After the growth years (puberty) fat cells are there to say. You no longer make any more nor do you grow new ones. Some say how many fat cells you have is determined by genetics others say its set by the way one ate during the growth years. But yes, from my understanding of the fat cell theory (Set point theory) is that the body can only shrink existing fat cells, not destroy them.

*POP QUIZ*

I do believe there is a secret to fat loss. What is it?

click your heels together three times saying
I want to be thin
I want to be thin
I want to be thin.

Not sure what your secret is but mine wasn't a secret - don't deprive yourself and just keep going forward.

Drink water, exercise and eat sensible.

Simple.

Liposuction.

Just joking of course, I can sum it up in 2 words.

Calorie deficit.

I do believe there is a secret to fat loss. What is it?


A while back I did a conference for my book The Fat Loss Troubleshoot. I took various questions. Below is one of those questions and my response to it.

Question: Gerry asks- Seriously Leigh, What is the real secret to fat loss?

Leigh Answers: I love this question, I will tell you why. I love this question because it’s as if that fat loss is this magical mystery, this holy grail that exists on a mountain top somewhere just out of reach. That the road to fat loss is going to have some dancing leprechaun with a pot of gold at the end of it. It’s says everything about our society, how fat loss is made to be this mythical thing that can’t be reached when really it is just so clouded by bad information and the worst parts of capitalism in our country.

The truth is fat loss is really a simple process. I didn’t say it was easy in carrying out that process, but the technical aspect of it is simple. I don’t mean it in the aspect of that you don’t have to work hard, but simple yes. You just have to block out all of those people telling you the wrong things and allow trust for ones telling you the right things. That isn’t easy because the bad so out weigh the good.

Regardless I do have a secret to fat loss, are you ready?

I said are you ready?

(everyone chimes in “yes!”)

My secret to fat loss is cooking.

(everyone laughs)
I am serious!

I am going to tell you, if you eat food that you enjoy on a daily basis you are going to be happier. You are going to want to not cave. I don’t understand how these bodybuilders for example take these 99% fat free chicken breasts, slam them down on a george foreman grill and dry the crap out of it and gobble it up.

I couldn’t do it, I have to enjoy what I eat, I love eating, and it is an important part of my day. My food can make my mood, it really can. I have no problem with saying I have emotional attachments to food, but because I am
someone who has emotional attachments to food I had to work and
find ways to prepare food that I enjoyed. I had to teach myself cooking, I had to teach my self what a spice rack really is.

So people, make friends with your spice rack, I want you to really understand your oven, your pots and pans because that truly is in my opinion the secret to fat loss.

The next thing you buy, I don’t want it to be a dumbell, I don’t want it to be stretchy bands, no…I want you to buy an instructional cookbook. I want you to learn how to prepare you food without having to use loads of butter, and olive oil. Without having to deep fry and batter. Anyone can slather a chicken breast in oil and make it taste good, it takes some work to eat healthy and have it taste good.

John Berardi for example released an amazing cookbook called Gourmet Nutrition and he gets it. He gets that you have to eat great, that the taste of your food is just as important as what you are eating.

You know the saying “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels?” LIES. Tell that to a 40 year old married woman who isn’t trying to snag some stud. A woman who is comfortable in her relationship, but is in danger of her health. She knows that her brownie taste better than being skinny, and she doesn’t care. But give her something that tastes good and gets the skinny and guess what, you just got fat loss.

That is my secret.

I hope some of you looked into the cooking aspect of your fat loss.

*POP QUIZ*

Carbohydrates are usually classified into 3 categories, what are they?

Monosacharides,Oligosaccharides, and polysacharide!

Glucose, Sucrose, Celluose

(trevor beat me to it, so i thought i'll give examples of the approiate ones...techinically table sugar is a disaccharide, bah! i give up)

edit, I think i'm gonna out-do trevor, and change my answer slightly....

Mono-, Di- and Poly- (but di is probably considered oligi-, grr, i can never win!)

Yeah, a Disaccharide is considered to be in the category of an Oligosaccharides. Of course, an Oligosaccharide could be considered to be in the same category as a polysacharride when the chain extends to 3+ links. So the answer could really be answered as either.
A. Monosacharride,Disaccharide, and Polysacharide.
Or
B. Monosacharide,Oligosaccharide, and Polysacharide!

Haha, well I couldn't let you beat me to the answer again like last time.

I think there are also 3 categories that we refer to nutritionally (rather than organic chemically, lol): Sugars, Starches, and Complex. or something like that...

I belive there are also "simple" carbs...or are those simply refeered as sugar?

*waits anxiously for the answer/new question*

Trevor I don't want to hear a word...

*POP QUIZ*

Carbohydrates are usually classified into 3 categories, what are they?

Answer

Monosacharides,Oligosaccharides, and polysacharide (answered by trevor is correct.

Also though and mainly more of what I want to talk about is...

Simple carbs
Complex carbs
Fibrous carbs

What does this have to do with my fat loss?

Knowing which foods are what of these and what they do for your body can really help you feel better, control energy levels, control cravings, and overall help you on you goals towards fat loss.


Simple carbs-Table sugar, honey, fruit...
Simple carbs are great for quick energy, but lack the long haul. If you don't pair simple carbs with good protein, you are likely to burn up your fuel realll quick (do to fast digest) and come down. These sugars are fast acting insulin spiking sugars and should be paired properly with other foods.

Complex carbs-Whole grains, rice, pasta, oats, sweet potatos
Complex carbs are great for longer lasting energy. They take longer for the body to break down and digest, therefor providing you more energy over a period of time. They still give raise to insulin spikes and should still be pair with protein and fats. They are also much more calorie dense so be careful, they add up the calories quick.

Fibrous carbs-Spinach, broccoli, kale, greens in general
Fibrous carbs are well basically full of fiber. They provide very little energy because they cause very little sugar spikes. You can eat these own their own and in a pretty high abundance. Obviously our bodies work best with these kinds of foods and obviously we are least likely to be drawn to them.

Quick tips

-Every meal pair with a protein
-Only have fruit from the simple and least processed grains from the complex
-Have tons of fibrous veggies
-Listen to your body and check out how you feel after eating each and then eat what makes you feel best, the most!

Great thread Leigh.... keep it coming.