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200 Calories is 200 Calories. Right?

“What’s that in the road ahead?”

vs.

“What’s that in the road!? A head!?”

Context is important.

Many people think weight loss is simply about cutting calories. But context counts here, too. Calories do have context and that’s what I want to explore today. Is a calorie from fat the same as a calorie from protein or carbohydrate? Depends on the context. Does day-to-day calorie monitoring make any difference if your week-to-week weight and energy expenditure are dialed in? Maybe not.

Most people (even many scientists) believe that the body composition challenge is a relatively simple equation: to lose weight you must reduce calories (either eat less or burn more), to gain weight you must add calories, and to maintain weight you keep calories constant. Calories in over calories out.

The truth is, it’s more like a complex equation where you have to factor in many other very important variables: Do I want to lose weight or just body fat? Do I want to gain weight or just muscle? How much muscle do I want to put on and how fast? What is my personal genetic “range” or limit for body fat or muscle? These are all different contexts. And these are further affected by supply (types and quantity of foods as well as frequency of meals) and metabolic demand (your relative immediate need for either energy, repair, or building). In the short-term, they are rate-limited by hormones (insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, cortisol etc). And in the long-term the range (or limits) of possible outcomes is determined by gene expression (5’8” ectomorphs simply can’t become 275-lb body-builders, but they can be well-proportioned 165-lb men or 135-lb women.). The context can also change day-to-day. That’s where you come in as the director.

Fat burning, glucose burning, ketone burning, glycogen storage, fat storage, gluconeogenesis, and protein turnover. All of these energy-related processes are going on simultaneously in each of us at all times. But the rate at which each of these processes happens is different in each of us and they can increase or decrease (sometimes dramatically) depending on the context of our present circumstances and our long term goals. All of these contexts utilize the same gene-based principles of energy metabolism – the biochemical machinery that we all share - but because they all involve different starting points as well as different goals or possible outcomes, they often require different action plans. We can alter the rate at which each of these metabolic processes happens simply by changing what and when we eat. We can change the context.

The RD’s will tell you that protein has four calories per gram, so when you figure your daily intake, budget calories accordingly. But protein is used by the body mostly for maintaining structure and function. Yes, it can be burned as fuel, but really only as a secondary source, and even then, it must be converted to glucose to be utilized. So, depending on the need within the body, the first 10, 20 or 30 grams of protein might go towards repair and growth – not energy. Do we therefore discount those first 30 grams when we “count calories?” Depends on the context. If you don’t exercise much and eat frequently and copiously all the time, maybe most of the protein you eat will count more towards your calorie budget (since your structural protein turnover is relatively less). On the other hand, if you run yourself ragged, are under a great deal of stress (lots of catabolic hormones) and generally don’t get much protein, maybe most of that one high-protein meal goes toward repair and won’t be called upon as fuel for days or weeks. Or maybe you’re coming off an IF day. Does it really count as calories today if it isn’t burned or stored as fat? If those protein calories today go to adding lean mass (muscle) that is retained for years, do those calories count today? Then again, as muscle it does offer a potential long-term stored source of energy when gluconeogenesis is increased. See what I mean? Depends on the context.

Fats aren’t just for fuel either. They can be integral parts of all cell membranes and hormones and can serve as critical protective cushioning for delicate organs. At what point do the fats we consume stop becoming structural and start becoming calorically dense fuel? Depends again on the context. If there’s a ton of carbohydrates accompanying the fat on a daily basis, it’s pretty certain that that fat will be stored as adipose tissue sooner rather than later. That’s nine calories per gram in the tank for future use (if ever). And that’s what adds up over time when you weigh yourself. OTOH, if you’ve withheld carbs for a few days and your insulin remains low, the fats from this meal might be used quickly to provide fuel for normal resting metabolic processes.

Keep your carbs low enough long enough and you get into ketosis, a fat-burning state that creates what many now refer to as the “metabolic advantage.” In this context, fats are fueling most of the body’s energy demands either directly as fatty acids or as the fat-metabolism byproducts called ketones. To the delight of those looking to burn off unwanted fat, it gets better. The body balances the acidic effect of any excess ketones by either excreting them in the urine (in today’s $5 a gallon economy, isn’t that wasting fuel?) and by using ketones and fatty acids to create a bit more glucose for the brain via gluconeogenesis in a fairly “energy inefficient” process.

Finally, let’s look at the lowly carbohydrate and its four calories per gram. All carbs are broken down into simple sugars, and eventually (and almost always) into glucose. The primary use of glucose from all carbohydrate food is as fuel, whether burned immediately as it passes by different organs and muscles or whether stored for later use. The brain, red blood cells, and nerve cells prefer glucose as primary fuel (but don’t absolutely require it – they can use ketones). Muscles that are working hard will prefer glucose if it is available, but don’t absolutely require it unless they are working very hard for very long. If it is not burned immediately as fuel, excess glucose will be first stored as glycogen in muscle and liver cells and then, if or when these glycogen storage depots are full, it will be converted to fatty acids and stored in fat cells as fat. The things to remember about carbs and to put into context: Carbs are not used as structural components in the body – they are used only as a form of fuel; glucose in the bloodstream is toxic to humans UNLESS it is being burned immediately as fuel. (For reference, “normal” blood sugar represents only about one teaspoon of glucose dissolved in the entire blood pool in your body). That’s why insulin is so critical to taking it out of the bloodstream and putting it somewhere FAST, like muscle cells or fat cells. Moreover, humans can exist quite easily without ever eating carbs, since the body has several mechanisms for generating glucose from the fat and proteins consumed, as well as from proteins stripped from muscle tissue. For all these reasons, in the PB-style of eating, carbs are lowest priority. Unless your context includes lots of endurance activities (or storing fat) there’s little reason to overdo the carbs (USDA and RDs’ recommendations notwithstanding).

So what’s the take home message from all this? To be honest, I thought maybe you could tell me! Maybe it’s that by understanding how these metabolic processes work, and knowing that we can control the rates at which each one happens through our diet (and exercise) we needn’t agonize over the day-to-day calorie counting. As long as we are generally eating a PB-style plan and providing the right context, our bodies will ease into a healthy, fit, long-lived comfort zone rather effortlessly.

Disease Proof via Wisegeek Photo

Further Reading:

Definitive Guides to:

The Primal Blueprint

Grains

Fats

Cholesterol

Insulin, Blood Sugar and Type 2 Diabetes

Stress, Cortisol and the Adrenals

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The end of relationship can be a difficult time for many people.  The sense of loss, the questions about what could have been, and the uncertainty about the future can be overwhelming at times.  However, there are many things you can do to help yourself cope.  In this article, I share 7 simple strategies.

1. Surround yourselves with friends

Your friends can offer wonderful support when you are feeling down.  They care about you and want to make sure that you are doing well.  Going out and having a fun time with the people that really care about you will keep you upbeat and positive.

Oftentimes when you are dating someone, the tendency can be to neglect the time you spend with your friends.  Fortunately, most friends are very understanding of this and won’t give you any slack when you come running back to them because are you are in need of some support.

Take full advantage of your friends’ generosity.  And remember: the next relationship you have, try not to neglect your friends so much.

2. Don’t play the blame game

When you’re feeling hurt or disappointed, it becomes very easy to play the blame game.  It’s very easy to list off your ex’s negative qualities and place on the blame on them.  Although this can feel satisfying in the moment - you get the ego trip of being the one who is “right” - it doesn’t really serve you to do this.

First, recognize that there are two sides to every story and, chances are, you share equal responsibility for why the relationship ended.  Don’t take it to the other extreme where you start blaming yourself incessantly.  The thoughts of “If only I did this instead” don’t really serve you either.  Completely blaming yourself is not a healthy thing to do.

Perhaps after some reflection, you can come to the realization that there is no blame required; that a relationship can end without it being anyone’s “fault.”  It takes a bit of maturity to realize that sometimes two people just aren’t compatible and things don’t always work out the way they do in Hollywood movies.

3. Heal Resentments and Hurts

You are probably going to want to be in another relationship in the future and, in order to give your next stab at the love the best possible chance, you want to start off with a clean slate.

Carrying unresolved anger and resentment into a future relationship will prevent it from developing on its own.  Unconscious fears that the same problems will occur as in the previous relationship will limit your ability to be present and authentic.

Instead, a healthier approach is to come to a place where you have forgiven any resentments you may have had and appreciate what you got out of that relationship.  Now, this can prove to be difficult to do at times, especially when you know you are right.  However, it is a beneficial step if you want to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.

4. Reconnect with Yourself

When you are in a relationship, your sense of identity can get wrapped up in another person.  It can feel like your partner is a part of you.  This is precisely the reason that a breakup can hurt so much: you can feel like you have lost a part of yourself.

Being newly single provides you the opportunity to connect with yourself once again.  You can realize that you are whole and complete on your own - that you don’t need anyone to complete you.  From here, you can seek out another partner, not from a place of lack but from a place of wholeness.  As a nice side effect, this also makes you far more attractive.

5. Clarify What You Are Looking For

After the breakup, you can look back at the relationship and clearly define for yourself what you liked and didn’t like both about your partner and about the relationship.  Maybe they were physically attractive and intelligence but they were emotionally closed off and didn’t have a great sense of humor.

Take this time to really define what qualities are important for you in the opposite sex and what you are looking for in your next relationship.  The more clarity you have now, the more intelligent choices you can make in the future.

6. Appreciate the Lessons

With all the experiences of the previous relationship comes a giant database of experiences from which you can learn some valuable lessons.  Ask yourself the following questions:

• What did I learn from this relationship?
• What would I have done differently?  Why?
• What made me a great partner? What didn’t make me a great partner?

By reflecting on these questions, you open yourself to some great insights into yourself.  With these insights, comes the opportunity for massive personal growth.

7. Decide What You Want Next

Now that you are single again, decide what you would like next.  Do you want to stay single for a while?  Would you like to get into another relationship soon?  Do you just want to wait and see what happens?

Decide where you want to go from here.  Perhaps you have been neglecting other areas of your life.  Maybe it’s time to put your focus back on your career or work on your health and fitness.  Create a road map for moving forward.

Please share your own strategies for recovering from a breakup by commenting.

Anand Dhillon writes about personal development and self-mastery at AnandDhillon.com. For more by Anand, read the series How to Master Money & Wealth.

 

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Familiar with rust? Of course, you are. You've probably observed in passing just what happens to brass when it is exposed to the elements. It's not a pretty sight, or maybe it is, if rust is your favorite color and if it is indeed a color. But anyway, let us not talk about that. Instead, let us talk about how rust is formed.

Rust is actually formed when oxygen reacts with metal, or more specifically, when oxygen reacts with iron. Iron is found in most metals and iron is also found in blood. Yes, even human blood. So every time we breathe, we take in oxygen and oxygen gets mixed in our blood which contains iron. A reaction between these two elements is a matter of course. And such a reaction, called oxidation, is the prime reason why we age, why we develop diseases, or why things happen to our body every which way.

Of course, oxygen is an essential element of life. However, that does not discount the fact that they can have negative effects as well. No, humans do not get rusty. Let's make that clear right now. It is just that what is essential for health might also be capable of disrupting cellular function and impairing efforts towards health by generating excessive amounts of oxygen byproducts known as free radicals.

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules. Because of their electron configuration (they are missing at least one electron), they tend to become unstable. To make up for their shortage of electrons, they search for other substances from which they can steal an electron. Free radicals are not necessarily bad but when they accumulate in the body, they could cause complications in the normal functioning of the cells.

Thankfully, our body comes with its own army of free radical fighters. Antioxidant substances, that's what they're called. Antioxidant substances may either be plant phytochemicals derived from a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables or from enzymes produced by our own body in reaction to certain nutrients. Either way, antioxidant substances have only one function and this function is apparent in their names: they neutralize oxygen radicals, or oxidants.

Antioxidant substances are capable of inhibiting the oxidation of target molecules. In other words, they act as an anti-rust mechanism. In general, antioxidant substances are divided into two categories. The first group of antioxidant substances is comprised those that have activity in water (like vitamin C). The second group on the other hand is composed of antioxidant substances that have activity in fat (like vitamin E and beta-carotene). Lipoic acid is an unusual antioxidant substance because it has both water and fat-soluble activity.

Comfrey oil can be used to make herbal remedies, such as comfrey herbal oil. Uses of comfrey include sprain home remedy and bruise remedy. This video shows how to make herbal remedies using comfrey oil. Benefits of Natural Health Remedies buy soma