MASS Office Hours Episode 25 (Can you stay shredded?)
Feb 28, 2024
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Exploring the challenges of staying shredded year-round, discussing the physiological consequences and misconceptions in the fitness industry. Analyzing energy availability and weight regulation, highlighting the complexities of maintaining a lean physique. Addressing the impact of low-calorie diets on metabolic adaptations and body weight regulation. Emphasizing the importance of stress testing constructed narratives in the fitness field.
Physiological consequences and improper approaches make staying lean difficult long term in fitness industry.
Energy availability and adaptive thermogenesis are crucial factors affecting ability to stay shredded year round.
Deep dives
Article Overview and Audio Discussion
The podcast episode features an audio discussion of a cover story article from the Mass Research Review titled 'Can You Stay Shredded?' This episode delves into the challenges of maintaining a shredded physique year-round in the fitness industry. It questions whether physiological consequences or improper diet and exercise approaches make staying lean difficult in the long term.
Energy Availability and RED-S
The episode explores the concept of energy availability and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), discussing the physiological effects of low energy intake relative to lean body mass and exercise expenditure. It highlights how low energy availability can lead to symptoms like hormonal imbalances and negative impacts on health and performance in athletes and individuals involved in intense physical activities.
Adaptive Thermogenesis and Body Fat Set Points
The discussion shifts towards adaptive thermogenesis, detailing how the body adjusts energy expenditure after substantial weight loss, independent of body fat levels. It contrasts studies on metabolic adaptations in lean and overweight individuals during energy restriction, emphasizing the link between body composition and responses to weight loss interventions, including changes in testosterone and muscle protein breakdown.
Practical Applications and Observations
The episode concludes by addressing practical implications for individuals seeking to maintain a lean physique. It highlights the importance of understanding lower and upper intervention points in body fat regulation and emphasizes the need for comprehensive assessments and long-term monitoring when pursuing extreme leanness for a sustained period. The episode stresses the significance of stress-testing theoretical models against relevant data to ensure their validity and practical utility in real-world scenarios.
The MASS team is taking this week off, so we’re bringing you a special pre-recorded episode of Office Hours. This video comes from Volume 6, Issue 7 of the MASS Research Review.
In the fitness industry many claim that with their system, supplement, or coaching, you can have your lean, dream body 24/7. While some get really lean, few, including bodybuilders, maintain a shredded physique year round. Why is this? Are there inevitable physiological consequences that make it very difficult to stay really lean, or are people just doing it wrong?
In this audio discussion, Dr. Helms (who is joined by Dr. Trexler) takes a nuanced look at the challenges associated with getting (and staying lean), and some of the limiting factors that threaten our ability to stay shredded for extended periods of time.
We'll be back to live episodes at 7pm (eastern time) on Wednesday, March 6th.
If you'd like to submit a question for a future episode, please use this link:
https://forms.gle/9Ah39mefs8cuVa9H7
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