Eat More Carbs, Burn More Fat!

Guest Post by Joel Marion, CISSN

You’ve probably heard that carbohydrates are perhaps the WORST thing you can eat when trying to lose fat or transform your body, and for most people, that’s 100% true.

You see, due to years of consuming a diet full of processed carbs, most people have grown VERY insensitive to one of the most important hormones in our body—a hormone that can either be a huge asset to your body transformation goals, or a total fat loss and health-derailing nightmare.

Its name is insulin, and it’s function is to help your body keep blood sugar at bay, clear it quickly from your bloodstream after a carbohydrate meal, and (hopefully) shuttle those carbs to be stored in muscle tissue for energy instead of fat.

I say “hopefully” because that’s actually the exact opposite of what occurs when most people eat carbs.

Going back to insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate tolerance, due to a diet full of processed, insulin- and blood-sugar-spiking carbohydrates, most folks are suffering from some level of insulin resistance, a condition in which insulin is no longer able to efficiently remove blood sugar from the blood stream.

The result? Dramatically reduced fat burning and increased fat storage.

Even worse, insulin resistance can (and often does) lead to type II diabetes and an array of other health problems over time, and it all leads back to insulin sensitivity.

Ideally, when you consume carbohydrates, here is what you want to happen:

1. Minimum insulin release. This occurs when your body is highly sensitive to insulin. When it is, only a small amount of insulin is necessary to effectively and efficiently clear sugar from your blood to its storage sites. This is great news because your body has an incredibly difficult time burning fat in the presence of insulin. The less insulin you have floating around, the better.

2. Quick and efficient blood sugar clearance. Again, this will occur when your body is highly sensitive to insulin.

3. Maximum glycogen uptake. Glycogen is the term used for stored carbohydrate in muscle. When muscle tissue is highly sensitive to insulin, the vast majority of blood sugar will be stored in muscle (to be used as energy), not fat.

4. Minimum fat storage. When you increase insulin sensitivity, especially in skeletal muscle, your body will choose to store your carbohydrate intake as energy in muscle tissue instead of body fat.

Again, your body’s ability to tolerate carbohydrates all comes down to your insulin sensitivity and your body’s ability to quickly and efficiently shuttle carbohydrates to lean tissue and not fat.

So how can you increase insulin sensitivity?

Well, you could go completely low-carb for an extended period of time in an attempt to repair your insulin receptors and increase insulin sensitivity. But for most, that’s a rather dreadful option and even then you’d need to very slowly reintroduce carbohydrates back in to your diet to avoid massive fat gain.

No thanks.

Fortunately, you DON’T need to go low-carb or no-carb…at all.

In fact, many times you can enjoy even MORE carbohydrates than you currently are while losing even more fat when you utilize this one simple trick:

SUPERCHARGE your insulin sensitivity before each carbohydrate-containing meal in just a few seconds with the below 5 ingredients — each of which have been clinically proven to dramatically improve both insulin sensitivity and your body’s ability to process carbs.

Here they are:

#1. Cinnamomum Burmannii, a potent extract harvested from Indonesian cinnamon bark that has been shown to effectively assist in managing blood sugar after a carbohydrate-rich meal while increasing glucose metabolism by up to 10 fold!

#2. Berberine. This rare plant alkaloid has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine in India. Berberine works slightly different by improving the signaling between insulin and its associated receptors while also increasing carb uptake by lean muscle for energy, not fat.

#3. Pterocarpus Marsupium. Believe it or not, this powerful herb is actually used in the treatment of diabetes by Ayurvedic physicians in India. In fact, Pterocarpus Marsupium is so effective that it was shown in a recent research study to reduce blood sugar levels after a meal by a whopping 21%.

#4. 4-hydroxyisoleucine, a natural phytochemical extracted from the Fenugreek herb, has been scientifically shown to increase carbohydrate storage in muscle cells while decreasing carbohydrate fat storage through the sensitizing of insulin receptors in muscle tissue.

4-hydroxyisoleucine has also been shown to interfere with the process by which the body converts muscle protein to sugar for energy. This encourages fat loss (instead of muscle break down) and aids in the retention of calorie-burning lean muscle as you lose fat.

#5 – R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA). Alpha Lipoic Acid is a naturally occuring fatty acid made up of two isomers, S-ALA and R-ALA, of which the R isomer has been shown to be significantly more effective and bioavailable. In fact, R-ALA is clinically proven to increase insulin sensitivity by an impressive 25% in just 4 weeks and is so powerful at managing blood sugar that it’s even used by German doctors for the treatment of diabetic neuropathies.

The Puff Report

Are you feeling puffy? Is the travel, late nights, parties, alcohol and sweets giving you the dreaded carb face? Does your stomach feel swollen and your digestion off? You may need to de-puff. I know I do.

Fortunately it’s rather painless and in 4 days or less, you will be feeling remarkably slimmer.

I used a similar plan with my client Rachel Nichols, who had just 4 days between a vacation in Brazil (including the long flight back) and her Maxim magazine cover shoot. She totally rocked her shoot and you can rock your next event if you follow my de-puff routine. You will need a few supplies outside of your normal Red Carpet Ready food.

They are:

- 1 bag frozen peas
- A couple lemons
- Dandelion Root
- Chia Seeds
- Coconut Water

Purge & Prepare

Start with a kitchen purge. You absolutely must get the cookies, candy, crackers and other puff inducing foods out of the house. The first day is the toughest because you may be detoxing a bit which leaves you a little vulnerable. Make it easier on yourself by removing the temptation and replacing them with flat belly foods. Also now is the time to stock up on your de-puff rescue items.

Hot Lemon Water & Frozen Peas

Start your de-puff routine with a cup of hot lemon water. This will act as a mild diuretic. Have a few sips and then find a comfortable place to recline for 5 minutes with the frozen peas on your face. I usually wrap them in a thin t-shirt or a paper towel will work too. This really helps reduce eye puffiness. Continue drinking your lemon water as you relax.

The Valrise

I’ve written about this in a previous blog post. It is something I use regularly but find it particularly helpful when I need to de-puff. The chia seeds are a great source of fiber, so helpful in getting your elimination back on track. The coconut water will help balance electrolytes (particularly helpful if you also have a hangover) and the supergreens add a bunch of important nutrients but even more important is that they bring you back to a more balanced, alkaline state which is what we are going for. So drink your Valrise.

- 4 oz. of coconut water

- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds

- 1 teaspoon of supergreens

- optional 1/2 teaspoon probiotics

Stir vigorously and then drink it down quickly. The chia seeds will start to gel quickly.

The Hangover Workout

Gratuitous shirtless picture of former client and Hangover star, Bradley Cooper.

You have many options here but the goal is to sweat. Since you may have a hangover either alcohol or food related, I do not recommend the super intense 4 minute tabata workouts or wind sprints. Instead, I like big circuits and high reps with a combination body weight and moderate weight exercises. Again, this is just an example. You may prefer a different circuit, a run outside or a hot yoga class.

Hangover Workout

1. Valband Side to sides – 20 reps
2. Overhead Squat  - 15 reps (I just use a stick or dowel)
3. Lunge Kick – 20 each
4. Push Ups – 15
5. TRX Row – 15
6. Valslide Bodysaw – 20
7. Valslide 1 arm slide – 10 each arm

Repeat this circuit 3 times.

1. Half-Jack – 20
2. Valslide Side Lunge with reach – 20 each
3. Bruce Lee Kicks – 20 each
4. Standing Y’s, T’s W’s – 10/10/10
5. Valslide Mini Pike – 15
6. Valslide Upside Down Snow Angel – 20

The Depuff Diet.

You are going to follow the Rachel Nichols’ 4 day Maxim diet for best de-puffing results.

Rachel ROCKED this shoot - with only 4 days to prepare.

Here’s a sample day:

**Coconut water, Chia Seeds + Super Green – 1st thing! (The Valrise)

Breakfast (choose one)

Cherry Berry Cacao Kapow Smoothie OR
Green Goddess Smoothie OR
More Veggie than Egg Scramble

Lunch

4 oz. protein (chicken, fish, steak or eggs) + Veggies or Salad
*Can add 1/3 avocado OR 1/3 cup black beans OR 1/2 sweet potato

 

Snack

Smoothie OR
1/2 apple + 1-2 oz. of cheese OR
Piece of Turkey and some Grapes

(Basically a little piece of protein + 1/2 cup low gylcemic carbs)

 

Dinner
3-4 oz. Protein and 2 cups of Veggies

 

**Dandelion Root – 2caps – 2 times per day

The Soak

I love a good steam when I want to detox but that’s not always an option. My next favorite is just a good soak in the tub filled with hot water and a half of carton of Epsom salt. This also helps me relax and prep for an early bedtime which curbs late night munchies.

Bonus – We’ve all heard the saying “fake it until you make it.” Well, I believe a good fake tan helps your appearance (especially if you are looking ragged from stress or too many late nights) and feeling better with the lift that self tanner gives you should be enough for you to stick with your de-puff protocol.

If you follow my routine you should be puff free in about 4 days. If you need more than just a quick de-puffing, then consider getting a jump start on your New Year’s fitness program with either my Valslide Essentials or my Action Hero Babe Plan. You will have time to de-puff before New Year’s Eve but you need to start now.

Cauliflower Rice

I love rice! Who doesn’t? It soaks up all the goodness of whatever else you’re eating. It fills you up and it is so easy to eat- too easy actually. I find rice to be one of those slippery slope foods. 1/4 cup of the whole grain stuff is okay, but who stops there? If you are trying to lose weight you need to curb your starchy carb intake. That’s the pasta, bread and yes, the rice!

If you are wondering what you will serve your chicken saute with, wonder no more. Cauliflower Rice!! It is filling, low in calories, easy to make and super yummy. Check out my video to see how it’s done. Be sure to leave me a note in the comment section below so I know what you think.

1. Chop fresh cauliflower into florets – or pieces small enough to fit into the food processor that you’ll be using.
2. Place the cut up cauliflower in a food processor and pulse/process the cauliflower until it is the size of rice – either using the plain steel blade or the shredder blade.
3. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp of olive oil & 1-2 tsp of butter.
4. Once the butter has melted, add the cauliflower rice to the pan. Add pinch or two of sea salt and for some spice, add cayenne pepper (or any other spice you like).
5. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cauliflower Rice is done when it’s slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside.  I don’t like mine mushy but feel free to cook longer if necessary.

Love and Lunges,

Val

How To Get Red Carpet Ready: Secrets from the Experts Part 1

Last weekend was the first ever Red Carpet Ready Fitness & Beauty Summit and it far exceeded my expectations…  the turnout was awesome and the feedback so far has been absolutely phenomenal!  If you missed out, let me take a few minutes to fill you in…

The idea behind the summit was simple:  bring the best of the best – the top experts from LA’s fitness & beauty scene, to share their latest and greatest secrets for achieving amazing results in minimal time.

Having been a trainer in Los Angeles for over 17 years now, I’ve become friends with many of the best people, the ones responsible for creating the bodies we see on the big screens and the magazine covers every month.  When I asked them to come share, they were all just so thrilled!

We had some great sponsors come in to support the event and help us bring it to the most fabulous location:  The London Hotel in West Hollywood – a super hip hotel known for its extravagant celebrity parties and weddings.  Tropicana Trop50 was the title sponsor, as well as Puma and New Beauty magazine who not only provided awesome gifts for the attendees but covered the event for a future issue.

Now, let’s get into it.  I’ll do my best to give you a taste of what the summit experience was like, and leave you with some take-aways from each of the speakers that you can apply to your life right now to get amazing results.

First up was Jamie Milnes…  a trainer here in Los Angeles who works with a variety of clients, including some of the biggest names in Hollywood.  His true passion, though, is working with underprivileged kids with his organization, Get Fit Go Play.  It’s such an amazing concept…  he works with children from inner city schools who don’t have the opportunity to try certain sports like snow-skiing or trapeze, for example.   Then he works them for 6-8 weeks on a fitness program designed to prepare them for that skill.  At that point, they take it to the slopes/field/water/whatever and put their new fitness to the test.

He took his “Get Fit Go Play” philosophy and broke it down for the audience so they could use the same principles to improve their body and increase their fitness…

So basically, Jamie would tell you to choose an activity…  something you enjoy doing outside of the gym.  Whether its cycling, running a half-marathon, surfing, whatever.  Then base your training around improving at this activity.  Not only will you get in better shape to perform but your body will improve just the same.  This intrinsic motivation to improve at a skill is generally a much more reliable source of motivation than just dropping pounds and inches.

The way he structures his workouts is like this… for both celebrities, his GFGP kids and even himself and his girlfriend…

1. Develop the T.A.P. The Total Athletic Package by…  performing combination exercises using upper and lowerbody.  Training what he calls QARdio techniques (a topic for a future blog post) and developing your core muscles
2. Perform full body circuit training workouts
3. Use unilateral movements when possible….  so train one side of your body, then the other.  When done correctly, it creates an unconcious activation of your core muscles and…
4. Makes every movement “functional.”  Meaning the strength and carryover will be seen in your everyday activities and not just in the gym.

Anthony Slater came up next.  He’s one of the top trainers at Core Performance, and works with everyone from high-level olympic athletes to Ms. Next-Door Soccer Mom.  He specializes in all aspects of performance but his presentation focused on the psychological components of achieving your goals…

He breaks down the “science of achievement” into 4 simple steps, that if followed accordingly will lead to massive success in any area of your life… fitness and health included.

The four steps are.

1. Preparation
2. Action
3. Reflection
4. Celebration

1.  Preparation

Preparation and planning is kind of like setting the GPS in your car for your destination…  or at least HAVING a destination.  Because after all, if you don’t know where you’re going – how are you going to get there?  He asked the audience “how many people have ever showed up to the airport and asked for a ticket on the next flight out, no matter where it’s going.”

2. Action

Action is where the “rubber meets the road,” so to speak.  We can have all preparation in the world and the perfect plan in place, but with no action, there is no results.  So once you decide where you’re going or what your goals are, also determine what action steps need to be taken to get to those goals, and you guessed it… take MASSIVE ACTION NOW!

TRACKING + ACTION = TRACTION

One of the coolest things Anthony showed us here was his “whiteboard method.”   I’ve written about the idea in a previous post but it’s worth a reminder.  Quite simply, you hang a whiteboard somewhere that you’ll see it often and write down the activities that you’ve chosen to get you from where you are now to your end goal…   then every time you complete one of those activities, you make a tally.

This is an awesome way to keep yourself consistent and then reflect back on all of your little “successes” a long the way…  not to mention that after you’ve had a nice run of tallys going, you just don’t want to break that chain

Which brings me to the 3rd part of Anthony’s formula…

3.  Reflection

Reflecting on the progress you’ve made so far is great for a couple of reasons…

1.  It keeps you motivated… after all, you’ve come this far.  Why not keep it going!
2.  It allows you to fine-tune your actions…  if something is working really well, maybe do a bit more of it.  If something isn’t working as well as you had originally planned, maybe back off a bit.

And finally, the fourth step in Anthony’s formula and probably the most fun…

4.  Celebration!

Celebration is basically an extension of the reflection in step number 3… you must recognize that will power is a limited resource and at some point, it will need replenishing…

So after you’ve achieved a goal, don’t just move on to the next one without recognizing how far you’ve come…  hold the positive thoughts in your mind long enough for them to turn into feelings..  this will inspire continued motivation.

A few ways to celebrate:

• Special rewards
• Simple pleasures
• Support and reinforcement from friends
• Sharing
• Community participation (Red Carpet Ready)

Next up, one of the most anticipated speakers, celebrity nutritionist Cynthia Pasquella.  She’s just the cutest thing ever… 8 and a half months pregnant and still came ready to ROCK IT!

She discussed the idea of “weight loss resistance disorder,” which she believes to be the biggest phenomenon in obesity today…   in a nutshell, WLRD is an issue with individual biochemistry and metabolism where you body holds on to body fat and even increases fat cell production to protect itself…   sounds scary right?  I know.

1. Can’t lose weight no matter what you eat or how much you exercise
2. If you’re carrying around extra weight in your stomach and thighs (hormones)
3. If you suffer from gas, bloating, constipation (digestion)
4. If you are stressed or anxious often (adrenals)
5. If you don’t eat mostly organic foods and use chemical free cleansing and body care products (toxins)

There isn’t enough room in this post to cover everything Cynthia went over, but a a couple of the biggies that you can begin incorporating into your life right now are…

1.  Cleanse – The cleansing process does the following.

• eliminates toxic burden
• frees up fat cells so they can be byrned
• improves digestion
• aids in balancing hormones

Cynthia carries a phenomenal line of cleansing products you can view here.  Her protein is my favorite thing ever!

2. AVOID SOY PROTEIN!

She was very, very adamant about this.  After saying something to the effect of “I really don’t believe there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods…” – that it’s not always so black and white because even a lot of ‘bad’ foods have a good element.. she said soy protein is just bad.  Always.

This does not include fermented organic soy like tempeh, natto and miso.

One thing that I believe is standing out in everyone’s mind is when she said soy is processed with a chemical called “hexane,” which Wikipedia defines as a “significant constituent of gasoline.”  Cynthia compared eating most soy products to adding a tablespoon of motor oil to your food.  YIKES!

3. Get More Sleep

We all know we’re supposed to sleep more…  and for some of us, it’s not the easiest thing.  But here are a few points that Cynthia made about how the lack of sleep contributes to your Weight Loss Resistance Disorder.

• It decreases insulin sensitivity which makes you store fat easier
• Increases cortisol production and makes you crave caffeine and sugar for that energy boost
• Interferes with the thyroid and slows down your metabolism
• Increases appetites

You see, lack of sleep doesn’t only affect energy levels – it goes far deeper than that and directly affects the metabolic and hormonal process in ways some of us aren’t even aware.

So please, do your best to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night…

In the next post in this series, I’ll cover my presentation along with the rest of the speakers and the winners of the Red Carpet Ready 6 Week Challenge!!