Here’s an important thing that everyone should either be aware of, or keep in check. . .

Serving size.  I often tell people that, while carb cycling, I’ll eat scoops of peanut butter straight out of the jar, but what determines a “scoop”?

These are the same, right?

Obviously, the leveled off Tablespoon is the proper “scoop” as this keeps your measurement accurate so you know for a fact you’re having half of a serving of Peanut Butter.  (A serving is typically 2 Tablespoons.)

So why is this important?  How many calories are in the larger, unmeasured scoop?  If you were tracking your calories, how would you track that?  2 Tablespoons?  3 Tablespoons?

This is why it’s incredibly important to properly measure things out before you eat them–  Especially high calorie foods like peanut butter.  If you underestimate the spinach you’re putting in your smoothie, that’s fine. . .   That’s a difference of up to 20 calories if you don’t level it off.  However, not leveling off a scoop of peanut butter could add anywhere from 30 to 200+  extra calories.

Measuring your food may seem daunting at first, but once you settle into a rhythm, you’ll find it’s quick, easy, and helps you reach your goals a lot faster!

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This is how a “support system” works, right?

Well, I am now done with 3 out of 6 weeks of my program to fix my metabolism.  It has been extremely frustrating and trying on me mentally.  I knew going into it that I would gain weight, and surprisingly I haven’t gained as much at this point as I was fearing, but it doesn’t make it easier to gain weight when you are so close to your goal.

I am also using this time to put on a little extra muscle.  Even though I am eating at maintenance my body thinks I am eating in excess so I should be able to add a little muscle before my body regulates.  And I could certainly use some more muscle in my shoulders!

I know I am doing the right thing, and that once I start cutting again I will be able to lose weight eating the right amount of calories instead of starving myself to get to my goal. The biggest factor in my success at keeping with this as long as I have is Gabe’s never ceasing support.  Once I start to question if I should go back to less calories he is right there to keep me on track.

This brings me to the point that a strong support system, even of just one person, is imperative in being successful with a new diet or fitness regime. He reminds me of the long term goal not just the short term gratification.

So far I have gained about 3.5 lbs, here is to hoping I don’t gain anymore; Only time will tell.  Sort of silly how hard it is for me to eat so much mentally.  I think perhaps this is a way to repair not only my metabolism, but also my mindset on food and how to properly eat for optimal health.

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A while ago, we wrote two posts about carb cycling (Part 1 and Part 2), which is the key to fat loss and muscle preservation while cutting. . .

Now, with carb cycling, there are some important things that you need to know about the “Glycemic Index.”  In part 1 of our carb cycling posts, we discuss how you’re trying to achieve ketosis, but how do we do this?  We eat foods with a low glycemic index / low glycemic load.  What is this?

Well, let’s take banana and eggs as an example:  Honey has a glycemic index (GI) of 87, whereas eggs have a GI of 0.  That means that honey will quickly breakdown into blood sugar after you eat it, which will cause your body to release insulin, thus preventing fat loss.  Eggs, the super food that is a staple of my diet, have no effect on blood sugar.

Simply put, the Glycemic Index of a food is a measurement of how quickly the food breaks down into sugar.  The quicker it breaks down, the higher likelihood of an insulin spike.  The Glycemic Load (GL) of a food measures the same thing, but the GL takes into account the amount of carbohydrates per serving.

So, if you’re carb cycling, you can’t have an insulin spike, and if you’re trying to lose weight, you should limit your insulin spikes–  Ideally, you want as few insulin spiking meals as possible, as this will maximize fat loss and increase muscle preservation.

With all of that in mind, how do you plan your day around this?  Well, we’ll tell you about how to use both scales, but the Glycemic Load is much more effective in planning your day.  The Glycemic Index is a little vague when it comes to how high is too high.  Obviously you want a low GI food, but the Index is better used to find alternatives.  Instead of a potato, with a GI of 104, pick the sweet potato with a GI of 54.  Instead of Cashews, with a GI of 22, go with Almonds, with no GI.  (Although, with a GI of 22, you have nothing to worry about, really.)

A GL of 18? This is totally healthy-- I'll take two!

The Glycemic Load is better to use for a few reasons:  One, there’s a definite scale on what defines the effect on your blood sugar–  Less than 10 has little to no effect on blood sugar;  10 – 20 has a moderate effect on blood sugar, and above 20 triggers an insulin response.

Another thing that makes GL ideal, is that one of the best nutrition databases has the information readily available: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

On top of that, many nutritionists have agreed on a set GL that you should limit yourself to–  While it’s at a staggering 100 and considered by us too high, it’s a place to start.

With the GL of your food in mind, try and keep any meal that has carbohydrates to a GL of below 10–  And if you’re getting above ten, add something fatty, as your body can’t process fat quickly, which will slow the overall process of breaking the whole meal down.  (An example is adding a scoop of peanut butter, with a GL of 0, to your fruit smoothie to keep it from affecting blood sugar so quickly.)

Now, GI and GL are not without their detractors.  There are plenty of people that will tell you that there are issues with the entire “Glycemic Event,” and to a certain degree, they’re correct.  The GI of foods is measured in a fasted state, which makes the numbers seem slightly exaggerated as you are rarely in a fasted state.  The carbs you have in your previous meal help dictate how the carbs in your next meal will behave–  Though, the effect is not as drastic as many will tell you.  Also, carbs aren’t always bad!  If you’re bulking up, or are training for something (e.g. Marathon), then you need quickly digestible, higher GI carbs.

In the end, though, limiting the amount of insulin spikes you have is not only great for burning fat, but also for being healthy.  Pick lower GI / GL foods if you want to be lighter, leaner, and healthier.

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I have hit another plateau:(  When this happens I tend to get really depressed and think I will never get to my goal.  I know that I stalled my progress by getting far too comfortable with my diet and having a cheat day every week.  I am now in the process of changing this.

I was wearing some shorts the other day that I had taken pictures in about a year ago.  When I realized this I had to compare how I currently look in them to those pics…and guess what?  The difference is unbelievable.  The shorts are so loose now and they used to be so tight.  I wanted to share the pic with you!

It is to serve as a reminder to you, and to me, about remembering how far you have come.  It is also about remembering to appreciate the hard work you have already put into your goal, and to keep going!

Same shorts...

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One of the biggest struggles I have had while on my low carb diet is missing bread.  I have always been a huge fan or bread type foods, including pancakes.  While surfing around one night online I found some different recipes for low carb, gluten free pancakes.  I tried them out the next morning and they are amazing!!  Here is the video of how to make them!

And the results!

1/4 cup no sugar added Apple Sauce (can use a banana if not worried about carbs)
1 1/2 tbsp all natural Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
1 egg
1/2 scoop all natural whey protein powder
Cinnamon

Calories: 248
Carbs: 16g
Fat: 13g
Protein: 21g
Fiber: 4g

Mix all ingredients together, cook them as you would regular pancakes and viola!!

Tasty and pretty similar to pancakes:)

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http://hellogiggles.com/body-image-is-still-a-thing-apparently

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Obviously, especially to those who know what “Vanity Muscles” are, this is a joke. . .  This is not an actual anatomy lesson, but rather, one of those warnings on how to not be “that guy.”

Have you ever seen someone in the gym training biceps, exclusively, for 45 minutes?  Have you talked to someone who says all they work for lower body is calves?  How about the guy who devotes 20 minutes to wrist curls and reverse wrist curls?  These are examples of people who only work their vanity muscles.  Vanity Muscles are comprised only of muscles that you can see while wearing a T-Shirt and Shorts:  Forearms, Biceps, and Calves.  Some people include Chest and Shoulders in the grouping, but your typical Vanity lifter won’t care about these muscle groups, and most people don’t include these muscles either.

So, why do people work only their vanity muscles?  For the very reason that they are vanity muscles. . .  It’s the mentality of, “Why work muscles that no one will see?”

Well, here’s why:  If you only work those muscles, eventually, you’re going to come to a place where you look out of proportion.

Hercules focused a lot on calves and forearms early in his career.

On top of that, your gains will come a lot slower compared to a normal weight lifter / body builder.  What most people don’t realize is that compound lifts do a lot for muscle growth all over your body–  Dead Lifts, Squats, and other compound lifts release a lot of testosterone, which is necessary for muscle growth.  If you spend all day doing Bicep Curls, you are robbing yourself of the opportunity to release some great, muscle building testosterone.  This is the source of the old bodybuilding adage, “If you want bigger biceps, dead lift [and / or squat] more.”

Besides. . .  Why would you spend a day working forearms when your Dead Lift will give you stronger forearms?  Or, why spend a day doing Bicep Curls when your Bent Over Rows / Lat Pull Down / Pull Ups will work your Biceps?

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Alissa:  Hello!  I realize that we posted progress pictures only about a month and a half ago, but the progress we have seen in that time with carb cycling and the ketogenic diet have been so remarkable that we wanted to share new pics with you.

December 2010 - January 1st, 2012 - February 12th, 2012

At first I was concerned that this diet would be difficult to follow, or that it would cause all sorts of strange side effects.  After doing it though for a month and a half I can happily say that I have not had a hard time at all.  I actually really enjoy my low carb days.

I have tried a lot of things over the years to lose fat and this has by far been the most successful thing I have done.  My original goal was to get to 138 pounds and 18% body fat.  I am successfully at 138.8 pounds currently but still have about 2% body fat to lose to get to my goal.  This will most likely put me around 136 pounds.  I am very pleased with my results thus far and look forward to reaching a goal I wasn’t ever should I would!

Gabriel: And now for my pictures. . .  Which are both depressing, and inspiring.  The first photo is from when I was obsessed with long duration cardio / endurance training, so while I was very thin, my body fat was higher than I wanted. . .  Around 8.5 – 9%.  Before getting started in bodybuilding, I was down to a lean 7%, but had so little muscle mass that I looked silly.

And then we got to where we were in the last post, when I was part way through cutting the fat off so that I could see the muscle that I built. . .  I was cutting the traditional way, with additional cardio and just eating less than my TDEE.  I was seeing results, but not the way I wanted–  I was losing a touch of muscle along the way, and the results were not that fast.  Enter carb cycling, and now I have leaned out immensely. . .

December 2010 - January 1st, 2012 - February 12th, 2012

But now I can see where I’m lacking muscle the most.  In my quest, I’ve gained 14 pounds of muscle, and I think only 1/2 a pound went to my chest, which is an area that I work constantly, have seen tremendous strength gains, but not the size gains to go with it. . .  It makes no sense.  Outside of that, I’m decently happy with the progress I’ve made–  I’ve added 5 inches to my shoulders, an inch and a half to my arms, 2 inches to my thighs, and have seen plenty of progress elsewhere–  I’m currently at 10.2% body fat, and once I get down to the 7% I’m looking for, I’m going to do another bulking cycle to get my chest up to speed–  I may abandon my belief in full body workouts in favor of a day of mostly chest. . .  We’ll see.  It’s also worth noting that carb cycling is my friend–  Since I’ve started carb cycling, I’ve lost 3.5 lbs. of fat while gaining one pound of muscle.

I’m also on my way toward my goal of a “Four plate Dead Lift.”  (405 lbs.)  Right now I’m rocking 350 lbs., and expect to add more soon.

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If ever you talk to me, or if you’ve read our posts, you’ll hear / see the term “nutrition plan” often, but what will be absent, is the term “diet.”  I abhor this word as it is the reason why people can’t seem to get in shape, and if they manage to, they can’t stay in shape.  It all has to do with what the term diet has come to mean. . .

No longer does it mean what your consume on a regular basis–  Now, it has come to mean, “Which [gimmick] do you subscribe to?  Atkins?  South Beach?”  That normally would be too much of an issue, except that I’m not “on a diet.”  I choose to eat healthy on a regular basis, and don’t intend to change this.

The other issue beside this is the inherent problem with all of those “diets.”  While I’m no expert on fad dieting, they all seem to have a finish line–  A point at which you will “achieve” your “goal,” and you can stop dieting.  Does no one see the problem with this while they’re doing it?  If it took you all of this effort to get to a point, what makes you think that you can stop this “diet” and maintain.

This, is my second problem with the word “diet.”  A “diet” should not have a finish line–  Rather than define it as “What / how you eat to lose weight for a period of time,” it should be defined as “The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.”  Because of these misconceptions, I only use the term “Nutrition Plan,” which keeps people from asking how many “points” I’m at for the day.

I am sure you have all heard the phrase you are what you eat, and it is true.  If we eat the foods our bodies really want we will have lean strong bodies.  It is only when we start eating things in excess that our bodies start to have excess.  So, my wish for you is that you can start to really listen to what your body wants, and only feed it that.  No more refined foods, no more unnatural sugars, less carbs, more fat, and more protein.  At first you may crave the bad foods, but after you wean your body off of them you will most likely never crave them again.  Good luck!

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Lately, I’ve seen this picture floating around on facebook a lot:

"Which one weighs what? You have the option of 120 lbs. and 140 lbs.

I’m actually very happy that this is floating around, because it demonstrates what today’s blog is about, and something that is unbelievably important:

When most people talk about dieting and getting in shape, they only think about “losing weight.”  Well, what weight do you want to lose?  Most people only concern themselves with the number on the scale, and do obsessive amounts of cardio to “attain” their “goal.”  Without any focus on weight training, the body will catabolize (read: eat) muscle for energy rather than your fat stores, and while you will “lose weight,” you won’t look any more lean until you’re on the verge of looking emaciated from lack of muscle.  The high cardio approach only works for those who are excessively overweight, and only initially.  You need a balance of cardio and weight training, and they need to be done at optimal times.

We need to “Lose Fat,” rather than “Lose Weight.”

When are those optimal times?

Glycogen has everything to do with fat burning.  You want to weight train when you’re not hungry, and when your glycogen stores are stocked–  This will ensure a quality workout and will keep your muscle from being catabolized.  That’s simple enough–  Just eat a short while before going to the gym. . .  Now, when you’re doing Cardio, there are only two times you should really do it if you’re looking for it to be effective:  Immediately upon waking up, and immediately after weight training (Though, with this second option, you shouldn’t do more than 15 minutes).  Why is that?  At these points, your Glycogen stores are depleted and your body is chemically correct to separate the fat and burn it for energy.  If you do Cardio at other points throughout the day, you’re burning off food that you ate throughout the day, which will prevent it from being converted to fat, but it won’t burn the existing fat on your body.  A word on post workout Cardio:  If you’re going to do cardio and weight training together, be sure you do the cardio after–  This will cause your body to burn fat for fuel since weight training depleted your Glycogen stores.  If you do the cardio first, you’re going to burn muscle for fuel as your Glycogen stores were already depleted from the cardio, and you’re body can’t readily switch to fat for a fuel source during anaerobic activity (read: Weight Training).

Remember, muscle weighs more than fat (Something the picture above is pointing out), and there’s no such thing as “toning;”  If you want to look lean, you need to build muscle, then preserve muscle, while burning fat.

So, the next time you, or anyone else says “I need to lose weight,” just ask yourself what exactly you’re trying to lose.

In the coming few posts, we’re going to do some new progress pictures, and will have a Vlog soon!  Stay tuned!

*Obligatory Disclaimer: It’s worth noting, and is fairly obvious, that this is not our photo.*

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