It was a particularly gratifying moment, this morning, when I went into work at the fitness center where I train and consult the majority of my clients. This is why, and Ill share a short story with you: A long-time gym member (a regular as we say around here) had been particularly following me around and picking my brain for months, concerning my knowledge on nutrition (since I have a more intimate background in biochemistry and endocrinology, and not just the conventional dietetic background, alone). In spite of the fact that I had repeatedly explained to him that going on a ketogenic (high-fat / low-carb) diet would be the ONLY truly effective, long-term, and healthy way to not only DROP those excessive pounds which he sought to lose, but to KEEP them off for good ... he kept feeling hesitant in taking the plunge, because of all of these existing, mainstream notions that we need carbs for energy, a high-fat diet is bad for your heart, eating fat is what makes you fat hearsay, among the many other similarly flawed and scientifically-invalid dietetic dogma which has been preached for generations. Well, I kept asking him in the past: Havent you already TRIED everything else, repeatedly, without any meaningful or long-term success? Starving yourself while trying to exercise every day, drastically cutting your fat intake while eating whole grains and counting your calories, has clearly not worked for you, right? No matter how many times youve tried it over and over again. With all due respect, sir, do you somehow expect your results to end up any differently, if you keep doing the same exact things? He kept nodding at me, but still clearly hesitant. So, Ive had to divulge to him about the many other lives which Ive changed over the course of the 18 years in this field of work. I explained to him that in EVERY SINGLE CASE, Ive seen a persons health DRAMATICALLY improve, their energy levels SIGNIFICANTLY increase, and even their BODY-FAT COMPOSITION (a true measure of leanness) become more favorable over time. He then stated: But Ive tried to go low-carb before, and my energy levels were so low, I could barely function, or even think straight. I felt horrible! I then asked him: Did you replace all of those missing carbohydrates by proportionately INCREASING your fat intake? Because many people make the same mistakes. They cut their carbohydrates, but fail to INCREASE their fat intake in direct proportion to the carbohydrates which were taken out of the diet. And THIS is why it doesnt seem to work. Because our physiologies can only efficiently run on TWO primary sources of energy: Carbohydrates, or fatty acids and ketone-bodies. Whereas, proteins arent very efficiently converted into usable energy (heat). They are primarily diverted towards direct repair of tissues, as well as enzymatic processes / digestion, and lymphatic functions. Thus, the PROPER way to go on a low-carb diet, is to also run it into a high-fat diet, simultaneously. You cannot cut BOTH sources of energy - carbs AND fat. No WONDER many people feel horrible, if they do such things, and why they are then led to wrongfully conclude that we cannot function without carbohydrates. But, alas, we CAN. We just have to replace the missing carbohydrates with fat. He then asked me: What about those with heart problems? Or high cholesterol? Arent you concerned that switching to a high-fat / low carb diet would make these situations worse? I responded: Alas, you have it backwards. It is a HIGH-CARB diet that promotes heart disease, among many other diseases. And as far as a persons TOTAL cholesterol numbers go ... these values are absolutely MEANINGLESS and OUT OF CONTEXT ... if we dont take into account the whole of the individuals physiological condition. In fact, if you switch to a diet that is ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, rather than PRO-INFLAMMATORY, then it wouldnt matter at that point WHAT your total cholesterol values would be! Because cholesterol, by itself, has absolutely NOTHING to do with ANY disease, heart disease or otherwise. It is when youre on a pro-inflammatory diet, that your physiology is at risk of implementing various components and constituents of your blood incorrectly, hence leading to any number of chronic diseases. And a high-carbohydrate diet is PERPETRATOR #1, when it comes to fueling a chronic-disease state! But, flip your macro-nutrients around, so that you switch to FAT for your primary fuel, rather than carbohydrates, and watch EVERY SINGLE VITAL STATISTIC of your physiological state improve! In fact, even watch your PSYCHOLOGICAL state, improve! And since your blood pressure will actually NORMALIZE and STABILIZE on a high-fat / low-carb diet, youll actually REDUCE the stress on your cardio-pulmonary organs. If anything, you have it in complete reverse: It is a high-fat / low-carb diet that will nourish and heal your organs, including your heart. Over eighteen years of work in various scientific fields, and hundreds of clients from all walks of life and all health conditions have PROVEN that to me! I am willing to stake my entire career and my own reputation, on this assertion! That seemed to had finally prompted him to give it a go. So, fast-forward 5 months. He walks into the gym, today, and I barely even recognize him! He tells me that his blood values are better than they have EVER been, his blood pressure is no longer classified as hypertensive or even pre-hypertensive, his pre-diabetes markers have completely vanished, and the bonus ... he shed over 140 pounds (the PROPER way), and dropped about 8 to 10 sizes, without even TRYING that hard (no crazy exercise regimens, or starving himself, or calorie-counting! In fact, he eats even MORE food, now, than he did before! He NEVER felt deprived. Nor was he forced to workout like some crazed gerbil on a hamster wheel.) And, as I am busy training another client, he playfully looks over in my direction and shouts across the room: It feels good to know that there is NOTHING wrong with having a fatty rib-eye, instead of some overly-dry and tough piece of bottom-round! There is NOTHING wrong with eating a fatty piece of fish, instead of constantly being restricted to flaky and boring tilapia or cod fillet. There is NOTHING wrong with drowning my dishes in full-fat butter or heavy cream, instead of trying to substitute it with margarine or god knows what else awful substitute. And, I dont even crave bread or pasta any longer. It actually tastes like crap, now. Eating all of this fat is what controls my appetite. When I am full, I FEEL full. And I STAY full. I smile back at him, and exclaim: Isnt it great?! This is how humans have EVOLVED to it. And best of all, your health actually IMPROVES by doing it. :-) Thus, I feel VERY gratified, today. Because I have had someone directly come to me (once again), tap me on the shoulder, look me straight in the eyes, and express to me how grateful they are for putting them on the right path (and likely even playing a crucial role in LITERALLY saving their life!) And I can tell you THIS much: There is NO monetary value ... no CHECK ... no INCOME bonus ... that is more gratifying than simply KNOWING that youve done something like this for someone! There is NO better payback. There is NO greater sense of duty, and honor. The results CANNOT be given a price tag, because the outcome is PRICELESS.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:04:06 +0000
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