Renegade Diet PDF / eBook Free Download Renegade Diet Sample Meal Plan | Page 33
Cortisol is another important hormone to manipulate by
skipping breakfast. In normal individuals cortisol levels peak
between 7am and 9am each day. Many people are familiar
with cortisol and its role as a catabolic hormone; meaning that
if you train too hard, for too long cortisol will increase
beyond a healthy level and will start to break down muscle
tissue. First thing in the morning, however, cortisol will help
break down body-fat by increasing the release of fatty acids to
be burned for energy.
Growth hormone levels will also increase during the early
morning but only if you keep insulin low by skipping
breakfast. Growth hormone, as you probably know, burns fat
and builds muscle.
So by “following the rules” and eating breakfast you are
actually doing yourself the greatest disservice possible because
you are flipping the OFF switch on your body’s fat burning
furnace.
Now, some might ask if they could simply remove carbs
from their breakfast and have protein and fat instead.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a good option either because protein
alone can stimulate a small degree of insulin release.
If that wasn’t enough to prevent you from eating breakfast
maybe this will be- you will have far more energy if you don’t
eat in the morning. Upon rising the body will be operating in
the sympathetic nervous system after an overnight fast. That’s
basically “fight or flight” mode. When you eat a hearty
breakfast you take yourself out of sympathetic mode and go
into parasympathetic mode. That means you will be groggy
and lacking energy which is why so many people need
multiple cups of coffee to make it through the first half of the
day. By not eating your energy levels and cognitive abilities
will be significantly enhanced.
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