In my last vlog I examined various perspectives of a paradigm shift. This was to offer the necessary foundation to really consider today’s vlog on a personal and individualized basis. That’s because change is hard, very hard. It is our natural survival instinct combined with our habits and environment which keep us stuck and comfortable.
Today, I want to discuss the 5 main Paradigm-shifts of OFM (Optimized Fat Metabolism). Sure, there are more. The deeper I dive into the rabbit holes of physiology, metabolism and performance, the more ‘ah/hah’ moments I have, but these are the 5 biggies to get you started.
Paradigm-shift #1: Fat is your fuel.
For decades, Carbohydrates have reigned as the food that fuels performance.
Paradigm-shift #2: Your own body is THE major source of energy.
Your own body fat. Because the conventional paradigm of fueling your athletic endeavors is driven by the intake of calories, we are ‘Sold & Told’ a narrative of external ‘fuel’ and have completely forgotten we literally have thousands of calories onboard in the form of fat to sustainably fuel ourselves.
Paradigm-shift #3: Damage-prevention over Recovery.
Because consuming a lot of carbohydrates begets the need for ever more carbohydrates, this creates a LOT of oxidative stress resulting in slow recovery from races to the point where people consider it ‘normal’ to be out for days, weeks or months after a big endurance event. This level of soreness and damage is NOT normal. Getting your body back to burning fat as it’s aerobic energy source prevents most of the damage you need to recover from!
Paradigm-shift #4: Fat Adaptation, done properly, actually increases Carbohydrate Tolerance & Utilization.
OFM has led the science in fat adapted performance through daring to use Strategic Carbs for that performance edge. Our experience coupled with a lot of reading of the literature suggests that fat adaptation, when properly executed, increases carbohydrate tolerance and utilization. This confers a much more sustainable advantage in competition and life, as well as yields the flexibility needed to make the dietary aspects of OFM much less rigid and more sustainable than other diets.
Paradigm-shift #5: Chronic Stress is as big an issue as concentrated forms of Carbohydrates
Another subtle yet significant aspect of fat adapted performance is mitigating chronic stress. The cortisol response due to chronic stress impacts the athlete every bit as much as chronic intake of concentrated carbs! This is why we stress that Diet is a tool and not the sole focus!
Now that you have taken the time to watch, listen and read, allow these 5 to sink in, really sink in, so you can understand why the conventional paradigm is a deadend and why YOU need to let go of the conventional paradigm and make the leap to focusing on optimizing your fat metabolism.
Now more than ever, your life depends on it!
