SS 198 – Diet Vs. Exercise For Fat Loss

Episode 198 Show Notes

Grant and Heavey chat about travel, lifesaver watches, and diet vs.exercise for fat loss. Grant talks about what makes the new Apple watch so unique. Hint: it’s now a medical device! (for real!)

 

The main topic they discuss is the importance of diet in fat loss. If you’re feeling frustrated because you’ve been working out hard and still not losing that stubborn fat, then you might want to address your nutritional approach.

 

[02:15] A Trip with the Boys

 

Grant will be hopping on a trip with his all-male college friends who will be coming from all parts of the country and even the world. They pick one weekend a year where they get together (no spouse or family included). They make it a priority to hang out. Grant says there’s really no trick to this but it’s about putting a little energy into your relationships.

 

[07:20] The New Apple Watch!

 

Apple recently released their new Apple watch. What makes it so good that Grant is actually buying four of them?

 

It’s newest feature is fall detection. It’s like a Life Alert, which is a device worn around your neck. A perfect example of its usefulness is if you’re an elderly person who fell and broke your hip, and couldn’t get to a phone, you can press the device’s button which would connect you to an emergency responder.

 

Grant appreciates this feature especially since both his parents have had bad falls. What’s so amazing about this new Apple watch is they’ve improved the accelerometer and gyroscope that they can now tell if you’ve slipped, tripped, or fallen. When that happens, a screen pops up and asks if you want to call emergency service. If you don’t move or touch it for a minute, it’s going to assume you’re in need of help and will automatically call emergency services.

 

Heavey’s only complaint with the previous Apple watches is the need for frequent daily charging. Grant explains they still have an 18-hour battery life, and yes you still need to charge them every day, but that is totally doable.

 

[13:00] Grant is Buying the New Apple Watch: Reason #2

 

Another cool feature of the new Apple watch is it’s new innovative way of tracking your heart rate. The watch has a light that pulses that can measure the volume of blood flowing and can even calculate your heart rate. What’s cooler is Apple watch uses that light along with dual electro sensors that can measure the electric impulses that your heart uses to beat. Hence, this device is able to measure your heart rhythm more accurately, especially when you’re working out. It can do a full electrocardiogram and diagnose normal sinus rhythm or irregular heart rhythm and atrial fibrillation.

 

Taking it a step further, the watch is always watching out for three things: too high of a heart rate, too low of a heart rate, and atrial fibrillation. What’s even more impressive is that Apple watch has been approved by the FDA as a medical device.

 

As of the recording of this episode, Grant’s mom is in the hospital because of atrial fibrillation, and actually has gotten surgery because of it.

 

With this consumer device, you are literally getting a life-saving device, which is an amazing development from its original model.

 

[16:55] Other Neat Stuff About the New Apple Watch

 

Grant describes the new Apple watch as thinner than the old one. It has the same border size but a larger screen. The thing on the side is still electric but Grant says it now feels mechanical. It’s 200% faster.

 

[17:45] Diet vs. Exercise for Fat Loss

 

Heavey discusses how it’s so common for people to be interested in fat loss and primarily pursue that goal through exercise alone. They make very little progress and eventually their motivation fizzles and they give up. In this episode, you will hopefully be able to make better choices and stay motivated to achieve your goals.

 

People have this mindset of wondering why they’re still not able to lose fat when they’ve already been working out so hard. Even though they might have a very strong regimen for exercise, they may have a limited approach to diet. For example, they follow a strict diet throughout the week and then eat whatever they like on the weekends. They’re actually completely undoing whatever progress they make.

 

[19:40] Cardio for Fat Loss: Is It That Effective?

 

Cardio exercise is a popular pick among people for fat loss. Heavey presents this meta-analysis that examined 28 different studies that used cardio for fat loss, with an average intervention link of 12 weeks. It also stratified both high-intensity and low-intensity steady state cardio.

 

Across these studies, the average fat loss for the high-intensity group was 3 pounds, while 2 pounds for the low-intensity group. In all of these studies, diet was uncontrolled so people are busting their butts doing cardio for three months and losing a minimal amount of weight. This is a typical approach that goes to show you that it’s not really a great idea.

 

[22:05] Diet + Exercise = Bigger Chances of Fat Loss

 

Heavey found another meta-analysis of 66 different studies comparing the effect of fat loss from diet alone, cardio, and weight training. You have to understand here that an effect size of 0.2 is considered small, 0.5 is moderate, and 0.8 is large.

 

The interventions were grouped into a diet only, cardio only, lifting only, diet + cardio, and diet + lifting. They found that the cardio only and lifting only groups had the smallest effect on fat loss. While those with the biggest effect were the diet + cardio and diet + lifting.

 

The study also looked at total body composition and lean mass. Therefore, you would see that diet + cardio saw the most weight loss but the diet + lifting may have the biggest improvement in body composition.

 

All three of the top-performing groups considered diet as part of their fat loss program. Hence, the key takeaway here is that you have to be mindful of your diet if you’re trying to achieve fat loss.

 

Grant asks that if one bad day can undo your whole week, how much more for really bad days?

 

[25:40] Tracking Grant’s Fat Loss Journey

 

Grant has been working on fat loss and diet is what really accelerated his progress. He admits that he made a contract with his buddy about exercise on March 1st. From that date through July, he didn’t lose any weight despite working out hard, doing Crossfit four days a week and another form of exercise for one day. As for his diet, he didn’t really follow any weight loss diet though he has always been a clean eater.

 

Once he cut back his calories by switching to a one-meal-a-day plan, he finally started to lose weight. Heavey warns readers/listeners that this one day approach is very aggressive and it’s not something you should take lightly if you’re going to consider trying this. Grant started tracking every meal he ate everyday for six weeks and was working with a certified coach so you have to be very careful when considering this kind of approach.

 

All this being said, guys, remember that exercise is still important for lean muscle mass. But  if you’re frustrated with your progress and if fat loss is your primary goal, then spend some time on your nutrition.