Unlocking Fat Loss: The Science of Cold Exposure and Exercise

This episode I describe the science of fat loss, including how fat is mobilized and oxidized (burned) and how to increase fat burning by leveraging the nervous system. Most people don't realize it, but our neurons connect to our fat and release epinephrine/adrenaline to facilitate fat oxidation.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:31 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:06:00 Fat Loss: The Key Role of Neurons  

00:08:44 The First Law of Fat Loss  

00:11:00 Neurons Connect To Fat! (& That Really Matters)  

00:13:38 5 Pillars of Metabolism: Sleep, Essential Fatty Acids, Glutamine, Microbiome, Thyroid  

00:19:20 Mindset Truly Matters: Amazing Examples of Beliefs on Fat Loss  

00:23:08 Our Brain Talks To Our Fat  

00:25:00 The Most Incredible & Dangerous Fat Loss Agent  

00:27:28 Losing Fat Is a Two-Part Process: Mobilization and Oxidation  

00:32:25 The Critical Role of Adrenaline/Epinephrine, But NOT from Adrenal Glands  

00:34:45 Fidgeting & Shivering: A Powerful Science-Supported Method For Fat Loss  

00:41:24 How Fidgeting Works: Promotes Epinephrine Release into Fat. “N-E-A-T”  

00:44:55 Two Ways of Using Shivering To Accelerate Fat Loss  

00:47:30 White, Brown & Beige Fat; & Using Cold-Induced Shiver To Burn Fat  

00:50:25 How To Use Cold Properly To Stimulate Fat Loss: Succinate Release Is Key/Shiver  

00:52:26 Exact Protocols: (1-5X per week); Don’t Adapt! Submerge and Exit “Sets & Reps”  

00:56:15 thecoldplunge.com see “protocols” tab Cold-Shiver-Fat-Loss Tool (cost free)  

00:58:03 If Fat-Loss Is Your Goal, Avoid Cold Adaptation: Remember Polar Bear Swimmers  

00:58:17 Irisin: Underwhelming; Succinate Is The Real Deal  

01:00:00 Brown Fat, Why Babies Can’t Shiver and Becoming a Hotter Furnace, Adding Heat  

01:01:55 Ice On Back of The Neck, Cold Underpants: Not A Great Idea For Fat Loss  

01:04:00 A Key Paper For the Aficionados: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2826518/  

01:05:00 Spot Reduction: There May Be Hope After All. Targeting Specific Fat Pads.  

01:09:20 Exercising For Fat Loss: What Is Best? High Intensity, Sprinting, Moderate Intensity?  

01:13:30 Exercising Fasted: Does It Truly Accelerate Fat Loss/Oxidation.  

01:16:30 The 90 Minute Rule: After 90 Minutes, The Fasted Exercisers Start To Burn More Fat  

01:18:15 If High-Intensity Training Is Done First, The Benefits of Fasting Arrive Before 90min.  

01:22:44 Post-Exercise Metabolic Increases: How To Bias This Toward Fat Oxidation  

01:26:05 A Protocol For Exercise-Induced Fat Loss; Adrenalin Is The Effector  

01:28:50 Supplements/Compounds For Fat Loss Part: Caffeine Fidgeting, & Caffeine Adaptation  

01:34:30 Ephedrine, Fenfluramine: Removed From Market Due to Safety Concerns  

01:35:22 GLP1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide 1), Yerba Mate, Guayusa Tea, Semaglutide  

01:40:30 Berberine, Metformin: Glucose/Insulin Reduction, Increase Fat Oxidation: But Caution  

01:41:28 Gardner Lab Results: What You Eat May Not Matter, But Adherence Is Key Tool  

01:43:00 examine.com & Enter “Yerba Mate”: Lowers Heart Rate Even Though Is a Stimulant  

01:44:35 Acetyl-L-Carnitine: Facilitates Fat Oxidation  

01:48:00 Summary List of Tools & How Nervous System Controls Fat Loss  

01:51:20 Cost Free & Other Ways To Support Our Podcast, Making Sure We See Feedback  

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