Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions
What is CustomMeal?
How does the science of fat loss differ from simple weight loss?
Why have carbohydrates become the villain in the battle against fat?
Why do low carbohydrate diets damage your metabolism and cause you to eventually become fatter?
Why do very low calorie diets damage my metabolism?
Do I have to measure the foods that I eat?
What if I do not want to be so precise and scientific? What can this program do for me?
Understanding CustomMeal Personalized Meal Planning and the ultimate objective.
Lean Weight and Metabolism

Question: What is CustomMeal?	Back to the top
Answer: • CustomMeal nutritional software can be utilized and adapted to meet any need, objective, or diet philosophy that you desire. If you’re trying out the latest fad diet, counting fat grams, carbohydrates or simply keeping up with calories CustomMeal can help you achieve your goals. •We, at CustomMeal, have definitive views about proper diet and exercise and believe the science of fat loss (see How does the Science of Fat Loss differ from simple Weight Loss) is the most sound way to accomplish your objective. However, we recognize that people will experiment with different diets or may simply desire to do it their way. We hope after reading and understanding Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss that you will see the scientific soundness and wisdom in this approach. But if you want to do it another way CustomMeal has been engineered to be effective and helpful in any application. •The creators of this program desired to build an automated system that individuals could use to build custom meal plans that fit both their metabolic profile while using the individuals favorite foods. The spec sheet within the program determines the metabolic profile. Favorite foods is simply the foods that you have been enjoying all your life. • If you can learn how to build meals with the foods that you have been eating all your life, within the context of your own body’s metabolism, then you will never have to diet again. •Diets simply do not work. Virtually all diets ask you to execute a food strategy that is completely foreign to your lifestyle. Once the desired weight loss has been achieved the individual invariably returns to the food culture with which he or she has become accustomed. If goals can be achieved by implementing foods already being utilized then results can be permanent.

Question: How does the science of fat loss differ from simple weight loss?	Back to the top
Answer: The essential foundation for fat loss as opposed to simple weight loss is to…Create a calorie deficit, without creating a carbohydrate or protein deficit. A calorie deficit is easy to understand and achieve. Simply burn more calories than you consume. If you burn, for example, 1500 calories a day during normal activity and another 300 per day in your exercise program then you burn a total of 1800 calories per day. If you eat 1500 calories per day then you have created a 300 -calorie deficit. It is this deficit that will eventually lead to the weight loss that you seek. However, creating a calorie deficit is not the only issue of importance if fat loss and muscle retention is the goal. Typically, most weight loss programs promise huge, fast, weight losses. What they do not tell you is most of your weight loss will come from water and muscle. It is virtually impossible to lose more than two pounds of fat per week. Many diets promise five pounds per week or a pound per day. You certainly can lose weight this fast, but not fat. Most of this weight loss will come from fat free substances like muscle and water. If you decide to lose weight too fast then you must recognize that your metabolism is damaged and your body is now set to store more fat. When you return to a more normal caloric intake your body will now store more of the calories as fat than before you went on the diet. This is why virtually everyone gains the weight back and more.

Question: Why have carbohydrates become the villain in the battle against fat?	Back to the top
Answer: Why have Carbohydrates become the villain in the battle against fat? This misinformation about the role of carbohydrates in weight loss is typical of the entire weight loss industry. A piece of factual information is taken completely out of context and begins to have a life of its own. The fact of the matter is that the proper consumption of carbohydrates is the most important element is losing fat and protecting precious muscle tissue. Yet, if you listen to the weight loss “experts” you would think that if you get rid of the “carbs” all your problems are over. It is impossible to lose fat and protect muscle without the proper intake of carbohydrates! The best way to tell a lie is to pepper it with a little truth. That’s exactly the case with the information the media has put forth with these low carbohydrate diets. It is said that all carbohydrates turn to sugar and we all know sugar is bad…right? Wrong! Carbohydrates don’t turn to granulated sugar they eventually are transformed into a substanc called glycogen. Glycogen is necessary to perform activities of the body - resting or exercise. Your central nervous system needs large amounts of glycogen to function at optimum levels. Glycogen is made from the carbohydrates that we consume. O.K. here’s the problem. Carbohydrates do turn to glycogen and we need this substance but as the carbohydrate turns to sugar it causes a rise in our blood sugar levels. Your body in response will release insulin into the bloodstream to normalize your blood sugar. The body will not metabolize (burn) fat in the presence of insulin. Control insulin and the body will burn more fat. If we get rid of the carbs then we have solved the problem? So…there you have it….carbohydrates are the problem….right? Wrong! Carbohydrates are the answer. The central issue is not carbohydrates turning to sugar but rather the speed with which carbohydrates turn to sugar (glycogen). Certain carbohydrates turn to sugar faster than others and therefore are not as desirable for optimum fat loss. In addition another major component is the amount of carbohydrates eaten at a single meal ( for that matter the total amount of calories consumes at one meal is a major issue but carbohydrates are of an even greater significance) The speed with which a carbohydrate turns to sugar is measured in the Glycemic Index. Speed and amount of carbohydrates consumed are the primary issue - not carbohydrates themselves. If these two issues are resolved then you will have far greater results than simply lowering your calories or restricting your carbohydrate consumption to ridiculously low totals.

Question: Why do low carbohydrate diets damage your metabolism and cause you to eventually become fatter?	Back to the top
Answer: Let’s establish one fact at the outset. Do low carbohydrates work? Or more precisely, are low carbohydrate diet effective in achieving weight loss? The answer is not just yes, but Ohhhh Yes! Low carbohydrate diets are probably the most effective way to accomplish quick weight loss. Notice I said Weight…. not Fat. What it will cost you should be more than your willing to pay. You will lose massive amounts of lean weight and water from muscle tissue. Consequently, your metabolic rate will slow to a “snails pace” and your body will turn itself into a fat saver instead of a fat burner. Your energy levels will decrease substantially and exercise will become so difficult that you will slow down or more likely quit altogether. We are discussing low carbohydrate diets, but the above scenario will hold true for any very low calorie diet.

Question: Why do very low calorie diets damage my metabolism?	Back to the top
Answer: When you drastically reduce your caloric intake your body responds by slowing down its metabolic processes. If your not going to give your body as many calories then it will try to conserve as many calories as possible. As the body slows down so does the weight loss. This is an inherent defense mechanism the body employs to delay the onset of starvation. This is one reason why weight loss is most often rapid at first then slows considerably. Another reason weight loss slows down over time is the simple fact that for every ten pounds you lose, your daily resting energy expenditure is reduced. You simply burn less calories the lighter you become. Exercise is the answer for these issues. However, many simply reduce their calories even more. The body, subsequently, burns even fewer calories. Exercise can impede this slowdown process, but inevitably, energy levels subside due to the low calorie intake and exercise usually ceases. At some point the desired weight loss occurs (with possibly over 50% of the weight coming from fat free substance i.e. water and muscle). The dieter is now unaware that their metabolism has been seriously deranged. As the individual begins to increase their caloric intake to normal levels, their metabolism remains in starvation mode. The body is burning calories at a very slow rate and will take quite a long time to return to normal. Consequently, as the person begins to eat normally, calories that formerly were used for energy are now being stored as fat as a safeguard against this starvation process being repeated. Fat is an emergency energy reserve for the body. If you train your metabolism to slow down and conserve calories then it will tend to store more fat when you resume a normal caloric intake. when you do eat normally again. Yo-Yo dieting produces this state and makes it virtually impossible for fat loss to take place. Progress is impossible unless proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are implemented into the diet along with proper, consistent exercise.

Question: Do I have to measure the foods that I eat?	Back to the top
Answer: The answer to this question is YES!…..and ……NO! As you begin to learn how to manage your favorite foods into patterns that fit your profile, you will, by necessity, have to measure your foods. People always eat more than they think…..always! If you estimate, before you have gained the experience to estimate, you are going to eat more than you think and results will be inconsistent in the best case scenario. So….for the first couple of weeks after you have developed some meal plans, measure your foods so that you can develop accurate portion estimates. Then…..as you gain experience with your chosen foods, begin to wean yourselves away from the measuring devices. However, honesty compels me to say that it has been our experience that those who measure their portions see the best results. If you are simply trying to maintain a particular weight then educated estimates are acceptable. But if you wish to see optimal results then the more precise you are the more results you will receive. If you build a plan that contains 4 ounces rice or a 7 ounce baked potato, measure it a few times and get an idea of how it appears. After a few weeks you will gain enough experience to estimate fairly accurately.

Question: What if I do not want to be so precise and scientific? What can this program do for me?	Back to the top
Answer: Everything! Virtually everyone who is exposed to the information contained in this software is impacted in a very real, positive way. Does everyone lose massive amounts of weight and fat? You already know the answer to this question. Of course not, because not everyone will follow the information consistently. To the extent that you implement and execute the information given, is the measure of results that you will receive. That being said, no matter your commitment level, your behavior and habits will be positively influenced for the rest of your life. What do I mean? When you know, for example, that your body burns 2000 calories per day. You know that you have had 1800 calories in a particular day. You pass by a Burger King that is offering Whopper’s - buy one get one free. You are extremely hungry. You envision a Whopper, fries and vanilla shake. However, this time something strange begins to happen. You realize that a whopper has 630 calories, fries 220 and a shake 400. If you only eat the whopper you will be at a 430 - calorie surplus. This means that approximately 430 calories will be stored as fat. You now have an inherent discipline that has developed from your precise knowledge of the foods you eat and your body’s metabolic rate. It’s not that you cannot have a whopper. It’s that you choose not to have one because now you know exactly what it will do to your body. In the past you had no idea how many calories you were using nor the calories in the foods you were eating. You probably would reason within yourself, “I haven’t had that much to eat today, it won’t hurt.” Most of us eat a few calories a day over what we burn. These calories add up and in a few short months the pounds can really add up. Even small daily surpluses can make an enormous difference over time. For example, a female who weighs 140 pounds gained 40 pounds over a two - year period. She contends that she does not eat that much food. Could this be true? According to the Spec sheet a 140-pound female burns approximately 1600 calories per day at rest. She lists her foods in the program and discovers that she is eating approximately 1800-2000 calories per day (she had no idea that she was eating this much – although it is easy to consume 2000 calories per day). She says she is not eating that much food and in reality she is correct. However, it is more that her body is burning. But this is only 200 to 400 calories per day in excess. This is no more than an ounce of cereal and a cup of skim milk or an extra glass of ice tea and a dinner roll. Could this be the culprit in her weight gain – a couple hundred calories per day? Let’s do some math and check this out! A female who weighs 140 pounds burns about 1500-1600 calories per day. There are 3500 calories in one pound of fat. A person would have to be in excess 3500 calories to gain one pound of fat. Remember, we are not speaking about total calories, but rather excess calories. To gain 40 pounds this individual would have to have consumed 140,000 thousands calories in excess! This number is represented of excess calories not total calories. The only conclusion that you can draw, at first glance, is that this person is “putting away some groceries”! However, in reality, is this true? If we take 140,000 calories and divide it by two years or 730 days we find that this person is eating less than 200 calories a day in excess of what their metabolism is burning. Two years multiplied by 200 calories equals 40 pounds (140,000/3500) (Note: for every ten pounds gained your resting metabolism will usually increase by approximately 100 calories – so after the first 20 pounds were gained the weight gain would level off. However, this person consumed between 1800-2000 calories per day so the 200-400 surplus would account for over 40 pounds in weight gain over a two year period.) This is called creeping obesity. It is happening ever so slowly, but it is happening. Without precise knowledge of your metabolism and food intake this scenario is virtually unavoidable. The point is…small amounts of excess calories (because you are unaware that the calories are excess) can lead to enormous weight gain.

Question: Understanding CustomMeal Personalized Meal Planning and the ultimate objective.	Back to the top
Answer: First, if you are not a Personalized Meal Planning client go back to the login page and click the link entitled Personalized Meal Planning. This will tell you all about this professional service. CustomMeal Personalized Meal Planning is designed to provide you with individualized services, education and technolgy to: Demonstrate and empower you to create food patterns that are uniquely adapted to your individual metabolism and food preferences. You have received meals in three categories: Optimum Fat Loss Progressive Fat Loss Passive/Maintenance Plans Each one of these categories is significant and important to your short term, mid-range and long term success. Optimum Fat Loss: These are listed as OFL100 in your database. These meals are built within the context of the latest research in fat loss and muscle retention. Foods in the Optimum Fat Loss are carefully chosen and arranged with other foods to produce very low blood glucose elevations. (See Optimum Fat Loss for addtional information) Macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) are carefully balanced at each meal. The metabolic profile of the individual and how many carbohydrates, proteins and fats are necessary to promote fat loss and protect muscle tissue is paramount. For example, if a person needs 140 grams of carbohydrates per day to fuel their resting and exerise energy expenditures, these 140 grams will be divided up fairly evenly between meals. You will not see one meal with 50% of the carbohydrate requirement. Optimum Fat Loss Plans are very aggressive and will produce results. They are designed to protect muscle and lose fat. They are not designed for massive weight loss. (See Fat Loss vs. Weight loss) but rather consistent fat loss. Why would anyone want to lose weight that is not fat? Losing 10 lbs. of fat is far more desireable than losing 20 lbs. of weight made up of muscle, water and fat. Progressive Fat Loss: These are listed as 200 level plans in your database. These are effective fat loss plans but are closer to your exact food culture. They take into account most of the parameters of the Optimum Fat Loss strategies, but are slighly more relaxed. It is vital that you know how to incorporate more of your favorite foods into food plans that are still effective in meeting your goals. If you do not learn how to do this then you are basically going on another diet and setting yourself up for failure. These plans allow you to make solid progress, yet provide a bit more flexibility in including more of your favorite foods. You will learn how to manage all foods into effective fat loss patterns. In this way you have not...nor will you ever go on a diet . Rather, hou would have learned how to accurately manage your food culture. Passive Fat Loss/Maintenance: These are listed as 300 meal plans in your database. This category of meals may sound like the least important section. However, in reality, it very well may be the most important category of all. These plans include foods that you have chosen that would not traditionally be associated with any weight loss or nutrition program. CustomMeal provides personalized plans that may include hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries etc. and still lose weight....or at the very least not gain any addtional weight. Blood glucose responses and macronutrient management take a secondary priority to simply demonstrating how you can eat foods such as these and not exceed your total calorie expenditure. For example, if your body is burning 2000 calories per day and CustomMeal builds a 300 series meal that does not exceed 2000 calories then you will not gain weight. Is this optimal? Of course not, but the poinjt is...you must learn how take your entire food lifestyle and have the ability to manage it in the context of your personal metabolism. In this way you have effectively developed eating patterns that you can implement 365 days a year...and never have gone on a diet. The previous statement is the ultimate objective Personalized Meal Planning. Take a moment to think about all diets. They are all the same....they promise quick, massive weight loss. Their effectiveness is based on this criteria. They are marketed as some special scientific dicovery that have an almost magical quality. The truth is there is nothing magical in the least bit. They are all simply drastically reduced calorie and or carbohydrate programs that work like a sprint...not in the long haul. The problem is they damage your body's metabolism actually training your body to store more fat later. (See Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss) More importantly, all diets do nothing to provide precise individualized knowedge on how to manage your food lifestyle in the context of your personal metabolism. If you go on a diet...then you inevitably will go off the diet. No matter the illusion of success the diet has created you will eventually return to your previous food culture. If you have no idea of your body's metabolism and the food values of the foods in your lifestyle you will be doomed to return to your pre-diet status. However, if you have precise knowledge of your food lifestyle and your individual metabolism then you can successfully navigate all foods everywhere...and never have to be deceived by the diet marketing trap again. Do you want aggessive results...the OFL will provide this...but instead of ruining your metabolism they will enhance it... Instead of then going back to an unknown food lifestyle you will continue to make progress or maintain your result ...all with a healthy metabolism. Are we trying to enslave you to a computer...quite the contrary.

Question: Lean Weight and Metabolism	Back to the top
Answer: It is commonly reported that individuals with higher lean to fat weight ratios burn more calories than those with less muscle. Simply put, a 200 lb. person at 10% body fat will burn more calories than a 200 lb. person at 20%. There have been reports that an additional one pound of muscle can increase REE (resting energy expenditures) by as much as fifty calories, while one pound of fat increases by only three calories. By this estimation a person who gains five pounds of muscle can increase their daily energy expenditures by 250 calories. This all sounds great...the problem is that we can find no reliable research to validate such claims. Yes, muscle has a higher metabolic level than fat, but to assume this great a disparity would most likely lead to overestimating your metabolic rate. Subsequently, making fat loss more difficult. If you are burning more calories than your spec sheet reads then it will quickly become apparent and you can make the adjustment. Consider the issue of muscle being a more metabolically active than fat. This is the premise by which most make claims of lean persons burning so much more calories than their less lean counterparts. If you were to tie a twenty five pound dumbell to your waist and climb a flight of stairs would you burn more calories with the dumbell tied to you or not? This is not a trick question. The answer is, of course! Now, let me ask you a follow -up question...Is the dumbell metabolically active? I hope you said... NO? So logic would dictate the question... why are we giving so much credit to lean weight when in fact any additional weight will result in more calories being burned. Therefore, could total bodyweight be a bigger factor in total energy expenditure than body composition? The question should arise..."What about at rest?" Muscle is more active at rest than fat. We will not argue this point. Also, added muscle will result in somewhat higher energy expenditures. Increasing muscle mass while maintaining a normal weight and losing body fat will increase the ratio of body surface area to body weight. However, we think it is unwise to overestimate this fact and thus deceive yourself into thinking you can eat more than is recommended. In conclusion, muscle is better for burning calories...no doubt...but it might not have an enormous effect to justify eating much more than is recommended in normal calorimetry studies. CustomMeal will continue to search for credible, scientifically sound documentation on this subject and will update this section accordingly.