Most everyone wants to have a healthier, better-looking body. If we are looking to lose some extra weight, we might try to eat fewer calories. After all, if we burn more calories than we take in we will lose weight. While trying to gain weight we need to eat to have a calorie surplus.
Pretty simple equation, right?
Have you tried one of these strategies? How did it go?
Is there more to the story here?
If you are like me when you want to make changes to your body you will try to adjust what, and how much you eat first. You may add in some exercises here or there but for the most part your diet is the main priority. This is a great step, because nutrition is the first building block for living a healthy, active life. If the goal is to reduce your weight or ultimately your body fat you will likely cut calories and start eating less, but is this the only or the best way to get to the body you want? Let me introduce you to a cool concept called G-Flux.
What is G-Flux?
G-Flux or energy flux is the relationship between energy in and energy expenditure. It is the balance between these two, or calories in versus calories out. Having a higher G-Flux (both higher calorie intake and expenditure) will help you to maximize your metabolism and your results. Many people with the best bodies in the world have reached those goals while having a high G-Flux. This means eating plenty (potentially more) calories and simultaneously increasing your activity level. For example, if someone were taking in 2000 calories a day and burning 2500, they would have a caloric deficit of 500. But someone that brings in 2500 calories a day and burns 3000 will have the same deficit but a higher G-flux. If you are trying to increase your weight and are already around a 300-calorie surplus, you might consider adding in more activity and more calories to increase G-Flux.
So why should I have a higher G-Flux if the results can be the same?
Have you seen yourself Hangry? It would be better for all of us if you achieved your desired calorie deficit while eating more than just crumbs.
Aside from this there are a lot of reasons that science has shown this to be beneficial.
When you both eat and train more
Nutrients are more likely to go toward muscle growth or energy
Fewer calories will go to fat cells
Insulin sensitivity and protein turnover also increase
You will be less likely to be lacking a nutrient your body needs
In short? You get to eat more and you get leaner when you do the right exercise.
Why is this important for you?
Increasing your G-Flux can give you more energy throughout the day and help you live a healthier life. Restrictive diets are often demotivating, and the lack of calories and nutrients is a stressor on your body. In extreme or prolonged times of restriction your body can enter a survival mode and it will be very difficult for you to make any changes to your body. This can happen because muscle requires more energy than fat to maintain and build. So, if you are not taking in enough energy your body will choose the easier option to keep around, fat. Increasing your G-Flux can help avoid this problem.
This can help you take steps toward your goals. Restrictive dieting is not the only option, and it is often not a great long-term plan. My hope is that you will be willing to try different techniques, and learn about what can help you be as healthy as possible. If you have been working to change your body and are not getting the results you want, consider aiming to increase you G-Flux. Then see how this may transform you body and metabolism.
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