alex 
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/06/2008 12:16 PM |
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| Hey, recently i read a book explaining that basically, you gain the most muscle when your insulin tanks are full, however, if you overflow your "tanks", (by eating too many carbs or simple carbs) you begin to store the carbs as fat. My question is, is there any truth to this, and, if there is, how do you know when your when your tanks are full, empty, or over-flowing?? |
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Sue K
Posts:10512
Zone Expert
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| 03/06/2008 12:37 PM |
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| I suspect that what you're asking about has something to do with the following. One of the functions of insulin is to regulate whether stored fat is "locked" into the body's fat cells, or whether the fat cells are "unlocked", which allows stored fat to be burned to produce energy. When we consume excess carbohydrate, insulin rises above a certain level, and the result is that the stored fat won't be released because the high level of insulin locks it into the fat cell. Simultaneously the higher insulin level causes the excess carbs to be stored as fat. Having insulin levels in the the Zone (scientifically measurable by a fasting insulin blood test level of <10) allows the fat cells to unlock so that stored fat can be burned to produce energy. If you are in the Zone your "tanks" will not be "overflowing". |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/07/2008 2:13 PM |
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| is there any way to tell exactly how much carbs overflows your tank? |
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Sue K
Posts:10512
Zone Expert
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| 03/07/2008 3:38 PM |
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| I'd say that would be the point at which you go out of the Zone because you ate too many carbs in relation to your protein requirement. The amount of carbs it takes for that to occur will differ by individual. |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/08/2008 10:30 AM |
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| I weigh 150 and am 5-7", I dont have too much fat on me (its all in a few spots and nowhere else) how much low glycemic carbs could i eat at one meal without overflowing. Right now im eating a myoplex protein bar before my workouts and it has 30g of protein- I figure that would fill my tanks for my weight training, and then the weight training would deplete them for most of the day- is that enough of too much carbs |
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Sue K
Posts:10512
Zone Expert
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| 03/08/2008 12:06 PM |
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| Alex, I think you might be misunderstanding. If you're eating a Zone balanced diet, you'd need to eat the amount of carb which keeps you in the Zone, in other words, the amount of carb to give the P/C you usually eat. If you eat the typical .75 P/C, then using your example of 30 grams P (approx 4 blocks), you'd balance that with about 4 blocks C and 4 blocks F. If the bar contains no fat, then you'd double the fat blocks to 8. |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/09/2008 10:14 AM |
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| what do you mean by P/C (protein carbs?)- the bar contains 4 blocks of protein and carbs and has about 9g of fat- the only problem is that most of the fat is saturated. What happens if you dont balance it out- like have protein and carbs but no fat? |
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Sue K
Posts:10512
Zone Expert
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| 03/09/2008 11:15 AM |
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P/C means the protein to carb ratio. The acceptable P/C for the Zone is 0.6 to 1 (refer to "The Zone" by Barry Sears). The mid point of this is a P/C of approximately .75. This represents the traditional balance of 7g P to 9 g insulin stimulating C (7/9, which means 7 divided by 9 is actually between .77 and .78).
If you eat P and C without F, the C gets into the blood stream quicker and stimulates too much insulin production to keep you in the Zone.
4 blocks of P eaten with 4 blocks of Zone favorble insulin stimulating C (total C minus total F) would require a minimum of 12 grams of fat to be Zone balanced. |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/10/2008 8:56 PM |
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| so taking in protein at the same time as carbs help slow down the process of carbs getting into the bloodstream? Do healthy fats play any part of slowing this process as well? |
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Sue K
Posts:10512
Zone Expert
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| 03/10/2008 9:11 PM |
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| yes and yes |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/11/2008 2:57 PM |
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| which plays a bigger role? |
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Sue K
Posts:10512
Zone Expert
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| 03/11/2008 4:36 PM |
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| The P and the F are both important. |
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Jeffrey
Posts:237
Zoner
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| 03/22/2008 2:30 AM |
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alex, just to clarify, protein stimulates glucagon, which is a glucose mobilization hormone. i recall reading it also stimulates some insulin, but we'll ignore that as its glucagon action is what really matters here.
iow, it releases blood glucose into the bloodstream.
insulin removes blood glucose from the bloodstream.
the idea between the P/C ratio is to bring equilibrium to the releasing and removing such that blood sugar levels remain about constant.
the fat blunts your carb absorption and, therefore, mutes your insulin response. the fat also acts as building blocks for your bodies hormonal system - which is very important.
the zone is all about balance. think of balance as the lack of stress. remove the body's excess stress and it can function at peak design / evolution capacity. |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/22/2008 1:54 PM |
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| yeah, so using the combination of the right amounts of protein fats and the right carbs let you eat more of what you want while still balancing you blood glucosr levels |
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Jeffrey
Posts:237
Zoner
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| 03/23/2008 6:27 AM |
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alex, no. the key word is "more." you don't eat "more" of what you want, rather, you eat what your body needs to function at peak hormonal capacity. this translates into better physical and mental performance.
of course, you will be satiated (not hungry) on the zone b/c you are feeding your body what it needs - so your body will be happy.
one thing to keep in mind - some people associate "full" with "bloated." my stomach never really feels "bloated," so i can't use that as a gauge for being "full." i focus on whether my brain is happy - if it is, then i'm good until my next meal or snack. |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/23/2008 11:43 AM |
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| yeah, now i can realize the difference between physically hungry and mentally hungry: I think when your blood glucose levels are contantly "in the zone", your whole body is better, is everyway |
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alex
Posts:346
Zoner
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| 03/23/2008 11:43 AM |
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| yeah, now i can realize the difference between physically hungry and mentally hungry: I think when your blood glucose levels are contantly "in the zone", your whole body is better, is everyway |
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