HOW TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT LOSS & BEAT WEIGHT LOSS RESISTANCE

One of the most well established phenomena in all of weight loss research is weight regain. It has been shown that between 80 and 95% of dieters regain their lost weight. It has also been shown that two thirds of these “weight re-gainers” actually end up fatter after the diet than before they started.

But why? Why does this compensatory weight re-gain happen?  And, is there anything you can do about it?

*Just a note. If you don’t like to know the WHY behind things and just want to know WHAT to do, skip to the “actions to take” section.

The Law of Metabolic Compensation

The calorie zealots want you to believe your body is a rudimentary calculator that only engages in adding and subtracting.  Eat too many calories and/or use too little, and you gain weight.  Add in more food and subtract out any exercise, and you will gain weight.

These calorie counting fanatics are either unaware, or don’t want you to know, about what we call the law of metabolic compensation. This law dictates that your metabolism is not like a calculator at all, but more like a thermostat or see-saw. You eat less and exercise more to burn calories and your body compensates by making you more hungry and at the same time decreases the amount of calories you burn at rest (resting energy expenditure or REE).

This is no small thing.  This metabolic compensatory effect is undisputed in research on weight loss and means the harder you push on one end of your metabolism, the harder and more forcibly it will push back in the other direction.

Big and individualized effects

We humans can be a bit dense at times and often forget this key fact: a solution that works in the short-term, but fails to work or makes things worse in the long run, is not a solution that works.  At best it is a waste of time and at worst it amplifies the problem further. Hence the stats on weight regain and fat overcompensation quoted above.

Low calorie dieting, on average, decreases the amount of calories you burn per day by about 300.  But that is the average. For some, this effect is much larger and for others less.

Just briefly I want to mention something for the more savvy readers out there. Many who are well versed in metabolism will immediately point out that if you lose weight, then of course you are going to be burning less calories because you have less body tissue. True.  But what research shows, and my clinical experience validates, is that the reduced rate of metabolic output goes far beyond what would be predicted from loss of fat mass or muscle mass.

A person who weighed 180 pounds who diets down to 150 pounds burns significantly less energy than another person of the same height who also weighs 150 pounds who did not diet. Something about dieting causes an exaggerated slow down in metabolic rate that goes beyond what would be predicted based on tissue loss. And, as pointed out previously, this comes along with strong and unrelenting biological sensations to seek food. That is a recipe for compensatory weight regain.

Let me give you an example of this. A person decides to follow a low calorie diet. They determine that their resting metabolic rate is 2000 calories per day. They decide, according to conventional wisdom, to reduce their daily calorie intake by 500 calories per day. Now they are consuming 1500 calories per day. They remain compliant and in a few weeks have lost a few pounds.

But, the metabolism compensates. This person starts feeling hungry all the time.  Their energy begins to suffer and they feel cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. This makes it harder for them to comply. But worse than that, depending on their individual response to the law of metabolic compensation, their metabolism has now put on the brakes, slowing their daily calorie burn rate by between 200 and 800 calories per day.

Now lets say they are one of those people that has a very large metabolic compensation. So large that it equals or exceeds the 500 calorie deficit they were following.  At this point not only will all progress stall, but the person may even start gaining weight. This is something the calorie zealots will never tell you and if you don’t want to take my word for it, follow the links throughout this blog or read the very nice free review article out of the International Journal of Obesity posted in the references.

The damage can last and some proof.

You may have first hand experience with this metabolic slowdown or witnessed it happen with a friend or a family member. What you may not be aware of is that this effect can last for long-periods after the diet is over, even after you have already gained back all the weight you lost or more!

Research shows the compensatory effects from dieting last for months and possibly years and may “damage” the metabolism over the long run.

As a clinician who works with weight loss and obesity I can tell you with certainty that people can and do become weight loss resistant and can develop some degree of “metabolic damage”.  Metabolic damage is a non-diagnostic term many in the weight loss industry use to describe a set of functional disturbances.  These disturbances include severe metabolic compensations that result in a depressed metabolic rate, chronic fatigue, immune suppression, and multiple hormonal effects (i.e. suppressed thyroid function, adrenal stress maladaptation, and loss of libido and/or menses).

Research has shown this is NOT an imaginary issue. As far back as 1975 researchers published a study in the journal Lancet that looked at the issue of weight loss resistance.  29 women who claimed they could not lose weight were studied.  The researchers, like many of us, assumed these women simply were not compliant and wanted to test their metabolism by sequestering them in a house and controlling all food and exercise they did.  Each women was put on a strict 1500 calorie a day diet.

At the end of the 3 week period most of the women ended up losing weight.  However, 10 women did not lose any weight and 1 of the women actually gained weight. This makes two points very clear.  First, metabolism varies from person to person. Second, compensatory reactions can suppress the metabolism so much that even very low calorie diets are no longer effective even in the short-term.

3 major causes of metabolic slow-down

The study in this area is fairly robust and scientists have a pretty good handle on what might be happening.  There are many potential issues here, but I am going to cover what appear to be the three major effects that are leading to this issue of weight loss resistance and weight gain. One of them is probably going to surprise you.

• Loss of muscle mass

Research shows basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for over 2/3 of the calories burned at rest. Over 1/2 of BMR can be accounted for by the amount muscle mass a person has.  This means one of the best ways to offset the law of metabolic compensation is to do everything in your power to gain or at least maintain muscle.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in April 1999 showed this effect. This study looked at a group of obese individuals who were put on a very low calorie diet and assigned to one of two exercise regimes. One group did aerobic exercise (walking, biking, or jogging four times per week) while the second group did resistance training three times per week and no aerobic exercise.

At the end of the twelve-week study, both groups lost weight but the difference in the amount of muscle vs. fat loss was telling.  The aerobic group lost 37 pounds over the course of the study. Ten of those pounds came from muscle.  In contrast, the resistance-training group lost 32 pounds. None of their weight lost came from muscle. When the resting metabolic rate of each group was calculated, the aerobic group was shown to be burning 210 fewer calories per day. The resistance-training group avoided this metabolic decline and instead was burning 63 more calories per day.

• Hormonal changes: Leptin and thyroid

Whether you reduce calories or lower carbs one of the first things that occur in dieters is a beneficial change in either the amount and/or sensitivity of the hormone insulin. Insulin also acts as a hunger hormone, so this change, while beneficial, is one of the first and earliest changes resulting in metabolic compensation. This causes increased hunger. Other hormones are also impacted.  Cortisol and ghrelin both will be elevated in pulses while dieting. This too causes increased hunger and cravings.

Along with the increased hunger and cravings comes the metabolic slow down. This is most impacted by the hormone leptin.  Less insulin exposure to the fat cell and a shrinking fat cell means the metabolic hormone leptin is reduced.  Low leptin means increased hunger.  Low leptin also means decreased activity of the body’s two major metabolic engines, the thyroid and the adrenal glands. So as leptin decreases your metabolism gets the signal to stop burning energy and to start consuming it.

Leptin is considered by many to be THE most important metabolic hormone as far as setting metabolic output and weight regain.  If you want to keep your metabolic rate up, you have to make sure leptin levels don’t fall too fast. One way to overcome this appears to be a short period of overeating of between 1 and 3 days.  This technique raises leptin levels and has also been shown to substantially raise a depressed metabolic rate.  This effect varies substantially from person to person with some people showing no effect from the brief overfeeding and others seeing a jump in resting calorie burn of several hundred calories per day.

• POPs

Now for the big surprise cause.  There is another set of signaling molecules that have a huge impact on metabolic compensations during dieting. These compounds are present in your fat cells so that when fat is burned they are released in significant concentrations. The shocking thing about these compounds is they did not come from your body.  They are man made chemicals that you eat, put on your skin, drink in your water and inhale through the air.

POPS stand for Persistent Organic Pollutants and up until very recently no one understood how these compounds were involved in weight loss resistance. Here is how it works:

• POPs are fat soluble and so concentrate in animal fat, including humans. You can almost see this as a protective mechanism.  If the POPS are in your fat cells, then they can’t do damage. So when they get in your body you store them away in fat.
• When you lose fat, they are released in significant amounts and can do damage and slow the metabolism.
• POPs primarily impact the thyroid gland by decreasing its ability to make thyroid hormone, disrupting thyroid hormones once they are made and causing thyroid hormones to be removed from the body faster. If your metabolism is a large jumbo jetliner, the thyroid gland is one of the engines. POPs appear to work in part by blowing out the thyroid engine.
• In other words, POPs shut down thyroid function and drastically suppress metabolic function (for more on this read the review article in the reference section).

And if you think this effect is small, it may surprise you to know these POPs have a greater impact on metabolic rate then the all mightly hormone leptin. In other words, this is a very BIG deal.

Actions to take

• When you go on a diet set your protein intake higher. Studies have shown that a higher protein diet, one that exceeds the RDA of .8g/kg body weight, helps offset the decline in metabolic rate that occurs with dieting. At metabolic effect we set the protein level to 40% of total calories during fat reducing stages (i.e. 30:40:30 carbs:protein:fat). Another way to look at this is to make sure you are getting at least 1g of protein per pound of body weight (if you want to try to gain muscle) or 1g per pound of muscle mass (if you are trying to just maintain muscle).
• Eating a diet that has a lower glycemic load has also been shown to reduce the amount of muscle lost and at the same time increase the amount of fat lost while dieting. This means getting most of your carbohydrate intake from non-starchy vegetables, low sugar fruits and “wet carbs” like oats and beans versus breads and pasta.
• While diet is the most important aspect of achieving fat loss, increasing physical output after the weight is lost is essential and makes up some of the calorie deficit created by the slowed metabolism.  This exercise should be something that does not stimulate appetite and can easily be incorporated into any lifestyle.  We suggest you start with leisure walking and shoot for 1-2 hours daily (2.5-5miles or 5K to 10K steps)
• Cycle the diet in a way that has periods of reduced energy intake and periods of increased energy intake.  This helps offset the leptin decline that occurs with dieting.  There is individual variation with this, but for those who respond well a day or a few days of overeating can set the metabolic rate back to a higher level.
• Incorporating fish oil into the diet while losing can reduce the metabolic decline due to its positivie impact on leptin signaling and hypothalamic sensitivity to other hormones. We prefer krill oil over fish oil at 1-3g per day or regular fish oil can be used at 6g-12g per day.
• Curcumin may be another agent that has applicability in this regard since it also has similar effects on brain and whole body inflammatory signals and leptin which can drive metabolic resistance and play a role in weight rebound. It also may play a role in protecting the body from the effect of POPs due to its effect on NF-kappaB.
• This last one is going to really bother the primal crowd, but the number one way to avoid POPs is to avoid high fat animal products.  This means that a lower carb and higher fat diet may not be the best option as a fat loss diet. Making non-starchy vegetables and lean protein sources may be best to deal with the POP effect above. If you have been doing well on a low carb high fat diet, don’t stop, just realize that this POP issue may become an issue in slowing the rate of your weight loss or be a factor in weight regain. If this has been something you deal with you may want to try something closer to a 30:40:30 diet.
• Lipase inhibitors can play a role.  These are foods that have action in decreasing the digestion of fats so they move out of the body instead of get absorbed. Since the digestive tract is both the major place where POPs are both removed from the body and taken into the body, doing what is possible to NOT allow fat soluble compounds reentry is important.  Some common lipase inhibitors include green tea, oolong tea, mate tea and  ginger root.
• Finally increasing the livers ability to detoxify and remove POPs is key. Dandelion root, milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid and vitamin C play a role here.

Major Reference for this blog is:
Tremblay, et. al. Adaptive thermogenesis can make a difference in the ability of obese individuals to lose body weight. Int J Obes 2013 37: 759-764

Science Behind Cleansing

To view the “How Do Isagenix Cleanse Days Work?”
PDF Flyer, click the image above.

Cleansing is one of the many reasons that Isagenix systems are different from other “diets”. In fact, diet is really the wrong word to use to describe Isagenix. We offer a collection of systems that can be customized to your own health goals and adopted as a lifestyle, meaning these are habits and tools you’ll have for the long haul. Cleansing is one of those habits within an Isagenix lifestyle.

Isagenix has been leading the way to health by advocating the practice of cleansing for more than a decade. Now, recent scientific findings are leading nutritional researchers to believe that this practice of “cleansing”—a combination of intermittent fasting with herbs and vitamins that support detoxification—provides surprising health benefits.

A body of evidence in both animals and humans has been steadily building to support cleansing in combination with herbal supplementation and calorie restriction as a foundation for weight control, appetite regulation, improved insulin sensitivity, brain health, cell and tissue maintenance, and detoxification.

Weight Control

One of the first things that people notice when they embark on Cleanse Days is the weight loss. Studies on intermittent fasting have shown that it is just as an effective approach for weight loss as compared to cutting calories (1). In one study, overweight women who fasted intermittently for six months lost more weight than women who restricted their calories each day (2).

Reset Food Cravings

It would seem that after a day of not eating, one would be more likely to gorge on food when it was re-introduced. Not so. Evidence suggests that when intermittent fasting becomes a habit, less food is commonly eaten during normal calorie days (3). Some theories imply that this could be due to shrinking of the stomach on fast days so that you are less likely to overindulge at meal time. Along the same concept, Isagenix cleansers proclaim that Cleanse Days practically erase any previous food cravings they used to have.

Reset Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin sensitivity—how well insulin does its job of ushering glucose in the blood (after eating food) into the appropriate body tissues where it is used for energy—also looks to be “reset” by fasting. One study showed that healthy men who fasted for 20 hours every other day for 15 days had increased rates of glucose uptake, signifying improved insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar control (4).

Brain Protection

Research on fasting’s effect on brain and mood has so far been done on animals, but the results are still promising. It appears that fasting stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which increases the resistance of brain neurons to degeneration and preserves learning and memory (5). Fasting has also shown to be beneficial in the brain for stimulating growth of new brain neurons, called neurogenesis (6). When levels of BDNF increase, so do levels of serotonin, otherwise known as the “feel good” neurotransmitter (7). This could help explain why one study among aging men found that after two-day fasts, their moods and perceptions of quality of life were improved (8).

Time for the Body to go to Work–On Itself  

One of the most important defense mechanisms the body has to guard itself against aging is a process called autophagy (8). Autophagy can be thought of as the body doing its own internal “housekeeping” so that all organ systems and processes continue to run smoothly. Old, damaged cell components are repaired or discarded so that cells can continue to function optimally. Autophagy in the body decreases as we age, so the body’s ability to self-help itself is reduced as well. Calorie restriction, including fasting, has been found to promote autophagy to repair the body’s cells (9). It’s as if the consumption of fewer calories allows the body to rest and to go into repair mode. This has been proposed to be the reason why calorie restriction and fasting have an “anti-aging” effect.

Detoxification

Lastly, there is the detoxification that can take place on Cleanse Days. Often misunderstood, improved detoxification (or the increased efficiency of phase 1, 2, and 3 enzyme systems) while on Cleanse Days may be one of the most fascinating parts of the scientific story behind Cleanse Days. Nutritional support in the form of antioxidant vitamins and botanicals is essential in the detoxification process because some toxins are produced as the result of free radical activity. Additionally, nutritional support is needed to counteract the oxidative damage caused by toxins.

Isagenix Cleanse Days do more than just help you lose weight. As science has shown, cleansing benefits aspects of the entire body, helping it to repair, reset, and restore. By including Isagenix Cleanse Days in your lifestyle, you are committing to living healthier and for longer.

References

1. Eshghinia S, Mohammadzadeh F. The effects of modified alternate-day fasting diet on weight loss and CAD risk factors in overweight and obese women. J Diabetes Metab Disord 2013;12:4.

2. Harvie MN, Pegington M, Mattson MP et al. The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomized trial in young overweight women. Int J Obes (Lond) 2011;35:714-27.

3. Varady KA, Hellerstein MK. Alternate-day fasting and chronic disease prevention: a review of human and animal trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:7-13.

4. Halberg N, Henriksen M, Soderhamn N et al. Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. J Appl Physiol 2005;99:2128-36.

5. Mattson MP. Energy intake, meal frequency, and health: a neurobiological perspective. Annu Rev Nutr 2005;25:237-60.

6. Mattson MP, Wan R. Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. J Nutr Biochem 2005;16:129-37.

7. Martinowich K, Lu B. Interaction between BDNF and serotonin: role in mood disorders.Neuropsychopharmacology 2008;33:73-83.

8. Teng NI, Shahar S, Manaf ZA, Das SK, Taha CS, Ngah WZ. Efficacy of fasting calorie restriction on quality of life among aging men. Physiol Behav 2011;104:1059-64.

9. Bergamini E, Cavallini G, Donati A, Gori Z. The role of autophagy in aging: its essential part in the anti-aging mechanism of caloric restriction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007;1114:69-78.

To Exercise or Not to Exercise During Cleanse Days?

One of the main reasons people do Cleanse Days is to accelerate fat loss, and it is well known that exercise can boost these efforts. So it seems intuitive that exercise would be a good thing, right? Not necessarily. It turns out that intense exercise on Cleanse Days may do more harm than good.

Because low-calorie Cleanse Days do not provide protein and carbohydrates in levels that support optimal post-exercise repair and recovery, exercising at a very high intensity can potentially bring unwanted consequences. What are the possible downsides to exercising vigorously while cleansing? And if less intense exercise is okay, how much and what type is best to do? To answer these questions, let’s begin by taking a closer look at what happens to the body during a Cleanse Day and also during exercise.

What happens during a Cleanse Day

Isagenix Cleanse Days limit foods while providing herbs, minerals, and vitamins that support detoxification. The purpose of cleansing is to allow your intestinal tract and liver to rest while stimulating fat loss and aiding the removal of accumulated impurities and toxins.

Although Cleanse for Life is rich in botanicals and antioxidants that fight free radicals and facilitate toxin removal, it does not provide many calories. Even when using Isagenix snacks! or IsaDelights as tools to get through Cleanse Days, calorie intake is very low and weight loss will occur as a person burns through the sugar in their blood, stored carbs, and fat tissue (See What Happens to Body Fat When you Cleanse).

What happens during exercise

Calories are purposefully kept low on cleanse days to support weight loss and detoxification; however, that is completely opposite of what the exercising body needs to support performance and recovery following intense activity. During exercise, the body uses sugar in your blood, stored carbohydrates (glycogen), and fat for energy. As the intensity of the exercise increases, the more the body relies on carbohydrate for fuel and the less it relies on fat.

For example, when doing repeated sprints, such as in a soccer match or during high intensity interval training, the body will use less fat and more carbohydrate. If a person is doing lower intensity exercise, such as an endurance event or half-marathon, they will depend more on fat for energy. During Cleanse Days, when blood sugar and glycogen is less available for strenuous intense exercise, engaging in lower intensity exercise may be better.

Although getting the right nutrition before exercise is important, getting the right nutrition directly after a workout is also critical. Eating protein following a workout will trigger muscle growth and will be used to repair muscles damaged during exercise. If quality sources of protein are not supplied during the post-workout period, muscles don’t have the right tools to grow and broken down muscle will not repair well.  Especially if the intensity or the duration of exercise is high, there might be a greater chance of sustaining nagging injuries or causing excess soreness.

The post workout period is also the best time for replenishing stores of carbohydrate used during exercise. Directly following a workout, the body is primed for quickly refilling glycogen. If carbohydrate is not eaten following a workout, glycogen stores will remain low and when carbohydrate is eaten at a later time, the body will not be as efficient in replacing it.

Getting carbohydrates quickly after exercise also has the added benefit of reducing the stress hormone cortisol that is elevated by exercise. Additionally, eating protein and carbohydrates after a tough workout will aid muscle growth, speed recovery, and support the immune system. The higher the intensity and the longer the duration of a workout, the harder it is on the body and the more important it becomes that the body receive adequate protein and carbohydrate for fuel, recovery, and immune health.

Studies on strenuous exercise during fasting

Subjecting the body to the extra stress of vigorous exercise during days where energy needs are low can have unintended harmful consequences. Most studies exploring the effects of exercise during fasting have been done on Muslim athletes undergoing strenuous training while observing Ramadan.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. Studies show that fasting during the day and pre- and post-exercise can impair the performance of these athletes, resulting in fatigue, increased muscle damage and susceptibility to injury, poor repair and recovery, and a reduced ability to adapt to exercise in preparation for future sessions (1-3).  To prevent the harmful consequences of exercising while fasting, many athletes observing Ramadan train close to or after sunset so they can eat carbohydrates and protein before and/or after exercise.

The intensity of exercise is important on Cleanse Days

All of the possible harmful consequences of exercising vigorously make it sound as if all exercise is completely off limits on Cleanse Days, but this is not the case. Not all exercise is equal in stressing the body.

The bottom line is that the intensity and duration of the exercise matters most on Cleanse Days. Certainly it would not be a good idea to engage in a sport competition on a Cleanse Day, and might also be a good idea to avoid activities that involve heavy weight lifting, repeated bursts of alternating intense bouts of exercise (i.e. sprint track workouts or soccer), and performing for long periods (i.e. 10k run). Less vigorous activities such as walking and yoga would still burn extra calories, but would not place as much strain on the body.

References

1. Maughan RJ, Zerguini Y, Chalabi H, Dvorak J. Achieving optimum sports performance during Ramadan: some practical recommendations. J Sports Sci. 2012;30 Suppl 1:S109-17. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2012.696205

2. Burke L. Fasting and recovery from exercise. Br J Sports Med. 2010 Jun;44(7):502-8. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2007.071472. Epub 2010 May 10.

3. Chamari K, et al. Injury rates in professional soccer players during Ramadan. J Sports Sci. 2012;30 Suppl 1:S93-102. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2012.696674. Epub 2012 Jun 15.

Nutrient Timing with Isagenix For Athletes

For athletes, when you eat may be nearly as important as what you eat. Nutrient timing is a popular concept among athletes and fitness gurus and refers to the timing of meals and supplements in relation to workouts. By strategically eating certain things at certain times, top athletes and fitness competitors can gain an edge over their competition.

Nutrient timing strategies will be different from athlete to athlete, depending on their goals. Here is a breakdown of how Isagenix products and nutrient timing can be a competitive advantage for different types of athletes:

Bodybuilders/Fitness Competitors

Bodybuilders and fitness competitors strive to build large, well-defined muscle groups that are in optimal proportion to one another. Gains in strength and muscle mass result from the repair of muscle that is torn and damaged during intense workouts, and the body needs protein to repair muscle. Because blood flow to the muscles increases during training, the best time for eating protein is as close to the end of a workout as possible—known as the “protein window” (1). Bodybuilders should look to consume around 30-40 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing a workout.

Remember, not all protein sources are created equal. IsaLean Pro is the ideal post-workout protein source for many reasons. Not only does it contain the perfect amount of protein at 35 grams, but it supplies whey protein, which is digested and absorbed more quickly than other sources (2). Whey’s amino acids rapidly enter the blood and reach the muscles so that they can initiate growth and repair right away. In addition, the carbohydrate in IsaLean Pro will work with the protein to stimulate an increase in levels of insulin. Extra insulin after exercise encourages storage of simple sugars in the form of glycogen that will fuel activity for the next weight-training session.

Even though the post-workout period is the best time for getting protein to the muscles to fuel growth, protein should be eaten throughout the day as well. Protein is used for many other things aside from just repairing and building muscle, including being a major structural component in all cells in the body and necessary for the formation of red blood cells.  When protein is needed by the body between meals, it’s taken from muscle, which can result in muscle loss. To avoid this, consume high-protein meals throughout the day such as IsaLean and IsaPro shakes.

Using antioxidant supplements to help speed muscle recovery is another favorite strategy used by bodybuilders. By consuming products rich in antioxidants before a workout and directly after, they can give their bodies the best chance to fight the free radicals created by exercise-induced stress.Ageless Actives is a great product for supplying the body with antioxidants such as resveratrol and CoQ10. CoQ10, in particular, has been shown in studies to reduce oxidative stress caused by exercise, which can help speed muscle recovery. The form of CoQ10 used in Ageless Actives is ideal because it’s eight times more absorbable than the dry powdered forms used in most other antioxidant supplements.

High-Intensity Athletes (Football Player, Sprinter, etc.)

High-intensity athletes are similar to bodybuilders in that they aim to build strength. But unlike bodybuilders, who are more interested in proportion and appearance, high-intensity athletes are trying to become more powerful so that they can improve quickness, agility, and technique.

Like bodybuilders, high-intensity athletes need to maximize muscle growth and repair. They should make use of the 30-minute “protein window” in addition to eating three-to-four high-protein meals and snacks throughout the day. To help speed muscle repair and recovery after training sessions, high-intensity athletes will also want to use an antioxidant supplement such as Ageless Actives before and after they exercise.

What differs between the strategies of high-intensity athletes and bodybuilders has to do with carbohydrates. Both need simple sugars after their workouts to spike insulin for replacing glycogen stores for later activity (3). However, high-intensity athletes tend to place a higher priority on eating more complex carbohydrates, because short bouts (usually taking place over a period of less than 30 seconds) of explosive exercise are their main focus. The body mostly draws on carbohydrates during these repeated, explosive bouts. Bodybuilders, on the other hand, will use glycogen stores to lift weights, but their cardio sessions are more fueled by fat because they often tend to be more slow and sustained. So, for high-intensity athletes such as sprinters and football players, there is a much higher reliance  on carbohydrates to fuel nearly everything they do, making it especially important for them to use carbohydrate timing as a strategy to improve athletic performance.

Endurance Athletes (Swimmer, Runner, Cyclist, etc.)

The goals of endurance athletes are different than that of bodybuilders or high-intensity athletes. Cyclists and marathon runners, for example, expect to improve performance by increasing stamina. Traditionally, endurance athletes have not placed the same degree of emphasis on protein intake and timing as other types of athletes, because of their concern that too much muscle will be gained causing them to be heavier and less efficient at their sport. Unfortunately, this view has been harmful to endurance athletes of the past because protein does so much more than just stimulate muscle growth. Repetitive movements and long strenuous training sessions are hard on the bodies of endurance athletes. By ingesting optimal amounts of protein and strategically using the concept of protein timing to enhance performance, endurance athletes can benefit from faster and more efficient repair of muscles allowing them to have more frequent and higher quality training sessions.

Unlike bodybuilders and high intensity athletes, endurance athletes rely on carbohydrate timing as a strategy for delaying fatigue and improving performance. Endurance athletes use both carbohydrate and fat to fuel their activity, but since they are often moving for hours at a time without a break, their glycogen stores will eventually become depleted.

To increase the amount of glycogen stored in their muscle, endurance athletes often do something called “carbohydrate loading.” Carbohydrate loading involves trying to maximize glycogen stores by eating a large amount of carbohydrate in the days leading up to an endurance race, and by also taking advantage of the 30 minute-post workout window to rebuild lost glycogen.

Another advantage of consuming carbohydrate during and after training is that the stress hormone cortisol will be reduced, which helps prevent excessive suppression of the immune system that can occur as a result of prolonged and strenuous exercise (4,5). IsaLean Shake makes for a great meal replacement for endurance athletes. But instead of the two scoops as typically recommended, endurance athletes should use three scoops for about 36 grams of protein and 36 grams of carbohydrate. In addition, they should supplement with antioxidants to manage oxidative stress and support the immune system.

The Recreational Athlete

Because recreational athletes only work out one or two times a week, their bodies aren’t prepared to cope with the physical consequences of hard exercise. They are at increased risk of suffering from muscle soreness, damage from oxidative stress, and longer repair times because they have not adapted defenses to deal with these things. It may seem that because they are not exercising as often as other types of athletes, their needs would not be as high. This is not true. Like other athletes, they should consume carbohydrate and protein in the 30-minute post exercise window. Particular attention should be placed on antioxidant consumption to help prime their defenses to hasten muscle recovery.

Nutrition is a critical aspect of any athlete’s training regimen. This fact continues to be recognized among college teams and even professional sports, who are now including nutritionists and dietitians on their staff. Athletes must receive quality nutrition to perform optimally and prevent injury. Nutrient timing in combination with high-quality products that Isagenix has to offer is a sure way for competitive athletes can to be at the top of their games.

References

1. Phillips SM et al. The role of milk- and soy-based protein in support of muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein accretion in young and elderly persons. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009 Aug;28(4):343-54.
2. Hulmi JJ et al. Effect of protein/essential amino acids and resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A case for whey protein. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Jun 17;7:51.
3. Acheson KJ et al. Protein choices targeting thermogenesis and metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr.2011 Mar;93(3):525-34. Epub 2011 Jan 12.
4. Champagne CD, Houser DS, Costa DP, Crocker DE. The effects of handling and anesthetic agents on the stress response and carbohydrate metabolism in northern elephant seals. PLoS One 2012;7:e38442.
5. Betts JA, Stokes KA, Toone RJ, Williams C. Growth Hormone Responses to Consecutive Exercise Bouts with Ingestion of Carbohydrate plus Protein. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2012.

Sun Protection for Youthful Skin

Dermatologists have long advised the use of sunscreen to protect the skin from sun damage and indicate the importance of wearing it daily (see here and here). Now, a new study offers even more undeniable reason to slather on the protecting lotion every day—to help preserve our skin’s youthful glow.

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, is the first of its kind done in humans to show sunscreen’s actual effect on the appearance of skin over time.

The study involved 900 Caucasian, fair-skinned subjects aged 25 to 55 in Australia, where weather is sunny most days of the year. Half of the subjects wore SPF 15 sunscreen daily while the other half continued with their normal routines. After four and a half years, those who wore sunscreen showed 24 percent less signs of aging as measured by microtopography, or skin casting.

Another group of subjects were told to supplement with beta-carotene for the study period, however, researchers found no overall effect on skin aging.

How sun exposure causes skin to age

The skin is made up of two layers: the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the top layer of skin and contains skin cells called keratinocytes. These cells communicate with the cells in the dermis, called fibroblasts, via the release of growth factors and cytokines. Through this communication, new matrix fibers and structural proteins are created including collagen and elastin, which make the skin appear firm and smooth.

Unfortunately, as you age skin cells are bombarded by free radicals and their “communication skills” deteriorate. As a result, cell turnover is slower and DNA is more susceptible to damage.

There are many factors that contribute to the free radical degradation of the skin including pollution, poor diet, cigarette smoke, and chronic stress. The biggest contributor to skin aging, however, is sun exposure. It is estimated that 90 percent of skin aging is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

There are two types of UV radiation, UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays (B equals “burn”) are what cause skin redness and sunburn, while UVA rays (A equals “aging”) penetrate deeper into the skin all the way to the dermis and offer no warning, such as sunburn, that damage is happening. Cumulative exposure to UVB rays causes wrinkles to form and over-exposure to UVA rays causes a breakdown in collagen and elastin for a loss of tone and firmness that result in sagging of the skin.

Practice safe sun protection

To help guard against UV rays and the characteristics of aged skin, we know we need sunblock, but choosing the right kind can be somewhat overwhelming. The most important thing to consider when choosing a sunscreen is the ingredient label. You need protection from both of the sun’s harmful UV rays, and titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are two natural minerals that have shown to be effective at doing exactly that. They’re both found in Isa Sunguard.

When the sun’s rays hit the skin, these minerals either absorb or reflect the UVB and UVA beams and protect the skin from exposure. Since titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are actual physical blocking filters, they do not degrade, which is essential for protection during long bouts of sun exposure. It’s also important to look for a sunblock with moisturizers, skin conditioners, and vitamins such as green tea and chamomile that are found in Isa Sunguard. These elements work synergistically to protect, nourish, and hydrate the skin.

While sunblock can provide protection, consider wearing clothing that covers the skin such as a wide-brimmed hat or long sleeved shirt when you know you will be outside for a long period of time.

Of course, if you are only going to be outside for a short period of time (about 15 minutes), you may want to take the chance to activate vitamin D production. All other times, make sure you are wearing the right sunblock, Isa Sunguard, to maintain your resilient and youthful skin.

Reference: Hughes, et al. Sunscreen and Prevention of Skin Aging: A Randomized Trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2013 Jun;158(11):781-790. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00002

Isagenix During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

With it being National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, it’s a perfect time to talk about when nutrition for a child really begins—in the mother’s womb.

Evidence continues to grow that the nutritional choices a woman makes when expecting can influence a baby’s likelihood of being healthy as they grow older. Sound nutrition is of utmost importance for an expectant mom and her baby. Reasonably, many women turn to Isagenix and ask if the products are a good fit during pregnancy, and then during breastfeeding after the baby is born.

In a previous article, Ina Nozek DC, MS, CCN, best summarized the answer to this question, “Pregnancy and/or lactation are not the time to focus on weight loss. You’ll need calories to gain healthy amounts of weight for your baby, so it is not the time to cut down.”

Isagenix strongly recommends that a woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding discuss any dietary changes with her personal physician, because these are delicate times for mother and child. With the qualification of a personal physician’s approval, and that they not replace general dietary recommendations, the following is a list of products that may be incorporated into a woman’s diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding:

• IsaLean Shakes, Bars, and Soups can complement a healthy diet, but are not to be used as meal replacements. Pair with lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to make sure you are getting enough calories and nutrients for your baby to grow and develop.
• FiberSnacks and SlimCakes can help supply extra fiber to support heart health and regularity
• FiberPro can be added to soups, shakes, or yogurts to increase fiber in the diet
• IsaPro as supplemental protein to be used in smoothies, baked goods, or other recipes
• IsaCrunch as a snack or to be added to yogurts and salads

Once again, as Dr. Nozek has explained, because pregnant women have increased calorie and nutrient needs during pregnancy, the shakes and other products should not be considered as meal replacements during pregnancy, but as additional foods incorporated into an already healthy and calorie-sufficient diet.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it’s important to listen to a physician’s advice on supplements such as recommendations for a qualified purified fish oil supplement, which is important for healthy brain development. Because pregnant and breastfeeding moms have special nutrient needs, supplements including Essentials for Women should also not replace physician-prescribed prenatal supplements.

In addition, any products containing botanicals including Cleanse for Life, Ionix Supreme, Product B, Brain Boost & Renewal, IsaFruits, Isagenix Greens, and Natural Accelerator should be avoided because they include ingredients that have not yet been studied well in pregnant or breastfeeding women. The recent launches of Product B and the Brain & Sleep Support System have stimulated new questions about their safety in both pregnancy and breastfeeding women. These should be avoided for lack of safety studies of ingredients in these populations.

After pregnancy, weight loss is usually a top concern for new mothers. Enter Isagenix to the rescue! Hundreds of women have shared their success stories of how they arrived at their pre-pregnancy weight in record time using Isagenix products. New mothers can use any of the products listed above and more.

However, the company strongly advises avoidance of performing “Cleanse Days” for breastfeeding moms because they need a regular intake of sufficient calories to ensure a healthy production of milk. In addition, other products on the 30-day system containing herbal ingredients—including Cleanse for Life, Ionix Supreme, Natural Accelerator, and IsaFlush—should be avoided because of lack of safety studies during breastfeeding.

Lastly, we highly encourage pregnant and breastfeeding women consult a couple of other excellent resources for general dietary and supplemental advice. The USDA’s MyPyramid Plan for Moms website offers plenty of information about nutritional needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women. In addition, our own Andrea Henkart, MA, CNC offers her wonderful book serving to support new mothers on Isagenix products, Isagenix For Healthy Moms and Kids (see a modified excerpt here).