Metabolic Diet, Carb Back loading
The science behind carb back loading is the variations between Insulin and Growth Hormone. These two hormones act opposite of each other, once insulin raises growth hormone decreases. I like to think about insulin as your freak out hormone, once it gets released into your body it takes all available sustenance in your body and stores it (fat). Growth hormone feeds off fat and leans out your body, it also repairs all your bumps and bruises inside your body and makes you whole again. So you want high growth hormone and low insulin levels.
Your body is used to using glycogen stores for energy (ATP), this is a product of our society and life in the 21st century. Your body knows how to use fat for energy it just prefers to use glycogen. To start the Metabolic Diet it is preferred to do a 12 day period of 30 or less grams of carbohydrates. This time period will shock your body into using fat for energy. It is important to finish your 12 days with a carb loading period of 2 days. This will restore your glycogen levels and give you a boost of energy. After your two days of carb loading go back to 30 grams or less for 5 days, this diet works best with a normal 5 day work schedule. Low carbs during the week and eat freely on the weekend.
After your initial 12 days when you load up on carbs your body will have a “hard” feeling and the veins in your arms, hands and feet will bulge out; this is glycogen stores returning to your body. After a few weeks of this you’ll notice getting soft during your carb loading period, this should end your carb load. This feeling means your glycogen stores have been refilled and you will store the rest of the carbs you eat as fat.
A sample day of low carbs looks like this:
Wake Up: 2-3 Eggs, and meat source (bacon, sausage, ham)and coffee (no cream or sugar)
Mid-Morning snack: Diet soda and beef sticks
Lunch: Salad with meat and low carb dressing
Mid-Afternoon snack: Water and a hand full or un-salted nut
Dinner: Salad, low carb wrap (wrap, cheese, meat, lettuce, avocado)
Feel free to substitute any meals with low carb meals from restaurants. Some quick and easy examples are a salad from Chipotle or an unwitch from Jimmie Johns. Lately it seems that any restaurant you go to has a salad or wrap option. Diet soda is an acceptable option as well, as for
To keep yourself accountable with your low carb diet by keep a food log. Don’t concentrate on calories but keep track of your carbohydrates and do your best to keep them under 30 grams. This is not an easy diet. Carbs have become part of our life and comfort in America, however, use this as a test of your self control and discipline. When you stay strong doing this diet you will get a feeling of accomplishment knowing that you can deny yourself of something and still be able to function. Let me know your thoughts on twitter @TMillion82 or hit me up on Facebook!
Reference:
www.metabolicdiet.com
