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TAKE CONTROL OF INSULIN
Techniques To Control Your Anabolic Hormone - Insulin
Let's start with some meal combinations to avoid.
Avoid meals containing fats and carbs
Unfortunately, this is the typical meal of the Western diet. As a result, it's
no wonder that obesity is an epidemic. Meals with a high carbohydrate content
in combination with high-fat meals can actually promote a synergistic insulin
release when compared to the two alone. High fat with high-carb meals represent
the worst possible case scenario.
Now, some people have argued that fat lowers the glycaemic index of foods and
should therefore be included in carb meals. But remember, the glycaemic index
only gives a measure of glucose response to a meal, not insulin response. And
sometimes the glucose responses to a meal and the insulin responses to a meal
aren't well correlated. So although you might be slowing the rate of glucose
absorption into the blood by adding fat to your meals, you'll promote high blood
levels of fats, carbs, and insulin. And that's a big mistake in building a phenomenal
physique and optimal health.
Avoid meals high in carbs alone
Ironically, since the liver converts excess carbohydrates into fats, a very
high carbohydrate meal can actually lead to a blood profile that looks like
you just ate a high carb and high-fat meal! That's why high-carb only diets
don't work any better than ones rich in fats and carbs. High carb meals easily
promote high blood levels of fats, carbs, and insulin, too. This, as stated
will be deleterious to you physique endeavors. Again this is the typical high
grain, high carb, low fat diet proported and touted by so many expert nutritionists
in the world. Who themselves appear quite tubby and far from Dorian Yates like.
Okay, so now that we know which meal combinations are not conductive to improved
physical status. Let's be proactive and talk about what meal combinations to
concentrate on.
Eat meals containing protein and carbs (with minimal fat)
It's well known in the research world that eating carbs and protein together
also creates a synergistic insulin release (much like the fat and carb meals
above). But in this scenario, that insulin release is just what we want. By
having a few meals per day that cause high blood levels of insulin, carbs, and
amino acids (as long you don't have chronic high blood levels of insulin all
day long), the body tends to become very anabolic, taking up all those carbs
and amino acids into the muscle cells for protein and glycogen synthesis. And
since there's no excess fat for the fat cells, fat gain is minimized.
Obviously this combination is beneficial during the post-workout period, but
in addition you might want one or two additional insulin spikes per day to promote
anabolism during a mass phase. Again, as long as you aren't elevating insulin
all day long, you won't become insulin resistant. Short bursts of insulin elevation
seem to play a critical role in proper metabolism of your nutrients. Constant,
day long, insulin elevation, however has the reverse effects.
At this point some may argue that although this scenario might not promote
fat gain, those high insulin levels will prevent fat breakdown (lipolysis).
And they're completely correct! But you have to understand that most meals (unless
they contain only certain types of protein) will elevate insulin levels to the
point that lipolysis is prevented anyway. This is a very important piece of
information that you should be aware of.
Eat meals containing protein and fat (with minimal carbs)
Although it's desirable to eat some meals each day that release lots of insulin,
up regulate protein synthesis, and fill up carb stores, it's advisable to avoid
too many such meals. I discussed the reasons for this above (reduced insulin
sensitivity and prevention of fat burning), but also, since we all know that
essential fatty acids are so important to health and favorable body composition,
eating protein and carb meals all day will prevent the ingestion of healthy
fats. And that's not good. Refer to the section on fats to understand more about
how essential they are to your body.
In an attempt to balance out your two or three carb plus protein (minimal fat)
meals each day, you should be eating an additional two to three meals consisting
of protein and fat with minimal carbs. Taking in 30% of each major class of
fatty acids (polyunsaturates, monounsaturates, saturates) is a good mass building
tip when thinking about which fats to consume.
Taking a step back, the purpose of protein plus fat meals is to provide energy
and amino acids without causing large, lipolysis-preventing insulin spikes.
In addition, after fatty meals that contain no carbs, the body oxidizes less
carbs (more carbs are stored and retained in the muscle as glycogen) and burns
more fat for energy. So basically you'll be burning fat for energy and storing
carbs in the muscle after such meals.
We hope that it's clear now that by properly combining meals, you can use the
acute effects of food to your advantage. Eat protein plus fat during some meals
and you may be burning fat during certain portions of the day. Eat protein plus
carbs for some meals and you may be growing during other portions of the day.
Quality and Types of Foods To Control Insulin Response
So what sort of foods should one be eating in order to understand the insulin
affects of food?
Well, here are some examples of typical meals to consume when following the
rules for managing your insulin sensitivity:
Protein plus carb meals (minimal fat - <5g)
2 scoops of protein powder mixed in with 1 serving of oatmeal
1 sliced banana
1 cup of regular or lactose free skim milk
1 can tuna fish
1 cup of regular or lactose free skim milk
2 pieces of whole grain bread
Vegetables
8 egg whites
1 scoop of protein in 1 serving of oatmeal
1 slice of whole grain bread
1 piece of fat free cheese
Vegetables
2 cups of regular or lactose free skim milk
1 scoop protein
2 pieces of fruit
Here's a list of good carbs and protein for the protein plus carbohydrate meals:
Carbs: apples, oranges, oatmeal, all bran cereals, vegetables, mueslix, white
pasta, flax bread, yams
Protein: chicken, whey, casein, turkey, egg whites, skim milk, tuna, cottage
cheese
Protein plus fat meals (minimal carbs- <10g)
1 can salmon
1 scoop protein powder in water
Vegetables
1 tablespoon of concentrated fish oils
8-12 oz lean beef
Fat free cheese
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Vegetables
1 can tuna fish
1 scoop protein powder
Vegetables
1 tablespoon of concentrated fish oils
2 scoops protein powder in water
1 tablespoon flax oil
Here's a list of good fats and proteins for the protein plus fat meals:
Fats: Concentrated fish oils (PUFA-omega 3), flaxseed oil (PUFA-omega 3 and
6), olive oil (MUFA), canola oil (MUFA and PUFA), fat from nuts (MUFA and PUFA),
fat from beef and eggs, animal fat (SFA)
Proteins: beef, salmon, whey, casein, turkey, whole eggs, pork
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