Listener Q&A: Debunking Myths About Fat, Becoming Fat Adapted, And Are Whole Grains Really That Bad? (Breather Episode with Brad)

Apr 24, 2020

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There are a lot of myths about fat reduction and becoming fat adapted that we’ll be clearing up in this episode as I answer some more great questions from listeners.

We start off with a listener who shares a crazy tidbit from his personal history: “At age 35, the doctor said I could drop dead at any moment.” Yikes! Scary statements like these can often lead people to follow ill-advised approaches to weight loss that unfortunately, will usually result in them struggling, feeling like they’re failing, and then giving up on their prescribed diet regimen. And people who struggle to stick to diets and weight loss programs sadly tend to blame themselves, feeling like it’s their fault: they’re not disciplined enough, or just lazy. But weight loss and metabolism are complicated subjects that we’re still learning more about to this day. People aren’t failures or undisciplined, or just flat out lazy if they’re struggling to get (and keep) weight off - they’ve just probably not been given the correct tools, or the right advice from the most informed people. I’ve actually been listening to a great book by Dr. Jason Fung, The Obesity Code, that absolutely shatters the myth that “calories in, calories out” is the way to fat loss. This has been scientifically proven to be incorrect, yet the myth is still being perpetuated, and so many people continue to adhere to it, thinking it will lead to fat reduction. Wrong!

Fat reduction is ultimately all about lowering insulin. How do you lower insulin? Fasting is a great way to start - simply eating less frequently will help, and so will restricting (or eliminating) your consumption of refined carbohydrates, as these are all known to raise insulin. Dr. Cate Shanahan, author of the new book, The Fatburn Fix, recommends total elimination of refined industrial seed oils. This is a MUST: these oils cause dysfunctional fat metabolism….and if you can’t burn fat, then it’s going to be hard to cut carbs out of your diet - after all, what fuel can you burn if you already have dysfunctional fat metabolism?

Back to our first listener, who lost 45 pounds originally through a plant-based approach. He stopped eating processed foods and stuck to greens and high-starch vegetables and carbs. And he was ok...for a bit. A few years in, his weight started to go back up, which is not surprising considering how difficult it is to sustain a low fat, high carb diet. If you listened to my show with Dr. Saladino, you know that focusing on nutrient density (via animal foods) is what will give you long-term results, allowing you to lose weight and keep it off - for good.

I also talk about the importance of integrating the revised MAF formula into workouts, as it allows you to calculate the heart rate at which you burn the most fat. And keep in mind: you don’t actually have to do all your workouts at maximum aerobic heart rate - you can do the majority of your workouts at 20, 30, even 40 beats below your heart rate, because it’s simply not necessary to push it to the max each time you exercise. Remember that a comfortably paced workout can be both energizing and restorative, and that it’s very difficult for your body to kick back into fat-burning mode once you’ve tapped into glucose burning metabolism. Your body can’t easily switch back and forth between the two, so if you really want the maximum training effect, you have to stay aerobic for the entire duration of your workout.

When Dr. Ronesh Sinha was on the show, he shared how he has been able to demonstrate, through his work with his patients, that it is possible to reverse heart disease risk factors through diet. He’s even given presentations to other doctors and cardiologists about it, and explained how a low sugar, high-fat diet will allow triglyceride levels to drop to the “safe zone.” While 150 is considered to be a pretty standard level, Dr. Ron instead advises that people get their total triglyceride level under 100, as the 150 figure accounts for how sick and unhealthy most of the population is. And what about testosterone? A normal range for serum testosterone in males is 200 - 1,000, so if you find your numbers fall on the low side of the scale, check out my MOFO (Male Optimization Formula with Organs) supplement to get into the healthy range.

Next up is a question about plant-based eating: is it possible to become fat-adapted if you give up sugar, processed foods, and grains, forgo meat, and just eat plants? And are all grains bad, or is it really just processed grain products that do the most damage? Are whole grains still ok? Well, it depends on what your health objectives are….and your definition of ‘ok.’ The main issue with whole grains is that they raise insulin, in return for little nutritional benefits….Think about it this way: between a bowl of Skittles and a bowl of brown rice, there really is little to no difference, in the context of insulin production, in how they will impact your blood sugar. At the end of the day, it’s up to you….however, if you’re serious about reducing excessive insulin production in your diet, then why not make it a lot easier for yourself, and just stick to nutrient-dense, nose-to-tail animal foods? If you’re curious to read more about this topic in-depth, check out The Keto Reset Diet or The Primal Blueprint to get familiar with the foundation of the ancestral health movement and listen to my show with Dr. Paul Saladino. As he explains, what makes the carnivore diet so healing and energizing is its nutrient density, which is unparalleled in comparison to other foods, and is also frankly, a bit of a joke when compared to grains. The carnivore diet may seem ultra extreme to someone who’s been a plant-based eater for a while, but it always pays to keep an open mind so you can explore other options and really find what works for you. That’s all for today - have a good weekend, keep away from grains, and keep the questions coming!

TIMESTAMPS:

The myth that calories in and calories out has not been proven to lead to fat reduction, but rather the lowering of insulin. [04:02]

The listener’s question is: In the newly revised MAF formula, does one add five beats, because of age, to aerobic heart rate every time? [07:41]

The rider doing the hundred-mile event is asking about training using the MAF approach. The event is 99.9% aerobic so you need the proper training. [13:03]

The measurement of cholesterol is not as important as the triglycerides. [15:39]

Can you become fat adapted by just eating plants and giving up sugar? Grains? [18:08]

Whole grains have a higher level of anti-nutrients that cause so much trouble for so many people. [20:26]

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