Metabolic Freedom

My progress on my health journey, and more specifically, my weight journey, has stalled once again. I had a lot of optimism about the Optavia program, which did work in the first month. Progress stalled, even though I was still following the protocol at least 80% of the time. How frustrating.

Losing weight is the easy part. I know many different methods for that. The devil is in the details. You want to release excess fat while minimizing muscle loss. More importantly, you want to maintain a healthy weight for the long term. This is the real challenge.

I saw Ben Azadi at the Beyond Conference, and his talk made a lot of sense. I purchased his book, and I think it reinforces previous tools I've used to release weight: intermittent fasting and a low-carb approach.

In the beginning of the book, Ben outlines the "five fat-loss myths" that are keeping people stuck.

1. Calories In vs. Calories Out - If this idea worked, the Biggest Loser contestants would maintain all the weight loss. The body isn't a linear system; rather, it's an open system with several variables. It is demand-driven, not supply-driven. Calories play a role, but it's much smaller than people think.
2. Eat lots of small meals all day - This one is a core tenet of the Optavia program and one that I've had an issue with from the start. The strategy of "grazing," where you eat small meals every 2-3 hours, is supposed to keep your metabolism "revved up." In the short term, it works, but it has a 99% failure rate long-term. Eating frequently increases your rate of aging. The body needs breaks from digesting food to repair.
3. Metabolism needs carbohydrates to burn fat and function - You do not need to consume glucose from carbohydrates in your diet. The body makes the glucose it needs through a process called gluconeogenesis. 
4. One-size-fits-all approaches - Most diets work--just not long term. Restrictive dieting often means going against your body's stubborn instinct to maintain your weight. We also have different hormonal needs at different times of our lives.
5. Relying on willpower to lose weight - Most fat-loss plans require you to change too many things at once, which requires willpower. It's not sustainable.

So what's the answer? Well, I'll be learning more as I continue reading. No matter what I choose, continuing what I have been doing is not an option.