Alan Aragon Debunks Diet Myths, Prioritizes Total Daily Protein

Alan Aragon破除饮食迷思，强调全天蛋白质总量为先 达到每日蛋白质总量目标并保持热量缺口，无需讲究复杂的摄入时机或限制性时尚饮食，即可实现可持续减脂并保留肌肉。 Alan Aragon剖析了优化减脂与增肌的关键循证原则，同时破除了广泛流传的健身迷思。他指出，全天蛋白质的总摄入量远比精确的摄入时机重要得多，驳斥了局部减脂与极端断食的说辞，并强调抗阻训练与可持续的热量平衡才是长期健康的基石。对话还探讨了应对平台期的策略、代谢适应的机制，以及Aragon通过健康习惯克服酒精成瘾的个人历程。 全天蛋白质摄入总量是增肌和减脂最关键的因素，其重要性远超蛋白质摄入时机或每餐分配。 (5:15) 为最大化肌肥大和力量适应，每日最佳蛋白质摄入量为目标体重的1.6至2.2克/公斤（0.7至1.0克/磅）。 (11:44) 对于没有既往肾脏疾病的健康个体而言，高蛋白摄入对肾脏、肝脏或骨骼健康几乎构不成威胁。 (16:26) 腹部局部减脂是不可能的；减少腹部脂肪需要通过热量缺口实现全身脂肪的削减。 (32:13) 节食期间的新陈代谢减缓主要是由非运动性日常活动热量消耗（NEAT）的下意识减少所驱动，而非新陈代谢受损。 (25:33)

Nutrition researcher Alan Aragon argues that sustainable body composition optimization depends on fundamental energy balance and total daily protein targets rather than rigid meal timing, extreme elimination diets, or demonizing specific macronutrients. Total Protein Intake Outweighs Meal Timing and Sourcing (5:15) Aragon points out that the single biggest myth in fitness is obsessing over meal frequency and nutrient timing rather than hitting total daily protein intake. Comparing daily protein to the cake, distribution to the icing, and workout timing to the sprinkles, he notes that clinical trials show no significant difference in muscle size or strength between consuming three versus five protein feedings per day when total daily intake is matched at approximately 1 g/lb (~2.2 g/kg). For active individuals seeking fat loss and muscle retention, he recommends 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg of target body weight daily, noting that intakes as high as 3.3 to 4.4 g/kg in resistance-trained subjects rarely lead to fat gain due to the high thermic effect of protein and spontaneous reductions in other macronutrients. Regarding quality, while animal proteins generally stimulate muscle protein synthesis more potently than plant sources gram-for-gram, controlled 12-week interventions show that plant-based and omnivorous diets produce equivalent muscle growth once total protein reaches at least 1.6 g/kg daily. Aragon identifies fungus-based mycoprotein as a unique plant-based exception that outperforms milk protein in stimulating synthesis. Furthermore, he emphasizes that high-protein diets present virtually zero threat to kidney, liver, or bone health in individuals without pre-existing chronic kidney disease. Metabolic Adaptation and Muscle-Preserving Diet Breaks (25:33) Addressing beliefs about 'broken' metabolisms after dieting, Aragon explains that metabolic slowdown is a combination of behavioral and physiological adjustments rather than permanent damage. A dieting individual's daily energy expenditure typically drops by 300 to 600 calories, primarily caused by an unconscious 200- to 300-calorie reduction in Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) such as fidgeting and pacing, alongside a 50- to 100-calorie drop from sympathetic and thyroid shifts. Conversely, 'hard gainers' overfed by 1,000 calories spontaneously burn an average of 336 extra calories per day through heightened NEAT, with individual outliers burning up to 700 calories. To manage plateaus—defined as four to eight weeks without body composition changes despite compliance—Aragon stresses preserving lean mass to prevent 'collateral fattening,' where lost muscle mass triggers severe compensatory hunger that leads to disproportionate fat regain. He advises capping weekly weight loss at 0.5% to 1.0% of total body weight. Additionally, dieters should implement week-long 'non-YOLO maintenance' diet breaks every 4 to 8 weeks, or every 5 to 10 pounds lost, to relieve physiological fatigue and reinforce long-term adherence habits. Deconstructing Fasting, Ketogenic Diets, and Sugar Vilification Aragon cautions against relying on extreme dietary models for fat loss. While intermittent fasting effectively restricts caloric intake, he disputes claims that fasting is uniquely required for autophagy. He explains that cellular cleanup is fundamentally driven by overall energy deficits and exercise—both resistance and endurance training—without the muscle-wasting risks of extended multi-day fasts, which can escalate into destructive autolysis. Similarly, while ketogenic diets cause rapid initial weight loss by removing processed carbohydrate-fat combinations, long-term trials show carb intake routinely creeps from 50 grams up to roughly 150 grams within 6 to 12 months. Moreover, high-carbohydrate diets retain an advantage in muscle hypertrophy because storing 1 gram of muscle glycogen binds approximately 3 grams of intramuscular water, enhancing muscle volume. Aragon also pushes back against the blanket demonization of sugar, distinguishing intrinsic sugars in whole fruits from refined added sugars. Whole fruit provides water, fiber, and micronutrients, and high-glycemic-index fruits like watermelon carry a very low glycemic load per actual serving. For refined added sugars, which dilute micronutrient density and drive overconsumption when engineered into hyperpalatable foods, Aragon recommends a realistic target of no more than 10% of total daily calories, set within a discretionary margin of 10% to 20%. Creatine Efficacy and Targeted Endocrine Strategies (53:22) In evaluating sports supplements, Aragon labels creatine monohydrate as 'King Creatine,' calling it the single non-pharmacological supplement with broad scientific support for enhancing resistance training. Head-to-head clinical trials demonstrate an approximate 20% increase in lifting capacity among creatine users compared to 12% in control groups, with initial weight gain reflecting intracellular muscle hydration rather than subcutaneous fluid retention. Effective dosing protocols include either a loading phase of 20 to 25 grams daily for 5 to 7 days or a steady maintenance dose of 3 to 5 grams daily, reaching muscle saturation in roughly 30 days. For female endocrine health, Aragon contextualizes metabolic changes during menopause and PCOS. Across the entire menopausal transition, average physiological changes amount to an increase of 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) of fat and a loss of 0.2 kg (0.5 lbs) of muscle—modest shifts that can be managed by lowering weight-loss expectations to 0.5 lbs per week and focusing on resistance training. Aragon cautions against social media influencers universally recommending hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at age 40, stressing it must be symptom-driven and determined with a physician. For PCOS, which shares insulin-resistance characteristics with Type 2 diabetes, he highlights body fat reduction as the primary priority, followed by a carbohydrate threshold of approximately 130 grams per day to stabilize glycemic control. Aragon concludes that long-term body recomposition relies on consistent dietary adherence, adequate daily protein, and regular resistance training rather than chasing restrictive nutritional trends. While biological adaptations like NEAT fluctuations, age-related hormone transitions, and metabolic slowdown present challenges, they remain manageable when expectations are realistic and the goal of physical health is elevated above competing daily distractions.

营养学研究员与教练艾伦·阿拉贡（Alan Aragon）指出，长期的体成分优化核心在于每日热量平衡与总蛋白质摄入量，而非进食频率或精细的时钟化进餐时机；同时，对抗脂肪流失停滞、更年期代谢波动以及维持减重成果，关键在于保护瘦体重、合理安排饮食中断并建立可持续的长期生活习惯。 蛋白质摄入原则与常见认知误区 (5:15) 阿拉贡认为许多人在蛋白质补充上本末倒置。每日总摄入量是决定肌肉增长与维持的核心“蛋糕”，而全天分配仅是微薄的“糖霜”，运动前后的具体时间窗口更只是细微的点缀。研究表明，在每日总摄入量达到每公斤体重约2.2克（1克/磅）的前提下，每日进食3次与5次在力量和肌肉生长上无显著差异，普通健身人群无需效仿健美运动员每2.5小时进餐一次的高频模式。针对希望减脂增肌的个体，阿拉贡建议的蛋白质基准为目标体重的1.6至2.2克/公斤；即使在超高蛋白干预试验（3.3至4.4克/公斤）中，多余热量因蛋白质的高食物热效应及对碳水和脂肪的自发替代，也极少转化为体脂。 在健康安全性与来源方面，长期试验表明高蛋白摄入对无既往肾脏疾病的健康人群的肾脏、肝脏或骨骼健康几乎零风险。在蛋白质品质上，尽管动物蛋白在单次刺激肌肉蛋白合成上略胜一筹，但只要每日总摄入量达到或超过1.6克/公斤，纯素食与杂食人群的增肌效果完全等同；此外，真菌蛋白（mycoprotein）表现优异，甚至在刺激合成方面超越了牛奶蛋白。 代谢适应机制与减重平台期应对 (25:33) 关于节食导致“新陈代谢受损”的说法，阿拉贡从生理学角度进行了纠正。机体在处于热量缺口时出现的代谢下降，主要由两部分构成：一是潜意识中的非运动性活动产热（NEAT）行为性下降（约减少200至300千卡），表现为日常身体微动、走动减少；二是交感神经和甲状腺系统生理调节带来的代谢降速（约50至100千卡）。加上严重减重带来的静息消耗降低，总消耗可能减少300至600千卡，但这属于机体维持生存稳态的自然适应，而非系统损坏。减重过程呈“加速、放缓、停滞”的阶梯式进程，真正的平台期表现为在高度依从饮食的情况下体重连续4至8周完全不变，此时机体达到了新的能量平衡。 成功维持减重成果的前提是避免“附带增肥”（collateral fattening）现象。若减重过程中流失了大量作为代谢引擎的肌肉组织，身体因感知能量危机而大幅提升食欲，驱使人快速反弹并囤积纯脂肪。因此，减重速率应严格控制在每周占总体重0.5%至1.0%的范围内，并配合阻力训练与充足蛋白。阿拉贡主张每减掉5至10磅（约2.3至4.5公斤）或连续节食4至8周，就执行为期一周的“非放纵性维持期”（diet break），通过放松严苛限制来缓解身心疲劳并巩固新体重。 断食、生酮饮食与糖分认知的再审视 (71:26) 针对风靡的断食疗法与自噬（autophagy）概念，阿拉贡肯定了间歇性禁食在控制热量上的实用性，但坚决反驳将其营销为神级自噬工具的言论。细胞自噬主要由整体能量亏缺触发，无论采用传统持续性缺口还是限时进食，只要每周热量缺口相同，自噬程度并无差异。更重要的是，阻力训练和有氧运动是更强效、更安全的自噬触发途径，过度追求禁食导致的极端自噬反而可能引发自溶（autolysis）及肌肉流失。同时，生酮饮食之所以初期效果显著，主因在于排除了高加工碳水混合物并自发提升了蛋白质摄入；但长期依从性极差，受试者在6至12个月时碳水摄入常反弹至150克/天。此外，每克糖原伴随结合约3克水分子，充足碳水化合物在肌肥大与维持肌肉饱满度上显著优于生酮饮食。 在糖分与甜味剂争议上，公众往往忽视了天然完整食物中的内在糖（如水果果糖）与加工食品中添加糖的根本差异。新鲜水果不仅不会导致发胖或血糖受损，其高纤维、高微量元素及低能量密度反而能改善心血管代谢；高升糖指数（GI）的西瓜或菠萝，因含水量高，单份实际升糖负荷（GL）极低。关于添加糖，阿拉贡建议将其限制在每日总热量的10%以内（低于美国国家医学院建议的25%上限，但比世卫组织的5%更具实操性）。对人工甜味剂的致癌恐慌多源自啮齿动物的极端过量实验，除糖精（saccharin）显示可能损害血糖控制外，三氯蔗糖、阿斯巴甜和甜菊糖在常规摄入下均是安全的。 特殊健康状态干预与核心补剂循证 (37:32) 阿拉贡针对更年期与多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）提出了针对性见解。临床数据显示，女性在整个绝经期过渡阶段平均仅增重1.6公斤脂肪并流失0.2公斤肌肉，公众认知中夸大的体重大幅增加更多源自睡眠变差、关节酸痛和多重中年生活压力对生活方式的干扰；对于激素替代疗法（HRT），应依据个体症状与医生共同决定，而非40岁即盲目采用。PCOS因其胰岛素抵抗特征与2型糖尿病高度重合，首要干预原则是降低总体脂（特别是内脏脂肪），其次是将碳水化合物适度控制在约130克/天的统计阈值内，以改善血糖控制并恢复月经规律。 在运动营养补剂领域，阿拉贡将一水肌酸誉为“肌酸之王”，指出其是唯一拥有数千项临床试验支持且效果强劲的非药物补剂。在8至12周训练中，肌酸组力量提升约20%，显著高于对照组的12%；其初期体重增长来自于肌细胞内水合，且额外具备认知保护、关节支持和血糖调控效益。日常补充可选择每日20至25克连续5至7天的冲击期，或直接每日3至5克维持期（约30天达到饱和）。针对自称吃不胖的“难增肌者”（hard gainers），阿拉贡指出其本质为摄入增多后潜意识NEAT剧增（研究中可自发多消耗300至700千卡），最切实的解决方案是通过每日两顿高热量蛋白质奶昔进行液体能量补充。 总体而言，阿拉贡倡导以弹性饮食与坚实生理学为基石的健康观，主张摒弃黑白二元化的极端饮食法。不过，尽管其科学原则普适，个体在实际减重与增肌过程中仍受情绪压力、行为依从性以及长期优先级排列的深刻影响；如何在漫长生活中将身体管理置于核心优先级并克服潜意识代谢调节，仍是留给每位实践者的现实考验。

## Background 该内容由知名访谈播客《The Diary Of A CEO》（主持人史蒂文·巴特利特 Steven Bartlett）于 2025 年 8 月 25 日发布在 YouTube 平台。节目特邀在运动营养学界深耕三十余年的顶尖学者兼《灵活饮食》作者艾伦·阿拉贡（Alan Aragon），系统解答大众关于减脂与健康的诸多困惑。视频简介指出，本期节目旨在破除流行健身谎言，基于严肃循证科学深入解析腹部脂肪真相、多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）与更年期的体脂干预、蛋白质合理摄入上限以及肌酸的真实效用。 ## TL;DR 艾伦·阿拉贡系统拆解了体成分管理的底层科学，指出每日蛋白质摄入总量（建议目标体重每公斤 1.6 至 2.2 克）是增肌与减脂保留肌肉的绝对核心，其重要性远胜于餐次分配或进食时机。他澄清了局部减肚子的迷思，阐明节食期间所谓“代谢受损”主要是由于非运动性活动产热（NEAT）无意识骤降所致，并推崇将减重平台期转化为“维持练习”的饮食中断策略。对谈还辨析了生酮、纯肉饮食及断食在长期依从性上的局限，强调全果内源糖无需恐慌，且肌酸在肌肉爆发力与大脑认知层面均具备扎实效益。此外，阿拉贡罕见剖白了自己曾在四十岁出头因多重压力深陷重度酗酒、最终在生活跌入谷底后依靠铁血自律彻底戒酒七年的过往，强调实现身材蜕变的关键在于将健康管理上升为人生的首要优先级。 ## Atmosphere & style 整场对话在严密求实的循证科学与通俗生动的日常隐喻间切换自如，演播室中摆放的 10 磅真实黄油模型为减脂讨论增添了极具冲击力的视觉感知。史蒂文的追问敏锐且接地气，直击大众面对网红饮食法的困惑与焦虑；阿拉贡则以从容幽默、毫不教条的学者风范逐一打破伪科学，展现出极高的人格魅力。当话题从冷峻的生理代谢转向阿拉贡中年严重酗酒、经历生活内爆并彻底重塑自我的至暗岁月时，演播室氛围由热烈探究转为深沉动容，让整场播客兼具扎实的学术硬度与直击人心的生命温度。 ## Bulletin - [05:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=315s) 艾伦·阿拉贡指出蛋白质摄入的底层逻辑是全天总量达标（建议目标体重每公斤 1.6-2.2 克），餐次频率与进食时机对普通大众的肌肉与体脂影响微乎其微。 - [32:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1933s) 不存在局部减腹部脂肪的方法，且绝经期导致体脂暴增的说法被大型 SWAN 研究证伪（平均仅增加 1.6 公斤体脂），生活方式管理才是关键。 - [25:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1533s) 节食造成的能量消耗下降，主因并非脏器代谢崩溃，而是非运动性日常活动产热（NEAT）无意识减少了 200 至 300 大卡。 - [01:02:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3726s) 生酮与极端断食并非减脂灵丹妙药；科学减重应控制在每周 0.5% 至 1.0% 体重并配合抗阻训练，通过阶段性饮食中断（Diet Breaks）预防伴随性脂肪增生与暴食反弹。 ## Key takeaways - [05:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=315s) 蛋白质摄入优先级以每日摄入总量为核心基石，进餐频次与围绕训练的补充窗口仅占极次要影响。 - [11:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=704s) 减脂与增肌人群推荐蛋白质摄入量为目标体重每公斤 1.6 至 2.2 克，超高蛋白饮食能借助饱腹感与高食物热效应辅助减脂且不伤健康肾脏。 - [17:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1043s) 只要全天总蛋白达到 1.6 g/kg/天以上且氨基酸谱完整，植物蛋白与动物蛋白在肌肥大与力量增长上无统计学差异。 - [23:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1435s) 停用 GLP-1 受体激动剂类减肥药后体重迅速反弹，主因是停药后食欲补偿反扑且用药期间未建立可持续的饮食与运动行为防线。 - [25:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1533s) 代谢适应的本质主要来自非运动性活动产热（NEAT）的暴跌（每日约少消耗 200-300 kcal），身体自发性减少小动作才是热量缺口失效的幕后元凶。 - [32:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1933s) 腹部脂肪无法局部定向消除，减少以陆生动物肥肉为代表的饱和脂肪并替换为单不饱和与多不饱和脂肪，有助于改善内脏脂肪分布。 - [36:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2167s) 权威 SWAN 研究显示更年期过渡期女性平均体脂仅增加 1.6 公斤，并非不可逆的发胖宿命，调整每周减重预期至 0.5 磅并结合抗阻训练即可有效应对。 - [38:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2289s) 激素替代疗法（HRT）与睾酮干预应以临床身心症状和 6 至 12 个月的长期趋势为导向，而非单凭一次纸面血液指标决定终身用药。 - [45:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2712s) 过度训练与能量亏缺会导致女性下丘脑性闭经并诱发女运动员三联征，最终导致骨量不可逆流失，出现月经紊乱时切忌继续限制热量。 - [46:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2791s) 肌肉记忆具有扎实的生理学支撑：既往抗阻训练所增加的肌核可在肌纤维内长期保留，停训后重新训练能迅速恢复合成潜能。 - [53:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3202s) 肌酸通过促进肌细胞内部水合作用显著提升力量与肌肉围度，并被前沿研究证实能改善大脑生物能量代谢与认知记忆。 - [58:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3515s) 减重平台期是身体维持生存稳态的自然反应，将减重上限控制在每周 0.5%-1.0% 体重并安排饮食中断（Diet Breaks），能预防伴随性脂肪增生与严重复胖。 - [01:11:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4286s) 细胞自噬本质上是分解代谢过程，任何热量缺口和运动均可高效触发，不必依赖极端水断食，盲目绝食反而会导致骨骼肌流失。 - [01:21:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4860s) 生酮饮食初期减重显著主要得益于剔除超加工食品与增加蛋白饱腹感，但极度限碳导致长期依从性极差，且高饱和脂肪模式存在心血管健康隐患。 - [01:50:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6616s) 人工甜味剂在人体常规摄入水平下高度安全，动物致癌实验剂量脱离人类生理现实，无需产生代糖恐慌。 - [01:53:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6782s) 天然新鲜水果富含纤维、微量元素与水分，升糖负荷（GL）普遍较低，能改善代谢健康，将其等同于工业精制添加糖是严重的认知误区。 - [01:59:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7181s) 复合多关节动作建议预留 1 至 2 次余力（1-2 RIR）以保证动作质量和安全，单关节孤立动作则可大胆推至力竭以最大化增肌效率。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=0s) 常见健身减脂疑问与全期精彩预告 节目开场抛出了观众征集而来的15个关于减脂与增肌的核心谜题。史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）与运动营养领域泰斗级专家艾伦·阿拉贡（Alan Aragon）进行了快速快答式预热：针对“肌酸是否是人人都该服用的灵丹妙药”，艾伦直言“肌酸几乎无所不能（There's almost nothing creatine can't do）”；关于摄入过量蛋白质是否有危害，艾伦指出这种情况极其罕见，现实中绝大多数受体脂过高困扰的人反而长期处于蛋白质摄入不足的状态；而谈到患有多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）女性的饮食处方时，艾伦充满热情地表示大众在此领域充斥着严重误解，迫切需要科学澄清。 随后预告展示了本次对话的深度与广度。作为拥有超30年顶尖运动员指导经验的学者，艾伦将用循证医学证据为听众拆解减脂、增肌、补剂与训练的底层逻辑： - 增肌所需的蛋白质摄入目标与目标体重计算法； - 弹性饮食的核心原则：饮食中哪怕有 10% 到 20% 的热量来自纯粹享乐的食物（比如麦当劳），只要科学规划依然能成功减脂； - 饮食间歇期（Diet Breaks）在维持长期依从性中的决定性作用； - 针对生酮饮食、绝经期脂肪囤积、断食疗法及糖类真相的辨析； - 艾伦罕见袒露个人极其灰暗的过往——曾因长期过度工作、拼命想当好父亲与好丈夫而深陷重度酗酒泥潭，最终毅然戒酒的人生转折。 --- ### [02:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=148s) 艾伦·阿拉贡的30年资历与高光执教履历 面对史蒂文“大众凭什么听你建议”的质问，艾伦系统梳理了自己横跨三秩的职业轨迹。他的生涯被工整划分为三大阶段： - **前10年（私人健身教练）**：扎根一线指导动作与体能训练； - **中10年（临床营养咨询师）**：深入一线个体，指导普通大众与专业运动员如何吃饭、吃什么； - **后13年至今（科研与学术教育）**：投身严肃科学研究与同行评审，作为作者或共同作者发表了30多篇高质量学术论文，包括叙述性综述（narrative reviews）、系统性综述与荟萃分析（systematic reviews and meta-analyses）以及严苛的随机对照试验（RCTs）。 在从业过程中，艾伦直接指导过的独立个体达数百人，经由各类群体项目指导的学员超数千人。其客户名单中不乏体坛传奇与殿堂级名人： - **“冷石”史蒂夫·奥斯汀（Stone Cold Steve Austin）**：WWE传奇摔角巨星。奥斯汀亲自发邮件主动联络艾伦，表示做足功课后认定“你就是我要找的人”，哪怕艾伦当时已不再公开接个案，奥斯汀仍恳请破例为他重新出山，艾伦最终协助其精准制定饮食并完成减脂，成功复出电视荧屏； - **德里克·费舍尔（Derek Fisher）**：前洛杉矶湖人队传奇后卫、五届NBA总冠军得主； - **皮特·桑普拉斯（Pete Sampras）**：前男子网球单打世界第一、多座大满贯得主。 艾伦总结道，无数人向他发来私信求助，剥离所有表象，最核心的诉求其实始终如一：改善身体成分（Body Composition）——也就是如何在减少脂肪的同时增加或保留肌肉。 --- ### [05:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=315s) 蛋白质神话破除：核心优先级金字塔 大众在蛋白质摄入认知上最大的误区，在于把重要性层级（Hierarchy of Importance）彻底搞颠倒了。太多人纠结于每餐必须精确吃多少克蛋白质、纠结训练前后到底隔几分钟吃、或者纠结起床与睡前必须何时摄入。艾伦强调，只要把全天蛋白质摄入总量（Daily Total Protein）达标，整场战役就赢了绝大部分。 为了让听众清晰理解，艾伦打了一个生动的比喻：“每日蛋白质总量是蛋糕本体；全天分几次吃只是蛋糕上的薄薄一层糖霜，且这层糖霜非常之薄；而具体的进食时间窗口甚至更次要。”只要总摄入量达标，不管是习惯少食多餐的“细嚼慢咽者（grazers）”，还是习惯大快朵颐的“暴食集中者（gorgers）”，在长期健康与形体目标上基本没有优劣之分，关键在于哪种方式对个人最舒适、最便利、最利于长期执行。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 蛋白质摄入优先级金字塔 accDescr: 展示蛋白质摄入重要性从高到低的三个层级，底层总量最关键，顶层时间窗口最次要。 subgraph Hierarchy ["蛋白质摄入层级架构"] A["核心底层：全天蛋白质摄入总量 (蛋糕本体)"] B["次级层层：全天蛋白质的餐次分布 (蛋糕糖霜)"] C["微弱末层：围绕训练窗口的精确进食时机 (细微点缀)"] end A --> B B --> C ``` --- ### [07:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=444s) 科学证据：一天三餐对决一天五餐 针对“摄入时间与分配是否真正重要”，艾伦梳理了运动营养学界的研究演进： 1. **安田（Yasuda）等人的早期研究**：对比了每天摄入三餐与两餐对肌肉生长的影响，结果显示三餐组更优。但该实验存在明显的方法学局限——其设定的每日蛋白质总量仅为每公斤体重 1.3 克（1.3 g/kg/day）。现存大量文献表明，针对力量训练与抗阻训练人群，1.3 克属于次优水平；想要最大化肌肉体积和力量适应，摄入阈值至少应达到 1.6 g/kg/day（相当于 0.7 g/lb）。在总量不足的前提下去谈餐次分配，结论难免失真。 2. **最新高质量随机对照试验**：最新发表的严谨研究对力量训练者进行了为期对比。两组均进行渐进性抗阻训练（progressive resistance training），且全天蛋白质总量均补充至充沛水平（约 2.2 g/kg，即 1.0 g/lb）： - 一组将全天蛋白质分在 **3 次进餐**中摄入； - 另一组将全天蛋白质分在 **5 次进餐**中摄入。 - **核心结论**：在全天总蛋白质充裕的前提下，两组在肌肉维度增长（muscle size）和力量增长（strength gain）上**没有任何显著统计学差异**。 这直接打破了传统健美圈“每天必须吃5到6顿甚至更多才能增肌”的教条。当史蒂文追问为什么绝大多数职业健美运动员依然坚持每日五餐、六餐甚至在非赛季吃到七八餐时，艾伦给出了严密的科学解释：评估任何营养策略都必须明确三大前提：面对的**目标人群（Population）**是谁、追求的**具体目标（Goal）**是什么、以及这项运动的**竞技级别与利害关系（What level / What's at stake）**为何。对于职业健美顶峰的选手而言，微弱细节都关乎冠军归属，且其摄入的总热量与总蛋白体量庞大，机械性分散到多次餐食是生理消化与进食舒适度的必然选择，但这一操作模式不应被盲目套用至普通大众或常规健身爱好者身上。 ### [10:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=633s) 健美选手的少食多餐神话与普通大众的误区 职业健美界推崇的“少食多餐”法则在大众健身圈流传已久，但艾伦·阿拉贡（Alan Aragon）指出，这一标准的形成存在极其特殊的背景。那些使用药物辅助（Enhanced）的顶尖职业选手，其肌肉生长的上限和速率远超自然健身者，身体能够高效消化、合成和利用的食物量极其惊人，他们每日摄入的热量和营养往往是普通人的两倍。在那种极端生理状态下，每天安排 5 到 6 餐是极其自然且必要的手段。 令人遗憾的是，这种原本只适用于极少数顶尖竞技圈层的饮食模式，逐渐“下沉渗透”到了普通大众心目中，导致无数上班族和健身爱好者盲目坚信“每隔 2.5 小时就必须吃一顿”。阿拉贡强调，对于普通大众、业余健身者乃至日常运动爱好者而言，只要一整天的总蛋白质摄入达标，蛋白质在每餐之间的具体分配方式所产生的生理差异“微乎其微”（inconsequential）。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 蛋白质分配对不同人群的影响差异 accDescr: 对比药物辅助的精英健美选手与普通健身者在进餐频率上的本质差异 subgraph Elite["药物辅助 / 精英健美选手"] A["极高的肌肉合成上限与食物摄入量"] --> B["每天 5-6 餐（每 2.5-3 小时一次）"] B --> C["高频微合成事件拉满极限收益"] end subgraph General["普通健身者与业余爱好者"] D["常规肌肉合成生理窗口"] --> E["每日总蛋白质摄入达标（核心）"] E --> F["进餐分配为次要因素（2-4 餐即可）"] end ``` ### [11:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=704s) 增肌减脂的蛋白质计算法则与超高蛋白摄入 当史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）问及自己该吃多少蛋白质时，阿拉贡根据他的训练背景进行了针对性拆解：史蒂文处于中级到高级训练水平，目标是“减脂同时增肌”，体重约 90 公斤。阿拉贡给出的基准摄入法則是**目标体重每公斤摄入 1.6 至 2.2 克蛋白质**。鉴于史蒂文目前身材已经偏瘦且希望进一步剥离脂肪，阿拉贡建议他往区间的上限（2.2 克/公斤）靠拢。 高蛋白饮食之所以有助于深度减脂，已有扎实的临床研究支持。研究学者乔伊·安东尼奥（Joey Antonio）及其团队曾开展过一系列针对抗阻训练人群的自由生活状态试验（涵盖四项随机对照试验与一项个案研究），受试者被要求在原有饮食基础上将蛋白质摄入量额外增加 50%（直接叠加 80 至 100 克蛋白质），达到惊人的每公斤体重 3.3 到 4.4 克（相当于每磅体重 1.5 到 2.0 克）。结果显示，在热量理论上超标的情况下，受试者并没有堆积脂肪，反而降低了体脂。这一现象不仅得益于蛋白质极高的饱腹感在无形中挤占了精制碳水和脂肪的摄入空间，也归功于蛋白质高昂的食物热效应（TEF）。 - **目标蛋白质计算范例（以 90 公斤为例）**： - **进阶高标（上限 2.2 g/kg）**：$90 \times 2.2 = 198$ 克/天（史蒂文惊呼这相当于每天喝 10 勺 20 克的蛋白粉）。 - **实操起点（下限 1.6 g/kg）**：$90 \times 1.6 = 144$ 克/天。如果近 200 克的目标让人望而生畏，完全可以从 1.6 克/公斤起步逐步递增。 - **女性群体的调整原则**：女性通常建议从推荐范围的下限（1.6 克/公斤目标体重）开始尝试。原因在于女性生理上天生体脂比例偏高、去脂体重（瘦体重）占比相对较低，因此维持和合成肌肉所需的绝对蛋白质量往往更低。 ### [16:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=986s) 蛋白质过量对肾脏有害吗？ 对于民间广为流传的“多吃蛋白质会伤肾、伤肝、损骨骼”的恐慌，阿拉贡给出了非常明确的科学澄清：在健康的普通人群中，摄入高蛋白带来器质性损伤的概率微乎其微。人体进化至今，完全具备高效代谢和处理高蛋白质摄入的生理机制。多项长期人体临床试验证明，高蛋白饮食对健康个体的肾小球滤过率、肝功能指标以及骨密度没有任何实质性威胁。 唯一需要谨慎对待的人群是原本就患有慢性肾脏病（CKD）的患者，高蛋白负荷可能会加重受损肾单位的代偿压力。但阿拉贡同时指出，即使是慢性肾病患者，盲目长期采用极低蛋白饮食也面临着严重的权衡代价——尤其是随着年龄增长，肌肉减少症（Sarcopenia）的加剧将严重威胁患者的长期生存质量和代谢健康，临床上必须审慎权衡这两种风险。 ### [17:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1043s) 动物蛋白与植物蛋白的增肌效能对决 针对蛋白质来源的选择，阿拉贡指出动物蛋白与植物蛋白确实存在生物学上的差异。一般而言，同等克数下动物蛋白的合成代谢刺激能力（Anabolic Potential）更强，能更有效地激活肌纤维层面的肌蛋白合成反应（MPS）。在这项法则中目前已知的罕见例外是**真菌蛋白（Mycoprotein）**，在近期的临床对照研究中，这种由真菌发酵制得的蛋白质在刺激肌蛋白合成方面的表现甚至略优于牛奶蛋白。 然而，一旦总蛋白摄入达到饱和临界点，动植物蛋白的差距便不复存在。阿拉贡列举了两项严格控制的临床干预研究：一组严格遵循纯素饮食（Vegan），另一组为杂食饮食（Omnivore），双方均进行为期 12 周的渐进负荷抗阻训练，并将每日总蛋白精确控制在每公斤体重 1.6 克（约每磅 0.7 克）。实验结束后的肌肉活检和力量测量表明：两组受试者在**肌肉围度增长与极限力量提升**上没有任何统计学差异。只要总摄入量充足且氨基酸谱完整，植物蛋白完全可以达到与肉蛋奶同等的增肌效果。 | 评估维度 | 动物蛋白 (Animal Protein) | 植物蛋白 (Plant Protein) | |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **单克合成代谢潜能** | 较高（必需氨基酸及亮氨酸比例普遍更优） | 普遍稍低（真菌蛋白等少数例外除外） | | **肌蛋白合成（MPS）刺激** | 起效阈值低，吸收利用率高 | 需摄入稍大剂量以提供同等量亮氨酸 | | **总摄入达标后（$\ge$1.6 g/kg/天）** | 增肌与力量提升无统计学差异 | 增肌与力量提升无统计学差异 | ### [19:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1161s) 一天吃一顿大餐能代替多餐吗？日常蛋白质实操 史蒂文抛出一个假设：如果为了省事，把全天所需的全部蛋白质集中在单次进餐中（例如一口气喝下放了 5 勺蛋白粉的巨型奶昔），是否会阻碍增肌效果？ 阿拉贡用竞技体育的标尺对这一问题作出了清晰区分。如果咨询者是志在冲击全国健美锦标赛（如 NPC Nationals 古典健美或形体组别）的竞技选手，答案是坚决不能这么做。竞技选手的核心策略是在一天中尽可能创造更多的“微合成代谢事件”（Micro-anabolic events），在 24 小时内让肌蛋白合成机制被强力触发 3 到 4 次。与全天只有单次峰值的饮食相比，多次充分刺激肌蛋白合成所累积的肌肉增量，在严苛的脱脂备赛末期，往往就是决定能否站上领奖台的关键毫厘之差。 ```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: 一日单餐高蛋白与一日分餐肌蛋白合成对比 accDescr: 展示竞技视角下肌蛋白合成峰值频次的差异 subgraph Single["极端单餐模式（5 勺蛋白粉）"] S1["单次摄入 150g+ 蛋白质"] --> S2["触发 1 次肌蛋白合成（MPS）极限峰值"] S2 --> S3["全天大部分时间处于基础/分解状态"] end subgraph Split["全天 3-4 餐分布模式"] M1["每餐 40-50g 蛋白质"] --> M2["全天触发 3-4 次微合成代谢事件"] M2 --> M3["多次峰值覆盖，最大化长期肌纤维合成"] end ``` 谈及现实生活中的执行方案，阿拉贡分享了自己的个人日常饮食法则： - **阿拉贡的每日蛋白质配额**：每天稳定保持在至少 160 克以上。 - **餐次结构**：将蛋白质均匀分布在 4 个进餐时段，确保每餐至少摄入 40 克蛋白质。 - **高效执行手段**：其中 2 餐为常规的天然全食物（Whole Foods），另外 2 餐（有时 3 餐）则通过便携的蛋白奶昔完成。每次在摇摇杯中加入两勺蛋白粉，便能轻而易举提供近 50 克纯蛋白质，短短几分钟就能搞定半数以上的每日目标，既无心理负担又极易长期坚持。 ### [22:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1320s) 快速减重的真相：蛋白质保留型禁食与热量缺口 主持人抛出了大众最为关切的急迫问题：“我该如何快速减重？”他打趣道，比如下周就要参加婚礼，必须立刻瘦下来。艾伦·阿拉贡（Alan Aragon）明确表示，从专业角度他并不推崇这种极端的“崩溃式节食”（crash dieting），但在学术和实践中，它通常被称为“蛋白质保留型改良禁食”（Protein-Sparing Modified Fast, PSMF）。 如果出于特殊原因必须短期极端减重，核心逻辑是执行极其激进的卡路里缺口：将摄入量压低到日常维持热量（maintenance needs）的20%至40%以下。以一个每日维持热量为2000大卡的普通人为例，意味着直接削减约三分之一甚至更多，制造出500到1000大卡的热量缺口。 在这种激进减重期，操作的关键在于： - **摄入极高比例的蛋白质**：优先满足蛋白质需求，以最大程度地保留瘦体重（肌肉组织）。 - **自然压缩碳水和脂肪**：高蛋白的结构在总热量受限的情况下，会自动迫使碳水化合物和脂肪摄入降至极低水平。 - **维持常规力量训练**：保持力量训练但切忌盲目上量导致受伤。阿拉贡坦言，在极度热量缺口下，流失一部分力量几乎是不可避免的，这绝非减脂的最优策略，而是一种为了极端目标做出的战术性妥协。 --- ### [23:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1435s) 停用 Ozempic / Wegovy 等 GLP-1 药物后的体重反弹机制 主持人接着提出了第二个热门疑问：为什么许多人在停用 Ozempic 或 Wegovy 这类减肥药后，体重会迅速反弹？ 阿拉贡从药理机制和行为习惯两个层面剖析了这一现象。GLP-1 受体激动剂（GLP-1 RAs）至少通过三种生理通路协同作用，几乎彻底压制甚至消除了人体的饥饿感与食欲冲动。然而，一旦停药，正常的食欲调控机制就会强势反弹。绝大多数依赖药物的使用者在用药期间并未建立科学的饮食结构，也没有培养出抗衡过度进食的行为习惯与生活技能。当汹涌的饥饿感重新袭来时，他们根本无力招架。 对此，阿拉贡提出了更长期的解决方案： - **逐步减量（Weaning Off）而非断崖式停药**：不建议突然完全停用，而应采用平稳过渡的戒断流程。 - **建立行为防线**：在逐步减药的过程中，强化对抗暴饮暴食的心理与生活对策，固化力量训练和优质饮食的习惯。 - **学会与饥饿感共处**：有意识地训练自己在正餐之间耐受并适应生理性饥饿，将这种感知与应对融入日常。他强调，摆脱对减肥药的依赖并长期维持体型并非不可能，关键在于是否在这段窗口期内重塑了生活方式。 --- ### [25:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1533s) 节食是否会摧毁新陈代谢？代谢适应的本质与组成剖析 针对“节食是否会造成代谢受损（Damaged Metabolism）以及适应性产热（Adaptive Thermogenesis）”的疑问，阿拉贡指出，“代谢受损”并非严谨的科学定义，真实的生理现象是**代谢适应（Metabolic Adaptation）**，且它在能量过剩与能量匮乏双向都会发生。 当人体摄入过量卡路里时，非运动性日常活动产热（NEAT）会自发上升。研究显示，每天额外摄入1000大卡，NEAT平均可能增加约336大卡；在多数过量摄入研究中，NEAT的平均增幅约为200至300大卡。人会不自觉地增加抖腿、多动和身体晃动等微动作，身体通过这种方式消耗多余热量。 反之，在长期热量亏缺（节食）状态下，代谢变化呈现完全对称的镜像收缩。许多人抱怨“计算热量赤字根本没用”，根本原因在于当身体处于热量赤字时，下意识的活动量锐减，从而抵消了人为计算出的能量缺口。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 节食状态下能量消耗下降的构成要素 accDescr: 展示节食期间非运动性活动产热减少、适应性降热及潜在甲状腺功能下降对每日能量消耗的复合叠加影响。 subgraph 行为与无意识活动层 ["行为层面（占比最大，可控性较高）"] NEAT["非运动性活动产热 (NEAT) 骤降<br>（减少下意识抖腿、走动变慢、久坐增加）<br><b>↓ 200 - 300 kcal/天</b>"] end subgraph 生理与神经代谢层 ["生理代谢层面（占比相对较小）"] ATR["适应性降热 (Adaptive Thermoreduction)<br>（交感神经系统下调及代谢抑制）<br><b>↓ 50 - 100 kcal/天</b>"] THYROID["潜在病理因素（如临床确诊甲减）<br>（静息代谢率 RMR 下降 7% - 10%）<br><b>↓ 100 - 200 kcal/天</b>"] end subgraph 综合影响 ["最终能量缺口阻力"] TOTAL["每日总能量消耗缩水<br><b>累计可达 300 - 600 kcal/天</b>"] end NEAT --> TOTAL ATR --> TOTAL THYROID -. 叠加.-> TOTAL ``` 阿拉贡特别对专业术语进行了严谨澄清： - **适应性产热（Adaptive Thermogenesis）**：严格定义上通常指身体在寒冷环境下，通过战栗或非战栗方式增加产热、提升能量消耗的生理过程。 - **适应性降热（Adaptive Thermoreduction）**：节食场景下的真实生理反应，它源自交感神经系统活动的调低，有时伴随甲状腺激素分泌的变化。这部分纯生理层面的静息代谢下调大约仅为50至100大卡。 - **NEAT的大幅滑坡才是主因**：节食过程中最核心的消耗流失是非运动性活动（NEAT）的锐减（约200至300大卡）。两者相加，节食末期人体每日少消耗的热量可轻松达到300至400大卡；如果个体本身患有临床甲状腺功能减退症（静息代谢率可能额外低7%至10%，即少消耗100至200大卡），总消耗差额最高可达500至600大卡。 阿拉贡拿健美与健体选手举例生动说明了这一点：在备赛减脂的末期，选手们除了规定的有氧、举铁和按时吃便当盒里的饭，其余时间几乎全瘫躺在沙发上一动不动。“他们不再用手指打拍子，不再摇头晃脑，走起路来毫无活力。”人们所谓的“新陈代谢慢了”，绝大部分不是脏器罢工，而是身体为了省能，无意识地削减了所有琐碎的日常动作。 --- ### [31:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1898s) 长期减重的最佳饮食法则与腹部脂肪的精准真相 面对生酮（Keto）、低脂（Low-fat）、地中海（Mediterranean）还是间歇性断食（Intermittent Fasting）哪种饮食法最适合长期减重的争论，阿拉贡用极其简练的一句话给出了终极标准： > “能够提供充足蛋白质、控制总卡路里，主要由健康天然食物组成，并且契合个人偏好与耐受度的饮食，就是最佳饮食。” 随后主持人追问了无数人关心的痛点：“如何单独减掉肚子上的顽固脂肪？可以局部瘦肚子吗？” 阿拉贡明确给出了否定回答：**不存在局部减腹部脂肪（Spot Reduction）的方法**。想减掉腹部脂肪，必须先减掉全身整体脂肪。 然而，若从内脏脂肪（Visceral Fat——包裹在腹腔器官周围的脂肪）的角度进一步深入，饮食构成的确会对脂肪分布产生差异化影响： - **饱和脂肪与内脏脂肪关联紧密**：膳食中过高比例的饱和脂肪酸更容易促进内脏脂肪的堆积，或延缓其分解。 - **主要食物来源与优化替代**：陆生陆栖动物脂肪（肥肉）富含饱和脂肪酸。如果在减脂期将带肥膘的肉块修剪剔除，转而替换为牛油果（鳄梨）、坚果、橄榄油以及各类种子等富含不饱和脂肪的优质油脂来源，能在降低腹部内脏脂肪堆积方面提供显著的生理助力。 ### [33:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2020s) 更年期的减脂真相与合理的预期调整 更年期过渡阶段（通常从40多岁持续至50多岁）伴随着显著的生理与激素波动。潮热、关节疼痛、性功能改变以及严重的睡眠障碍等症状交织在一起，给女性执行和坚持健身计划带来了极大阻力。这并非意味着身体彻底失去了改变的能力，而是生活方式的依从性受到了严重破坏。面对这一阶段，许多人误以为必须彻底重构训练方案或极限制止特定营养素，但 Alan Aragon 指出，最实用且有效的策略其实是“主动降低对减重速度的心理预期”。通常普通人减脂可以设定每周减轻 1 磅（约 0.45 公斤）的目标，而处于更年期转折阶段的女性，面对多重生理阻碍，将目标调整为每周约 0.5 磅（约 0.23 公斤）会更加稳妥可持续。 在蛋白质摄入方面，更年期女性并不需要脱离常规的科学法则，整体摄入框架依然分为清晰的两大梯度： - **大众常规人群**：目标较为普通的大众，每天摄入 1.2 至 1.6 克/公斤体重即可满足需求。 - **高阶进阶人群**：希望挑战极限、追求更佳体成分或高强度训练的人，建议摄入 1.6 至 2.2 克/公斤体重。 - **健美竞技选手**：处于最严苛体脂要求的健美竞技边缘群体，摄入量超过 2.2 克/公斤体重同样安全可行。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 更年期体成分管理策略 accDescr: 展示面对更年期生理与心理压力时的应对方案 subgraph Challenges ["更年期复合压力源"] A["生理与激素变动<br/>(潮热 / 关节痛 / 睡眠变差)"] B["中年生活重压<br/>(父母患病 / 子女升学 / 事业巅峰)"] end subgraph Strategy ["科学应对策略"] C["放缓减重预期<br/>(目标由1磅/周降至0.5磅/周)"] D["充足蛋白质摄入<br/>(1.2 - 2.2 g/kg 体重)"] E["维持抗阻训练与热量缺口"] end Challenges --> Strategy ``` ### [36:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2167s) 中年压力峰值与 SWAN 研究破解“更年期发胖宿命论” 除了激素变化，Alan Aragon 强调绝不能忽视中年期所承受的巨大心理压力。40多岁到50多岁的时期，往往是人一生中生活与心理压力的顶峰：上有年迈多病的父母需要照料，中有面临高中或大学升学的子女，职场上又处于责任与负荷最高的巅峰期。这些排山倒海的现实事务占据了巨大的时间和心力，往往让人无暇严格兼顾严苛的饮食和训练指令。 当下社交媒体上充斥着一种令人焦虑的“伪科学宿命论”，不少教练甚至部分医生公开宣称女性一到更年期就注定会疯狂囤积腹部脂肪、流失大量肌肉。Alan 严正驳斥了这一说法，并引用了迄今为止规模最大、随访时间最长且极具权威性的跨国女性健康研究——SWAN 研究（Study of Women's Health Across the Nation）。该数据显示，在整个更年期过渡期间： - **平均体脂增加量**：仅为 1.6 公斤（约 3.5 磅）。 - **平均肌肉流失量**：仅为 0.2 公斤（约 0.5 磅）。 虽然这些变化在统计学上是显著的，但数值本身微乎其微，绝对不是“不可克服的绝境”。即便存在少数个体的脂肪增加或肌肉流失达到平均水平的两倍，只要做好生活方式管理，这种生理波动完全可以通过合理的营养与力量训练来逆转。 ### [38:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2289s) 激素替代疗法（HRT）的衡量标准：症状优先与长期趋势 针对更年期及中年阶段是否应该使用激素替代疗法（HRT），Alan 表达了极其鲜明的审慎态度。他极其反感社交媒体评论区里那种一刀切的言论——“只要过了40岁，就该去做 HRT”。他强调药物干预必须严格遵循个体化原则，是患者与专业医生之间的私密医疗决策，绝不能被普遍化。 对于 HRT 能否辅助增肌与抑制脂肪囤积，Alan 承认这确实是常见的积极副产物，但他明确划定了启动 HRT 的两大核心准则： 1. **以症状为导向（Symptomatology-driven）**：必须存在真正破坏生活质量的临床症状，而不仅仅是血检指标偏离了理想区间。以睾酮为例，如果某位男性的睾酮数值处于参考区间的下限甚至偏低，但其精力充沛、性功能正常、各方面表现极佳且无任何不适，那么是否干预完全取决于他个人是否介意那个纸面数字。 2. **拒绝单次检测定乾坤，关注长期趋势**：许多人仅凭一次验血报告就草率决定终身用药，这是极不科学的。身体激素存在波动，应当在 6 到 12 个月的时间跨度内进行多次检测，观察是否存在持续恶化的趋势。在临床实践中，屡见不鲜的情况是一个长期缺觉、过度劳累、饮食一团糟的男性测出睾酮极低，但当其睡眠恢复充足、生活习惯与体成分改善后，睾酮水平直接翻倍，根本无需依赖外部激素替代。 ### [41:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2478s) 多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）与低碳饮食干预 多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）困扰着大量育龄女性，往往伴随着月经周期紊乱、排卵异常与生育困难。Alan 解释道，从病理生理学机制来看，PCOS 与 2 型糖尿病共享着极为相似的代谢特征——即严重的胰岛素抵抗和血糖控制受损。近年来 GLP-1 受体激动剂类药物的巨大成功进一步从反面证明：2 型糖尿病及相关代谢紊乱的本质根源在于过度进食与多余体脂的堆积。在遗传易感人群中，全身脂肪增加会导致内脏脂肪过度蓄积，进而诱发全身性的胰岛素抵抗与糖代谢障碍。 尽管医学界尚未对 PCOS 形成唯一定论的标准化饮食方案，但完全可以借鉴 2 型糖尿病的干预法则，分为两个优先级层次： - **首要任务（第一层级）**：全力降低全身总体脂肪，尤其是内脏脂肪。 - **辅助手段（第二层级）**：适度限制碳水化合物摄入。对于糖尿病代谢人群而言，统计学上每日约 130 克碳水化合物是一个常见的分水岭（Sweet spot），低于该摄入量时，患者的血糖控制通常会变得明显轻松。 对话中 Steven 结合切身经历分享了一个鲜活案例：他的伴侣患有 PCOS，月经周期曾经极度紊乱，最长甚至达到 60 天。后来她跟随 Steven 一同践行了生酮饮食（Ketogenic Diet），严格限制碳水化合物并持续了大约 8 周时间。令人震惊的是，她的月经周期彻底恢复了规律与可预测性。Steven 感慨许多患者往往把 PCOS 视为不可逆的先天疾病，根本没意识到碳水化合物、糖分和血糖剧烈波动可能就是幕后的隐形元凶。 ### [44:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2698s) 月经周期不规律的基础应对逻辑 当女性遭遇月经周期不规律或闭经等问题时，切忌盲目套用网上的极端方案。Alan 给出了最清晰的行动指引： 1. **首要步骤**：务必寻求专业内分泌科医生或专科医师的诊断，排查器质性与病理学病因。 2. **生活方式排查**：审视自身是否存在“过度训练（Overtraining）与摄入过少（Undereating）”的能量缺乏失衡状态，这在追求低体脂的健身人群中是导致下丘脑性闭经的常见诱因。 ### [45:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2712s) 节食过度与女运动员三联征：月经紊乱的健康代价 在竞技健美领域，女性形体选手的备赛过程往往伴随着生理机能的剧烈妥协。Alan Aragon 指出，根据节食计划的激进程度，选手们在备赛几周或几个月内出现月经紊乱甚至完全闭经是极其普遍的现象。不仅是职业选手，那些必须保持极低体脂率同时维持超高训练量的业余爱好者也经常陷入此困境。Steven 追问这是否是身体在进化机制下的本能反应，即身体认为“当前能量极度匮乏，根本不具备孕育生命的环境，因此直接切断生殖系统”。Alan 对此表示完全赞同，并强调如果女性已经出现经期紊乱，绝对不能通过过度限制热量摄入来尝试调节。 这一病理恶化路径在运动医学中被称为“女运动员三联征”（Female Athlete Triad）。它的起点通常是过度训练、摄入不足以及潜在的进食障碍倾向；随着能量负平衡持续恶化，下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴受损导致月经周期紊乱直至停止；紧接着体内雌激素等关键激素水平暴跌，最终连锁诱发骨量减少（Osteopenia）乃至严重的骨质疏松症（Osteoporosis）。对于许多忽视月经周期健康指标的女性健身者来说，这种破坏性的连锁反应常常带来不可逆的骨骼与内分泌损伤。 ```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: 女运动员三联征连锁病理机制 accDescr: 展示从能量赤字发展到骨骼严重损伤的四阶段恶性循环过程。 subgraph S1["能量亏缺阶段"] A["过度训练"] B["热量摄入不足"] C["潜在进食障碍"] end subgraph S2["生殖内分泌紊乱"] D["月经周期紊乱"] E["闭经与激素失衡"] end subgraph S3["骨骼终末损害"] F["骨量减少"] G["骨质疏松症"] end A --> D B --> D C --> D D --> E E --> F F --> G ``` - 备赛期间女性运动员往往在数周至数月内出现闭经，这是能量可用性极低的保护性闭锁机制。 - 调理紊乱的月经周期时，严格限制热量是绝对的禁忌。 - 女运动员三联征的核心链条：过度训练/进食不足 $\rightarrow$ 月经停止 $\rightarrow$ 激素分泌异常 $\rightarrow$ 骨量减少/骨质疏松。 ### [46:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2791s) 肌肉记忆是真实存在的：肌核增加与神经运动技能 关于民间常说的“肌肉记忆”（Muscle Memory），Steven 坦承自己过去一直以为这不过是健身圈的无稽之谈，直到最近听人提起“一旦练出过好身材，就算停训一段时间，再次恢复的速度也会比从零开始快得多”。Alan Aragon 明确肯定了这种说法的科学性。尽管学术界对微观生理机制仍有细节探讨，但目前最为公认的核心机制是“肌核结构域”（Myonuclear Domain）理论：当进行抗阻阻力训练时，肌肉细胞会融合卫星细胞并产生新的肌核，即使后来停止训练、肌肉萎缩，这些新增的肌核也会在相当长的时间内相对永久地保留在肌纤维中，为日后迅速恢复蛋白质合成能力打好底层结构。 除了微观肌纤维层面的生物学机制，肌肉记忆还包含至关重要的本体感觉（Proprioceptive）与运动技能层面的沉淀。神经系统保留了高强度训练动作的运动模式记忆，使练习者在重新回归时拥有高效募集肌纤维和保持良好动作轨迹的技术能力。与此同时，骨骼与结缔组织结构在既往训练中所建立的承载力，也能够从容承受力量反弹时迅速提升的负荷，这三者共同构成了肌肉强势回归的生理基石。 - 生理学基础：抗阻训练增加的“肌核”（Myonuclei）在停训后长期留存，使肌肉重建通道始终敞开。 - 神经与运动技能：本体感觉与动作执行模式的神经记忆保留，让身体能更快达到最佳输出状态。 - 骨骼与结构适应：曾被强化的结缔组织和骨骼能更好地承受力量与维度的快速反弹。 ### [47:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2871s) 肠道微生态与减肥：被过度夸大的“木偶操纵者” 当 Steven 提问肠道微生态是否主导人体的减重能力时，Alan 发出了一声意味深长的叹息。Steven 立刻敏锐地捕捉到了这个微表情并追问原因，Alan 直言不讳地指出，当前健康领域存在一股把肠道菌群奉为“万物总开关”和“幕后绝对操纵者”的严重神化趋势。他澄清道，微生态确实是人体各大器官轴系统中的一环，身体各项机能都是协同工作的，但绝不应将其单方面视作控制一切减重成败的根本主脑。 许多商业补剂大肆鼓吹能够“修复肠道微生态以实现暴瘦”，市面上也充斥着针对肠道菌群与减脂关系的临床试验。Alan 分析称，虽然部分补充微生态制剂的研究在统计学上显示出了微小的显著差异，但在现实减脂减重层面，其绝对效果“太微不足道了，完全缺乏实际临床意义”。他建议大众切勿舍本逐末，妄图依赖微调肠道菌群来实现宏观层面的体脂骤降。 - 肠道微生态是人体多系统协同的一环，但绝非脂肪代谢的独裁操纵者。 - 许多宣称改善微生态促减重的试验虽然存在统计学意义，但其实际减脂幅度极小，没有实际操作意义。 - 不可本末倒置地将微生态补剂作为改变体成分的核心手段。 ### [49:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=2954s) 每天吃四个鸡蛋：胆固醇恐惧与睾酮健康 话题切入 Alan 自己的饮食习惯。面对摆在面前的一盘鸡蛋，Steven 提及 Alan 每周吃约 20 个鸡蛋，折算下来每天差不多要吃 4 个，并询问背后的考量。Alan 笑称自己属于少数“真正狂热迷恋鸡蛋风味”的人。从营养学角度来看，全蛋不仅是极其优质的蛋白质与必需脂肪来源，其脂肪酸谱中绝大部分是油酸（Oleic acid）——这是一种以橄榄油为主要代表的单不饱和脂肪酸，其饱和脂肪含量其实相当低。 针对大众对鸡蛋中高胆固醇的普遍恐慌，Alan 强调了一个被多数人混淆的关键生理事实：对血液脂质谱（胆固醇和心血管风险指标）影响幅度更大的，是饮食中的“饱和脂肪酸”，而不是“膳食胆固醇本身”。主流权威公共卫生机构通常为了保守起见，建议普通人每天最多吃 1 个蛋，老年人最多 2 个；但 Alan 认为指南只是一般性大众基线参考。他长期每天吃 4 个全蛋，通过定期的血液指标监测证明自身的血脂与代谢极其健康。此外，全蛋所富含的优质营养对于睾酮素的内源性合成也具有极为积极的协同促进作用。 - 脂肪酸结构：蛋黄脂肪主要成分为油酸（单不饱和脂肪酸），饱和脂肪含量相对较低。 - 科学去魅：影响体内血脂水平的首要膳食元凶是饱和脂肪摄入，膳食胆固醇本身的实际影响远小于大众认知。 - 个人践行：指南建议通常每天 1-2 枚，但 Alan 每天吃 4 枚并保持着极佳的血液健康指标，同时有助于内源睾酮生成。 ### [50:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3042s) 53岁不测睾酮：症状驱动的生活方式干预 聊到睾酮问题时，Steven 询问 53 岁的 Alan 是否会频繁去医院检测自己的睾酮水平。出乎意料的是，Alan 坦言自己已经“极长时间完全没有去查过睾酮指标了”。他解释道，自己对待生理健康指标有着极其明确的底层逻辑——这必须是一个“由症状驱动（Symptom-driven）的过程”。只要自己的精力、性欲、训练表现、恢复速度以及整体精神状态处于良好水准，就没有必要为了无实质意义的数字制造焦虑。 Alan 进一步拆解了他的健康应对哲学：只有当身体真真切切地表现出低睾酮相关的不适症状时，他才会去抽血化验探究原因。即便出现问题，他的第一反应也是后退一步，审视自己在睡眠、训练、压力及饮食等非药物层面的生活方式变量，优先通过自然习惯去校准机能。至于外源性睾酮替代疗法（TRT），Alan 保持着豁达而理性的态度：“如果未来的某一天，我真的到了非用外源睾酮不可的地步，那我自然会欣然接受，但我现在根本还没到那个阶段。” - 核心管理原则：关注核心生活体征与身心症状，避免陷入单一数值焦虑。 - 问题解决层级：先检视非药物的生活方式要素（训练、睡眠、饮食与压力），再考虑临床医疗介入。 - 对 TRT 的态度：不盲目抗拒也不提前滥用，将其作为未来确有临床必要时的兜底工具。 ### [51:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3086s) 每日补充剂清单与“三合一”艰难抉择 当谈及每日规律摄入的膳食补充剂时，Alan 坦率地将其归为自己个人习惯中带有一点“民间健身偏方（Broscience）”色彩的部分。他幽默地承认，自己吃某些维生素并不是基于绝对不可辩驳的强硬科研证据推荐全人类模仿，而更像是一种出于健康防御的“押注心态”（Placing your bets）。他的完整清单包括：两粒复合维生素（一粒含铁、一粒不含铁，以防止关键营养素因胶囊容量有限而剂量不足）、鱼油（Omega-3）、镁、维生素 D3、维生素 C、胶原蛋白以及肌酸。 随后 Steven 出了一个刁钻的难题：“如果限制你只能保留其中三样，你选哪三个？”Alan 顿时陷入了激烈的心理挣扎。他首先耍赖试图把两粒复合维生素算作一样保留下来，随后艰难地选出了鱼油和维生素 D3。Steven 敏锐地笑着调侃：“所以你居然把肌酸给踢出去了？！你可是个天才啊！”被戳中软肋的 Alan 顿时双手抱头大喊“老兄，能不能让我把肌酸塞进去”，引得全场大笑。最终 Alan 只能笑着认输，承认在生存必需与抗缺素逻辑面前，他不得不暂时“放低身段”放弃肌酸，守住复合维生素、鱼油和维生素 D3 这三大基础营养基石。 - Alan 的每日补剂全集：复合维生素（一含铁、一不含铁）、鱼油、镁、维生素 D3、维生素 C、胶原蛋白、肌酸。 - 极限三选一抉择：复合维生素（弥补微量元素缺口）、Omega-3 鱼油（心血管与抗炎）、维生素 D3（骨骼与内分泌）。 - 科学态度：明确将预防性补剂摄入界定为个人健康下注策略，而非放之四海皆准的绝对指令。 ### [53:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3202s) 为什么叫“肌酸之王”：从力量爆发到大脑认知 尽管在刚才的极端极限二选一中受挫，Alan 依然毫不掩饰对肌酸的尊崇，冠之以“肌酸之王”（King Creatine）的称号。他强调，在所有非处方、非药物类的天然补剂中，没有任何一款补剂能像肌酸一样拥有如此深厚、庞大且经久不衰的扎实科学实证支撑。现存关于肌酸的人体研究已逼近千项大关，绝大多数试验都证实其对力量和力量维度的显著增益。在典型的 8 至 12 周训练周期对照研究中，未摄入肌酸组的力量提升平均约为 12%，而肌酸组的提升幅度可高达到 20% 左右。 在解释肌酸对体型的改变时，Alan 阐释了其初期的微观生理机制：肌酸会导致肌肉细胞内水分滞留（Intramyocellular Hydration），即肌细胞内部水合作用增强，这直接使瘦体重在短时间内增加约 2%。这种细胞充盈状态不仅在长期内强力促进了肌纤维的真正肥大，同时也构成了停服后体重会小幅回落的原因。达到肌肉肌酸饱和状态有两种策略：一种是经典的冲击负荷法（每天 20-25 克，分次摄入，维持 5-7 天），另一种是温和维持法（每天 3-5 克，持续约 30 天后同样达到饱和）。 除传统的力量与力量表现之外，肌酸跨越运动营养维度的综合益处正在被主流科学界全面揭开。研究发现，肌酸对关节健康具有显著的保护与缓解作用，能改善血糖控制调节，更重要的是其在神经认知领域的突破性发现——补剂能直接提升大脑内部的肌酸浓度储备，大幅优化能量供给环境，从而有效提升记忆力并改善多项认知功能维度。这使得肌酸彻底脱离了健美爱好者的专属标签，演变成为一种面向全人群大脑与全身能量代谢的通用健康营养素。 - 力量增益优势：8-12 周抗阻训练研究中，非补充组力量增益约 12%，肌酸补充组增益高达约 20%。 - 水合作用机制：肌酸将水分引导至肌细胞内部（Intramyocellular），非皮下水肿，带来约 2% 的体重大幅瘦组织充盈增益。 - 两种饱和摄入策略： - 冲击期方案：每日 20-25 克，持续 5-7 天后转入维持。 - 平缓期方案：每日 3-5 克，连续服用约 30 天自然达到肌肉饱和。 - 超越肌肉的全身益处：优化关节健康、改善血糖稳态，并显著提升脑部生物能量水平，增强记忆力与整体认知功能。 ### [56:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3386s) 肌酸的全面效益与赞助插播 在探讨肌酸的作用时，Alan Aragon 指出肌酸通过优化大脑的能量代谢环境，能够对认知衰退人群的记忆力带来极为积极的改善效果。面对肌酸在肌肉力量与大脑健康等多个维度的惊人表现，Steven Bartlett 忍不住赞叹这实在是一项重量级声明，几乎可以说是“没有什么事情是肌酸做不到的”（"there's almost nothing creatine can't do"）。 随后节目进入赞助环节。首先是招聘平台 LinkedIn，探讨在企业用人上“慢招精选”与“迅速推进”之间的平衡，强调付费推广职位能够比免费发帖快七倍获取高素质候选人；接着，Steven Bartlett 分享了自己使用 Bon Charge 红光面膜的日常趣事，原本以为妻子戴着是用来吓人的，后来发现红光能够有效刺激胶原蛋白生成、改善皮肤细纹与瑕疵，自己已坚持使用了一年半。 --- ### [58:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3515s) 重新定义减重平台期：身体的生存本能与“维持练习” 当被问及什么是“饮食休息”（Diet Break）以及为何它是一项有效工具时，Alan Aragon 深入拆解了减肥者最常遭遇的心理关卡——**减重平台期（Progress Plateau）**。科学上对平台期的严格定义是：**在维持高度计划依从性的前提下，持续 4 到 8 周体成分（体重及体脂）没有任何变化**。如果确认执行到位却依然停滞，背后的客观原因往往只有两个： 1. **依从性并不稳定**（实际摄入大于预估）； 2. **身体达成了真实的能量动态平衡**（Energy Equilibrium），进入了全新的维持点。 Alan Aragon 强调，人们习惯把平台期视为减重失败的消极信号，甚至急于去寻找下一个神奇饮食法，但事实恰恰相反——**平台期代表着你的身体在尽职尽责地工作**。身体是一个高度精密的适应性生存单元，维持体内稳态（Homeostasis）是生存的第一要义。对于需要减重 20 磅、40 磅甚至 60 磅以上的人来说，通往最终目标的途中必然会遭遇多次平台期。 减重的真实轨迹从来不是平滑下坠的直线，而是遵循“**冲刺—减缓—停滞**”（Surge, Slow, Stop）的阶梯式推进模式。每一次平台期过后，下一次冲刺的台阶往往更短，而平台缓台的持续时间则变得更长。Alan 建议大家完成认知转换：把平台期视为免费的“**体重维持练习**”（Maintenance Practice）。毕竟“任何人都能把体重减下来，但维持体重才是真正的决胜局”。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Weight Loss Plateau Cycle accDescr: 减重过程中的阶梯推进模式与应对平台期的思维转变 subgraph Cycle["身体适应的阶段性循环"] A["阶段性冲刺 (Surge)<br/>体重迅速下降"] --> B["减缓期 (Slow)<br/>身体稳态代偿启动"] B --> C["停滞平台期 (Stop)<br/>建立全新能量平衡"] C -->|打破或调整维持期| A end subgraph Mindset["认知转变：平台期即维持练习"] C --> D["传统误区：焦虑、换节食法"] C --> E["科学认知：身体生存稳态<br/>借机练习体重维持"] end ``` - **平台期的科学定义**：严格遵循饮食计划的情况下，体成分持续 4 至 8 周未发生改变。 - **阶梯理论（Staircases and Landings）**：随着减重深入，向下的台阶（减重阶段）越来越短，而缓台（平台期）越来越长，最终的理想终点本质上就是一个长期的平衡平台。 --- ### [01:02:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3726s) 终结反弹的关键：防止肌肉流失与“伴随性脂肪增生” 要想掌握长期维持体重的能力，前提是必须通过正确的方式到达目标体重，而核心法则就是**在减脂过程中全力保留瘦体重（Lean Body Mass，即肌肉组织）**。肌肉组织不仅是代谢活跃的组织，更是人体营养燃料消耗的中枢与“代谢引擎”。Steven Bartlett 用了一个生动的比喻：肌肉就像一个“贪婪吞噬卡路里的家伙”，一旦在节食中把这个贪吃的家伙丢掉了，体重降下来后热量消耗锐减，极易导致全面反弹。 Alan Aragon 对此高度认同，并指出学术界将这种暴食反弹的生理现象称为“**伴随性脂肪增生**”（Collateral Fattening）。当激进节食导致大量宝贵的肌肉组织流失时，身体会触发强烈的“能量危机”警报，认为机体珍贵的基础组织受损，必须以最快速度夺回。此时，中枢神经会急剧拉高饥饿素信号，让人产生难以遏制的暴食冲动，促使体脂在极短时间内疯狂反弹。相反，只要在减脂期间保住了肌肉，这种毁灭性的食欲失控就不会发生。 Alan 提出了保护瘦体重、防范反弹的三大关键控制基石： 1. **控制减重速度上限**：每周减重幅度严格限制在总体重的 **0.5% 到 1.0%** 之间（大多数人约为每周 1 磅，较重基数者在初期可达每周 2 到 2.5 磅），切忌贪快。 2. **系统性抗阻训练（Resistance Training）**：向身体发出保留肌肉以应对负荷的生物信号。 3. **摄入充足的蛋白质**：为肌肉蛋白质合成提供充足底物。 --- ### [01:06:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3962s) 减重速率的合理预期与顽固个案 针对很多减肥者追求“速战速决”的心态，Alan Aragon 澄清了合理节奏的意义。每周减掉 1% 的体重在临床上已经是极为亮眼的成绩；即便每周只减半磅到一磅，坚持两年也能减掉整整 50 磅。要知道，绝大多数人的这 50 磅多余脂肪往往耗费了整整二十年才慢慢积累起来，用一两年稳扎稳打地减去完全是非常健康的节奏。 在谈到顽固个案与如何打破平台期时，Alan Aragon 提到了他的一位客户——资深健身教练 Pam Greshock。作为一名处于围绝经期（Perimenopausal）的成熟女性，她在减脂过程中就面临着激素波动与代谢适应的双重挑战。Alan 以此为例，准备展开阐述这类特定体质在面对极端顽固平台期时应当采取的精细调整策略。 - **减重速度红线**：绝大多数人群每周减重上限为总市斤体重的 1%，超过这一速度则肌肉流失风险陡增。 - **长期主义视角**：面对耗时十几年建立的脂肪储备，用数月甚至数年的渐进周期去化解，配合肌肉力量强化，才是杜绝复胖的唯一科学出路。 ### [01:06:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4019s) 案例分析：顽固脂肪、绝经前期与“黄油视觉化” Alan Aragon 分享了他指导过的一位 40 多岁女性学员 Pam 的真实案例。Pam 经过长期高水平的训练，肌肉量已经十分可观，但她希望减掉腹部顽固堆积的 8 磅（约 3.6 公斤）脂肪。面对这一诉求，Alan 明确指出了三大难点：首先，Pam 正处于围绝经期（Perimenopause），体内的激素变化会导致减脂速度显著放缓；其次，她本就是受过高度训练的健身者，很难再通过额外增肌来提升代谢缓冲空间；最后，这 8 磅脂肪是身体最后的“极限余量”（Pushing the envelope）。通常情况下，普通减脂计划会以每周减 1 磅为基准，但针对 Pam 的身体状况，Alan 帮她建立了现实的心态预期：如果一个月能减掉 1 到 2 磅纯脂肪，就已经是巨大的胜利。 为了让抽象的体重数字更具感知力，Alan 常常引导学员将减脂目标具象化。巧合的是，如果把一个 1 加仑的大桶装满黄油，重量恰好是 8 磅；而标准包装的一块黄油重 4 盎司（约 113 克），4 块黄油相当于 1 磅。减掉 8 磅纯脂肪，就相当于从身体里生生剔除 32 块完整的黄油。演播室现场恰好摆放着一份重达 10 磅的真实黄油模型，巨大的体积感让主持人 Steven 惊呼不可思议。这种视觉冲击让减脂者明白，哪怕只是减少几磅体重，对身形和健康的改变也是极其惊人的。 - **Pam 的三大减脂阻力**：处于围绝经期、训练经验丰富（无新手红利增肌空间）、目标为最后 8 磅核心顽固脂肪。 - **进度预期调整**：从常规的“每周减 1 磅”调整为更为务实的“每月减 1-2 磅”。 - **黄油视觉化法则**：1 块标准黄油为 4 盎司，4 块为 1 磅；减掉 8 磅相当于减掉 32 块黄油或整整 1 加仑黄油的体积。 --- ### [01:09:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4164s) 饮食中断（Diet Breaks）与长期平台期管理 面对演播室里那座庞大的 10 磅黄油模型，Alan 解释了为何每减掉 5 到 10 磅体重就是开启“饮食中断”（Diet Break）的最佳契机。许多人误以为 5 到 10 磅微不足道，但从脂肪体积来看，它是一座巨大的里程碑。饮食中断的核心逻辑并非让减脂者放纵暴食，而是 Alan 所谓的“非放飞自我维持期”（Non-YOLO maintenance）——暂时放下严苛的食物称重与热量限制，回归到维持热量水平进食，以此有效缓解持续热量缺口带来的心理疲劳与生理衰竭。 在具体的实操节奏上，Alan 建议减脂者可以在连续控制 4 到 8 周后休息一周，或者每减掉 5 到 10 磅体重后安排一周的饮食中断。对于追求长期体重大幅下降的人来说，随着时间推移，体重维持期（Maintenance phase）的时长最终甚至应该超过严格的减脂期。例如，在 2 到 3 个月的平稳维持期之间，穿插 4 到 8 周的阶段性减脂。这种分期推进的方式不仅消解了减脂的恐惧感，更是打破平台期、防止暴食反弹并实现数年长期维持的黄金策略。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 饮食中断与减脂分期循环流程 accDescr: 展现阶段性减脂期与饮食中断、体重维持期交替推进的长效控制模型 subgraph Phase1["减脂推进阶段"] A["热量缺口减脂<br/>（持续 4-8 周）"] --> B{"是否减去 5-10 磅<br/>或达 8 周？"} end subgraph Phase2["饮食中断与维持阶段"] B -- "是" --> C["非放飞自我维持周<br/>（Diet Break 1 周）"] C --> D["长期巩固维持期<br/>（2-3 个月平稳期）"] end D --> E["开启下一轮减脂<br/>或达成目标终点"] ``` - **饮食中断定义**：解除条条框框但绝不暴饮暴食（Non-YOLO maintenance），吃回维持热量，消除中枢与代谢疲劳。 - **推荐执行周期**：每持续减脂 4 到 8 周休整 1 周，或每减掉 5 到 10 磅休整 1 周。 - **长期体态管理心法**：平台维持期的跨度应当比减脂期更长（如 4-8 周减脂搭配 2-3 个月维持），让身体充分适应新体重。 --- ### [01:11:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4286s) 揭秘断食与“细胞自噬”（Autophagy）的夸大宣传 当 Steven 问及断食是否能通过触发“细胞自噬”（Autophagy）来实现神奇的自我修复与延年益寿时，Alan 给出了兼具科学与理性的澄清。他肯定了间歇性断食（如限时进食 TRE、隔日断食、5:2 断食法）在限制总热量摄入方面的卓越效果，大量的文献证明它是一个合法的减脂工具。然而，针对健康社群对“自噬”神乎其神的吹捧，Alan 明确表示公众存在严重的认知误区：自噬本质上是机体在能量匮乏时分解受损细胞成分的分解代谢过程，但它**完全不需要依靠断食来触发**——只要身体处于热量缺口（Caloric deficit）状态，自噬就会自然加速。 Alan 进一步指出，线性的每日节食模型与非线性的间歇断食模型，只要在一周周期内创造等量的热量缺口，其带来的细胞自噬程度几乎没有差别。更重要的是，运动同样是激发自噬的强力催化剂：无论是力量阻力训练还是耐力有氧训练，都能大幅拉升体内的自噬水平，而且运动带来的自噬几乎“没有任何负面作用”。相比之下，为了追求自噬而进行长时间绝食则是一把双刃剑，盲目推进自噬甚至可能诱发失控的细胞自溶（Autolysis，即饥饿状态下的细胞失控凋亡），同时伴随着骨骼肌大量流失和代谢衰退。 | 自噬诱导途径 | 发生机制与条件 | 优势与收益 | 潜在风险与代价 | |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **热量缺口（日常节食）** | 处于低热量状态即可触发，无需彻底禁食 | 稳定控制体重、平稳改善胰岛素敏感度 | 需长期监控热量摄入 | | **运动训练（力量/有氧）** | 肌肉收缩与能量代谢压力激活自噬途径 | 促进线粒体更新、增强心肌与肌肉质量且几乎无副作用 | 训练过量可能增加疲劳 | | **长时间/极端断食** | 极度匮乏能量与营养时迫使身体自我分解 | 动物实验显示具延寿与免疫调节潜力 | 导致骨骼肌分解流失、极度疲劳；极端下恐诱发细胞自溶 | - **自噬的本质**：一种分解代谢机制，旨在清除体内受损蛋白质与细胞器，但在任何热量亏缺下都会启动。 - **运动的不可替代性**：力量训练与有氧训练均能高效提升自噬，且不会带来饥饿断食导致的肌少症风险。 - **极端断食的隐患**：医学研究表明部分肿瘤甚至会利用自噬机制逃避清除；若将断食推向极端，可能演变为失控的细胞自溶（Autolysis）。 --- ### [01:19:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4775s) 纯水断食陷阱与通往生酮饮食的讨论 谈及当下社交网络上日益风靡的“纯水断食”（Water fasts）以及果汁排毒（Juice fasts），Alan 直言不讳地表达了反对态度。他剖析了现代人最常见的典型恶性循环：从年初按部就班生活，到了 11 月感恩节与 12 月圣诞跨年假期开始彻底失控暴饮暴食；步入新年后，面对身上多出的 10 到 20 磅赘肉，人们陷入恐慌，于是试图抓住纯水断食或极速果汁排毒这类极端手段，试图以此“抵消”过去几个月做出的糟糕饮食抉择。 Alan 强调，这种“假期暴饮暴食—年初极端断食”的年度轮回极其不健康。与其依赖极端断食来为放纵买单，减脂者真正需要做的是在全年的每一天建立并巩固可持续的日常饮食习惯。正是顺着这种借助极端极端手段寻求迅速降脂的心理，Steven 将话题自然引向了生酮饮食（Ketogenic Diet），并提到自己的父亲、兄弟以及多位身边的朋友，都曾利用严格的生酮饮食来迅速甩掉体内脂肪并重塑体型，从而拉开了关于低碳与生酮机制的深入探讨。 - **断食排毒的心理陷阱**：利用极端清肠和断食来“消除罪恶感”，掩盖节假日无节制暴食的代谢后果。 - **可持续习惯高于一切**：建立跨越一整年的平稳生活方式，远胜于依靠极端水断食应对暴肥暴瘦的循环。 - **下一话题引出**：由极速减脂的诉求，自然过渡到生酮饮食（Keto Diet）对体成分重塑的实际影响。 ### [01:21:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=4860s) 生酮饮食的减重原理与现实困境 主持人提到身边的朋友近期尝试了生酮饮食（Ketogenic Diet），在几乎完全戒断碳水化合物与糖分之后，体重秤上的走势图直接走出了一条近乎垂直下滑的直线，效果令人惊叹。面对主持人关于生酮饮食优缺点的提问，Alan Aragon 肯定了生酮饮食在减重和减脂方面的显著效果，并剖析了其背后的生理机制。当一个人从典型的高能量、高加工的西方饮食习惯突然切换到生酮饮食时，本质上是自动剔除了大量高糖高脂结合的超加工垃圾食品与零食，从而避免了无意识的热量过量摄入。同时，生酮饮食迫使人们摄入充足的蛋白质，蛋白摄入的增加带来了更强烈的饱腹感和饥饿感控制，使得总能量自然下降。 然而，生酮饮食最核心的硬伤在于长期依从性极差。研究显示，即便是最可能从中受益的人群，绝大多数人也无法终身坚持。临床试验通常将受试者分为高碳低脂对照组和生酮饮食组（每日碳水化合物摄入量限制在 50 克或以下以维持酮症状态）。但在 6 个月甚至 12 个月的随访中，绝大多数生酮受试者的碳水化合物摄入量都会暗中攀升到规定上限的 2 至 3 倍（达到约 150 克左右），最终偏离酮症，退化为类似 40% 碳水、30% 蛋白、30% 脂肪的“区域饮食”（Zone Diet）。相比于生酮饮食要求的 60% 至 80% 脂肪比例，这种碳水化合物摄入的反弹和漂移说明其严苛的限制性违背了大众的长期生活习惯。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 生酮饮食的效果与依从性断崖 accDescr: 展示从标准西方饮食转到生酮饮食带来的初期效益与长期依从性危机 subgraph Phase1["初期转变机制"] A["标准西方饮食"] --> B["切断超加工高糖高脂垃圾食品"] B --> C["提高优质蛋白质摄入"] C --> D["饱腹感提升，能量缺口形成，体重骤降"] end subgraph Phase2["长期依从性危机"] D --> E["极端碳水限制（≤50g/天）不可持续"] E --> F["碳水隐性摄入反弹至 150g+"] F --> G["脱离酮症状态，退化为普通饮食结构"] end ``` - **三大营养素宏量对比**：标准生酮饮食的脂肪占比高达 60% 至 80%，蛋白质约为 15% 至 20%，剩余极小比例留给碳水（上限通常为 50 克/天）；而 Zone Diet（区域饮食）的比例则是 40% 碳水化合物、30% 蛋白质和 30% 脂肪。 - **A-to-Z 研究案例**：在知名的 A-to-Z 饮食干预对比研究中，被分配到阿特金斯/生酮模式的受试者，随着时间推移无法维持严格限碳，在 12 个月后日常碳水摄入普遍回升至 150 克上下。 - **极端个例与统计学规律**：社交媒体评论区常有人声称自己已践行生酮 5 年、7 年甚至 10 年，这类坚守者确实存在且形成了庞大社群，但从科学实证角度来看，他们仅占极少数，无法将生酮饮食视作普适性的大众健康解决方案。 --- ### [01:25:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5140s) 生酮饮食的心血管隐患与质量选择 针对那些能够长期践行生酮饮食的少数人，Alan Aragon 指出必须严密审视其膳食质量与心血管健康的关系。如果一个人余生有 80% 到 85% 的能量全部来自脂肪，脂肪的具体来源将彻底决定其未来的健康结局。完全依赖陆生动物脂肪（如牛肉、培根和黄油）与侧重地中海式健康脂肪（如坚果、牛油果和橄榄油）所产生的心血管生理效应截然不同。 虽然存在以特级初榨橄榄油、牛油果和坚果为主要脂肪源的“地中海式生酮饮食”，这类模式具备明确的心血管保护属性；但大众认知中的生酮饮食往往沦为“牛肉、培根加黄油”的狂欢，长期来看其心血管疾病发病风险将呈现出极其不利的危险走势。 --- ### [01:26:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5204s) 生酮状态下的肌力提升与肌肉增长差异 当被问及严格限制碳水是否会阻碍增肌时，Alan Aragon 给出了层次分明的结论：“简短的答案是‘会’，而细致深入的答案则是‘在生酮状态下你依然能够增肌’”。人体的生理代偿机制非常精密，能够通过内源性途径（例如利用乳酸等前体物质进行糖异生）在体内合成碳水化合物，从而部分填补肌肉肌糖原储备。在匹配了相同的总热量与蛋白质摄入的前提下，高碳低脂组与生酮组在力量增长（Strength gains）上的表现出奇地相似。 但在肌肉维度增长（Muscle size gains）以及减脂期的瘦体重维持（Lean mass retention）方面，高碳低脂饮食几乎始终占据明显优势。这一差距很大程度上源自肌糖原的储水特性：肌肉内每储存 1 克肌糖原，都会结合并锁住大约 3 克水分子。在非生酮的高碳水摄入状态下，肌肉饱满度天然更高，细胞水合状态与整体精瘦质量也更具优势。 | 对比维度 | 高碳水低脂饮食（High-Carb Low-Fat） | 生酮饮食（Ketogenic Diet） | |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **绝对力量增长** | 与生酮组表现相当（热量与蛋白质相同时） | 与高碳组表现相当（糖异生产生糖原支持训练） | | **肌肉横截面积/围度** | 显著更具优势，肌肥大进程更理想 | 相对处于劣势 | | **细胞饱满度与水分** | 每克肌糖原结合约 3 克水，肌肉视觉饱满 | 糖原枯竭导致肌肉扁平，水合程度偏低 | | **减脂期瘦体重保留** | 瘦体重保留效果更优 | 瘦体重流失风险相对略高 | --- ### [01:28:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5335s) 纯肉饮食（Carnivore Diet）的极端性与改良空间 针对近年来热度居高不下的纯肉饮食（Carnivore Diet），Alan Aragon 坦言这虽然显得荒谬且极端，但对比典型西方饮食依然存在一定的可取之处。标准西方饮食的根本顽疾在于“样样过量”——过剩的总热量、过量的精制碳水化合物与不良脂肪，人们无休止地摄入汉堡、薯条、蛋糕、冰淇淋、饼干和意面。当一个人从这种恶性饮食深渊直接跳入纯肉饮食时，由于选择极度匮乏，日常热量摄入会自发且大幅度地下降，因此纯肉饮食在某种程度上反而成了“两害相权取其轻”的选择。 纯肉饮食的狂热追随者往往具有非黑即白的性格偏向，很多人甚至是由极端纯素食者（Ex-vegans）直接摇身一变成为纯肉主义者，因为他们难以在灰度地带保持克制，只能生存在极端之间。对于那些最激进的“只吃牛肉和精盐”的人群，该饮食模式存在极大的营养缺陷；但如果非要对其进行优化，构建一个更具多样性的“无植物动物源性模型”，则应当引入深海富脂鱼类、禽肉、牛肉、鸡蛋、乳制品，甚至可以合理加入乳清蛋白粉作为甜点补充。 --- ### [01:31:11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5471s) 素食与纯素人群增肌难的核心症结 在讨论到纯素（Vegan）与蛋奶素（Vegetarian）人群在增肌方面所面临的阻碍时，Alan Aragon 明确表示这在普通大众中确实是非常普遍的现实困境。造成这一局面的主要原因在于普通素食者缺乏针对性的营养搭配与力量训练规划知识。当主持人追问他们到底欠缺了什么关键环节时，Alan 直截了当地指出，绝大多数素食者无法有效增肌并非存在不可逾越的代谢屏障，而纯粹是因为日常摄入的**总能量不足**以及**蛋白质总量严重匮乏**。 ### [01:31:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5495s) 素食者增肌与蛋白质摄入不足的普遍现象 针对素食者增肌的争议，Alan Aragon 指出，理论上素食者如果把饮食结构规划得当，完全可以获得与杂食者不相上下的肌肉增长效果。然而现实中存在极端情况，比如有些素食主义者虽然不吃肉，却猛灌激浪汽水（Mountain Dew）、大吃薯片或奥利奥饼干（Oreo），这依然符合纯素定义，却毫无营养价值。 当被主持人 Steven 问及在过去数十年的执教生涯中，是否绝大多数普通人都缺乏蛋白质时，Alan 给出了斩钉截铁的肯定回答。他表示，几乎每一个超重、肥胖或在体脂水平上面临困扰的人，无一例外都存在蛋白质摄入不足的问题。 ### [01:32:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5545s) “瘦胖子”与怎么吃都不胖的增重困难户 Steven 紧接着提出了另一个极端群体：身边很多属于“瘦胖子”（skinny fat）的朋友，四肢看起来极其纤细，肚子上却挂着一圈游泳圈；他们常抱怨自己即便努力多摄入蛋白质也“怎么吃都长不胖”。 Alan 解释说，这就是所谓的“增重困难户”（hard gainer）现象。造成这一现象的核心生理机制，并非肠胃不吸收，而是摄入热量增加后引发的**非运动性活动产热**（NEAT, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis）自发性暴增。人体 24 小时的总每日能量消耗（TDEE）由以下几个核心板块构成： ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 每日总能量消耗构成与增重困难户机制 accDescr: 展示人体每日能量消耗的组成部分，以及高摄入如何触发非运动性活动产热上升。 subgraph TDEE["每日总能量消耗 (TDEE)"] REE["静息能量消耗 (REE / BMR)<br/>维持生命基础代谢（器官运转）"] subgraph AEE["活动能量消耗 (AEE)"] EAT["运动活动消耗 (EAT)<br/>健身房力量训练与有氧运动"] NEAT["非运动活动产热 (NEAT)<br/>日常动作、走动、抖腿、坐立转换"] end end Surplus["多吃 1,000 大卡盈余"] --> NEAT NEAT --"自发性活动暴增<br/>抵消大量热量"--> Burns["多消耗 336 ~ 700 大卡"] ``` - **静息能量消耗（REE / BMR）**：即使整天卧床不起，仅维持各器官和生理系统运转所需的最低热量。 - **活动能量消耗（AEE）**：分为计划内的“运动消耗”（EAT）与计划外的“非运动消耗”（NEAT）。 增重困难户只要一多吃，他们的身体就会不自觉地变得高度活跃（hyperkinetic）——小动作增多、频繁抖腿、敲击手指、走路变快、减少静坐、不自觉地点头，甚至在训练中潜意识地更拼命，导致额外的热量迅速被燃烧殆尽。 - **Levine 等人的经典过量喂养实验（1990年代末）**：研究人员给一组以男性为主的正常体重受试者每天在维持热量基础上额外投喂 1,000 大卡，持续约 10 周。结果显示，受试者仅凭 NEAT 的自发上升，平均每天就多烧掉了 336 大卡；其中一位极端的受试者，每天靠多动消耗掉的热量甚至接近 700 大卡。 对于这类人群，Alan 给出的解决方案既粗暴又实用：**纯粹吃得更多，且要借助流质食物**。既然固态食物饱腹感太强吃不下，就在正餐之间安排 2 杯自制液体热量奶昔（极少需要 3 杯），在不给胃部造成负担的前提下轻松堆高热量和营养。 ### [01:36:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=5806s) 为什么绝大多数人无法实现身材目标：优先级的残酷真相 话题深入到减脂与自律的底层逻辑：在 Alan 执教 30 年的历程中，那些真正实现身材蜕变、长期坚持下来的人，催化剂到底是什么？ Alan 直言，分水岭在于**身材目标是否上升为了人生的第一优先级（Priority Number One）**。重塑体型、减脂增肌是一项极度艰巨的任务。他观察到，无论是备战高水平形体健美赛事的运动员，还是参加大众蜕变挑战赛的普通人，只要能把训练和饮食提升到仅次于“活命呼吸”的最高优先级，他们最终 100% 能将体脂精准控制在预定目标的 1% 浮动范围内。 普通人屡屡失败的原因，并非生理或代谢机制不如运动员，而是生活中有太多其他事务的优先级凌驾于健康管理之上： - 他们手头永远有五件其他事情排在训练计划之前。 - 他们有“整整五个宇宙的借口”（five universes of excuses）来中断计划。 要打破这种恶性循环，教练或个体可以通过书面化梳理强化内在动机，但最终必须靠当事人自主觉醒。Alan 形象地打比方道：“你能把马牵到水塘边，但你没法按着头强迫它喝水。” - **目标驱动法**：写下三条促使自己做出改变的核心驱动力/美好愿景，置于日常可见处时刻提醒自己。 - **排雷预案法**：如实写下面前最大的三个绊脚石（障碍因素），提前制定应对方案。 ### [01:41:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6117s) Alan 的中年酗酒危机与绝望岁月 谈及人生的低谷与外貌蜕变，Steven 指出 53 岁的 Alan 看起来竟然比他 40 岁时还要年轻硬朗得多。看到自己 40 岁时的旧照，Alan 深受触动，坦承那是一段极度沉重的暗黑过往。 当时他迎来人生的巨大生活压力：大儿子约 7 岁，小儿子才 4 岁左右，抚育幼童的疲惫、维系好丈夫与好父亲形象的心理重压，加上事业处于上升期的各种现实焦虑，各种压力矢量（stress vectors）交织在一起，最终将他推向了严重的酒精成瘾。 从 40 岁到 46 岁整整六年时间里，Alan 是一名深度酗酒者。到了最后几年，情况恶化到他每晚必须独自喝掉整整一瓶半的葡萄酒，一周七天从不间断。这相当于每天强行灌入体内近 1,000 大卡，用 Alan 自己的话形容，那完全就是“1,000 大卡的悔恨”（1,000 calories of regret）。 ### [01:42:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6170s) 压力积聚、酒精成瘾与生活“内爆”的顿悟 随着学术声誉与专业影响力的建立，Alan Aragon 迎来了商业合作和项目的爆发期。当时各方合作伙伴纷纷向他抛来橄榄枝，面对这种突如其来的追捧，他的心理防线被彻底打破——他心想自己为了这一天已经默默耕耘了整整二十年，如今机会终于降临，怎么能轻易拒绝？于是他对所有邀请照单全收，每一个项目都回答“Yes”。然而，无休止的承诺迅速堆积如山，繁重的工作量演变成巨大的压力与焦虑。在寻找宣泄途径的过程中，酒精以一种极其便利、随时可得且在社会交往中完全被接纳的姿态，成为了他缓解焦虑的“创可贴”（anxiety band-aid）。Alan 坦率承认：“我的酒精成瘾是实实在在的（My alcohol addiction was a very real thing）”，这绝非轻描淡写的消遣，而是一场真正的危机。 在 40 岁到 46、47 岁这几年的至暗时期，Alan 处于一种极度被动的生存状态，完全随波逐流（"I was just very reactive to my environment. I was just going with the flow."）。虽然表面上生活安逸舒适，但他失去了应有的远大志向，也脱离了对核心目标的专注。直到饮酒问题最终将他推入“谷底”（rock bottom）：由于自身的饮酒行为，他的个人生活与职业生涯双双陷入彻底的崩溃与内爆（imploded）。在跌入谷底的这一刻，他彻底醒悟：这根本不是试图适度饮酒（moderate）或退一步少喝一点就能解决的问题，唯一的出路就是彻底断绝、完全停止饮酒。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 酒精依赖的形成与破局演变路径 accDescr: 展示从事业机会激增到过度承诺，演变为焦虑酗酒，最终在生活跌入谷底后做出彻底戒断的决策过程。 subgraph Phase1["压力积聚期"] A["二十年积累后机遇爆发"] --> B["难以拒绝：对所有项目说 Yes"] B --> C["工作堆积如山与严重焦虑"] end subgraph Phase2["成瘾与失控期"] C --> D["将酒精作为缓解焦虑的创可贴"] D --> E["随波逐流与安于舒适区"] E --> F["职业与个人生活彻底崩盘内爆"] end subgraph Phase3["觉醒与重建期"] F --> G{"拒绝温和减量，彻底戒断"} G --> H["将例行强迫倾向重定向至健身与营养"] end ``` ### [01:45:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6309s) 戒酒七年的底层逻辑：习惯重定向与“后果预演法” 当被问及戒酒时是否借助了专门的康复机构或心理咨询时，Alan 表示自己并没有走外部干预的路线，而是对自己许下了一个铁血般的强硬承诺（hardcore commitment），并凭借极强的毅力坚守至今。他利用自身具有的某种强迫性、仪式性例行公事倾向（ritualistic / obsessive-compulsive tendencies）——即每天必须重复相同行为的习惯驱动力，把这种心理机制从喝酒“重定向”（redirect）到了严格的科学力量训练和高质量营养管理上。他在社交平台上公开记录自己的戒酒历程，每一周年都会发帖分享心得，从戒酒满六年到即将迎来的第七个年头（8月25日），他始终保持着一滴不沾的记录。 对于大众最关心的“如何彻底抵御酒瘾而不破戒”的问题，Alan 分享了一套高效的心理预演机制（Pre-mortem Visualization）： - **诱惑触发**：当脑海中涌现强烈的饮酒渴望或冲动时，绝不立刻顺从欲望，而是坐下来给自己一分钟时间。 - **推演前半场**：在脑中具象化自己纵情豪饮、达到烂醉微醺（S-facedness）的状态；这种虚幻的快感最多只能维持一到两个小时。 - **推演后半场与代价**：随后清醒地推演接下来会发生什么——在烂醉的一两个小时里，自己可能会在人前出丑，给重要的朋友或商业伙伴留下极度恶劣的印象；到了凌晨两三点，自己会失控狂啃高热量的炸鸡翅（hot wings）；第二天早晨醒来浑身剧痛难受如堕地狱，完全无法进行既定的健身训练。 - **认知回归**：推演完整个因果链条后，他会反问自己：“这究竟能给我带来什么？”仅仅耗时一分钟的推演，就能将他的大脑瞬间拉回理智、自律的清醒状态。 Steven 对此深表认同，指出这种“事前验尸式”（pre-mortem）的后果前瞻可视化策略，完全适用于减脂控食、坚持举铁等所有生活习惯的重塑。改变人生的关键并不在于空谈动机，而在于该事项何时真正成为个人的“首要优先级”（priority）。 ### [01:48:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6481s) 中场赞助：安全合规自动化与极致电解质体验 在节目的中场插播中，Steven 重点介绍了两家支持节目的品牌： - **Vanta（网络安全与合规自动化平台）**：无论是初次面对审计的初创企业创始人，还是经验丰富的合规团队，网络安全合规正在变得愈发关键且复杂。Vanta 能够将跨越 SOC 2、ISO 27001 等 35 种以上主流框架的繁琐合规流程自动化，将安全合规问卷的回复效率提升高达 5 倍。国际知名数据机构 IDC 的白皮书显示，使用 Vanta 的企业平均每年可节省超过 535,000 美元，该投资通常在 3 个月内即可收回成本。听众可通过专属链接获得 1,000 美元优惠。 - **Cadence（新兴高性能电解质品牌）**：电解质对于体内水分深度补给、体能表现、情绪状态及大脑认知有着至关重要的影响。Steven 坦言自己曾因沉迷电解质而打算自主创业成立一家电解质公司，但在与友人 George Heaton（其与搭档 Ross 共同创立了 Cadence）交流并亲自试饮了罐装与粉包产品后，为其口感与配方所折服，果断关闭了自己的创业项目并转而投资入股 Cadence。该产品单份精准提供 500 毫克钠（Sodium）、190 毫克钾（Potassium）与 30 毫克镁（Magnesium），实现 0 糖添加与极佳口感的平衡。 ### [01:50:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6616s) 人工甜味剂的迷思：糖精与常见代糖的科学真相 针对公众对无糖饮料和人工甜味剂（代糖）的普遍恐慌，Alan 给出了极其干脆的评价：“从总体上看，代糖问题完全是个无关紧要的伪命题（Generally speaking, they're a nothing burger）。”大众舆论中充斥着针对代糖的恐惧营销（scaremongering），但在真实的人体临床研究中，绝大多数代糖都显示出了极高的安全性。 | 代糖种类 | 科学文献评估与生理影响 | 商业应用与日常建议 | |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **糖精 (Saccharin)** | 临床表现欠佳，现有研究表明其存在损害血糖控制（glucose control）及导致体重增加的不良记录。 | 常以粉色小包装袋形式出现，但目前在现代食品工业中几乎已经“商业性绝迹”（commercially extinct），日常极难接触到。 | | **三氯蔗糖 (Sucralose)** | 安全性良好，在人体常规剂量下不会引起代谢损伤或毒性。 | 现代食品与补剂中最广泛应用的代糖之一，无需恐慌。 | | **阿斯巴甜 (Aspartame)** | 经过海量人体实验验证，常规摄入量下高度安全。 | 常见于各类无糖可乐与低卡饮料。 | | **甜菊糖苷 (Stevia)** | 来源于天然植物提取物，性质极其温和，对血糖与健康无负面影响。 | 广泛应用于天然健康食品与代餐产品中。 | 关于代糖具有潜在“致癌性”的惊悚言论，Alan 直斥这是严重的逻辑飞跃与误导。那些声称代糖致癌的研究全部源于动物模型试验，实验中所施加的代糖剂量高到脱离现实，实验条件完全不符合人类真实的生理学机制。普通人必须在整整一辈子中摄入人类根本无法企及的天文数字级代糖，才可能产生负面效应。Alan 幽默且犀利地调侃道：“走出家门去大城市的大马路上呼吸一口城市空气，都比喝代糖饮料要危险得多。” ### [01:52:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6722s) 饮食中被妖魔化的“糖”：区分添加糖与天然水果 当被 Steven 问及大众最应该了解、却被健身营养领域严重忽视或误解的核心话题是什么时，Alan 认为最荒谬的现象是人们过度执迷于某些根本无关紧要的流行噱头词（buzzwords），其中最具代表性的受害者就是“糖（sugar）”。 社会上针对糖的恐慌式宣传已经到了走火入魔的地步，以至于公众完全丧失了基本的辨别能力，根本不去区分两类本质不同的糖分： - **工业添加糖（Added Sugars）**：过度添加到超加工食品中、缺乏微量营养素的高密度热量来源。 - **食物内源性天然糖（Intrinsic / Naturally Occurring Sugars）**：完整天然食物中自带的糖分，例如牛奶中天然存在的乳糖（lactose），以及新鲜全果（fresh fruit）中的天然果糖。 甚至在健身圈内，许多网红和所谓专家开始公然妖魔化新鲜水果，仅仅因为水果里“含有糖”就将其列为饮食禁忌。Alan 指出，提出一个看似合理的假设（例如“水果含糖所以会让人发胖生病”）非常容易，但这种观点完全无视了全果中丰富的膳食纤维、维生素、矿物质以及保护代谢健康的植物营养素，将水果与垃圾食品中的精制糖混为一谈是极其荒谬且反科学的。 ### [01:53:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6787s) 水果中的糖分与升糖指数的迷思 谈到饮食中的糖分时，很多人容易陷入一刀切的极端思维。如果在饮食中摄入过量的人造糖，确实会大幅降低整体膳食质量，甚至推高长期的健康风险，这种警惕是完全合理的。然而，很多人以此为由妖魔化水果，这在科学上根本站不住脚。水果虽然含有天然糖，但它本质上是一个由水分、高微量营养素和膳食纤维组成的“天然健康包装袋”。它具有极强的饱腹感，不仅热量密度极低，还能占据胃部空间，间接排挤掉人们原本可能吃进肚子的垃圾食品。 抛开所有理论推演，单看真实的科研文献结论更是明确无误：新鲜水果非但不会损害血糖控制，也不会导致肥胖或体重增加，相反它能改善血糖控制、优化体脂与身体成分，并对一系列心血管代谢疾病和癌症提供保护机制。面对这些确凿证据，那些宣称“吃水果等同于喝糖水”的言论是不攻自破的。 针对近年来再度翻红的“升糖指数”（Glycemic Index, GI）焦虑，许多人因为菠萝或西瓜在 GI 榜单上排名靠前而避之不及。对此，必须厘清测试机制的本质：GI 的测定方法是让人摄入足足 50 克来自该食物的“净碳水化合物”，然后监测两小时内的血糖反应。西瓜的水分极大、单份碳水含量极少，其实际的“升糖负荷”（Glycemic Load, GL）非常低。若要靠吃西瓜凑满 50 克纯碳水，需要咽下极其庞大份量的西瓜肉。纵观全球最长寿的人群样本，没有任何一个长寿社区是在刻意回避水果的，水果始终是他们日常膳食的核心组成部分。 - 升糖指数（GI）的测量标准：不论单次摄入该食物的分量多大，必须包含整整 50 克碳水化合物，并在餐后监测 2 小时血糖波动。 - 升糖负荷（GL）更能反映日常进食真相：西瓜和菠萝虽然 GI 偏高，但单份食物所含碳水总量低，属于典型的低 GL 食物。 --- ### [01:55:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6945s) 精制添加糖的危害本质与摄入界限 当话题转向白砂糖等“添加糖”（Added Sugar）或精制糖时，其健康隐患主要来自两个完全不同的维度。首先是“微量营养素稀释效应”（Micronutrient Dilution）——当大量毫无营养价值的空热量涌入人体，整体饮食的营养密度就会被严重冲淡。其次，添加糖极少被单独食用。如果直接把一罐白糖放在桌上让人空口拿勺舀着吃，绝大多数人吃两勺就会本能地停下；真正让人失控的，是添加糖与精炼脂肪、精制碳水被高度工业化加工、精心调配后的组合形态——如各类糕点、饼干、蛋糕与烘焙甜点。正是这些高度适口性（Hyperpalatable）的超加工食品，彻底瓦解了人体的饱食信号反馈。 关于添加糖的摄入上限，各大权威卫生组织的建议差异悬殊： - 美国国家医学院（National Academy of Medicine，前身为 IOM）建议将添加糖限制在每日总热量的 25% 以内。 - 世界卫生组织（WHO）则给出了一个近乎引发焦虑的极端标准，主张将添加糖卡死在总热量的 5% 以内。 追求 5% 的标准不仅在现实生活中极难维持，甚至容易演变成病态的饮食心理。更为科学、兼顾生活品质的可持续上限是控制在总热量的 10% 左右。这恰好契合了“80/20 弹性饮食法则”中 10% 到 20% 的自由热量额度（Discretionary Caloric Allotment）：在这个范围内，人们可以自由选择心仪的零食或放纵餐。不过这里需要做出针对性修正：如果个体正处于增重或热量盈余状态（Hypercaloric），摄入的热量本就超过消耗，那么该放纵额度应当严谨地压制在 10%，而非放宽到 20%。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Added Sugar Health Risks and Caloric Limits accDescr: 解释添加糖的两大危害机制以及针对不同热量摄入状态推荐的控制上限 subgraph Risks ["添加糖的危害来源"] A["精制添加糖摄入"] --> B["微量营养素稀释<br/>(空卡路里降低整体膳食质量)"] A --> C["超加工食品组合<br/>(与油脂高精配比，导致过度进食)"] end subgraph Guidance ["科学摄入上限与建议"] D{"个体当前能量代谢状态"} D -- "日常维持 / 减脂期" --> E["自由热量额度：10% - 20%<br/>(兼顾执行力与身心健康)"] D -- "热量盈余 / 增重期" --> F["严控添加糖：≤ 10% 总热量<br/>(避免多余脂肪激增)"] end ``` --- ### [01:58:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7095s) 每周训练频率与容量分配 当被问及个人的健身习惯时，每周在健身房训练 4 到 5 天是兼顾恢复与刺激的黄金节奏。针对“如果每周去 7 天会不会因为缺乏休息而过劳”的疑虑，核心取决于训练的具体内容、强度以及每周总组数（Total Sets Per Week）的统筹安排。 举例来说，若某个目标肌群设定的每周刺激量是 9 到 10 个有效组，理论上一名训练者确实可以在单次训练课中将这些组数全部塞满，但从神经疲劳和肌肉蛋白质合成效率的角度来看，将这 10 个组拆分、分摊到至少 2 天完成，其整体增肌效益和力量恢复水准都会显著提升。 --- ### [01:58:53](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7133s) 肌肉流失的真实时间线 肌肉到底在停训多久后才会真正开始萎缩流失？这是一个因人而异且充满变量的复杂问题。对于长期卧床不起的重症病患或伤病群体，瘦体重（Lean Mass）的流失是以令人心惊的速度急剧发生的。 但对于常规健康的运动人群而言，如果停训一周甚至两周，且期间保持着日常走动、轻度活动的“主动性休息”（Active Rest），人体在两周内几乎不会出现任何实质性的肌肉量衰退或运动表现滑坡。通常要等到完全停训满 3 周以上，中枢神经驱动能力与肌肉饱满度的下降才会开始转化为肉眼可见、体感明确的明显退化。 --- ### [01:59:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7181s) 力竭训练与“保留次数”（RIR）的实操边界 增肌是否必须做每组动作都练到完全提不起重量的“绝对力竭”？实际情况远比大众想象的要微妙。运动科学实验反复证明：绝大多数声称自己“练到彻底力竭”的人，潜意识里其实都保留了 1 到 3 次的余力（Reps in Reserve, RIR）。即便是训练有素的健身老手，当被要求练到只留 1 次余力时，实际测试下来他们往往还剩 2 到 3 次的潜力。人体存在一种自我保护的自主调控机制，会自动阻止神经系统逼近生理崩溃的悬崖。 正因普通人天生习惯低估自己的忍耐极限，大众在绝大多数动作中主动追求力竭，其实并不会违背运动科学界所倡导的安全法则。不过，器械与动作类型决定了对待力竭的策略： - **复合杠铃大重量动作**：如深蹲、卧推、硬拉等多关节自由重量训练，神经负荷大且存在被压危险，最适合严格遵循预留 1 到 2 次余力（1-2 RIR）的原则，避免技术动作变形导致伤病。 - **单关节孤立与固定器械训练**：如侧平举（Lateral Raises）、哑铃集中弯举（Concentration Curls）或安全系数极高的固定器械与轻重量动作，刻意去数保留次数毫无意义；在这类动作中大胆推至力竭，甚至在力竭后继续借助半程动作（Partials）进行压榨，是安全且极其高效的增肌手段。 --- ### [02:02:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7326s) 大自然对身心与寿命的深远塑造 节目来到了《CEO日记》的传统压轴环节：上一期神秘嘉宾为下一位未知的访客留下了一个探索内心的问题——“大自然对你的生活产生了怎样的影响？” 走出封闭的室内、融入自然环境对人类的心智状态具有极其深刻的滋养效果。大量的科学文献表明，仅仅是沐浴在阳光下或置身于绿植自然之中，就能产生可测量的心理减压与情绪调节效益。现场也引申了相关的认知实验：在户外真实环境中奔跑的人群，其大脑所获得的认知刺激与神经可塑性收益，明显优于在室内跑步机上单调履带运动的人。 更宏观的人口流行病学数据显示，全球范围内那些依海而居的“滨海社区”（Marine Communities）长年霸榜长寿统计榜单。无论是环境中的日照、新鲜空气，还是靠近海洋带来的自然富氧与开阔视野，自然生态都在生理和神经层面上全方位重塑着人类的生命质量与寿命极限。 ### [02:03:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7404s) 自然环境与身心健康的深层联系 对话延续了对环境如何影响身心状态的探讨。除了常去海边可能伴随的饮食改变——例如摄入更多富含 Omega-3 脂肪酸的优质海鲜外，走到户外、置身海滩本身就带有一种“近乎玄学/形而上学的心理疗愈效应”（"almost the metaphysical effect of going to the beach"）。Alan Aragon 明确指出，这种自然环境带来的积极影响绝非虚无缥缈的主观想象，现有的科学研究和实验数据完全能够证实亲近自然对整体健康所产生的切实益处。 ### [02:03:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7426s) 关注渠道与代表作《灵活饮食》（Flexible Dieting） 当被问及观众如果想继续学习前沿营养科学该去何处寻找资源时，Alan Aragon 介绍了自己的主要联络阵地：个人官方网站 AlanAragon.com 是汇聚其所有研究与资讯的核心枢纽，而在日常社交媒体中，他最活跃的平台是 Instagram（账号为 @theAlanAragon）。随后，主持人 Steven 拿起了摆在桌上的著作《灵活饮食》（Flexible Dieting），询问其成书历程。 Alan 解释说，这本书凝聚了他长达 30 年的从业经验与研究心血，是将数十载知识浓缩而成的结晶；而具体的伏案撰写过程则从 2020 年一直持续到 2022 年，历时整整两年。Steven 对该书赞不绝口，将其誉为营养与健身领域的“圣经”——不仅插图详尽生动，而且深入浅出，堪称一本兼具专业深度与极高可读性的优质教科书。Alan 也分享道，学术界对此书给出了极高认可，目前已有大学教授（例如 Hunter Waldman）正式将其纳为高校相关学科的教学大纲与课程教材。 - **官方网站**：AlanAragon.com（各项研究、资源与更新的汇聚主页） - **主要社交平台**：Instagram 账号 `@theAlanAragon` - **代表著作**：《灵活饮食》（*Flexible Dieting*），集中撰写于 2020 年至 2022 年，已被 Hunter Waldman 等学者选作大学专业课程教材 ### [02:05:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7508s) 破除迷思与总结：让复杂的营养科学回归常识 在节目的尾声，主持人 Steven 表达了由衷的敬意与感谢。他指出，在当今信息爆炸、充斥着各种玄虚概念和相互矛盾观点的时代，公众面对健康信息常常感到困惑无助，而 Alan 始终坚持用扎实严谨的循证科学为大众“去伪存真、破除迷思”（demystifying）。Steven 非常支持 Alan 即将步入的人生新阶段——重新更加紧密地对接真实客户与人群，建立高互动的专业社群；同时 Steven 也表示自己将订阅 Alan 的专业文献综述，以在第一时间追踪前沿科研动态。 面对赞誉，Alan 总结道，营养与身体机能的规律并非高不可攀的黑魔法，“这一切都是完全可以学会、完全可以讲透的”（"It's all learnable, it's all teachable"）。他真诚地感谢了节目的邀请与平台所赋予的影响力，并向所有收看与收听本期节目的观众道别致谢。 ## Notable quotes > [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=0s) There's almost nothing creatine can't do — Alan Aragon > [05:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=315s) 每日蛋白质总量是蛋糕本体；全天分几次吃只是蛋糕上的薄薄一层糖霜，且这层糖霜非常之薄；而具体的进食时间窗口甚至更次要。 — Alan Aragon > [31:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=1898s) 能够提供充足蛋白质、控制总卡路里，主要由健康天然食物组成，并且契合个人偏好与耐受度的饮食，就是最佳饮食。 — Alan Aragon > [56:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3386s) there's almost nothing creatine can't do — Steven Bartlett > [58:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=3515s) 任何人都能把体重减下来，但维持体重才是真正的决胜局 — Alan Aragon > [01:40:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6046s) 你能把马牵到水塘边，但你没法按着头强迫它喝水。 — Alan Aragon > [01:42:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6170s) My alcohol addiction was a very real thing — Alan Aragon > [01:42:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6170s) I was just very reactive to my environment. I was just going with the flow. — Alan Aragon > [01:50:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6616s) Generally speaking, they're a nothing burger — Alan Aragon > [01:50:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=6616s) 走出家门去大城市的大马路上呼吸一口城市空气，都比喝代糖饮料要危险得多。 — Alan Aragon > [02:03:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7404s) almost the metaphysical effect of going to the beach — Steven Bartlett > [02:05:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U&t=7508s) It's all learnable, it's all teachable — Alan Aragon ## Mentioned Alan Aragon, Steven Bartlett, The Diary Of A CEO, Flexible Dieting: A Science-Based, Reality-Tested Method for Achieving and Maintaining Your Optimal Physique, Performance & Health, Girth Control: The Science of Fat Loss & Muscle Gain, Men's Health, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Derek Fisher, Pete Sampras, WWE, NBA, Joey Antonio, Ozempic, Wegovy, SWAN Study, Pam Greshock, LinkedIn, Bon Charge, Vanta, Cadence, George Heaton, Hunter Waldman ## Video description Alan Aragon is a leading researcher, expert, and educator in fitness nutrition with over 30 years of experience in the field. He is also a nutrition consultant for Men’s Health magazine, and author of books such as, ‘Flexible Dieting’ and ‘Girth Control: The Science of Fat Loss & Muscle Gain’. Sick and tired of fitness myths and diet lies? No.1 nutrition expert Alan Aragon answers all your burning questions, from belly fat and PCOS, to creatine, testosterone and building lean muscle…all backed by REAL science! He explains: ⬛How PCOS affects weight loss, and the science that could reverse it ⬛The 2 step method to lose weight in 8 weeks ⬛What creatine actually does to your body! ⬛Why belly fat grows during menopause and how to stop it ⬛What really happens when you eat 300g of protein a day 00:00 Intro 02:28 Why Should the Audience Listen to You? 05:15 The Biggest Myths About Protein 09:39 How Many Meals Should We Eat for Optimal Muscle Gain? 11:44 How Much Protein Should We Consume Per Day? 16:26 Is There Any Danger in Too Much Protein? 21:51 How to Lose Weight Fast 23:55 Why Do I Gain Weight After Stopping Ozempic/Ozempic? 25:33 Does Dieting Affect Metabolism? 31:38 Best Diet for Long-Term Weight Loss 32:13 How Do I Specifically Lose Belly Fat? 33:29 Why Is Fat Loss Harder During Menopause? 38:09 HRT During Menopause 41:18 PCOS and Diet Restriction 44:58 What to Do With Irregular Menstrual Cycles 46:31 Muscle Memory 47:51 Is the Gut Microbiome Affecting My Weight Gain? 49:14 Why Do You Eat So Many Eggs? 50:42 Testosterone Levels 51:26 What Supplements Do You Take? 53:22 Creatine 56:46 Ads 58:35 Diet Breaks 1:02:06 How to Get Good at Weight Loss Maintenance 1:06:02 Diet Rebounds 1:11:26 Fasting 1:19:35 Water Fasts 1:20:45 Keto Diet 1:26:44 Gaining Muscle on the Keto Diet 1:28:55 Carnivore Diet 1:31:11 Do Vegans and Vegetarians Struggle to Gain Muscle? 1:31:58 Do Most People Get Enough Protein? 1:36:46 What’s Stopping People From Reaching Their Body Goals? 1:41:57 Your Alcohol Addiction 1:48:00 Ads 1:50:16 Artificial Sweeteners 1:52:02 The Lies We've Been Told About Sugar 1:55:45 Refined Sugar 1:58:15 How Often Should We Go to the Gym Each Week? 1:58:53 How Long Does It Take to Lose Muscle? 2:02:06 How Does Nature Impact Your Life? 2:03:46 Where Can People Find You? Follow Alan: ▪️ Website - https://bit.ly/3HJBJwY ▪️ Instagram - https://bit.ly/4613ASB ▪️ X - https://bit.ly/3Hrq8CS ▪️ Mentorship site - https://bit.ly/45GRZHb ▪️ You can purchase Alan’s book, ‘Flexible Dieting: A Science-Based, Reality-Tested Method for Achieving and Maintaining Your Optimal Physique, Performance & Health’, here: https://amzn.to/4pYIj3O The Diary Of A CEO: ⬛Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/ ⬛Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://smarturl.it/DOACbook ⬛The 1% Diary is back - limited time only: https://bit.ly/3YFbJbt ⬛The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards (Second Edition): https://g2ul0.app.link/f31dsUttKKb ⬛Get email updates - https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt ⬛Follow Steven - https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb Independent research: https://alanaragon.tiiny.co Sponsors: ⬛Linkedin Jobs - https://www.linkedin.com/doac ⬛Bon Charge - http://boncharge.com/diary?rfsn=8189247.228c0cb with code DIARY for 25% off ⬛Vanta - https://vanta.com/steven ⬛Cadence - https://usecadence.com/ with code DIARY for an extra 15% off first subscription order. Plus month 2: a free Cadence bottle, Month 3: a free 30x sachet pack [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C185Gkgg0U)

[0:00] Alan Aragon: There's almost nothing creatine can't do [5:15] Alan Aragon: 每日蛋白质总量是蛋糕本体；全天分几次吃只是蛋糕上的薄薄一层糖霜，且这层糖霜非常之薄；而具体的进食时间窗口甚至更次要。 [31:38] Alan Aragon: 能够提供充足蛋白质、控制总卡路里，主要由健康天然食物组成，并且契合个人偏好与耐受度的饮食，就是最佳饮食。 [56:26] Steven Bartlett: there's almost nothing creatine can't do [58:35] Alan Aragon: 任何人都能把体重减下来，但维持体重才是真正的决胜局 [100:46] Alan Aragon: 你能把马牵到水塘边，但你没法按着头强迫它喝水。 [102:50] Alan Aragon: My alcohol addiction was a very real thing [102:50] Alan Aragon: I was just very reactive to my environment. I was just going with the flow. [110:16] Alan Aragon: Generally speaking, they're a nothing burger [110:16] Alan Aragon: 走出家门去大城市的大马路上呼吸一口城市空气，都比喝代糖饮料要危险得多。 [123:24] Steven Bartlett: almost the metaphysical effect of going to the beach [125:08] Alan Aragon: It's all learnable, it's all teachable

[18:20] Alan Aragon: We want to maximize the number of micro anabolic events in the course of the day. We want to maximize the amount of times you maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. [31:38] Alan Aragon: Targeting belly fat specifically is a matter of targeting total body fat... You don't have to rearrange a whole program because somebody's going through menopause. You don't have to cut out nutrients and do any special things. [37:32] Alan Aragon: One of the things that really annoys the absolute crap out of me is when I'm seeing the comment sections on social media with people telling everybody that hey, you just turned 40, time to go on HRT. That is between you and your doctor. [41:18] Alan Aragon: At the heart of Type 2 diabetes is overeating... PCOS is very similar in this regard. There is no standard consensus-based PCOS diet protocol, but because it shares so many similar characteristics with Type 2 diabetes, we can employ the same principles. [46:31] Alan Aragon: It's definitely a part of the axis of organ systems that we manifest whatever result we're looking at... but it's not the main puppeteer of everything. [49:14] Alan Aragon: I take my vitamins more on a 'placing your bets' basis, rather than, 'Hey man, this is just the bottom-line evidence-based, I think everybody should do this.' [53:22] Alan Aragon: It's the only non-pharmacological supplement that really, really has a very strong and deep and broad evidence base for enhancing the effects of resistance training. [58:35] Alan Aragon: If for example somebody has a lot of weight to lose... they have to understand that multiple plateaus will be encountered en route to their ultimate goal... The way that the body changes is always going to be this surge, slow, stop pattern. [62:06] Alan Aragon: Muscle tissue specifically is the center of our dietary fuel usage. It is the metabolic engine of the body... if you're losing muscle tissue, you're really losing metabolic leverage while you're losing body fat. [66:02] Alan Aragon: Every 5 to 10 pounds that somebody loses in a dieting cycle is high time for a diet break... it's what I call non-yolo maintenance. So you take off the rules, take off the restrictions, but you're not eating with sheer abandon. [71:26] Alan Aragon: When you bring up autophagy, that's where I kind of have to push back... You maintain hypocaloric conditions, autophagy ramps up... Not only that, but both major types of exercise will increase autophagy... whereas the autophagy increases through exercise, they almost don't have a downside. [79:35] Alan Aragon: I think that it's a much healthier approach for people to secure and reinforce the right habits through the entirety of the year, instead of jumping on the fast to get rid of the holiday binges. [86:44] Alan Aragon: For every gram of carbohydrate that you store as glycogen, there's three-ish grams of water stuck to it. And so, just sitting there, you're carrying more muscle mass, more fullness on a non-ketogenic diet. [100:55] Alan Aragon: I drank heavily from when I was 40 till I was about 46... talking a bottle, bottle and a half of wine a night by myself, 7 days a week... 1,000 calories of regret is what it was. [122:06] Steven Bartlett: How does nature impact your life?

[0:00] I asked my audience for the 15 most [0:02] popular unanswered questions about how [0:04] to lose fat or to gain muscle mass. The [0:06] first one, how do I lose weight fast? [0:09] But we just answered that. [0:10] >> Yeah. The second one is creatine is a [0:12] miracle thing that everybody should be [0:13] taking. [0:13] >> There's almost nothing creatine can't [0:15] do. Wow, some statement. [0:18] Next, is there any harm in eating too [0:19] much protein? It's rare, and in fact, [0:22] almost everybody who has some degree of [0:24] an issue with their body fat levels [0:26] under consume protein. The next question [0:27] is about PCOS. What would you say to a [0:29] woman struggling with PCOS in terms of [0:32] dietary prescription? That's a damn good [0:34] question, man. Can I go into detail with [0:36] this? Because a lot of people are very [0:39] misinformed about this stuff. [0:40] >> The floor is yours. Okay, so Alan Aragon [0:43] has been using science to help elite [0:45] athletes unlock peak performance for [0:46] over 30 years. And now he's breaking [0:49] down the nutrition and training [0:50] strategies that actually deliver [0:51] results. It's important to take an [0:53] evidence-based approach to diet, [0:55] nutrition, training, supplementation. [0:57] Because if you don't, then you end up [0:59] wasting a lot of time. So let's start [1:00] with protein. So how much protein should [1:03] I be eating to gain muscle? What is your [1:05] goal body weight? It's around 90. Take [1:07] 90 and multiply that by [1:09] There's your protein target. What about [1:11] calorie restriction? I've heard you say [1:13] that 10 or 20% of your calories can come [1:14] from pretty much anything you want. [1:16] Literally anything. So I could eat [1:18] McDonald's or something, and I could [1:19] still lose weight theoretically. That's [1:20] true. And this is reflected in research [1:23] along with diet breaks. That's one of [1:25] the tactics that you can use for a [1:27] long-term adherence to a plan. And I'll [1:29] explain how. I also wanted to talk about [1:31] the ketogenic diets, menopause, fasting, [1:33] sugars, and this. [1:35] That that always gets me, man. That that [1:36] picture always gets me. Why? I used to [1:38] drink heavily. I was overworked and [1:41] trying to be the best father and the [1:42] best husband. [1:44] And it got real bad. [1:47] I just needed to stop. And I did. How? I [1:50] just [1:52] Wow, really? Yes. [1:55] I see messages all the time in the [1:56] comment section that some of you didn't [1:58] realize you didn't subscribe. So if you [2:00] could do me a favor and double-check if [2:01] you're a subscriber to this channel, [2:03] that would be tremendously appreciated. [2:04] It's the simple, it's the free thing [2:06] that anybody that watches this show [2:07] frequently can do to help us here to [2:09] keep everything going in this show in [2:11] the trajectory it's on. So please do [2:13] double-check if you subscribed, and [2:15] thank you so much. Because in a strange [2:16] way you are you're part of our history, [2:19] and you're on this journey with us, and [2:20] I appreciate you for that. So yeah, [2:22] thank you. [2:26] Alan, [2:28] why should I listen to you? What have [2:30] you done in your career in over the last [2:32] 30 years that [2:34] has given you the knowledge, the [2:36] information, the wisdom that you have on [2:37] nutrition, dieting, fitness, etc.? [2:40] Who is Alan? [2:43] I have over 30 years of experience in [2:46] the field. The first 10 years consisted [2:48] of personal training. The second decade [2:51] of my career was nutritional counseling. [2:54] Just counseling people on on how to eat, [2:57] what to eat. And then the third decade [3:00] of my career, which is actually [3:02] running on 13 years now, is the research [3:05] and education side. My colleagues and I, [3:07] we in quotes do the science, we publish [3:10] the science. I've been a part of [3:14] 30 publications. 30 studies? [3:16] >> Yeah. Yeah, a combination of narrative [3:20] reviews, systematic reviews and [3:22] meta-analyses, and randomized controlled [3:25] trials. And how many people have you [3:27] worked with directly over the last 30 [3:29] years in terms of in your your [3:31] nutritional counseling role, but also as [3:33] a as a trainer? Individually, it's [3:38] it's triple digits. Groups, [3:41] potentially [3:42] quadruple. Yeah. [3:44] And some of those people that you've [3:46] worked with over the years are fairly [3:48] high profile. Yeah. [3:50] Probably my [3:52] most interesting story is getting an [3:55] email from Steve Austin. And and [3:58] wrestling fans know him as Stone Cold [4:00] Steve Austin. In so many words, he said, [4:03] "Hey Alan, I've been [4:05] I've been doing my research, and [4:09] you're you're the guy. So I want to work [4:11] with you. [4:12] Um I know that you mentioned that you're [4:13] not working with clients, but could you [4:17] please make an exception for me? Here's [4:19] my number." What did you do with him? [4:21] With Stone Cold? [4:22] I [4:23] helped him get his nutrition right for [4:25] his [4:27] uh in quotes uh [4:29] comeback to television. It was mainly [4:31] focused on [4:33] primarily fat loss. [4:35] And you worked with Derek Fisher as [4:36] well, who's the five-time NBA champion. [4:39] Yes. Longtime LA Lakers player. Yeah. [4:42] And Pete Sampras, the former [4:44] world number one tennis player, Grand [4:45] Slam champion. Yeah, Pete Sampras, [4:47] that's right. [4:48] When people come to you, [4:50] and when they message you and DM you, [4:52] there's probably similar themes. Similar [4:54] themes as to like what they're trying to [4:55] accomplish and what their goal is. If [4:57] you just from the top of your head had [4:59] to state [5:00] the most popular themes that people are [5:02] trying to accomplish, [5:04] what are they? [5:06] How to improve body composition. What [5:08] does that mean? [5:10] How to lose fat [5:12] and or gain muscle. [5:16] One of the things that I'm I'm [5:16] particularly intrigued by, which kind of [5:18] dovetails into both of those subjects of [5:20] fat and muscle gain, is the subject of [5:24] protein. [5:25] And um [5:27] because there's been so much said about [5:28] protein. You know, when I was growing [5:29] up, they said you have to have protein [5:30] right after you eat your meal, you have [5:32] to have this much protein, you have to [5:33] have it before you eat your meal, it [5:35] doesn't matter when you have it. So I [5:36] want to do a bit of myth-busting on the [5:38] subject of protein. [5:40] What are what are the biggest myths that [5:41] people currently believe about protein [5:43] consumption? [5:45] The biggest myth is that they have the [5:48] hierarchy of importance all screwed up. [5:51] Like everybody's worried about how much [5:53] protein per meal you need to have for [5:55] this or that goal. When do you need to [5:57] time protein relative to the training [6:00] bout or waking or sleeping or all that [6:02] stuff. The [6:04] main thing they need to be focused on is [6:06] how much protein do they need to eat by [6:09] the end of the day. Because when you hit [6:11] that goal, [6:12] you've basically won the whole game. The [6:15] the relative placement, the [6:16] distribution, and the doses of the [6:18] protein, the timing of it, [6:20] oh man, [6:22] it rarely matters. [6:24] It it it rarely matters beyond [6:27] getting that protein in in a way that's [6:30] comfortable and convenient for you and [6:33] in such a way that you can stick to in [6:35] the long term. Some people are more like [6:37] grazers. Some people are more like [6:39] gorgers. [6:41] They're both fine as long as you hit the [6:43] total by the end of the day. So the [6:44] hierarchy is [6:46] of utmost importance, get your total [6:48] daily protein. [6:49] And then of secondary importance would [6:52] be what is the distribution of the [6:54] constituent doses of that protein total [6:56] through the day. And then of third [6:58] importance down here is like [7:00] when specifically are you supposed to [7:02] time that protein around the the [7:04] training bout? So So yeah, the [7:08] what the way that I put it is like this. [7:10] The day the daily total for protein, [7:13] that is the cake. [7:15] The distribution [7:16] of the doses through the day, that's the [7:19] icing on the cake, and it's a very thin [7:21] layer of icing. And how do we know that? [7:24] How do we know that it doesn't really [7:25] matter what time you have the protein, [7:27] and that the most important thing is [7:28] just making sure you get the protein. [7:30] That's a great question. [7:32] The reason that we know that [7:35] distribution doesn't matter as much as [7:37] the total is through a couple lines of [7:39] evidence that I can think of. So there's [7:41] Yasuda who who compared a three-meal [7:45] model with a two-meal model. [7:48] And the three-meal model had superior [7:50] effects for um for muscle gain. [7:55] But there is a study that was just [7:57] published [7:59] gosh, within the last month. [8:01] It was better from a methodology [8:03] standpoint because they fed the subjects [8:07] an abundance of protein. So Yasuda and [8:09] colleagues who and colleagues who tested [8:11] the two versus three, he totaled [8:13] everybody out at [8:14] 1.3 g per kilogram of body weight per [8:18] day. That's the total daily protein [8:19] dose. And so we know now that that's [8:22] a suboptimal total if you want to push [8:25] muscle growth. So for pushing muscle [8:27] growth, we know you you should be at 1.6 [8:30] g per kilogram of body weight, which [8:32] translates to 0.7 g per pound of body [8:35] weight. [8:36] That's where you really want to be if [8:38] you want to maximize [8:41] muscular adaptations to resistance [8:43] training, like muscle size and strength [8:45] gains. So [8:47] this latest study, [8:49] they compared three [8:52] uh three protein feedings versus [8:55] five protein feedings. [8:57] And the totals [8:59] of protein intake in the day in both [9:01] groups were around a gram per pound. So [9:04] right around 2.2-ish g per kilogram of [9:07] body weight. So we have the [9:10] optimized daily total, and we're testing [9:12] three versus five protein feedings. [9:15] We're doing progressive resistance [9:17] training. And this is the key. This [9:19] happened in resistance-trained subjects. [9:23] There were no significant differences in [9:25] in muscle size and strength gain between [9:28] the three protein feedings a day [9:31] versus five protein feedings a day. And [9:34] this is the best-designed study to date [9:37] on the on the topic. And and so Because [9:39] when I grew up and read stuff about [9:42] gaining muscle, it said you had to have [9:43] like five or six meals a day. [9:44] >> Mhm. [9:45] Um it said that's what bodybuilders do. [9:47] Whenever we we talk about any kind of [9:50] physical goal, any any sort of fitness [9:52] goal, [9:53] we have to address [9:55] two main things. So who's the Who's the [9:58] population [10:00] and what goal are we talking about? And [10:02] maybe a third thing we need to address [10:04] is what is at stake. So, what level are [10:07] we talking about? So, population, goal, [10:11] what level? What's at stake? So, [10:14] with bodybuilders [10:16] at elite levels, [10:19] it is [10:21] most of them [10:23] consume [10:25] five, six meals a day. [10:27] Some of them do like even seven or eight [10:28] in the off-season. [10:30] And these are individuals who are [10:33] enhanced. [10:34] And so, their ceiling for muscle growth [10:37] and their rates of muscle muscle growth [10:39] are significantly higher than people who [10:41] are, in quotes, natural. [10:44] And the amount of food that these [10:47] individuals can process and use [10:49] productively is significantly more. [10:52] And so, with that population, [10:55] I can see it being [10:57] pretty standard for them to be consuming [10:59] at least five, six [11:01] meals a day. [11:02] Since they tend to have to Since they [11:04] tend to be eating double [11:06] the amount of of the average person. [11:09] And so, but the interesting thing that [11:11] happens is that the guidelines from this [11:14] very sort of fringe elite population, [11:16] that's what trickles down into the [11:18] general public and then they're stuck [11:19] thinking, "Okay, maybe I need to eat [11:21] every 2.5 hours or or some such." But [11:25] yeah, with the with the general [11:26] population and even um [11:28] recreational athletes and people who are [11:30] hobbyists and and and stuff, [11:33] you really [11:35] the impact of actual protein [11:37] distribution is [11:41] inconsequential compared to the total. [11:44] So, how much protein should I be eating [11:47] a day? Cuz you I think you disagree with [11:48] the recommended daily sort of allowance [11:50] that they suggest we [11:52] as a I think I'm 90 kg. Mhm. [11:56] How much protein should I be eating to [11:58] gain muscle? Lean muscle mass. [12:01] Okay. [12:02] So, [12:03] we're going to apply you to the [12:05] population and the goal and the stakes [12:08] questions. So, what would you say your [12:10] training status [12:12] is? You're obviously not a beginner. [12:15] Um [12:17] so, you're somewhere between [12:18] intermediate and advanced. [12:20] >> Mhm. [12:21] Right? [12:21] >> Yeah. So, [12:23] what is your goal? [12:26] Just to lose fat and gain muscle. Okay. [12:28] Familiar story, I'm sure. [12:30] Okay. The way that I do it is I go [12:33] 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram of target body [12:37] weight or goal body weight. [12:39] Mhm. [12:40] So, that's the range that you would be [12:42] looking at. Now, [12:44] with you in particular, [12:48] I would go more towards the upper end. [12:51] Because you mentioned that you part of [12:54] your goal is [12:55] to decrease body fat to a [12:58] to a to a minor degree, but you're still [13:00] you're pushing the envelope cuz you're [13:02] already lean. [13:04] So, there's an interesting thing about [13:07] highballing protein that facilitates [13:10] that [13:12] reduction in body fat. So, if if I have [13:14] a lot of protein, [13:16] it helps to reduce body fat. Yeah. [13:19] Yeah, it does. [13:20] The way that we know this is because [13:23] there have been several studies now. [13:25] Four trials, one case study [13:29] um by Joey Antonio and colleagues. [13:32] And they [13:35] examined the effect of very high protein [13:36] intakes anywhere from about 3.3 all the [13:40] way to 4.4 g per kilogram of body [13:44] weight. [13:45] Roughly, gosh, you know, [13:47] a gram and a half to 2 g per pound. Is [13:50] that because you're eating less [13:50] carbohydrates? You're sort of [13:52] substituting it for something else [13:53] essentially in terms of you feeling [13:55] hungry. So, if I'm having 3.3 g of [13:58] protein, I'm probably not going to be [14:00] having something else which is more [14:01] fatty. [14:02] Yeah, that's right. That's right. So, [14:04] this particular line of research was [14:07] done on people who are resistance [14:09] training. [14:11] And it was done in free-living [14:12] conditions. [14:14] And they just gave them the assignment [14:16] to essentially [14:19] increase their their protein intake by [14:21] 50%. [14:23] And [14:24] literally add [14:27] 80 to 100 g of protein on top of their [14:31] existing habitual dietary intakes. So, [14:35] what would you say to me then? You'd say [14:36] push even higher [14:39] in terms of grams per kilogram of body [14:40] weight. [14:41] What is your goal body weight? I don't [14:43] actually have a goal body weight to be [14:44] honest. I just have more of a [14:47] a goal in terms of like strength. [14:48] >> How about this? Were you ever in the [14:51] shape that you [14:53] are wanting to be in? And what What was [14:55] your body weight at that time? I was [14:57] around 90. I think I was just a little [14:59] bit below 90 kg. So, I think I was about [15:02] 88. Okay. So, you know what? Let's take [15:05] 90 Yeah. [15:06] and multiply that by 2.2. 90 * 2.2. [15:10] There's your protein target. 198 grams [15:14] of protein a day. So, if my if a protein [15:17] shake gives me 20 g of protein, I I need [15:19] to have basically 10 g 10 protein shakes [15:21] a day. [15:22] That seems like a lot of protein. That [15:24] is a lot of protein. [15:26] Uh I I would [15:27] give a little caveat here. [15:30] You can probably achieve your your goal [15:33] with [15:35] 1.6 [15:37] g per kilogram of body weight. So, that [15:39] would be the lower end. So, multiply 90 [15:44] by 1.6 [15:46] and that's where you can start. So, if [15:49] if that 198 number seems [15:52] kind of far-fetched [15:53] or even a little bit like, "Hmm, how [15:55] would I even achieve that?" then start [15:57] off at the lower end. Do women have a [15:59] different prescription in this regard? [16:00] Is there a different approach if you're [16:02] a woman? [16:03] Yeah, if you're a woman, you would [16:05] almost always start at the low end. [16:08] Because women have a higher proportion [16:10] of body fat and and by default, they [16:11] have a lower proportion of lean mass. [16:14] So, with women, it would almost always [16:16] be, "All right, let's start at 1.6 g per [16:19] kilogram of target body weight and see [16:22] how you do with that." And we can always [16:24] ratchet it up if needed. Is there any [16:26] such harm in eating too much protein? [16:30] It's rare. Uh you would have to have a [16:32] pre-existing chronic kidney disease [16:36] and then it's generally not a good thing [16:39] to be highballing the protein. [16:41] Um but even people with chronic kidney [16:44] disease have to realize the tradeoff [16:47] that they're incurring with a low [16:48] protein diet and [16:50] older age sarcopenia and stuff. How are [16:52] they going to mitigate that? But for the [16:55] general healthy population, [16:57] there have been many studies that have [16:59] rolled out looking at effects on kidney [17:02] function, liver function, bone health. [17:05] And there is [17:07] virtually zero threat to those organ [17:11] systems that that you would think might [17:12] be threatened by a high protein intake. [17:15] So, the human organism [17:17] perfectly well equipped to metabolize [17:20] and handle high protein amounts. And not [17:23] all protein is equal, I guess, because [17:24] you've got you've got these animal [17:25] proteins and then plant proteins [17:28] um that come from things like eggs and [17:29] so on. What is the best type of protein, [17:31] do you think? [17:33] Is there such a thing? [17:35] I think that the best thing you can do [17:37] is get a mix of different types of [17:39] protein. [17:40] It is true that gram for gram, [17:43] generally speaking, animal proteins are [17:46] more, in quotes, anabolic [17:48] than plant proteins, meaning [17:51] that they stimulate a greater [17:54] growth response of muscle. [17:56] >> at the muscle level. So, they stimulate [17:58] muscle protein synthesis more potently [18:01] than plant proteins. [18:03] And [18:05] there are There's maybe one exception to [18:08] that that we know of, which is [18:10] mycoprotein, which is a fungus-based [18:12] protein that actually outperformed milk [18:15] protein for stimulating muscle protein [18:17] synthesis. [18:18] So, there's interesting exceptions like [18:20] that. But generally speaking, animal [18:22] proteins are [18:24] better for muscle protein synthesis than [18:26] plant proteins. Now, with that said, [18:29] Stephen, [18:30] once you consume a certain amount of [18:32] total daily protein, [18:34] then it doesn't appear to matter how [18:38] much of your protein is animal-based [18:40] versus how much your pro your protein is [18:42] plant-based if we're looking at things [18:45] like muscle size and strength gain. [18:47] Because this has been actually [18:49] compared [18:51] in controlled interventions where um [18:54] vegan group has been compared with an [18:57] omnivore group [18:58] and total daily protein was optimized at [19:01] 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight per [19:03] day or 0.7 g per pound in both groups. [19:07] Progressive resistance training for 12 [19:09] weeks. [19:10] No significant differences between [19:11] groups in muscle size and strength gain, [19:13] whether it was a omnivorous protein [19:15] intake or whether it was a [19:17] plant-based protein intake. And we have [19:19] two studies showing that now. [19:21] You must have so many moments where [19:22] you're working with someone through your [19:24] career who's got a goal and he feels [19:27] like they just can't accomplish it. [19:29] Where you find yourself saying the same [19:30] thing over and over again [19:32] to people about how to lose fat or to [19:35] gain muscle mass. [19:37] Is that same thing just to eat have more [19:39] protein? [19:40] It's a common thing with the general [19:43] population, with the lay public. [19:46] Like my my protein target is [19:49] at least 160 g a day. [19:51] So, [19:53] I just make sure that I have four meals [19:55] with at least 40 g [19:57] of of protein per day. And it's so easy [20:00] to do. It's incredibly easy to do [20:03] because [20:04] two of my meals per day are just real [20:07] whole foods. [20:08] And then two of my meals per day, two to [20:10] three, are protein smoothies. [20:13] And so, uh it is just so incredibly easy [20:16] for me to to get my protein intake [20:17] through like two scoops of protein, bam, [20:19] that's almost 50 g of protein right [20:21] there. [20:22] So, you have two of those a day, got [20:24] more than half my protein covered. But [20:27] if I if I have all of my protein in one [20:29] meal, [20:30] Mhm. [20:31] is that going to impact my ability to [20:33] gain muscle or lose fat if I have it all [20:34] in one meal? If I just have like one [20:36] massive protein shake? If I put like [20:37] five scoops? [20:39] Now, if you were telling me, "Hey Alan, [20:42] I want to place really good in the [20:44] nationals this year. The NPC nationals [20:48] classic [20:49] classic physique or you know, classic [20:51] bodybuilding or just any one of the [20:53] physique divisions, [20:56] I would say, you know, [20:58] you are not going to want to try to get [20:59] all your protein in a single meal. [21:02] Because what we want to do is we want to [21:04] maximize the number of micro anabolic [21:08] events in the course of the day. We want [21:11] to maximize the amount of times you [21:13] maximally stimulate muscle protein [21:16] synthesis in the course of the day. [21:18] And [21:20] just from a a pragmatic standpoint, [21:22] you could probably do that at least [21:24] three or four times. [21:26] And if you're able to do that three or [21:27] four times in the day versus once [21:30] with that one big banger of a meal, [21:32] then you might actually over time gain [21:36] more muscle than you would have. [21:38] And this could make the difference [21:39] between placings at the end of the uh [21:42] end of the prep period. So, but [21:44] as somebody in the general population, [21:48] theoretically, you could [21:50] Mhm. [21:52] I am going to challenge you to do [21:53] something here. I asked my audience [21:55] about weight loss and asked them for [21:57] their 15 most popular questions that are [22:00] currently unanswered for them [22:02] >> All right. [22:02] >> about weight loss. [22:04] The first one was "How do I lose weight [22:07] fast?" Ha. [22:10] So, essentially, you can engage [22:13] what would could be classified as a as a [22:17] as a protein-sparing modified fast. [22:19] You're basically crash dieting. Um [22:22] I don't love doing that though, [22:24] honestly. [22:25] Listen, I've got a wedding. I need to I [22:26] need to lose weight fast. How do I lose [22:28] weight fast? Losing weight fast. So, you [22:31] would basically do an aggressive caloric [22:34] deficit. So, anywhere I I would say [22:38] 20% below your maintenance needs, 20 to [22:41] possibly 40 depending on the individual, [22:44] percent below your maintenance needs. [22:47] And then [22:49] keep the protein high. [22:51] And this is going to default you to [22:53] relatively low carbohydrate, relatively [22:56] low fat. [22:58] And [22:59] just train regularly. Don't hurt [23:01] yourself. [23:02] Um Protein high, you said? Yeah, protein [23:05] high. And calories-wise, so for example, [23:09] if you maintained at we'll we'll just [23:11] take a round number, 2,000 calories. [23:14] So, you would just lop off about a third [23:17] of that. [23:19] And then just go. And see if you can [23:24] maintain your fat loss [23:26] while maintaining strength levels [23:28] relatively. You're it's almost [23:30] inevitable to crash diet [23:33] and [23:34] lose some strength in the process. But I [23:37] mean, we're we're talking about [23:39] something that's not an optimal process. [23:42] But yeah, that that's that's the game. [23:44] Basically, [23:45] aggressive caloric deficit, [23:47] keep protein very high. [23:49] And then you just go And the deficit [23:50] could be anywhere from 500 to a [23:52] thousand-ish calories below what you [23:54] normally take in. The second one is, [23:57] "Why do I regain weight after stopping [24:00] Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.?" [24:04] All right, so [24:05] those GLP-1 [24:07] RAs, the recep- GLP-1 receptor agonist [24:10] drugs like Wegovy, [24:14] they [24:15] have um at least three different [24:17] mechanisms that all converge towards [24:22] almost nullifying your your hunger and [24:24] your appetite response. [24:26] And so, when you cut out the drug, then [24:28] your [24:29] normal appetite comes back. [24:32] And [24:35] an unfortunate reality for a lot of [24:38] GLP-1 users when they get off the drug [24:40] is [24:41] they just don't have the habits and they [24:44] don't have the skills necessarily to [24:46] maintain their weight loss. And of [24:48] course, once again, they're fighting [24:49] their appetite. So, I would say [24:52] perhaps try um a weaning off process [24:56] instead of just a jumping off process. A [24:58] weaning off process where you are [25:00] reinforcing [25:02] countermeasures to overeating, where you [25:05] are reinforcing [25:07] good training habits and good dietary [25:09] habits. And we're all where you're also [25:12] progressively learning how to live with [25:15] and deal with sensations of hunger [25:18] between meals. [25:20] And just train those habits in. [25:23] And uh [25:24] it can be done. I I I [25:27] I'm not one of the people in the camp [25:28] who says it's impossible to get off of [25:31] weight loss drugs successfully. [25:33] So, number three again is, "Is my [25:35] metabolism damaged after dieting?" And [25:37] they're asking a question here about [25:38] something called adaptive thermogenesis. [25:40] >> Yeah. Okay, so this is not really a [25:42] short shot here. Okay. So, the the [25:46] process of metabolic adaptation is kind [25:49] of complex. [25:50] And it happens in both directions, [25:52] whether you try to gain weight or [25:53] whether you try to lose weight. So, [25:54] earlier we talked about uh an increase [25:57] in non-exercise activity thermogenesis [26:00] or NEAT. An increase in NEAT in response [26:02] to an increase in calories. [26:05] So, [26:06] that occurs and [26:08] across studies, I I gave an example that [26:11] showed a 336 [26:13] calorie increase in NEAT when a thousand [26:16] calories were stacked on top of people's [26:18] maintenance. [26:19] But there are other studies where the [26:21] caloric increase was not quite that [26:23] aggressive. So, so on average, increases [26:27] in [26:28] NEAT or non-exercise activity [26:30] thermogenesis are about two to 300 [26:33] calories. So, you increase your energy [26:36] expenditure about two to 300 calories [26:39] if you're overeating. Yeah. So, your [26:41] body will start to twitch more and move [26:44] more, burning more non-active calories. [26:45] >> That's correct. When you're overeating, [26:47] yeah. So, that's an adap- that's an [26:48] adaptation. [26:49] >> That that's the adaptation in the [26:52] caloric surplus side. [26:54] So, in the caloric deficit side, [26:57] it's just the opposite thing. Just the [26:59] mirror of it. So, people decrease their [27:04] non-exercise activity thermogenesis or [27:06] their NEAT. They decrease it on average [27:08] like two to three-ish hundred calories [27:11] Okay. as a result of dieting. So, this [27:14] is part of a metabolic adaptation that [27:17] occurs with dieting. Is this why people [27:20] don't think the calories in, calories [27:21] out system is working for them [27:23] sometimes? Because they don't realize [27:25] that if they're in a cal- calorie [27:26] deficit sometimes, [27:28] they are subconsciously moving around [27:31] less, which means that they're burning [27:33] less calories. [27:34] Um so, actually, they're not in a [27:35] calorie deficit. [27:37] Yes, that's correct. So, with the [27:40] dieting side of things, which is much [27:42] more of a public health issue, weight [27:44] loss is is much more of a [27:46] a necessity than the weight gain. [27:50] It's it's tougher for most people. [27:51] Because in addition to the decrease in [27:54] non-exercise activity that'll cost [27:56] people two to 300-ish calories that [27:58] they're [27:59] no longer uh no longer burning at the [28:02] end of the dieting cycle, [28:03] then you've got [28:05] what's called [28:07] adaptive thermoreduction. [28:09] Okay, so you mentioned adaptive [28:10] thermogenesis. [28:13] Technically, that is the there's [28:15] non-shivering adaptive thermogenesis and [28:17] there's shivering adaptive [28:18] thermogenesis, but that all has to do [28:21] with increases in energy expenditure in [28:23] response to cold environments. So, [28:25] that's technically that's what adaptive [28:27] thermogenesis is. It's increase in [28:29] energy expenditure. [28:30] When people diet, [28:32] there's something called adaptive [28:34] thermoreduction. [28:36] And that is the [28:37] part of it is a decrease in non-exercise [28:40] activity thermogenesis. You're you're [28:42] basically saying that the body changes [28:44] when we're in a calorie deficit. [28:46] >> Mhm. It stops doing as much. Yes, that's [28:49] the activity part. Yeah. But then [28:51] there's also the metabolic part. So, [28:54] we've got a decrease in non-exercise [28:56] activity. Yeah. Then we have [28:59] adaptive thermoreduction, [29:01] which has to do with a [29:03] a metabolic component that has to do [29:05] with the sympathetic nervous system. And [29:07] also [29:08] potentially thyroid output as well. [29:11] So, there's this metabolic change that [29:13] goes on. And there's [29:15] behavioral or activity change that goes [29:17] on. So, when people say I've got a slow [29:19] metabolism, [29:20] they might be telling the truth. When [29:22] people say I have a slow metabolism, [29:24] what's usually happening [29:26] is they have a pretty massive drop in [29:29] NEAT or non-exercise activity to the [29:31] order of two to 300 calories. Now, [29:34] adaptive thermoreduction [29:36] is another 50 to 100 calories. Okay. So, [29:41] we're looking at in the neighborhood of [29:43] like [29:44] possibly three, four hundred calories [29:48] that they're no longer burning as a [29:50] result of the dieting process. Now, if [29:54] you take somebody with um [29:56] clinically diagnosed [29:58] hypothyroidism, [30:00] then their resting metabolic rate could [30:02] be 7 to 10% lower than somebody without [30:05] a thyroid issue. So, you add another [30:08] 1 to 200 calories less burned over here, [30:10] then you have the potential [30:13] for 5 to 600 calories [30:15] uh of energy expenditure that this is [30:17] challenged with [30:19] at the end of their dieting cycle. So, [30:21] they're So, I guess it is kind of true [30:23] in a in a way that people understand it [30:26] that if you overeat, your metabolism [30:29] as far as they understand what their [30:30] metabolism is, is increasing and if you [30:32] undereat, then your metabolism is [30:35] slowing down. [30:36] Yes, but I have to emphasize the major [30:40] component that slows down [30:42] is your non-exercise activity. You're [30:44] not moving around as much. Yes, the [30:46] other components, like adaptive thermo [30:49] reduction and potential thyroid issues, [30:52] that is the minor component. The major [30:53] component is a drop in fidgeting, a [30:56] slowing of the rate that you walk [30:57] around, an increase in the amount you [30:59] sit around. And you can control that. [31:01] Yes. [31:03] It's it's hard to put a put a finger on [31:05] it, but as long as you know that stuff [31:06] goes down, I'll give you an example of [31:09] physique competitors. [31:11] They are [31:13] as their cutting cutting phase [31:15] progresses, they're literally lying [31:18] around in between their cardio sessions [31:21] and their resistance training sessions [31:23] and their [31:24] Tupperware meal sessions. Okay, they're [31:26] no longer [31:28] tapping their heads, bob you know, [31:29] tapping their fingers and bobbing their [31:31] heads and they're no longer have a pep [31:33] in their step. They're no longer doing [31:35] non-exercise activities, basically. [31:38] Question four. [31:39] What diet actually works best for [31:42] long-term weight loss, keto, low-fat, [31:43] Mediterranean, intermittent fasting and [31:45] you got to give me a [31:47] answer here. [31:52] I'll say it in one sentence. [31:55] The diet with enough protein, enough [31:59] total calories, [32:01] that is comprised predominantly of [32:05] healthy food choices [32:07] that fits the individual's personal [32:11] preferences and tolerances. [32:14] How do I lose belly fat specifically? [32:17] Can you target the belly? [32:20] Targeting belly fat specifically is a [32:23] matter of targeting total body fat. [32:26] You can't [32:28] necessarily [32:30] spot reduce the belly fat. [32:33] Now, if we're go a layer deeper, it is [32:36] possible for certain diets to be more [32:38] conducive to preventing visceral fat [32:41] gain or maybe even accelerating visceral [32:44] fat loss. Visceral fat is the fat in the [32:48] within the abdominal cavity around the [32:50] the organs. [32:52] And so, [32:53] it is possible for certain diets to be [32:56] more conducive to reductions in visceral [32:58] fat and that would be diets that have a [33:02] lower proportion of [33:03] saturated fat. [33:05] What's What's What's What's What's an [33:06] example of a saturated fat food? Land [33:09] fatty land animal meats. So, land animal [33:12] fats are going to be your saturated fats [33:15] that are more conducive to visceral fat [33:19] gain. So, if you were to switch out, [33:21] let's say fatty cuts of meat, just trim [33:23] that fat out and if you replaced it with [33:25] something like avocado nuts, [33:27] olive oil, seeds, [33:29] On menopause, why is fat loss harder and [33:31] what actually works? [33:33] Okay. [33:34] During the menopausal transition, which [33:36] begins at [33:38] a woman's mid-40s on average and then [33:40] ends in in the mid-50s, [33:42] there are changes physiologically and [33:44] hormonally [33:46] that can [33:48] challenge a fitness program. So, it can [33:50] challenge their ability to execute the [33:52] fitness program and adhere to it. [33:55] And so, things like [33:57] hot flashes [33:59] and joint pain, [34:01] changes in sexual function, [34:04] and poor sleep, [34:07] all of those things [34:08] can converge to [34:11] lead to a a decreased ability to stick [34:15] to a program and do the necessary [34:16] physical activity and dietary adherence [34:20] to reach the sort of the standard rate [34:23] of progress for body composition change. [34:26] And so, the solution to that [34:28] would be simply you don't have to [34:30] rearrange a whole program because [34:32] somebody's going through menopause. You [34:33] don't have to cut out nutrients and do [34:35] any special things. [34:38] What has been effective is just lowering [34:41] the expectation of progress. So, whereas [34:44] I would typically have somebody gun for [34:47] a pound a week of fat loss, [34:49] somebody in the menopausal transition, [34:51] they have more challenges to that going [34:53] on simultaneously. So, we would go for [34:56] about half of that. [34:58] Protein? [35:01] What do What do they do in terms of [35:02] protein? Just keep the protein high? [35:03] Same range. Yeah. So, with protein, I [35:06] got to say [35:07] there's sort of a two-tiered [35:09] recommendation. So, the general public [35:12] with average goals Mhm. will do just [35:14] fine on 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilogram body [35:19] weight. That's kind of like the general [35:21] population average goals folks. [35:23] Somebody like yourself, [35:25] uh somebody like [35:27] me and [35:28] folks who are oriented towards maybe [35:31] pushing the envelope [35:33] a little bit more than the average. [35:35] 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram of body [35:39] weight. And you know, there's a little [35:42] margin over here [35:43] for people on the fringe, physique [35:45] competitors, [35:46] who I would have no problem seeing them [35:49] go higher than that 2.2 g per kilogram [35:51] cut off. Is there anything else that [35:54] peri- or menopausal women need to [35:57] understand about [35:58] gaining muscle and keeping fat off when [36:01] they're going through menopause? Is [36:03] there anything else that we've missed? [36:07] You know, I would just emphasize the [36:09] understanding that midlife presents [36:13] maybe the highest point of psychological [36:16] stress [36:17] in in people's lives. [36:19] So, starting from the late 40s going all [36:22] the way [36:23] into people's 50s and 60s, it's it's [36:25] like that you know, the concentrated [36:27] period in the menopausal transition, [36:28] mid-40s to mid-50s, is when people are [36:31] dealing with [36:33] ailing parents, the stress of ailing [36:35] parents, the stress of kids going [36:37] through high school or college, the [36:39] stress of [36:41] hitting a high point in their careers, [36:43] the pressures thereof, the time and the [36:46] that is necessary [36:48] to allocate for all of those things. [36:50] Mhm. [36:51] All of those things distract from oh, [36:53] I've got a fitness program here. Oh, my [36:55] coach is [36:56] making me do this and this and this and [36:58] now he's making me diet like this. [37:01] That's the thing that I would emphasize. [37:03] There's nothing special or different [37:06] that needs to be done. And in fact, [37:08] there's a lot of mythology that's [37:09] circulating the space right now where [37:13] coaches and gurus and even some [37:14] physicians are telling women that they [37:17] are just doomed to gain a bunch of belly [37:20] fat and lose a bunch of muscle during [37:22] menopause. It just happens, you're [37:24] doomed. Well, that's just not true. [37:26] Uh there is a study called the SWAN [37:29] study, that's the longest and largest [37:31] study of its kind. [37:32] And the average amount of fat gain [37:34] during the entire menopausal transition [37:37] was 1.6 kg, which is [37:40] 3 and 1/2 lb. [37:42] And the average amount of muscle loss [37:44] total during the menopausal transition [37:46] was 0.2 kg. That's about half [37:49] half a pound of muscle loss. [37:54] Statistically significant? Yes. [37:57] Insurmountable? No. [37:59] So, and are there going to be outliers [38:01] who experience double the muscle loss [38:04] and double the fat gain of that? Yes. [38:07] But none of this is insurmountable. What [38:09] do you think about taking say HRT? Does [38:12] that help? [38:16] Yeah, well well, it it helps those who [38:17] need it. [38:18] So, HRT should be looked at on an [38:21] individual basis. One of the things that [38:22] really annoys the absolute crap out of [38:24] me is when I'm seeing the comment [38:26] sections on social media with people [38:29] telling everybody that hey, [38:32] you just turned 40, time to go on HRT. [38:36] That is between you and your doctor. [38:38] People are trying to universalize major [38:41] changes like [38:42] HRT, [38:44] some people definitely benefit from it. [38:48] And [38:48] just the same, there are a lot of people [38:50] who don't need it. The people that [38:52] benefit from it, do they find it easier [38:54] to gain muscle mass and to [38:58] not gain fat? [38:59] Is that kind of like what [39:00] >> That is a common Okay. That is a common [39:02] result, yes. [39:04] But my thing with HRT is is this. So, [39:08] there has to be [39:10] a symptomatologic reason to get on it. [39:13] So, you have to be incurring or [39:16] experiencing [39:18] symptoms that are disrupting to your [39:20] quality of life, Mhm. regardless of what [39:23] your blood labs are. Like for [39:24] testosterone, for example, [39:27] if you are out of range for [39:29] testosterone, on the lower end, let's [39:31] say, but you have no symptoms [39:34] and you feel fine, you perform great in [39:35] all aspects, [39:37] then [39:38] it's really up to you whether it bugs [39:40] you enough that you're below range or [39:43] lower on the lower end of the range um [39:45] to correct that. It it's up to you. And [39:49] so, symptomologically driven. Now, the [39:51] other thing to look at with HRT is and a [39:54] lot of people they get a single testing [39:57] point and they judge their need to get [39:59] on hormonal replacement therapy based on [40:02] a single single test. [40:05] What people need to do is see whether [40:07] there is some sort of trend going on in [40:10] one direction or another or not. [40:13] And if that trend is going in a bad [40:15] direction over time and you you can do [40:17] this by just multiple time points over [40:20] over an extended period. It's debatable, [40:22] maybe 6 months, 12 months to see what's [40:24] going on. Try to correct things through [40:27] lifestyle and diet and often they are [40:29] correctable. Um [40:32] I've just I've come across many cases [40:34] where [40:36] a guy will be under-slept overworked [40:39] eating like crap [40:41] gets his testosterone levels tested. Oh, [40:44] you're right at the bottom or you're [40:46] even below range. Oh, time for HRT. [40:48] Well, hold on a second. [40:50] Let's get this guy some sleep. Let's [40:52] improve his lifestyle. Improve body [40:54] composition and then bang, testosterone [40:57] levels double. [40:59] This is not an uncommon thing. [41:01] And so, I'm very much a proponent of [41:06] first are there symptoms driving the [41:09] justification for HRT? And then [41:12] secondly, are we basing things on a [41:14] single time point or did we actually see [41:16] a trend over time? [41:18] My next question's about PCOS. Mhm. A [41:21] lot of women are struggling with PCOS [41:23] and that's causing them to have [41:25] irregular menstrual cycles and [41:27] um [41:29] fertility issues. [41:32] What would you say to a woman who's [41:34] struggling with PCOS in terms of [41:37] dietary prescription? [41:39] Okay. [41:40] So, PCOS shares a lot of metabolic [41:45] characteristics with type 2 diabetes. [41:48] So, um there is insulin resistance going [41:52] on. There there is [41:54] impaired glycemic control going on. [41:56] And so, we can pretty much justify being [42:00] cautious with [42:01] total amount of carbohydrate intake [42:04] with um PCOS. [42:07] With type 2 diabetes, there's [42:10] two tiers of importance dietarily. So, [42:13] of first importance with type 2 [42:15] diabetes, you have to structure the diet [42:16] so that it allows body fat loss. [42:19] The success of GLP-1 drugs has actually [42:23] proven that at the heart of type 2 [42:26] diabetes [42:27] is overeating. [42:29] Uh an abundance of body fat. So, the way [42:31] that type 2 diabetes happens is in [42:35] genetically predisposed individuals, [42:37] they gain total body fat and then they [42:40] gain visceral fat an [42:42] undue amount of visceral fat and then [42:44] this leads to insulin resistance and [42:46] impairment of glycemic control. [42:49] So, [42:51] PCOS is is very similar in this regard. [42:55] Uh there is no standard or [42:58] consensus-based PCOS diet protocol. But [43:02] because it shares so many similar [43:04] characteristics with type 2 diabetes, [43:06] then we can [43:08] pretty much employ the same principles [43:10] of how we would intervene with type 2 [43:12] diabetes, which would number one, put a [43:13] priority on total body fat reduction. [43:17] And then tier number two would be, all [43:19] right, do we need to restrict [43:21] carbohydrates even further? [43:23] And so, that would be very similar with [43:25] with PCOS and at kind of a population [43:27] level with type 2 diabetes [43:29] um roughly 130-ish grams of [43:31] carbohydrates a day seems to be sort of [43:34] the sweet spot uh below which people [43:37] have an easier time controlling their [43:39] blood sugar than above that total [43:41] amount. But that's just a statistical [43:43] average. We still have to look at things [43:45] case by case. My girlfriend, she um has [43:47] PCOS and she did the ketogenic diet with [43:50] me. She's on it at the moment. We've [43:51] been doing it for about 8 weeks now. [43:52] >> Mhm. We we do it intermittently [43:55] throughout the years. Um and she said [43:57] her menstrual cycle has perfectly [43:59] corrected itself. I think at its maximum [44:01] it was like 60 days, her menstrual [44:03] cycle. Mhm. And then because she's [44:05] restricted her carbohydrates as you were [44:07] saying in in in this way using keto it's [44:10] it's like she said it's perfect. It's [44:12] like perfectly predictable now. That's [44:14] awesome. [44:14] >> I I I say that in part because people I [44:16] think people don't with PCOS who have [44:18] irregular menstrual cycles don't often [44:20] consider that [44:22] carbohydrates, sugar, glucose, whatever [44:24] could be the perpetrator. Yeah. [44:28] Yeah, well, cuz it's framed as a disease [44:30] like you're you're born with it, maybe [44:31] it's heritable. Maybe there's an element [44:33] of truth to that, but [44:34] um it's crazy that that dietary [44:37] intervention had such a profound impact [44:39] on her menstrual cycle. It's glad to [44:41] hear that you found something that [44:42] works. [44:43] Yeah. [44:44] >> that's an you know, that's anytime you [44:46] present with some sort of clinical [44:48] condition [44:49] I would first tell you, hey, see see an [44:52] endocrinologist or see a doctor who [44:54] specializes in that particular issue. [44:58] And in terms of menstrual cycles [45:00] generally, if you do have an irregular [45:02] menstrual cycle, is there anything you [45:04] should be thinking about? [45:06] Number one, see a doctor. Number two, [45:08] consider whether or not you were [45:10] overtraining and undereating. Yeah. So, [45:12] what happens with female physique [45:14] competitors? [45:16] Menstrual disruption, menstrual [45:18] cessation a few months into prep. You [45:21] sometimes even a few weeks into prep [45:23] depending on how aggressive the diet is. [45:25] And so, menstrual disruption is very [45:29] common in competitive athletes and in [45:32] recreational athletes who have to [45:35] maintain a certain level of leanness [45:37] while maintaining a high volume of [45:40] exercise output. [45:41] >> Is that the body from an evolutionary [45:42] perspective saying, listen, we we don't [45:44] have the energy to have a baby here? So, [45:46] we're just going to shut this down. That [45:47] is right on. Mhm. [45:50] So, you kind of do you don't want to be [45:52] restricting your calorie consumption too [45:54] much if you have an irregular menstrual [45:56] cycle and you're trying to correct that. [45:58] Yeah. No, no. [46:00] Um the so-called female athlete triad [46:02] begins with overtraining, undereating [46:05] potential eating disorder nurturing [46:08] going on there and then down the line [46:10] the menstrual cycle gets disrupted and [46:12] stops and then hormonal changes happen [46:15] that are negative and then at ultimately [46:17] results in osteopenia [46:19] osteoporosis. And so, that chain of [46:22] events is unfortunately really common [46:26] with women who um [46:28] don't pay attention to [46:30] healthy menstrual cycle. People use this [46:32] term all the time, muscle memory. Mhm. [46:34] I I I I thought it was [46:36] nonsense. [46:37] But I spoke to somebody the other day [46:38] and they said to me, actually no, your [46:40] your body does have a muscle memory, [46:42] which means that if I fall off now [46:44] uh and I stop going to the gym, my body [46:46] is going to be able to get back to my [46:49] current physique faster because I was [46:51] here once upon a time. [46:53] Is this is this true? That is true. [46:56] There's some debate going on amongst the [46:58] community what what goes on [46:59] physiologically with like when you [47:01] train, you create you create new [47:04] myonuclei. So, you increase your [47:06] so-called myonuclear domains and those [47:09] stay relatively permanent even during [47:11] times of detraining. [47:14] But there's still the so-called [47:17] proprioceptive or motor component to [47:20] training that sticks with people. Sort [47:23] of the skill aspect of it that sticks [47:25] with people to be able to execute the [47:27] movements and do the things to cause the [47:29] adaptations. So, not only do you have [47:31] that [47:32] muscle memory from the myonuclear domain [47:35] standpoint but you have the motor [47:38] learning and the neurological component. [47:40] And to a degree, you you also have the [47:43] skeletal component to be able to [47:45] capacitate those that rebound in loading [47:48] and muscle gain muscle regain, rather. [47:51] Is the gut microbiome playing a role in [47:53] my ability to lose weight? [47:56] Mhm. Not a big one. Um of course, if I [48:00] Why did you make that sound? [48:02] Well, there's some people in the space [48:04] who [48:05] put the microbiome at as the master [48:08] regulator everything. But it's [48:11] definitely a part of the the axis of [48:13] organ systems that that we [48:16] manifest whatever, you know, result [48:18] we're looking at. It's part of it, yes. [48:20] But it's not the the [48:22] it's not the main puppeteer of [48:24] everything. Everything works in concert [48:26] to and and I'll just give you an example [48:28] there. So, [48:29] there are [48:31] certain supplements that are um [48:35] that are claimed to be able to in quotes [48:37] fix the gut microbiome and cause greater [48:39] weight loss. [48:40] So, there have been many studies looking [48:43] at this sort of phenomenon. [48:45] And while there is a [48:49] statistically significant effect in some [48:50] cases the absolute amount that they can [48:54] help for things like body fat loss or [48:56] body weight loss is usually not [48:59] practically significant. It's it's too [49:01] small to be considered meaningful. And [49:03] so, I wouldn't necessarily rely on [49:06] changes in the gut microbiome for [49:09] impacting like global changes in body [49:12] fat. [49:14] Here, I have 20 eggs. [49:16] I heard that you eat 20 eggs per week, [49:20] which is about, you know, four eggs a [49:21] day potentially. [49:23] Why do you eat so many eggs? [49:26] Well, number one, I'm one of those [49:27] weirdos who actually loves eggs. I love [49:30] the I love the taste of them. [49:32] Um they're a great source of protein. [49:35] Uh uh source of fat. Most of the fat in [49:37] there is oleic acid, by the way, which [49:39] is a monounsaturated fat predominates [49:41] olive oil. It's a low saturated fat. [49:44] Then, of course, the knock on eggs is [49:46] their cholesterol content. [49:48] Um but, interestingly, uh it's [49:51] dietary saturated fat that has the [49:54] greater magnitude of impact on blood [49:57] lipids than than dietary cholesterol, [49:59] interestingly enough. I recognize that [50:02] the major health agencies would want you [50:04] to stop your egg consumption to like one [50:07] a day, possibly two a day if you're an [50:09] elderly person. [50:11] But, [50:12] I [50:13] take the uh health agencies, [50:16] um or even the consensus guidelines, as [50:19] a okay, that's cool. That's a good [50:21] starting point. Um I happen to like [50:23] eggs. I'll eat more than that. Check my [50:25] blood, check my health. I'm doing just [50:27] fine. So, I'm one of those people who [50:29] can do four eggs a day just fine. Is [50:32] this part of your broader testosterone [50:34] protocol? [50:36] I I like the fact that uh [50:39] eggs are conducive to testosterone [50:41] production. [50:42] >> So, you're 53 years old, right? [50:43] >> Yes. [50:44] >> test your testosterone levels? [50:46] I have not tested my testosterone levels [50:49] in forever. [50:51] But, I'm not concerned with it. Because, [50:54] once again, [50:56] it would be a symptom-driven thing for [50:57] me to even care. So, if I was [51:00] experiencing the symptoms of low [51:02] testosterone, then that would give me a [51:04] reason to check it out and see what's [51:06] going on. And then, I would have to take [51:08] a step back and look and see [51:11] what can I modify with lifestyle, what [51:13] what do I have available to change [51:16] non-drug wise. And you know what? If I [51:19] ever need [51:21] to take exogenous testosterone, if that [51:23] day ever comes, well, then so be it. I'm [51:25] just not there. What supplements do you [51:27] take every day? [51:29] I take a multivitamin. I take two [51:32] multivitamins, actually. [51:34] Uh the reason why I take two [51:35] multivitamins is because [51:37] it really uh certain key um nutrients in [51:40] there, [51:41] they they have to be in such small [51:43] amounts per single pill that it's really [51:46] just meaningless. And so, I take two [51:48] multivitamins, one of them with iron, [51:50] one of them without iron. [51:52] And uh I also take fish oil. [51:55] Uh I take magnesium. And I take vitamin [51:58] D3. [52:00] I take vitamin C. And and by the way, I [52:02] really should preface this with this is [52:04] the broscience side of my personal [52:06] habits, because I'm taking my vitamins [52:09] more on [52:10] uh placing your bets basis, rather than, [52:13] "Hey, man, this is just the bottom-line [52:15] evidence-based. I think everybody should [52:17] do this." [52:18] Okay, so I want I want to make sure [52:19] that's clear. I also take magnesium. [52:23] And I also take collagen. [52:25] And I also take creatine. [52:27] If I told you you could only take three [52:30] of those supplements, which three would [52:31] you pick? [52:33] That's a damn good question, man. [52:35] Can I have uh can can I I'm going to [52:37] count my two multis as one. So, your [52:39] multivitamin. Would Would that be the [52:41] first one? Yes. Okay, so multivitamin. [52:44] And omega-3s, fish oil. [52:47] Vitamin D3. So, you you sacked off the [52:50] creatine. [52:53] You're a genius. [52:58] That's those are those would be those [52:59] would be the top three. I would Can I [53:01] add creatine in there? Could I squeeze [53:03] it in there? [53:03] >> no, no, no. Oh, bro. [53:04] >> Pick three. So, you picked the [53:05] multivitamin, omega-3, vitamin D3. Uh [53:08] well, it might humble me to kick the [53:10] creatine out. So, okay, fine. I'll I'll [53:12] leave those three. You call creatine [53:14] king creatine. Yeah. Why'd you call it [53:16] that? [53:17] It's the only non-pharmacological [53:22] supplement that that [53:24] really really has a very strong and deep [53:27] and broad evidence base for [53:29] um enhancing the effects of of [53:32] resistance training. So, strength gains [53:36] and size gains. More strength than size. [53:38] This the size gains, [53:40] they they come with the initial uh [53:42] loading phase, where [53:44] a lot more intramuscular water [53:48] happens, or you know, in- in- [53:50] intracellular, intramyocellular [53:53] hydration. That is the [53:56] the big immediate part of creatine that [53:58] that folks feel when they go on it and [54:01] when they go off of it. So, you you'll [54:04] lose a few pounds of lean mass if you [54:07] get off of creatine. [54:09] I call it king creatine because it has [54:11] possibly [54:13] close to a [54:14] I want to say it's reached a over a [54:16] thousand studies. And the majority of [54:19] those studies show um positive effects. [54:21] Usually with with creatine, if you were [54:24] to compare a group [54:26] taking creatine versus a group not [54:29] taking creatine. So, the creatine group [54:31] will have like a 20% increase in their [54:35] lifting capacity, whereas the [54:37] non-creatine group will have like 12-ish [54:39] percent increase in their lifting [54:40] capacity over a typical study length, 8 [54:43] to 12 weeks-ish. [54:44] And so, that is a significant strength [54:47] gain advantage. And over the long term, [54:50] that would definitely augment muscle [54:54] hypertrophy, as well. And once you're [54:56] loaded with creatine, so [54:59] being loaded with creatine means that [55:00] you saturate your muscle creatine [55:02] stores. And that requires either a [55:05] loading phase of 20 to 25 g per day for [55:08] 5 to 7 days, or um a maintenance phase [55:11] that you engage with 3 to 5 g a day. [55:15] You'll be loaded at um about 30 days. [55:18] And so, during that loading phase, it's [55:21] pretty common for people to gain roughly [55:25] 2% of their body weight um as lean mass. [55:28] Hm. People seem to talk about creatine [55:30] like it's this miracle thing that [55:31] everybody should be taking. [55:33] That's one of the one of the few [55:35] supplements that it seems all the [55:37] experts I speak to about this stuff seem [55:39] to agree upon. They obviously vitamin D [55:41] and omega-3 comes up all the time and [55:43] multivitamins. [55:44] But, creatine seems to Yeah, nobody [55:47] seems to have much of an issue with it [55:48] or be able to point to many side effects [55:50] of taking with it, both for men and [55:51] women. Yeah, it's got the [55:54] musculo- musculoskeletal um benefit. [55:57] There Believe it or not, there's even um [55:59] benefits for creatine on on joint [56:01] health. So, um not only that, not only [56:05] the [56:05] athletic performance and muscle [56:07] hypertrophy side, but there are things [56:10] like uh improved glucose control, [56:13] improved memory. So, different domains [56:16] of cognition can be enhanced by [56:18] creatine. [56:20] The [56:21] level of creatine in the brain can [56:22] increase with with supplementation. And [56:24] then, you create a pro-energy [56:26] environment in the brain, and that's how [56:28] uh these positive effects on memory [56:30] happen with creatine supplementation, [56:32] especially in people with uh cognitive [56:36] decline. [56:37] So, so it there's almost nothing [56:39] creatine can't do. Wow. [56:44] Hm. Some statement. [56:47] A business is only as good as the people [56:48] inside it. So, how do you make sure [56:50] you're hiring the best? Our sponsor [56:52] LinkedIn can help you find these [56:54] applicants quickly. I believe in taking [56:56] time to hire slowly, but I also [56:57] understand that once you've decided to [57:00] hire, you want to get the ball rolling [57:02] and get the best candidates in front of [57:03] you to start interviewing. 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That's boncharge.com/diary [58:33] with code diary. Diet breaks. [58:36] What's a diet break, and why does that [58:39] Why is that a useful tool? Yes. So, [58:42] one of the big things that dieters [58:45] encounter [58:46] are progress plateaus. [58:48] And so, we can define a progress plateau [58:51] as four [58:53] to possibly eight weeks of no change in [58:56] body composition, despite good [58:58] compliance to the program. With that [59:01] definition out of the way, [59:03] then [59:04] intervening and overcoming or managing a [59:07] plateau is really sort of this [59:09] individualized process that [59:12] needs to be looked at case by case, [59:14] where, for example, [59:16] if somebody feels like they're in the [59:18] midst of a plateau, [59:20] and they have been on program, then [59:23] there's really only two reasons the [59:24] plateau happened. So, reason number one [59:27] is that their compliance was [59:29] inconsistent. [59:30] So, poor compliance is number one. [59:33] Or number two, they have reached [59:36] energy equilibrium. So, they've reached [59:38] a genuine and bonafide new maintenance [59:41] point. [59:43] But, there's something that is [59:44] overarching with the plateau concept [59:46] that people need to understand. [59:49] So, [59:50] we automatically look at progress [59:52] plateaus as something negative. [59:54] When people need to their perception [60:01] of what a plateau is. And the plateau is [60:04] just the body doing its job. When we [60:07] look at the body as an adaptive survival [60:09] unit, [60:10] then homeostasis [60:13] is a big part of that. So, if the body [60:14] achieves homeostasis, then hallelujah, [60:17] we're we're going to live. We're going [60:19] to survive. So, [60:22] if for example somebody has a lot of [60:24] weight to lose, let's say somewhere to [60:26] the order of [60:28] over 20 lbs, 20, 40, 60 lbs to lose. [60:31] They have to understand that multiple [60:34] plateaus will be encountered en route to [60:37] their ultimate goal. [60:39] And [60:41] the way that the body changes is always [60:43] going to be this surge, slow, stop [60:48] pattern. [60:49] And it just continues this way. [60:52] And with every progressive plateau, the [60:55] surge part [60:57] gets shorter. [60:59] And the slowing part and then the [61:02] plateau part gets longer. So, you can [61:05] think of it as [61:06] staircases and landings. So, with each [61:08] successive plateau, the staircase gets [61:10] shorter, the landing gets longer. But, [61:13] it's supposed to go like that. And the [61:16] plateaus should be getting longer [61:18] because the ultimate goal after all is a [61:21] plateau of sorts. And when people come [61:23] to realize that, then they can look at [61:26] plateaus as what I call maintenance [61:29] practice. [61:30] So, if they have that mental shift from [61:33] seeing plateaus as this negative thing [61:35] where I need to go sniff out the next [61:37] great diet or the next great product, [61:40] they can look at it as, all right, so [61:42] the plateau is a good thing, the body is [61:44] doing its job. [61:45] Now, we have an opportunity to practice [61:48] maintenance. [61:50] And think about it this way, too, [61:51] Stephen. [61:52] Anybody can get weight off. [61:55] But, weight loss maintenance really is [61:58] the issue. [61:59] So, the better you get at weight loss [62:02] maintenance, then the more you can win [62:04] the game. How do I get good at weight [62:06] loss maintenance? All right, so in order [62:08] to properly maintain, [62:11] you have to properly get there. [62:14] And so, properly getting there means [62:16] that you have to [62:18] do your best to maintain your lean body [62:20] mass while you're losing body fat. [62:23] So, what happens to a lot of people when [62:25] they diet [62:26] is they lose a lot of lean body mass [62:29] along Lean body mass, you mean muscle? [62:31] >> mass. [62:32] >> Muscle mass. Along with their fat mass. [62:35] And so, [62:37] muscle tissue is something very [62:39] important to keep on the body while [62:41] you're losing fat. Because muscle is we [62:44] can look at it as our metabolically [62:47] active Every tissue is metabolically [62:48] active, even even body fat. [62:50] But, muscle tissue specifically is the [62:54] center of our dietary fuel usage. [62:59] It is the metabolic engine of the body, [63:02] if you will. And so, if you're losing [63:04] muscle tissue, [63:06] you're really losing metabolic leverage [63:09] while you're losing body fat. So, the [63:12] way that I infer that is that muscle's [63:13] very greedy. [63:15] Yeah, it it takes a lot takes up a lot [63:17] of calories. So, if I lose my muscle, [63:19] when I get when I drop my weight, [63:22] it's almost like [63:24] the greedy guy who who sucks up all my [63:26] calories is no longer there. [63:28] And so, I'm quite likely just to to [63:30] rebound quite quickly. That's a great [63:32] analogy. And and it's accurate, too. And [63:34] in fact, there is a phenomenon that in [63:37] the literature, it's called collateral [63:38] fattening. [63:40] And that happens when the body senses an [63:45] energy crisis at the end of a diet where [63:47] you've lost a bunch of muscle mass. [63:49] The body senses that, oh my gosh, we [63:52] just lost a bunch of precious tissue. We [63:55] have to do whatever we can to get it [63:56] back. [63:57] And so, your hunger signals ramp up. [64:01] And your body kind of behaviorally and [64:05] even metabolically does what is [64:06] necessary for you to feed that back as [64:09] soon as possible. And [64:11] this does not necessarily happen, [64:13] certainly not to that kind of magnitude, [64:16] if you keep your muscle mass [64:19] while you're losing body fat. You don't [64:20] experience this collateral fattening [64:22] type of phenomenon where people just [64:25] rebound like crazy because their [64:27] appetite is out of control at the end of [64:28] the diet. So, the way that you preserve [64:32] muscle mass during the fat loss process [64:36] is a couple things. So, you have to make [64:38] sure that your rate of weight loss isn't [64:40] indicative of [64:42] something that's too quick. [64:44] So, [64:45] about a half a percent to a full percent [64:48] of your body weight lost per week [64:51] is as fast as you really want to go. [64:54] So, what roughly a pound a week. [64:57] Uh some people who start off heavier, [64:59] okay, 2 lbs a week is fine at the very [65:01] beginning. [65:02] But, you generally don't want to lose [65:05] more than 1% of your total body weight [65:07] per week because then that increases the [65:10] chances that you're losing an undue [65:12] amount of muscle mass along with your [65:15] fat mass. [65:17] And so, if you can [65:20] in essence [65:21] control the weight loss rate, [65:23] then you will keep your lean mass. Now, [65:26] the other two things that need to be [65:27] going on at the same time are you need [65:29] to be resistance training [65:31] and you need to be consuming enough [65:33] protein. So, strength training and [65:34] protein. [65:36] Enough protein, [65:38] you got resistance training, and then [65:39] you have [65:40] sort of a top speed limiter on how much [65:42] weight that you lose per week. [65:45] And 1% loss a week [65:48] 1% loss a week is spectacular, actually. [65:52] For most people. Even a pound a week, [65:54] even half a pound a week, you're looking [65:57] at like in 2 years you lost 50 lbs. Most [65:59] people took like two decades to put on [66:01] that 50 lbs. [66:02] >> So, you actually don't want to lose [66:03] weight too quickly or else you are [66:04] susceptible to rebound. [66:07] It is going to come off quickly if you [66:10] have a lot of weight to lose. It'll come [66:11] off quickly at the beginning. [66:13] So, for example, uh somebody who is in a [66:16] state of obesity, let's say they weigh [66:18] 250 lbs. And let's say they're losing [66:20] two to a half pounds a week at the [66:22] beginning of the program, that's fine. [66:24] But, [66:26] on average, [66:28] on average, you you would want to look [66:30] at roughly a pound a week is a good [66:32] benchmark. And I still would not [66:34] frown upon or scoff at a half a pound a [66:37] week [66:38] for certain cases. And we can talk about [66:41] some of those stubborn cases. Like [66:43] it on the topic of plateaus, for [66:45] example. [66:47] I had a client, uh I I'm sure she [66:50] doesn't mind being named uh she's a [66:52] great person, Pam Pam Greshock. She's a [66:54] veteran coach in the space. [66:57] Uh she's perimenopausal, so she's in her [66:59] her 40s. [67:00] And she wanted to [67:03] lose what we calculated out to be 8 lbs [67:08] of fat. And she stored the majority of [67:11] it where she didn't want it was [67:13] around the midsection. [67:15] And I had in mind that, okay, [67:19] this is somebody who's perimenopausal, [67:21] so there's going to be a lower rate of [67:23] progress going on. [67:25] This is somebody who is [67:27] highly trained, [67:28] so she doesn't have a lot more muscle to [67:32] put on that would [67:35] give her some, you know, some extra [67:37] in quotes [67:41] So, she's highly trained, [67:43] perimenopausal, [67:45] wants to lose 8 lbs of fat, which would [67:48] represent the final [67:50] 8 lbs, sort of that that pushing the [67:52] envelope. [67:54] Knowing those three things, I knew that [67:57] this is going to be a difficult and slow [67:59] going process. [68:01] So, whereas I would normally have [68:04] somebody [68:05] expect [68:07] roughly or at least gun for a pound a [68:09] week loss, [68:11] for Pam, it was more like, [68:14] are you going to be okay with [68:17] 1 to 2 lbs per month? Like if we can get [68:20] rid of 1 to 2 lbs of body fat per month, [68:23] I would be happy with it and I think you [68:25] should be happy with it. [68:27] And so, I convinced her of that. [68:29] And with her wanting to lose 8 lbs, [68:33] I think it helps to give people a visual [68:36] of what a certain amount of [68:39] weight loss looks like. [68:41] So, coincidentally, a gallon [68:44] a gallon jug, if you fill it with [68:45] butter, [68:47] that's 8 lbs. [68:48] And so, I had her visualize this 8-lb [68:52] jug. [68:53] And um I also had her do a butter [68:56] visualization, too. [68:57] So, um a standard stick of butter is 4 [69:00] oz. So, four sticks of butter is 1 lb. [69:05] And uh in her case, she wanted to lose [69:09] well, she wanted to lose 8 lbs, so [69:10] that's 32 sticks of butter [69:13] that would be removed from her body at [69:15] the end of the dieting cycle. Is that [69:17] what this is here? What is this? [69:24] That is 10 lbs of butter. [69:26] This is an amazing freaking visual and [69:28] this is because [69:30] you asked about diet breaks as a tool [69:33] for people achieving long-term weight [69:36] loss or just breaking through plateaus [69:38] or managing plateaus. So, [69:42] every 5 to 10 pounds that somebody loses [69:45] in a dieting cycle [69:47] is high time for a diet break. The way [69:49] you can define a diet break and put some [69:51] parameters on it. So, it it's what I [69:53] call non-yolo maintenance. So, you take [69:56] off the rules, take off the [69:57] restrictions, but you're not eating with [69:59] sheer abandon. You're just relaxing the [70:02] diet. [70:03] You take a week off the diet [70:05] either every 4 to 8 weeks while you're [70:08] dieting or you take a week off of the [70:11] diet [70:12] every 5 to 10 pounds that you lose. [70:15] And the sound of 5 to 10 pounds seems [70:19] like, "Oh, that's nothing." Mhm. But, [70:20] no, it's a milestone. This is 10 pounds. [70:23] Yes. That's crazy. [70:26] 10 pounds of of [70:28] butter off the body. [70:29] So, yeah, every time you you lose 10 [70:31] pounds, it's [70:32] 5 to 10 pounds in in my experience is [70:35] high time to take a diet break to just [70:37] alleviate the mental [70:39] and the physical fatigue of dieting. [70:42] And that's one of the tactics that you [70:44] can use for long-term adherence to a [70:48] plan. [70:51] On the topic of plateaus, [70:53] you can when you're dieting, you will [70:56] hit a point where [70:58] the plateau periods or the maintenance [71:01] phases [71:02] are going to be longer than the dieting [71:04] phases. I think that that's ideal to be [71:06] able to hit that point for a long-term [71:07] weight loss goal. [71:09] And so, [71:10] it's a lot [71:11] easier or at least a lot less [71:13] intimidating for somebody to know that [71:16] they're going to be dieting for [71:19] 4 to 8 weeks at a time [71:21] in between a let's say a 2 to 3-month [71:24] maintenance phase. What about fasting? [71:29] Do you think that fasting is cuz a lot [71:31] of people talk about this thing called [71:32] autophagy where if you fast for I don't [71:34] know, 48 hours, your body switches into [71:36] the state of autophagy where it starts [71:37] to heal and repair itself. [71:41] Are you a fan of fasting? [71:43] For weight loss or for autophagy or [71:45] other things? [71:46] For the control of [71:49] calories in, [71:51] fasting is legit. [71:53] And it's also legit for it it actually [71:56] works as a as one of the options for [71:59] dieting. There just has been a massive [72:03] accumulation of studies [72:05] showing that it works great. [72:07] So, the intermittent fasting variants, [72:09] we have one one we talked about earlier, [72:12] time-restricted eating. [72:14] And we've got [72:15] every other day fasting. [72:17] And then the other third major variant [72:19] would be twice-weekly fasting or the 5:2 [72:22] type of model. And then you have [72:24] like consecutive day fasting [72:26] type of models as well, which are less [72:28] studied because there's more risk [72:30] involved in them and it's tough to, you [72:32] know, incur that risk in research. When [72:34] you bring up autophagy, [72:37] that's where I kind of have to push back [72:41] on not on your [72:43] your mentioning of it specifically, but [72:45] just in general. [72:47] People will say will make claims that [72:50] yeah, autophagy [72:51] and [72:53] we can say that we can explain autophagy [72:55] as a way that the body [72:57] gets rid of parts of damaged cells. [73:02] It's an important process within the [73:04] body. [73:05] And it is a catabolic process or a [73:09] breakdown process. [73:11] But, the thing is [73:14] it happens in a caloric deficit [73:16] regardless of whether fasting is [73:17] involved or not. Really? Yes. [73:21] You maintain hypocaloric conditions, [73:23] autophagy ramps up. [73:26] Um you can have a linear hypocaloric [73:29] model or a non-linear or intermittent [73:32] hypocaloric model. [73:34] And [73:35] you'll get similar degrees of autophagy [73:38] if you match the caloric deficit by the [73:40] end of the week. [73:41] Now, the other interesting thing about [73:44] autophagy [73:45] is that you can ramp up autophagy [73:48] through exercise. [73:50] And not only that, but [73:53] both major types of exercise will [73:55] increase autophagy. So, resistance [73:57] training [73:59] increases autophagy. [74:01] Endurance aerobic type training [74:03] increases autophagy. [74:05] So, if you want to in quotes chase [74:08] autophagy, [74:09] then doing it through intermittent [74:11] fasting or just going through prolonged [74:13] periods of not eating [74:15] can be a double-edged sword. [74:17] Whereas the autophagy increases through [74:19] exercise, [74:21] they almost don't have a downside. [74:24] And so, um a lot of times with [74:26] intermittent fasting, it can be a great [74:28] tool for people who need to lose excess [74:29] body weight. [74:31] But, what I'm seeing in the community is [74:33] people thinking [74:35] that intermittent fasting is something [74:37] that is necessary to do regardless of [74:40] your [74:41] body fat level. That is either necessary [74:43] or beneficial. [74:44] And that's not actually true per per the [74:47] research. There's there's a it's one [77:34] study in particular that looked at men [77:36] who were [77:37] >> a hormone that mobilizes fuel stores in [77:39] the absence of food. [77:42] In the absence of calories. [77:44] And autophagy is similar in that regard. [77:49] And I think that a focus on pushing [77:52] autophagy [77:54] is sort of missing the forest for the [77:56] trees. Because if we were to push [77:58] autophagy to its end, then we could go [78:01] all the way to a phenomenon called [78:03] autolysis, [78:04] which is runaway cell death, [78:07] which happens in starvation [78:09] in some cases. [78:11] And so, I think that we need to focus on [78:14] other things like how do we maintain [78:17] a certain body fat percentage while [78:20] maintaining [78:22] a certain physical activity level while [78:24] maintaining a certain dietary pattern. [78:27] I think that it's those things that are [78:29] much more productive to target than [78:32] seeing how far can we push [78:34] autophagy [78:36] before potentially going into runaway [78:38] cell death. Mhm. [78:41] I was looking at the the benefits of [78:43] this thing they call autophagy and it [78:44] says they are the the proven likely [78:46] benefits are [78:48] cellular clean up, so repairs damaged [78:50] proteins and organelles, I believe, [78:53] improving cell efficiency. [78:55] Metabolic health improves insulin [78:56] sensitivity. [78:58] Neuroprotection, heart and muscle [78:59] quality, maintains mitochondria, helps [79:02] adapt to training and oxidative stress. [79:05] Immune tuning and longevity. There's [79:07] sort of strong animal evidence, I [79:09] believe, [79:10] around the longevity component, but they [79:13] the research that I was reading talked [79:14] about how it can backfire [79:17] because um tumors may use a top [79:19] autophagy to survive. [79:21] Um and some treatments for established [79:24] cancers aim to inhibit it. And if you [79:27] overdo fasting, as you said in the study [79:29] you cited, you can lose muscle, which is [79:31] not great, and be fatigued, etc. Um, [79:34] there is a bit of a trend, I think, with [79:36] people doing a lot of water fasts and [79:37] stuff like that quite periodically. I [79:39] think it's rising, and even sort of [79:40] juice fasts and stuff like that. What's [79:42] your take on those types of fasts? [79:46] I'm not a big fan, Steven. [79:48] Uh, I think that the cycle that people [79:50] go through, [79:52] at least in the developed world, is that [79:54] they go through the year, [79:56] then November comes around, [79:58] and then the holidays hit. [80:00] They overdo it from November [80:03] to through December, all the way up to [80:05] the end of the year, and they're like, [80:07] "Oh boy, I have 10 to 20 lb that I want [80:09] to lose." [80:11] And then they just [80:14] use these sort of fasts and these [80:17] detoxes to crash off the bad decisions [80:22] of the previous few months. [80:24] And then the cycle repeats annually. [80:28] So, I think that it's a much healthier [80:30] approach for people to secure and [80:33] reinforce [80:35] the right habits through the entirety of [80:37] the year, [80:38] instead of um jumping on the fast to get [80:42] rid of the the the holiday binges. [80:44] This sort of brings me to the ketogenic [80:46] diet. Um, [80:48] my dad used the ketogenic diet, and I [80:50] think actually my brother as well. Um, [80:51] but also a few of my friends in my life [80:53] used it as a way to drop their [80:56] fat quite quickly, to sort of [80:58] recomposite their body [81:00] um very, very quickly. And the results [81:02] of seeing someone on the ketogenic diet [81:04] quite astounding, because what my friend [81:06] the other day uh [81:07] sent me a [81:08] the chart of his weighing scales at [81:10] home, and it's this sort of gradual [81:12] increase upwards, and then he did the [81:13] ketogenic diet where he cut out [81:14] carbohydrates and sugars basically [81:16] almost entirely, and it's just straight [81:18] line down in his body his body weight. [81:22] What is your perspective on the [81:24] ketogenic diet? [81:25] What is it good for? What is it not good [81:27] for? Is it good at all? [81:29] It is a [81:30] very effective way to lose weight and [81:33] fat. [81:35] And that's for a few [81:37] big reasons. [81:39] First of all, if somebody goes from [81:41] their typical Western dietary pattern [81:45] to the ketogenic diet, [81:46] then they're automatically cutting out a [81:49] lot of [81:51] highly processed, hyperpalatable [81:54] carb-fat combo junk foods and snacks [81:58] that are just energy dense, easy to [82:01] overconsume mindlessly. [82:04] That's the good thing about the [82:04] ketogenic diet, in addition to, well, [82:07] they're finally eating enough protein [82:08] now. [82:09] And so, along with the increase in [82:11] protein comes an increase in satiety and [82:13] a better [82:14] hunger control. [82:16] Now, the negatives of the ketogenic [82:18] diet, [82:20] the big one is that [82:21] the majority of people who engage a [82:23] ketogenic diet, [82:26] they don't do it permanently. [82:28] For one reason or another, they're no [82:29] longer on the keto diet. [82:32] And this is reflected in research as [82:34] well, even in vulnerable populations who [82:36] would [82:37] stand to benefit from from that level of [82:39] restriction. So, usually what happens in [82:42] research is [82:43] you take you take a group two groups of [82:45] subjects, and one is on the high-carb, [82:48] low-fat control diet, [82:50] and one of them is on a ketogenic diet, [82:52] which can be achieved by a maximum of 50 [82:55] g of carbohydrate [82:57] in the day or less, then [82:59] you're on the keto diet. So, what [83:01] happens at the 12-month point in the [83:04] diet, and sometimes at the 6-month [83:05] point, [83:06] the keto group is now consuming about [83:09] two to three times more carbohydrates [83:12] than the original 50-g assignment. So, [83:14] they rebound? They just insidiously [83:17] creep up the carb intake. [83:21] There's something about the ketogenic [83:22] diet that the majority of people who [83:25] engage it just can't stick to it. [83:27] It's too restrictive for people. [83:30] They can't stick to it, but what but [83:31] what you're saying, they also end up [83:33] rebounding [83:34] above where they were before. [83:37] They end up rebounding like [83:39] I'll give you a specific example. [83:41] There was one study [83:45] Well, there was the A-to-Z study, where [83:48] um [83:48] the [83:50] individuals on the Atkins diet ended up [83:53] consuming what looked a lot like the [83:55] Zone diet. The Zone diet? Yes. The Zone [83:58] diet is a 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, [84:02] 30% fat. [84:03] >> So, it's like the keto diet roughly. Um, [84:06] the keto diet is more like 60 to 80% [84:09] fat, and then, you know, 15 to 20-ish% [84:12] protein, and then the carbohydrates are [84:14] the remainder. [84:16] A very [84:17] minor percentage. So, what happens is [84:19] like the people who started off at 50 g [84:23] of carbohydrate at the beginning of the [84:24] study, the keto group, [84:26] at the 12-month point, [84:29] they were they crept that carbohydrate [84:31] intake up to around 150 g of [84:34] carbohydrate, whereas their assignment [84:36] was 50 g of carbohydrate a day. This is [84:40] a common theme [84:42] in [84:43] long-term keto studies [84:46] is this up creep [84:48] in carbohydrate intake over time, [84:50] because people can't maintain the the 50 [84:52] g of carbohydrate max required to stay [84:55] in ketosis. [84:57] And I'm not saying that there aren't a [85:00] lot of people out there who are just [85:02] living the keto life permanently. [85:04] They're out there. Yeah. [85:06] But they are in the minority. I see them [85:09] in the comment section whenever I talk [85:10] about keto. I I see people say, "I've [85:12] been on the keto diet for 5 years, for 7 [85:14] years, for 10 years." [85:15] >> Sure. There's entire [85:17] There's huge communities of folks who've [85:19] been on keto for 5, 10 years. They're [85:22] or longer. And that's great. More power [85:25] to these folks. [85:27] But claiming that this is a universal [85:29] solution ignores the reality that some [85:32] people, [85:34] most people, uh part of the research, [85:36] the majority, [85:37] can't stick to it. So, that's the the [85:39] caveat [85:40] one of the caveats of the keto diet. The [85:42] other one would be for those who can [85:45] stick to the keto diet for long enough. [85:47] You really have to look at the quality [85:49] of uh the diet in order for it to be [85:52] cardiovascularly healthy. [85:54] If you're going to engage an [85:57] let's say an 80 85% fat diet for the [86:00] rest of your life, there's going to be [86:01] very different effects if that 80 to 85% [86:05] are from land animal fats [86:08] versus from nuts, avocados, [86:11] olive oil. [86:13] Very different cardiovascular effects [86:15] going on there. [86:16] And so, [86:17] uh that's the other caveat with the keto [86:19] diet. There's a Mediterranean [86:21] type of keto diet that is [86:24] healthy, and that has [86:27] you know, it it is one of these [86:28] cardiovascularly protective [86:31] types of diets that you can engage. [86:33] Whereas, if you just do like [86:36] beef, bacon, and butter from here on [86:38] out, then [86:40] you don't have the best cardiovascular [86:42] risk trajectory. [86:44] What about gaining muscle on the [86:46] ketogenic diet? If I'm restricting [86:48] carbohydrates, is it more difficult to [86:50] gain muscle mass? [86:52] The short answer is yes. [86:54] And the nuanced answer is [86:58] you still can gain muscle on keto. [87:02] And the body is is really resilient and [87:05] and quite genius [87:07] at manufacturing the carbohydrate um [87:11] endogenously, or from within the body. [87:13] So, your your body can make carbohydrate [87:17] out of lactate, [87:18] and [87:19] fill at least partially your muscle [87:21] glycogen stores. [87:22] And so, um [87:24] going on a zero carbohydrate diet [87:27] doesn't necessarily [87:29] end up with the type of results that you [87:32] you you might imagine for somebody who's [87:34] completely avoiding carbohydrates. And [87:37] in the research comparing [87:40] strength gains [87:42] from a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet [87:44] versus a keto diet, [87:46] the keto folks, as long as they're [87:49] equated with protein and total calories [87:51] with the control diet, [87:53] they've got similar strength gains. It's [87:54] quite a an interesting phenomenon. [87:58] Muscle size gains is different story, [88:01] interestingly. [88:03] Almost always there's some advantage to [88:06] the high-carb, low-fat control group [88:09] compared with the ketogenic diet group [88:10] when it comes to both gains in lean [88:12] mass, as well as retention of lean mass [88:17] during dieting. And one of those things [88:19] is [88:20] um more or less obvious. It's like you [88:22] you simply carry [88:24] more muscle glycogen when you're [88:28] on a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. [88:30] And muscle glycogen glycogen is the [88:31] stored form of carbohydrate [88:33] within the muscle, and then [88:35] a minor amount in the liver. [88:37] And for every gram [88:40] of carbohydrate that you store as [88:41] glycogen, there's [88:42] um three-ish grams of water stuck to it. [88:46] And so, just [88:48] sitting there, you're carrying more more [88:50] muscle mass, more fullness [88:52] on a non-ketogenic diet. What about the [88:55] carnivore diet? A lot people have talked [88:56] about that recently, um which is just a [88:58] diet where you just eat meat. What's [89:00] your [89:00] What's your point of view on that? [89:03] Well, [89:05] okay, it's a little silly and it's a [89:06] little extreme, but it has some merit to [89:08] it. [89:09] So, the carnivore diet, when you get on [89:11] it, it's similar to how when people go [89:14] on a keto diet after they've been doing [89:16] the standard Western diet since forever. [89:18] So, the standard Western diet has too [89:21] much of everything. It's got too much [89:22] total calories, too much refined [89:24] carbohydrate. It's got too much of this [89:26] type of fat and too much [89:28] It's got a moderate amount of protein, [89:29] but you're also eating everything under [89:31] the sun from burgers to fries to cakes [89:34] to ice creams to cookies [89:36] uh in addition to pasta and everything [89:39] else. [89:41] So, [89:42] when you go from that excess of [89:44] everything [89:45] to the carnivore diet, you automatically [89:48] and spontaneously [89:50] eat far fewer calories than you used to [89:52] on your standard Western diet. So, the [89:55] carnivore diet is actually the lesser of [89:57] the evils when we're comparing it to the [89:59] standard Western diet. [90:01] And [90:02] you can even [90:03] try to optimize the carnivore diet. Like [90:06] some people engage a carnivore diet that [90:09] is just extreme. Like [90:11] beef and salt. [90:13] Okay, so [90:14] that is very appealing to people who [90:16] have a tendency to jump on the carnivore [90:18] diet cuz it's even more extreme. And [90:21] people with tendencies towards [90:23] the extremes, they'll a lot of them are [90:25] ex-vegans actually, carnivores. [90:27] Cuz they can only be on one extreme side [90:30] or the other. It's tougher [90:31] them to be in the gray scale here. But [90:34] the carnivore diet [90:37] is um the lesser of the evils. It can be [90:42] optimized if that's even possible if [90:44] people [90:45] had more variety within their carnivore [90:47] model, within their plant-free diet [90:49] model. Like for example, if some body [90:51] went carnivore instead of doing beef and [90:54] salt, he had [90:55] a rotation of fatty fish, [90:59] poultry, beef, [91:01] eggs, dairy. [91:04] And who knows, he maybe he might even [91:06] justify protein powder in there for a [91:08] dessert. Who knows? It It's still animal [91:09] based. [91:11] Um Do you find that vegans and [91:12] vegetarians struggle more to gain muscle [91:14] mass? [91:16] Typically. [91:17] Vegans and vegetarians [91:20] in the general population do because [91:22] they're not aware of how to structure [91:24] the diet [91:25] and the training program to to achieve [91:27] that. So, What are they missing? [91:30] They're just not eating enough total [91:32] calories and they're not eating enough [91:34] protein. [91:35] Generally speaking. Now, there are some [91:37] vegans who will [91:39] drink a bunch of Mountain Dew and [91:41] you know, [91:42] have have um potato chips and and things [91:45] like that and still stay vegan. And Oreo [91:47] cookies are vegan, I I believe as well. [91:49] But [91:50] vegans can still gain muscle on par [91:55] with omnivores if they structure it [91:57] right. [91:58] Are most people that you encounter and [92:00] have worked with over the years [92:02] not getting enough protein? [92:05] Like the average Yes. [92:07] >> the street. Yes. [92:09] Almost everybody who [92:12] has been [92:13] overweight or obese [92:16] or just had some degree of of an issue [92:19] with their body fat levels, [92:21] almost all of them [92:24] under consume protein. [92:25] What about people that are very skinny? [92:28] Because I've got a lot of friends that [92:29] um would be in the skinny fat category [92:32] where they they're kind of they look [92:33] very very very skinny, but they've got, [92:35] you know, a little bit of roll [92:37] here. [92:38] Um and they often say to me [92:40] that they just can't gain weight. [92:42] Mhm. I've heard this a lot from from [92:44] friends. I just I just can't get gain [92:45] weight. I've heard I need to have more [92:47] protein, but you know, I'm just not [92:49] gaining any weight. [92:51] Yeah, that is the in quotes hard gainer [92:54] phenomenon. [92:55] And people will have different degrees [92:57] of body fat in in that category, but [92:59] these folks, what they actually have an [93:01] issue with is a spontaneous increase in [93:05] what we call non-exercise activity [93:08] thermogenesis. So, basically, [93:11] it's an increase in spontaneous [93:13] movement. [93:15] Just an increase in fidgeting, [93:18] you know, tapping, moving around, [93:20] uh [93:21] just [93:22] being more hyperkinetic in response to [93:26] increasing their caloric intake. [93:28] In 24 hours, you and I expend [93:32] X amount of calories. Mhm. So, total [93:35] daily energy expenditure [93:37] is composed of um various components. [93:40] So, there is a resting energy [93:42] expenditure component. [93:43] >> Mhm. So, our so-called resting metabolic [93:46] rate or it's also called resting energy [93:48] expenditure or basal metabolic rate. [93:51] Those are all interchangeable. [93:53] That is the amount of calories that your [93:55] body burns in a 24-hour period just to [93:58] stay alive. Okay, so if you were [94:00] bedridden, [94:01] the amount of calories you you burn just [94:03] through your vital organs and your [94:05] systems working, [94:07] that's your resting energy expenditure. [94:11] Now, the other part of energy [94:13] expenditure is your active energy [94:15] expenditure. So, active energy [94:18] expenditure consists of we can subdivide [94:20] it into your exercise activity [94:22] and your non-exercise activity. [94:25] With hard gainers, it's their [94:27] non-exercise activity that spontaneously [94:31] goes up when they try to eat more to [94:34] gain weight. [94:35] So, there's an interesting study done in [94:37] the late 1990s by Levine and colleagues [94:40] where [94:41] he took a group of normal weight [94:43] subjects. It was mostly male sample of [94:45] subjects. [94:47] And he fed them [94:50] 1,000 calories above and beyond their [94:52] maintenance requirements. And I believe [94:54] this what was for 10 weeks. What [94:56] happened during the during the study and [95:00] as a result of eating 1,000 calories [95:02] above their maintenance needs, [95:04] they ended up burning on average [95:08] 336 calories through an increase in [95:11] non-exercise activity. [95:14] So, that that is a very interesting [95:17] phenomenon. One of the subjects in that [95:19] study [95:20] actually ended up burning almost 700 [95:23] calories [95:24] as an increase in their non-exercise [95:28] activity thermogenesis. [95:30] And so, [95:31] what happens to this [95:35] archetype, this hard gainer person, [95:38] is they just start fidgeting more, they [95:40] just start walking faster, they just [95:42] start sitting less, they start bobbing [95:44] their head more. And [95:47] they can even just subconsciously train [95:50] harder, train more. [95:52] And their energy expenditure side just [95:54] ramps up spontaneously in response to an [95:58] increase in calories. So, So, what if [96:00] someone is a hard gainer and they [96:01] struggle to gain weight because of this [96:02] sort of spontaneous energy usage, [96:05] what advice would you give them? [96:07] To stop moving? Eat more. [96:10] Okay, so [96:12] the principle would be to eat more. [96:14] Uh the practice would be [96:17] eat more in a way that you get those [96:19] calories in easily and conveniently. [96:23] And so, you can structure [96:26] liquid meals, [96:27] two in a day, they rarely need three, [96:30] shakes [96:32] to have between their meals [96:34] at any point in the day where it's [96:36] convenient. [96:37] And then you just literally add [96:40] nutrition and calories that way. [96:43] And that So, that's the solution. Just [96:45] literally eat more. I think the [96:47] the thing that sits underneath [96:48] everything we're talking about is [96:50] motivation. [96:52] Whatever that means, which is like [96:53] having the motivation to stick to [96:54] something. [96:55] Discipline, whatever you want to call [96:57] it. [96:58] When you look back through the last 30 [96:59] years of your career, [97:01] are there any similarities in the thing [97:06] or the catalyst moment that made [97:07] somebody finally stick to it? Stick to [97:11] the diet, stick to the exercise regime, [97:13] stick to the whatever. Mhm. Is there are [97:15] there any themes [97:17] of a person going from [97:19] struggling [97:20] to disciplined? [97:22] So, the first thing that comes to my [97:23] mind is [97:25] they finally arrive at the point where [97:28] their physical goals [97:30] become priority number one. [97:33] Changing the body, so losing [97:36] body fat, gaining muscle, achieving [97:40] your ideal body composition. [97:42] That is a colossally difficult goal. [97:47] Whenever I work with somebody who's [97:48] preparing for [97:49] a contest of some sort, [97:51] whether it is in the more elite line [97:55] of physique contest or whether they're [97:57] just joining a transformation challenge, [98:01] but they're both very very serious [98:03] and they both are putting their program [98:06] at the top of their priority list. So, [98:09] when I say top of your priority, I mean [98:12] you do what you need to do to stay alive [98:14] and and and keep breathing as as a top [98:17] priority. And right there [98:18] is your physical goals. [98:20] Okay, so [98:22] the big problem with people who find [98:26] that they can't hit their goals or they [98:28] can't stay consistent or they're just [98:30] having a struggle losing X amount of [98:32] body fat or even a struggle gaining X [98:34] amount of muscle [98:36] is that they simply have five other [98:38] things that are prioritized in their day [98:41] above and beyond their [98:43] their program. Mhm. So, they have [98:46] five [98:49] universes of excuses that can come in [98:51] the way of sticking to the program. So, [98:55] somebody has to be at the point in their [98:57] lives where they're going to make it a [98:59] top priority because, you know, there's [99:00] nothing metabolically different from [99:02] these physique competitors and these [99:03] people who join these challenges [99:05] versus somebody in the general [99:07] population who's just [99:09] struggling. [99:11] The people in the physique contests will [99:14] always hit their goal within 1% [99:18] at the end of the prep period. They'll [99:19] always hit their goal. [99:21] And so, they're not a different species. [99:23] They're not a different animal. They [99:24] don't have special metabolisms. [99:26] They just have different priorities. [99:29] And so, that is the difference. You have [99:31] to hit a point where [99:33] your physical goal becomes priority one. [99:36] And is there anything [99:38] that one can do [99:40] in your opinion or that you try and do [99:42] when you were trainer back in the day [99:44] to make this someone's priority? [99:49] You can sit somebody down [99:51] and [99:53] review with them the what are the [99:56] reasons why you're doing this. [99:58] Name me three [100:00] three three good things that you think [100:02] will come out of this or three drivers [100:04] that you can think about. [100:06] And then you can just have them write [100:07] that down. [100:09] And then they can be reminded that way. [100:13] But, [100:14] fundamentally, Steven, [100:16] they have to arrive at that point [100:18] sort of on a self-initiated way. You you [100:21] can't really [100:23] make the horse drink, you know? You can [100:25] pull them towards the freaking pond, but [100:29] you know, they almost have to to get [100:31] there themselves. And And you're kind of [100:32] you can facilitate it only to a certain [100:34] degree. [100:36] And after you ask them, okay, what what [100:38] are the reasons? [100:40] Then you can also have them put in their [100:41] face, okay, what are the barriers? [100:43] So, to have them write down your three [100:45] biggest stumbling blocks. And so, [100:47] then you can give them two sets of [100:49] things to think about that will keep [100:51] them on task and motivated. You're 53 [100:55] years old? 53. 53 years old. You looked [100:57] very different at 40 years old. [101:00] Ah, [101:01] oh, yes, sir, I did. [101:04] Yeah. Whoa, buddy. Yep, yep. Mhm. I [101:08] remember that guy. [101:10] Whoo. [101:12] That's an amazing shot. [101:14] I mean, you look younger now. [101:16] I do, actually. Thank god. Thank god. [101:20] Yeah. Yeah. [101:22] That that always gets me, man. That that [101:24] picture always gets me. [101:25] Why? [101:27] It was when my my first son [101:29] was sevenish and my younger baby was [101:33] um [101:34] about [101:35] four. [101:37] And so, [101:39] parents with young children [101:41] are very stressed out. [101:44] Bad habits. I used to drink heavily. [101:47] Yeah, I I started drinking heavily at [101:49] that point. [101:51] Um and I drank heavily from when I was [101:54] 40 till I was about 46. [101:57] Were you an alcoholic at at 40 years [101:59] old? Oh, yes. [102:01] Oh, yes. [102:02] What did that look like? [102:04] It was [102:06] it it got really bad towards the final [102:10] couple years. I'm talking a bottle [102:13] bottle and a half of wine [102:16] a [102:17] a night [102:18] by myself. 7 days a week? 7 days a week. [102:22] And the bottle and a half, that's almost [102:25] 1,000 calories of [102:28] 1,000 calories of regret [102:30] is what it was. [102:32] Yeah. [102:34] Do you know what caused that? [102:36] The various stress vectors in life, you [102:39] know, um [102:41] being a dad, [102:43] trying to be the best husband, [102:46] um [102:47] becoming successful uh in terms of [102:50] coming into demand with projects and [102:52] people approaching me with [102:55] business partnerships [102:57] and um me [102:59] thinking, geez, I [103:01] I I worked like two decades for this for [103:03] this stuff to happen. [103:05] How can I turn anything down, you know? [103:08] So, I said, yes, I'll do that. Yes, I'll [103:09] do that. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yeah. And [103:10] then [103:11] pretty soon your your yeses just stack [103:13] up and your work pile stacks up like [103:15] this. [103:16] All of those things, you know, they kind [103:18] of converge into this mix of [103:20] stress and anxiety and [103:23] alcohol [103:25] is a very convenient and very [103:29] available and [103:31] very acceptable means [103:33] to [103:36] engage in a substance that acts as an [103:38] anxiety band-aid. [103:40] My alcohol addiction was a very real [103:43] thing uh [103:45] and [103:47] I'm really glad I I overcame it. [103:50] Through this period from 40 to 46, 47, [103:53] >> Mhm. [103:55] who were you and what what is it that [103:57] you [103:59] you did that made you [104:01] realize something had to change? [104:07] So, during that time period, [104:11] I was just very reactive [104:13] to my environment. I was just going with [104:16] the flow. [104:18] Uh [104:19] I honestly was not [104:22] as ambitious as I should have been and [104:24] and focused on my goals. [104:28] I was comfortable. [104:30] Yeah, I was comfortable. [104:32] And [104:34] the unfortunate thing about the drink [104:36] and fortunate thing [104:38] too is it hit it hit a rock bottom point [104:41] where [104:44] I knew that it wasn't a matter of, all [104:46] right, I got to pull back or how am I [104:47] going to moderate and this and that. [104:50] It was more like, [104:52] I just need to stop. [104:54] I just need to stop and I need to [104:56] redirect this tendency towards routine, [105:00] this tendency, this sort of [105:02] obsessive-compulsive [105:03] thing of needing to do the same thing [105:05] daily. [105:06] Just redirect it. How did you know you [105:08] needed to stop? [105:09] Oh, I knew that I needed to stop because [105:11] my professional and personal life [105:15] basically imploded all all because of my [105:18] my own actions. [105:20] Now, for you, was it just a case of, [105:22] right, I'm going to stop doing this? Or [105:24] did you have to Did you go somewhere? [105:25] Did you get support? Did you seek some [105:27] counseling or anything like that? [105:29] So, I have been able to [105:31] just make the hardcore commitment to [105:33] stop [105:35] and keep that commitment and um [105:37] I've been able to redirect my [105:40] ritualistic tendencies towards training [105:44] and good nutrition. And I [105:46] get a lot of questions cuz like every [105:48] year [105:49] I do a post on Instagram [105:51] about how, okay, it's year six now, [105:54] not a single drink. Here's what I've [105:56] learned during that time. [105:58] And then uh next month, [106:00] uh actually on the 25th [106:03] of August, [106:04] uh that's going to be year seven. So, [106:06] I'm going to do the same thing. And so, [106:09] the question I always get is, [106:11] so, how do you stay abstinent? Like, [106:14] what what do you do to not slip up? [106:17] And [106:19] what I do is if I get kind of a craving [106:22] or a nagging or a feeling like, oh my [106:24] god, I got to have some alcohol, [106:26] then I just sit back and I think through [106:29] the scenario in my mind of me drinking [106:33] to my degree of satisfaction, degree of [106:36] you know, S-facedness. [106:40] And then I kind of picture that. And [106:42] then I picture how [106:44] it might last for an hour or two. [106:46] And then after that hour or two, [106:48] I may have made some really bad [106:50] impressions on [106:51] on one or more people. [106:54] Uh after that hour or two, I may have [106:57] plowed through the the hot wings at [106:59] 2:00, 3:00 a.m. [107:02] And then after that, feel like hell the [107:05] next morning, definitely can't work out [107:07] that day. [107:08] And then where did that get me? And so, [107:12] I just go through that scenario in my [107:13] mind. [107:15] And then when I'm done going through [107:16] that scenario, it takes like a minute, [107:19] then I'm right back at uh [107:21] where I need to be uh mind frame wise. I [107:23] think the same could also apply that [107:25] sort of visualization, that pre-mortem [107:27] where you kind of play out the scenario [107:29] and see what the consequence would be [107:30] can also be applied to many things we're [107:31] talking about today around [107:34] diet and workouts and stuff like that. [107:37] Like playing it forward to see how [107:39] you'll feel about it in the future and [107:40] sort of visualizing those consequences. [107:43] Thank you for sharing that. I I I think [107:45] it's somewhat dovetailed into how [107:47] what what we're talking about about [107:49] changing your life and motivation and [107:51] discipline. Like how does change occur [107:52] in people? And as you said, it's when it [107:54] becomes a priority. And quite clearly in [107:56] your life, [107:57] it became a priority for a number of [107:58] reasons. [108:00] Yeah. [108:01] Quick one. I want to talk about [108:02] something we all need to take seriously, [108:04] which is cybersecurity. Whether you're a [108:06] first-time founder facing your very [108:07] first audit or a seasoned professional [108:09] who's been through it all, staying [108:11] compliant is getting more critical than [108:12] ever and more complicated, I have to [108:14] say. And that is where Vanta comes in, [108:16] who is a sponsor of this podcast. Vanta [108:18] takes the pain out of security [108:20] compliance, automating the tedious but [108:22] essential process of proving your [108:24] business is secure across over 35 [108:26] frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001. [108:30] Centralize your workflows, answer [108:32] security questions up to five times [108:34] faster, and protect your business [108:36] without losing focus on growth. And this [108:38] is really a critical part of this. A new [108:40] IDC white paper found that companies [108:43] using Vanta save over $535,000 [108:47] a year, and it pays for itself in just 3 [108:49] months. For a limited time, my community [108:51] gets $1,000 off Vanta at [108:53] vanta.com/steven. [108:54] That's vanta.com/steven [108:58] for $1,000 off. [109:00] Electrolytes are absolutely exploding at [109:01] the moment, and it's for good reason. [109:03] People are getting more and more into [109:04] their health and fitness, and one of the [109:05] things that I think we've recently [109:06] discovered as a society is the profound [109:09] impact that electrolytes have on [109:10] hydration, but also the impact that [109:12] hydration has on how you feel, how you [109:14] perform, how you think. So, with all [109:16] that in mind and because I became quite [109:18] obsessed with electrolytes, I decided I [109:19] was going to launch my own electrolytes [109:21] company, as you do. And as I was doing [109:23] that, I spoke to my friend George Heaton [109:24] and I said, "George, I'm launching this [109:26] electrolytes business. Can you take a [109:27] look at it?" He said, "Steven, me and my [109:29] friend Ross had already developed one [109:31] and would love to show it to you." And [109:33] then they put me in this WhatsApp group [109:34] and said, "We're building a brand called [109:36] Cadence. We haven't launched yet, but [109:38] take a look." I took a look. [109:40] I tried the cans, I tried the sachets, [109:43] and I fell in love. So, I shut down my [109:45] own electrolytes company and took a [109:47] stake in this one called Cadence, which [109:49] has been by far and away the best [109:51] product in terms of taste, but also in [109:54] terms of performance. 500 mg of sodium, [109:57] 190 mg of potassium, 30 mg of magnesium, [110:00] no sugar. [110:03] Delicious taste. Give it a shot. Go to [110:05] usecadence.com [110:06] and join what I believe to be is the [110:08] fastest-growing electrolytes company on [110:10] planet Earth. [110:12] Cheers. [110:14] How do you feel about artificial [110:16] sweeteners? Are they uh is there any any [110:18] watch-outs that we should be aware of? [110:20] Generally speaking, they're a nothing [110:22] burger. [110:23] And there's a lot of scaremongering [110:25] around artificial sweeteners. [110:28] But, there is one artificial sweetener [110:30] that has a [110:32] kind of a uh [110:33] crabby track record for both impairing [110:37] glucose control [110:39] and also weight gain. [110:41] And that's saccharin. [110:44] So, saccharin is the one artificial [110:46] sweetener that's kind of bombed out at [110:49] the bomb shelter there. As far as the [110:51] literature [110:52] is concerned. [110:53] But, the good news about saccharin [110:56] it's by the way, it's the little pink [110:58] packet things. [111:01] It's not really uh commercially [111:03] pervasive. [111:04] So, it's not that popular anyway. [111:06] No, it's almost commercially extinct. [111:08] So, um the other sweeteners like [111:10] sucralose, aspartame, stevia, or some [111:13] people call it stevia. [111:15] Um [111:16] they're all fair game. They're all in [111:17] the same boat. All pretty dang [111:19] innocuous. [111:20] And you'd have to consume [111:23] impossible amounts of those things to [111:25] incur negative health effects in in a [111:27] lifetime, really. Cuz some people have [111:29] thought that they're potentially [111:30] carcinogenic. [111:32] These sort of artificial sweeteners that [111:34] you find in certain diet beverages. [111:37] Yeah, no. That's that's definitely a [111:39] leap. That's definitely a leap based on [111:42] animal data and completely unrealistic [111:45] doses and conditions that are irrelevant [111:48] to human physiology. [111:51] It's it's more dangerous stepping out [111:53] and breathing in the the city air, [111:54] basically. What is the most important [111:56] thing we haven't talked about that we [111:57] should have talked about, Alan? [111:59] For the people that are sat at home [112:00] listening to this. [112:01] >> That's really damn good question. [112:04] Okay, so [112:06] if we look at the things people care [112:08] about that don't freaking matter [112:11] in terms of diet. [112:13] They fixate on [112:15] weird buzzwords. Like they fixate on not [112:19] even They don't have to be weird words, [112:21] but like sugar, for example. [112:24] There has been such scaremongering [112:26] around sugar to the point that people [112:29] don't delineate between added sugars to [112:31] the diet versus sugar that is intrinsic [112:34] or naturally occurring in foods. For [112:37] fruit? Things like fruit, fresh fruit. [112:39] And even milk has naturally occurring uh [112:41] sugar in it, lactose. [112:43] Um can be problematic for um some of the [112:46] population, but look at fresh fruit. [112:48] I've actually heard people [112:51] vilify fruit because it has sugar. [112:55] And [112:57] it's one thing to [112:59] take an idea [113:00] and put out a [113:02] a plausible claim. Okay, so yeah, it's [113:04] got sugar. And then, you know, we all [113:07] know that if you add a ton of sugar to [113:08] the diet, you lower the quality of the [113:10] diet and then you can [113:11] um [113:13] push your bets towards negative health [113:15] consequences down the line. Okay, that [113:17] that's fine. That's reasonable. But [113:21] even though fruit has sugar [113:23] it also has [113:25] a ton of other beneficial components to [113:28] it. [113:29] And it's in this low-calorie, [113:31] high-water, high-micronutrient-density [113:34] package [113:35] that is satiating and displaces stomach [113:39] space for otherwise junky foods that you [113:43] may a lot of people would have consumed [113:45] instead of that fruit. [113:47] But, beyond all that, for forget about [113:49] all the reasoning and stuff. [113:51] Let's look at the literature. [113:52] Does fruit cause [113:55] negative health consequences? Does it [113:57] cause [113:58] things like impaired blood glucose [114:00] control? Does it cause obesity? Does it [114:02] cause weight gain? [114:04] Uh it does the opposite of all those [114:06] things. [114:07] Fresh fruit [114:08] actually has been shown to improve [114:10] glycemic control, improve body weight, [114:12] improve body composition, and improve [114:14] the protection against a range of [114:16] cardiometabolic diseases and cancer. [114:19] So, [114:21] it doesn't really matter what anybody [114:22] says. We just have to face [114:25] face the evidence. [114:26] Um there's something called the glycemic [114:28] index that was big in the '80s and '90s [114:30] and people were [114:31] It's kind of come back around again. [114:33] Glycemic index. You got to avoid the [114:35] high glycemic index foods and things [114:36] like that. And there's [114:38] a couple of fruits that are actually [114:39] have a high glycemic index. That would [114:41] be pineapples and and watermelons. [114:44] Watermelons? Yeah. High on the GI scale, [114:47] but the way that glycemic index is [114:48] determined is you get 50 g of [114:50] carbohydrate from a given food. [114:52] Regardless of the amount that you have [114:53] to eat. [114:54] 50 g of it and then you measure its [114:57] effect on your blood sugar levels for 2 [114:59] hours after ingestion. I was going to [115:00] say cuz watermelons seen as [115:02] keto-friendly, which is [115:04] But it but Watermelons have what's [115:06] called a low glycemic load. So, they [115:08] have a very low amount of carbohydrate [115:10] per serving. Yeah, per serving, yeah. [115:12] Even though the carbohydrate itself, if [115:14] you were to gather 50 g of it, would [115:17] have a a more pronounced effect on blood [115:20] sugar elevations. Right. And so, they're [115:24] even though fruits those fruits have a [115:25] high GI and certain foods have a high GI [115:28] they have a low glycemic load. And [115:30] ultimately [115:31] people need to [115:33] stop um stop and think about things. [115:37] Like the the longest-living populations [115:40] on the planet do not avoid fruit. [115:42] The fruit is a regular part of their [115:44] intake. What about the white stuff? The [115:46] white sort of added sugar There is it [115:49] called refined sugar? [115:50] >> Mhm. [115:50] Yeah, refined or we can call it added [115:52] sugar. Mhm. What about the added sugar? [115:55] Added sugar is problematic in two [115:57] different ways, at least. So, the first [115:59] way is it's diluting [116:01] the nutrient density of the diet. It's [116:04] uh [116:04] it's a phenomenon called micronutrient [116:06] dilution when you have just a bunch of [116:08] junk [116:09] micronutrient-free calories in the diet. [116:12] The other way that it poses a problem [116:15] is because it is usually packaged with [116:18] highly processed and engineered refined [116:21] carbohydrate and fat combination foods. [116:24] So, your classic desserts. [116:26] Pastries, cookies, cakes. [116:29] Things like that. [116:31] And so, [116:32] the sugar itself, if you were to If I [116:35] were to just put a a jar of sugar in [116:37] front of you [116:39] and say, "Hey, I challenge you to not [116:41] just spoon that in." You'll go, "Oh, no [116:43] problem." [116:45] It's people paint sugar out to be this [116:47] inherently evil thing, but [116:51] the way that it gets into trouble is [116:54] when it is a part of these [116:56] hyperpalatable, highly processed, highly [116:59] engineered dessert and snack foods. And [117:01] so, that is the main issue with added [117:03] sugar. And the various health [117:06] organizations I mentioned the [117:08] Institute of Medicine, or now the [117:10] National Academy of Medicine saying, [117:12] "Hey, we need to cut off our added [117:13] sugars at 25% of the diet." [117:15] There's the World Health Organization [117:17] who presents the [117:19] sort of the [117:21] absolutely terrified version of that [117:23] where they want people to max out their [117:25] added sugar to to 5% of the calories in [117:27] the diet. [117:28] But, [117:30] that's usually not realistic. [117:33] And it gets a little bit extreme to the [117:35] point of being um pathological. So, [117:38] >> So, what would you say? Uh 10% of total [117:40] calories [117:42] max with with added sugar. [117:44] And that would fall kind of right into [117:47] this discretionary caloric allotment of [117:50] 10 to 20% of calories kind of from [117:53] whatever you want. And I would want to [117:55] qualify that 10 to 20% margin by saying [117:58] that [117:59] if you're hypercaloric [118:02] in other words, if you're consuming more [118:04] calories than you're taking in with [118:05] you're trying to gain gain weight or [118:06] something like that. You probably want [118:07] to keep your [118:09] your discretionary calorie allotment to [118:10] 10% or your indulgence food to 10% [118:13] rather than 20%. [118:14] How many days a week do you go to the [118:15] gym? [118:17] Four to five. [118:18] I'm just trying to confront this this [118:20] question mark in my head about if you go [118:22] to the gym 7 days a week, for example [118:25] is that not giving your body enough time [118:26] to rest, but I guess it depends what [118:28] you're doing there and how hard you're [118:29] working. [118:30] Yeah, and a great example of that is [118:32] total sets per week. Okay. [118:34] >> You know, like you can cram Let Let's [118:36] imagine for a given muscle group you do [118:40] like nine sets nine sets a week or 10 [118:42] sets a week. [118:43] Uh you could probably get those in [118:47] in a single session, but it's [118:49] more productive to probably spread it [118:51] out over at least 2 days. How long does [118:53] it take for me to start to lose muscle? [118:56] Oh, man. Okay. That is a good question [118:59] and a tough one. [119:00] So, muscle loss happens very rapidly in [119:03] bedridden Mhm. uh individuals. [119:06] So, lean mass just especially critically [119:08] ill folks, oh man, [119:10] goes really fast. [119:13] Contrast that with you taking a week off [119:17] or even 2 weeks off, but it's more of [119:20] like uh an active rest where you're not [119:23] just merely sitting around. [119:26] You could probably go a couple weeks [119:29] before you start noticing [119:32] material drops in in strength and [119:35] fitness. [119:36] Uh 3 weeks, [119:39] yeah, you'll definitely I think you'll [119:40] definitely feel that. [119:41] >> And do I need to work out till failure [119:43] in terms of resistance training and like [119:45] you know bicep curls or whatever in [119:48] order to get gains? Do I need to be [119:50] going all the way until I can't curl it [119:52] anymore? [119:55] It depends on the goal. Um you mentioned [119:58] that your goal was [119:59] to gain muscle. [120:00] >> Yeah. So, [120:02] in reality, [120:03] um and and this question is surprisingly [120:06] more complex than [120:08] you might hope it it's going to be, but [120:10] okay. [120:11] When people try to train to failure, and [120:15] this has been tested out in the research [120:17] literature, [120:18] they usually [120:21] automatically leave one to two reps in [120:23] the tank, even three reps in the tank. [120:26] And even trained even resistance trained [120:29] subjects when [120:30] you tell them to train failure [120:33] or leave one rep in reserve, they'll [120:36] routinely leave actually two to three [120:38] reps in reserve. So, people [120:40] underestimate their their abilities to [120:43] push. [120:45] Uh they usually as almost an automatic [120:47] margin there that the body sort of [120:49] regulates and governs Mhm. and sort of [120:52] automatically prevents you from going. [120:53] So, with that said, [120:55] I think that most people [120:59] can train to failure without worrying [121:02] about whether they're violating the the [121:04] golden guidelines seen in the literature [121:06] what uh [121:07] it's very common for um [121:10] the consensus in the exercise science [121:12] community, even in the hypertrophy folks [121:14] to say, "Yeah, leave a one to two reps [121:16] in reserve." [121:18] I think [121:19] that depends on on the exercise. [121:22] So, [121:23] you'd be kind of a fool to be doing [121:26] lateral raises to to like to think that [121:29] you can't do partials for lateral raises [121:32] and and still get some benefit out of [121:33] it. And you'd be kind of a fool to [121:35] think, "Yeah, I'm I'm going to do [121:36] concentration curls here. I'm going to [121:38] leave a one to two reps in reserve." No, [121:40] that's different. On the other hand, [121:43] deadlifting, benching, squatting, these [121:46] sort of uh [121:48] free weight barbell multi-joint types [121:51] movements, oh they're they're more [121:53] conducive to leaving one to two reps in [121:55] the tank. But for single joint isolation [121:58] exercises and even machine exercises and [122:01] lighter loads, [122:03] where it's safe take it to failure, man. [122:06] We have a closing tradition on this [122:07] podcast where the last guest leaves a [122:08] question for the next not knowing who [122:10] they're leaving it for. And the question [122:11] left for you [122:13] is how does nature impact on your life? [122:17] It it has quite a big impact. [122:20] Um [122:21] yeah. It It has an impact and and [122:24] obviously the environment is important. [122:28] I'm wondering through the lens of what [122:30] you do in terms of [122:31] you know you know mindset and health and [122:34] you know these kinds of things, [122:35] if you think much about [122:38] being outside [122:40] versus being inside. You know, I've even [122:42] read some interesting studies around [122:43] people that run outside versus on a [122:45] treadmill [122:46] have a more sort of uh [122:48] have cognitive benefits [122:50] because the brain is stimulated more. [122:54] I think that there [122:56] there's a good amount of literature [122:58] on the [123:00] psychological benefits of [123:03] just being in nature or even getting [123:06] getting some sun. [123:07] And I think that there's epidemiological [123:10] like population based data showing that [123:13] marine communities [123:15] tend to be the longevity champs. [123:18] Marine, what does that mean? Uh [123:20] communities that live that live by the [123:21] ocean or close to the ocean. [123:24] And Probably that all that omega-3 [123:26] they're eating [123:27] >> Yeah, [123:27] and that factors in as well, for sure. [123:30] But that just the [123:31] kind of almost the metaphysical effect [123:33] of going to the beach, you know. [123:36] That's got to play in. [123:38] And so [123:39] So, yeah. I I I think it definitely has [123:41] an effect and I think that there are [123:43] data [123:44] that we can point to that says it does. [123:46] Alan, where where should people go right [123:48] now if they want to learn more from you? [123:50] Where where is the best place to follow [123:52] you for more information as as you [123:53] continue to investigate and educate on [123:55] the science of all of the things we've [123:57] talked about today? [123:58] My website is AlanAragon.com. [124:01] That's the hub of everything. [124:04] And [124:05] maybe my most active social media [124:08] platform is Instagram. So, that is [124:11] at theAlanAragon. [124:14] And this book I have in front of me, [124:16] when did you write this book? [124:18] I wrote that thing from [124:20] Well, it includes the 30 years of [124:23] experience that I was talking about [124:25] earlier. So, I've just crammed the 30 [124:27] years into there, but the actual writing [124:29] of that took from about 20 [124:33] 20 all the way to 2022. Yeah. [124:35] >> Took about 2 years. So, first published [124:37] in 2022 and it's really like a bible. [124:40] That's kind of the way I describe it and [124:41] it has everything in it from what I love [124:44] about it is you have all these pictures [124:46] as well. I'm glad you like it. Well, I [124:48] mean it's like it's it's dare I say it's [124:51] a it's quite like a [124:54] like a like a nice accessible textbook. [124:57] Well, there's been a couple of [124:58] professors who've adopted it and made it [125:01] a part of their curriculum. Yeah. [125:03] >> Interesting. Doesn't surprise me. Yeah, [125:05] Hunter Waldman is is one of them. Yeah. [125:08] Thank you so much, Alan. Thank you for [125:09] doing what you do. Um people love your [125:11] message because it's so demystifying in [125:14] a world that is increasingly mystified [125:16] by lots of information from lots of [125:18] different people. So, please do continue [125:19] to do what you're doing and I I [125:21] I'm rooting for you in this new season [125:23] of life where you're going to get even [125:25] closer to patients once again and [125:26] clients once again and be even more [125:28] hands-on with your community. So, I [125:29] highly recommend everybody goes and [125:30] follows you on Instagram to keep track [125:31] of how they can join your community and [125:33] be one of those people that you directly [125:35] impact with your work. And yeah, I'm [125:37] going to I'm going to subscribe to your [125:38] reviews so that I can stay ahead of [125:40] all of the um the scientific literature [125:43] as and when it comes out because for me [125:44] it is quite demystifying, but you're [125:46] you're one of the great voices in this [125:47] space of [125:49] simplification and understanding. So, I [125:51] applaud you for that. [125:53] I think it's all learnable, it's all [125:55] teachable, but thank you so much for the [125:57] opportunity to be on this show. This is [126:00] huge and uh [126:02] thank you all for tuning in. Thank you. [126:04] We're done.