GUEST SERIES | Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Build Physical Endurance & Lose Fat | Episode 112
Main Takeaways
Endurance refers to the ability to sustain energy throughout the day without experiencing fatigue, and it can be improved by analyzing and improving two main factors - fatigue management and managing fuel.
Proper breathing is key to optimizing endurance, and practicing nasal breathing can often help fix breathing issues.
To improve mechanics, focus on breathing pattern, movement technique, and posture. Repeating the same quality of performance while maintaining proper mechanics can amplify endurance adaptation.
All energy production is how we handle carbon, and carbohydrates and fats are chains of carbons - energy production is the process of breaking carbon bonds for energy.
To lose weight, you can expel more carbon by increasing exhales. However, intentionally hyperventilating can increase levels of adrenaline and make you feel pretty bad.
Cardiac benefits come with improving endurance, including a decrease in resting heart rate and an increase in stroke volume and efficiency.
True high-intensity exercise almost entirely burns carbohydrates, not fat. Burning fat does not equal losing fat from the body.
Your body prioritizes the regulation of blood pH, blood glucose, blood pressure, and electrolytes. Glucose is fuel for the brain, and if you need glucose, you'll start pulling from blood, not the liver.
Carbohydrate and fat systems are complementary, not and/or. You need carbohydrates and fat to tap into different energy systems in the body, and metabolic flexibility is ideal for most of the population.
To improve carbohydrate utilization, test and monitor blood glucose, AST, and ALT to assess the ability to use carbohydrates as fuel. To improve fat utilization, eat fat prior to exercise, manage caloric intake and quality, and focus on building muscle.
