For the Fat Burner Rookie

So… How long has it been since I made the switch from a “Carb. Burner” to a “Fat Burner”? I believe it has been about 5 years since I totally removed the majority of carbs. from my diet. It took me a while though. I started with small changes, and then gradually worked towards bettering additional aspects of my diet and lifestyle.

I do remember very specifically a 2 week period of time during which I really cut the carbs. out, and started getting serious! During this time period, was the first time that I consistently kept myself under 100 grams of carbs. daily.

Looking back, I know exactly what was happening. At the time, I did not really understand the process of taking carbs. away from my body, when I had been so used to receiving them constantly for all of my life. I thought that I might have been getting sick with the flu or something similar.

What was going on? Well, about a week or two after I really started cutting my carbs. out, I got very sore. Nearly every muscle in my body was really sore. It hurt to move my arms, legs, neck, even walking and bending over hurt. I felt very bogged down and sluggish, almost weak. I was eating plenty of food though. I was eating just what I had intended to eat: Good quality meats, veggies, lots of water, etc.

I was not feeding myself the amount of carbs. though, that I had been used to for years. You see….. Our bodies will almost always burn carbs. for energy first, before other sources (like fat and protein). Why? Well, I’m not exactly sure, but I know this is true. Carbs. are the “go to” source of energy because they are easy for the body to use. This would seem like a good thing, but it’s not.

When the body is using carbs. for energy, other sources, mainly fat, is getting shoved to the back burner (saving it for starvation). In addition to your body storing the fat that is not being used for energy, your body is also getting pounded with insulin release every time you spike your blood sugar (from carbs.).

Your body is also getting used to the constant carb. feeding, which is like a drug, and promotes addicting hormone interaction with your body. Your body is smart, but lazy at the same time. If it can get an easy source of energy, your hormones remember this, and keep telling (releasing feel good hormones) your body that you need more.

Now, 50,000 years ago, this probably would not have been a problem. Imagine, it’s summer time in the hunter/gatherer territory. Your family comes across a group of fruit trees that are abundant with ready to eat fruit. Everyone gets their fill while they are there, and also takes as much as they can back with them. Awesome score!! You all get by for another month eating them up, and you keep coming back until they are gone. Then fall/winter arrives, and the carb. feeding is gone, until next summer. Fat and protein is the only source of energy for the next, 9 months or so. Except for the occasional root, or fibrous sprig that may be found.

Our body’s were never designed to function properly with constant carb. feeding. We were designed to get the bulk of our calories from wild meat/fat, and the seasonal feasting on vegetables, fruits, and nuts. How in the heck does it make since to live off of bread, pasta, donuts, pop-tarts, candy bars, soda, and all of the fake/chemicalized processed junk that they are created from? Most people don’t even understand, or care, even if they could read this paragraph. Why? Because it all tastes so good!! Most people can not/will not resist their hormonal signals that are telling them to gobble up more, and more!!

Sorry for the rant….. I just have a bad taste in my mouth for “big business” and government agencies that promote us all to eat this way. I understand the need for mass production in order to satisfy the huge population of the people that live on Earth…….but…..at the same time, each individual person can make their own choices, and decide to go a different direction. That’s what I choose to do!

So, back to my muscle soreness. My body and muscles were telling me that they were starving for energy. My body did not know exactly how to tap into the fat I already had stored on my body, or the fat that I had been recently feeding it. I had to make my body figure out how to start burning fat as the main energy source, only by starving it from carbs.

After a few weeks, the soreness went away, and things started going smoother. My hormones still would speak to me very strongly though, and to this day they will spark up a conversation from time to time……. Telling me to eat that ice cream, or that box of donuts! Very occasionally I do eat that ice cream, or candy bar. Although I give in from time to time, my discipline is very strong, and I get back on track after the treat. My discipline was not always strong, though. I have developed this discipline over the years, but it developed because I made myself develop it.

Hopefully sharing my experience, will help you navigate through some of your hurdles. A Wild and Primal diet/lifestyle in my opinion, is the surest way to shield disease, increase fat loss, build natural/hard muscle, live longer, and feel, and look better than you ever have!!

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The best of luck to you!!!