Now that we know why Carbs are okay, it’s time to talk FAT.   A lot of people ask why I drink Whole Milk if “it’s got all that fat in it.”  Well, the main reason is because FAT = TASTE and the second reason is because

FAT = ENERGY!

And that is what this post is all about. So keep reading to learn how to turn your Fat into an endless supply of energy…not really…I mean you’d eventually die if you had no fat….but you get the point.

About a month or so into starting my LeanGains lifestyle I started to notice something very interesting.  At first I didn’t really think anything of it, but I started craving it, and then I started noticing an actual difference in energy levels when I didn’t have it…I was actually craving it.

What was it?

FAT! Yes, I was craving FAT…

…or fatty foods to be precise.

What I noticed was that the fatty-ier the foods the day before my workout the more energy I seemed to have during my workout the next day.

So FATS = ENERGY…?

As most of us believe, I thought whole grains and the like, you know, Carbs, were where it was at when it came to energy.  And the fact is, as we learned in a prior post, Carbs (simple and complex) are the first source of energy for the body and brain.  But, it turns out that if you’re living the LeanGains lifestyle you’ll be running low on Carbs almost everyday.  This means your body has no choice but to learn how to convert Fat into energy quickly and efficiently.

You see, your body has to learn how to convert Fat into energy quickly and efficiently because it is not accustomed to doing so.  Our bodies are preprogrammed to burn simple sugars quickly and send those goods to the brain…which is why you might feel a bit of a headache during your initial fasts (and/or during the first week(s) of Atkins, South Beach, and other low carb diets)…your brain is literally addicted to those simple, and easy to get to, Carbs (sugars) and your experiencing a bit of withdrawl symptoms.

So, while you spend most of your day accessing your simple Carbs, when in a prolonged workout (or a fasting period), your body will eventually run out of the simple Carbs and start breaking down the complex Carbs – a process your body is naturally pretty efficient at.  But when those run out, your body switches to Fat for energy….

…and this is where it’s at if you’d like to burn Fat off your waistline.

So, whether it’s because you’re fasting or because you’ve worked out long enough, once your Carb reserves run dry it’s time for the Fat dam to open up.

Now, if you are trying to lose weight, you’d want to continue to keep your Fat intake low so that your body is accessing your Fat reserves for energy…which will help you continue to tone up.

But if you’re at your target weight and/or body mass index…

….THIS IS WHERE FATTY FOODS ARE KEY!

If you are at your desired percent body fat then this means you technically do not have any “extra Fat” in your reserves.  So, if you are following the LeanGains plan, and thus burning all your Carb reserves during the fasted state, then the Fat you eat during your feed state will be your reserve….

…BUT YOU’LL BE BURNING IT THE NEXT DAY!

This is especially true if you are working out.

AT FIRST I DID NOT BELIEVE IT!  It took about a month of experimenting and a bunch of research, but I finally got to the bottom of it.  I was noticing more energy during a workout for a longer period of time if I ate more Fatty foods the day before, and it was actually scientifically proven.

You see, if your body has to burn Fat for fuel for a prolonged period of time (i.e., LeanGains + P90X workouts), then your body learns to become very efficient at burning Fat for fuel…and may eventually like Fats just as much as Carbs (though our bodies will always burn Carbs first).  And after about 2 months of following the LeanGains eating plan I noticed this change in my body, something long distance runners have been training their bodies to do for years now –

SCORCHING FAT FOR ENERGY!

Naturally Fat energy is better for prolonged periods of time while Carbs are used for quick explosive energy…but if you have no Carbs when it’s time to workout you better have some Fat…and your body better be good at turning that Fat into energy…and doing it quickly.  And the beauty of the human body is that it’ll do what it has to, as long as your mind tells it to!

RECAP

If you’re on the LeanGains or Intermittent Fasting eating plans then your body will be using all of your consumed and/or stored Carbs during your fast.  And, if you recall, at the end of the fasted state you’ll be tapping into your Fat reserves a thousand fold.

So, if you workout in a fasted state –

BOMB!  FAT BURNING EXPLOSION…AND THAT’S WHY WHOLE MILK IS OKAY!

…watch out.  Now, knowing this, follow me down the rabbit hole. 

EXAMPLE

A day in the life of Roly:

 FEED STATE:

3 pm – 9 pm

3 pm, Lunch

6:30 pm, Dinner

9 pm, Snack (1-2 cups of Whole Milk (Fat) and about ½ pound of Cereal).

FAST STATE:

9 pm – 3 pm

5 am – 7 am,

WORKOUT, in a fasted state…I have had no food for 8 hours when I workout.  Then I go another 8 hours without eating…SO MY BODY IS USING THE STORED FAT FOR ENERGY DURING THE WORKOUT AND FOR 8 HOURS AFTER THE WORKOUT TO REPAIR TORN-DOWN MUSCLES FROM THE WORKOUT.  And when I do eat ALL CARBS go to my “repairing” body parts which means that the FAT I eat will be used for energy since the CARBS were all used up.  SO, BECAUSE I AM NOT STORING CARBS THE FAT I AM EATING WILL BE USED FOR ENERGY WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS….

It’s MAGIC!….

….with a tad bit of science…but that’s for another post!