Growth Hormone Redux: More Hints on Stimulating Production of HGH

Following my last post on stimulating the body’s production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH), a fellow trainer raised an excellent question: If consuming fat within an hour of resistance training halts the body’s production of HGH, what impact does the consumption of fat prior to resistance training have on our hormonal response? I didn’t have the answer. As luck would have it, however, I knew who would.

Thank you to Nate Regensburg, instructor at the National Personal Training Institute in Seattle, for his help and insight. Nate explained the following: Because dietary fat can deter HGH release that would ordinarily be stimulated by intense resistance training, it is best to avoid fat for at least an hour both before AND after a workout. Instead, both pre and post workout meals should contain carbohydrate and protein. However, that isn’t the end of the story. It turns out that high glycemic index carbohydrates will also blunt the body’s HGH release. What does this mean? It means that in addition to fat, simple carbohydrates and sugars should also be avoided within an hour of resistance training, both on the front end and on the rear. In other words, that Gatorade you sip on during rest periods may be doing you more harm than good, and if like me, you have been adding chocolate syrup to your post-workout protein shake in order to restore the glycogen in your skeletal muscles, you may not be getting the hormonal bang-for-your-buck you thought you were. This isn’t to say that Gatorade doesn’t have it’s proper place in replacing fluids, sugars, and electrolytes lost during long periods of endurance exercise or sports performance, but it does suggest that sugar-filled sports drinks are not consistent with resistance training when the goal of said training is either increase in muscle size or the stimulation of HGH for fat loss.

In order to maximize HGH production post resistance training, Nate suggests consuming a ratio of 2-to-1 or 3-to-1 low glycemic index carbohydrates to protein in both pre and post workout meals, and giving yourself a “1 hour cushion” on either side of your workout with regard to the consumption of dietary fat.

Nate also passed along the following article, which I am linking for you here:

http://www.fitnessforoneandall.com/nutrition/article/hormones/part_one.htm

 

An interesting read if you have the time. If not, here are the highlights:

• High GI carbs blunt HGH. To enhance HGH production, follow a moderate-carbohydrate, low glycemic index diet.
• Frequent feedings of high-quality protein enhances HGH production.
• For maximum nighttime HGH production, do not consume carbs within 2 hours of bedtime, but do eat protein late in order to take advantage of the protein/HGH correlation.
• High intensity weight training can increase HGH levels by up to 400%!!!

Thanks again to Nate for his help the research, and to Kyle at Define Fitness Studio for thinking to ask the question. Remember: Go Hard or Go Home!

Yours in good health,

The Fitness Commander

How Many Calories Should I be Eating, Anyway?

As with most things, it seems, the answer is: “It depends.” Glad we cleared that up? Just kidding…

The answer to how many calories you ought to consume on a daily basis depends on a number of factors including your age, gender, current body weight, height, activity level, and your health and fitness goals. As you are likely aware, not only are there a number of formulas out there for calculating your daily caloric requirements, but diet myths and “one size fits all” caloric prescriptions abound. Ever hear that women should consume around 2000 calories per day, and men around 2500? Or, that in order to lose weight, you should reduce your caloric intake to 1200  or 1500 calories per day — regardless of your gender? That last one might work, if you are short, petite framed, and sedentary. But what if I told you that dropping your caloric intake that low might backfire and either prevent you from losing weight all together, or cause you to lose weight in the form of lean muscle tissue instead of losing body fat? That’s NOT GOOD.

Let’s apply some common sense to this question, and start by determining how many calories we should consume just to support our bodies on a daily basis. From there, we will have a starting point from which to determine how we should alter this intake in order to either gain muscle or lose fat. 

As I’ve said already, the number of calories you need to consume in order to meet your body’s basic needs (ie, maintain your body weight) will depend on a number of factors. The taller and heavier you are, ie, the bigger you are, the more calories you burn. Intuitively, this makes sense. The more of you there is to move, the more fuel (ie, calories) is required to support the movement. This is why four-year-olds don’t eat portion sizes as large as teenagers AND why SUVs tend to burn more gasoline than compact cars. The amount of calories you burn also depends on how much you move and what type of movement you participate in. This also makes perfect sense. A desk jockey will, by necessity, require less fuel to get through the day than a construction worker, beat cop, grocery stocker, or NFL lineman. The more demanding your job, the more calories you burn while at work. The same principle applies to stay-at-home moms. Anyone else ever chase a two-year-old for an afternoon? Talk about exhausting work! Much more physically taxing, say, than watching an eight-year-old play soccer from the bleachers. Exercise also factors in here. Going for a 30-minute walk every morning will increase the amount of calories you burn throughout the day, but not as much as if you went jogging, performed some high intensity intervals, or pounded out some heavy resistance training. In other words, both the quantity and intensity of your physical activity will affect your daily caloric requirement. One additional factor is also critical to determining our daily intake needs: the amount of lean muscle tissue we carry in our body. Muscle is high-maintenance, calorie-hungry, calorie-burning tissue. The more of it we have, the more we will need to eat in order to feed and preserve that tissue. Ultimately, this is why the Fitness Commander is such an advocate for resistance training: building muscle burns calories — both in the gym AND later, at rest. But, I digress… Point is, people with greater amounts of lean muscle tissue will require more calories throughout the day than people with less lean muscle tissue. This is why men tend to burn more calories than women, and why young people tend to burn more calories than older people.

So now that we have established the calorie-requirement fundamentals, how do we go about determining our individual caloric needs?

Of the multitude of formulas out there for determining our daily caloric requirement, studies indicate the Mifflin-St. Joer equation to be the most reliable (Nix, 2009). No surprise, this is likely because the formula attempts to factor in gender, age, height, weight, and physical activity level. The Mifflin-St. Joer equations for men and women are below. In order to calculate your caloric requirement, you will need to convert your height from inches to centimeters and your weight from pounds to kilograms. Remember that 1 kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds, and 1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters.

MEN: [(Weight in kilograms x 10) + (Height in cm x 6.25) - (Age x 5) -5] x Physical Activity Level (PA)

WOMEN: [(Weight in kilograms x 10) + (Height in cm x 6.25) - (Age x 5) -161] x Physical Activity Level (PA)

Use the following to determine your physical activity level, or PA:

• 1.2 = Sedentary (little or no exercise)
• 1.375 = Light Active (light exercise or sports 1-3 days per week)
• 1.55 = Moderately Active (moderate exercise or sports 1-3 days per week)
• 1.725 = Very Active (hard exercise or sports 6-7 days per week)
• 1.9 = Extra Active (Hard exercise or sports PLUS a physically demanding job)

Using the Fitness Commander for an example, let’s give this formula a shot. I am 5’2″ tall (157 cm), and weigh 122 pounds (55.45 kg). I am 34 years old, and I spend between 9  and 11 hours in the gym each week – when I am not lifting and racking and demonstrating exercises as a personal trainer.

[(55.45 kg x 10) + (157 cm x6.25) - (34 years x 5) - 161] x 1.9 =

(554 + 981 – 170- 161) x 1.9 =

1204 x 1.9 = 2287

According to the Mifflin-St. Joer equation, I burn approximately 2287 calories per day, and therefore need to consume 2287 calories per day in order to maintain my body weight. A word of caution here, however. Because I wear a bodybug, which monitors my caloric burn from day-to-day, I know that I actually burn closer to 2500 calories per day — and up to 3000 calories per day when I both train clients and do high intensity interval training. So if this calculation is so accurate, what accounts for the shortfall when I run my own numbers? Probably my low percentage of body fat. The Mifflin St. Jeor equation assumes that because I am a woman, I burn fewer calories at rest than a man of the same size — who presumably would carry more calorie-burning lean body mass than “the average woman.” When I run my statistics through the male calculation, I generate a daily caloric requirement of 2584 calories — almost spot-on for my daily burn.

Let’s do this equation again, based on the statics of my good friend. Let’s call him Borris. Borris is 43 years old, 6′ 2″ tall and weighs 220 pounds. His occupation primarily keeps him behind a desk, but he works out between 3 -4 times each week — running, swimming, biking and/or lifting weights.

[(100 kg x 10) + (188 cm x6.25) - (43 years x 5) - 5] x 1.55 =

(1000 + 1175 – 215 – 5) x 1.55 =

1955 x 1.55 = 3030

What do these results suggest? First, they suggest, in accord with the principles above, that Borris requires more calories per day than I do for at least two reasons: he’s bigger than I am, and he’s male. The fact that I can burn a Borris-like number of calories over the course of a busy workout day is a tribute to both my body composition, and the fact that I NEVER stand still. (Incidentally, were Borris to follow me around and mimic my daily routine, he would burn an astounding 3714 calories in 24 hours! Cheeseburger, anyone?) The fact that my caloric burn is more accurately calculated using the male equation suggests that female athletes and women with greater amounts of lean body mass run the risk of having their daily caloric requirement calculated too low using the Mifflin St. Jeor formula for women.

Ok, so now that we know how to predict our daily caloric requirement, what do we do with this information? Again, the answer is “it depends.”

FOR MAINTENANCE: If your goal is to maintain your body weight, calculate your daily caloric requirement using the formulas above and stick to consuming roughly that number of calories every day.

FOR FAT LOSS: In order to reduce body fat by one pound per week (a safe rate of reduction according to most experts), you need to consume 3500 fewer calories than you burn over the course of the seven days. For those of you ahead of me on the math, that comes out to a daily calorie deficiency of 500 calories. Therefore, in order to calculate how many calories you need to consume in order to lose one pound of fat per week, plug your numbers into the gender-appropriate formula above and subtract 500. Two caveats, however, to bear in mind: First, don’t be tempted by the impulse to increase this deficit by more than 500 calories. It is not safe to reduce body weight by more than 1% per week. This means that if you weigh less than 200 pounds, losing weight at a rate of 2 pounds per week or more could be unsafe. Ergo, please don’t calculate your daily need and try and speed up the process by reducing your caloric intake by 1000, 1500, or more. Also, consider that it takes less than 48 hours for the body to down-regulate metabolism. What does that mean? It means that when you reduce your daily caloric intake too drastically, your body will adjust and begin to burn fewer calories throughout the day — almost immediately. If this happens, expect your weight loss to come to a grinding halt! Second, remember that exercise is a key part of the Mifflin St. Jeor equation. Therefore, if you increase your exercise in addition to decreasing your caloric intake, you are again running the risk of metabolic down-grade. If you plan on increasing your daily calorie burn by 250 calories per day through increased exercise, decrease your caloric intake by 250 (not 500) calories to stay at a net deficit of 500 calories per day.

FOR MUSCLE GAIN: The formula for determining caloric intake to support lean muscle growth is slightly less clear-cut than the formula for fat loss. In general, however, the same principle applies. In order to gain one pound of lean muscle mass per week, you would need to calculate your daily caloric intake according the formulas above and exceed that number by 500 calories. Yes, in order to gain muscle weight, you generally need to get your body into a calorie surplus. However, muscle gain is also dependent on factors including sleep and the quality of both your workouts and your nutrition. In other words, if you increase your daily caloric intake by 500 calories but skip the gym, forgo adequate sleep, and binge on Cheetos, it won’t be muscle weight that shows up on the scale. Strenuous weight training is also required in order to gain

significant amounts of lean body mass. By definition, engaging in strenuous strength training burns a great deal of calories. Therefore, for some individuals, a 500-calorie-per-day surplus may not be sufficient to merit muscle gains of 1 pound per week. For these people, a calorie surplus of 750 calories per day may be warranted.

So there you have it: Calorie-calculating math from the Fitness Commander…

Yours in good health.

Training to Stimulate Production of Growth Hormone: The Body’s Fountain of Youth

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is the body’s amazing fountain of youth. HGH encourages the breakdown of fat stores in the body, increases protein synthesis (the first step in muscle growth), stimulates the production of collagen and cartilage, and dramatically shortens recovery time following a workout. Among women, who lack the degree testosterone production enjoyed by men, HGH is the most powerful fat-fighter produced in the body.

Little wonder then that half of Hollywood and many athletes are turning to injectable HGH in order to fight the clock, stay ripped, and perform at peak athletic ability. Here’s the bad news: injecting anabolic steroids into your body is not good for you, is illegal, is associated with strange and scary side effects such as an increase in heart size, and (according to Baechle and Earle, 2008) may ultimately fail to provide the same degree of efficacy as HGH produced naturally by the body — at least as it comes to producing an increase in muscle size. The good news, however, is that with proper training the body can be stimulated to produce greater amounts of HGH all on it’s own.

Incorporate the following protocols into your workouts and nutrition in order to encourage your body to pump greater quantities of this fat-fighting, lean-protecting hormone:

1. Reach your lactate threshold often during a workout. What does this mean? Get out of breath! HGH responds best to intensity, so go hard. If you have medical clearance to do so, include Tabata intervals, High Intensity Interval Training, and plyometric intervals into your workouts up to 2 times per week.

2. The greatest increase in serum levels of HGH following resistance training have been observed following workouts utilizing three sets performed at 10RM weight loads with no more than one minute rest between sets. Stick to this formula to maximize HGH production after hitting the weight room.

3. Make sure that your pre and post workout meals include both carbohydrate and protein. Eat a mix of lean protein and complex carbohydrates one to one-and-a-half hours prior to working out, and a snack-sized combination of lean protein and a simple carbohydrate within 30 minutes of working out (around 200-250 calories total). This is not a license to eat doughnuts, however! One tablespoon of chocolate syrup in a protein shake is enough simple carb to refuel exhausted muscles after weight training. Follow your post workout snack with a meal of lean protein and complex carbohydrate within 2 hours of working out.

4. Avoid ingesting fat within 1 hour of resistance training. Fat consumed with 60 minutes of anaerobic exercise will shut down the body’s HGH production and thwart your efforts to stimulate the desired hormonal response.

5. SLEEP! The body produces the greatest amount of HGH during sleep. To maximize HGH production, get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted shut-eye every night.

One final word of caution: if you are going to train hard, you MUST provide the body with proper rest and nutrition in order to stimulate an increase in HGH production. Intense training combined with bad rest and bad nutrition will stimulate the body to produce cortisol instead. As cortisol causes the body to store fat and burn muscle, this should be avoided at all cost!

Eat, train, rest, repeat!

A 4-Minute Workout That Will Burn Fat, Increase Strength & Kick Your Booty. Not Kidding.

Welcome to the world of Tabata intervals: A four-minute workout that will burn fat, build strength, and have you lying on the floor gasping for air. I’m not kidding.

How does this work?

Tabata intervals center around the concept of a work-rest ratio and can be performed using any piece of cardio equipment or any multi-joint exercise, such as squats or mountain climbers.  To perform a Tabata interval correctly, begin with a “work” period. During the work period, go HARD for 20 seconds. The goal is to get your heart pumping. After the 20-second work period, rest for 10 seconds and allow the body and heart rate to recover. Then repeat this 20-second work, 10-second rest pattern SEVEN MORE TIMES without stopping. When the four minutes have passed, you will know you’ve had a workout.

Who thought this up, anyway?

A Japanese researcher, Dr. Tabata, developed this method while working with professional ice skaters. What he discovered is that short, intense bursts of exercise followed by shorter recovery intervals simultaneously increased both the aerobic and anaerobic capacities of his athletes, killing two birds with one stone.

But how does it work?

Tabata intervals increase strength because they are performed anaerobically. When done correctly, you will NOT be able to talk during this type of exercise as you will likely be working very near to your age predicted maximum heart rate. Tabata intervals burn fat (and boy do they burn fat) for two reasons. First, because of their high intensity, Tabata intervals jack your body’s core temperature through the roof for up to 72 hours post exercise. During this period of elevated core temperature, you will burn more calories at rest than you would otherwise — and the lion’s share of these calories will come from stored fat. Second, because you will undoubtedly be working in a state of oxygen deficiency before the four minutes are over, your body will be stimulated to naturally produce greater amounts of growth hormone: the fat-fighting, muscle-building, fountain of youth that celebrities are paying oodles of cash to inject into their bodies.

How can I perform Tabata intervals safely?

Excellent question! As with any type of training, safety must be your top priority.

• First, because of the intensity of Tabata intervals, you MUST clear this with your doctor. He or she needs to confirm that it is safe for you to work at or near to your age-predicted maximum heart rate for a short amount of time.
• Second, true Tabata intervals are not for the detrained or the beginner. Beginners can perform interval training with medical clearance, however, they will need to work up to Dr. Tabata’s 2 to 1 work-rest ratio over a period of time. The giant brains at Muscle & Fitness Magazine recommend that beginners start with a 1 to 4 work-rest ratio. In other words, a beginner would “work” for 20 seconds and then give his or her body 80 seconds for rest and recovery. After 4 weeks, this ratio could be halved to 1:2, and the individual performing the workout would work for 20 seconds and then rest for 40. After another 4 weeks, the individual would progress to a 1:1 ratio, with 20 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of rest. Finally, after four weeks of at a 1 to 1 ratio, an individual would be able to decrease his or her rest interval once again and perform the workout using the original 20 seconds “on,” 10 seconds “off” formula.
• Third, it is not safe to perform Tabata intervals, or ANY sort of High Intensity Interval Training more than twice per week. Individuals beginning an interval training program should start by incorporating intervals once each week and work up to two days per week over time. Additionally, interval training should never be performed on consecutive days. For maximum fat-burning effect, space interval workouts 72 hours apart.
• Finally, take a break from interval training periodically. This is difficult, intense work that places a significant strain on your body. It is not the sort of thing that should be incorporated into your workouts on a year-round basis.

Incorporate Tabata intervals into your workout program, and let me know what you think. Oh, and keep a bucket handy, just in case.

Yours in good health,

The Fitness Commander

Drink Up! Hydration is Key to Proper Metabolic Function

We all know that drinking enough water is key to good health and fitness, but did you know that without proper hydration the body’s metabolism actually SLOWS DOWN, causing us to burn fewer calories? This excerpt from The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno sums up the problem nicely: “…even the least amount of dehydration slows metabolism and bodily function. ‘Without enough water, organs can’t function as efficiently, so your metabolism slows to conserve energy,’ states Molly Kimball, a registered dietician at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation.” Holy cats! This is something we definitely want to avoid. The good news is that getting enough water is entirely within our control.

But how do we know if we are drinking enough?

A general rule states that to maintain proper hydration we should consume about 96 ounces of water each day, often stated as 12 8-oz glasses. According to Dr. Philip Goglia, however, 96 ounces may not be enough and a more individualized approach may be warranted. Dr. Goglia suggests that we should consume 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. I don’t know about you, but the Fitness Commander certainly weighs more than 96 pounds…  It also bears repeating that external factors can directly and dramatically increase our need for water. Any time the temperature rises, any time we engage in physical activity, or any time we are at a higher altitude, our body’s need for water will be heightened.

How can you tell if your hydration is adequate? If you are thirsty, the answer is a resounding “No!” That said, relying on your thirst mechanism alone is inadvisable, as we are likely dehydrated long before we get the urge to drink. A better, if somewhat unpleasant, guide is the color of your urine. If it is clear or pale, you are adequately hydrated. The darker the urine, the more dehydrated you are.

Drink up folks, and keep that metabolism revving. That’s an order!