I was just about to write a summary of an article I found about bile acid diarrhea (BAD), which wouldn’t have been a BAD choice for Lipid Nerds given the importance of cholesterol in bile acid synthesis and regulation. But instead, I found THIS ARTICLE, and after my initial horror at the 4 HYPHENS in the clunky title, I thought, after reading it, that the content of this Exercise Physiology piece would be more generally applicable to the population at large than a niche cause of excessive pooping. Because a large percentage of the population desires to lose weight, and ideally, it would be nice to lose FAT rather than MUSCLE during the process while also preserving strength. And this study gives further evidence that this is, in fact, possible!
So in the 4-week study, they took 16 people and cut their calories by 40%…that’s quite a bit! However, these folks were also lifting weights 5 days/week and eating a high protein diet (2.3g/kg/body weight). Although all participants were on the same diet, one group engaged in “Low-Volume Resistance Training” of 12 sets/muscle group/week, while the other group engaged in “High-Volume Resistance Training” of 30 sets/muscle group/week. Regardless of the volume, both groups were engaging in exercises that included compound movements utilizing large muscle groups; they weren’t just doing tricep kickbacks with pink dumbbells and calling it “resistance training.” Baseline strength assessments in various exercises were also ascertained for both groups.
And over 4 weeks, both groups lost weight (about 9 pounds), lost fat (8 pounds), and preserved muscle mass! Huzzah! Additionally, the High-Volume group even GAINED strength compared to their baseline assessments!
And now I get to briefly discuss Biochemistry. There are two primary stimuli for mTORC1, which is the “Anabolic (Growth) Switch” that you want turned ON, in skeletal muscle. The most potent stimulus for mTOR is the imposed stressor of resistance training itself. The second stimulus is dietary protein, specifically leucine. And since all the participants in this group were pulling both of those levers (Resistance Exercise and Dietary Protein), the Biochemistry would assert that they would be able to preserve lean mass while losing fat mass during short-term caloric restriction…and that’s what we saw!
If you’re on a Weight Loss Journey, it doesn’t have to also be a Strength Loss Journey. However, it requires some work. Prioritize protein during caloric restriction. And remember, Heavy Weights Aren’t Going to Pick Themselves Up😊
