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Bulking For
Endomorphs
Gaining Muscle While Limiting
Fat Gains
 Chapter
1 - Introduction
Chapter
2 - What Makes An
Endomorph An Endomorph
Chapter
3 - Glucose Uptake,
Insulin Sensitivity
Chapter
4 - Insulin & Fat
Oxidation
Chapter
5 - Carbohydrate,
Calorie, & Insulin Management
Chapter
6 - The Importance Of
Year Round Cardiovascular Training
Chapter
7 - Using Dietary
Supplements To Fight against Your Genetics
Chapter
8 - Putting Everything
Into Action
Chapter 1
Introduction
It seems that
whenever someone writes an article about
bulking (a diet program geared towards
gaining muscle mass) it is directed either to ectomorphs or mesomorphs
but ignores endomorphs. Why does this matter? Because the common
strategies for gaining muscle mass written for ectomorphs or mesomorphs
are not optimal for endomorphs. This is due to physiological and
metabolic differences between these three phenotypes.
The simplistic
distinction between the three different phenotypes when it comes to body
composition changes is:
-
Ectomorph
- naturally skinny and has a hard time gaining weight (both muscle
and fat).
-
Mesomorph
- naturally built and has the tendency to gain both weight easy but
can also lose weight fairly easy.
-
Endomorph
- naturally heavy and has an easy time gaining weight (more so fat
than muscle) and a hard time losing it.
If an endomorph was
to follow the same "hardgainer" diet that is prescribed to an ectomorph
they would definitely gain weight, but it would be a lot of fat.
Endomorphs need to find a dietary balance that allows them to gain
strength and lean mass without adding a ton of fat.
I would also like to
put out that I do not like the term "bulking" diet. Some bodybuilders
feel that they need to eat everything in sight to gain weight while
bulking. I do not agree with that approach. Instead I prefer to call a
diet geared towards gaining muscle a "lean mass" diet.
One's body weight
can be divided into two basic groups, fat mass and lean mass. Fat mass
includes one's body fat stores (adipose tissue) while lean mass includes
skeletal muscle, bone, and other organs.
When a bodybuilder
eats a hypercaloric diet, their goal is not just to gain weight, which
could be both fat and lean mass, but rather to gain LEAN MASS. The
strategies outlined here will help endomorphs gain lean mass, not fat
mass.
The Strategy Is To Gain Lean
Mass.
I want to note that
throughout this book when I talk about endomorphs I am referring to a
person's natural phenotype and genetic make-up, not someone who is
overweight or obese simply due to years of a sedentary lifestyle and
overeating.
This book will
discuss the physiological and metabolic causes underlying why some
people gain fat easier than others and key dietary and exercise
strategies endomorphs can incorporate to keep their bulking gains LEAN.
Related
Article: Simple Formula
for Gaining Mass
Chapter 2
Explanation On Phenotypes: What
Makes An Endomorph An Endomorph
The term phenotype
is defined as "The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of
an organism, as determined by both genetic makeup and environmental
influences." (dictionary.com). Ones body type/structure can be placed in
three phenotypes:
-
Ectomorph
- Naturally skinny, narrow bone structure, has a hard time gaining
weight
-
Mesomorph
- Naturally built, broad shoulders, can gain or lose weight
relatively equally
-
Endomorph
- Naturally heavy, wide bone structure, gains weight easily
There is a clear
visible physical distinction between the three phenotypes, but what is
not visible and often ignored is the biochemical and metabolic
differences between the three phenotypes.
I'm sure everyone
has a friend that seems to have the ability to eat endless amounts of
junk food and never gain an ounce of fat. On the other hand, you may
feel like you gain fat just from smelling cake or pizza. Why is your
friend able to pig out and not and weight while you gain weight so
easily? It all comes down to the biochemical make-up of your body.
One's biochemical
make-up refers to the cumulative sum of all of its metabolic processes.
Examples of such processes in reference to gaining fat include:
-
Lipolysis
- The release of fat in the form of fatty acids from adipose tissue
(fat cells).
-
Lipogenesis
- The storage of fatty acids and accumulation of fat in adipose
tissue.
-
De Novo
Lipogenesis
- The formation of fat from non-fat sources, specifically acetyl CoA
(i.e. carbohydrates).
-
Fat Oxidation
- The burning of fatty acids to obtain energy.
These four processes
are all involved in regulating fat loss and gaining fat and are
controlled by a host of other processes, which all work together to
maintain a balance of homeostasis.
In order to create a
diet that allows an endomorph to gain lean mass while keeping fat gains
to a minimum, one must understand the principle metabolic reason that
causes endomorphs to gain fat, insulin sensitivity and nutrient
partitioning, which will be discussed in the next chapter.
A Balance Of Homeostasis Is
Maintained By A Host Of Processes.
Chapter 3
Insulin & Glucose Uptake
In order for a cell
to acquire nutrients to use in energy production the nutrients must be
transported across the cell's membrane. The hormone insulin is used to
activate the transportation of nutrients into cells and is considered
the "storage" hormone.
Insulin secretion
causes the uptake of amino acids, free fatty acids, and especially
glucose to be increased. When one ingests carbohydrates their blood
glucose level, also referred to as their blood sugar level, is elevated,
which causes insulin to be secreted. It is insulin's job to return the
blood glucose level back to a normal, homeostatic range.
When insulin is
secreted, the breakdown of stored nutrients (glycolysis, lipolysis etc.)
is turned off and the storage of nutrients is turned on. It would be
counterproductive to breakdown stored glycogen to obtain glucose when
glucose has just been ingested and is now in the bloodstream.
This fact is
important because when insulin is secreted, fat breakdown and oxidation
is turned off! Therefore when one wants to increase fat oxidation to its
fullest, insulin secretion needs to be limited.
The amount of
insulin needed to return blood glucose levels back to normal after
ingesting a given amount of glucose is called ones insulin sensitivity.
Individuals have differing insulin sensitivities based mainly on their
diet, activity level, and genetic factors.
In most cases, an
ectomorph and mesomorph are more insulin sensitive than endomorphs; this
is one of the primary factors that cause endomorphs to gain fat more
easily than ectomorphs and mesomorphs.
An endomorph will
need to secrete more insulin to shuttle a given amount of glucose into
cells and therefore fat oxidation will be halted for longer than an
ectomorph or mesomorph. Therefore, an endomorph needs to pay more
attention to insulin secretion in order to keep gains lean.
The body does not
like it when glucose is floating around in the blood stream so after a
meal the body increases the uptake and oxidation of glucose to get rid
of it. Over time, consistently elevated blood glucose levels can lead to
cells becoming insensitive to insulin or insulin resistant, meaning more
insulin must be secreted to return blood glucose levels to normal and
therefore fat oxidation is blunted for longer (which will be discussed
in Chapter 4).
If endomorphs must
secrete more insulin to return blood glucose levels to normal then they
are at a disadvantage when its comes to staying lean while bulking
because fat oxidation will be turned off longer for them than an
ectomorph or mesomorph and there is a greater chance for them to become
more insulin resistant.
Related
Article: It's in
Your Blood
 Muscle
Glycogen Levels:
Before we continue I
want to point out why there is great emphasis placed on muscle glycogen
levels. Building new muscle proteins and adding inches to your arms is
not a priority to the body. The body will not create new muscle proteins
when it senses it is in need of energy.
When muscle has a
lot of glycogen, the body senses it has enough "extra" energy and can
build new muscle proteins effectively. If muscle glycogen levels are
depleted, the body must replete glycogen stores in addition to
increasing protein synthesis, both of which require energy and
nutrients.
Therefore when
gaining muscle is your goal you want to have adequate muscle glycogen
stores so more energy can be focused on protein synthesis. Now this is
an isolated examination of muscle growth because there are many other
factors besides glycogen stores that govern whether one gains muscle or
not. Let's take a deeper look at the metabolic factors affecting glucose
uptake.
Metabolic
Factors:
Insulin promotes
glucose uptake through the synthesis and translocation of the GLUT-4
glucose transporter, found on skeletal and cardiac muscle cells and
adipocytes. In the absence of insulin, the GLUT-4 transporters lay under
the cell's surface. When insulin is secreted though, the GLUT-4
transporter translocate to the cell's surface allowing glucose to enter
into the cell. There are other glucose transporters, but the GLUT-4
transporter is our primary concern.
Enzymes are protein
molecules that catalyze (speed up) metabolic reactions. In the case of
glucose uptake, there are two we will examine:
Hexokinase:
The enzyme
hexokinase is found in skeletal muscle and promotes glucose uptake
independently of blood glucose levels. Hexokinase has a high affinity
for glucose, which allows muscle to take up glucose from the blood even
when blood glucose levels are low. Once the muscle has the glucose, it
keeps it for itself; the muscle does not release glucose back into the
bloodstream. Insulin secretion further enhances glucose uptake in
addition to hexokinase's actions.
Glucokinase:
The enzyme
glucokinase is found in the liver and is activated when blood glucose
levels are increased. Contrast to skeletal muscle, the liver is in
service to all other cells of the body, so when it senses other cells
need glucose it releases glucose and sends it to the other cells.
Skeletal muscle
holds on to its glucose for itself but the liver releases its stored
glucose for other cells to use when they need it. Hexokinase is
basically acting all the time to give muscle glucose but glucokinase is
only acting in the presence of high blood glucose levels.
What does all of
this mean? That you do not need to jack insulin through the roof for
your muscles to get glucose, in fact, it gets even better.
Exercise:
Exercise, especially
resistance training, has been shown to increase GLUT-4 translocation on
skeletal muscle in the absence of insulin, meaning after your lift
weights you do not need insulin for your muscles to uptake glucose.
While insulin will
certainly enhance the anabolic response of a meal post workout, slamming
100 grams of dextrose (pure glucose) is not needed since skeletal muscle
is already able to uptake glucose in the absence of insulin after a
workout.
Increasing the
glucose content of skeletal muscle (in the form of glycogen) is
beneficial for gaining muscle, but remember that GLUT-4 transporters
also exist on fat cells and therefore insulin secretion promotes the
storage of glucose in both skeletal muscle and fat cells. Therefore, one
needs to increase the storage of glucose in skeletal muscle and decrease
the storage of glucose in fat cells; this can be done by consuming low
glycemic carbohydrates such as oatmeal post-workout instead of high
glycemic carbs like dextrose.
In summary, it is
not necessary to jack blood glucose and insulin levels through the roof
in order to replenish glycogen and gain muscle. Skeletal muscle is able
to uptake glucose whenever it needs it. In addition, skeletal muscle is
primed to uptake glucose after exercise. By maintaining your insulin
levels you can gain lean mass while keeping fat gains to a minimum.
Maintain Your Insulin Levels To
Gain Lean Mass.
Chapter 4
Insulin & Fat Oxidation
Insulin not only
controls the uptake of glucose into cells but also has an impact on fat
oxidation and storage. When blood glucose and insulin levels are low,
fat is the main fuel burned for energy. But when blood glucose and
insulin levels are high, fat burning is blunted and glucose oxidation is
elevated.
When the body senses
there is glucose in the bloodstream, it wants to return blood glucose
levels back to a homeostatic level. In order to do this the body must
get rid of the glucose, which is accomplished by increasing glucose
oxidation and storage.
Since the body is
focusing on storing nutrients, it would not make sense for fatty acids
to be released from adipocytes because they would not be burned.
Therefore it is important that blood glucose levels return to normal
quickly so the oxidation of fat can once again become the primary source
of energy. This can be done by:
-
Controlling your
carbohydrate intake.
-
Controlling your
insulin secretion.
Insulin blocks the
formation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) by activating the enzyme phophodiesterase
(PDE), which degrades cAMP. cAMP is needed to activate hormone sensitive
lipase (HSL), the enzyme that catalyzes the liberation of fatty acids
from fat cells.
In the presence of
high blood glucose and insulin, HSL cannot act on stored fat. Therefore,
fatty acids cannot be liberated from fat cells and fat oxidation is put
on the backburner while glucose oxidation and storage is made a
priority. Insulin is termed an anti-lipolytic hormone because it blocks
lipolysis - the breakdown of stored triglycerides fat into fatty acids.
In addition to
blunting fat oxidation, insulin secretion stimulates fat synthesis in
the liver and increases fat uptake by fat cells. After you eat a meal,
dietary triglycerides (TG) are packaged within lipoproteins (LPs) in the
liver. Packing fat allows it to float better through blood. Lipoprotein
Lipase (LPL) is an endothelial enzyme that hydrolyses TGs into 3 fatty
acids and glycerol, meaning LPL "extracts" fatty acids and glycerol from
LPs so they can be used or stored when they reach target cells.
Insulin stimulates
adipose tissue LPL and inhibits muscle LPL activity, which means in the
presence of insulin fat cells uptake and store fat while skeletal muscle
can not uptake it and therefore cannot oxidize it. In the presence of
insulin fatty acids are not be oxidized in muscle but rather stored in
fat cells.
So not only are you
decreasing the amount of fat you are burning by not controlling insulin
secretion you are increasing fat storage! It should be clear that if you
want to keep your fat gains down while on a hypercaloric diet insulin
levels must be controlled. This is done by calorie and carbohydrate
management.
Chapter 5
Carbohydrate, Calorie, & Insulin
Management
 The
primary factor that determines whether you gain or lose weight is your
caloric intake (how many calories you eat). If you eat more calories
than you burn (hypercaloric diet) you will gain weight and if you burn
more calories than you eat (hypocaloric diet) you will lose weight.
When you eat exactly
the same amount of calories as you burn it is called a maintenance
caloric diet. Endomorphs trying to gain muscle need to eat a
hypercaloric diet like anyone else who wants to gain weight, but they do
not want to eat too many calories above maintenance.
A simple calculation
to determine your maintenance caloric intake is to take your body weight
and multiply it by 15; this gives you your total calories to be consumed
eat day. For example, a 200 pound person would consume 3,000 calories a
day. Now this is a very basic way to determine your maintenance caloric
intake and should be used as a starting point.
In addition to
controlling your caloric intake, as an endomorph you want to control
insulin secretion. This can be done by limiting carbohydrate
consumption, especially high glycemic carbohydrates. Managing your
insulin levels will allow you to keep your gains leaner.
Control
Your Caloric Intake & Meal Size With Frequent Small Meals:
One way to control
your caloric intake is to eat frequent small meals. Going long periods
of time with no food causes your body to send signals to the brain
telling it the body needs food. If you eat sporadic meals you will most
likely overeat on those meals. It is better to eat smaller, more
frequent meals to prevent overeating.
Eating smaller meals
allows causes insulin secretion to be more controlled. Eating a 400
calorie meal will result in less insulin secretion than eating a 1,000
calorie meal (macronutrient content aside).
Limit
Total Carbohydrate Consumption:
One of the
physiological mechanisms that cause endomorphs to gain fat easily is
poor insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity refers to the cells
response to insulin or insulin's efficiency on cells. A cell that is
very insulin sensitive needs less insulin to uptake glucose (carbs) than
a cell that is insulin insensitive.
Insulin is anti-lipolytic
(blunts fat oxidation) and increase fat storage. Therefore, if one has
poor insulin sensitivity then more insulin will be secreted and fat
oxidation will be blunted and fat storage will be increased to a greater
degree than if their cells were more insulin sensitive. In order to lose
fat or keep fat gains to a minimum one must control insulin.
The consumption of
carbohydrates leads to a large output of insulin since insulin is
necessary for the uptake of glucose into cells. Eating large amounts of
carbohydrates throughout the day will lead to elevated insulin levels,
thereby decreases fat oxidation.
Dietary
carbohydrates are necessary to gain muscle mass and normal body
functioning, therefore they cannot be eliminated from the diet. Instead
they should be consumed during specific meals when your body needs them.
Related
Article: Everything
You Need to Know about Carbohydrates
Limit
Carbohydrates To Specific Meals:
Limiting
carbohydrates to times when your body needs them will aid in muscle
growth and limiting fat gains. I recommend endomorphs to limit their
carbohydrates to breakfast and pre/post workout. For example, if someone
workouts at 6 PM I would recommend they consume some carbohydrates at
breakfast, such as 1/2-1 Cup oatmeal, and post-workout, such as 5-10 oz.
sweet potato.
For all other meals
they should consume green vegetables and small amounts of fruit. If you
workout first thing in the morning, I would recommend following a
similar setup, keeping your carbs in your pre and post workout meals.
No matter what your
schedule is I do not recommend consuming dextrose, maltodextrin, or
other high glycemic carbs post workout. Skeletal muscle has the ability
to uptake glucose post-workout without "spiking" your insulin levels.
Weight training increases GLUT-4 translocation in skeletal muscle,
allowing the muscle to uptake glucose more efficiently.
Studies do show that
increasing insulin levels post workout does enhance protein synthesis,
but I do not feel one needs to jack insulin levels through the roof with
dextrose.
Eat
Quality Foods - Don't Skimp On Your Fruits & Veggies!
By consuming low
glycemic index carbs, such as oatmeal and sweet potatoes as suggested
above, one can limit the insulin output from their carb meals. For low
carb meals I recommend consuming green vegetables and fruit for
endomorphs' carb intake. Green vegetables and fruit are both low GI
carbs and contain fiber and numerous nutrients. On top of that, they are
very filling.
An example of a
low-carb meal would be 4-6 oz. of chicken with 1 cup green beans and 1/2
an apple. In addition to carbs and protein, one should add fat to their
meals to decrease insulin output, prolong digestion time, and to provide
essential fatty acids (EFA). Examples of good fats include:
One could simply add
20 almonds to the above meal to obtain their EFA's.
Related
page: Low Fat Recipes
Eat
Less On Days You Do Not Workout:
On days you don't
workout you do not need as many calories as you do on the days you do
workout. I recommend isolating your carbs to breakfast only and eating
vegetables and fruits for the remainder of your carbs. The amount of
carbs you consume on your off days should be adjusted according to the
rate you are gaining weight, specifically fat. If you find you are
gaining too much fat, then I recommend reducing your carb intake on your
off days.
Chapter 6
The Importance Of Year Round
Cardiovascular Training
Endurance A.K.A.
cardiovascular training improves the heart's ability to pump blood and
increases oxygen uptake into cells. A "fit" person also burns more fat
at rest and during exercise than an unfit person. Bodybuilders use
cardiovascular training mainly as a means to increase caloric
expenditure thereby increasing fat loss or decreasing fat gain.
By doing cardio year
round you will increase your body's capacity to burn fat at both rest
and exercise. Let's discuss what type of cardio to do.
Low-Moderate
Intensity Cardio On Weight Training Days:
As stated in the
intro, bodybuilders primarily use cardio as a means in increase their
caloric expenditure (Cardiovascular training has a TON of other health
benefits, but we will not touch on those benefits here). The use of
low-intensity cardio, done either pre or post weight training, allows
one to burn more calories while not hampering recovery.
Low-intensity cardio
is not as strenuous on the body as high-intensity cardio or
high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
It would be very hard for someone to complete a
HIIT session
pre weight training as it would decrease your performance when lifting
weights or to complete the session post weight training as it would be
very fatiguing.
We want to keep the
body healthy and injury free. If you get injured then your workouts will
suffer or cease altogether. Therefore, I feel it is more practical to
perform low to moderate intensity cardio on weight training days. Now
one could perform their cardio separate from their weight training, but
for most that would mean two trips to the gym, which is impractical;
Hence my recommendation to perform cardio pre or post weight training.
Whether you choose
to do your cardio pre or post weight training is a personal preference.
Remember, your main goal is to hit it hard in the weight room. If doing
cardio pre weight training decreases your performance then it would be
better for you to do it post workout.
If you find that you
are too tired to do cardio post weight training or simply find you
become too bored and enough do not finish your cardio session, it would
be better for you to do your cardio pre weight training.
High-Intensity/High-Intensity-Interval
Training On Non-Weight Training Days:
High-intensity
cardio stresses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. The
anaerobic energy system is what is stressed during weight training.
Putting too much stress on the anaerobic system and hampering recovery
is one reason why I do not recommend performing weight training and
HIIT on the
same day.
Obviously running at
6 mph will burn more calories than running at 3 mph, but one has to
balance their activities to allow for proper recovery.
There are two main
types of high-intensity cardio: Continuous and Interval Training.
Continuous:
Continuous
high-intensity cardio would be running at a high speed on the treadmill
or elliptical machine for a long duration (i.e. 5+ minutes).
Interval:
Interval training
involves alternating periods of work and rest (or lower levels of work).
For example, running a 100 meter sprint then walking back to the start,
resting, then repeating could constitute HIIT. HIIT is more intense than
high-intensity continuous cardio and much more intense than
low-intensity cardio.
Now it is time to
create a program and to put it into action.
Weight
Training & Cardio Program:
-
Monday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Tuesday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Wednesday:
minutes Low-Intensity Cardio or 15-20 minutes of High-Intensity
Cardio on the Elliptical Machine or Treadmill
-
Thursday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Friday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Saturday:
15-20 minutes of High-Intensity Cardio on the Elliptical Machine or
HIIT - Sprints: Ten 100 meter sprints
-
Sunday:
Some much needed REST!
***Note: As you
lose/gain weight and your fitness level improves you will most likely
have to increase you duration and intensity of your cardio sessions.
Chapter 7
Using Dietary Supplements To
Fight Against Your Genetics
In order to decrease
fat gain during a bulking diet we need to do two things:
-
Decrease fat
storage in adipocytes.
-
Increase the
oxidation of the fat that WASN'T stored.
Your diet and
training will accomplish this to a degree but with the use of specific
supplements you can further enhance your ability to stay lean while
bulking.
Supplements
That Increase Fat Oxidation:
Sesamin:
Sesamin is a lignan
isolated from sesame seeds. A lignan is a molecule that combines with
another entity acting as an "activator." In the case of sesamin, it
binds to and activates a receptor called Peroxisome Proliferator-Activator
Receptor Alpha (PPARalpha). Sesamin has been shown to be a potent
PPARalpha activator 1.
The PPAR receptor
family is divided into three subgroups: alpha, beta/delta, and gamma.
PPARalpha is highly expressed in muscle, the liver, kidneys, and heart
and is involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, specifically the
transcription of the genes involved in the beta-oxidation (burning) of
fatty acids and lipogenesis. Activation of PPARalpha increases gene
expression of the fatty acid oxidation enzymes and decreases gene
expression of lipogenic enzymes.
Of vital
importantance, sesamin increases the expression of the mitochondrial
enzyme carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT), among other enzymes 2.
CPT, the rate-limiting enzyme in beta-oxidation of fatty acids in
skeletal muscle and liver cell mitochondria, is found on the outer
membrane of mitochondria and carries fatty acids across the membrane
into the mitochondria by binding to them.
Increasing the
expression of CPT, along with other enzymes involved in beta-oxidation,
will allow more fatty acids to be transported into the mitochondria
where they can be oxidized.
In addition to
increasing the oxidation of fat, Sesamin supplementation has also been
shown to decrease lipogenesis (fat storage) by decreasing lipogenic
enzymes in the liver. Sesamin has been shown to decrease lipogenic the
gene expression of sterol regulatory element binding
protein-1
(SREBP-1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase, among other
lipogenic enzymes 3, which means less fat is esterifized in
the liver and therefore less fat is stored in adipose tissue (fat
cells).
So Sesamin works in
two ways to make you lean (and keep you lean): increasing fat oxidation
and decreasing fat storage.
Fish Oil:
Fish Oil supplements
contain important essential fatty acids (EFA's), specifically the
Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA). Most people's diets are deficit in these Omega-3 EFA's. Fish Oil
has been shown to increase fat loss and decrease fat storage through a
similar mechanism as Sesamin, making it a great addition to an
endomorphs supplement regime.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA):
Conjugated Linoleic
Acid (CLA) is a mix of isomers of linoleic acid (commercially sold as a
50:50 mix of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 isomers). Studies done
on humans have shown decreased body fat and/or increased lean mass
(though results are mixed). CLA is believed to influence body
composition through regulation of lipid metabolism.
Studies have shown
CLA to inhibit transcription of enzymes involved in de novo fatty acid
synthesis/lipogenesis, desaturation of fatty acids, and triglyceride
synthesis 4. It is believed that CLA decreases the activation
of PPARgamma, resulting in the attenuation of fat cell differentiation.
In mice, CLA
supplementation has been shown to decrease adipocyte number and size as
well as cause apoptosis (cell death) of adipocytes 4 and
researchers believe CLA to have similar properties in humans.
Sesamin + CLA + Fish Oil
Supplementation:
The combination of
Sesamin + CLA should prove very potent for fat loss and fat gain
prevention. Supplementing with CLA will cause a decrease in triglyceride
uptake by adipocytes and lipogenesis/fat storage, but if these fatty
acids are not oxidized, they will build up in the blood and liver.
By adding Sesamin
into the mix, fat oxidation will be increased (very strongly in the
liver), resulting in the oxidation of the elevated fatty acid
concentration caused by CLA as well as working synergistically with CLA
to decrease fat storage. The combination of Sesamin + CLA attacks fat
oxidation and storage from multiple angles, resulting in less stored
body fat 5.
Studies have also
showed that Sesamin and Fish Oil work synergistically to increase fat
oxidation primarily by increasing the gene expression of enzymes
involved in fat oxidation 6.
*Common dosages for
Sesamin range from 500-150 mg per day.
*Common dosages for
CLA and Fish Oil range from 3-6 grams per day each
Related Articles:
The Best Supplement
Bodybuilding Supplements for Maximum Growth
References:
1.
JARQ 37 (3), 151 - 158 (2003)'
2.
J Agric Food Chem. 2001 May;49(5):2647-51
3.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2001 Nov 30;1534(1):1-
4.
J Lipid Res. 2003 Dec;44(12):2234-41. Epub 2003 Aug 16
5.
Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2001 Nov;65(11):2535-41.
6.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2004 Jun 1;1682(1-3):80-91.
Supplements
That Increase Proper Carbohydrate Storage/Insulin Management:
ALA:
Alpha Lipoic Acid is
an enzyme naturally produced in the body and functions as a co-factor
for energy production and is a potent antioxidant. ALA has many benefits
for athletes and health enthusiasts. ALA is a potent antioxidant. Unlike
most antioxidants, which are either fat or water soluble and only have
antioxidant properties in some tissues, ALA has antioxidant properties
in all tissues.
This is because ALA
is water soluble and it metabolite dihydrolipoic acid is fat soluble,
allowing it to reach all tissues. In addition to this, ALA recycles
itself (Jones, 2002) and vitamin C, works synergistically with vitamin
E, and increases glutathione levels (Vitamin C & E and Glutathione are
all antioxidants). ALA has been shown to decrease oxidative stress
caused by exercise to a greater extent that other antioxidants (Khanna,
1999).
ALA is believed to
increase insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake by increase
translocation of the glucose transporter Glut-4. Increasing insulin
sensitivity and glucose uptake can lead to beneficial changes in body
composition as well as improvement in ones general health.
References:
1.
Khanna S, Atalay M, Laaksonen DE, Gul M, Roy S, Sen CK.
Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation: tissue glutathione homeostasis at
rest and after exercise. J Appl Physiol 1999 Apr;86(4):1191-6
2.
Jones W, Li X, Qu ZC, Perriott L, Whitesell RR, May JM. Uptake,
recycling, and antioxidant actions of alpha-lipoic acid in endothelial
cells. Free Radic Biol Med 2002 Jul 1;33(1):83-93
ALCAR:
Carnitine is a
non-essential amino acid. Carnitine is acetylated into Acetyl-L-Carnitine
(ALCAR) in the brain, liver, and kidneys. The amino acid L-Carnitine
plays a vital role in energy metabolism, specifically the transport of
fatty acids into mitochondria where they can be oxidized. ALCAR is the
most popular form of supplemental carnitine.
ALCAR has a nutrient
repartitioning affect, meaning it aids in sending nutrients to skeletal
muscle where they can be used for energy over sending nutrients to fat
cells where they can be stored. What this means is ALCAR has to ability
to aid in muscle growth and fat loss by increasing fat oxidation and
cellular metabolism (Iossa, 2002).
A study done on
women found that supplementing with ALCAR increased fat loss and fat
oxidation during exercise (Hongu, 2003). Research has shown ALCAR to
have a synergistic effect with ALA.
References:
3.
Hongu N, Sachan DS. Carnitine and choline supplementation with
exercise alter carnitine profiles, biochemical markers of fat metabolism
and serum leptin concentration in healthy women. J Nutr 2003
Jan;133(1):84-9
4.
Iossa S, Mollica MP, Lionetti L, Crescenzo R, Botta M, Barletta
A, Liverini G. Acetyl-L-carnitine supplementation differently influences
nutrient partitioning, serum leptin concentration and skeletal muscle
mitochondrial respiration in young and old rats. J Nutr 2002
Apr;132(4):636-42
Cinnulin-PF:
Cinnulin-PF is a
cinnamon extract. Cinnamon has been shown to decrease blood glucose
levels after a meal and research has shown the specific extracted
trademarked Cinnulin-PF to be the cause of this. Cinnulin-PF is the only
glucose control agent that I have actually felt. Cinnulin-PF also has
other health benefits and is a great supplement for endomorphs.
Non-Carbohydrate
Workout Nutrition:
Because insulin
secretion blunts fat oxidation we want to control it during our
workouts. At the same time, we want to maximize
protein
synthesis and decrease protein breakdown. This can be done by using
specific amino acids:
BCAA and Glutamine
Xtend - BCAA & Glutamine:
The
Branched-Chain-Amino Acids (BCAA), leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are
different from the other 17 amino acids in that they are primarily
metabolized in skeletal muscle (Layman, 2003) and metabolized at a much
lower rate in the liver (Norton, 2005). The rate limiting enzyme in BCAA
catabolism is Branched Chain Keto Acid Dehydrogenase, which is much more
active in skeletal muscle than in the liver (Norton, 2005).
Glutamine is a
glucogenic (glucose creating), nonessential amino acid that has multiple
roles in the body. Glutamine is synthesized mainly in skeletal muscle
and the liver and acts as a "nitrogen shuttle" between organs, a fuel
for cells of the immune system and intestines, and a precursor for
nucleotide synthesis (Holecek, 2002).
Point blank,
exercise promotes increased BCAA oxidation (Shirmomura et al., 2004).
This increased degradation of BCAA helps maintain energy homeostasis by
providing carbon as a direct energy source and glucose homeostasis by
providing substrates for the citric-acid cycle and gluconeogenesis
(glucose-alanine cycle). Plasma and muscle glutamine levels are also
decreased post workout and it can take hours before they are restored (Rowbottom,
1996).
Skeletal muscle and
plasma glutamine levels are decreased during times of increased stress
and metabolic demand, such as illness and exercise, while BCAA levels
are often unchanged. Some may view this as meaning the BCAA's are not
depleted or there is not a lack of BCAA during illness or exercise.
But in reality, BCAA
levels are not decreased because proteolysis of skeletal muscle and
resynthesis of BCAA from branched-chain keto acids (BCKA) in the liver
increases BCAA levels (Holeck, 2002). It is not that BCAA levels are not
depleted, but rather they are kept elevated by breaking down skeletal
muscle and resynthesizing BCAAs.
According to Houston
(2001), "Glutamine content in skeletal muscle and other tissues appears
to have a regulatory role in whole body
protein synthesis." Glutamine levels
inside muscle govern protein synthesis and nitrogen balance and
therefore muscle growth (VanAcker et al. 1999). The newly synthesized
glutamine is created by using BCAAs obtained from muscle protein
breakdown (Holecek, 2002).
What all this means
is Glutamine
requirements are trying to be met during/post workout by BCAA catabolism
causing BCAA catabolism/muscle protein breakdown to be increased.
One way to increase
skeletal muscle hypertrophy is by decreasing BCAA oxidation and
therefore skeletal muscle catabolism. This can be accomplished by
supplementing with BCAA and Glutamine.
Supplementing With BCAA &
Glutamine:
Glutamine
administration has been shown to decrease leucine oxidation (Holeck,
2002). The mechanism behind this decrease in oxidation is believed to be
that glutamine oxidation increases NADH levels (and increases the NADH/NAD+
ratio), thereby inhibiting BCKA dehydrogenase, which is the "key-enzyme"
in BCAA oxidation (Holeck, 2002).
Research on leucine
shows that once the minimum requirement of leucine for protein synthesis
is met leucine can then be used to activate the mTOR pathway (Layman,
2003). It may sound like leucine is free to exert its powerful effect of
mTOR activation, but one must remember that protein breakdown and
synthesis is occurring throughout the entire body; the body's protein
stores are in a constant state of flux.
Plasma and muscle
glutamine levels are decreased post workout and it can take hours before
they are restored (Rowbottom, 1996). A study examining the effect of
free-form glutamine and glutamine peptide ingestion on muscle glycogen
resynthesis found that plasma glutamine was decreased by 20% post
workout with the ingestion of glucose only (control), showed no change
with ingestion of
whey protein or wheat protein
hydrolysate plus glucose drinks, and a 200% increase with ingestion of
free-form glutamine plus glucose drink (VanHall, 2000). Free-form
glutamine supplementation was needed to elevate plasma glutamine levels
post workout.
In addition to
restoring and elevating plasma glutamine levels, oral glutamine
supplementation increases muscle glycogen storage to the same capacity
as glucose (Bowtell, 1999).
The constant
body protein
flux plus the increased BCAA/leucine oxidation caused by exercise means
that leucine is in high demand and therefore may not be able to
participate in muscle growth at its full potential. This is where
supplementing with additional BCAA and Glutamine comes into play.
Supplementing with Glutamine will help keep skeletal muscle
and plasma Glutamine concentrations elevated and decrease BCAA/leucine
oxidation and therefore muscle catabolism. Supplementing with BCAA will
help meet the increased BCAA oxidation caused by exercise by providing
substrates for energy production and protein synthesis and serving as
precursors for alanine and glutamine.
This means there
will be more BCAA/Leucine available to stimulate protein synthesis
through mTOR-dependent and independent pathways. In addition,
supplementing with BCAA and glutamine will help keep glycogen levels
elevated.
Related
Article: Everything you
need to know about Protein
References:
1. Holecek M.
Relation between glutamine, branched-chain amino acids, and protein
metabolism. Nutrition. 2002 Feb;18(2):130-3. Review.
2.
Layman, DK (2003). The role of leucine in weight loss diets and
glucose homeostasis. J. Nutr. 133: 261S-267S.
3.
Rowbottom DG, Keast D, Morton AR. The emerging role of glutamine
as an indicator of exercise stress and overtraining. Sports Med. 1996
Feb;21(2):80-97. Review.
4.
Shimomura, Y. Murakami, T.Nakai, N. Nagasaki, M. Harri, R.A.
(2004). Exercise Promotes BCAA Catabolism: Effects of BCAA
Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle during Exercise J. Nutri. 134:
1583S-1587S.
5.
Bowtell JL, Gelly K, Jackman ML, Patel A, Simeoni M, Rennie MJ.
Effect of oral glutamine on whole body carbohydrate storage during
recovery from exhaustive exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1999
Jun;86(6):1770-7.
6.
Haussinger D et al. Cellular hydration state: An important
determinant of protein catabolism in health and disease. Lancet
341:1330-1332.1993.
7.
Holecek M. Relation between glutamine, branched-chain amino
acids, and protein metabolism. Nutrition. 2002 Feb;18(2):130-3. Review.
8.
Rennie, M. J., A. Ahmed, S. E. O. Khogali, S. Y. Low, H. S.
Hundal, and P. M. Taylor. Glutamine metabolism and transport in skeletal
muscle and heart and their clinical relevance. J. Nutr. 126:
1142S-1149S, 1996.
9.
Rowbottom DG, Keast D, Morton AR. The emerging role of glutamine
as an indicator of exercise stress and overtraining. Sports Med. 1996
Feb;21(2):80-97. Review.
10.
VanAcker BA,.et al. (1999) Glutamine:the pivot of our nitrogen
economy? JPEN, 23:S45-8.
11.
Van Hall G, Saris WH, van de Schoor PA, Wagenmakers AJ. The
effect of free glutamine and peptide ingestion on the rate of muscle
glycogen resynthesis in man. Int J Sports Med. 2000 Jan;21(1):25-30.
Chapter 8
Putting Everything Into Action
Weight
Training & Cardio Program:
-
Monday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Tuesday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Wednesday:
15-20 minutes of High-Intensity Cardio on the Elliptical Machine
-
Thursday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Friday:
45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 30 minutes Low-Intensity
Cardio
-
Saturday:
15-20 minutes of High-Intensity Cardio on the Elliptical Machine or
HIIT - Sprints: Ten 100 meter sprints
-
Sunday:
Some much needed REST!
***Note: As you
lose/gain weight and your fitness level improves you will most likely
have to increase you duration and intensity of your cardio sessions.
Diet/Supplement
Option #1 (Morning Trainer):
Meal 1
(Complex Carbs Such As Oatmeal)
-
1 Capsule
Sesamin
-
+ 100 mg
R-ALA
-
+ 500-1000
mg ALCAR
-
+ 1 Capsule
Cinnulin PF
Workout
Nutrition
-
1 Scoop
Substance WPI
-
+ 6 Scoops
Xtend
Meal 2
(Complex Carbs Such As Sweet Potatoes)
Meal 3
Meal 4
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