Weight Loss & Self Image- What’s In The Mirror Isn’t Always There

There is a saying in Latin- “Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt. It’s a rather insightful ode by Horace that translates loosely as those who cross the seas change their skies not their spirits. It’s an ode that speaks not only to those who make the mistake of thinking that a change of environment will somehow bring about a change of character but also to those who fail to realize that changing your body doesn’t always translate into a change in how you see your body. Body image is a term we see used time and time again in reference to how badly people feel when they need to lose weight or are unhappy with their physical appearance, but there is very little in the way of literature in the fitness and weight loss world on how body image changes among those who are able to transform their bodies. One reason could be the fact that it stands as a direct contradiction to the omnipresent message in today’s media that a great body equals feeling great about yourself.  A notion that may be effective in selling weight loss and body transformation oriented products and services but one that fails to take into consideration the reality that a significant number of people are not necessarily happier after changing how they look.  In this article we will take a look at the neglected frontier of self-image among those who have transformed their bodies by either losing weight or building muscle. A piece that will explore how the stigma of being overweight as earlier in life can lead to negative self-image, increased likelihood of depression and low self-esteem even after you are successful at losing weight or creating the body of your dreams. With weight loss especially, for many losing weight is only part of a battle- and not by any means a full victory in the war, as the painful scars of living for years with a body labeled by society as far from ideal can linger long after the final layer of fat has melted away. A phenomenon that may play a role in why many people regain weight over time (See my article Why Losing Weight Can Make You Gain Weight). Parallels also exist among those who were physically frail or underweight and who undergo a program of strength training and bodybuilding to create a well-muscled physique. In both cases, few things are more tragic than continuing to suffer a continued sense of isolation and despair for not having ‘the ideal body’ when by everyone else’s accounts you have become a walking example of that very ideal. It is my hope that the information in this article- some of which is drawn from my own personal experience- will serve to help some of us begin a process of self-acceptance and assist others in understanding how someone with a seemingly perfect body could still be in conflict. Thanks as always for reading and do be certain to share this article with someone who you think might benefit by reading it.

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In the 21st century it is considered politically incorrect and distasteful in most developed countries to publicly make fun of or think negatively towards individuals with mental handicaps, people of different skin colors, genders and sexual orientations. While by no means is discrimination on these fronts totally eradicated, it is far less than it was in years past as public education and acceptance has gone a long way in taking away the shadows of stigma for being different in these ways. Ironically, in spite of progress on so many fronts, being overweight remains one of the most enduring of social stigmas in our society today.[1] Numerous studies report that most people perceive obese individuals as being less physically attractive than their thinner counterparts and that being overweight is a direct result of a moral flaw- be it laziness or gluttony.[1] As insensitive as it may sound, very large scale surveys show that overweight individuals on average earn less money than those who are thinner, accumulate less wealth and are more likely to report interpersonal and institutional discrimination. [2,3] Obese individuals also tend to have a higher likelihood of strained relationships with family and romantic partners. [4,5] In many ways there is something tragically ironic about such discrimination given that here in the United States 25% of the population is overweight, while 50-60% is significantly so.[6]

Self Image & Body Transformation: How Prejudices Against Being Out Of Shape Influences Our Lives

Even though the majority of Americans are overweight, obesity remains one of the most discriminated against physical attributes today.

Yet in a country where being overweight is the norm, a profit driven contradiction rears its head as the entertainment media inundates us with unflattering portrayals of obese individuals, while advertisers bombard us with the thinner and toned  look as an ideal and what you need to be happy. It’s an inescapable deluge of negativity towards most members of our society and unfortunately it continues on because it works wonders for selling products and getting viewers to tune in. One of the first goals of advertising is to create a sense of want in the would-be-consumer. That being said, what better way to stimulate the desire of millions of Americans in a predominantly overweight society than by portraying being slim and trim as an ideal and selling products where those who use them embody the idea as well? It digs deep and churns up the frustrations and anguish many who are overweight feel about their situation and makes them act, often unconsciously, on these feelings. Whether it’s buying a weight loss or health related product endorsed by people in great shape who you would like to look like as well, or picking up a magazine because the people on the cover exemplify an ideal that you would like to achieve for yourself. These signals, as overt as they may be have some very subtle effects on all of us. It persuades consumers to over consume, keeping our economy strong and prices low (Read more in in my article The Economics of Obesity- Why an Overweight Population is Profitable) but it also creates deeply rooted prejudices and brings even more pain to millions of Americans- females especially.

In the midst of a society where being thin is set as a requirement to being happy it is hard to imagine that those growing up with weight issues would not suffer negative outcomes as a result.

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So strong is the effect of the overweight=inferior formula, that studies show children, adults and even health care professionals who work with obese individuals on a regular basis hold strongly negative attitudes towards them.[7] In the maelstrom of such hatred and negativity it is no surprise that for many this leads to a compromised feeling of well-being, including depression and low self-esteem. [8] We need only look at the prevalence of eating disorders among young women striving to attain a that very media-created ideal or the experiences of friends and family as we all either suffer from or know someone very close to us who is directly affected by these societal pressures. While not as strong a prejudice as being overweight, for many (males especially) the stigma of not being strong and powerful has a parallel storyline. Less than 10% of the US population falls into the category of being termed athletic and yet the media is filled with depictions of strong and sculpted bodies as the epitome of what it means to be a happy and contented. Just as you would (sadly) never see an overweight individual on the cover of a fashion magazine (even though they are the ones who are buying the magazines) you would also never see a less than well biceped male in an advertisement for anything remotely masculine. Except in some form of parody. Such black and white depictions make it very hard for young males to not feel driven to change their bodies in an attempt to identify with the image that they see portrayed as manly and sexually virile. In the same way, images of waif-thin fashion models drive many young girls to try to emulate the image they are presented with as the embodiment of what it means to be feminine and attractive. Beauty, masculinity, femininity  and strength all lie far outside of these artificial physical renderings- but these images nonetheless can have a devastatingly negative effect. Pushing many to pursue an ideal that exists only in the realm of Photoshop and computer generated images as most of the models hardly resemble the iconic portrayals used by the media.

Body Image & Body Transformation: Self Image Is Formed At An Early Age

Self image is formed early in life and so how you saw yourself as an adolescent can often affect how you perceive yourself today.

According to Reflected Appraisal Theory, individuals can develop negative perceptions of themselves if they believe that others view them negatively, [9] however this reaction does not apply to each and every overweight individual since how we create our self-image is not as straightforward as people think we belong to a negative group so therefore we perceive ourselves as negative.  For some, this holds true but since perception of self is developed during the formative years of childhood and adolescence, adults who become overweight later in life after enjoying a slim and trim body in their earlier years do not always identify themselves as being inferior or stigmatized because of their weight.[8] Stigma theory suggests that the psychological consequences of being overweight are far more severe among those who were overweight all their life as opposed to those who become overweight as adults. [10, 11] The theory further proposes that having a stigmatized and discriminated against identify early on in life makes you more vulnerable to the negative emotional consequences of being a member of a stigmatized group. [10] Modified labeling theory (a lot of theories- I know-but bear with me) suggests that those who have what they see as a stigmatized identity early on are most at risk for suffering negative consequences of that association. [11]

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Body Transformation & Self Image: You Can Lose Weight & Still Feel Fat

In spite of losing weight, continue to feel fat and out of shape long after the final layer of fat as melted away because they identify with the image of themselves that was developed earlier in life when they were overweight.

What that means in plain English is that those who were overweight earlier in life but later lose weight do not always enjoy the same positive body image, self-confidence or social ease as those who were thin during their adolescence. [8, 12] Just as amputees report sensations in their lost limbs, those who lose weight but were overweight earlier in life, seem to be affected ‘phantom fat’ that stays with them in their minds no matter how much weight they lose or how much their body changes. A factor that can have negative consequences with regard to building rewarding relationships. The difficulties with relationships come again from early experiences- overweight adolescents experience more strained relations with their parents and siblings than those of normal weight. Obese teenagers also tend to find themselves being isolated socially- having on average fewer friends than slimmer teens- circumstances that can go a long way in inhibiting their self-confidence and sense of wellbeing as adults- making it harder for them to have trusting relationships even when they lose weight. [13,14]

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Body Transformation & Self Image: Self-Perception Among Those Gaining Weight Later in Life

Those gaining weight later in life but who enjoyed their youth as thin or normal weight individuals often have trouble seeing themselves as being overweight.

The theories discussed above hold true for those who were of normal weight or slim during their early years and who gain weight later on in life. Many individuals (more so men than women) who become overweight as adults do not identify themselves as being overweight as they maintain a sense of self that was formed earlier on in their lives. [10] Such individuals unconsciously develop strategies to protect their point of view so as not to identify themselves as being fat. My experience  working with people who gained weight later in life correlates with what many researchers report as they very often view their current weight situation as being temporary. Or will say that advice regarding weight loss does not apply since they don’t really have a weight problem.[16] Also common is the perception that their weight gain is a transient occurrence resulting from an external circumstance; they gained weight after leaving school and becoming less active, they gained weight after having children, they gained weight because they are under a lot of stress and so forth.[8] These factors may indeed play a role in their weight gain, but it also insulates them from internalizing their position as an overweight individual in a society that frowns upon those not meeting the in shape ideal.[8, 17] This lack of identification could explain to some degree why so many people who are indeed overweight harbor negative attitudes to their obese peers as they are unable to see themselves as part of the same stigmatized group. The good part about this behavior is that these individuals, in my experience can also use this as a driving force to get back in shape- but only after being able to see themselves for where they are and come to terms with the fact that they need to change.

Body Transformation & Self Image: How Early Self Perception Of Not Being Strong Can Linger Into Adulthood.

Early ideas of being weak and powerless can linger even if the individual is able to build an impressively well muscled physique.

This behavior extends as well to those at the opposite end of the spectrum- as many who enter adolescence with the feeling that they are weak or powerless retain such attitudes into adulthood. Most bodybuilders come from a place of low self-esteem and poor body image developed at a very early stage of their lives, thus in keeping with the above-mentioned theories, and in spite of working hard to develop strong and impressively muscular bodies- they often fail to see themselves as such since they still identify with the smaller, weaker and powerless identity they formed in their adolescence. Such conflicts between how they appear and how they see themselves can easily lead to abuse of anabolic steroids and other physique and or performance enhancing drugs. It can also create an environment ripe for addictive exercise behavior (See my article on Exercise Addiction) and such actions often prompt outside observers to wonder why they would feel the need to push the envelope to such an extreme when they already look great. Yet an understanding of how we create our identities makes it far easier to understand. The commonly associated practice among physique athletes of constantly looking in the mirror isn’t always a simple expression of vanity and narcissism as for many it is less about vanity and more about a need to constantly affirm to themselves that they are indeed big and muscular as they don’t feel that way on the inside. Many such individuals have problems building and sustaining relationships the same way overweight people do, as their physiques serve only as a tenuously fastened exoskeleton that hides the often painfully shy and introverted individuals who felt isolated earlier on in life because of their physical shortcomings. Conversely, those who enjoyed adolescence as athletic and physically strong individuals tend to retain this self-confidence and elevated self-esteem, even when they age and lose most of those physical attributes.

What is important to note about this behavior is the impact it can have on our goals and how it can stop us from enjoying the benefits of what we work so hard to attain. It has been my experience on many occasions to have clients lose anywhere from 50 to 100lbs and report that they don’t see any change in their bodies. Even as their peers continue to compliment and commend them on their amazing transformations. Instead of being able to take comfort and some measure of pride in their accomplishments, some of us have a bit of an uphill battle when it comes to acknowledging progress. This behavior can lead many to give up in utter frustration, even when experiencing positive results. A vicious circle of self-fulfilling prophecy where the individual believes he or she is overweight regardless of all evidence to the contrary,  which can lead them to stop exercising and making better food choices as a way of returning to the body and self-image they identify with.

Body Image And How Others See You

Often when one partner loses weight it can create tension in the relationship and lead to criticism and or sabotage.

Sarte once said that hell is other people and with regards to weight loss or any other form of changing your body this adage can often ring true. We do not exist in a vacuum and our actions and changes- as much as they may be centered on us- can yet have profound effects on others. Many complain about the pressures you have to bear from others as they seem to want you to maintain your former identity as someone who is overweight or out of shape. Some are frustrated and bewildered by the outright lack of support from family members when trying to lose weight but such actions have a foundation in family theory observations. Family theories propose that an overweight child plays a very distinct role in the family, one that can often deflect attention from other issues or behaviors and as such weight loss by the child can disrupt status quo. Leading other family members to criticize and or sabotage their fitness endeavors as a way of maintaining stability in the family relationship. [18,19,20] Similar pressures occur in romantic partnerships as well. Studies find that people tend to date and marry partners who are similar in terms of  (perceived) attractiveness, so those who are overweight on average become involved with partners who are overweight and those who are of normal weight tend to date others of normal weight. [21, 22] Thus when an overweight partner decides to lose weight, it can create tension in the relationship even if the decision to do so is not a unilateral one. Men especially tend to feel threatened when their formerly overweight partner loses weight and thus becomes more attractive to the opposite sex, [15] while for women such changes tend to create perceptions of inadequacy. [15]

I remember working with a young woman very early on in my career who lost a total of 60 lbs. after 10 months of working with me and she was absolutely delighted with her new body. Her self-confidence soared as did her self-esteem- and for a while all was well. Then one day her husband came into the gym and demanded that I stopped training his wife immediately since he did not like the fact that she had lost so much weight. Her improved sense of self and the physical health benefits of her accomplishment were of little interest to him- he wanted his old wife back. Sadly, in spite of her joy at being able to transform her body, she chose to stop training and went back to her old eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. In time she regained most of the weight that she lost as it became less about losing weight and more about maintaining a sense of equilibrium with her husband. Dissuasion is not always this overt- friends can feel threatened when after years of identifying you as someone who is out of shape, the balance shifts when you get into shape. As hard as it may be to hear, it isn’t necessarily malicious when others try to derail your attempts at self-improvement. It is simply a reaction that some people have to change. They know you and love you as someone else and in the same way that you may struggle with relating to the new you, others can have similar difficulties as well.

Body Transformation & Self Image:Have A Plan

Before trying to change your body you need to resolve to change your mind.

To be forearmed is to be forewarned. With all the noise surrounding the physical aspects of weight loss and body transformation there is alarmingly little in the way of how such changes affects us on a psychological level. That being said, it is important that we understand where we are starting from and where we are going whenever we take it upon ourselves to embark upon a path of physical transformation. The tangible elements of exercising regularly and eating right are important, but are by no means any important than the more subtle aspects of really working on accepting yourself. I tell my clients all the time that they have to make a conscious effort to accept that they can indeed get into shape and that these changes will affect the way others will perceive them as well. Self-acceptance and self awareness is as crucial as not having the slice of cake with the extra thick frosting- perhaps even more so. As you will never enjoy the fruits of your labor if you don’t first take the time to accept yourself for who you are going to become. On the other hand, some people who were in great shape earlier in life and find themselves overweight need to find a path towards accepting their current situation. Not necessarily as a way of identifying themselves as part of a stigmatized group, but as a way of seeing that steps must be taken for their perception of themselves to match their true physical form.  Clinging to the glory days of our trimmer and slimmer youth does little to help us in the present if we find ourselves stuck in an unhealthy state.
The plan towards self-acceptance needs to have an external component as well, as you should have very frank discussions with  friends and family to reassure them that while your body may change you are not going to change. (Which in itself is a complicated issue because perhaps you will change and find new friends and ways of interacting socially in your life.) Either way, loving another person means giving them the freedom to make their own decisions and you have to do your best to find supportive relationships where people love you for who you are and not for who they want you to be. I hope this article helps shed some light on the importance of self-acceptance because at the end of the day, it really isn’t about how you look- it’s all about how you see yourself. Thanks for reading.

Addendum

In spite of a successful career as a top natural bodybuilder it took years for me to come to terms with the fact that I am no longer the frail and somewhat powerless kid that I once was. It’s still a work in progress.

Originally I omitted this piece from the article but after being asked why I chose to write it by so many readers, I figured it should have a place in the post. This was an incredibly personal article for me to write as I myself struggled for years with accepting my own physical status and it is an issue that event to this day I have to be aware of. When I started training as a 125 lb. teenager I made remarkable progress- gaining well over 100lbs of solid muscle without drugs, thanks to how I trained and my dedication to realizing my dream. Yet, in spite of what I accomplished, I was unable to really see it for myself for years. I started training in 1989 and it was only in 2003 when filming my workout DVD – that I started the journey towards really seeing myself as I was and not as the skinny and somewhat nerdy kid that I used to be.  The fact that during those years I had achieved a successful career as a top natural bodybuilder made little impact on how I saw myself. What I had done in those years and how I looked was irrelevant- and no trophy or compliment could do anything to make me see myself as anything else but the timid and lanky boy trying to find his way in the world. Such a perspective had a negative effect on my relationships and my ability to truly enjoy what I had worked so hard to attain. I have always tried to find some positive aspect of my own personal struggles and in this case, my own discord helped me understand from very early on in my career how important it was to help my clients not only down the road of losing weight and changing their bodies, but along the path of self-acceptance as well. I have come a long way since seeing my physique as something very much outside myself. I still have my days here and there when I feel that my body is nothing more than a suit of armor- completely disconnected from me that I put on to go outside, but I work at it. And there are some positive aspects about  not defining yourself solely as a someone in great shape- there must be a balance. I do feel however, that too often those in my position are afraid to express and share their own vulnerabilities- which in many ways serves to augment the mythology that having a great body means that you are happy. It’s a great thing to have but it isn’t everything. Happiness is something we have to find in ourselves regardless of what we look like and I hope this article and my story helps others understand the importance of self-acceptance.

If you enjoyed this article be sure to get a copy of Kevin’s free weight loss ebook here.

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

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References
1. Puhl, R., Heuer, C.A. The stigma of obesity: a review and update. Obesity 2009.
2. Han, E., Norton, E.C., Powell, L.M. Direct and indirect effects of body weight on adult wages. Economics & Human Biology, 2011.
3. Zagorsky, J., 2005. Health and wealth: the late 20th century obesity epidemic in the U.S. Economics & Human Biology
4. Carr, D., Friedman, M. Is obesity stigmatizing? Body weight,
perceived discrimination and psychological well-being in the United States. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 2005
5. Carr, D., Friedman, M. Body weight and interpersonal relationships. Social Psychology Quarterly, 2006
6. Flegal KM, Caroll MD, Ogden C, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 199-2000. JAMA 2002
7. Crandell CS, Schiffhauser KL. Anti-fat prejudice: beliefs, values and American culture. Obesity Research 1998
8. Carr D, Jaffe C. The psychological consequences of weight change trajectories: Evidence from quantitative and qualitative data. Economics & Human Biology 2012
9. Cooley, C.H. Human Nature and the Social Order. Free Press, New York, 1956.
10. Goffman, E. Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity.
Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 1963
11. Link, B.G., Streuning, E., Cullen, F.T., Shrout, P.E., Dohrenwend, B.P. A modified labeling theory approach to mental disorders: an empirical assessment. American Sociological Review, 1989
12. Cash, T.F., Counts, B., Huffine, C.E. Current and vestigial effects of overweight among women: fear of fat, attitudinal body image, and eating behaviors. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 1990.
13. Rhee, K. Childhood overweight and the relationship between parent behaviors, parenting style, and family functioning. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2008.
14. Strauss, R.S., Pollack, H.A. Social marginalization of overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2003.
15. Stuart, Richard B. and Barbara Jacobson. Weight, Sex, and Marriage: A Delicate Balance. New York: Norton 1987.
16. Crocker, J., Major, B. Social stigma and self-esteem: the self protective properties of stigma. Psychological Review, 1989.
17. Thoits, P.A. Resisting the stigma of mental illness. Social Psychology Quarterly, 2011.
18. Rickarby, Geoff A. “Psychological Dynamics in Obesity.” Medical Journal of Australia 1981.
19. Blank, V.E., M. J. Herman, A. Kumis, and W. J. Vitale. “Jealous Husband Threatens Diet.” Obesity and Bariatric Medicine 1981.
20. Ganley, Richard M. “Epistemology, Family Patterns, and Psychosomatics: The Case of Obesity.” Family Process 1986
21. Margolin, Leslie and Lynn White. “The Continuing Role of Physical Attractiveness in Marriage.” Journal of Marriage and the Family 1987.
22. Nevid, Jeffrey S. “Sex Differences in Factors in Romantic Attraction.” Sex Roles 1984.

Weight Loss & Self Image- What’s In The Mirror Isn’t Always There is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Partial Reps vs Full Range Of Motion- What Works Best

One of the oldest tenets of weight training is the overriding importance of full range of motion (ROM) exercise for optimal muscular and strength development. Counter to this conventional approach, many bodybuilders, power lifters and athletes of numerous disciplines have successfully included partial range of motion repetition training protocols for decades with exceptional results, but mention anything other than executing an exercise through a complete range and tempers immediately flare. The idea of full range of motion training is ingrained in the formative training protocols of most fitness professionals and few are able to think outside of that sometimes narrow and restrictive box. Unfortunately, the hubris of an emotional response to a new and poorly understood training technique can often lead us away from a real and informed determination as to whether a particular training regime has any intrinsic value. The use of brief, low volume high intensity training as a viable (and some might say superior) method of increasing muscle mass, endurance and reducing body fat[1,2,3,4] is a prime example. As a dismissal of anything we don’t hold as self-evident can result in the use of outdated training techniques that limit us in our potential for excellence. In this article we will take a hard look at one of the methods that in many ways goes against the grain and explore whether there is any real merit to the use of partial repetition training for increasing strength and muscle mass. A controversial subject, to say the very least, but after reviewing the research you may have a different point of view as to its practicality and potential usefulness in your own training program. Thanks as always for reading my work and do feel free to forward this article to someone you think would benefit from reading it.

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Partial Range Of Motion Repetitions- What Are They?

With partial range of motion movements you work just above the sticking point which allows you to use more weight and overload the muscles more.

A partial repetition (or rep- which is the wording that I will use mostly throughout the article) is defined as a movement that is executed within a restricted portion of a lift. [5] In the cases of partial rep training, the range of motion focuses on the upper range or completion phase of the repetition. For example- in a squat a partial rep would be a half or quarter squat where you do not descend to the parallel plane or below, while in a bench press a partial rep would consist of a limited range of motion in the final 2-5 inches of the lift right before full extension of the elbows.[5.] Muscular strength varies throughout the full range of motion of any given joint due to muscle length-tension relationships, muscular activation and overall muscle mass.[6,7,8,9,10,11] If you were to plot on a graph the variations in strength during any weight bearing exercise you would see that the upper range corresponds to the area of the highest force output.  Partial reps are an advanced mode of training used by numerous athletes in various sports where the idea is to train in the range of motion where there is maximal force production. One application of this form of training is to overload the musculoskeletal system with extremely heavy loads in the area of range of motion where maximal force is produced.  Given the smaller range which describes the range of motion where your muscular force is greatest, it is possible to lift supramaximal loads- which are weights greater than 100% of your one repetition maximum (1-RM) [12] Several studies assert that this form of training is in some ways superior to full range of motion training for increasing muscle mass and overall as it allows for the use of much heavier weights. [13, 14]

The Argument For The Use Of Partial Reps

Partial reps confer a substantial mechanical advantage as you are able to handle considerably heavier weights. Training with heavier weights through your strongest range of motion means that there will be a far greater degree of overload experienced by the muscles being exercised. Overload is an important variable in terms of increasing muscle strength and size. Without significant overload, there is no reason for our bodies to trigger the adaptation response that makes our muscles bigger and stronger. (Read my article on How Muscles Get Bigger & Stronger for more information on the importance of overload and the adaptation response.) That being said, the ability over time to move heavier weight will trigger the adaptation response and muscles will get larger and stronger as a result. Ligaments and tendons will also become stronger, further increasing the potential for increased strength.[23] Another important argument for the use of partial reps is its relevance in what is known as the carryover effect. Execution of full range of motion on almost all conventional weight lifting exercises does not resemble everyday activities or those relevant to athletic and sporting activities. Consider the punch of the boxer or the swing of a baseball bat- all movements that are far closer to a partial movement than a full a range of motion exercise that you would ordinarily see in the gym. In everyday activities we usually act with our arms almost fully extended and since partial reps are more specific to these real world activities there should be more of a carryover effect in terms of enhancing performance of these movements.

Partial Reps Are Closer To Real Life Movements Than Full Range Of Motion Reps

Not only can you use more weight doing partial rep squats, but it also is more similar to most real life athletic type movement than full range squats.

A prevailing theory of sports specificity is that the closer a training protocol resembles an athletic ability, the higher the likelihood that gains from the training will translate into greater athletic performance. [15,24] Consider for example the execution of a half squat versus that of a full squat. Many an old school gym goer might turn their noses up at someone not squatting to parallel or lower- but there is some merit to training in this manner- both for those seeking improved athletic performance and increased strength in a full squat. In a full squat the amount of weight you use will always be limited to how much you can handle through what is referred to as ‘the sticking point’.[15] In a squat this occurs somewhere around the mid to lower range of the exercise (between the joint angles of 95 and 115 degrees approximately), and when performing the exercise it becomes relatively easier once you have ascended past this point. This is because the weight required to bring about overload in the lower range of a squat is not enough to overload the leg muscles in the upper range between the joint angles of 140-180 degrees. In fact, on average most people can lift anywhere in the ballpark of 150% more weight in the upper range of a squat and the argument is that not working with adequate overload in this range you are missing out on realizing your full strength potential.

Partial Reps Confer Athletic Benefits Not Possible With Full Range Of Motion Reps

It’s an argument that is not without some apparent logic as execution of almost all athletic type movements- from jumping to get a basketball, to riding a bicycle occur within a small range of motion as we mentioned previously. Thus it makes sense to train with heavier weights in this range to maximize your athletic performance. A heavy half squat, as maligned as it may be by many gym purists,  confers force production and athletic performance benefits that full squats simply cannot replicate and is one of the reasons athletes use partial rep training with supramaximal loads to improve their performance. This form of training was extremely popular in the former Soviet Bloc with many athletes in the West adopting these principles after seeing how effective they were in helping athletes from behind the Iron Curtain excel in the Olympic Games. [24]

Can Partial Reps Increase Overall Strength

Partial rep chin ups are a great way to increase strength throughout the full range over time

While we can say with some certainty that partial reps can allow for heavier weights in small ranges of motion, the question remains whether this confers increases in strength throughout the full range of joint movement. Interestingly enough, physical therapy studies and interventions show that they do indeed carry over. The majority of studies using partial range of motion training were performed on clinical populations in which the patients had limited range of motion to begin with. These studies show without question that partial range of motion training increased isometric strength within the specifically trained range of motion of the exercise and throughout the full range as well. [16,17] Other studies using isometric training have demonstrated that movements executed within a specific joint angle can result in a ‘spillover’ of strength of plus or minus twenty degrees from the trained joint angle.[9,18,19] Neural adaptation could play a part in such spillover as the muscles learn to recruit and fire more motor units in response to a new load bearing exercise, especially during the first several weeks. [20]. This could account for some strength transfer although other studies have shown increased strength throughout other ranges after partial repetition isometric training for a period of 16 months. [21]

These studies mostly focused on isometric training in a rehabilitative setting, but in a more gym specific environment several researchers have investigated the influence of partial range repetitions on overall range of motion strength. The findings show that such training protocols do indeed have a positive effect on increasing strength throughout the full range of joint movement on several tested exercises. [16,17,22, 23] One study looked at the differences in strength increases among regular strength trained male volunteers doing full range versus partial range of motion bench presses. Participants were tested their 1 repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press lift and their 5 repetition maximum lift on two separate occasions after training with full range of motion bench presses and then after training with partial range of motion bench presses. The results showed that partial range of motion performance increased significantly for both the 1-RM and the 5-RM while no such improvements were observed for the full range of motion movement. [12] Such results are notable, and researchers were quick to add that these individual who ordinarily trained using full range of motion movements may have experienced improvements due to an increased motor learning response and because they failed to regularly train in the area where maximal force development occurs.[12] By increasing their biomechanical advantage during lifts by simply eliminating the ‘sticking point’ they are able to use much heavier weights than usual.

Partial Rep Training Is As Effective As Full Range Of Motion Training Under Some Conditions

Overload is a key determinant to increases in strength and muscle size and partial reps allow you to use much heavier loads.

A longer duration 10 week bench press study of recreational, drug free weight training men took a look at the results of partial repetition training in a controlled setting where subjects were not allowed to do any weight lifting activities outside of their assigned exercises in the study. Participants were put in three groups- one group doing partial range of motion repetitions only, one group doing full range of motion repetitions only and one group trained using a combination of partial repetitions and full range of motion reps. Training was done twice a week and included basic compound movements for the entire body such as squats, rows, curls, pull-downs, leg curls, calf raises and crunches with the emphasis on bench presses. For bench presses the partial repetition group trained at or above 100% of their 1-RM within the upper portion of the lift just above the sticking point near full extension of the elbows. The full range of motion group started out at 65% of their 1-RM- with all groups performing three sets of 15 repetitions.

At the end of the 10 week program subjects were tested on their one repetition maximum (1-RM) on the bench press through a full range and the findings were not at all what one might expect. Participants in ALL groups experienced significant increases in strength, with those in the full range of motion group experiencing almost identical average increases in their bench press maximum of between 25 and 24.33 pounds.[23] Strength increases in the combination range of motion group however was a bit lower at 16.5 pounds on average. Given the idea that overload is the most important determinant in whether or not muscular adaptation is triggered to increase strength and size- advocates of partial rep training might expect that those doing only partial reps would have the greatest gains in strength, but this was not the case. On the other hand, since those doing partial reps never did a full rep, advocates of full range of motion training might expect them to not be as strong as those doing exercises through the full range- but this was not the case either as gains were about equal either way. Thus partial repetitions were found to be equally as effective as full range of motion training within the parameters of this study. [23]

Partial Rep Training- Aerobic & Fat Burning Benefits

Partial reps can increase aerobic output and help you burn more fat.

Researchers have found that greater force generated in the upper range of an exercise can make the overall training session more intense and help you get more out of your workouts. Studies of partial repetition barbell curls in the upper range showed that it not only allowed for the production of more force (torque) but also accentuated the cardiovascular response to the exercise as compared to full range of motion curls.[14]Heart rates were higher as was blood lactate, PH levels and perceived degree of exertion among subjects in the study. Researchers theorized that the restricted range of motion allowed for an increase in the speed and rate of motion  in the performance of the partial repetition- thus increasing the amount of work performed in a set period of time. The more work you do the greater the training effect and this aspect of partial rep training is one that many schooled in high intensity techniques will immediately recognize. As it goes a long way in bringing about a greater overall conditioning effect. The increased intensity also leads to greater post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) as the body has to burn more calories to return to homeostasis.[25] An afterburn effect that has been shown to be an effective method for fat loss, thus those interested in shedding extra pounds may want to integrate some partial rep training into their programs. Such intensity also have an increased cardiovascular benefit and should be of interest to those keen on increasing aerobic fitness as well.[26] Training at high intensities isn’t the only way to increase strength, but i might be one of the most efficient ways to get stronger and tone up in the process.

Partial Reps- When Are They Best Used

Partial repetition training is without question a useful tool in the arsenal of anyone serious about peak performance, increasing strength, lean muscle mass, aerobic capacity and decreasing body fat. Advanced athletes at a sticking point would benefit greatly from a program incorporating partial repetition training, especially when they reach a plateau where little or no progress occurs.[12] Data shows that integrating partial rep training with full range of motion leads to notable increases in strength. Increases that over time should amount to gains in lean muscle mass as well. Many of the studies were considered too short (only 8-10 weeks) to see any measurable increases in muscle mass- but a long term inclusion of this protocol should present some gains in this area.[2,3,9]) On a personal note, I have included partial repetition training as a powerful tool in our Naturally Intense High Intensity Training™, and I can say after 22 years of doing it and teaching it that it does indeed go a long way in increasing intensity, muscle strength and size, especially among advanced athletes. One use that was invaluable to me as a teenager was in the idea of dis-inhibition.We all have built in fail safes that stop us from lifting heavier weights. Far more than simply an unreasonable fear, it is a function of our central nervous system to signal our muscles to shut down when a load placed on our body is too high. It’s a useful mechanism that helps us from injuring ourselves on a regular basis by trying to lift trucks and such, but it can also stop us from training with the weights we should be using if maximum strength is your goal. As a teen, 315 lbs was about the heaviest weight on the planet for me. I couldn’t conceive of anything being heavier for a full squat. So over time my coaches had me do half squat movements with as much as 450 lbs- with the idea of getting me accustomed to the heavier load. Sure enough, it did work and I was able to squat over 405 lbs in a full squat over time. This concept of dis-inhibition is one that is well documented and often used by strength athletes since using heavier weights in smaller ranges of motion does reduce the overly sensitive nature of of our protective mechanisms, thus allowing the individual to get closer to their absolute maximum lifting abilities.[15]

Partial reps can also be used as a tool to increase training intensity by using them at the end of a full range of motion set after reaching or approaching momentary muscular failure. If you are doing barbell curls for example and can only do 10 reps with a given weight- you could do 10 reps and then get another few reps by working in the upper range of the movement as you are mechanically stronger in that range. That way you can significantly overload your muscles and the increase in intensity will help you retain the benefits of the training session longer and help you burn more calories in the process. Using partial reps in this manner also reduces the amount of weight you would ordinarily lift doing straight partial reps as you won’t be in the supramaximal range but will still create a high degree of muscular overload. That way you stay safer by not lifting as heavy a weight but still get the benefit of partial reps training- a technique we regularly employ with Naturally Intense High Intensity Training.

As great as they may be partial reps should not replace full range of motion training completely, as full range of motion movements also have considerable benefits. Increased flexibility naturally occurs over time when training with resistance through a joint’s full range of motion- (think of it as yoga with weights if you may) and training with supramaximal weights consistently means that there will be a greater risk of injury over time.  Since muscles don’t have much in the way of opinions but respond best to stimuli that they are unaccustomed to- it makes sense to judiciously add some partial rep training to your program and keep varying it with many other training principles as well. Partial repetition training is another tool like many others that you can use to keep your muscles challenged and constantly needing to get bigger and stronger to adapt to your ever changing routine.

If you enjoyed this article be sure to get a copy of Kevin’s free weight loss ebook here.

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.
 References

1. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Tremblay, A. et al., Physical Activities Sciences Laboratory, Laval University, Quebec, Canada Metabolism. 1994

2. Bahr R. “Excess postexercise oxygen consumption–magnitude, mechanisms and practical implications”. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica. Supplementum. 1992

3. Bahr R, Høstmark AT, Newsholme EA, Grønnerød O, Sejersted OM. “Effect of exercise on recovery changes in plasma levels of FFA, glycerol, glucose and catecholamines”. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 1991

4. Bielinski R, Schutz Y, Jéquier E.“Energy metabolism during the postexercise recovery in man”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1985

5. Massey D. An analysis of full range versus partial range of motion training in the development of strength. Giebing J, Frohich M. Current Results Of Strength Training Research. A multi-perspective approach. Vol 1.

6. Capmney HK, Wehr RW. Significance of strength variation through a range of joint motion. Phys. Ther. 1965.

7. Clarke HH, Elkins EC, Martin GM, Wakim KG. Relationship between body position and the application of muscle power to movements of the joints. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehab. 1950.

8. Tsunoda N, O’Hagan F, Sale DG, MacDougall JD. Elbow flexion strength curves in untrained men and women and male bodybuilders. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 1993.

9. Thepaut-Mathie , Vanhoecke CJ, Maton B. Myoelectrical and mechanical changes linked to length specificity during isometric training. J. Appl. Physiol. 1988

10. Weir JP, Wagner LL, Housh JJ. The effect of rest interval length on repeated maximal bench presses. J. Strength Cond. Res. 1994.

11. Kulig K, Andrews JG, Hay JG. Human strength curves. Exerc. Sports Sci. 1984.

12. Mookerjee S, Ratamess N. Comparison of strength differences and joint action durations between full and partial range of motion bench press exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 1999

13. Graves J, Pollack ML, Jones AE, Colvin AB, Leggett SH. Specificity of limited range of motion variable resistance training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 1989

14. Sullivan J, Knowlton R, Devita P, Brown D. Cardiovascular response to restricted range of motion resistance exercise. Journal of Strength & Conditioning 1996

15. Wilson G. Strength and power in sports. Bloomfield J, Ackland T, Elliot B. (Editors) Applied anatomy and biomechanics in sports. Boston Blackwell Scientific Publications.

16. Graves JE, Pollock ML, Jones AE, Colvin AB, Leggett SH. Specificity of limited range of motion variable resistance training. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 1989.

17. Graves JE, Pollock ML, Leggett SH, Carpenter DM, Fix CK, Fulton MN. Limited range-of-motion lumbar extension strength training. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 1992.

18. Knapik JJ, Mawdsley RH, Ramos NV. Angular specificity and test mode specificity of isometric and isokinetic strength training. J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther. 1983.

19. Knapik JJ, Wright JE, Mawdsley RH, Braun J. Isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic torque variations in four muscle groups through a range of joint motion. Phys. Ther. 1983.

20. Marks, R. The Effects of 16 Months of Angle-Specific Isometric Strengthening Exercises in Midrange on Torque of the Knee Extensor Muscles in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Case Study. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 1994

21. Sale, D. G. Neural Adaptation to Strength Training. In P. V. Komi (Ed.),Strength and Power in Sport. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications 1991.

22. Lander JE, Bates BT, Sawhill JA, Hamill J. A comparison between free-weight and isokinetic bench pressing. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1985

23. Massey CD, Vincent J, Maneval M, Moore M, Johnson JT. An analysis of full range of motion vs. partial range of motion training in the development of strength in untrained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2004

24.  Zatsiorsky V. Science and Practice of Strength Training. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1995

25. Børsheim E, Bahr R. Effect of exercise intensity, duration and mode on post-exercise oxygen consumption. Sports Med. 2003

26. Tomlin DL, Wenger HA. The relationship between aerobic fitness and recovery from high intensity intermittent exercise. Sports Med. 2001.

Partial Reps vs Full Range Of Motion- What Works Best? is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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How Much Do You Know About Fitness & Nutrition?

Take our quiz based on our blog articles, daily Twitter & Facebook health tips and see where you stand. Good luck!

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How Did You Do?

90 to 100%- You are a solid all round expert in all things related to health and fitness. Good job!

70 to 89%- You know your stuff, but could do with a little brushing up here and there.

50% to 69%- You passed, but just barely. Still have some catching up to do.

49% or less- You didn’t pass, but don’t despair, keep reading our blogs and articles and be sure to follow Kevin on Twitter @BATMANNYC for daily fitness updates and you’ll be up to scratch in no time!

1. Regardless of gender the hardest place to lose body fat is the abdominal area.

False. Research finds that fat in the femoral (leg) region is the hardest to be mobilized in both men and women. See our article on Differences In How Men & Women Lose Fat.

2. Skin fold caliper body fat tests always give an accurate assessment of how much fat you have lost.

False. If you are building muscle, the increased lean tissue compresses the spaces between fat cells so the total amount of fat in any muscular part of the body may remain the same but occupy less space because of the increase in muscle size. Consequently, skin fold calipers would detect a decrease in subcutaneous fat while  more accurate MRI, CAT or DEXA scan would show no changes. See my article on Why Men & Women Lose Fat Differently.

3. Being overweight always means an increased risk of metabolic type diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

False. Several studies have shown that there are subgroups of individuals who are significantly overweight but who do not display any predispositions towards metabolic disease. See our article Why People Store Fat Differently for the answer and much more!

4. Women who have high levels of the stress hormone cortisol tend to store fat very much the same way that men do.

True. Women with sustained high blood levels of cortisol tend to exhibit signs of android obesity- storing fat in the abdominal and trunk area. See our article Why People Store Fat Differently and Does Stress Cause Us To Gain Weight

5. Research shows that those who consciously try to eat less will tend to eat more during periods of high stress.

True. Studies show that those who eat as they please with little in the way of restrictions tend to eat less under periods of stress while those dieting and restricting their calorie intake tend to eat more. See my article Stress & Overeating

6. People who restrict their calories on average eat less than those who eat whatever they wish without restrictions.

False. Studies show that over time those who restrict their calories inevitably binge- and in so doing tend to eat as much if not more than those who eat what they like over time. See our article on Stress & Overeating for this and more!

7. Artificially sweetened foods and drinks are not as addictive as items with real sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

False. Artificially sweetened foods trigger the reward system in the human brains in the same way that regularly sweetened foods do. See our article Can Foods Be Addictive?

8. The more ingredients a food product has the more likely it is to be addictive.

True. Studies point to the increased number of ingredients in processed foods as a significant factor in the likelihood of their stimulating the reward system and making some individuals more prone to overeating them. See my article Can Foods Be Addictive?

9. McDonald’s French fries have less ingredients McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.

True.  McDonald’s French fries have 9 ingredients while their Chicken McNuggets have a whooping 27 ingredients! See my article Can Foods Be Addictive?

10. Drinking alcohol after a workout doesn’t do much to your body.

False. The worst time to drink is after a workout as it significantly suppresses testosterone levels- which can neutralize any gains you could have made from your workout. See our article Alcohol and Exercise- A Bad Combination.

11. The French have lower rates of heart disease than their American counterparts because of their wine consumption.

False. Studies show that the French eat smaller portions, consume more fresh fruit and vegetables, don’t snack between meals, have a diet relatively free of trans fats, don’t eat as much processed foods and eat far more seafood than Americans do. These factors- not wine drinking account for the decreased rates of heart disease. See my article Alcohol & Exercise- A Bad Combination

12. When you stop training you start losing muscle strength in as little as 7 days.

False. No muscle strength is lost in 7 days, in fact you may be stronger after resting your muscles for 7 days. See our Article on What Happens When You Stop Training.

13. People in several other countries spend a lesser percentage on food than we do here in the United States.

False. Americans spend less than 10% of their income on food- which is far less than what is spent in other developed countries. Europeans spend 15-17% of their income in food, the Japanese spend 20% and people in poorer countries spend 50% to as much as 70% of their income on food. Read The Economics of Obesity for this and more.

14. Lucky Charms cereal was not endorsed with a heart friendly stamp of approval by the American Heart Association.

True. Before yielding to protests from consumer groups, Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs had the American Heart Association stamp of approval. All the more reason to be very wary of food products with health claims. Read more in my article on Why The Food Industry Needs You to Overeat.

15.  Eating late at night makes you gain weight.
False. While people who eat late at night tend to overeat high calorie foods which can make you gain weight the time of day you eat does not matter. What matters is the amount of calories you consume for the day. Eat more than your body can use at any time of the day and you will gain weight over time. Read my article on Understanding Night Eating and Understanding Calories for more information.

If you enjoyed this quiz be sure to get a copy of Kevin’s Free Weight Loss Ebook here

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

An Interesting Quiz About Fitness & Nutrition is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Why Men & Women  Lose Body Fat Differently- Understanding Body Fat Mobilization

It is hardly a secret that the bodies of men and women are not the same.  Nor is it a secret that considerable physiological differences exist between the sexes, differences that dictate not only where we store fat on our bodies but how we lose fat as well. In the last article we took a detailed look at the diverse ways in which people store fat on their bodies (Read my article Why People Store Fat Differently) and in this piece we will explore the differences in how we lose body fat. Weight loss is perhaps the most pressing personal issue of our time with many studies finding an inverse relationship between body weight and psychological well-being. [1,2,3] In spite of the prevalence of obesity in our society and as distasteful as it may be most Americans categorize individuals who are overweight as unattractive and that their weight is somehow morally unacceptable[4]- (which in and of itself is a real social problem to begin with),  and so it is no surprise that billions are spent annually in attempts to shed extra pounds. That being said, long term failure rates are devastatingly high [5]  for a number of reasons  and one of the contributing factors that we propose is frustration due to a lack of tangible results. Not because results are impossible to attain, but because most people expect fat loss to happen faster than it does and because they don’t always know how to measure their progress. It is human nature to look at your problem spots as to gauge of how well you are doing on a weight loss program- which is exactly what you should not be doing. Moreover, most conventional methods of determining body fat loss such as skinfold calipers are not only woefully inaccurate, but also do not take into consideration individual and gender based differences in where body fat is mobilized. This leads many to feel they are failing when they are indeed making progress. A pervading sense of hopelessness goes a long way in increasing the likelihood of attrition in any diet and exercise regime, and it is my hope that this article sheds some light on the fact that body weight and body fat percentages don’t tell the whole story, and why it is always a mistake to compare your fat loss progress with anyone else. It’s hard not to make comparisons when you feel you aren’t making progress- but an understanding of the biological dissimilarities in how we lose weight can help us focus more on ourselves. Which is really all that matters since anything else is no more useful than comparing apples to oranges. Such perspectives also give us the freedom to set more realistic (and rewarding) goals. Important benchmarks that can go a long way in keeping us on the right track. Thanks as always for reading my work and do feel free to share it with all you think might benefit from reading it!

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Differences in Weight Loss Among Women & Men

Men and women not only store fat differently, but they also lose fat differently as well

Men are often perceived as having an easier time losing weight and from a strictly numerical frame of reference there is some truth to this idea. Lean fat free muscle mass is responsible for the lion share of calories burned throughout the course of the day and men naturally have higher levels of muscle mass than their female counterparts.[6,7] (Read my article on why losing weight makes you gain weight for more information on the role of lean muscle mass and caloric expenditure). Male patterns of excessive body fat distribution (android obesity) are usually different from female patterns (gynoid obesity) (though women can also display android obesity as well- see my article on Why People Store Fat Differently for more details), which is more or less self-evident. What isn’t as obvious is that differences in hormones, hormonal receptors, blood flow and the way fat tissue changes can create very distinct differences in both where and how quickly women lose fat when compared to men. One well controlled study compared a group of men and women who underwent a six month training program of both aerobic and resistance type exercises to determine gender based variance in increasing lean muscle mass and decreasing fat stores. Unlike many other studies, this research project employed both X ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess changes in body mass. Changes that give us some clear insight into the differences between the genders in this respect.

Rate Of Fat Loss In The Arms & Legs Is Determined By Gender

Fat in the leg area is especially resistant to being burned off- especially for women.

The study found that on average, the women had less lean muscle mass in their arms than the men both before and after the 24 week training period, which is by no means news to us, however what is compelling is that the women lost 31% of their fat mass in their arms but with no corresponding increase in lean muscle mass.[8] Nevertheless, women in the study gained an average increase of lean muscle mass of 5.5% in their legs with no corresponding decrease in fat in their legs.[8] The lack of fat mobilization in the lower body among women in the study is an incredibly important finding, and it corresponds to the countless experiences among women that losing fat in the lower body is a bit of an uphill battle on a rather slippery slope. In the study, female participants had an average of 18lbs of body fat in their legs- a figure representing 34% (about one third) of their total fat stores. Yet no reductions in fat tissue were detected in the X ray or MRI scans. It should be noted that during the training period the women also lost 12% of their fat deposits in the truncal areas but without any increase in lean muscle tissue in those regions as well.

My own experience preparing for drug free bodybuilding competitions and coaching many over the years in preparation for drug free physique competitions and photo-shoots in  is supported by several studies that conclude that fat in the legs is by nature resistant to being mobilized- regardless of gender. [7,9,10] An attribute that appears to be far more pronounced in women than in men since they tend to store significantly more of their total body fat in the lower body region (gynoid obesity) while men have comparatively less adipose tissue in their legs to begin with (android obesity). Why is it so hard to lose fat in your legs? We don’t know for certain, but researchers attribute the resistance of femoral fat tissue to several factors including localized blood flow, nervous system stimulation and fat utilization responses to stimulation from the endocrine system.[7,9,13,14]

Fat Loss Mobilization Patterns- Where Goes Down First

Another study evaluating gender specific fat loss observed the body mass changes in male and female U.S. Army Rangers during caloric energy deficit led researchers to define the following patterns of weight loss among for men and women:

Men lose body fat in the following hierarchical order- abdominal/trunk region- then in the arms and lastly in the leg and lower body region.[7,8,11,12]

Women lose body fat in the following order- arms,  truncal/abdominal area and finally in the legs. [7, 8,11,12]

Before training, the women had relative fat percentages in their legs that were similar to that of the men in the study, but after the training  period women had relatively higher levels of fat in their legs compared to men. Gender based differences in fat mobilization are attributed to complex interactions between localized adipocyte receptors and differences in concentrations of testosterone and estradiol. Some interesting data emerged involving fat loss in the upper arm region among females as those with the highest percentages of total body fat also lost the most fat in their arms when compared to those with the lowest percentages of total body fat. Women tend to have the greatest regional percentage of fat in their arms[15] and in the Army Ranger study even though the women were able to reduce the fat in their arms, final arm adiposity was still on average far greater than the male comparison group.[11,12]

This study, however was designed to increase functional ability of the Rangers and so increasing lean muscle mass was not the expressed goal per se. Women in the study also did not perform exercises designed to isolate and target the biceps and triceps muscles- however other studies (and personal experience working with female athletes) support the fact that women can indeed increase the size of the muscles in their arms by 20% or more when engaged in targeted [16,17] training programs where hypertrophy is indeed the goal. Studies that also highlights the reality that without the use of external androgens (eg. anabolic steroids) the average woman training with weights at high intensities is not able to build upper arm muscle mass at levels comparable to that of men engaged in similar training programs. (See my article Should Women Lift Weights Like Men)  Compared to their male counterparts, the women in the study had a lower percentage of lean muscle mass in their arms both before and after training. This lower muscle mass distribution goes a long way in explaining (in part) the differences between the sexes in terms of variations in upper body strength and power generation.[7] The findings from such studies underline the importance of focusing on regional and not whole body changes in body fat as a measure of continued success during any weight loss program, since for both men and women, measuring only total body fat losses won’t tell the full story. [7] Too often we use the wrong parameters to mark our success when it comes to weight loss- we look at our trouble spots (which as we see is the last place to look as they will often be the last parts of your body to lose fat). We look to the numbers on the scale, numbers that tell us little in the way of whether weight lost was body fat, water weight or muscle mass and are for the most part misleading at best. And finally we look to the conventional gold standard of skinfold body fat testings for measurements and changes in body fat- a tool often used by personal trainers and weight loss related professionals as the de facto barometer of progress or lack of it thereof. That being said, even skinfold testing may lead to some degree of frustration as they cannot always detect fat losses certain parts of your body- which may lead you to believe that you are not making progress while other parts of your body show tangible signs of fat loss. Losses that cannot be detected with skinfold calipers.

Spot Reduction & The Limitations Of Skinfold Calipers

Skin fold calipers are not an accurate way to measure body fat reduction.

An often misunderstood concept in body fat reduction and weight loss is the idea of spot reduction- which is the localized loss of subcutaneous fat as a result of exercising a particular part of the body. Numerous studies have shown that this phenomenon does not occur- as you can train any problem body part such as arms, abs,  legs or glutes until the cows come home and while there may be some increase in muscle mass if training intensity produces significant overload- there will be no localized fat loss as a result.[18,19,20,21,22] The science supporting the impossibility of spot reduction is quite solid, yet many still hold on to the idea that they can reduce fat in their abdominal regions with specialized exercises or machines- and the marketing engines of the weight loss industry work tirelessly to keep this mythology alive as it does indeed sell machines and training programs. (See my article on How To Get A Six Pack)

That being said, one important lesson learned during scientific investigations into the plausibility of spot reduction is the inaccuracy of skinfold calipers in measuring fat loss. Before and after measurements of men and women involved in a 16 week program of resistance training found no changes in subcutaneous fat when assessed by skinfold calipers- whereas significant reductions were found when assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, computer X ray tomography and dual x ray absorptiometry. [23,24] The study concluded that short term decreases in subcutaneous body fat from resistance training can only be accurately detected using MRI, CT and DEXA techniques and not subjective assessments from skinfold tests.[24]

Many old school professionals regard the widespread use of skinfold assessments today as being somewhat of an oversimplified and thus inherently inaccurate method of providing ongoing feedback in terms of fat loss. When I had my first session as an apprentice trainer my coach threw out my calipers- and for the past two decades I have yet to use them as I was made to understand from the very beginning that they could not provide an accurate gauge of fat loss. It’s a complex process and you can’t rely on such simplistic assessments for a true gauge of how you are doing. Add in the process of building lean muscle tissue through high intensity training programs and measurement of fat loss with skinfold calipers becomes even more problematic. You see, muscle growth compresses the (extracellular) spaces between fat cells [22] so the total amount of subcutaneous fat in any trained part of the body may remain the same but occupy less space because of the increase in muscle size.[22] As a result, skinfold calipers would detect a decrease in subcutaneous fat while MRI, CT and DEXA scans would show no such changes.[22] Skin fold calipers also only measure at the belly of the muscle and so small changes in fat levels in other parts of the arm may go undetected as well.

These discrepancies explain the findings of the few studies that have reported instances of spot reduction, [25,26,27] as they all used skinfold calipers and not MRI, CT, DEXA or fat biopsy as a method of assessment.[24] Keep in mind as well that these studies were done in the 1960’s and 1970’s before more advanced imaging technology was available, which renders much of the data as antiquated, nevertheless this does little to stop the profit minded from citing them extensively as proof that their exercise machines will help you lose fat in a specific part of your body.

The Importance of Patience With Fat Loss

It takes a while to put on the extra pounds so you must accept that it will take a while to take it off as well

At the end of the day, by understanding that parts of the body differ considerably in terms of their propensity to store and mobilize fat[28,29] due to gender, environmental and genetic differences [7] we can see the folly of trying to look to our problem areas for feedback on how well we are doing in terms of weight loss. (Read my article on how results from losing weight can actually make you gain weight for more detail on this aspect of our psychology). However by understanding how our bodies lose fat we can know what to look for and understand that some areas will take longer than others. Women can lose fat in their lower body and lower abdominal regions to a point where there is almost none to be seen- but it will take longer, but to determine fat loss progress they are better off looking at their arms than their legs. Men mobilize fat rapidly in the abdominal area- but because they tend to store the most fat in that region, it takes a long time to get rid of it all and reveal the six pack underneath and so it isn’t necessarily the best place to visually look for results as a ½ of fat in a belly of 10-20lbs isn’t going to be detectable. Men should look to fat losses in their upper body as they are a better gauge of progress than their abdominal areas, even though fat is mobilized there first. Fat mobilization is a slow process, and you shouldn’t expect to lose considerable amounts of it in a short period of time if you gained it over the course of several years. I tell my clients that expecting quick losses in body fat after a lifetime of putting on the extra pounds is no different than a man who starts out on a journey and walks for countless miles over the years, but one day turns around to go back and expects to be home the next day. Thus what is most important is a sense of patience and an understanding that we need to stop looking to tangible measurements of our progress every day and instead focus on our endeavors as a simple part of our lifestyle. If you approach fat loss from that perspective you are more likely to stick with the program as you will have learned good habits that will inevitably lead you to a sustainable and long term fulfillment of your fat loss goals.

Related Articles:

Why People Store Fat Differently

If you enjoyed this article be sure to get a copy of Kevin’s free weight loss ebook here.

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

References

1. Heo M, PietrobelliA, Fontaine KR, Sirey JA, Faith MS. Depressive mood and obesity in US adults.: comparison and moderation by sex, age and race. Intl J Obesity 2005

2. Wadden TA, Butryn ML, Sarwer DB, Fabricatore AN, Crerand CE, Lipschultz PE, Faulconbridge L, Raper SE, Williams NN.Comparison of psychosocial status in treatment-seeking women with class I vs class III obesity. Obesity 2006

3. Carr D, Jaffe K. The psychological consequences of weight change trajectories: Evidence from qualitative and quantitative data. Economics & Human Biology 2012

4. Puhl R, Heuer CA. The stigma of obesity: a review and update. 2009

5. Brownell T, Rodin J. The dieting maelstrom: is it possible and advisable to lose weight? American Psychologist 1994

6. Jequier E. Energy expenditure in obesity. Clin Endocinrology Metabolism 1984.

7. NINDL, B. C., E. A. HARMAN, J. O. MARX, et al. Regional body composition changes in women after 6 months of periodized physical training. J. Appl. Physiol. 88:2251–2259, 2000

8. Friedl KE, Vogel JA, Marchitelli LJ, and Kubel SL. Assessment of regional body composition changes by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). In: Human Body Composition: In Vivo Methods, Models, and Assessment, edited by Ellis KJ and Eastman JD. New York: Plenum, 1993

9. Rognum TO, Rodahl K, and Opstad PK. Regional differences in the lipolytic response of the subcutaneous fat depots to prolonged exercise and severe energy deficiency. Eur J Appl Physiol 1982.

10. Smith U, Hammerstein J, Bjorntorp P, and Kral JG. Regional differences and effect of weight reduction on human fat cell metabolism. Eur J Clin Invest 1979.

11. Nindl BC, Friedl KE, Marchitelli LJ, Shippee RL, Thomas CD, and Patton JF. Regional fat placement in physically fit males and changes with weight loss. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996.

12. Madsen OR, Lautidsen UB, Hartkopp A, and Sorensen OH. Muscle strength and soft tissue composition as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry in women aged 18–87 years. Eur J Appl Physiol 1997.

13.Leibel RL, Edens NK, and Fried SK. Physiologic basis for the control of body fat distribution in humans. Annu Rev Nutr 1989.

14. Smith U, Hammerstein J, Bjorntorp P, and Kral JG. Regional differences and effect of weight reduction on human fat cell metabolism. Eur J Clin Invest 1979.

15. Miller AE, MacDougall JD, Tarnopolsky MA, and Sale DA. Gender differences in strength and muscle fiber characteristics. Eur J Appl Physiol 1993

16. Harman EA, Frykman PN, Palmer C, Lammi E, Reynolds K, and Backus V. Effects of a Specially Designed Physical Conditioning Program on the Load Carriage and Lifting Performance of Female Soldiers. Natick, MA: US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, 1997.

17. Kraemer WJ, Nindl BC, Gotshalk LA, Marx JO, Tokeshi SA, Harman FS, Dohi K, Newton RU, Fleck SJ, and Hakkinen K. Hypertrophy of the upper and lower body musculature

in women following 6 months of periodized resistance training. In: International Conference on Weightlifting and Strength Training, edited by Hakkinen K. Jyva¨skyla¨ , Finland: Gummerus, 1998

18. Roby F. B. Effect of exercise on regional subcutaneous fat accumulations. Res. Q, 1962.

19. Scade M., F. A. HELLEDRANDT, J. C. WATERLAND, and M. L. CARNS. Spot reducing in overweight college women: its influence on fat distribution as determined by photography. Res. Q. 1962

20.Gwinnup G., R. CHELVAM, and T. STEINBERG. Thickness of subcutaneous fat and activity of underlying muscles. Ann. Intern. Med. 1971

21. Katch F. I., P. M. CLARKSON, W. KROLL, and T. MCBRIDE. Effect of sit up exercise training on adipose cell size and adiposity. Res.Q. Exerc. Sport 1984

22. KROTKIEWSKI, M., A. ANIANSSON, G. GRIMBY, P. BJORNTORP, and L. SJOSTROM. The effect of unilateral isokinetic strength training on local adipose and muscle tissue morphology, thickness, and enzymes. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol.1979

23. TREUTH, M. S., G. R. HUNTER, T. KEKES-SZABO, R. L. WEINSIER, M. I. GORAN, and L. BERLAND. Reduction in intra-abdominal adipose tissue after strength training in older women. J. Appl. Physiol. 1995.

24. TREUTH, M. S., A. S. RYAN, R. E. PRATLEY, et al. Effects of strength training on total and regional body composition in older men. J. Appl. Physiol. 1994

25. MOHR, D. R. Changes in waistline and abdominal girth and subcutaneous fat following isometric exercises. Res. Q. 1965.

26. NOLAND, M., and J. T. KEARNEY. Anthropometric and densitometric responses of women to specific and general exercise. Res. Q. 1978.

27. OLSON, A. L., and E. EDELSTEIN. Spot reduction of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Res. Q. 1968

28.HOROWITZ, J. F. Fatty acid mobilization from adipose tissue during exercise. Trends Endocrinol. Metab.  2003.

29. JENSEN, M. D. Lipolysis: contribution from regional fat. Annu. Rev. Nutr.  1997.

Why Men & Women Lose Body Fat Differently- Understanding Body Fat Mobilization is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Why People Store Fat In Different Parts Of Their Body

One of the most frustrating aspects of weight loss is that very often the areas where you have the most fat seem to be the hardest parts to trim down as they seem to stubbornly resist all but the most persistent of attempts to get rid of those pockets of fat. Globally at least 300 million people are what would be categorized as clinically obese[1] and just about one in three Americans are over their ideal weight, [2] but having problem areas is by no means isolated to individuals who are overweight as many within the range of normal weight have concerns about how they look because of areas of adipose tissue that doesn’t seem to want to go away. It should be no surprise thus that weight loss has become a primary concern for almost everyone, and yet in spite of billions spent in weight reduction modalities, long term failure rates remain incredibly high and those resistant areas of fat tend to stay right where they are. We can lay blame for these failures on many doorsteps, but we should acknowledge that many simply give up in frustration after trying their best to get rid of their problem spots and see little in terms of return even when eating better and exercising regularly. It’s a demoralizing dilemma, especially among women, and on that often drives otherwise level headed and rational thinking individuals to spend their hard earned cash on everything from vibrating machines, cellulite massages and spot reduction creams. All in the hope of getting rid of those unwanted areas of adipose tissue. In this article we will explore how and why people hold fat on their bodies in such different ways and take a look at how our environment, diet and genetics can play a major role in how and where we gain weight. We will also discuss the different types of obesity and the seemingly perplexing findings that for some being overweight does not necessarily mean a higher risk  of metabolic related disease. Thanks as always for reading my articles and do be sure to share them with anyone who you think might stand to benefit.

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How We Store Body Fat: The Four Main Phenotypes

Obesity is by no stretch of the imagination a uniform occurrence as it can manifest in very different ways. You may have noticed at the gym or at the beach that people who are overweight don’t all look the same nor do they all carry their excess fat stores in the same places. Women typically store fat very differently from their male counterparts- but even among the sexes there can be significant differences as well. Just as there are different body types, there are also different ways in which humans store fat. One of the major findings of modern obesity research is that certain forms of obesity are associated with higher incidences of metabolic disease and higher mortality rates, while others have lesser health risk associations.[4] To distinguish between the different categories or phenotypes of obesity, researchers defined four main manifestations brought about by combinations of environmental pressures (a fancy term for diet and activity levels) and genetics. [5, 13, 14] The four phenotypes describing how people store fat on their bodies are:

1. Excess body fat evenly distributed throughout the body
2. Excess subcutaneous fat in the trunk and abdominal area (Android/male obesity)
3. Excess subcutaneous fat in the trunk and or gluetal and femoral area (Gynoid/female obesity)
4. Excess subcutaneous fat in the abdominal area (Abdominal visceral obesity) [5]

Even Body Fat Distribution

Plus sized models are a perfect example of individuals who have relatively even body fat distribution- but slimmer models also can exhibit this form or obesity as well.

Like the somatypes used to categorize body types (mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph) these phenotypes are by no means absolute and individuals can often have tendencies towards more than one category of fat distribution.[5] The first phenotype is one that we can easily recognize among those who have even distributions of adipose tissue throughout their body without noticeable accumulations in any one area. Plus sized models are a relatively easy example of this form of fat distribution but it is also common to a lesser degree in slimmer individuals as well. The lack of any one outstanding area of fat makes them appear to not be carrying that much in the way of excess body fat and as hard as it may be for some people to grasp, many individuals of normal to low body weight can fall into this category. Some female fashion models for example have relatively high body fat percentages and little in the way of lean muscle tissue, but are skinny due to their low body weight. Unfortunately, a large number of young people fall into this phenotype, taking little heed of their fat stores since the relatively even distribution makes it appear that they are not in bad shape. This is perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about obesity as you don’t need to have a large abdominal area or noticeable pockets of adipose tissue to be at risk for metabolic disease. (4)

In fact this misunderstanding is the reason why so many individuals of normal weight have high rates of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Society may place a premium on being skinny but it isn’t necessarily an indicator of good health. [11] In fact all the research has conclusively demonstrated that health risks are more directly correlated to what you can do than what you look like. A reality that many overweight individuals who are physically fit need to embrace instead of attempting to conform to a rather superficial societal ideal. (See my article on Why Being Skinny Doesn’t Mean Being Healthy) With age however, this form of excess body fat becomes less common as diet, hormones, genetics and external factors like stress tend to manifest more localized fat distribution if there is no intervention in the form of a regulated diet and or regular exercise. As a result most people complain about getting fat as they get older not realizing that they may have had a high body fat percentage all along, but as the years went by and they got fatter the places where fat is stored becomes more concentrated and thus more noticeable. Genetics play a major role in this form of fat storage as some people maintain relatively high body fat levels all their lives in spite of low activity and unchecked diet without having a pronounced amount of fat in any one part of their body. However, as we mentioned earlier- it does not necessarily mean a better health, as visceral abdominal fat accumulations may be high but simply not to the extent where it is cosmetically noticeable.[4]

Upper Body Android (Male) Obesity

Android obesity is characterized by excess body fat in the abdominal and trunk areas- but is not limited only to men.

Upper body or android obesity is more common in males than in females and is a fat storage phenotypes that tends to occur with advancing age.[5] This is an example of what is often termed sex specific fat and is characterized in males as relatively low body fat stored in the lower body but with a disproportionate amount of fat stored in the abdominal region (creating the classic ‘gut’ or ‘beer belly’) and or upper body truncal areas. While android obesity is often thought to be a male phenomenon, (which you would easily think given the name) this is quite often not the case. Females also exhibit android obesity, most often after menopause when estrogen levels begin to drop off. Android obesity is also associated with individuals (male and female) who are exposed to chronic stress. Our internal response to long term or prolonged periods of stress plays a key role in where body fat is stored on our bodies, regardless of gender. To that effect, women who have higher than normal levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, tend to have higher incidences of android type fat storage. [4, 12, 13, 14] (See my article on Stress & Eating for more information on the relationship between cortisol and body fat accumulation). Women with above average levels of androgens also exhibit android obesity [5] and it is interesting to note that the shift in natural fat storage in men away from the lower body (especially the gluteo-femoral regions) caused in part by the action of the male hormone testosterone, is one reason why some women use steroids. Not for increased bulk, but for purposes of rapidly leaning out parts of the body that are especially resistant to fat loss in the female body. A practice that is sadly popular among many female fitness and physique athletes, but it is a short cut that comes with potentially harmful side effects. All the while similar results can be achieved safely and naturally in women through proper nutrition and exercise- but over a longer period of time. (See my article on How Men & Women Lose Body Fat Differently)

Lower Body Gynoid (Female) Obesity

Gynoid or female obesity is the second so called sex specific fat accumulation categorization (though it should be noted that fat distribution is not necessarily always gender specific. Gynoid obesity manifests itself in very specific ways- fat is stored in the hip, thigh and buttocks in addition to the lower abdominal area and above the triceps muscles in the back of the upper arms. [5,6] Gynoid obesity is associated with a lesser risk of potential health complications than android obesity, as higher fat concentrations in the abdominal area is a strong indicator of increased risk of cardiovascular and inflammation related disease in overweight adults. [7,8] In spite of the lower health risks that this form of obesity confers, for many it is the most perplexing as adipose tissue in the leg and buttock region is indeed far more resistant to fat mobilization than fat found in the abdominal area- which is another reason men appear to lose weight faster than women (though higher muscle mass and consequentially greater metabolic rates are causative as well). (See our upcoming. article on differences in how men and women lose weight)

Visceral Abdominal Fat Accumulation: ‘The Big Belly Syndrome’

Excess fat localized to the abdominal area is without question the most dangerous form of fat accumulation with regards to potential negative health outcomes.[6] Visceral abdominal fat increases with age regardless of gender in both lean and overweight individuals [9] with many people of lower body weights not realizing their potentially problematic fat deposits since they mistakenly believe that their lower body weight is somehow an insulation against obesity related health risks. Men on average tend to have more visceral abdominal fat than women and those who are obese tend to have more visceral fat than those who are on the leaner side. Studies suggest that genetics play a significant factor in how much visceral abdominal fat you store[10] and women with high cortisol levels also tend to have higher levels of this form of fat. (See my article on Stress & Overeating for more information on the role of cortisol and visceral abdominal fat.)

Being Overweight Does Not Necessarily Mean Greater Health Risks

In addition to the four phenotypes mentioned above, research has revealed the existence of a rather paradoxical subgroup of individuals who are overweight, have excessive amounts of body fat and yet have none of the markers for increased risk of cardiovascular, disease, diabetes or any other metabolic syndrome related to obesity.[4] On the contrary, these individuals have an overall better metabolic profile than normal weight individuals with metabolic syndrome, with better cholesterol profiles, lower cardiovascular risk scores, less estimated liver fat and less incidences of previously undetected diabetes. [4] A Finnish study found the prevalence of healthy but obese individuals was higher among women than among men (16.4% versus 49.2%) and that 10% of obese individuals fell into the category of being metabolically healthy in spite of their weight.

Genetics And Fat Distribution

As much as we may hate to think that some aspects of our reality are predetermined, the reality is that the placement of our fat stores is a direct consequence of who are parents were. Research shows conclusively that genetics plays a large role in why some people store more fat in certain parts of the body regardless of whether they are overweight or not. [3, 16] In my experience working with everyone from stay at home moms and corporate types trying to lose weight to bodybuilders and fitness models preparing for competitions and or photoshoots, I have seen some individuals who were noticeably overweight but who still had a pronounced a six pack, while others dieted down to single digit body fat percentages and could barely see their abs. The genetic nature of such discrepancies in body fat storage was highlighted in a several studies involving male twins that found strong familiar resemblances in terms of body fat distribution among brothers. [17, 18]

Do Some People Put On Fat Easier Than Others

Many individuals seem to struggle against growing waistlines and excessive accumulation of fat in unwanted areas while others appear to be relatively well protected against putting on excess fat, and a study involving twins shed some light on just how much of a role genetics can play in where and how easily individuals gain adipose tissue. For the experiment 112 pairs of male monozygotic (identical) twins were given a diet consisting of 1,000 kcal per day over how many calories their bodies needed to maintain their starting body weight, 6 days a week for 100 days without additional exercise.[16] Of course with such a persistently high calorie intake they did gained significant amounts of body fat- but there were significant variations in both how much weight was gained and where the excess body fat was stored among the sets of twins. But with strong similarities reported within pairs.[5] For example there was three times more of a difference between pairs than within pairs for gains in body weight, body fat, and lean muscle mass and when differences in where fat was deposited on the body there was six times more variance between pairs than within peers.

All in all there were very strong similarities among identical twins in terms of their increases in trunk fat and visceral abdominal fat. These findings go a long way in demonstrating that some individuals are more at risk than others to gain fat when calorie intake is set at the same relative level for everyone and when subjects are confined to a sedentary lifestyle.[5] What is most striking is that while genetics do influence total body fat content, the effect of inherited traits is even more pronounced in terms of where you will store fat on your body. Understanding this leads us to look critically at our family members as a possible template for our own potential weight gain,but it must be noted that our genetics are what determines where we start in terms of body fat- not where we end. As a regime of proper nutrition and exercise has been shown time and time again to be able to overcome even the most stubborn of fat deposits. However it does take time, and for some it will take longer than others, but at the end of the day it isn’t about how long it took you to reach your destination, it’s that you made it!

Related articles:

Why Men & Women Lose Body Fat Differently

 If you enjoyed this article be sure to get a copy of Kevin’s free weight loss ebook here.

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

References

1. WHO Report of a WHO Consultation : Geneva World. Health Organization 2000
2. Selected health conditions and risk factors: United States, selected years 1988–1994 through 2009–2010. Center for Disease Control & Prevention 2011
3. Bouchard, C. Inheritance of human fat distribution. In Bouchard, C. and Johnson, F.E. (eds),Fat Distribution during Growth and Later Health Outcomes. Alan R.Liss, New York 1988
4. Pajunen P, Kotronen A, Korpi-Hyovalti E, Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi S, Oska H, Niskan L, Saaristo T, Saltevo JT, Sunduvall J, Vanhala M, Uusitupa M, Peltonen M. Metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity phenotypes in the general population: the Finnish FIN-D2D Survey BMC Public Health 2011
5. Bouchard C. Genetic determinants of regional fat distribution. Human Reproduction 1997
6. Nindl BC, Harman EA, Marx JO, Gotshalk LA, Frykman PN, Lammi E, Palmer C, Kraemer WJ. Regional body composition changes in women after 6 months of periodized physical training. J Appl Physiol 2000
7. StevensJ, Cai J, Parmuk ER, Wiliamson DF, Thun MU, Wood JL. The effect of age on the association between body mass index and mortality. N Eng J Med 1988
8. Brook RD, Bard RL, Rubenfire M, Ridker PM, Rajagopalan S. Usefullness of visceral obesity & waist hip ratio) in predicting endothelial function in healthy overweight adults. Am J Cardiol 2001
9. Enzi G. Gasparo M, Biondetti PRR et al. Subcutaneous and visceral fat distribution according to sex, age and overweight, evaluated by computed tomography. AM J Clin Ntr 1986
10 Perusse L, Despres JP, Lemieux S et al. Familial aggregation of abdominal visceral fat level: results from the Quebec Family Study. Metabolism 1996
11. Flegal KM. Higher Levels of Obesity Associated With Increased Risk of Death; Being Overweight Associated With Lower Risk of Death JAMA 2009
12. Adam TC, Epel ES. Stress eating and the reward system. Physio & Behaviour 2007
13. Epel ES, McEwen B, Seeman T, Matthews K, Castellazzo G, Brownell KD, et al. Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosom Med2000
14. Marin P, Darin N, Amemiya T, Andersson B, Jern S, Bjorntorp P. Cortisol secretion in relation to body fat distribution in obese premenopausal women. Metabolism 1992
15. Duclos M, Marquez Pereira P, Barat P, Gatta B, Roger P. Increased cortisol bioavailability, abdominal obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in obese women. Obes Res 2005
16.Bouchard, C. Variation in human body fat: The contribution of the genotype. In Bray, G., Ricquier, D. and Spiegelman, B. (eds), Obesity: Towards a Molecular Approach. Alan R.Liss, New York 1990
17. Donahue, R.P., Prineas, R.J., Gomez, O. and Hong, C.P. Familial resemblance of body fat distribution: the Minneapolis Children’s blood pressure study. Int. J. Obes.1992
18. Selby, J.V., Newman, B., Quesenberry Jr, C.P. et al. Evidence of genetic influence on central body fat in middle-aged twins. Hum. Biol 1989

Why People Store Fat In Different Parts Of The Body is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Naturally Intense High Intensity Training Featured On CBS

Here is a glimpse of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training with founder and celebrity personal trainer, Kevin Richardson training Lisa Kerney on the CBS morning show On the Couch! It’s a high intensity plyometirc movement for your legs, calves and glutes that we call bunny hops- but don’t let the name fool you- it’s pretty intense!

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

Get free fitness tips in your inbox by signing up for Kevin’s Newsletter!!

Naturally Intense High Intensity Training Featured On CBS is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Post tags: 10 minute workouts, high intensity training, Kevin Richardson, naturally intense, personal trainer, personal training, training, training tip

Can Foods Be Addictive? Understanding The Science

While we can establish with certainty that genetics do play some role in tendencies towards gaining weight, it cannot adequately explain the global problem of obesity. While by no means the only causative factor- overeating remains the one of the main reasons for our growing waistlines. More precisely, the consumption of more calories than our bodies need from an easily accessible and readily available supply of what are termed as highly palatable foods that are high in sugar and fats. We can establish as well the idea that people who are overweight do not choose to be so, and that most conscious attempts at weight loss end in failure over the course of several months[1], so there must be some underlying explanation for these tendencies towards over consumption. One factor is stress and the role it plays in stimulating a significant portion of the population towards eating high fat and sugary foods (see part 1 of our series on stress and eating). The other important aspect is how such stress can bring about behaviors that are very much akin to a food addiction. Behaviors that create a self-sustaining cycle of overeating which in turn leads to a hopeless feeling of seemingly uncontrollable weight gain. We all have good days and bad days and sometimes it seems that the bad days outnumber the good ones- during these times of high stress we seek out activities and or things that bring us a sense of comfort. Some stress relief behaviors can be positive, such as balanced and mindful exercise, sports and positive relationships. However some can be negative such as gambling, substance abuse, and excessive exercise and overeating. Stress relief is indeed a two sided coin as anything that brings us that feeling of comfort can be very much destructive when taken to the extreme- but this comfort can be understood and in many cases controlled. In this article we will take a look at the reward system- that aspect of our biology that brings about the feelings of relief from stress and anxiety and explore its role in contributing to the phenomenon of addictive-like food behaviors and stress induced eating. We will also identify some of the common causes of stress induced eating- causes that ironically include dieting to lose weight! It’s a somewhat complicated subject, but by understanding how our bodies actually work it serves to bring us closer to finding viable solutions. It is my hope that these articles help shed some light on why we eat the way we do and what steps can be taken to avoid falling into or staying caught in the grips of compulsions to overeat under stress. If you find it to be of help please take the time to share it with someone who may need it.

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Food Addiction: How Dieting Can Make You Overeat

It is often said that of all the hells of mythology, none are more agonizing than the ones that we sometimes create for ourselves. The self-imposed stress of stringent and restrictive dieting is one such hell. Research has borne out that the more effort you put into restricting your food intake, the more likely you are to overeat under stressful conditions.[2,3] In fact several studies have shown that those who consciously try to eat less will increase their calorie intake during times of stress as opposed to those who do not restrict their food intake at all. A group that has been found to DECREASE food intake during stressful conditions and who over all consume the same amount of calories as those who deliberately try to eat less- as their periods of overindulgence in times of stress negate any calorie reductions made during periods of dietary restriction.[4,5] Research has also shown that women who make a real effort to reduce their calories have higher cortisol concentrations than those who do not watch what they eat.[6,7,8] As we learned in the first part of our series on Stress & Weight Gain- individuals with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol are more likely to overeat in times of stress, [9] with highly palatable sugary and fatty foods being the foods of choice.[9] This phenomenon of eating more under stress when trying to reduce your calories also increases the likelihood of addictive like behavior as it strongly reinforces the idea of eating as a way of relieving anxiety.[9]

Stress & The Reward System- How Foods Can Become ‘Addictive’

Studies show that the more you restrict your foods the more likely you are to overeat and develop addictive food behaviors.

Any stressors that threaten our sense of self or create feelings of hopelessness and failure initiate a stress response involving the HPA axis. The end product of HPA axis stimulation is cortisol- a stress related hormone, which as we mentioned earlier is a powerful trigger to increase intake of high fat and sugary foods.[9] However there is another system activated by the intake of highly palatable foods- especially under stressful conditions, and that is the reward system. The reward system is a collection of brain structures that regulates and controls behaviors by producing pleasurable effects. Pleasurable effects that compel us to continually repeat the behavior that produces it.[9,10] Activation of the reward system creates opioid, dopamine and serotonin signaling in the parts of our brain (the limbic system) that create powerful behavioral reinforcements. It is an activation of the reward system that brings about substance abuse addiction as it reinforcements the compulsion to seek and use drugs and alcohol. [11] While we associate activation of the reward system with alcohol and other pharmacological drugs chemical, research has shown that highly palatable foods stimulate the reward system as well [12,13], but in a different way. While drugs activate our reward pathways directly and with one main chemical being the cause of the activation, highly palatable foods do so as a result of a combination of several ingredients. Highly palatable foods also have stimulate the reward system as a result of increased glucose levels, and signals from the gut as well.[14] It is a complex but powerful set of hormones and sensory processes that activate the reward system. when hyper palatable foods are ingested, and just as in the case of addictive drugs, repeated activation of reward pathways leads to adaptations in the brain that over time increases the compulsive desire to continue the behavior-which in this case is the compulsion to overeat. [14]

The Reward System- The Driving Force Behind Food Addiction

The reward system in our brains

The reward system- while known mostly for its role in addictive behavior also plays a crucial role in our lives by regulating behaviors related to mating and food intake. [10]Behaviors that under normal circumstances keep us healthy and cement our relationships. As mentioned before the reward system comprises of three signal systems- endogenous opioids, dopamine and serotonin.[10] Endogenous, (a fancy term for something our body produces), opioids were first discovered in the 1970′s and at that time it was believed that their role was predominantly that of providing relief from physical pain.[15,16] An understandable assumption since one of the most powerful- (and most addictive) painkillers is morphine- which comes from the opioid family. However, later research showed that one role of opioids is to reinforce the behavior of ‘coming back for more’- which explains the highly addictive nature of all drugs in that class.[17]

Now injecting mice with morphine makes them overeat- more precisely, it makes them compulsively eat foods high in fat and sugar[18]. Highly palatable foods activate the opioid system which in turn makes the sensation of being hungry feel more intense and stimulates a desire to eat beyond what the body actually needs. But when we eat hyper palatable foods and opioid production increases, eventually those levels will taper off creating the feeling of withdrawal and anxiety associated with decreases in opioid levels. An anxiety that then compels us to alleviate it by consuming more high fat and high sugar foods. Thus creating a self-sustaining downward spiral of overeating- behaviors that many experts believe is a bonafide example of addiction.[9,10,19,20,21] While there is some controversy over the use of the term the phenomenon exists nonetheless and such overeating can result in seemingly uncontrollable weight gain.

Stress & Food Addiction: How One Causes The Other

Stress makes us eat high fat and high sugar foods- which in turn makes us keep using them as coping mechanisms.

An important point to note is that it is the taste of the food- rather than simply the fat, sugar or energy content that stimulates activation of the opioid system. Research shows that artificially sweetened foods activate the opioid system in the same way that sugary foods do [22,23,24] which partially explains the reason why the introduction of artificial sweeteners into our diets did not correspond to a reduction in obesity levels. There is another factor that sets in motion our reward system and that is stress of an emotional nature.[9] As we discussed in the first article on stress and overeating- such stress not only activates the HPA axis but the opioid system as well. There is a great deal of research that also shows that the opioid system is our body’s way of countering the detrimental effects of emotional stress[25] as opioid release decreases activity of the HPA axis. [26] Unfortunately, as we know, opioids also increases highly palatable food intake- which in turn sustains opioid release in a negative feedback loop. Eating is thus a powerful tool for shutting down HPA axis activation and use of high sugar and high fat foods has long been described as a method by which many individuals ‘self-medicate’ as a form of stress relief.[27,28] However, if stress is chronic and there is a learned response of using food as a coping mechanism the stage is set for the consumption of highly palatable foods as an ‘addictive’ behavior.[14]

Two other neurotransmitters are involved in activation of the reward system- dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine pathways have an effect on eating behavior by increasing arousal and food seeking.[29] Injections of dopamine and opiates have been shown to increase intake of sugary and fatty foods- while serotonin has been shown to control satiety and the feeling of well being.[30] It has a powerful effect on mood elevation and as such it is no surprise that most anti-depressants work by ensuring higher levels of this neurotransmitter.[31] Serotonin has also been shown to have some effect on food satiety and like opioids, serotonin also plays a role in the relief of stress. [32] Consumption of carbohydrates has been shown to increase serotonin turnover- which explains why individuals suffering from depression often turn to high carbohydrate foods as a coping mechanism to increase well-being.[33]

The Role Of Intermittent Fasting & Food Restriction In The Development of Food Addiction

While stress is a strong factor in the development of addictive behaviors towards food, another powerful factor is the nutritional state of the individual. Studies show that intermittent fasting increases the not only the rewarding effect of foods- but of chemically addictive drugs as well. [34,35,36,37] (See my article on Intermittent Fasting – A Bad Idea For Weight Loss) The popular weight loss methodology of restricting calories during the week and then indulging in ‘cheat meals’ of high fat or high sugar foods not only provokes binge eating, but significantly activates the reward system- setting up a scenario for overeating and food dependence further down the line when the diet is over.[38] As we mentioned earlier, the stress of food restriction has been shown to increase intake of highly palatable foods and thus it is important to understand the dangers of any extreme dietary measures. The hard dieting and restrictions with or without cheat meals may work to temporarily reduce body fat- but in the long term, like intermittent fasting- it does not nurture healthy eating habits- if anything the increased potential for food dependence and bingeing at the inevitable end of the diet can not only undo the progress made- but set the stage for continued overeating.

The Real Origins Of Food Addiction- Modern Foods Designed To Make You Eat More

Unlike naturally occurring foods, our bodies are unable to know when to stop when it comes to high fat and high sugar foods

Without the introduction of modern, multi-ingredient highly palatable foods into the human diet, addictive food behaviors do not occur. It is important to keep in mind that we have been eating one ingredient foods and foods with minimal or no processing for the past several hundred thousand years of our existence on the planet. During this time terms like obesity and metabolic syndrome did not exist- nor did the possibility of food addiction. With the advent of modern processed foods designed to make you eat more over the past hundred years or so -the problem of food dependence develops. A circumstance that is immensely profitable for the food industry (See my article on Why the Food Industry Needs Us to Overeat). Foods in their natural form generate information on its calorie content and taste in our brains- signals that are transmitted to the hypothalamus which then releases or up regulates various peptides that make us feel full and satisfied. [10] It is a system of near perfect balance that has evolved as we have to keep us healthy and maintain our body weight and food consumption within optimal levels. Modern processed foods however, react very differently in our bodies because unlike natural foods- we haven’t had the benefit of 2.4 million years to adapt to them in a way that we can consume them and maintain optimum health.[39] With highly palatable foods, there are several multiple ingredients in addition to being high fat or high in sugars- combinations that would not be found in nature and thus our body does not react well to them. Taste sensation is far more intense when they are consumed and information is sent to the reward centers of our brain- leading to the release or up-regulation of opioids dopamine and serotonin- which instead of triggering the commands to stop- does the opposite and makes you consume more than you should.[10]

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Our problem today is that food manufacturers are not only aware of the addictive nature of many of the foods they make- but in fact they develop foods with test groups so as to ensure that they are indeed as habit forming as possible. It isn’t an unfortunate coincidence- but well researched and carefully planned ingredient selection combined with ever present marketing and powerful lobbying at the highest levels to ensure that these foods are never maligned. One of the simplest nutritional pieces of advice any health care provider could give would be to avoid highly processed foods. Yet even the notion of eating less of them is one that you will not hear in the public sphere because of the influence of the industry itself.

So how do you avoid such food dependent behaviors? Some experts advocate the use of opiate blocking drugs such as a naloxone as a way of breaking the chemical dependency of high fat and sugary foods for relief of anxiety and as a tool against obesity.[10] A simpler and more practical solution however would be avoidance of highly processed foods in the first place. This solution is a difficult one, however as we are forever burdened by an onslaught of processed foods- so much so that in many urban parts of the developed world, finding simple, natural foods can be quite a task. The food industry sees to it as well that processed foods are not labeled as potentially bad for your health and spend millions in lobbies to see to it that this does not happen on a large scale.[40] The very notion of food addiction is challenged mainly by the food industry as if certain foods were labeled as being potentially addictive it would require regulation [41]- regulation that would cut tremendously into their ability to turn a profit- and so much of the research regarding the addictive like qualities of high sugar and high fat processed foods never makes it to the mainstream consciousness.

That being said, it is not impossible to avoid processed foods and other more positive coping mechanisms for stress relief have to be found- such as exercise or other forms of activity. Care must be taken that those actions do not lead to addictive type behaviors as well since exercise addiction is very real and many individuals with food compulsions gravitate towards exercise in the same way. In the end the idea is finding a balance between eating well with natural and non-processed foods along with healthy and wholesome approaches to exercise as a way of life. One that helps us do our best to deal with the ever present stresses that everyday life can bring.

Be sure to read part 1 of our series:  Can Stress Make You Overweight? Understanding The Science

If you enjoyed this article be sure to download a copy of Kevin’s Free Weight Loss Ebook

.
Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

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References
1 National Institute of Health
2. Heatherton TF, Baumeister RF. Binge eating as escape from self awareness. Psychol Bull 1991
3. Wardle J, Steptoe A, Oliver G, Lipsey Z. Stress, dietary restraint and food intake. J Psychosom Res 2000
4. Morley JE, Levine AS, Rowland NE. Minireview. Stress induced eating. Life Sci 1983
5. Armario A. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: what can it tell us about stressors? CNS and Neurol Disord Drug Targets 2006
6. Anderson DA, Shapiro JR, Lundgren JD, Spataro LE, Frye CA. Self-reported dietary restraint is associated with elevated levels of salivary cortisol. Appetite 2002
7. McLean JA, Barr SI, Prior JC. Cognitive dietary restraint is associated with higher urinary cortisol excretion in healthy premenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 2001
8. Rideout CA, Linden W, Barr SI. High cognitive dietary restraint is associated with increased cortisol excretion in postmenopausal women. J Gerontol 2006
9. Adams TC, Epel ES. Stress eating and the reward system. Physiol & Behav 2007
10. Erlanson-Albertsson C. How palatable food disrupts appetite regulation. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology 2005
11. Cota D, Tschop MH, Horvath TL, Levine AS. Cannabinoids, opioids and eating behavior: the molecular face of hedonism? Brain Res Brain Res Rev 2006
12. Hernandez L, Hoebel BG. Food reward and cocaine increase extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens as measured by microdialysis. Life Sci 1988
13. Kelley AE, Bakshi VP, Fleming S, Holahan MR. A pharmacological analysis of the substrates underlying conditioned feeding induced by repeated opioid stimulation of the nucleus accumbens. Neuropsychopharmacology 2000
14. Volkow ND, Wise RA. How can drug addiction help us understand obesity? Nat Neurosci 2005
15. Pert, C. B. & S. H. Snyder: Opiate receptor: demonstration in nervous tissue. Science 1973
16. Lord, J. A., A. A. Waterfield, J. Hughes & H. W. Kosterlitz: Endogenous opioid peptides: multiple agonists and receptors. Nature 1977
17. Van Ree, J. M., R. J. Niesink, L. Van Wolfswinkel, N. F. Ramsey, M. M. Kornet, W. R. Van Furth, L. J. Vanderschuren, M. A.Gerrits & C. L. Van den Berg: Endogenous opioids and reward. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2000
18. Yeomans, M. R., R. W. Gray, C. J. Mitchell & S. True: Independent effects of palatability and within-meal pauses on intake and appetite ratings in human volunteers. Appetite 1997
19. Albayrak O, Wölfle SM, Hebebrand J. Does Food Addiction Exist? A Phenomenological Discussion Based on the Psychiatric Classification of Substance-Related Disorders and Addiction. Euro Journ Obesity 2012
20. Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG. Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2008
21. Gearhardt AN, Corbin WR, Brownell KD.- An Examination of the Diagnostic Criteria for Dependence. J Addict Med 2009
22. Apfelbaum & Mandenoff 1981,
23. Zhang, M., C. Balmadrid & A. E. Kelley: Nucleus accumbens opioid, GABaergic, and dopaminergic modulation of palatable food motivation: contrasting effects revealed by a progressive ratio study in the rat. Behav. Neurosci. 2003
24. Zhang, M. & A. E. Kelley: Opiate agonists microinjected into the nucleus accumbens enhance sucrose drinking in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl.) 1997
25. Drolet G, Dumont EC, Gosselin I, Kinkead R, Laforest S, Trottier JF. Role of endogenous opioid system in the regulation of the stress response. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2001
26. Kreek MJ, Koob GF. Drug dependence: stress and dysregulation of brain reward pathways. Drug Alcohol Depend 1998
27. Pecoraro N, Reyes F, Gomez F, Bhargava A, Dallman MF. Chronic stress promotes palatable feeding, which reduces signs of stress: feedforward and feedback effects of chronic stress. Endocrinology 2004
28. Dallman MF, Pecoraro N, Akana SF, La Fleur SE, Gomez F, Houshyar H, et al. Chronic stress and obesity: a new view of “comfort food”. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003
29. Grigson, P. S.: Like drugs for chocolate: separate rewards modulated by common mechanisms? Physiol. Behav. 2002
30. Young SN. “How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs”. Rev. Psychiatr. Neurosci 2007
31. Benmansour S, Cecchi M, Morilak DA, Gerhardt GA, Javors MA, Gould GG, Frazer A.”Effects of chronic antidepressant treatments on serotonin transporter function, density, and mRNA level”. J. Neurosci. 1999
32. Buwalda, B., W. A. Blom, J. M. Koolhaas & G. van Dijk: Behavioral and physiological responses to stress are affected by highfat feeding in male rats. Physiol. Behav. 2001
33. Wurtman, R. J. & J. J. Wurtman: Brain serotonin, carbohydrate craving, obesity and depression. Obes. Res. 1995
34. Cabanac, M. & L. Lafrance: Postingestive alliesthesia: the rat tells the same story. Physiol. Behav. 1990
35. Berridge, K. C.: Modulation of taste affect by hunger, caloric satiety, and sensory-specific satiety in the rat. Appetite 1991
36. Cabeza de Vaca, S. & K. D. Carr: Food restriction enhances the central rewarding effect of abused drugs. J. Neurosci. 1998
37. Carr, K. D.: Augmentation of drug reward by chronic food restriction: behavioral evidence and underlying mechanisms. Physiol. Behav. 2002
38. Colantuoni, C., P. Rada, J. McCarthy, C. Patten, N. M. Avena, A. Chadeayne & B. G. Hoebel: Evidence that intermittent, excessive sugar intake causes endogenous opioid dependence. Obes. Res.2002
39. SB Eaton, SB Eaton III, MJ Konner. Paleolithic nutrition revisited: A twelve-year retrospective on its nature and implications. Euro J Clin Nutr 1997
40. Nestle M. Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition, and Health, University of California Press; Second Edition 2007
41. Gearhardt AN, Grilo CM, DiLeone RJ, Brownell KD, Potenza MN. Can food be addictive? Public health and policy implications. Addiction 2010

Can Foods Be Addictive? Understanding The Science is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Post tags: diet, diet tips, eating tips, food addiction, health tips, healthy eating, junk foods, self image, weight loss

Best Health & Fitness Articles Of 2012

2012 was another stellar year for us. Not only did we win the 2012 Best of Manhattan Award for personal training- but we also had in excess of a quarter million visitors reading our blogs! Most importantly, Naturally Intense has become a place where people come for well researched and definitive articles on diet, weight loss and exercise subjects that are not often covered in magazines and on the net. I have been often asked why it is that I spend so much time putting together such extensive articles when so many of my readers are in other states or other countries. The reason is the same one that made me take up a career in personal training in the first place- to be able to help others. No man is an island, and I have been truly honored and blessed to have had so many truly prolific individuals in the fitness industry share their knowledge with me when I was starting out. Knowledge that helped shape me into who I am today. That being said, my writing is a way of giving back, in the hopes that it helps others achieve their goals as well in a world where so much of what we hear about diet, exercise and weight loss is more marketing and entertainment rather than science based facts. Thank you for reading and for the continued support of those of you who religiously share my articles and I look forward to another year of being able to be of some help.

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Best Health & Fitness Articles Of 2012: The Top 10

10. Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load- Understanding The Limitations

In this article we take a look at the confusion and misconceptions about the glycemic index- namely that just because a food has a low GI doesn’t mean it is necessarily good for you. Important reading for anyone with blood sugar issues.

9. Eating More To Lose Weight- An Evolutionary Precedent Against Low Calorie Diets

While most weight loss diets call for calorie restriction, a look at the often high calorie intakes of our ancestors gives us an understanding as to why we are not designed to follow low calorie diets. This article also explores the importance of increasing muscle mass and activity levels while eating more to lose weight. (Highly Recommended Reading)

8. Fish Is Not Necessarily The Best Source Of Long Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The last of a 3 part series on omega-3 fatty acids- this article presents the evidence against fish and fish oil intake being the best source of omega-3 fatty acids from both a nutritional and an environmental standpoint. (A must read for anyone taking fish oil supplements)

7. Aerobic Exercise & Strength Training- Does It Help Or Hurt?

The often asked question is finally answered in this extensively researched and referenced article that highlights the fact that even small amounts of steady state aerobic exercise leads to decreases in muscle power and strength. A must read for anyone who does cardio and weight training in their routines.

6. Exercise Induced Headaches & Migraines- Causes & Observations

A look at exercise induced migraines- possible causes and our experiences over the years with clients who have suffered from them.

5. The Problem With Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss

Intermittent fasting is a growing trend fro not only weight loss but for increasing longevity as well. This article takes a look at the research behind the validity of those claims and finds that it isn’t necessarily the best bet for losing weight. (Highly Recommended)

4. What Happens When You Stop Training- Endurance & Weight Gain

The first of a two part article on what happens when you stop training and why a layoff of a few weeks or so may actually be beneficial. The article also discusses what you can do to minimize losses in strength and endurance if you are forced to take some time off from your regular training routine. (Editor’s Choice- Highly Recommended)

3. Alcohol & Exercise- A Bad Combination

Many people who exercise indulge in drink after their workouts, however research has shown that such combinations can severely decrease hormone levels and negate any positive gains from your training. It’s a well referenced piece that everyone who drinks and workouts out needs to read! (Editor’s Choice Highly Recommended)

2. Five Ways Eating Nuts Can Help You Lose Weight

Studies show that even though nuts are high in fat and calories, those who eat them regularly lose weight more than those who do not. This article looks at the reasons why such a high calorie food doesn’t automatically make us gain weight. A must read of anyone trying to lose weight!

1. How Much Protein Do You Need To Build Muscle & Lose Fat?

Our most popular article of 2012. How much protein do you really need to build muscle and lose fat? This highly referenced article looks at the science behind how much protein we really need and looks at the low protein intakes of several successful natural bodybuilders to destroy the myth that monolithic amounts of protein is needed to create a well developed physique. (Editor’s Choice Highly Recommended)

Recommenced Reading:

Exercise Addition: When Is It Too Much Of A Good Thing?

Top Weight Loss Articles:

Weight Loss Is Not About Logic- It’s About Our Emotions

Feeling Badly About Being Overweight Can Stop You From Losing Weight

How Losing Weight Can Make You Gain Weight- Understanding The Paradox

If you enjoyed these article get a copy of Kevin’s free weight loss ebook here.

.

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Best Health & Fitness Articles Of 2012: The Top 10 is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

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Can Stress Make You Overweight? Understanding The Science

Part 1 of 2

Given the social and physical drawbacks of being overweight, it is hard to not question the role of stress and food consumption comparable to that of a state of addiction as a causative factor in our current problems with obesity. Contrary to what many in great shape would believe, a large scale study found that 46% of participants would give up a year of their life in exchange for not being obese. 15% would give up 10 years of their life, 30% would rather be divorced and 25% would rather not be able to have children.[1] Needless to say, being overweight is hardly a goal and a significant number of people speak of a very real sense of powerlessness when it comes to overeating. A powerlessness that many of us can relate to at some point in life, especially during times of extreme stress. Obesity is best perceived as a multi-headed snake- a hydra of sorts with many causative factors as opposed to a phenomenon caused by one particular behavior or set of circumstances. The causes of obesity are indeed legion, but stress induced eating that manifests itself as a compulsion to continually consume more calories than are needed, in spite of conscious and determined attempts to eat less is most certainly a factor. Unfortunately, stress is only a part of the equation, as we will see that modern high fat and high sugar foods and their easy accessibility play a very tangible role in creating a cycle of compulsive eating comparable to an addiction. [2] In this two part article we will take a hard look at the science and mechanisms behind stress induced eating and show that for some members of the general population the problem isn’t just stress- it’s the type of stress in combination with the food environment that we live in. Thanks as always for reading and I do encourage you to share this article with those who you think would benefit from reading it.

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While often cited as a major factor in the current global obesity epidemic, the impact of stress on our eating habits is not as clear cut as it is often presented in the media. Most of what we hear revolves around an overly simplistic model that simply says that modern life is stressful and stress makes you eat more- which explains the growing number of overweight citizens around the world. A compelling statement but incomplete in many ways as it does not paint the whole picture. Which is one of the main issues with oversimplified sound bites- as they leave us without a full or clear understanding of the problem and you can’t find a solution if the problem isn’t fully identified. One of the first things we should consider is that stress is not a modern phenomenon or one unique to living in a developed country. In fact life was far more stressful on going back only a few hundred years when for millenia, most humans on the planet faced each day with the uncertainty of finding food and survival as a whole. Historically and in impoverished countries today where life and death are constant struggles, human beings do not overeat and become overweight as a result of the extreme stress imposed upon them. On the contrary, animals usually eat less under periods of extreme stress- not more. [3,4] So much so that decreased food intake is seen as one of the most reliable ways to determine the severity of the stress an animal is facing- so there must be other factors responsible. What numerous studies reveal, however is that animals will INCREASE their food intake when under constant stress if given access to high sugar or high fat foods.[5,6]

Understanding the role that the combination of stress and highly palatable foods play in creating an environment conducive to overeating can go a long way in helping us understand how to deal with our growing problem with obesity.

It is quite a bit of a paradox that more stress equates to eating more food, but in human studies the research shows that stress affects certain groups of individuals differently. A small group of about 30% decreases their food intake when faced with high stress situations or after surviving difficult circumstances. On the other hand, the other 70% increases food intake while under stress.[7,8] Given that we live in a world where high sugar and high fat foods are both  abundant and accessible, it makes sense that the most people would eat more under stressful conditions- which would be a significant contributing factor to our problems with obesity.[11] Almost half of the respondents to an American survey reported coping by eating and or smoking as a way of dealing with the stress in their lives.[9] Another found increased food intake during periods of stress to be much higher in women.[10]  Clearly it isn’t a matter of us being more stressed now than any other time in history and we will take a look at how stress and what scientist term as highly palatable foods make us eat more than we should.

Understanding Stress & The Role It Plays With Our Eating Patterns

Under life threatening or ‘challenge’ type stress- the desire to eat is actually suppressed.

The first step is to identify what stress truly is as it is a term commonly used but not often understood. Stress is by definition a trigger that prompts our body to change and adapt in order to maintain some degree of equilibrium in an ever changing environment. This state of equilibrium, called homeostasis, is often short lived, as the stress of daily life requires constant adjustment on our part to be able to effectively deal with the world around us by initializing a cascade of time sensitive physiological and psychological changes that allow our bodies to adapt. Stress is not inherently a bad thing and you can thank the stress response for everything from bigger and stronger muscles, to greater endurance and a well sculpted body. (Read my article: How Muscles Get Bigger & Stronger).  An important aspect of the stress response and the one that first comes to mind for most people is what is often termed the ‘flight or fight response’. We are very much a product of our evolutionary environment- which was for the most part a place of constant danger and uncertainty. When our ancestors were confronted by the threat of being devoured by a big cat or being bludgeoned to death in a territorial dispute with Lothar and the hill people, their bodies responded with behavioral, automatic and endocrinological responses that increased vigilance, increased heart rate and blood pressure while redirecting blood flow to the brain and muscles for immediate action.[11] It’s an important protective measure and one that stays with us today as we react the same way that most animals do when facing imminent danger. Under such conditions, your body diverts energy from unnecessary ‘housekeeping’ type activities like digestion and reproduction and instead uses all of its resources to focus on helping you stay alive.[12] Appetite, therefore is immediately suppressed which leads the significant decreases in food intake among individuals under stress when modern foods aren’t in the picture.[2,3] This applies today when facing an armed assailant in a dark alley just as much as it did when big cats and Lothar’s tribe were our main concerns. It’s relatively easy to envision as most of us can imagine that while standing in a dark alley at gunpoint, having a slice of chocolate cake is just about the last thing on your mind.

Understanding The Mechanisms Of Stress & How They Affect Our Eating Habits

At first glance, overeating due to stress would seem to be a bit of a paradox, and understanding how stress can make us eat more requires a deep look into the two main processes in our bodies that make up the stress response- the sympathetic adrenomedullary system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.[13] The sympathetic andrenomedullary system (SAM) is activated rapidly under certain stressful conditions such as exercise or imminent danger and releases adrenaline and noradrenaline. Which increases heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow to muscles, increases metabolism and most importantly for our current focus, constricts blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract- stopping digestion and reducing appetite. This is in essence what happens during the fight or fight response- but there is another mechanism at work when we are under stress that isn’t as well known and this is the hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Why Stress Triggers Overeating- Understanding The HPA Axis

Diagram of HPA axis- courtesy BrianMSweis

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is a complex set of interactions among the hypothalamus, the pituitary and adrenal glands that control critical adaptive measures to the stress response.[15] When you face a stressful situation, the hypothalamus (in your brain) reacts by secreting a hormone called CRH, (corticotropin-releasing hormone for those of you who like the big names) and vasopressin. CRH and vasopressin stimulate the pituitary gland to secrete ACTH (andrenocorticotropic hormone) which in turn acts on the adrenal glands to produce a class of glucocorticoids- one of which is the stress hormone cortisol. It’s important to note that all forms of stress are not the same and our body responds to different kinds of stress with different responses. Research has shown that stressors that we perceive as either an immediate danger or a challenging situation that we have the resources to cope with will stimulate a response by the SAM system. On the other hand, when faced with demanding situations that we believe we cannot cope with, or in circumstances where we face public embarrassment or a sense of failure the HPA axis is activated. This is significant since cortisol release is one of the main outcomes of HPA axis activation. Most of us are familiar with the role of cortisol as a stress hormone, but what isn’t common knowledge is that it can stimulate hunger and appetite.[2] Consequently stress that impacts us on a more emotional level are responsible for stress related eating behaviors.

Understanding The Role Of Cortisol’s Role In Stress Eating

Emotional stress triggers cortisol release and those who have high cortisol reactions to stressful situations eat more under stress than those who do not.

Under normal circumstances when the HPA axis stimulates cortisol secretion, there is what is referred to as a negative feedback loop which shuts down further cortisol production. When cortisol is released under stressful conditions, it feeds back to the brain which in turn triggers a signal to shut off further cortisol secretion.[16] This negative feedback loop is designed to keep levels within a stable operating range and to ensure that we are not exposed to prolonged periods of high cortisol levels- which, as we will see, can have rather negative effects.[16] Elevated levels of cortisol can increase how much you eat, as evidenced in the increased calorie intake in studies of  individuals taking prednisone (a corticosteroid) for medical conditions.[17] Several studies have shown that individuals with severe eating pathologies, such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders have either greater basal cortisol levels and or a larger cortisol reaction to stressful situations.[18,19] In a study comprised of medical students, those who identified themselves as eating more under stress had far higher urinary cortisol and insulin levels during the high stress periods of medical exams when compared to those who did not identify as stress eaters. Their cortisol levels were also much higher during exams when compared to periods of relatively low stress during the summer vacation breaks and not surprisingly, those self-identified stress eaters with higher cortisol levels gained more weight than the control subjects during exams.[7]

In another study of individuals who had high cortisol responses to emotional stressors it was observed that the high cortisol responders were more likely to increase their calorie intake after being stressed when compared to those who had low cortisol reactions to stressful situations.[20] The choice of foods when under stress among those with high cortisol responses is also of interest as their tendencies were towards the consumption of high fat and calorically dense foods.[20] Several other human and animal studies confirm the observation that a high cortisol reaction to stress can accurately predict increased calorie intake under stress. With the food selection being high calorie foods that are high in fat and or sugar perhaps as a way to blunt their stress response and reduce feelings of anxiety. [21,22,23] An important factor that we will explore in greater detail in part 2 of our article on the relationship between stress induced eating & food addiction.

The Role Of Cortisol in Fat Accumulation

Not only does cortisol make us overeat- it also increases visceral abdominal fat accumulation.

Unfortunately, the problems with high cortisol reactivity doesn’t end with creating an environment conducive to overeating, as high cortisol levels may also be responsible for increased visceral abdominal fat accumulation.[24,25] Unlike subcutaneous fat located beneath the skin and muscles and which serves a role as a way of storing energy and maintaining body temperature, visceral abdominal fat is packed between your organs and is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.[26,27,28]  9,10,11- Wiki] While a tendency to consume more calories can and does increase body fat- abnormally high cortisol levels seem to influence fat distribution- as it makes our bodies store more intra-abdominal fat around the organs as opposed to subcutaneously. A highly controlled laboratory study found that women with high cortisol reactivity to stress have higher hip to waist ratios compared to those with low cortisol reactivity. Another study found that women who had higher cortisol responses to food intake had higher visceral abdominal fat distribution as compared to those who had normal cortisol responses, [29,30,31] so clearly there is a correlation between cortisol stress response and where and how body fat is stored.

There are several possible explanations, one being that there are far more glucocorticoid receptors in visceral abdominal fat compared to other regions [32], but cortisol also play a part in disrupting fat metabolism. Under normal conditions, cortisol appears to stimulate fat burning,[33] however when combined with high levels of insulin (as in the case of eating high sugar foods), increased cortisol levels do just the opposite and increase fat accumulation by stimulating the fat storage hormone lipoprotein lipase. Making matters even worse, cortisol also blunts the fat burning effects of growth hormone.[34,35] What is of concern is that the greater intra- abdominal fat perpetuates the cycle of fat accumulation as it also serves to produce more cortisol.[36] The reaction of a number of people in our population to stress is thus a poignant factor in the current number of obese individuals- and in the second installment of our series on stress and eating we will take a look at how this cycle can create a model of addictive behavior. Thanks as always for reading and do stay tuned for part two!

Read Part 2 Here: Food Addiction: Understanding The Science

If you enjoyed this article be sure to get a copy of Kevin’s Free Weight Loss Ebook here!

Related Articles:

How Feeling Badly About  Losing Weight Can Make You Gain Weight
Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

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References:

1. Schwartz MB, Vartanian LR, Nosek BA, et al. The influence of one’s own body weight on implicit and explicit anti-fat bias. Obes. 2006

2. Adam TC, Epel ES. Stress eating and the reward system. Physio & Behaviour 2007

3. Levine AS, Morley JE. Stress-induced eating in rats. Am J Physiol 1981

4. Morley JE, Levine AS, Rowland NE. Minireview. Stress induced eating. Life Sci 1983

5. Dallman MF, Pecoraro N, Akana SF, La Fleur SE, Gomez F, Houshyar H, et al. Chronic stress and obesity: a new view of “comfort food”. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003

6 Dallman MF, Pecoraro NC, la Fleur SE. Chronic stress and comfort foods: self-medication and abdominal obesity. Brain Behav Immun 2005

7.Epel E, Jimenez S, Brownell K, Stroud L, Stoney C, Niaura R. Are stress eaters at risk for the metabolic syndrome? Ann N YAcad Sci 2004

8. Stone AA, Brownell KD. The stress-eating paradox: multiple daily measurements in adult males and females. Psychol Health 1994

9. Stambor Z. Stressed out nation. Monit Psychol 2006

10. Zellner DA, Loaiza S, Gonzalez Z, Pita J, Morales J, Pecora D, et al. Food selection changes under stress. Physiol Behav 2006

11. Majzoub JA. Corticotropin-releasing hormone physiology. Eur J Endocrinol 2006

12. Sapolsky RM. Why don’t zebras get ulcers? Why Zebras don’t get Ulcers. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company; 1998.

12. Tsigos C, Chrousos GP. Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, neuroendocrine factors and stress. J Psychosom Res 2002

13. Després, Jean-Pierre, and Isabelle Lemieux. “Review Article Abdominal Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome.” Review Article Abdominal Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome 444 (2006):

14. Grundy SM, Brewer HB, Cleeman JI, Smith SC, Lenfant D, for the Conference Participants. Definition of metabolic syndrome: report of the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/American Heart Association conference on scientific issues related to definition. Circulation. 2004

15. Engelmann M, Landgraf R, Wotjak C (2004). “The hypothalamic-neurohypophysial system regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis under stress: an old concept revisited.”. Front Neuroendocrinol

16.  Morkedal B, Romundstad PR, Vatten LJ (June 2011). “Informativeness of indices of blood pressure, obesity and serum lipids in relation to ischaemic heart disease mortality: the HUNT-II study”. European Journal of Epidemiology

17. Tataranni PA, Larson DE, Snitker S, Young JB, Flatt JP, Ravussin E. Effects of glucocorticoids on energy metabolism and food intake in humans. Am J Physiol 1996

18. Gluck ME. Stress response and binge eating disorder. Appetite 2006.

19. Gluck ME, Geliebter A, Hung J, Yahav E. Cortisol, hunger, and desire to binge eat following a cold stress test in obese women with binge eating disorder. Psychosom Med 2004

20. Cosley B, McCoy S, Ehle M, Saslow L, Epel E. Does stress make you fat? ‘Good’ stress, ‘bad’ stress and comfort food eating. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Memphis, TN; 2007.

21.  Epel E, Lapidus R, McEwen B, Brownell K. Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2001

22.  Buwalda B, Blom WA, Koolhaas JM, van Dijk G. Behavioral and physiological responses to stress are affected by high-fat feeding in male rats. Physiol Behav 2001

23. Prasad A, Prasad C. Short-term consumption of a diet rich in fat decreases anxiety response in adult male rats. Physiol Behav 1996

24. Asensio C, Muzzin P, Rohner-Jeanrenaud F. Role of glucocorticoids in the physiopathology of excessive fat deposition and insulin resistance. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2004

25. Reynolds RM, Chapman KE, Seckl JR, Walker BR, McKeigue PM,Lithell HO. Skeletal muscle glucocorticoid receptor density and insulin resistance. Jama 2002

[29] Epel ES, McEwen B, Seeman T, Matthews K, Castellazzo G, Brownell KD, et al. Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosom Med2000

[30] Marin P, Darin N, Amemiya T, Andersson B, Jern S, Bjorntorp P. Cortisol secretion in relation to body fat distribution in obese premenopausal women. Metabolism 1992

[31] Duclos M, Marquez Pereira P, Barat P, Gatta B, Roger P. Increased cortisol bioavailability, abdominal obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in obese women. Obes Res 2005

[32] Rebuffe-Scrive M, Lundholm K, Bjorntorp P. Glucocorticoid hormone binding to human adipose tissue. Eur J Clin Invest 1985

[33] Djurhuus CB, Gravholt CH, Nielsen S, Mengel A, Christiansen JS, Schmitz OE, et al. Effects of cortisol on lipolysis and regional interstitial glycerol levels in humans. Am J Physiol 2002

[34] Bjorntorp P. Do stress reactions cause abdominal obesity and comorbidities? Obes Rev 2001

[35] Ottosson M, Lonnroth P, Bjorntorp P, Eden S. Effects of cortisol and growth hormone on lipolysis in human adipose tissue. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000

36. Desbriere R, Vuaroqueaux V, Achard V, Boullu-Ciocca S, Labuhn M, Dutour A, et al. 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 mRNA is increased in both visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese patients. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2006

Can Stress Make You Overweight? Understanding The Science is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

© KevinRichardson for Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog, 2013. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: body mind, diet, diet tips, eating disorder, fat loss, food addiction, health tips, healthy eating, junk foods, stress, weight gain

Alcohol & Exercise- Understanding The Negative Effects on  Testosterone & Growth Hormone Production

If there is one area of little research but huge misconceptions in the fitness field it is that of the effects of alcohol and exercise. Alcohol consumption is quite common in our society today, and very tangible social pressures exist for individuals to drink. So much so that many avid gym goers indulge in a drink of two after their workouts from time to time with little thought given to any potential negative effects. Most are aware that alcoholic beverages are high in calories but ignore any possible ill effects given their activity level. The idea is that a good workout counteracts any possible negative outcomes from the consumption of alcoholic beverages and that there are actually some tangible health benefits to the occasional glass. Such thinking however, fails to take into consideration the very less than favorable hormonal consequences. Changes that include sharp and extended reductions in free testosterone levels that are actually made worse by training before drinking and reductions in growth hormone production as well. In this article we will take a hard look at how testosterone is affected by the combination of alcohol and exercise and the suppressive effects of alcohol on growth hormone- findings that may not be popular but ones that will help you make better and more informed decisions as to whether or not to drink.

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Alcohol: Health Claims Vs Reality

Contrary to incomplete studies promoted by the wine industry, a higher seafood intake & lack of processed foods & trans fats in the French diet is the reason they have a lower incidence of heart disease when compared to Americans. Drinking wine is hardly the reason.

Before I go any further I would like to preface this article by saying that for thousands of years alcohol has played an integral part in the social development of civilization as a whole. From religious ceremonies to special occasions and feasts, alcohol has been present in just about every human culture on the planet and it would be a mistake to vilify it completely. Consumed infrequently in moderate quantities there can indeed be a place for it- but it is important to understand the tradeoffs as opposed to blindly thinking that it might not put a monkey wrench in your goal of getting into the absolute best shape possible or performing a your highest level. Most of us are aware of the basic problems that alcohol presents from a fitness perspective, but clever marketing and somewhat questionable studies about its health benefits obscure the facts about what the general public should know in order to make better choices about their alcohol use. There has been an inordinate amount of media attention to the possible health benefits of red wine after a chemical found in the skin of grapes (called resveratrol) was found to be associated with a reduced incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Possible health benefits that the wine and alcohol industries have used as a marketing public relations bonanza- as who hasn’t heard of the possible health benefits of drinking wine?

What isn’t as publicly trumpeted is the fact that these studies benefits apply only to animals in a laboratory environment and that no such findings have yet been confirmed in human beings.[1] The relatively lower incidence of heart disease among the French when compared to their American counterparts in spite of their higher alcohol consumption (the so called French Paradox] has been also constantly broadcasted throughout every form of media possible as proof positive of the health benefits of regular wine consumption. [2] However, like the resveratrol studies, these findings are somewhat misleading as equal time is never given to further research that contradicts these health claims. For example, few are aware that the French Paradox is based on an assumption that wine is the cause of their lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. It’s a big assumption to be honest and one that ignores the fact that the French also on average consume more far seafood that we do over here in the United States with three servings of fish a week. [3,4,5] Long chain omega-3 fatty acids present in fish and seafood have been strongly associated with reduced incidence of heart disease and current studies attribute this along with the fact that compared to the average American the French:

• Eat smaller portions
• Consume more fresh fruit and vegetables
• Don’t snack between meals
• Have a diet relatively free of trans fats
• Don’t eat as much processed foods

And have a slower and calmer pace of life as the reason their comparative incidences of  heart disease is lower than here in the United States.[3,4] Not as sexy a message as a drink a day will keep the doctor away, but one that has served to increase sales and consumption of wine from 568 million gallons in 2000 to 784 million gallons in 2010.[6,7]  (Read my article on The Economics Of Obesity for more information on how the commercial industries manipulate studies to increase sales)

Alcohol & Calories- A Tip Of The Iceberg

Unless there is some degree of liver dysfunction, in most cases the typical ‘beer belly’ is a result of too many calories from alcohol.

Alcohol contains a total of 6.93 calories per gram but unlike just about every other food or drink that we consume, it isn’t digested, but is instead absorbed completely intact and processed directly by you liver. What happens next isn’t exactly the same for everybody as enzymes in your liver converts it to acetaldehyde. Sounds ominous? Well it should since acetaldehyde is a toxic chemical responsible for most of the liver and heart damage we see in those who drink heavily on a regular basis.[8] Not a pretty substance at all, but how much of it remains in your body after drinking depends on how much you drink and some predetermined genetic factors. A healthy liver can usually tolerate small amount of alcohol and can convert the acetaldehyde to acetate- which our bodies can use as an energy substrate and or is harmlessly excreted as water and carbon dioxide.[8] If, however you drink to the point where those incoming calories are in excess of what your body needs for the day, it will be stored as body fat.[9] Drink too much alcohol at one time though and the liver is unable to do its job of metabolizing it from toxic acetaldehyde to relatively harmless acetate- causing an accumulation of this dangerous toxin and a possible deposition of fat in the liver itself.[9] Both very precarious situations from a health perspective. The problem is that everyone reacts differently in terms of how they metabolize alcohol- which is one reason why people who drink heavily aren’t always necessarily obese, and why in some cases they can have even lower body weights than nondrinkers.[10]

Effects Of Alcohol & Exercise On Lowering Testosterone Levels

Studies show that exercise significantly prolongs the testosterone depressant effects of alcohol- so drinking after training is always a bad idea if you want to get the most out of your workouts.

It doesn’t make the news or help sell bottles but one of the seldom spoken attributes of alcohol is its role in depressing the body’s natural secretion of testosterone. With most of it being secreted in the testes (in males- ovaries in females), testosterone is the hormone predominantly responsible for increasing strength, muscle mass and decreasing overall body fat among other many other things. Reduced serum testosterone levels may have detrimental effects such as infertility, increased risk of osteoporosis, anemia, and immune dysfunction.[11] and numerous studies confirm that alcohol is by nature a direct testicular toxin in both humans and animals.[12,13,14] Consumption of alcohol leads to a marked and prolonged reduction in testosterone that can last for several hours depending on the amount consumed. [11,15] A study of 13 moderate to infrequent male alcohol users reported a drop in serum testosterone of 19-22% that lasted for as long as 10 hours after slowly (over a 3 hour period) drinking 1.5 grams of alcohol per kilogram of body weight.[11] As alarming as this drop in testosterone may seem, what was more shocking was that when the same amount of alcohol was consumed after a bout of strenuous exercise, the drop in testosterone lasted for as long as 22 hours after consumption.[11] In fact, the experiment showed that in every scenario- whether it was exercising after drinking, exercising with a hangover or exercising while intoxicated, exercise demonstrated a significant effect in prolonging the depressant effect on testosterone when compared to non-exercising controls.[11] Thus it is important to note that alcohol consumption after exercise could interfere with recovery after exercise- recovery that is important if you wish to get any benefits at all from your training. [11]

Effects Of Alcohol On Lowering Human Growth Hormone Production & Disturbing Sleep Patterns

Alcohol also disturbs sleep patterns in healthy individuals and suppresses growth hormone production by as much as 75%.

Not only does acute alcohol use depress testosterone levels, but it also disturbs deep sleep patterns in healthy individuals, and in so doing affects another component critical to recovery after exercise- human growth hormone (HGH). In addition to increasing muscle mass and protein synthesis, HGH also promotes fat burning and stimulates the immune system. HGH is secreted by the pituitary gland with secretory peaks occurring during sleep, [19] however several studies have found that acute alcohol ingestion interferes with sleep cycles and reduces growth hormone production by as much as 70-75%.[18, 20,22] This alcohol related growth hormone suppression has been found to be dose related,[18] so the more you drink the less growth hormone your body will produce. Alcohol’s ability to induce drowsiness often prompts many individuals who work out regularly to use it as a sleeping aid in times of high stress or acute insomnia. However while many report that alcohol does indeed induce sleep [20]- the quality of that sleep isn’t always the same as it would be under normal circumstances. In an interesting twist, while alcohol does appear to help chronic insomniacs sleep better it has the very opposite effect on healthy individuals who use it sporadically.[21]  For reasons not quite fully understood, healthy individuals experienced marked sleep disruption during the second half of the night- disruptions that were not observed in those suffering with chronic sleeplessness.[19, 20]

The clinical implications of alcohol’s inhibitory effects on growth hormone are unclear, particularly with chronic and excessive alcohol use. Unfortunately, these findings, as important as they may be, have not been pursued much further. More studies are needed as well with regard to the suppressive effects of alcohol on testosterone with regards to its overall impact on exercise recovery. Women secrete as much as 20 times less testosterone daily than their male counterparts [16,17] and thus it is important to discern how much of an effect alcohol would have on them after training as no such research currently exists.  One would imagine that the overall depressive effect might have a greater negative impact on their exercise recovery but we can’t know for sure. More research is also needed to determine the relationship between alcohol dosage and testosterone suppression but such research is hard to come by as funding for studies on drinking that will most likely reveal a negative outcome is hard to come by. It is a simple but  seldom spoken economic reality that such studies do cost money- and it hard to sell research that isn’t necessarily profitable, much less experiments that might be detrimental to product sales.  In the end it isn’t for me or anyone else to tell you whether you should drink or not after training, but it is important to have all the facts so you can make an informed decision as opposed to relying on clever marketing that always paints alcohol consumption in a positive light.

Related Articles:

One Drink Of Alcohol Can Inhibit Fat Loss

If you enjoyed this article get a copy of Kevin’s Free Weight Loss Ebook here!

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, a natural bodybuilding champion, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His personal training service is the 2012 winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for Personal Training and if you need help losing weight or getting into cover model shape, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420.

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

References

1. Agarwal B, Baur JA. Reservatrol and life extension.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2001

2. Renaud S, de Lorgeril M. Wine, alcohol, platelets, and the French paradox for coronary heart disease. Lancet. 1992

3. Clower W. The French Diet Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss. Three Rivers Press 2003

4. Astorg P, Arnault N, Czernichow S, Noisette N, Galan P, Hercberg S.

Dietary intakes and food sources of n26 and n23 PUFA in French adult

men and women. Lipids 2004

5. Kris-Etherton PM, Taylor DS, Yu-Poth S, Huth P, Moriarty K, Fishell V, Hargrove RL, Zhao G, Etherton TD.Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000

6.The Wine Institute. Wine Consumption In The U.S.

7. The Wine Institute. California and U.S. Wine Sales 2011

8. Guo R, Ren J. Alcohol and acetaldehyde in public health: From marvel to menace. Intl J Enviornmental Reasearch in public health 2010

9. Liber CS. Perspectives: Do alcohol calories count? AJCN 1991

10. Greenfield JR, Samaras K, Jenkins AB, Kelly PJ, Spector TD, Cambell LV. Moderate Alcohol consumption, dietary fat composition and abdominal obesity in women: Evidence for gene-environment interaction. J Clin Endocrinology &  Metabolism 2003

11. Heikkonen E, Ylikahri R, Roine R, Valimaki M, Harkonen M, Salaspuro M. The combined effect of alcohol and physical exercise on serum testosteron, lutenizing hormone and cortisol in males. Alcholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 1996

12. Ellingboe J, Varenelli CC: Ethanol inhibits testosterone biosynthesis by direct action on Leydig cells. Res Comm Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1981

13. Widenius Tv: Ethanol-induced inhibition of testosterone biosynthesis in vitro: Lack of acetaldehyde effect. Alcohol Alcohol 1987

14. Van Thiel DH, Cobb CF, Herman GB, Perez HA, Estes L, Gavaler JS: An examination of various mechanisms for ethanol-induced testicular injury: Studies utilizing the isolated perfused rat testes. Endocrinology 1979

15. Ylikahri R, Huttenen M, Harkonen M, Seuderling U, Onikki S, Karonen S-L, Adlercreutz H: Low plasma testosterone values in men during hangover. J Steriod Biochem 1974

16. Southren AL, Gordon GG, Tochimoto S, Pinzon G, Lane DR, Stypulkowski W. “Mean plasma concentration, metabolic clearance and basal plasma production rates of testosterone in normal young men and women using a constant infusion procedure: effect of time of day and plasma concentration on the metabolic clearance rate of testosterone”. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 27 1967

17. Southren AL, Tochimoto S, Carmody NC, Isurugi K . “Plasma production rates of testosterone in normal adult men and women and in patients with the syndrome of feminizing testes”. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 1965

18. Prinz PN, Roehrs TA, Vitaliano PP, Linnoila M, Weitzman ED. Effect of alcohol on sleep and nighttime plasma growth hormone and cortisol concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1980
19. Roehrs T, Roth T. Sleep, Sleepiness, and Alcohol Use. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2001
20. Ancoli-Israel S, Roth T. Characteristics of insomnia in the United States: Results of the 1991 National Sleep Foundation Survey. I. Sleep  2000.
21. Roehrs T, Papineau K, Rosenthal L, Roth T. Ethanol as a hypnotic in insomniacs: Self administration and effects of sleep and mood. Neuropsychopharmacology 1999
22. Ekman AC, Vakkuri O, Ekman M, et al. Ethanol decreases nocturnal plasma levels of thyrotropin and growth hormone but not those of thyroid hormones or prolactin in man. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1996.

Alcohol & Exercise- A Bad Combination is a post from: Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog

© KevinRichardson for Naturally Intense High Intensity Personal Training™ Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: alcohol, eating tips, exercise, fat loss, health tips, healthy eating, high intensity training, weight gain