The 2016 Ultimate Anabolic Stack for Dieting
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The 2016 Ultimate Anabolic Stack for Dieting
By: Robbie Durand
If you talk to any fitness expert in the early 90’s about fat loss, a majority of them will talk about doing fasted cardio in the morning. The premise is that glycogen availability is low, and fat usage will be greater during fasted cardio. Some athletes swear by fasted cardio for fat loss whereas others say it’s not only ineffective for fat loss but harmful as well. On of the biggest risks for training on an empty stomach is the rise in cortisol which accelerates muscle tissue breakdown which may be considered counterproductive for lean muscle mass. Increases or decreases in muscular size (hypertrophy or atrophy) are thought to occur through a sustained imbalance between muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown.
The key is to enhancing fat loss without losing excess muscle mass. With fat loss in mind, you will have to minimize calories and while trying to deplete muscle glycogen levels to burn more fatty acids during exercise and rest. For example, when a person is fasting, such as sleeping and between meals, more fat is being burned. If you’re trying to lose fat, then HMB may be the perfect supplement to take to prevent catabolism while doing fasted cardio.
HMB: Increase Muscle and Lose Fat
β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), is a leucine-derived metabolite, has been demonstrated to augment strength and lean muscle gains when supplemented in conjunction with resistance training. HMB has been found to have potent anticatabolic properties. Recently, an 18% increase in strength gain was demonstrated following 12 weeks of HMB ingestion compared to placebo in experienced resistance trained men.
HMB is not just for strength gains but also has been shown to result in significant fat loss. One study examined twenty-eight volunteers took either three grams of HMB or a placebo and strength-skilled six days a week for seven weeks. At the end of the study, the HMB-takers had lost twice as considerably body unwanted fat as people taking the placebo. A study in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness reported that HMB also enhanced fat loss. Taiwanese researchers put women on a diet. The women’s diet contained 3.6 g carbohydrates, 1.33 g protein and 0.03 g fat per kg bodyweight. They also took a multivitamin supplement. Half of the women were also given 3 g HMB per day to take: 1 g each at breakfast, lunch, and supper. The other half was given a placebo. At the end of the study, bodyfat percentage in the HMB group went down from 20.23 percent to 19.38 percent. Researchers estimate that the women in the HMB lost an average of about 700 g fat. Another study reported that HMB could enhance fat loss in older men. Researchers examined the effects of 12-weeks of HMB ingestion and resistance training on abdominal adiposity were examined in 48 men (66-78 yrs.). All participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: no-training placebo, HMB only, RT with placebo, or HMB with resistance exercise. At the end of the study, the group taking HMB and strength training had significant losses in abdominal body fat.
Best Supplements to Take While Dieting
In this Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers had subject’s fast for 36 hours, which put the subjects in a catabolic state. The test subjects in our study remained at rest in bed after a 36 h fast, because we aimed at imposing catabolic conditions in muscle by combining fasting and immobilization.
They were then assigned to four different groups:
i) A beverage containing carbohydrate
ii) A beverage based on leucine-rich whey protein (16% of total protein content)
iii) A beverage based on soy protein
iv) A beverage based on soy protein and 3 g HMB (HMB)
At the end of the study, higher rates of energy expenditure and higher rates of fat oxidation were observed during leucine-rich whey and HMB consumption compared to carbohydrate consumption. Also, leucine-rich whey protein distinctly activated the anabolic pathway mTOR pathway in muscle tissue samples compared with the other groups. These findings suggest that compounds containing leucine-rich whey protein and 3 grams of HMB are mainly anabolic during catabolic conditions and may activate distinct anabolic signaling pathways in human muscle. The researchers concluded that both leucine-rich whey and 3 grams of HMB produce superior anabolic effects after 36 hours of fasting.
Key Points: The combination of leucine-rich whey protein and HMB are the best supplements to take while dieting to maintain lean muscle mass and reduce muscle tissue breakdown.
