The Holy Grail Diet: The Nitty Gritty

As I have told you, we are trying to do what is considered the Holy Grail in the fitness world: to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. And as I have also told you, the high fat diet is the only way to accomplish this. The goal of this diet is the elimination of all carbs for 5 days and then to carb-up on the weekend. For those initial 5 days, we are trying to turn-on the lipolysis mechanism and burn as much as bodyfat we can. Then, for the next two days (generally Saturday and Sunday), you can eat whatever you want. Yeah, you have my permission to pig-out (or at least for the first carb-up days). Whatever you craved during the depletion (ketosis) period is yours! Just remember, whatever it is, make sure it stops moving before scarfing it down.

On weekends, there are two goals. First, you need to eat carbs to re-establish body temperature, which is directly correlated to your metabolism. For every 50 grams of carbs you eat, you are going to raise your body temperature by about 1°F. The main problem with Dr. Atkins' approach is that he calls for too long of a ketosis period without re-establishing the metabolism. Your body will release more and more cortisol the longer you stay in ketosis, you literally go into starvation mode and your body will systemically shut down. We (obviously) want to prevent that by eating carbs every weekend (5 days off carbs, 2 days on). Second, by infusing your body with carbohydrates, you harness the anabolic (building) property of insulin. Your body has the ability to hold about 100-110 mmol/kg of lean body mass, but since you have depleted your muscle of glycogen (the stored version of glucose), your body will want to suck in more than usual-as much as 150-165 mmol/kg. This is called "supercompensation," and you will feel like the Incredible Hulk (for the guys, your veins will pop-out just like his). Unlike the middle of week (when you felt like shit), you will feel energized, and when you hit the gym on Monday, you're gonna feel like lifting Brunhilda 50 million times.* The important thing here is what is triggered on the cellular level. The super-infusion of glycogen into the muscle cells causes what is called kinetic cellular expansion. This phenomenon sends a message to the ribosomes and messenger RNA to increase the rate of protein synthesis and essentially "build" more muscle. This effect can last up to 36 hours, so it is crucial that you religiously eat simple carbs for the first 24 hours, followed by "healthier" carbs for the next 24. We do not want these simple carbs converting to fat, therefore it is imperative that we go from eating simple/starchy carbs for the first 24 hours (Saturday) to complex/fibrous carbohydrates for the second 24 hours (Sunday).

What To Eat

I know what you're thinking. Details! What kinds of carbs? What about protein? And fat? And didn't I just tell you that you get to pig-out? Well, my precocious high-fat disciples, I'll get to that, just hang on a minute.

For the first 24 hours, you need to consume high glycemic-rated foods like bagels, rolled oatmeal, white rice, pancakes, beans, pasta, potatoes, etc. This is where you get to pig-out. And since there is little chance that these high GI rated foods will be stored as bodyfat (because your body will prioritize the muscle cells first), you can do your thang. But once you start to cap off the muscle cells with glycogen, you have to be careful and minimize the "spillage" effects of these carbs into your fat cells.

During the second 24 hours, you will switch over to complex carbohydrates in order to decrease your insulin secretion. Foods like brown rice, whole wheat bread and steel-cut oatmeal are better choices. Now is also the time to add more protein and fat into your meals to further reduce the glycemic index of each meal. Uh-oh... I feel another question coming. "But sensei, what about fruit? I NEED MY FRUIT DAMMIT!!!"

Fruit: To Eat or Not To Eat

The topic of fruit is interesting. People love fruit (I particularly love persimmons). We were told from when we were little tykes to eat our fruits and vegetables. We were also told to stop fidgeting, do our homework, brush our teeth and stop shouting, but I still do all that anyway. We were told that fruit was good for us and that it would give us the fiber, vitamins and minerals we needed to be strong and healthy. I don't wholeheartedly disagree with Mama Cleaver's advice, but remember that we have a higher, more sublime goal now: to fight the forces of fat! Since this is the case (and you are on board, right?), you should stay away from fruits. There I said it, and stop peeling that damn thing right NOW!!!

As you already know, the main sugary element in fruit is fructose. This is a problem. Your body doesn't need insulin to process fructose. Uh-oh, another question, "but isn't this good, master?" Yes and no. It's true that insulin is not needed to process fructose, but there is a downside: fructose is delivered straight to your liver. Once there, the liver will break down the fructose, releasing glucose into the bloodstream. This is a problem, because your liver can only process about 50 grams of fructose in a 24 hour period. Anything beyond that will be converted to FAT. So, no fruit! Ok, maybe a little... but only 50 grams or less, which amounts to ≤ 200 calories per day.

The Diet Variation

If you are not of my gender variety, a better schedule might be 3 days of ketosis followed by 1 day of carb-up (instead of 5 and 2). I think this is particularly better for those (mostly females) who are interested in maximizing fat-loss and not all that concerned with increasing muscle mass. The logic is that the shorter (24-hour) carb-up period, while converting less fat than its 2-day counterpart, will still address the cravings, anxiety and body temperature issues.

High Fat for...Forever?

People are often concerned (and rightly so!) about how long they should stay on the diet. I believe that you should be on the diet for as long as it takes... to reach your fat-loss goal. Then, you can return to your regular way of eating-that means complex carbs, lean meats, fish oil (not pills!), and maybe even some fruit (see, I am not totally heartless). In fact, it actually is good to go off the high fat plan because it gives your digestive system-especially your colon-a break. So, for example, you could start the diet in spring to prep for the summer, then go off the diet in the winter again.

Got questions? I know you do. Ask away, maybe I'll answer them.

About Me:

I've worked in fitness for the past 10 years. I first started as a performance coach at a Frappier affiliated sports and conditioning center. Then I moved on to a Hospital affiliated gym where I worked as a fitness supervisor and a personal trainer. About a year and a half ago, I left that gym to start my own personal training service.

*If you want to know who Brunhilda is, you can go here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Fitness-Rant