Matt Metzgar

Shopping

Almost all my grocery shopping now takes place in just a few aisles.  I load up on fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat.  Add in some omega-3 eggs and that about does it.

Are All Calories Equal?

A hot topic these days seems to be whether "all calories are created equal".  In other words, do protein, carbohydrate, or fat calories have different effects on energy balance?

From my perspective, I would almost be surprised if the different macronutrients did have the same energy impacts, rather than the other way around.  It's not like the body is machine, where it burn all types of calories at the same. 

Here is a great paper that answers most questions on the issue.  It discusses the second law of thermodynamics and how the idea that "a calorie is just a calorie" doesn't really add up.

Optimal Carbohydrate Levels

I was looking again at the details of the recent Paleo diet study.  I was curious as to see how many carbohydrates the subjects ended up consuming.

The participants were allowed to eat as much fruits and vegetables as they wanted, but were limited to two smaller potatoes per day.  Along with just a bit of nuts, these were the only sources of carbohydrates in the diet.

Most nutritionists believe that a person needs 130 grams of carbohydrates/glucose for the brain and nervous system function.  And lo and behold, the participants in the Paleo study consumed 134 grams of carbohydrate per day on average.

The body can get glucose via a number of ways: 1) directly, through consuming carbs, 2) from protein (gluconeogenesis), or 3) from fat (ketosis).  The most efficient of the three paths is direct carb consuption, as the other two systems seem to be more "backup" systems.

Some people believe that carbs need to be radically decreased to lose weight.  But in this study, the subjects following the Paleo diet lost weight at a good clip, 8 pounds over 12 weeks.  So why would they want to consume any less carbs?

What this study shows is that when carbs are consumed in their natural, unprocessed form (fruits and vegetables), a person will self-select the optimal amount of carbs they need to directly fuel brain function, without having to rely on any backup systems.

They Might Be Someone

I ended up seeing a concert last night, with the band They Might Be Giants.  I had heard of the name before, but I couldn't remember any of their songs.  My friend assured me there would be songs I would recognize, so off we went to the concert.

I never did recognize any of their songs, but the show was pretty good.  And it was nice to see some live music for a change.

Happiest Baby on the Block

One of the best baby products I've come across is "The Happiest Baby on the Block", a book by Dr. Harvey Karp.  The book is available at most bookstores, and a DVD is available on the website.  Harp's idea is that newborns still need a fetus-like environment the first few months of life to help keep them calm.  He has done his homework on the subject, and acknowledges how traditional cultures have soothed infants for thousands of years.  This is in comparison to the normal idea that infants have "colic", caused by gas or other problems.

I use Karp's techniques on an almost daily basis, and they have been a tremendous help.  I highly recommend this book for any new parents.

Endurance Experiment

I have been experimenting with different frequencies of endurance running.  At first, I was doing a little bit of easy running 3 days per week.  But after a while, it seemed to take a toll on my legs and it left me fatigued.

Now I have cut my long run/easy run to just one day per week.  So far, it has worked out fine.  I still do some other running during the week, in the form of interval training and sprints.  But I limit the continuous running to only once per week, and I plan to gradually extend the distance on that run.

Is this the best way to optimize endurance?  No way.  But perhaps it's the best way to possess endurance within a framework of total health.  I think endurance is much lower on the priority list compared to other health attributes, such as aerobic capacity.  So I will stick with this plan for a while and see how it turns out.

Is Snacking Bad?

Many writers advocate eating many small meals a day as a way to maintain energy.  But some recent research suggests this may not be true.

This news story discusses grazing or constant eating and the impact on insulin resistance.  The authors believe that the period of fasting between meals allows insulin to fall back down.  But constant eating means the liver has no chance to rest and become insulin resistant.

This all makes good sense to me.  Hunter-gatherers often ate only one meal per day, so I don't think a "grazing" pattern of eating is very natural.  If you're constantly eating, then the incoming food keeps raising blood sugar, and then an insulin response is generated.

I think this constant eating can work in the short-term, but will backfire in the long run.  It's somewhat like living off sugar energy, where the body is always burning the incoming sugar instead of tapping into its fat stores. 

A Big Breakfast

I was pretty hungry after this morning's weight workout, so I fixed up this Paleo breakfast.  It contains scrambled eggs, lettuce, carrots, green peppers, cashews, and smoked turkey.  It was very filling, and I probably won't eat again until dinner. 

Meeting of the Minds

One great thing about the internet is access to more good health information.  This more democratic flow of information certainly has its benefits.  A lot of the top thinkers seem to be engaging one another, learning more and refining their thoughts.

I compare this to when I was in college, and my main source of information was the ridiculous muscle magazines.  Mostly the magazines said to eat 10 times a day and 500 grams of protein, or something along those lines.  Now there are a lot of intelligent thinkers out there who are posting their ideas.  I plan to interview a few of them and post the transcripts here.

Standing at Work

Most jobs nowadays require a person to sit for long periods.  It's been bothering me that when I wake up in the morning, and have physical energy, that I then have to go to work and sit.  So last week, I made the decision to stand most of the day at work.

When my new computer came in, I kept the box, and propped up my monitor, mouse, and keyboard on the box.  Then I simply stand to do the work.  So far this was worked out well.  I have more energy throughout the day and don't get as sleepy from sitting so long. 

I jokingly refer to my setup as the "workstation of the future", but that really may not be that far off.  Who knows how workplaces will incorporate more physical activity in the future.