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Tailor-made training and diet

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
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Poida said:
Page 5:
Say you start running, your mit. cells use blood sugars to manufacture fuel and will keep doing this until you pass through the anaerobic threshold, about 20 - 30 minutes later. Then your mit. cells uses oxygen and fat to manufacture fuel from. So if you run for one hour you will have only 30 minutes of fat burning exercise.

I'm sorry but that is not entirely correct. It is correct for 99.9% of the population who are in carb-burning mode (liver glycogen mostly full).

If, however, you switch to fat-burning mode (using Faigin's method), your fat burning enzymes are active ALL day, all the time, and fat is the fuel for daily activities, evidenced by a respiratory quotient (RQ) of 0.70 - 0.75 all day long. This means that in fat burning mode, you start burning fat immediately upon starting exercise. This is one of the gains of that method.

Contrast this to a normal person. In a normal person, daily resting RQ of 0.90 - 0.95 shows that the person is burning almost purely carbs. Then, upon exercising, RQ remains at 0.90 - 0.95 until 20-30 minutes into the exercise, when RQ drops to 0.70 - 0.80, indicating more of a fat burning state.

The bottom line is that the old rule that you must exercise for 30 minutes to start burning fat, is only true if you are in carb-burning mode. It is not true if you are in fat-burning mode (via faigin's method), because in that case you are burning fat all the time.
 
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quasimoto,

From Faigin's book (which is very long and complicated), my understanding is that true activation of fat burning enzymes requires a PROFOUND energy failure in the body. This profound energy failure can only occur in the virtual absence of carbohydrates. When the liver glycogen becomes totally exhausted, carb burning becomes impossible, and whole body energy failure results. This has traumatizing effects on the person, extreme exhaustion, weakness, depression. After about 2 days of this traumatic state, fat burning enzymes 'wake-up' to generate energy from fat. Suddenly, the person feels great joy, and sustained energy. Once in fat-burning mode, you cycle starchy carbs once in a while to make sure the muscles have glycogen. Sugary carbs, on the other hand, tend to go into the liver, which will pull you back into carb burning mode.

Once you are truly in fat burning mode, you notice the following:
- Repulsion to eating anything sweet. Even forcing down sweet food for days doesn't seem to fix it; if, on the other hand, eating a bit of sweet food 'fixes' the repulsion, then you were not really in full fat burning mode
- Increased body heat (higher levels of free fatty acids assist nonshivering thermogenesis, plus fat conversion to energy is less efficient producing more heat)
- Dramatically decreased CO2 production (because burning fat produces 30% less CO2 than burning carbs)
- Profound antidepressant effect and strengthened adrenal glands (absence of insulin shocks means insulin and cortisol production are minimized, which means serotonin production goes back to normal and adrenal glands can rest)
- Seemingly impossible to gain weight, no matter how much you eat
- Dramatically increased cold tolerance

However, burning fat is 10% less oxygen efficient than carbs. Nonetheless, seals and marine mammals are in 100% fat burning mode (RQ=0.70), so they seem to tolerate that effect and can still dive forever.
 
I don't know anything about Faigin's book but I know some things about 'The zone' from Barry Sears.

It's also based on controling your hormones by eating right amount of macronutrients in every meal. By doing that you also burn fat all the time. I have tried it and been on and of it for two years and it realy works. You are never hungry or sleepy, you're full of energy and you loose fat and build muscles.

This, to me, sounds much better then extreme exhaustion, weakness, depression... caused by not eating carbs.

But once more I don't know anything about Faigin's book but I'll look into it!
 
Last edited:
Just a question: what is really a respiratory quotient and how is that meassured?
I read that no carbs diet is dangerous and not a thing to do. what is your opinion on that? From Eric, it seems like a frightening experience, but very interesting topic, I'll do some reading on that.

Thanx

Marin
 
marin2004 said:
Just a question: what is really a respiratory quotient and how is that meassured?
I read that no carbs diet is dangerous and not a thing to do. what is your opinion on that? From Eric, it seems like a frightening experience, but very interesting topic, I'll do some reading on that.

Thanx

Marin


The Atkins diet is no carbs... I was talking to my trainer yesterday, he said that for Dubai (where i live) the Atkins diet is just a no-no, the quality of chicken here is very poor so a protein diet is hard to do... it's even better to eat fillet steak than eat the chicken..

He is putting me on a detox on Sunday which i have to do for at least four days, no acidic foods, all alkaline, all raw foods as well, nothing cooked. he said that the results can be phenomenal, not just for the loss of water and bloatedness, but also internally (the soul).

He also said that we must make sure we are getting enough sleep, as if you don't rest properly it will affect your metabolism and weight loss will be difficult...

will let you know what the detox consists of and will be honest about the results.. ;)
 
island sands,

I went on an all-raw fruits & veggies diet for 8 months! Now that's a long 'detox', if that's what you want to call it.... problem is you get too alkaline after a while (alkalosis), you don't get enough salt either, and not enough saturated fat... feels great for a while though.

RQ=respiratory quotient= ratio of CO2 to O2 produced by the body
If RQ=0.70, then for every 1000 molecules of O2 consumed, 700 molecules of CO2 are produced (this is pure fat burning)
If RQ=1.00, then for every 1000 molecules of O2 consumed, 1000 molecules of CO2 are produced (this is pure carb burning)

RQ can be measured by a acquiring or building an indirect calorimeter, which measures:
- Volume inhaled on every breath
- Volume exhaled on every breath
- O2% on each inhale
- O2% on each exhale
- CO2% on each inhale
- CO2% on each exhale
By breathing through such a machine for several minutes, it can calculate your RQ. I built such a device in 2001 but it was very clumsy, and the error was pretty high, but it gave you the general RQ.

Concerning the current 'recommendation' by experts that low-carb diets (and thus fat-burning) are bad for freediving, I used to think the same way. However, if you bear in mind that all seals, whales and dolphins are in 100% fat burning mode from an extremely low carb diet, and they dive amazingly well, there must be more to the story. I am right in the middle of a new experiment which may exploit fat-burning for freediving like you could never imagine... assuming it works.
 
Eric,

I'll be interested to hear the results of your experiment on fat burning and freediving and exactly what you are doing.

Last year I did a low carb diet very similar to Faigin's that cycled starchy carbs about once a week. I noticed some big fat losses and changes in energy levels, but my breath holds dropped. Not only that, I also found that they were extremely uncomfortable. I also found that I just couldn't relax in the same way as usual.

Once I came off the diet (I did it for almost a month) my breath hold shot back up and I hit a PB.

Jason
 
eric-
say i do the absolutely no carb thing for a week and then cycle starchy carbs back in for a bit, then slowly go back to a more 'carby' diet, will i start gaining fat again easily? or is it just up to me to eat right and exercise and it will stay off?
thanks
rory
 
Eric,

Thanks for book reference. If anyone want to purchase Amazon have it...

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967560500/qid=1119125784/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-9216741-6292611?v=glance&s=books&n=507846"]Amazon.com: Natural Hormonal Enhancement (9780967560502): Rob Faigin: Books[/ame]

or if you want to save a few $'s...

http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=0967560500&mode=direct

Sam,

We've got spinners her in Cyprus at the gym where Donna and I train in the pool BUT I've learnt to avoid excessive cardio as it kills off apnea ability I think because it's training the body to use more oxygen which is kind of the opposite of what we're trying to do when diving. Gonna start another thread here :)
 
eight months! hmm don't think i could go without a cooked steak for that long.. but definitely for at least four weeks to get system all worked up.


would be interested to know the results of your experiment.. through my own experience cutting out carbs and doing cardio-based exercises was very tough some days... in the middle of the week i would break down and have a plate of pasta to give myself some "oomph".

The part about sea mammals... makes sense... although i guess their natural body make up accounts for that.

Over the years of humans experimienting on ways to eat.. i am beginning to wonder whats natural anymore..

efattah said:
island sands,

I went on an all-raw fruits & veggies diet for 8 months! Now that's a long 'detox', if that's what you want to call it.... problem is you get too alkaline after a while (alkalosis), you don't get enough salt either, and not enough saturated fat... feels great for a while though.

RQ=respiratory quotient= ratio of CO2 to O2 produced by the body
If RQ=0.70, then for every 1000 molecules of O2 consumed, 700 molecules of CO2 are produced (this is pure fat burning)
If RQ=1.00, then for every 1000 molecules of O2 consumed, 1000 molecules of CO2 are produced (this is pure carb burning)

RQ can be measured by a acquiring or building an indirect calorimeter, which measures:
- Volume inhaled on every breath
- Volume exhaled on every breath
- O2% on each inhale
- O2% on each exhale
- CO2% on each inhale
- CO2% on each exhale
By breathing through such a machine for several minutes, it can calculate your RQ. I built such a device in 2001 but it was very clumsy, and the error was pretty high, but it gave you the general RQ.

Concerning the current 'recommendation' by experts that low-carb diets (and thus fat-burning) are bad for freediving, I used to think the same way. However, if you bear in mind that all seals, whales and dolphins are in 100% fat burning mode from an extremely low carb diet, and they dive amazingly well, there must be more to the story. I am right in the middle of a new experiment which may exploit fat-burning for freediving like you could never imagine... assuming it works.
 
here is a very interesting site:

www.beyondveg.com

give some very frank views on various aspects of diets, namely questions the validity of 100% raw, high fruit diet. Along with cooking food, meat consuption etc... bit of an eye opener.

My biggest question with Fagan's diet is the constant eating of meat 50g max 5 times a day. Now the question is man, back in the day, would have had to have been a damn good hunter to supply this as he couldn't just hope down to the local shop or raid the fridge! Now no hunter is 100% successful. I have emailed fagan about this a few time, but have received no replies!

Island_sands, be wary that with the detox, as some fruits and veg are diurtics so you will naturally lose a lot of water, but keep in mind that you still need to drink extra water, to combat dehydration. It's like alcohol, even though your drinking fluids you releasing more than you consume.
 
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bam bam said:
here is a very interesting site:

www.beyondveg.com

give some very frank views on various aspects of diets, namely questions the validity of 100% raw, high fruit diet. Along with cooking food, meat consuption etc... bit of an eye opener.

My biggest question with Fagan's diet is the constant eating of meat 50g max 5 times a day. Now the question is man, back in the day, would have had to have been a damn good hunter to supply this as he couldn't just hope down to the local shop or raid the fridge! Now no hunter is 100% successful. I have emailed fagan about this a few time, but have received no replies!

Island_sands, be wary that with the detox, as some fruits and veg are diurtics so you will naturally lose a lot of water, but keep in mind that you still need to drink extra water, to combat dehydration. It's like alcohol, even though your drinking fluids you releasing more than you consume.


i started the detox last night... feeling a little light head and its only 1130!

I am drinking loads of water... along with carrot and celery juice, watermelon juice, watermelon/red grape juice.. all of which i prepared myself last with my new juice maker :)
i am allowed as much green veg as i want, and also sweet potato
Fruits: watermelon, grapefruit, plums, apricots, grapes, green pears, apples, cherries...
i can also eat walnuts, almonds, prunes and dried apricots.

its only for 3 days... don't think i could last longer than that.. i am missing my horlicks at night! :D

I am also drinking ginseng tea and oolong tea.. no milk of course.

I'll see how it goes, the main idea to start was to kick in my metabolism and get it going, to assist weight loss.. i have been doing the same exercise programme for two weeks and my body is grabbing on the fat and wont let go. I only lost 1 kilo in two weeks of training every day and being good on the food side.

The trainer is going to change my programme after the detox to something else to see if it works.

Those 6-8 lbs are beginning to get to my head a bit but it's important to keep at it..
 
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