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Why we get fat even when we are fit [Article]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Mar 5, 2018 10:00:00 AM

 Why we get fat even when we are fit

 

Why we get fat even when we are fit

 

This article will outline why losing weight is hard for everyone. You will learn techniques which work to lose weight without counting calories. These hacks are simple to put in place and have proven successful for me and my wife. The tips are based on the book why we get fat. If you have any questions put a comment at the end of the article and I will come back to you.

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Why does it matter to be fit and less fat

 

Obesity, cancer, and depression are on the rise in the western world. They are structural problems in society which are the fundaments of a drain. To improve our society and have less distraction it is necessary to get better. Once we produce less emotional and literal waste we will be able to face the bigger challenges in the world. Important things like war and hunger. This is why I set out on a quest to be a better version of myself every day.

 

Even fit people struggle with weight loss

 

For me, it is hard to lose weight. I have run three marathons and train five weeks a day. Still, weight loss is as hard for me as it is for you. When I was doing Judo one of the most unpleasant parts of the sport was to hit your weight class. For weightlifters, powerlifters and martial artists, this is a challenge.

 

When you are already very fit there is not much more weight to lose. You have an airtight schedule. To lose more weight means to dial back even further. When you are already very disciplined it gets that much harder to go that extra inch. When you are medically overweight the challenge is to form different habits. When you are athletically overweight the challenge becomes to be even stricter.

 

How is being fat defined

 

We are all fat. Parts of our body need fat to function. In fact, it is unhealthy to stay under a certain amount of body fat for too long. This is why bodybuilders usually only look their best for a couple of days a year. The high standard is not sustainable. Same goes for gymnasts and ballerinas. The absurd demands on performance mess up their hormones and cripple their feet.

 

The definition of being fat is relative to the standard you measure yourself against. You can swap the term fat for healthy to get into a more positive mindset. The levels which are set out by doctors to have a healthy weight are within reason.

 

I am 185cm tall and on my best days, I weigh around 80kg like in July 2017 before my wedding. I weigh around 90kg. Very bad months approach the 100kg mark. By athletic standards, this is already a huge spread.

 

What makes us fat

 

The simplistic way you can look at it is that you get overweight because you eat too much and exercise too little. This is a good start. Still, this picture is incomplete and not informed. Sticking with this one size fits all approach can lead to challenges for you.

Why do babies and teenagers gain less weight while eating the same amount of food than their parents? The answer is that their growth process demands more energy than for adults. If you have genetics which helps you to build muscle and bone instead of fat losing weight becomes easier. The same happens when you are able to extract more nutrients out of your food. Apart from calories in and out one more factor of what makes us fat is our genetics.

A further example of this is the difference between men and women. Producing milk and being pregnant needs a lot of energy. Thus female bodies are designed to store fat easier. Breasts are nothing else than big lumps of fat-producing energy in form of milk. So, unfortunately, you will have a harder time getting rid of fat than a man.

Apart from genetics, your body regulates your fat through hormones. Insulin is the hormone which is tied to diabetes and how likely your body is to store fat. Consuming carbohydrates leads to spikes of insulin.

 

Foods high in carbohydrates are potatoes and bread. This is why you can observe that where western food is being introduced obesity becomes an issue. Hunter-gatherer cultures which still exist today have lesser problems with overweight. This is because their diet mainly contains if fish and meat.

 

Sugar and alcohol are high in carbohydrates. These are also trademarks of a western diet. All that cake and fizzy water you drink impacts your insulin. So it is not only about how many calories you take in and how many you burn. It is also about what kind of calories you take and why based on many factors.

 

How to eat to lose fat

 

Get yourself checked by a doctor or nutritionist. Be careful that the trade of nutritionist is not regulated well in the US. Ask for references and results when someone is not a doctor.

In the 1960s to 1990s foods which were high in fat got a bad reputation. This was based on a study from the 1950s which linked fat to cardiovascular diseases. The products which hit the shelves, as a result, were low fat and high in sugar. Fat helps things to taste nice and sweeter. Food that tastes bland does not sell. Customers got what they asked for. Low-fat products which tasted nice by using refined sugars or fructose.

Since the early 2000s, there is a growing body of evidence which supports that diets high in fat and low in carbohydrates help weight loss.

Try to move your diet towards more fat and fewer carbohydrates. Eat apples instead of cake. Swap potatoes for broccoli. Have espressos instead of cappuccinos. Drink your tea without sugar. Swap beer for wine. Doing this will feel less of a sacrifice. It is also less complicated than starting to track your food intake.

Another technique is portion control. The easiest way is to say no to second helpings. Second helpings are a relic from our upbringing and hunter years. When there was food you had to eat it. It was not sure whether there would be another serving tomorrow. Those days are over. You don't need that second helping to be satisfied. You can also swap your plates for smaller ones. Smaller plates look fuller when the same amount of food is presented to them. This tricks our brains into being more satisfied with the serving.

Chewing your food for longer will start the digestive process earlier. This also makes you more satisfied and likely to get more nutrients from your food.

The last hack is to control when you eat. This is also called intermittent fasting. Have your last meal in the evening around 6 pm to 8 pm and skip breakfast. You want to fast between 12 to 16 hours for this to work. Get advice from a doctor first. Once you apply all these techniques you will lose weight. Start tracking your macronutrients and counting calories after. Most people will not have to go this far.

 

How to exercise to lose fat

 

How much exercise you need to lose more fat depends on your goals and current routine. For an athlete, this might mean to focus more on cardio than on strength training. For John Doe, it might mean to get off of the couch after a very long time.

 

A common misconception is that your life will change in a heartbeat. Start slowly. Rome was not built in a day. Go one step at a time. The first goal is to get something done every day. This can be yoga, pilates, walking, badminton or whatever else you like. The next step up is to do this activity every day for 20 minutes.

 

After getting into a habit of being active every day for at least 20 minutes add in intervals. Interval training means that you go at maximum intensity for a short while followed by rest. I have explained that principle for you in my post about how to row a concept2 rower.

 

It's not rocket science, keep it simple. The main thing is to stay active on a regular basis.

 

Conclusion

 

Even when you are fit you can be fat depending on the demands being put on you. Ramp up what you expect of yourself slowly. Try fat in your diet instead of carbohydrates. Control your portion sizes. Skip sugary foods. Exercise for 20 minutes and use interval. With these techniques, I managed to lose 15kg in 6 months twice going from 100kg down to 85kg.

 

Further reading

 

 

 

Topics: Fitness