The Science of Fat Loss
The New Leaf Metabolic Training system implements state-of-the-art technology that precisely measures an individual’s metabolic functions. New Leaf, powered by Medgraphics, utilizes gas exchange technology that measures the client’s minute ventilation (VE, aka: ventilation rate), oxygen consumption (VO2), and carbon dioxide production (VCO2). Combined, these markers accurately indicate caloric consumption, and fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
New Leaf Metabolic Training implements the same tried and true methodology that has been used as a gold standard for the assessment of elite athletes for years, and now available to the general public at a fraction of the cost. However, you do not need to be an athlete to benefit from Metabolic Assessments; determining individual metabolic efficiency and function is critical and beneficial to anyone that is interested in fat loss and muscle preservation.
How it Works
Each client conducts a Resting and Exercise Metabolic Assessment to determine baseline caloric expense and fat fuel efficiency while at rest and during exercise, respectively.
During the Resting Metabolic Assessment, clients sit in a comfortable position and breath normally through New Leaf’s patented face mask for 20-25 minutes. Minute ventilation (VE), oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) are measured to determine resting metabolic rate (RMR), fat utilization, and carbohydrate utilization at rest. Once the Resting Metabolic Assessment is completed, clients will receive an Resting Metabolic Report that illustrates:
- Resting metabolic rate – the minimum daily caloric intake your body needs to sustain a strong metabolism (do not consume less than this amount).
- Resting fat vs. carbohydrate utilization – how many fat calories your body burns on a day to day basis.
- The amount of pounds you can safely loose per week without compromising metabolic efficiency.
During the Exercise Metabolic Assessment, clients will perform a specific exercise protocol on a cardio machine of their choice (on the same type of machine/mode that they typically exercise with). The exercise protocol is matched to the specific level of fitness of the client, providing a gradual rise in exercise intensity and heart rate over the duration of the test. While wearing the face mask, clients are required to push themselves toward Anaerobic Threshold (AT) and encouraged to perform an all out maximum intensity to record their peak VO2 (closest approximation to VO2Max without requiring clients to passout/fall off machine). Once the Exercise Metabolic Assessment is completed, clients will receive a Exercise Metabolic Report that illustrates:
- Caloric burn and corresponding fat utilization over a series of 5 training zones.
- Aerobic Base (AB) – the heart rate whereby your body is burning 50:50 fat/carbohydrate as fuel for exercise.
- Anaerobic Thresold (AT) – the heart rate threshold whereby fat utilization significantly decreases and carbohydrate utilization significantly increases due to the shift to anaerobic metabolism.
- 3 month Cardiovascular Training Prescription – based on your assessment results.
The graph above is a sample assessment. The line on the graph indicates fat utilization as the exercise intensity increases. Heart rates are delineated into distinct training zones contingent upon individual cardiovascular fitness. Essentially, the idea is to improve fat utilization within each training zone – improving from left to right – by conducting appropriate cardiovascular training intervals (more often) and steady state (less often) workouts. In the above example, this individual would spend the majority of their training between zone 1 and zone 2 for several weeks before working in zone 3 (heart rate between 131-141).
The Advantage of Metabolic Training
There is a lot of debate as to which exercise modalities will produce the most significant changes in body fat. With regards to cardio, advocates claim that low intensity steady state is best, while others claim high intensity intervals is superior. But talk is cheap and scientific data is priceless… and that is where New Leaf Metabolic Training takes the lead.
Metabolic Training takes the guess work out of your workouts. Your cardiovascular prescription will provide the framework for each workout, ensuring optimal progression in both fat utilization and performance. As you train your body to strengthen its weakness, you will be able to improve fat utilization at a higher intensities (see illustration at top of page) and thus increase training efficiency (burning more fat calories per minute) within every workout.
Moreover, clients can also track their progress online and get professional feedback by uploading their data from a paired Garmin heart rate monitor that comes with the system. The online program, called E-New Leaf, will provide feedback and a “compliance score” to grade each individual workout, which will motivate clients to maintain training quality and frequency.
Ultimately, if fat loss is your primary goal, then New Leaf Metabolic Training is a superlative program that will improve resting metabolic rate, percentage of fat utilized at rest and during cardio workouts, as well as improve cardiovascular performance (anaerobic threshold and VO2Max).
New Leaf Metabolic Training is backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Satisfaction Guarantee is qualified for clients that strictly adhere to the following:
- Precisely follow their cardio workout presciption.
- Make the necessary adjustments to their nutrition to accommodate the needs of their resting metabolic rate.
- Re-assess to track and record actual changes in metabolic efficiency.
If clients diligently follow the above protocol and are not satisfied with their results, 100% of the cost of their assessments will be refunded.
To schedule your New Leaf Metabolic Assessments, please contact Michael.