Category Archives: calories

Define: Calories

Posted on by
3

A Calorie is Measured Unit of Energy 

Fat provides 9 units of energy while Protein and Carbohydrates each provide 4 units of energy. Keeping that in mind let’s take a gander at the USDA’s daily requirements for caloric intake: 2,000 calories per day. Alright, so if I want to follow a 2,000 calorie diet then what do I eat? I can eat 50 Twizzlers at 160 calories per 4 pieces to get my 2,000-calorie goal. This breaks down to 6.3 grams of Fat, 450 grams of Carbohydrates, and 12.5 grams of Protein. See where my extreme example is going here?

No two Calories or alike

The body does not digest or use calories in the same manner. Do you think the body uses the same energy to digest 100 calories of Carbohydrates than it does 100 calories of Fat? Of course not! Not only that, but there are so many different variations of Fats, Proteins, Carbohydrates, Vitamins, and Minerals that must be considered when dissecting how the body uses 100 calories.

Calories in =/= Calories out

Your body burns about 50-70% of its daily calories generating energy, heat, and that thing we call life. 5-15% more are burned just for digestion. Ok, so let’s take that from the top and say your body burns 85% of its calories just to keep the lights on. That leaves only 15% left to exercise, be social, stress out, or to sit on the computer all day. Cutting calories to lose weight can actually make a person gain unwanted weight because the restriction deprives the body of necessary energy to maintain homeostasis. When the body is deficient in calories (energy), it will turns to muscle for energy (after all of its stored sugar is used up (this takes about 3-4 weeks, which is why low-carb diets “work” and then hit a big old wall). Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and those who are losing weight on calorie-deficient diets are mainly losing muscle mass and their body is replacing that muscle with fat because fat storage is its go-to in survival mode. So, it’s very possible that all of these people that are dieting and losing weight are actually getting fatter (“fat” doesn’t always mean bigger). In order to run efficiently the body needs an excess caloric intake compared to what it is burning on a daily basis. Don’t ignore your body when it tells you to eat.

The result of eating a low-calorie diet is simple: Adaptation

The body will adapt to the lower volume of foods by slowing down its metabolism, (which sends the thyroid into S.O.S.), it will eat itself, and it will cut corners so it can get by. Often these corners come out as unintentional weight loss, unintentional weight gain, an emotional roller coaster, easily susceptible to stress, mental fogginess, digestive issues, dis-eases, disorders, low libido/sex drive, vitamin deficiencies, poor gum/dental health, dysbiosis, candida overgrowth/yeast infections, or a person might be a straight up asshole (I’m serious – ever get cranky the longer you go hungry?). By this point calories or food intake are rarely the problem – it’s a lack of responsibility for oneself and an inability to see the self-sabotage.

In conclusion

  • Count your nutrients, not your calories.
  • Eat a lot of calories.
  • Eat a lot of good calories – nutrient-dense calories.
  • Take responsibility for yourself and how you treat your body.
  • Be grateful for your life, provide it accordingly, and it will return the same.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

Exercise, Hormones, and then some

Posted on by
1

This is what a work out looks from a hormone’s point of view. The above chart (that I so eloquently put together with the help of my friends, the stick people) shows the two main hormones that are released during physical activity: Cortisol (a stress hormone) and Testosterone (a steroid hormone). In a time of stress (because that’s what exercise essentially is), the body releases Cortisol to handle the new energy demands, and at the same time (since the body is so efficient), it releases Testosterone so the physical activity can become easier (through time, and from strength and repetition).

Let’s take a closer look at the time of the physical activity and the hormone levels. Riiight around the 30-45 minute mark Testosterone hits a wall and drops dramatically while Cortisol keeps making its way to the sky if the workout continues. The key is to maximize that Testosterone boost by minimizing your time under stress. 

Keep physical activity to a maximum of 45 minutes. If you can get it done in a much shorter time, then please, please, please do that. When it comes to exercise, LESS IS MORE. Reap the benefits of the hormone boost by keeping your work outs short, to the point, and then sit your butt down, eat some good clean food, and sleep like a baby. It is so very easy to overtrain the body, especially for all of you runners out there long-distancing your way to stress heaven. But, even the Meatheads can take weights to a new level by going from one station to the next to the next because they have the “extra energy.”

Always leave the gym (or an exercise) with energy. Leave some in the tank so your body can actually function like a normal human body and not one that resembles a 90 year old man walking down a flight of stairs.

Keep in mind your other stress levels when exercising. Life is full of stress and the last thing you need is more stress, i.e. a hard, grueling work out. There’s work stress, school stress, family stress, relationship stress, financial stress, diet stress, water stress, sleep stress, toxin stress, and need I say more? There’s a time and a place for exercise, and there is also the right prescription of exercise to fit your needs (not wants!).

Eat enough calories. Your body uses 85% of your daily caloric intake just to keep the lights on! If you’re cutting calories, then you’ll be storing fat and burning muscle because that’s how the body survives in a calorie-deficient-SOS-survival mode. You may be losing weight, but remember that muscle weights more than fat.

Rest harder than you exercised. Sleeping is extremely crucial for an exercise program (*cough* stress program *cough*) to “work.” It is the only time your body can rest, recover, and rebuild using the day’s food supply. Take enough rest days and get enough sleep. Not enough Z’s will make any daily activity effort a waste of T.

 

jdperryhealth.com

jdperryhealth.tumblr.com

jdperryhealth@gmail.com


How To Lose Weight Fast By Josh Rubin

Video

1

“How To Lose Weight Fast” by Josh Rubin of East West Healing and Performance

For those of you not familiar with physiology, biology, hormones, and how the body truly works in unison – skip ahead to 7:48 to get a summary of everything discussed in this YouTube.

Basically – Don’t deprive your body of its primary form of energy = calories and carbs. Doing so will force the body to adapt, eat itself (mainly muscle tissue and sugar stores), which will slow down the metabolism and begin a chain-reaction of a life-or-death situation for the body. The TYPE of carbs are important, along with eating enough fats, enough proteins, proper food timing, sleeping well, and exercising within your body’s means. Those who lose weight on low-calorie or low-carb diets find that it is a temporary adaptation by the body to survive, but in no way will it have any staying power – if you force your body to continually adapt to stress you will see a gradual decline of your health.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)