Secret Fat Loss Formula Revealed - Part IV

Let's review the Secret Fat Loss Formula:

(Body Weight x 70%) in Grams of Protein + Caloric Deficit + Resistance Training + Rest

In issues #008 to #010, we cover the first three variables in the formula.

Today, we are going to talk about Rest and the role it plays in burning fat and building muscle. But first, we are going to put the formula into a different perspective.

The 3 Places The Formula Goes To Work

For me, the formula "came to life" when I learned about the places I should focus to make the formula work for me. Here they are:

Gym = Break Down Muscle & Burn Fat (Resistance Training)Kitchen = Feed Muscle & Burn Fat (Protein & Caloric Deficit)Bedroom = Rebuild Muscle & Burn Fat (Rest)

So today, we focus on the bedroom where you rest and recover.Research shows that the quality of your sleep directly impacts your fat loss results. Better sleep correlates to a more successful fat loss outcome. 

When you are well rested you can work harder at the gym and get better results. Your mind is sharper, you can focus more intensely and you have more energy. So being well rested helps drive your performance in the gym which helps break down muscle and burn fat.

Your body also creates a number of beneficial hormones while you sleep including testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF)-1, all of which are essential for optimal repair, recovery and growth. If these hormones are lowered due to poor sleep, your ability to recover and build muscle are both reduced.

Your sleep also impacts your level and balance of hunger and satiety hormones (called ghrelin and leptin). If their is an imbalance you tend to crave high calorie food. So less sleep can drive you to eat junk food!

Poor sleep can also increase your cortisol levels and make you more resistant to insulin, both of which cause you to retain more fat.

Sleep also has a dramatic impact on muscle mass. One study found that 80% of the weight loss was lean muscle when the subjects slept just 5.5 hours over a two week period. The subjects in the study were in a moderate calorie deficit and were randomized to either sleeping 8.5 hours or 5.5 hours. 

When you have poor sleep quality, your body's ability to burn fat decreases and your ability to rebuild muscle decreases...a double whammy that will increase your body fat %, the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve!

The bottom line is that getting the quality sleep in the right quantity helps you burn fat and keep your muscle. That's exactly the outcome we are looking for!

Note: The content in this newsletter is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems.

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