I was a sedentary kid.

I liked puzzles and BARBIE!

I didn’t care for running about in the outdoors- so noisy, bloody, full of bugs, sun, and bullies.

Eating pasta and playing Barbie set me up to be insulin and leptin resistant.

If only I had known that for 15 mins 3x a week I needed to squeeze my leg muscles before I could play with Barbies, I would have done it.

Start of week 4 of Metabolic Aftershock and I am loving this programme – getting toned AND learning some biochemistry.

I can totally get my geek on.

Today I learned about 3 things:
*HGH
*Vascular occlusion
*Myokines

“Oh crap! I hated Biology! Is this a test?!”

No.

This is Badassery.

Let’s find out what happens when you squeeze muscles…

HGH – Human Growth Hormone is released when you “feel the burn”. If I had known this, I would never have stopped resistance training. Free, legal, and anti-aging. HGH gets rid of arm batwings.

Vascular occlusion – impedes the return flow of blood to heart by squeezing the muscles. This causes muscles to release myokines.

Myokines are strings of atoms in varying structures that signal tissues what to do. Some refer to them as hormones but saying that can be confusing because they are not estrogens or testosterone. They’re much smaller than cells but quite potent. They look like party stringers in the wiki pictures according to my husband. Lol

It’s a chemical party for your body!

Let’s get to know some of the main myokines and what they do. (It would be super geeky to have a myokine calendar…I digress).

Interleukin 6-
*Helps Immune system
(When I6 was genetically removed from mice, they could not fight bacterial pneumonia)
*Is an anti inflammatory (anti aging is a war against inflammation)
*Controls metabolism
*Burns stored fat
*Controls energy
*Releases nitrous oxide (calming)
*Stimulates glucose production
*Acts as a LEPTIN SURROGATE (makes cells more receptive to insulin! This is HUGE!)

Interleukin 15-
*Reduces abdominal fat (not limbs)
from regular interval training

BDNF- Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor
*Oxidizes fat
*Helps learning and memory
*Helps neurons survive
*Controls body mass
Lower BDNF amounts exist in Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s patients.

Aren’t they so pretty?!

Decorin –
*Restructures muscle

Irisin –
*Browns and burns fat via heat
*Maintains chromosome telomere length (anti-aging!)
*Boosts bone mass

Osteonectin-
*Prohibits tumor growth (in mice)
*Mineralizes bone

Wow!

There are about 100 myokines and others control hunger.

After hearing the word “myokines” today, I went digging and found an interesting YouTube interview between the Bulletproof coffee guy and Dr. Doug McGuff- an ER doc, weight lifter and exercise geek.

Like Metabolic Aftershock, the doc’s best results came when he did the minimal amount of resistance exercise and concentrated on recovery and nutrition.

As a scientist, the more I learn, the more Gobsmacked I am at how things work.

Seeing results so early, and knowing about HGH, myokines and increasing Leptin sensitivity motivate me to continue.

Now I know why I was onto something with weight training before; however this training isn’t putting on the bulk.

Hoozah! Party time!