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. 24 T HE R ENEGADE D IET