Fat
If we look back in time, it’s interesting to note that being fat and pale was once considered to be very attractive as it denoted wealth and status; the pale skin indicating that you were not a manual outdoor worker and the excess body fat indicating you were rich enough to buy food to over indulge. In 2021 the opposite is true, being tanned and lean and muscular is a commodity and a status symbol. To some it indicates discipline, wealth and status.
Fat-shaming is shockingly common and somewhat accepted in western culture. Although it could be easy for those of us who don’t struggle with weight to say ‘just stop eating’. It could be like saying to a drug addict ‘just stop taking drugs’. What we could be talking about here is addiction. Addiction to food. Experts on addiction can’t agree on the exact mechanisms of addiction, as they vary from person to person. One common thread is that addictions can be a coping strategy for stress/trauma. With this in mind, we should remind ourselves to help and support those struggling with addictions, not shame them.
There is a spiralling obesity epidemic in the western world. There are lots of theories for why this is so. One theory is that individuals who overeat are addicted to food. Humans are inherently greedy. It’s possible we evolved this predisposition as a survival mechanism - we are programmed to love and crave sweet, salt and fat tastes. With the abundance of processed food in the western world, we have to teach ourselves not to be this way. So what can we do to reduce body fat? Stick to these rules and with appropriate activity levels you will gain muscle and reduce body fat.
Hit your protein target for your body weight
Eat whole foods - avoid processed foods
Perform Plane-training HOME 2-4 times a week
Perform a 1 hour brisk walk every day.
BODY FAT HOLDS YOU BACK
Athletes with increased abdominal fat are going to find training tougher and results will be slower. There are a number of mechanisms that correlate with this including: lower testosterone and poor circulation. It’s safe to say organs are not going to be optimised surrounded by excess fat. If you are carrying excess body fat, then we recommend prioritising the reduction of that fat before focusing on building muscle.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/
CALORIES IN, CALORIES OUT
We gain fat when our body has more energy than it needs. We lose fat when we expend more calories than we consume. It’s that simple. There are many different frameworks for reducing body fat; all of them are different ways of reducing calories consumed. Follow the simple steps in the Plane-training HOME members area. When you combine this diet plan with Plane-training HOME 2-4 times a week, you can lose 1kg of body fat every 8-10 days. It’s simple, safe, healthy and effective. Reducing body fat isn’t only an aesthetic consideration. Numerous studies have linked abdominal fat directly with CVD (cardio vascular disease). Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism expert Dr Tamler says:
"Low testosterone can cause depression, lethargy, and fatigue that can keep you from exercising effectively to lose fat and build muscle.”
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes more than half of all deaths across the European region.
CVD causes 46 times the number of deaths and 11 times the disease burden caused by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined in Europe.
80% of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable.
Although fat loss is as simple as expending more than you eat, it can be very tough to implement in the modern western world. With multiple aisles of sweets, biscuits, alcohol and sugary drinks and typically 1 or 2 aisles of lean meats and fruit and veg, temptation is never far away. Changing eating habits can be very tough, but If you can manage to stick to the guidelines, your body can change quicker than you think.
If you are interested in the mechanisms of addiction check out the excellent book ‘The Molecule of More - How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity – and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race’.
By Daniel Z. Lieberman, Michael E. Long