Resolve's a Speed(V2)-Freak! Partially-Sponsored LG Stack Log

[dedlifter1]

Thats a great story indeed. 205 cleans is awesome, tremendous work required there. I agree with Vol, physical violence was warranted in that scenario.

 

[Resolve]

So, I have 3 very large boxes full of LG Lipotrophic PB Protein sitting on my living room floor right now. It tastes awesome, won't be available much longer as it is being reformulated and LifterGym33 worked it out so I got a great deal on it.

I'm stoked - I have got so much tasty protein right now! :head:

 

[Resolve]

:196: I did squats! I did squats! Hal-le-lu-jah! I did squats! :dance2:

 

[Irish Cannon]

:196: I did squats! I did squats! Hal-le-lu-jah! I did squats! :dance2:

Awesome man! Pain free? Low-weight? Feel good?

 

[DreamWeaver]

:196: I did squats! I did squats! Hal-le-lu-jah! I did squats! :dance2:

Welcome back !!

 

[AZMIDLYF]

That has to feel good....did everything feel ok?

 

[Craigmatthew]

:196: I did squats! I did squats! Hal-le-lu-jah! I did squats! :dance2:

Welcome to the dark side again mate

 

[Resolve]

Gracias Muchachos! It was only 135 for sets of 15, and I did box squats to help emphasize my form, but so far so good! It felt SO GOOD to be back under the bar; it took every ounce of discipline I had to keep the weight light and not start throwing 45s on like crazy.

Hip felt a little funky, but nothing major - leg press will remain the dominant movement in my leg routines for the time being, but I'm definitely going to start incorporating light squats again. My insurance card arrived yesterday too, so I'm scheduling a Dr. visit asap.

 

[Liftergym33]

So, I have 3 very large boxes full of LG Lipotrophic PB Protein sitting on my living room floor right now. It tastes awesome, won't be available much longer as it is being reformulated and LifterGym33 worked it out so I got a great deal on it.

I'm stoked - I have got so much tasty protein right now! :head:

Post a pic of all those tubs man, its like a big ole stash of Fireworks..:lol:

 

[Resolve]

Post a pic of all those tubs man, its like a big ole stash of Fireworks..:lol:

Sure thing. I'll post one up tonight, along with some overdue leg pics.

Changing subjects - Got a pretty darn good workout in yesterday. As I mentioned above, I rejoiced in some squats for the first time in about 6 weeks.

Supplementation Thoughts:

I've quit TheSize - I got the grape this time (had the orange last time I used it) and it's just too gross. Can't stand downing it 3x/day, so it's going bye-bye.

SpeedV2: I've been realizing that the heat I'm feeling in the mornings and early afternoons is not just due to the hellish Texas weather, but also SV2. I'll pop two caps first thing in the morning and by the time I leave I'm feeling warm. I hadn't really noticed it too much because it's so freaking hot outside, but once I get to the lab, I continue to feel heated for several hours despite the 65 degree regulated temperature. I can tell when it begins to wear off because I start getting a little cold; usually around lunch, and want to wear my labcoat just to keep warm.

Second dose is usually around 2, and while one cap does not ellicit so forthright an increase in body temp, I usually don't feel like wearing my labcoat unless I have to - i.e. I'm generating plenty of my own warmth.

A.S.: 1/2 scoop again yesterday, pre-workout. Had slight nausea, but this I attribute to working my legs particularly hard and performing some higher rep squats, for which I am definitely unconditioned. Once I was done with the leg presses and squats, I had no more stomach issues.

I still have noticed no increase in pump, though with practically 0g CHO in my diet it's freaking hard to achieve a pump at all, so I'm not surprised. Good news is, at a 1/2 scoop, I should have plenty of AS left after I'm done with this diet and start incorporating carbs again.

Aggression is up and desire to be lifting was high as well. In between sets the only thought on my mind was "hurry up and do another!" In the past, I have found that herbal based testosterone boosters (such as the pSARM in AS) have a greater tendency to increase my aggression, while hormonal products like T-911 or Formex mellow me out instead - an interesting contrast between similarly purposed supplements.

Yesterday's Workout: Complete with newby-squats!

Leg Press: 380 for x20, x20, x18, x18
Box Squats: 135 for 4x15
BW Lunges: 4x20 per leg
Unilateral Leg Ext.: 75 for 4x20 per leg
Seated Calf: 205 for 4x12
Leg Press Calf: 540 for 4x12

HS Incline Press: 80lb per side for 7x12
BW Dips: 7x8
Flat DB Flies: 55 for 7x8

After the leg press and squats, my hammies were already so shot that I decided I'd do some calf work instead of my GHRs. It was a nice change - with my long legs, calves are always something that can use work.

I don't like HS machines - I don't fit very well in them. I always feel cramped and a little contorted and the seat prevents the incororation of leg stabilization in the lift. But, I had no spotter as BW was at work, so I was left with no choice.

After so long a period of avoiding core activation, I can definitely tell it is weaker. Doing those squats made my abs burn quite a bit, something that would never have happened before my injury. Oh well, I'll get it back with time, and be squattin' 400 again before I know it! Hopefully....

 

[Irish Cannon]

I feel ya with the Squats, man. It felt great, but I've got a long way to go to get where I was.

 

[VolcomX311]

I feel ya with the Squats, man. It felt great, but I've got a long way to go to get where I was.

You and Resolve's crippled down squat numbers are my regular numbers :sad3:

 

[Resolve]

Dude, you're in the same boat IC and I are - we're all rehabilitating. You've squatted way more in the past, and so have we. Our numbers will go up, we're all dedicated guys.

 

[Resolve]

Lotsa Pics

Ok, so like I said - I got a bunch of LG Protein. All those boxes are full of it!

...And my legs...Never my strong point. But whatcha gonna do when you have a 36" inseam?

 

[Irish Cannon]

They look solid, buddy!...And that protein should hold you over for a little while, huh?...Unless your wife breaks into it.

 

[VolcomX311]

Your quads clearly have size and contour. It's not just a big thigh, it looks muscular. Good stuff.

 

[dedlifter1]

Quads look beastly man. I supersett my lg presses with sissy squats, its terrifying.:bigeyes:

 

[DreamWeaver]

Your quads are actually a good size, no problem there. People often overestimate leg size in importance. As long as there big enough and defined and you working them hard .. it's all good. Huge legs are nice, but big enough is ok too.

 

[babywifey]

They look solid, buddy!...And that protein should hold you over for a little while, huh?...Unless your wife breaks into it.

I already have! :woohoo:

Resolve's thighs are big, I tell him all the time how huge his legs are- They are big with muscle, which is the good stuff. My thighs are a few inches smaller than his, but it's definitely fat that gives mine their size. :lol:

 

[Resolve]

Your comments are encouraging, guys. I appreciate it. If only I could get my calves to grow!

BW got into the protein even before I did! I came home from the lab and found a box torn open (not even cut open, like a civilized person would do) and a PB tub already dug into!

Well, I've spent the morning examining mouse genitalia. Not so fun. But I've got a workout coming up here at about 2pm, to which I am very much looking forward!

 

[dedlifter1]

Your comments are encouraging, guys. I appreciate it. If only I could get my calves to grow!

BW got into the protein even before I did! I came home from the lab and found a box torn open (not even cut open, like a civilized person would do) and a PB tub already dug into!

Well, I've spent the morning examining mouse genitalia. Not so fun. But I've got a workout coming up here at about 2pm, to which I am very much looking forward!

She tore into that box!! My wife does that with tofu.:foodretty gross. Looking forward to the update!

 

[DreamWeaver]

Glad my wife stays away from my stash, as a matter of fact I will say to her from time to time ... "hey this stuff will be good for you to use too" that way I get to buy extra product knowing she will never use it. Little trick I learned.. hehe. An addict always finds a way!!

 

[Resolve]

Glad my wife stays away from my stash, as a matter of fact I will say to her from time to time ... "hey this stuff will be good for you to use too" that way I get to buy extra product knowing she will never use it. Little trick I learned.. hehe. An addict always finds a way!!

Ha! Anytime I say that to BW, my stash disappears twice as fast! :lol:

So, I lifted HARD yesterday afternoon. So hard that I did pretty much nothing but eat and lay on my bed in a state of exhaustion. Altogether, the workout took just under 1 and 1/2 hours, which was WAY too long for my liking. Thank God for intra-workout drinks and their anti-cortisol effects.

Supplement Thoughts:
SV2: On lifting days, I pop a SV2 cap pre-workout along with my A.S. and it struck me that perhaps that could have been contributing to the nausea I was experiencing - Maybe it was the combo of a full scoop of AS and an SV2. So, on Sunday, my next non-leg-inclusive lifting day, I am going to ditch the preworkout SV2 dose and try a full scoop of AS.

AS: My endurance was un-freaking-natural yesterday. I don't know how I lifted so hard, considering the diet I'm on and total caloric intake. Energy was up, strength was up on most movements, and tenacity was quite noticable. If a weight wasn't moving, I wasn't happy; and that's somewhat normal for me, but the sense was heightened beyond normality.

My workout:

BW Chin-ups: 12, 12, 12, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10

DB Rows: 90lb for 4x10

Seated DB Curls: 37.5 for 4x12, 32.5 for 4x12
ss'd w/Laying DB Tri Ext: 37.5 for 8x12

Reverse BB Curls: 70 for 8x12
ss'd w/Mulletsoldier's Lat-machine Tricep Pressdowns: 110 for 8x12

Shoulder Giant Set: 4 total giant sets
12 Rear Delt Raises + 12 Lateral Raises + 12 Front Raises + 12 Shoulder Press
No rest between movements.
Raises: 15lb DBs
Presses: 40lb DBs
OUCH!

 

[Resolve]

My CNS is freaking fried! And a week's worth of experiments culminated in nothing - I have to redo the whole thing next week. But, honestly, that's pretty par for the course sometimes in science...

BAH! I'm going to watch some unintelligent tv and let my brain relax, then go batter my frustration out of myself in the gym tomorrow.

Also - my old T-911 will be making a brief comeback as my new bottle is going to take ~3wks to arrive, and I really want to stick to my plan of using it with this stack. So, for the next 10days I'll be using it again before tapering it off so I'm good and sensitive when I get the new formula.

 

[dedlifter1]

looking good bro, I always feel spent after I leave the gym. I go home, eat, and veg.

 

[dragonfly]

I spent my morning designing my own sequences of DNA - how awesome is that?! :head:

Good to have you man!


Everybody - I am so stoked right now! I have finally made progress in the project I've been working on for the last month. I got my cell-plates to fluoresce, which means the plasmid they contain (that I made!) works! :woohoo:

Here to support a fellow scientist I've got no problem with fluorescent bacterias but fluorescent rabbits are another story !


http://http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/03_02/bunny_art.shtml

 

[dragonfly]

Also curious to see what AS does for you :bigeyes:

 

[Resolve]

Hey Dragonfly - thanks for joining in! My long term godl is actually a strain of mice whose adipocyte predecessor cells increasingly fluoresce during development. It would give me a function of calculating cell age in vivo.

Anywho, I feel like I've been disconnected for the last couple of days - our ceiling started leaking like crazy. Turns out, a water heater on the third floor was broken, and in result our ceiling looks like crap now. The dripping kept Bw and I up for most of the night.

I worked out yesterday as well as today - won't comment much on yesterday. It was pretty rrun of the mill. I did perform 5 sets of 20 for my squats, and still no discomfort in my hip!

Supplement Thoughts:

SV2: Dropped the pre-workout dose and didn't miss at all. Using 2 caps first thing in the morning continues to be better than coffee for waking me up. Not sure when to incorporate my second dose now. I'm going to try using it post-workout for a pick-me-up when I go back to the lab.

AS: One full scoop and no nausea! I attribute this to not taking an SV2 in conjunction with it - I must have been just over-stimming myself into stomach discomfort. Additionally, the energy and focus was INCREDIBLE today! I realized about 2/3 through my workout that I was still feeling as fresh and mentally pumped as when I entered the gym. Part of that probably was the carbs that I had this morning, as it is a semi-carb-up day, but still, general performance all the way around was definitely up when compared to my last couple of workouts.

T-911: It's back, and thank God! I popped one this morning and one pre-workout. Could have attributed to the awesome workout I had, but it's somewhat early to decide that.

Today's Workout:

BW Wide-Grip Pull-ups: x12, x12, x12, x11, x10, x10, x10, x10

"Free Motion" Cable Cross-Pulls: 120 per arm for 4x12
ss'd w/ Isolateral Straight-Arm Pull-downs: 60 per arm for 4x12

Spider BB Curls: 125 for 8X3
Pull-down Triceps Ext: 125 for 8x3

Machine Hammer Preachers: 120 for 8x12
Overhead DB Tri Ext.: 40 per arm for 8x12

Smith Behind-The-Neck Military: 145 for 4x12

Delt Tri-set: 4x12 per movement, 15lb DBs
Rear raises, no rest
Seated Lateral raises, no rest
Seated Front raises, rest

Awesome workout. Man, I felt sooooo good! MMMmmHHHmm!

 

[Resolve]

Also, I forgot to mention that post-workout, I weighed 245. So, minus food and water, prolly around 240 now.

 

[Liftergym33]

Nice drop with the weight bro, also glad after dropping the pre dose of SV2 fixed your nausea problem, I dosed it early one time, an AM workout which is rare for me, on an empty stomach and it hit me hard! never again did i do that:lol:

 

[Irish Cannon]

I still haven't tried SV2. - I'm still running on my Ephedrine/Adrenaline combo.

 

[ax1]

You've got guts to do low carbohydrates like that. I can manage for like a day, and not event hat low (~50g) and I need to have a hugely high carbohydrate day the next day!

i do about 30-40 grams of carbs tops a day year round. i feel very healthy. carbs are a un-essential nutrient and really serves no purpose. the body prefers fat as its main energy source and so does the brain.

 

[ax1]

High velocity movements require a ton of force production x energy expenditure and the fatigue compounds in multitudes, perhaps even greater fatigue build up and diminished performance then sets of pull ups. Nice!

now, if he only stacked cordygen ultra vo2 on all of this!

 

[Resolve]

I still haven't tried SV2. - I'm still running on my Ephedrine/Adrenaline combo.

SV2 is totally different from Ephedrine, or a caffeinated stim for that matter. That's really the only reason I can take it so consistently, I think. With ECA, I'd take one and 15min later be twitching well, like Tweek

With Sv2, you pop the caps, and a bit later you realize you're very awake with more of a relaxed mood than most stims, and that studying is easier.

At least, that's how it affects me. A stim-junke like you, I don't know... :lol:

i do about 30-40 grams of carbs tops a day year round. i feel very healthy. carbs are a un-essential nutrient and really serves no purpose. the body prefers fat as its main energy source and so does the brain.

Yes, dietary carbs are non-essential for survival. I'd be dead otherwise. However, saying CHO serves no purpose is not true. Glucose is the primary energy source for cells, and some are not able to survive on ketone bodies alone (such as neurons). Additionally, cell-surface, membrane bound glycoproteins play an irreplacable roll in trans-membrane signalling. While the carbohydrates bound to those proteins are not essential, it is far more efficient energy economization if they are present dietarily.

Also, don't forget that insulin triggers the largest anabolic action in the body, and that CHO is necessary for insulin release. While too much insulin can be deleterious, using its release wisely and timely can be very beneficial.

 

[Resolve]

Geez, re-reading that last bit, I came off a bit pissy, and that wasn't my intention. Low CHO is ok, but not somethine I would consider for the long term. That being said, I don't believe a high CHO diet is the way to go either. Veggies, legumes and to a lesser extent fruit should form the mainstay of CHO intake, IMO.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Geez, re-reading that last bit, I came off a bit pissy, and that wasn't my intention. Low CHO is ok, but not somethine I would consider for the long term. That being said, I don't believe a high CHO diet is the way to go either. Veggies, legumes and to a lesser extent fruit should form the mainstay of CHO intake, IMO.

I ate lower carbs for years and have to say I am really liking adding them back in using AP and pslin. Love that filled out tight feeling and seem to have better energy. I respond very well to AP so that is a factor for sure.

 

[Irish Cannon]

With Ephedrine, I just get a mental high and a body sweat for about 1.5hrs. lol

 

[Resolve]

I ate lower carbs for years and have to say I am really liking adding them back in using AP and pslin. Love that filled out tight feeling and seem to have better energy. I respond very well to AP so that is a factor for sure.

Yeah, I always perform much better with CHO before and during a workout. I'm looking forward to giving AP a two-month try here once this LG stack is done.

With Ephedrine, I just get a mental high and a body sweat for about 1.5hrs. lol

I figured. I get a mental high and then some - it was kinda cool for a couple of weeks, but then I just didn't feel very good taking it. But then, I can get a mental high with a couple of puffs on an Albuterol inhaler! How lame am I?

 

[Irish Cannon]

I still want to give Albuterol a go.

 

[ax1]

its may be used to your advantage i wont disagree on you with that,

keep in mind that carbs simply arent for everyone.

i finally tried carb cycling a few months ago and i felt like crap and gained fat (no not water, i counted that out)

carbs give me a energy spike with a crash, fat gives me consistant energy, a little lower but at least its steady.

im 175 pounds now been as heavy as 230 and if i ate like the average joe (and didnt work out) i would be 300 something pounds.

low carb dieting for life! i love what i eat and ive been pretty consistant with it for about 9 years now.

the only mistakes ive make ive learned from, still gotta keep the cals low (which is easy to do because this diet helps fill you up) avoid cheaze and deep fried chicken wings, trans fats, and just eat enough to feel full. overeating crap will make you fat even on low carb, i know first hand.

lets not forget people who dont eat their quality fats will be doomed to failure, little energy and muscle loss. we want fat as fuel not protein.

 

[dragonfly]

Geez, re-reading that last bit, I came off a bit pissy, and that wasn't my intention. Low CHO is ok, but not somethine I would consider for the long term. That being said, I don't believe a high CHO diet is the way to go either. Veggies, legumes and to a lesser extent fruit should form the mainstay of CHO intake, IMO.

We know you well enough Resolve

 

[dragonfly]

Yeah, I always perform much better with CHO before and during a workout. I'm looking forward to giving AP a two-month try here once this LG stack is done.

Have you tried Glycobol ?

 

[Resolve]

its may be used to your advantage i wont disagree on you with that,

keep in mind that carbs simply arent for everyone.

i finally tried carb cycling a few months ago and i felt like crap and gained fat (no not water, i counted that out)

carbs give me a energy spike with a crash, fat gives me consistant energy, a little lower but at least its steady.

im 175 pounds now been as heavy as 230 and if i ate like the average joe (and didnt work out) i would be 300 something pounds.

low carb dieting for life! i love what i eat and ive been pretty consistant with it for about 9 years now.

the only mistakes ive make ive learned from, still gotta keep the cals low (which is easy to do because this diet helps fill you up) avoid cheaze and deep fried chicken wings, trans fats, and just eat enough to feel full. overeating crap will make you fat even on low carb, i know first hand.

lets not forget people who dont eat their quality fats will be doomed to failure, little energy and muscle loss. we want fat as fuel not protein.

Sure, some people are less insulin sensitive than others naturally, or more prone to adiposity. That's one aspect of genetics that can really suck.

We know you well enough Resolve

:lol: You're sweet, DF - thanks :jester:

Have you tried Glycobol ?

I have. If I took pre-workout, I'd get really hypo while lifting. When taken at other times of the day, I didn't notice anything. :sad3:

 

[Resolve]

I had a workout on par with the last one, if not better! I'm feeling good, energetic and psyched in the gym now, and I'm loving it!

Supplement Updates:

SV2: I took my second dose about 20min after my workout, in conjunction with my post-workout shake. I like this much better than pre-workout for two reasons:
1. No nausea and 2. It provides a mental boost, transforming me back into a rationally-capable human being, up from a state of near neanderthalism. I kill myself in the gym, as most of you guys do too, but being able to step out of the weight room and return to the lab with a functional cerebrum is a real plus.

AS: Gee, it works, how about that? If I just don't combine all 3 stimulant-containing supps that I'm taking, I can get freaking amazing workouts in on this stuff. No seriously, I only hope that my current streak of feeling great while lifting continues. Since upping AS to a full scoop and dropping the pre-workout SV2, I feel LEAPS and BOUNDS better mentally and physically. Intra-set recovery is quick, tenacity is high, and the crappiness of some of my former workouts in this log are a fading memory.

T-911: Have I mentioned that I love this stuff? Seriously, I don't know where my recovery would be without it. I not getting any CHO for glycogen replenishment, or even any glutamine aside from whats in my Combat Powder, but I'm still feeling darn good after a greuling session - neurally too; I don't feel overtrained in the least.

Combat: I'm throwing this in here because I believe it deserves more attention. If you're a fan of time-release protein formulas like milk-protein isolate, caseinates, 12hr Elite, etc., I really recommend checking this stuff out. It's priced well if you look around for it and actually includes free-form BCAAs and Glutamine.

Today's Workout:

Squats: 135 for 4x20
Leg Press: 380 for 4x20
Unilateral Seated Leg Curls: 100 for 4x12 ss'd w/BW Lunge for 4x15
Leg Extensions: 100 for 4x20

Weighted Dips: BW+25 x8, +35x8, +45x8, +65x8, +70x7 (and no hip pain!)

Chest Bomb Triset (steep incline press, dropped to low incline press, dropped to flat bench without rest, shooting for 8reps at each angle):
70lb DBs
Set 1: Steep x8, Low x8, Flat x7
Set 2: Steep x8, Low x6, Flat x4

Pec-deck pre-exhaust: 195 for 4x8 w/4sec eccentric
ss'd w/ Push-ups: 4x8

My recovery time between squats went down and I did weighted dips with a satisfactory amount of weight. I'm happy. Also, that "chest bomb" triset is something Dreamweaver shared in his log and I just had to try it. Wow. Humbling to say the least.
And folloiwing it up with push-ups pre-exhausted with pec-deck is crazy. I was intending to do plyometric push-ups, but try as I might, I didn't have the power left to accelerate myself off the floor. I'd push as hard and fast as I could and my hands refused to go airborn. But hey, my chest was already trashed, so I don't mind.

 

[Rosie Chee]

i do about 30-40 grams of carbs tops a day year round. i feel very healthy. carbs are a un-essential nutrient and really serves no purpose. the body prefers fat as its main energy source and so does the brain.

That's not very healthy at all. While separate dietary carbohydrates are not technically 'essential', they are still required in the body (Resolve explained why rather well). As for you saying that the body and the brain prefer fat as its main energy source, you are quite WRONG: The body prefers carbs as its main energy source, which is why it uses glycogen FIRST (i.e. short term to intermediate to long term energy systems) as fuel during any exercise; and the ONLY fuel that the brain can use is carbs! I suggest that you learn your physiology and about how the body works.

~Rosie
Team APPNUT

 

[ax1]

That's not very healthy at all. While separate dietary carbohydrates are not technically 'essential', they are still required in the body (Resolve explained why rather well). As for you saying that the body and the brain prefer fat as its main energy source, you are quite WRONG: The body prefers carbs as its main energy source, which is why it uses glycogen FIRST (i.e. short term to intermediate to long term energy systems) as fuel during any exercise; and the ONLY fuel that the brain can use is carbs! I suggest that you learn your physiology and about how the body works.

~Rosie
Team APPNUT

so if thats true how have i been functioning totally normal all these years? if the brain uses "ONLY" carbs then how did i graduate college eating 30-40 grams of carbs a day? my brain works and im usually VERY intense in the gym or when i do my cardio depending on quality sleep.

ketones will create the glucose for my brain to function so there is no worries, and at the same time i can win over my obesity genes, be lean, feel good (8 years if low carb dieting so i know by personal evidence) and not have to starve myself. i always argued with those corporate text book people in college, they claim i have no energy because they read thats how its supposed to be in their textbooks, but then i can out train them in the gym every time.

 

[Rosie Chee]

so if thats true how have i been functioning totally normal all these years? if the brain uses "ONLY" carbs then how did i graduate college eating 30-40 grams of carbs a day? my brain works and im usually VERY intense in the gym or when i do my cardio depending on quality sleep.

You may think you are "functioning totally normal"; what you think and what is real are not always the same thing...ANYone can graduate college; it's not hard and you don't have to be a genius...Your brain uses GLUCOSE. It's more likely to be using protein before fat for gluconeogenesis though, since it's easier to break down protein than it is to break down fat...Everyone has a different definition of "intense"...But, you know yourself best.

~Rosie
Team APPNUT

 

[ax1]

im living proof that you function 100% efficiently on a very low carb diet, both brain and body, that is why i believe the quote i posted below, but 1st hand experience here is what most matters.

i should not have said the brain prefers fat as a energy source, but instead that the body will find a way to make glucose and plenty of it to function as perfect as i do.

quote:

"The body, principally the muscles and neurons, prefer to use glucose as an energy source."

This is not quite how it works. The body is always in a sort of dynamic equilibrium where energy use is concerned. At all times the body utilizes whatever energy source is appropriate and available for its immediate needs. For example, If there is a shortage of glucose to fuel brain and nerve tissue, the body goes into ketosis relying on fat for energy until a supply of glucose is restored. If there is a sudden heavy demand for muscular contractions the body will convert glycogen stored in the liver to glucose to fuel this demand. With sustained exercise, muscles switch over to fat.

Short of extreme energy bursts and sustained aerobic exercise, the body burns glucose and fat simultaneously. In fact, nearly half the body's energy requirements at rest are met from fat stored in cells, fat being absorbed during the digestive process, or fat that was converted from carbohydrate.

If you read Gary Taubes' book you'll learn that fat circulates in and out of fat cells continually unless insulin levels climb too high and remain there. As insulin tends to clear the bloodstream of both fats and glucose and lock fatty acids in fat cells for the duration, the only source of fuel available is food being digested and absorbed into the blood stream. If predominantly of carbohydrate origin, that source of energy is quickly depleted and hunger ensues even though there is plenty of fat available in the body. On a restricted carbohydrate diet where most of the energy is being supplied from protein and fat, insulin levels remain low and fat is easily mobilized from fat stores as needed. That's why people on even 900 calories don't get hungry if most of those calories come from fat and protein. As Taubes reported, adding 400 calories to such a diet will stimulate insulin secretion. Hunger ensues and weight loss is slowed or halted because the body is being internally starved for energy.

I hope this helps some of you folks who are confused regarding the role of fat in normal metabolic activity.

Dave Brown
Nutrition Science Analyst

 

[ax1]

You may think you are "functioning totally normal"; what you think and what is real are not always the same thing...ANYone can graduate college; it's not hard and you don't have to be a genius...Your brain uses GLUCOSE. It's more likely to be using protein before fat for gluconeogenesis though, since it's easier to break down protein than it is to break down fat...Everyone has a different definition of "intense"...But, you know yourself best.

~Rosie
Team APPNUT

not to knock on your knowledge or anything, this isnt an attack or a debate but im sharing my personal experience.

but ive been training for 17 years now, the first 9 of it i ate carbs with my training and the last 8 i havent. i DO know the difference how i feel, and ill be happy to say my energy levels are better without carbs.

 

[Resolve]

That is an informative quote, though he does somewhat "bait and switch." He says that "The body, principally the muscles and neurons, prefer to use glucose as an energy source" is not always true, then goes on to talk about energy equilibrium and sources in the absence of glucose. Two different, though related subjects.

If mucle cells and neurons don't prefer glucose, then it would not be used first when a person eats sugar and fat simultaneously. If you eat a twinkie, the sugar, because it is a simpler molecule, will get broken down faster and utilized as a fuel first (preferentially) simply because it is thermodynamically more feasible. If you're a cell and you want energy, which do you want to upack - the disaccharide that only requires one bond to be cut before you can derive energy from it, or the tryglyceride that's gonna take you a good 4 or 5 additional steps before you see some ATP profit?

Additionally, neurons do only run off glucose in normal circumstances: ketone bodies are even converted into glucose in them. They not only prefer glucose, they need it.

Finally, that quote entirely overlooks the concept of gluconeogenesis - the backwards synthesis of glucose from amino acids. In the absense of dietary CHO, this has to be minimized or else a catabolic state will set in and prevail in the body overall processes. Hence the high protein usually seen in low carb diets - your body (and mine currently) is turning a fair portion of the protein we eat glucose simply to fulfill it's energy requirements. As we continuously eat high fat, the body does increase the amount of lipolysis, simply because of feedback regulation enhancing the expression of lipolytic gene products. But, we still are experiencing some gluconeogenesis because the body does require some level of CHO, even if we aren't ingesting it.

So, 30-40g of CHO can be done, even healthfully if you simply load up on the cruciferous veggies and drop everything else, but to say that the body does not use CHO preferentially is not true. It can use other energy sources if dietary CHO is not available and survive just fine, but energy economy (atp production per ingested calorie) is reduced. That's why you lose weight on a low-carb diet - your body isn't running as efficiently as it could.

This is not said to disparage or detract from you in any way, ax (It's cool your body has adapted so well, which it should have after 8 years!). I say this to hopefully paint a more complete picture.