A question from one of our readers:
Dr. Mericle,
With respect to burning "fat" energy in the mornings before eating, what if you are not a long distance runner? The average person is not, particularly someone who is overweight. A typical run for me in my current condition is 2-3 miles. Would I still be burning fat with a 25-30 min. jog?
JoLee
Answer: Yes, you would still be burning fat as long as you stay in a glucagon state.
This is a very good question since most people today don't run at all -much less even 2-3 miles a day. This touches on one of the most important aspects of the MericleDiet and exercise as it relates to weight loss. Exercise for your immune system, but don't rely on exercise to lose weight and or keep weight off. Even running seven miles a day is not enough to burn any significant calories.
Back to the glucagon state of energy utilization
In the last newsletter I discussed the importance of entering a glucagon state for some part of every day. For me, running helps as it is a real distraction, something I do every day and I have my own rule of never eating before I run. The reason for not eating is that it is a lot easier to run in a state of energy utilization (glucagon) , not energy storage (insulin). Usually in hot weather I will run first thing in the morning. This actually shortens my glucagon phase as compared to running in the late afternoon. Usually if it is hot and I run early, I will try not to eat when I get back from the run until noon at the earliest. This gives me at least four or five hours in a glucagon state -higher energy levels and I get a lot more done. If you are going to eat early in the day, it is best to eat low on the glycemic index. Organic fruit, carrot or celery sticks and fresh organic salads are good choices.
You don't need to exercise to enter a glucagon state
Exercise can help to get you into a glucagon phase but is not necessary. All you really have to do is not go into an insulin state by eating. Most of us are going to eat something during most days but it is optimal if you can limit the time of food ingestion to the mid-day hours, noon to 6:pm or so. You will have a good glucagon phase in the morning and not go to bed on a large load of insulin in the evening. As mentioned previously, hyperinsulinism is implicated in many of our serious lifestyle illnesses.
Dr. Roy Walford and caloric restriction
It may seem hard to believe, but during periods of starvation during WWII, those who had their caloric intake reduced, had improvement in diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It was also noted that they did not age as much. This has been studied by the late Dr. Roy Walford, who was part of the Biosphere. There is no question that calorically restricted mice age much more slowly than those who are allowed to eat what they want. Dr. Walford also made the point that the calories that are eaten must be "nutritionally dense." This is also one of the premises of the MericleDiet. I don't want to suggest that one live a life of caloric restriction, but there is no doubt that reducing your caloric intake and not eating as often or as much will improve your health and slow your aging.
Insulin Glucagon Aging
Somewhere in the basic premise of caloric restriction and retarded aging is the yin and yang of human energy management -Glucagon and Insulin. Too much of either is not good and as noted previously, most people in America have way too much insulin. If you want to feel better and look better while you age more slowly, think glucagon, not insulin. Try to achieve "balance" between them. If you spend four hours a day in an insulin state, try to spend at least as much time in a glucagon state.
Conclusion
Understanding how glucagon and insulin affect your health and your weight is one of the most important concepts one can learn. Not only will you be able to work better, feel better and control your weight more easily, there now is impressive evidence that restricting your insulin secretion by reducing your frequency and quantity of feedings will retard aging.
Reference:
Dr. Walford and Caloric Restriction
http://www.walford.com
Stryer Biochemistry Fourth Edition
Thanks for your time.
Copyright ? John Mericle M.D. All Rights Reserved
For more information on the MericleDiet or to signup for Dr. Mericle's Newsletter click on the link below.
family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..I am embarrassed to admit how many different commercial weight... Read More
Have you ever decided to take a trip somewhere relatively... Read More
It is a fact that about 70% Americans are overweight.... Read More
Students today are faced with the serious reality of unwanted... Read More
Lose The Weight For Good With The Seven Phases of... Read More
Axiom Number One - Nourish your body.Probably the most important... Read More
For about 50 years now, Americans have been eating low... Read More
A fill is nothing to be worried about. The actual... Read More
New Medical Research shows high-intensity exercise can increase the body's... Read More
I've worked with hundreds of people who were interested in... Read More
Nowadays, so much of the public is obese (fat) that... Read More
Whole grains and weight loss have a definite, scientific, and... Read More
There are tons of fad diets and weight loss schemes... Read More
Obesity, especially in children, is a matter of rapidly growing... Read More
Why has Phentermine stopped helping me lose weight?Many people are... Read More
One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose... Read More
Well, to begin with, there isn't really any one Mediterranean... Read More
Many of us have tried losing weight in the past... Read More
Fat is fuel. That is basically what it is. A... Read More
The underlying principles of low carb diets are based on... Read More
If you are like everyone else who has hit rock... Read More
The goal of many athletes and exercisers is to "get... Read More
The only way you will ever follow through on an... Read More
What does it take to lose weight?When it comes to... Read More
Weight loss programs often have big claims. Understand the "science"... Read More
residential cleaning services Deerfield ..I made myself a sandwich today and thought I'd be... Read More
For many years, the experts, including our government have been... Read More
Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More
It comes as a surprise to many consumers that the... Read More
You've heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut... Read More
Dumping syndrome is an effective result of the gastric bypass... Read More
Why Walking Could Be the Solution to Your Fitness Dilemma.Walk,... Read More
Be Prepared. For the Boy Scouts it means you are... Read More
The best exercises for quick weight loss in my opinion... Read More
Metabolism is essentially the speed at which our body's motor... Read More
Diet and Exercise. They are the inseparable twins that are... Read More
"I've put on 40 pounds in one year!" "It doesn't... Read More
Dieting Dilemma No 1: When Life Gets in the WayThat... Read More
Most men and women that I have trained over the... Read More
World Health Organization has observed that obesity has now reached... Read More
Are you feeling down and out? Do you feel even... Read More
Do calories matter or do you simply need to eat... Read More
What is the link between Hispanics and obesity? Are people... Read More
Is Zone Diet a Fad?How do you recognize a fad... Read More
As the dieting phenomenon grows, with a new "diet guru"... Read More
Changing habits is one of the most difficult challanges we... Read More
If you are committed to the low carb way of... Read More
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure... Read More
Adherence to diet for one year, not the specific diet... Read More
Whew! So how did you do on that last lesson?... Read More
Weight Loss |