulders, and long thinner limbs.
An ectomorph will struggle to add both muscle and fat, so adding body weight is usually a slow process. Even though ectomorphs will have difficulty getting bigger and stronger their typically fast metabolisms give them a huge advantage when trying to get lean. When trying to get lean muscle loss will always be a concern for the ectomorph. Mesomorph. Mesomorphs (or mesos for short) are the genetic lottery winners. They are typically athletic looking even with little to no training.
Mesomorphs usually have wide shoulders and somewhat thinner waists. One of the main characteristics of a mesomorph is that they add muscle AND lose fat easily. Although mesomorphs have genetic advantages they are not immune to getting out of shape. If they wish to maintain or improve their physiques, a proper training routine and diet must be employed. Endomorph. Endomorphs (or endos for short) are somewhat the opposite of an ectomorph.
They have a wide bone structure. This means that an endo’s rib cage, shoulders, and waist are usually wide. An endomorph will gain both muscle and fat very easily.
Because of this most endomorphs struggle to maintain a lean physique. Although it is harder for an endomorph to get lean, it is not impossible. Also, their body’s ability to add and maintain muscle tissue gives them a big advantage when losing fat. Calories and the Macronutrients. The three macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Get to know them well.
The ins and outs of these nutrients are vital to losing fat. Each of these serves a particular function within the body, so it is essential that they be supplied in the correct amounts. Body type also plays a huge role in how your body reacts to these nutrients as well.
Different body types will have different recommendations for each nutrient and calorie intake. Calories. Most people are familiar with calories but few know exactly what they are. Calories are units of measure assigned to foods to show how much energy it contains. Your body expends a certain number of calories as energy everyday. If you consume more calories than you expend, the excess will be stored as body fat.
Many people drastically cut calories to lose weight, however, as this article states, that is a self defeating plan. Instead, follow healthy eating plans with plenty. There are a lot of conflicting views and advice on the web about what is a well formulated ketogenic diet, especially for weight loss. Lots of people promote Bullet. Learn how much muscle you can gain, how fast you can build it, and how long muscle growth will take for a man or woman per week, month or year. Confused about how to lose fat? Learn the TRUTH about fat loss once and for all and start losing body fat today.
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If you consume less than you expend everyday your body will have to use stored body fat to meet energy needs. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates all have calories.
One gram of protein contains 4 calories, one gram of fat contains 9 calories, and one gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories. These are the calorie recommendations based on each particular body type. Ectomorph - Body weight x 1. Mesomorph - Body weight x 1. Endomorph - Body weight x 1.
This is not the whole story though. Not all calories are created equal.
Calories consumed from protein, carbs, and fat will not all be processed the same way within the body. Keep reading to find out why.
Protein. Proteins are unbelievably important molecules to the human body. Different proteins have different functions depending on the type. Some are used as contractile proteins which allow muscles to contract and lift weight. Other proteins are enzymes that cause chemical reactions within the body, and some proteins can be used for energy.
On any fat loss plan protein is absolutely essential to maintaining muscle tissue. When protein is ingested the body breaks it down into amino acids and sends it into the bloodstream. Once these amino acids are in the bloodstream they will be taken up by cells within the body.
The body prefers to use protein for storage as muscle tissue rather than to use it for energy. Proteins can be broken down and used for energy if the body needs it though.
This process of synthesizing glucose is called glucogenesis. Glucogenesis as a result of protein breakdown is not preferred when trying to maintain muscle mass. Not only does this process result in the breakdown of muscle tissue but protein also yields less energy per unit than carbohydrates or fat. So protein is best used as a substrate or building block of sorts, rather than being used for energy.
Fat is the most energy dense nutrient. Whereas protein and carbs both contain 4 calories per gram, fat contains 9 calories per gram. The downside to fat is that it is easily stored as adipose tissue (fat). An important function of fat is its role in the production of testosterone. One thing must be understood about a fat loss diet: testosterone will be lower when calories are restricted. This is just a natural response.
The body senses that energy is in short supply and decides that less energy can be “spent” on muscle growth. Fat acids are a substrate for cholesterol, meaning that fatty acids must be available to create cholesterol. This is important because cholesterol is eventually converted to testosterone. If fat intake is too low there will not be enough fatty acids available for optimal testosterone productions. This will lead to an even lower level of testosterone. When on a diet, fats do not serve as many functions as protein and carbs once a certain intake is reached.
Since fats are much more calorie dense than protein and carbs they also are the easiest choice to cut once it is time to get serious about fat loss. The important thing is to cut fat intake when attempting to lean out, at the same time making sure daily intake does not drop so low that testosterone levels are negatively affected. Glucose is a primary energy source that fuels the brain, muscle tissue, and organs.
Anabolic steroid - Wikipedia. This article is about androgens as medications. For androgens as natural hormones, see Androgen. Anabolic steroids, also known more properly as anabolic- androgenic steroids (AAS). They are anabolic and increase protein within cells, especially in skeletal muscles.
AAS also have varying degrees of androgenic and virilizing effects, including induction of the development and maintenance of masculinesecondary sexual characteristics such as the growth of the vocal cords and body hair. The word anabolic, referring to anabolism, comes from the Greek .
The American College of Sports Medicine acknowledges that AAS, in the presence of adequate diet, can contribute to increases in body weight, often as lean mass increases and that the gains in muscular strength achieved through high- intensity exercise and proper diet can be additionally increased by the use of AAS in some individuals. Their use is referred to as doping and banned by most major sporting bodies.
For many years, AAS have been by far the most detected doping substances in IOC- accredited laboratories. Testosterone is now nearly the only androgen used for this purpose and has been shown to increase height, weight, and fat- free mass in boys with delayed puberty. These sports include bodybuilding, weightlifting, shot put and other track and field, cycling, baseball, wrestling, mixed martial arts, boxing, football, and cricket.
Such use is prohibited by the rules of the governing bodies of most sports. AAS use occurs among adolescents, especially by those participating in competitive sports. It has been suggested that the prevalence of use among high- school students in the U. S. Oral administration is the most convenient. Testosterone administered by mouth is rapidly absorbed, but it is largely converted to inactive metabolites, and only about 1/6 is available in active form. In order to be sufficiently active when given by mouth, testosterone derivatives are alkylated at the 1.
This modification reduces the liver's ability to break down these compounds before they reach the systemic circulation. Testosterone can be administered parenterally, but it has more irregular prolonged absorption time and greater activity in muscle in enanthate, undecanoate, or cypionateester form. These derivatives are hydrolyzed to release free testosterone at the site of injection; absorption rate (and thus injection schedule) varies among different esters, but medical injections are normally done anywhere between semi- weekly to once every 1. A more frequent schedule may be desirable in order to maintain a more constant level of hormone in the system.
In addition, because estered testosterone is dissolved in oil, intravenous injection has the potential to cause a dangerous embolism (clot) in the bloodstream. Transdermal patches (adhesive patches placed on the skin) may also be used to deliver a steady dose through the skin and into the bloodstream.
Testosterone- containing creams and gels that are applied daily to the skin are also available, but absorption is inefficient (roughly 1. Individuals who are especially physically active and/or bathe often may not be good candidates, since the medication can be washed off and may take up to six hours to be fully absorbed. There is also the risk that an intimate partner or child may come in contact with the application site and inadvertently dose himself or herself; children and women are highly sensitive to testosterone and can suffer unintended masculinization and health effects, even from small doses. Injection is the most common method used by individuals administering AAS for non- medical purposes.
Studies indicate that the anabolic properties of AAS are relatively similar despite the differences in pharmacokinetic principles such as first- pass metabolism. However, the orally available forms of AAS may cause liver damage in high doses. AAS were ranked 1. Long- term steroid abusers may develop symptoms of dependence and withdrawal on discontinuation of AAS.
Recreational AAS use appears to be associated with a range of potentially prolonged psychiatric effects, including dependence syndromes, mood disorders, and progression to other forms of substance abuse, but the prevalence and severity of these various effects remains poorly understood. As a result, AAS users may get misdiagnosed by a psychiatrist not told about their habit. Case reports describe both hypomania and mania, along with irritability, elation, recklessness, racing thoughts and feelings of power and invincibility that did not meet the criteria for mania/hypomania. Compared with individuals that did not use steroids, young adult males that used AAS reported greater involvement in violent behaviors even after controlling for the effects of key demographic variables, previous violent behavior, and polydrug use.
The drug response was highly variable. However: 8. 4% of subjects exhibited minimal psychiatric effects, 1. The mechanism of these variable reactions could not be explained by demographic, psychological, laboratory, or physiological measures.
There have been anecdotal reports of depression and suicide in teenage steroid users. A 1. 99. 2 review found that AAS may both relieve and cause depression, and that cessation or diminished use of AAS may also result in depression, but called for additional studies due to disparate data.
Most of these side- effects are dose- dependent, the most common being elevated blood pressure, especially in those with pre- existing hypertension. For example, AAS may prematurely stop the lengthening of bones (premature epiphyseal fusion through increased levels of estrogen metabolites), resulting in stunted growth. Other effects include, but are not limited to, accelerated bone maturation, increased frequency and duration of erections, and premature sexual development. AAS use in adolescence is also correlated with poorer attitudes related to health. Development of breast tissue in males, a condition called gynecomastia (which is usually caused by high levels of circulating estradiol), may arise because of increased conversion of testosterone to estradiol by the enzyme aromatase. This side- effect is temporary; the size of the testicles usually returns to normal within a few weeks of discontinuing AAS use as normal production of sperm resumes. Alteration of fertility and ovarian cysts can also occur in females.
The kidney damage in the bodybuilders has similarities to that seen in morbidly obese patients, but appears to be even more severe. Water- soluble peptide hormones cannot penetrate the fatty cell membrane and only indirectly affect the nucleus of target cells through their interaction with the cell’s surface receptors.
However, as fat- soluble hormones, AAS are membrane- permeable and influence the nucleus of cells by direct action. The pharmacodynamic action of AAS begin when the exogenous hormone penetrates the membrane of the target cell and binds to an androgen receptor (AR) located in the cytoplasm of that cell. From there, the compound hormone- receptor diffuses into the nucleus, where it either alters the expression of genes.
It has been hypothesized that this reduction in muscle breakdown may occur through AAS inhibiting the action of other steroid hormones called glucocorticoids that promote the breakdown of muscles. Through a number of mechanisms AAS stimulate the formation of muscle cells and hence cause an increase in the size of skeletal muscles, leading to increased strength. Depending on the length of use, the side effects of the steroid can be irreversible. Processes affected include pubertal growth, sebaceous gland oil production, and sexuality (especially in fetal development). Some examples of virilizing effects are growth of the clitoris in females and the penis in male children (the adult penis size does not change due to steroids. Men may develop an enlargement of breast tissue, known as gynecomastia, testicular atrophy, and a reduced sperm count.
Compounds with a high ratio of androgenic to an anabolic effects are the drug of choice in androgen- replacement therapy (e. Determination of androgenic: anabolic ratio is typically performed in animal studies, which has led to the marketing of some compounds claimed to have anabolic activity with weak androgenic effects. This disassociation is less marked in humans, where all AAS have significant androgenic effects. The VP weight is an indicator of the androgenic effect, while the LA weight is an indicator of the anabolic effect. Two or more batches of rats are castrated and given no treatment and respectively some AAS of interest. The LA/VP ratio for an AAS is calculated as the ratio of LA/VP weight gains produced by the treatment with that compound using castrated but untreated rats as baseline: (LAc,t–LAc)/(VPc,t–VPc).
The LA/VP weight gain ratio from rat experiments is not unitary for testosterone (typically 0. AAS, which have their androgenic: anabolic ratios scaled accordingly (as shown in the table above). Animal studies also found that fat mass was reduced, but most studies in humans failed to elucidate significant fat mass decrements.
The effects on lean body mass have been shown to be dose- dependent. Both muscle hypertrophy and the formation of new muscle fibers have been observed. The hydration of lean mass remains unaffected by AAS use, although small increments of blood volume cannot be ruled out. After drug withdrawal, the effects fade away slowly, but may persist for more than 6–1. AAS use. Overall, the exercise where the most significant improvements were observed is the bench press.
AR agonists are antigonadotropic – that is, they dose- dependently suppress gonadal testosterone production and hence reduce systemic testosterone concentrations.