Weight

  • Body Composition, Diets, Energy, Metabolism, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    The Weight Cycling Dilemma: Navigating the Impact on Performance and Lifelong Health for Athletes

    Athletes across various disciplines often find themselves navigating the tricky waters of weight management, especially in sports where specific weight classes are a determining factor for success. The weight cycling process of rapid weight loss followed by weight regain, commonly practiced in weight class and combat sports, can have profound impacts on both short-term performance and long-term health. In this article, we will delve into the physiological intricacies of this practice, shedding light on how acute weight loss affects metabolic rates, insulin, and leptin levels, and explore the potential long-term consequences of weight regain, including insulin resistance and other metabolic challenges.

    Acute Phase: Rapid Weight Loss & Immediate Effects

    Reduced Metabolic Rates: Athletes engaging in rapid weight loss often resort to extreme measures such as severe calorie restriction and excessive sweating, leading to a significant reduction in metabolic rates. The body, sensing a state of energy deprivation, slows down its metabolic processes to conserve energy. While this may help in achieving short-term weight goals, it can impair athletic performance by diminishing the body’s ability to efficiently convert fuel into energy. This decreased performance naturally reduces the amount of quality training sessions that are able to be held in preparation of the next competition.

    Reduction in Insulin Levels: Rapid weight loss can trigger a reduction in insulin levels, the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar. In the short term this reduction could be viewed as a good thing as it can push the body to use more fat. In this situation though this decline in insulin can lead to disruptions in the body’s ability to effectively utilize glucose, the primary source of energy for muscles. As a result, athletes may experience fatigue, reduced stamina, and compromised performance during training and competitions.

    Explore the toll of rapid weight cycling on athletes: reduced metabolism, insulin issues, and long-term health risks.

    Decreased Leptin Levels: Leptin, often referred to as the “satiety hormone,” plays a crucial role in regulating appetite and energy balance. Rapid weight loss can lead to a drop in leptin levels, signaling to the brain that the body is in a state of starvation. This triggers an increase in appetite, making it challenging for athletes to maintain their reduced weight in the long term. The psychological and physical strain of constantly battling hunger can have detrimental effects on an athlete’s overall well-being. Nobody likes being “hangry” and especially not while trying to train at the same time.

    Long-Term: Weight Regain and Metabolic Challenges

    Insulin Resistance: In weight cycling, the weight regain phase can contribute to the development of insulin resistance over the long term. Insulin resistance occurs when cells become less responsive to the hormone, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. Because cells are resistant to insulin it also forces more insulin to have to be released to help control those blood sugar levels. This increased insulin then inhibits the body’s ability to utilize fat stores for energy making it tougher to lose fat later on. Persistent weight cycling may exacerbate this condition, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and negatively impacting an athlete’s metabolic health.

    Explore the toll of rapid weight cycling on athletes: reduced metabolism, insulin issues, and long-term health risks.

    Metabolic Challenges: Weight regain after rapid weight loss can set the stage for a host of metabolic challenges. The body, having experienced the stress of repeated weight fluctuations, may struggle to maintain a stable metabolic environment. This instability can manifest as decreased metabolic rates, greater likelihood of metabolic syndrome as well as increased risk of obesity compared to those who did not practice weight cycling behaviors. Athletes may find themselves grappling with these challenges, potentially compromising their long-term health.

    Conclusion

    While the requirements of meeting specific weight class requirements or gaining a competitive edge may drive athletes toward rapid weight loss and regain cycles, it is crucial to understand the potential risks involved. The acute effects of weight cycling on metabolic rates, insulin, and leptin levels can impact short-term performance, while the long-term consequences pose serious threats to an athlete’s overall health. Striking a balance between achieving competitive goals and maintaining optimal health should be the ultimate priority. Athletes are encouraged to explore sustainable and healthy approaches to weight management, seeking guidance from dietitians and healthcare professionals who can help devise personalized plans that prioritize both performance and well-being.

    By acknowledging the intricate interplay between weight management and physiological health, athletes can make informed decisions that foster longevity in their careers and safeguard their bodies for a lifetime of success in and out of the sporting arena.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Hydration, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Sugary beverages impact on performance and well being

    In case you haven’t walked through the drink aisle of a grocery store lately, it’s absolutely loaded with options. From hundreds of types of water to sodas to sports drinks it’s a maze to navigate. Sugary beverages in particular are found in abundance everywhere you look. Both with actual sugar and those with sugar substitutes. Having so many options readily available it can be very confusing to know what to grab. Answering that has been a key area of focus in research to learn how these different drinks impact our health.

    Types of sugary beverages

    Options are certainly plentiful in this area. The most popular sugary beverages are sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, coffee creamers and fruit juice. Each drink has its own reputation but one thing in common is that they all provide a type of sugar. Fruit juice is the biggest outlier in this group as it is a natural product containing extra nutrients in it. Compared to those with just added table sugar to it this does offer some additional benefits. These different sources of sugar have some slight differences in their impact on the body. Overall though it’s important to stay mindful of how much of each you are having.

    Sugary beverages are everywhere you turn. They can be beneficial at the right time and place but all day every day can have some negatives.

    Prevalence of sweetened beverages

    Everything in moderation is the popular saying. That is increasingly difficult for things such as sweetened beverages when they are so prevalent. Even for kids they’re present in popular snacks as well as school lunches. You have juice boxes, chocolate and strawberry milk in most cafeterias now-a-days. Like the fruit juice the milk has a lot of added benefits nutrient wise but these sources of added sugar can all add up. As we get older too constant advertisements for sports drinks, soda and energy drinks are very influential. You can’t walk anywhere without seeing a vending machine or store where a drink can be found. The convenience of powder water flavor packets also makes it even easier to travel with some added sugar. With these items so easily available it’s important to maintain awareness to avoid unintentionally overconsuming them.

    When to have them

    The goal of this isn’t to say avoid these items for the rest of your life. I just want to increase awareness to ensure you aren’t having too much accidentally. There are proper times and places for these sweetened beverages. Sports drinks being the main one if ideal for moments of intense physical activity. The body is in a state to utilize those extra sugars for performance. This is very different than drinking a Gatorade while being asked “Are you still watching?” by Netflix. Soda has a place as well and is a go-to item for a lot of endurance athletes. Flat soda can provide a little caffeine with some quick sugars that again the body is going to use for performance very well in this situation. General recommendations on when to limit these items is when not as active. Drinking sugary beverages (even those with sugar substitutes) 24/7 may result in some longer-term health complications.

    Negatives of sugary beverages

    Sugary beverages are everywhere you turn. They can be beneficial at the right time and place but all day every day can have some negatives.

    In case it needs to be reiterated, sugar in and of itself isn’t exactly the enemy. Constant consumption of sugar though does warrant some concern if not careful. The latest study referenced here dives into an overview of many studies looking at that impact. What this review found was a correlation between those who drank more sugar sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages and an increased risk of health complications. Specifically, the complications noted were hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and overall all-cause mortality (aka death). Across the board each type of sweetened beverage showed a greater risk of problems arising.

    One important piece to mention is that correlation does not equal causation. Simply because those who drank more of these beverages had more health issues doesn’t mean the beverages directly caused it. Sweetened beverages can actually increase hunger and result in eating more. Eating too much will result in weight gain and too much weight gain has been known to cause a wide array of issues. It’s important not to make too many strong claims as some media articles will spin this review to say. That being said it’s also a good reminder to stay mindful of what you’re drinking.

    To drink or throw away

    Like most things in life, moderation is key. If you are having sweetened beverages every single day for no reason other than enjoying the flavor it may be worth considering pulling back a bit. On the other hand if having one once in a blue moon, you likely don’t need to worry! Water is still the leader and should be a cornerstone of your overall hydration. Then depending on your training and energy needs some sweetened beverages may be worthwhile. This is intentional and strategic implementation though. Stay mindful and make sure not to be avoiding water.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Body Composition, Performance, Supplements, Weight

    Creatine effects on weight gain and water retention

    Along with caffeine, creatine is one of the most researched supplements of all time. When people first hear creatine though they automatically thing of huge muscular individuals. While it can help to build muscle, it isn’t magically going to turn you into the hulk. It has a lot of benefits to improve performance and overall health but some negatives linger surrounding it. The main one is weight gain. While this mostly comes from water retention, it’s still something to be mindful of.

    What exactly is creatine

    To put it simply, creatine is a very quick source of energy. During physical activity the body uses up a lot of energy, especially at higher intensities. Creatine is able to help replenish those energy stores in a very quick and efficient manner. Unlike some claims out there may try to say creatine is absolutely nothing like steroids. It is one of the most studied supplements out there and has been shown to be incredibly safe. Benefits of creatine surpass what is just discussed here in this article. But for now, let’s dive into the impact on muscle and potential water retention.

    Creatine impact on muscle

    Just taking creatine by itself doesn’t necessarily guarantee building muscle. As mentioned previously, it’s that increase in energy which is what allows for those gains. With quick energy replenishment it can allow for an extra rep and an extra set during workouts. Over time those extra reps add up resulting in greater adaptations and muscle/strength gains. There are a few studies showing potential of creatine on its own to stimulate some muscle building but as of now there isn’t enough to rely solely on that. If wanting to build strength and muscle, there’s no escaping putting in the work in the gym!

    Potential water retention

    Water retention and the resulting weight gain has been one of the biggest complaints of creatine. If only looking at the scale the weight gain can be pretty intimidating and off-putting. This is not fat gain though so that concern can be erased. A relatively quick weight gain from water though can be a negative in sports though. Increasing the weight that one now has to carry while performing has potential to result in a little bit earlier fatigue. The added workload can also potentially increase the risk of cramps popping up if training volume remains consistent. Short term cramps and fatigue in certain situations is not a common thing though! Proper dosage strategies can also help reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of this.

    Optimal creatine usage strategy

    Majority of water retention situations occur when “loading phases” of creatine takes place. This is when larger dosages of creatine is consumed to get the body’s levels up quicker. Like always, patience is a great virtue and can offset these effects. By taking a typically lower dose of just 5 grams per day, this weight gain typically doesn’t occur. The lower dosage dose take a bit longer then for the creatine levels in the body to increase but those levels do get up to the same level. Unless you have a good reason for being in a rush, slow and steady is the way to go.

    Creatine has a ton of benefits but sometimes gets overshadowed by claims of negatives regarding weight gain and water retention.

    Key takeaways

    Creatine is one supplement that I would recommend to just about everyone. Especially for athletes creatine has too much research behind it to ignore. On the opposite hand the negatives are incredibly minimal. With water retention being the main one, as discussed previously even that can be reduced. In a perfect world creatine would be something to begin taking during the offseason to give the body time to adapt. After that, 5g per day every day moving forward will help maintain those levels in the body. Keep that up and your body as well as your performance will be thanking you.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Diets, Energy, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Energy needs not being met for professional female soccer players

    Any athlete in any sport is going to play better if meeting their energy needs. The way this is done is by simply eating. That is the very first thing that all other nutrition strategies are built off of. Macros, vitamins, minerals are all very important and are all acquired by the same manner. Eating! Unfortunately, a new study dove into things and found many professional female soccer players aren’t meeting their energy needs.

    Energy needs are key for performance

    For your body to do anything at all it requires energy. If asking it to do some intense things it naturally is going to have even greater energy needs. Before worrying about carbs, protein or fat, the energy piece of the puzzle comes first. Far too common though most people, not just athletes, are afraid of eating too much. Whether it be a goal of losing weight, improving body comp or to avoid gaining weight, energy restriction is the end result. There is a time and place for energy restriction but it has become far too common. Chronic restriction and not meeting energy needs can have a lot of negatives. Worse performance being a main one, muscle loss, slower metabolism and increased injury risk are all problems resulting from underfueling.

    Energy needs are high for soccer players and it's not uncommon for professional female soccer players to not be meeting their energy needs.

    Intake vs. energy needs of professional players

    Soccer players burn a lot of energy! I know, ground breaking information right there. On average the female players in this study had daily energy needs of ~2900 calories. Yes, you read that right and it isn’t 2,000 or 1,200 the two common numbers that typically many strive for. If wanting great things from your body you have to give it great fuel. Unfortunately though ~23% were underfueling on training days and ~36% on match days. When tracking food intake, underreporting is very common but the point remains.

    Where is the deficit coming from?

    For match day and training days protein and fat intakes didn’t change much. That is perfectly ok and not a major issue especially regarding the protein. On off days and match days you still need to fuel your muscles so protein intake is fairly steady. Fat is something that can increase on match days though purely to help with calories. Carbs though were the biggest thing as that intake remained steady throughout. For optimal fueling, those are something that should be tapered down a bit on off days and then increased on match days as intensity increases.

    Encourage proper fueling

    The temptations for calorie restriction are real and incredibly prevalent. It’s easier said than done but don’t fall for the trap. Ensuring that your energy needs are provided will turn you into a better athlete. Simple as that. Before concerning yourself with determining how much protein or carbs to have, just start with eating. If you’re currently on eating one meal per day you’re asking the wrong questions. So make sure you’re fueling your body to perform your best and even decrease injury risk.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Body Composition, Energy, Fasting, Metabolism, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Fasting before evening workouts have pros/cons to consider

    Every week it seems something new is coming out regarding the effects of fasting. In particular many are looking at the potential combined effects of fasting before exercise. If both fasting and exercise have potential benefits, the two together should be even better right? This seems to be the common thought process but not always the case. Most studies though have looked at the impact of overnight fasting on exercise. A recent one came out looking at the impact on evening workouts for a new perspective.

    Effects of fasting

    Fasting workouts are normally done in the morning after sleeping before breakfast but doing so in the evening also has pros/cons to consider.

    Most people experiment with fasting for one of two common reasons. One is weight loss and the other is improving metabolic health and adaptations. Weight loss comes from being in a caloric deficit and is true for any diet one may be following. It makes sense then that if reducing the time available to eat that overall less calories will be consumed. Pairing that with some extra physical activity to burn more calories, more weight is lost. Can’t argue with that side of things.

    The metabolic adaptations are aimed at increasing the body’s ability to burn fat. Without eating anything (carbs in particular) the body is still needing energy from somewhere. To get that energy and keep functioning, fat is what gets utilized more. By forcing the body to use fat, it becomes better at that process. Just like when we practice something, the more we do it the better we get. So, if the body is using more fat and we are consuming less calories, the weight being lost should be coming mostly from fat. Then adding in some exercise on top of that may accelerate all of these things theoretically.

    Exercise while fasting

    In theory all signs point to a greater energy deficit for more weight loss and increased fat usage. But the exercise piece of this is going to be a bit of a struggle. As most of us have experienced firsthand, when hungry we usually aren’t feeling the best. This can result in a worse training session due to decreased performance. While more fat may proportionally be getting burned in that workout, less overall energy is likely being used meaning less overall fat burned.

    In the latest study this was shown in males and females that when asked to give peak performance, they came up short when fasted. Even when given an all you can eat buffet afterwards though, a bit more food was consumed in the fasted group but it didn’t offset the amount from skipping a meal earlier. So overall a caloric deficit was still the result. Interestingly though this increased intake post-exercise was only seen in males. Females ate equal amounts in both groups and resulted in even greater caloric deficit as a result.

    Is this a good strategy?

    The infamous response is, it depends. In the short term it can help with some weight loss and fat loss. This comes at a cost though where you aren’t getting the most out of your workouts. Especially for athletes looking to improve performance, this can be a big problem. It also can make it tougher to recover properly. The body needs energy and in particular protein to repair itself after those hard trainings. If in a constant deficit and not getting enough protein you’re going to feel more sore and performing worse. Rough combination there. Whether considering fasted exercise in the morning or evening like this study, there are trade-offs that need to be considered.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Inflammation, Performance, Recovery, Supplements, Vitamins/ Minerals, Weight

    Your vitamin D levels could be impacted by your weight

    The popularity of vitamin D has skyrocketed here the past year or so! Justifiably so as well due to how many benefits it appears able to provide. This popularity times up with a lot of research that has been coming out on vitamin D touting those benefits. Similar to how cauliflower appears to be able to become just about anything, vitamin D is able to be involved in seemingly everything. Having so much potential benefit it’s important to ensure adequate amounts are being consumed. The tricky part though is that not everyone is as responsive to the same amount of intake.

    Benefits of vitamin D

    There is a whole list of benefits able to be provided but I want to highlight a few of the main ones. One of the original benefits noted comes from vitamin D’s ability to aid calcium absorption. As a result, there is a big role being played in keeping bones strong and decreasing risk of fractures. Growing numbers of studies are also showing the benefits on muscles themselves. Vitamin D can help to ensure proper muscle contraction which is obviously very important for athletes as well as regular daily functions. It also helps with overall muscle soreness. Those with insufficient levels tend to report increased soreness and worse recovery after workouts and day to day. Nobody enjoys being sore!

    An additional area that vitamin D can play a major role in is with the immune system. It is essential at keeping the system by aiding the production of proteins in the body that can help fight off inflammation and other problems. A lot of attention was getting drawn to vitamin D especially when COVID was at its peak. For athletes, a strong immune system ensures not missing any playing time due to being sick. For the rest of us it means we are able to feel good more frequently and not be slowed down. Just like with soreness, nobody likes being sick!

    Sources of vitamin D

    Vitamin D provides a lot of great benefits for the body. How much someone weighs could impact the body's ability to absorb it though.

    Now that we know the benefits, we want to make sure that we are getting enough to receive all of the benefits. There aren’t a ton of food sources necessarily as many products need to be fortified with vitamin D but here are some of the top items:

    • Fatty fish
    • Egg yolks
    • Fortified cereal
    • Fortified milk/dairy
    • Fortified orange juice

    Outside of food sources though, the sun is a main provider. This is why those who live further away from the equator tend to have lower levels. Individuals who spend more time indoors also run into the same problem. You want to be mindful of how much sun exposure you do get to avoid potential harm from that but a little bit each day is wonderful.

    How does weight play a role?

    A new interesting correlation has started to arise revolving around one’s weight and vitamin D levels. It appears that heavier individuals may have a tough time absorbing vitamin D and getting their levels to increase. As a result, extra attention needs to be placed to avoid deficiency. For larger individuals, supplementation should be considered at a higher dose to help increase those levels appropriately. Extra supplementation is a lot safer than extra sun.

    Regardless of one’s weight though, regular testing is highly recommended and incredibly beneficial. Without knowing where the starting point is it’s tough to know what actions should be taken. Generally speaking, most individuals can benefit from a quality vitamin D supplement. But again, the specific dosage will depend on one’s starting level and now perhaps on their weight as well. 

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Body Composition, Diets, Energy, Injury, Muscle, Performance, safety, Weight, Wellness

    Faster weight loss is linked to greater injury risk

    Weight loss is one of, if not the most, commonly stated goals of athletes and physically active people. Improved body composition is the desire in hopes of improved strength, speed, health and aesthetics. It can be surprising what some may do in hopes of “looking better”. Unfortunately, with these hopes and desires the patience necessary isn’t always there. Living in a day in age where most things are instantaneous people want weight loss to be the same way. I hate to burst the bubble but it doesn’t quite work that way. Also, when some try crash diets or strategies to lose weight quickly it typically comes with a cost.

    Weight loss in weight class sports

    For some sports there is a little extra emphasis and attention paid to one’s weight. These are deemed as weight class sports where the specific tournament/match that one can compete in is purely dictated based on meeting certain weight requirements. Popular examples are wresting, UFC, judo, boxing and taekwondo. All of these require designated weigh-ins prior to the match starting to ensure weights are met. Weight classes are set to help avoid advantages that can be gained from a heavier competitor taking on a lighter competitor. To gain an edge with this, many will walk around at a higher weight and then cut right before weigh-ins. The weight loss is generally very quick and sometimes significant.

    This rapid weight loss has been found to be linked with increased risk of injury. And the faster the rate of weight loss, the greater the risk of injury associated with it. While being able to perhaps grant admission into the competition, is that trade worth it? More often than not it isn’t! The risk is potentially missing one weigh-in for one competition versus missing multiple for weeks of rehab depending on the injury.

    General weight loss goals

    Similar concepts apply for those not in weight class sports also looking to lose weight. Despite there not being a direct competition date on the line, the “now mentality” is present. It’s unfortunate though that the perspective of how the weight likely came on gradually over time. In response to it comes the desire to lose it in a tenth of the time that it came on. Such a strong desire can result in some fairly dramatic reactions and habits take place. Two of the most popular include crash diets and excessive exercise. Both can wreck having on long-term health.

    Weight loss is a main goal for many. Unfortunately it's typically wanted quickly and the faster weight is lost, the greater the negatives.

    Under such a calorie deficit caused by a crash diet and/or excessive energy there is a fairly large impact on body composition. Not in a good way either. In the early days of a crash diet the body loses a lot of muscle. While it helps the scale to decrease, it’s far from an ideal scenario. You’ve worked hard for that muscle and don’t want to just give it up like that. That greater the rate of weight loss, the greater the percentage of that loss comes from muscle. There are strategies to help decrease that impact but isn’t erased completely.

    Patience = everyone’s favorite word

    That old tortoise and the hare story always seems to come back up. With weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. For general weight loss, going at a slower rate with physical activity and some extra protein preserves your muscle mass. In general, about 0.5-1.0 pound weight loss per week is a good rate. While slower than some would prefer to hear it’s a good sustainable rate.

    For weight class sports, a good goal would be to try and have the day-to-day weight be close to weigh-in weight. This will help to decrease the amount of weight that needs to be lost to compete. With less of a gap to close, it should help mitigate some of that injury risk.

    Patience and consistency like in most cases will come out on top!

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Body Composition, Diets, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Better nutrition knowledge helps keep better body composition

    Knowledge is power, especially in the case of nutrition knowledge. Having a solid understanding of nutrition can help improve every aspect of your life, top to bottom. Eating properly keeps you mentally sharp, decreases soreness, improves power and performance in the gym and on the field and also help prevent you from getting sick. The key though is to truly understand and know what your body needs. That allows you the freedom to make decisions on your own without relying on someone else to tell you exactly what to eat. As an example, improved body composition is a goal many of us have. In a recent study they showed that increased nutrition knowledge was correlated with just that.

    Nutrition knowledge throughout the season

    For athlete’s the year generally flows in the order of preseason, in-season, post-season and off-season. Each of these seasons are vastly different and as a result the nutrition needs are different. The training loads are going to be different to achieve different things and if eating the exact same way all year long, the maximum benefits won’t be achieved from that training. Training sessions are typically the hardest part of things so making sure nutrition is on point helps get the most out of them.

    Challenges across the year

    Off-seasons are when the biggest challenges tend to arise for most players. This generally results in weight gain as well as muscle mass loss due to a combination of less training and poor nutrition. When it’s time to report back for preseason typically there is a correction of that weight gain to result in peak shape come the regular season. As the referenced study here showed, better nutrition knowledge correlated with less negative changes in the offseason.

    Better nutrition knowledge is linked to better body composition. Make sure you have a reliable source for that information!

    Maintaining closer to ideal body composition and weight numbers helps make the preseason go a lot smoother. Without having to spend the beginning just trying to get back into shape, the focus can be on improvement. There is also less risk of any injuries popping up. Needing to lose weight requires maintaining a calorie deficit. In that deficit the body isn’t able to recover or build muscle as well after training sessions. With such an increased workload in the pre-season this could be a recipe for disaster.

    Make sure it’s correct nutrition knowledge

    So to improve and maintain your body composition, pay attention to your nutrition. There is a whole lot of information out on the internet on this topic though. Pay close attention to ensure you are getting your information from a reliable source. Don’t fall for a popular post from an influencer or the guy at the supplement store. Sometimes they can be correct but many times are questionable at best. If unsure about something, feel free to reach out to me to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Diets, safety, Supplements, Weight, Wellness

    Weight loss claims for benefits of capsaicin (hot peppers)

    Weight loss is a big topic year-round but even more so come holidays and the new year. Resolutions being made and everyone wanting to start off strong means an attractive time for marketing companies. Don’t fall for some of those claims and advertisements floating around. This study touting capsaicin is a good example.

    What is capsaicin?

    Capsaicin is a compound found in peppers. More specifically, it’s part of what makes peppers so hot. Studies have been coming out about the potential impact that capsaicin can have on overall appetite. Personally, if something is too spicy I would eat less of it too! Theoretically it makes sense due to that type of thought process. Turns out though that there is also a lot of neurological impacts coming from capsaicin that could be playing a role.

    Beware marketing claims of capsaicin helping weight loss

    Neurological impact potential of capsaicin

    Neurological can be a big confusion word. In this sense it simply is referring to how different parts of the body communicate with each other. Strengthened neurological connections can help the stomach and brain talk with each other. Like most things in life, better communication rarely is a bad thing and can help tell the brain when enough has been eaten and to stop. Results from a few studies show a potential benefit of capsaicin strengthening those lines of communication. In particular it is being targeted as a way to help relieve cramps a lot here of late.

    Impact on energy expenditure

    Another area being looked at is potential increase in indirect energy expenditure. There are two types of fat in the body referred to as white and brown adipose tissue. Brown adipose tissue help contribute to keeping our body warm and does this by burning more energy. Because of that brown adipose tissue is thought to be beneficial and certainly preferred over white adipose tissue. Capsaicin has a handful of studies showing it may help increase the body’s preference to brown adipose tissue. Combine all of these things and capsaicin is sounding pretty nice!

    What’s the catch?

    The actual amount of impact all of these things have is incredibly marginal. While these benefits may occur, it doesn’t mean noticeable changes will actually occur as touted. The total number of studies is also small and many done on rats. Those pieces of information though aren’t going to be advertised as much by supplement companies selling the capsaicin. Strategies like this are all too common amongst weight loss supplements. Next time you see those you now know to be very cautious. So please don’t fall for them!

    Going for a short walk daily will have significantly more benefit than taking some capsaicin. Walking and reducing calories may not seem as ‘sexy’ or potentially as simple as taking a pill but those are the keys if weight loss is the goal. Adequate movement and eating properly is the foundation but consistency is the key. That also is where the challenges tend to pop up as it’s not a quick fix. Developing the strategies to help with that consistency is very important. If needing someone to assist with developing those I’m more than happy to help. But even if not wanting to work with me just please promise me you’ll think twice before falling for any of those supplement marketing tactics. 

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Body Composition, Diets, Meal Timing, Muscle, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Time restricted feeding impact on fitness and body comp

    Time restricted feeding is a very broad topic which means different things to different people. To some it is fasting for 24 hours at a time 2-3 times per week and others it’s having an 8-hour eating window. For most individuals and especially athletes I wanting to try time restricted feeding or intermittent fasting to avoid full day fasts. Those can increase the amount of muscle that is lost due to the extended period of time and also don’t allow proper fueling for peak performance. The effects of shorter fasting periods seem to be better in general.

    Time restricted feeding – Weight loss

    Losing weight is one of, if not the, biggest reason people tend to consider time restricted feeding. Consider for a second that the foundation of any weight loss strategy is calorie restriction it’s a perfect fit theoretically. Less time to eat means less opportunity to overindulge. With the shorter restriction time though it can help still provide adequate nutrients to avoid muscle loss. Despite some marketing attempts though, it’s not necessarily a magical strategy. Eating less calories is the primary factor and the key to weight loss.

    Time restricted feeding – Body comp

    Slow and steady is the name of the game. As stated with weight loss, restricting too much can result in losing extra muscle which is never ideal from a body comp standpoint. By maintaining a decent number of calories (and protein) the weight loss will primarily be coming from fat. The less opportunity to eat again helps reinforce no added treats sneaking in there. Even without purposefully restricting calories, an 8-hour eating window tends to naturally result in lesser calories being consumed due to that. Lose fat and maintain muscle both are the driving factors for improved body comp.

    Time restricted feeding – Performance

    Performing optimally is where some additional planning comes into play with this. If looking to implement a time restricted feeding strategy it’s crucial to time it up appropriately around your training. Training sessions where you need peak performance, you’re absolutely going to want to eat beforehand. Having a full fuel tank ensures having the energy to do what you do best. On the other hand, in some situations it can be ok to train without eating before. This is a very specific situation to induce some specific metabolic changes to increase fat utilization. While not desirable for every session, it is a tool for the tool belt when applicable. In both situations though, eating afterwards is very important. The body is primed to take up nutrients to maximize recovery and muscle building so you don’t want to skip that window.

    Consideration for athletes

    When considering this, the first thing is to decide what you’re trying to achieve. If wanting to lose weight this could be a strategy to consider to help with that. Especially if night time snacking seems to be a big challenge. A hard set end-time can provide that extra barrier to help eliminate that temptation and extra calories. But by no means is that the only way to lose weight or even the best way for some people.

    Everyone responds differently to different things so find the strategy best for you. Making sure all the while to fuel yourself properly around training sessions. The biggest thing to reiterate though is to make sure any potential long term fasts are avoided to maintain that muscle.

    Study referenced: click here

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