Big Muscles Little Fat - Lose Fat The Ray Peat Way!

Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
"In the resting state, muscles consume mainly fats, so maintaining relatively large muscles is important for preventing the accumulation of fats."-Ray Peat

Upon reading this Ray Peat quote my brain really perked up. We all know that protein feeds muscle. I think I learned that in 8th grade and certainly throughout high school. I think the only ones who don't know that are still stuck on that very old food pyramid, where eight servings of grains were recommended first, in a day. I am sure that is how they all stayed so twig-like back then. Now reading this Ray Peat statement gives muscles a life of their own, gobbling up my steak, milk and shrimp during the day and savoring the fat at night as we would a bowl of ice cream.

Some muscles get theirselves drug to the gym, to work like a horse plowing a field. Then they get stuffed with so much protein that they expand like full bellies. Other muscles get to live the life of leisure, doing as they please, busily helping with daily chores and happy when they get to soak up some vitamin D.

Nevertheless knowing how muscles live their lives, it makes more sense why, as Ray Peat says, "keeping fats relatively low", can make muscles seek out the fat they need (from our body) if it isn't conveniently there to have like some smorgasboard. The moral of the story sounds to me like "Eat your dinner (protein) or no dessert (fat) for you!"

"Protein deficiency creates an inflammatory state, and since stress causes tissue proteins to be destroyed and converted into sugars and fats, it's common to underestimate the amount of protein needed. One of the functions of sucrose in the diet is to reduce the production of cortisol, and so to spare protein."-Ray Peat


 
Last edited:

equipoise

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Messages
620
Location
Europe
Yup sat fat and high carb is anabolic as is, fast transit time (good digestion) makes the water weight non existant. A bit of calisthenics and hiking weekly, or any exercise that you could do with nose breathing only is good. Best to be out in the nature, basking in the sun.
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I a
Yup sat fat and high carb is anabolic as is, fast transit time (good digestion) makes the water weight non existant. A bit of calisthenics and hiking weekly, or any exercise that you could do with nose breathing only is good. Best to be out in the nature, basking in the sun.
Well I knew fats were best at night, especially for sleep, but i had no idea that muscles "feed", much less feed on fat. I have read so much back and forth about going low fat. Some say if you don't give your body fat then you will burn stored fat, but others saying if your body doesn't get the fat it will hold onto it's stores. Both seem to be true now. If you don't have muscles then your body is not gonna let go of the stored fat otherwise there would be nothing left, but bones!
 

andrew81

Member
Joined
May 10, 2021
Messages
38
fats you eat in the evening are more likely to get stored than used , it s better to eat most of your fats in the morning and eat carbs during lunch and dinner , this is more efficient to burn fat and maintain a healthy circadian rhythm .
 

Steve

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2016
Messages
444
If you don't have muscles then your body is not gonna let go of the stored fat otherwise there would be nothing left, but bones!
That's a good point, at least for a skinny-fat person.
For a plain old fat person the body would probably get rid of excess fat up to a certain point.
I need to get me some more muscle......I think I'm more on the skinny-fat side of the equation, except for slightly too much belly fat. Not sure what I am!
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
That's a good point, at least for a skinny-fat person.
For a plain old fat person the body would probably get rid of excess fat up to a certain point.
I need to get me some more muscle......I think I'm more on the skinny-fat side of the equation, except for slightly too much belly fat. Not sure what I am!
Yes exactly Steve! It was like a light bulb went off reading Ray's quote! Lean people that have a lot of muscle can eat burgers and ice cream and never gain weight, but if you have any excess fat stores they are going nowhere adding in those fatty fun foods.
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
That's a good point, at least for a skinny-fat person.
For a plain old fat person the body would probably get rid of excess fat up to a certain point.
I need to get me some more muscle......I think I'm more on the skinny-fat side of the equation, except for slightly too much belly fat. Not sure what I am!
And to your point Steve, Ray Peat also says people without muscles will find it very difficult to lose fat. I will keep my eye out for that quote. It makes so much sense now why people all have different experiences with the same diets!
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
Here is some of Ray Peat's words on sugar being preferred to starch for fat loss.
 

Attachments

  • 20210609_154258.jpg
    20210609_154258.jpg
    417.5 KB · Views: 408
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
This explains more of how important muscle is in older years.
 

Attachments

  • 20210609_161914.jpg
    20210609_161914.jpg
    337.3 KB · Views: 227

Steve

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2016
Messages
444
I still don't quite understand all this.
If you eliminate starch and replace it with fruit and sugar aren't you just basically reducing your calories, and therefore losing weight?
It's hard to get the same amount of calories from fruit & sugar as it is from starch.

And what's the big difference between eating starch and fruit? What does starch do that is harmful vs fruit?
Starch is sugar too, just no fructose.
I would guess there are a lot of healthy people in the world with a starch-heavy diet.
I've tried going without starches and can barely make it a day. It just seems so wrong to me.
I feel like I didn't eat anything unless I have a nice portion of rice or mashed potatoes or sourdough bread with my protein.
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I still don't quite understand all this.
If you eliminate starch and replace it with fruit and sugar aren't you just basically reducing your calories, and therefore losing weight?
It's hard to get the same amount of calories from fruit & sugar as it is from starch.

And what's the big difference between eating starch and fruit? What does starch do that is harmful vs fruit?
Starch is sugar too, just no fructose.
I would guess there are a lot of healthy people in the world with a starch-heavy diet.
I've tried going without starches and can barely make it a day. It just seems so wrong to me.
I feel like I didn't eat anything unless I have a nice portion of rice or mashed potatoes or sourdough bread with my protein.
 

Attachments

  • 20210609_162215.jpg
    20210609_162215.jpg
    561.9 KB · Views: 340
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I still don't quite understand all this.
If you eliminate starch and replace it with fruit and sugar aren't you just basically reducing your calories, and therefore losing weight?
It's hard to get the same amount of calories from fruit & sugar as it is from starch.

And what's the big difference between eating starch and fruit? What does starch do that is harmful vs fruit?
Starch is sugar too, just no fructose.
I would guess there are a lot of healthy people in the world with a starch-heavy diet.
I've tried going without starches and can barely make it a day. It just seems so wrong to me.
I feel like I didn't eat anything unless I have a nice portion of rice or mashed potatoes or sourdough bread with my protein.
Starches are not harmful done the Ray Peat, way they just are not good for weight loss. Then as Ray Peat says don't combine sugars and starches, so you pretty much PICK ONE CAMP otherwise you are looking at a what would be equivalent to cupcakes (starch + sugar = pastries) Pretty much when you get excess stored fat gone and have ample muscles then you can eat more starches and fats without worrying about getting fat. Go to this post where are talking about it some more.

 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I still don't quite understand all this.
If you eliminate starch and replace it with fruit and sugar aren't you just basically reducing your calories, and therefore losing weight?
It's hard to get the same amount of calories from fruit & sugar as it is from starch.

And what's the big difference between eating starch and fruit? What does starch do that is harmful vs fruit?
Starch is sugar too, just no fructose.
I would guess there are a lot of healthy people in the world with a starch-heavy diet.
I've tried going without starches and can barely make it a day. It just seems so wrong to me.
I feel like I didn't eat anything unless I have a nice portion of rice or mashed potatoes or sourdough bread with my protein.
Starch gets converted into sugar so the body can use it. All that starch does is slow down the process leaving you full longer and unable to eat enough protein. Ray Peat says not to combine proteins and starches or proteins with fats or it makes digestion even harder.
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I still don't quite understand all this.
If you eliminate starch and replace it with fruit and sugar aren't you just basically reducing your calories, and therefore losing weight?
It's hard to get the same amount of calories from fruit & sugar as it is from starch.

And what's the big difference between eating starch and fruit? What does starch do that is harmful vs fruit?
Starch is sugar too, just no fructose.
I would guess there are a lot of healthy people in the world with a starch-heavy diet.
I've tried going without starches and can barely make it a day. It just seems so wrong to me.
I feel like I didn't eat anything unless I have a nice portion of rice or mashed potatoes or sourdough bread with my protein.
I don't blame you for being confused Steve! I have been reading Ray Peat's stuff for almost 5 years and it makes more and more sense as every year goes by. These latest two quotes in the beginning of my post were really an eye openers!
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I still don't quite understand all this.
If you eliminate starch and replace it with fruit and sugar aren't you just basically reducing your calories, and therefore losing weight?
It's hard to get the same amount of calories from fruit & sugar as it is from starch.

And what's the big difference between eating starch and fruit? What does starch do that is harmful vs fruit?
Starch is sugar too, just no fructose.
I would guess there are a lot of healthy people in the world with a starch-heavy diet.
I've tried going without starches and can barely make it a day. It just seems so wrong to me.
I feel like I didn't eat anything unless I have a nice portion of rice or mashed potatoes or sourdough bread with my protein.

Here is another post on starch I wrote that does point out some of it's possible detriments.

 

Steve

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2016
Messages
444
I have lots to read now....thanks.
I've been following this stuff for a while now, but not all of the info sticks I guess, and I revert back to being confused as heck every now & then.
 
OP
Rinse & rePeat
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
21,494
I have lots to read now....thanks.
I've been following this stuff for a while now, but not all of the info sticks I guess, and I revert back to being confused as heck every now & then.
I hear ya Steve! I have had the starch stuff down since going Paleo 7 years ago, but am just getting my head around the fat situation now.
 

David90

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
386
Location
Germany
"In the resting state, muscles consume mainly fats, so maintaining relatively large muscles is important for preventing the accumulation of fats."-Ray Peat

Upon reading this Ray Peat quote my brain really perked up. We all know that protein feeds muscle. I think I learned that in 8th grade and certainly throughout high school. I think the only ones who don't know that are still stuck on that very old food pyramid, where eight servings of grains were recommended first, in a day. I am sure that is how they all stayed so twig-like back then. Now reading this Ray Peat statement gives muscles a life of their own, gobbling up my steak, milk and shrimp during the day and savoring the fat at night as we would a bowl of ice cream.

Some muscles get theirselves drug to the gym, to work like a horse plowing a field. Then they get stuffed with so much protein that they expand like full bellies. Other muscles get to live the life of leisure, doing as they please, busily helping with daily chores and happy when they get to soak up some vitamin D.

Nevertheless knowing how muscles live their lives, it makes more sense why, as Ray Peat says, "keeping fats relatively low", can make muscles seek out the fat they need (from our body) if it isn't conveniently there to have like some smorgasboard. The moral of the story sounds to me like "Eat your dinner (protein) or no dessert (fat) for you!"

"Protein deficiency creates an inflammatory state, and since stress causes tissue proteins to be destroyed and converted into sugars and fats, it's common to underestimate the amount of protein needed. One of the functions of sucrose in the diet is to reduce the production of cortisol, and so to spare protein."-Ray Peat


Carbohydrates are Protein Sparing. This is nothing New. Also @Hans is mentioning (in one of his Articles on his Website) to go lower in Fats.

I do it kinda like you mentioned, Drinking Milk and Eating (Small Amount) of Meat and my Eggs during the Day. And at Night i eat a bowl of Ice Cream and my Gelatin Drink with Milk and Honey. My Personal Fat Intake is usually around 80-90g per Day Nowadays. I try to reduce it further in Small Amounts. Usually my Fat Rich Meals are the First Meal (Breakfast) and the Final Meal (Before Bed).

I also think Physique-Wise i look better on the Peat Diet (Leaner and a bit Fuller on the Right Places). Could also be Imagination though....
 

Hans

Member
Forum Supporter
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Messages
5,856
That's a good point, at least for a skinny-fat person.
For a plain old fat person the body would probably get rid of excess fat up to a certain point.
I need to get me some more muscle......I think I'm more on the skinny-fat side of the equation, except for slightly too much belly fat. Not sure what I am!
Muscles and organs burn fat at all times. Actually, organ are the biggest contributor to metabolic rate and muscles are the least. Resting muscles burn very little calories. You'd actually be surprised how little muscle mass contributes to metabolic rate. It's a big misconception.
Cortisol is catabolic to organs, thus reducing the metabolic rate. Androgens oppose cortisol, thus preventing organ shrinkage and also boosts the metabolic rate when it's low.

Skinny fat is rather a symptom of elevated cortisol than a lack of muscle mass/exercise. Exercise can help to increase androgens, but you still need to manage cortisol to become lean.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom