I’m worried because I’ve got too much energy!
July 9, 2009 by admin
That’s not something that you hear every day (or every life time – it makes most people happy), but the other week a client named Alyssa came in rather concerned because:
#1. She was dropping fat too fast (she had dropped 2.5 inches off her waist in the first 2 weeks).
#2. She had too much energy.
This puppy is way too energetic! And too cute.
She was worried that maybe there was some kind of stimulant in the Atkins protein shakes that she had been drinking as mid morning and mid afternoon snacks. I assured her that other than the coffee flavored ones, they have no caffeine whatsoever.
Low Energy & High Body Fat Are Actually Two Sides Of The Same Coin
Accumulating extra body-fat and having less energy are actually two sides of the same coin – insulin resistance.
If you are prone to gain extra fat, then you have at least some degree of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when your cells can’t “hear” or don’t respond very well to insulin. Usually this is only in your lean (non-fat) tissue.
Lets say that you had a healthy breakfast of bacon, eggs and spinach. Your body will be running off of fat afterwards. Then lunch rolls around and you have a sandwich. The bread from the sandwich will unleash a flood of carbs into your bloodstream that must be dealt with.
In response your body will secrete insulin. The insulin sends the fat that you were using for fuel before back to your fat cells for storage in an attempt to force your body to burn off the carbs because blood sugar is toxic if it gets too high.
The problem is that if your lean tissue (non-fat) has any level of insulin resistance then it doesn’t respond very well to the insulin and can’t do a very good job of taking in the carbs, so blood sugar remains elevated.
In this scenario your lean tissue is actually being starved by the act of eating carbs: the fat that your lean tissue was burning is unavailable, and they can’t really do a very good job of taking in the carbs, so the lean tissue doesn’t have enough fuel. Hunger is determined by how well your energy needs are being met. So you are both tired and hungry.
Since your blood sugar levels remain elevated (because your lean tissue couldn’t handle the carbs), your body releases more insulin. At this point the carbs (energy) gets sequestered away in the only tissue that can take them in – your fat.
Carbs make susceptible people fat, hungry and tired.
Josef Brandenburg is Washington, DC’s top personal trainer for busy people. He shows normal people with hectic lives and average genetics how to create the bodies they want in the time they actually have. To find out more about the 7-Day Free Trial click here. You can also pick up a copy of his brand new CD – “Why Eat Less and Exercise More is The Worst Advice Ever” here.
