Questions about Formulating a Workout/Diet, etc. for a Type 3

Once again, I must say, this neurotyping is pretty amazing. Thanks for your work.

Thanks for response. Iam really confused. I feel the best when I am fasted. In renegerade diet book is written opposite than you say. I don’t dare say your wrong or jason is wrong, never. He say if you are poor insulin you should be low carb during a day a eat all your carbs only at in evening and avoid frequently eating.

Jason’s thinking has evolved since the Renegade Diet came out some years ago. He now recommends morning carbs for people who tend to produce more cortisol, which is in line with CT.

1 Like

Then there is your answer. I am probably a type 3, or close to it. I do not appear to have all the characteristics, especially the stress levels, but I do fit a lot of the other associated behaviours.

I can tell you from experience that you should not fear morning cortisol levels. This is probably one of the key features of the 16/8 IF scheme, i.e. you take advantage of counter-regulatory hormones during the fasting period. Afternoon/evening cortisol is, of course, more of an issue.

That said, in my experience, type 3s can fast for extended periods of time without any adverse effects. Quite the opposite, actually. I believe a key indicator is fat levels: the fatter you are, the longer you can fast. Fat people shouldn’t be blaming cortisol levels for their belly. Of course, as you get leaner, it does become much more of an issue. Assuming strength levels are increased/maintained, you are not losing muscle via catabolism caused by cortisol.

I’ve written a lot about intermittent fasting and even used that diet myself. And of course he will present “facts” to further his own agenda. The fact is that chronic cortisol elevation can decrease muscle mass (by increasing muscle breakdown), slow down muscle growth (by decreasing protein synthesis and myostatin expression) can lower testosterone over time (cortisol and testosterone are both made from pregnenolone, the more cortisol you produce, the less raw material you have to make testo) and can even slow down metabolic rate by decreasing the conversion of T4 into T3.

If there is one thing you don’t want it’s chronic cortisol elevation, at least if muscle mass is something you desire.

No, cortisol should be elevated in the morning. The problem is when cortisol stays elevated throughout the day.

Chronic cortisol IS a problem. Not everybody will have immediate effect but if maintained over time it will become problematic.

The way most people do 16/8 is NOT intermittent fasting in the strictest sense.

I’ve written about that in the past.

The way most people do it is “eat for 8 hours, don’t eat for 16 hours”
 So they start eating at 11am and stop at 7pm. You know how I call that? Skipping breakfast, and that’s how a ton of fat americans eat.

There are some problems with that approach. First, you do not become “fasted” as soon as you stop eating. If your last meal is at 7pm you won’t be faster until 10-11pm, and very likely later than that (you are digesting food for a long time and nutrients keep trickling in).

So right off the bat you are fasted for, at the most, 14-15h and very likely closer to 12-13.

The second problem is that the main benefits from fasting come from an increase in AMPK. AMPK is increased where there is a large caloric deficit. During the night, everything slows down. So being fasted while you are sleeping doesn’t have remotely close to the same impact as bein fasted when you are awake and active. So if out of your 12 hours if fasting, 6 of them occur while you are sleeping the impact on AMPK is closer to what you would have in 2-3 hours of fasting while awake.

So the way people do 16:8 is just an illusion and they feel good about being part of the bandwagon.

When I do IF it is closer to the original “Warrior diet” which had ONE meal a day (mayyyyyybe a second small meal), as late as possible. THAT is true intermittent fasting.

I would not disagree with that. The main point, as far as I can determine, is that folks following the 16/8 style fast ‘benefit’ from increased lipolysis by skipping breakfast and allowing the naturally elevated cortisol to mobilise the stored energy - something you would lose if you break your fast upon rising.

Of course, when it comes to benefits associated with autophagy then 16/8 is sub-optimal. I personally try and run OMAD at least 5 days a week for that reason, as well as shedding fat at an increased rate.

I would not disagree with that. And as I mentioned, cortisol SHOULD be high in the morning. But problem can arise when cortisol stays elevated for the whole day.

Fasting for the whole day does not necessarily means that you will pump out cortisol like crazy because you can also use glucagon or growth hormone to mobilize stored glucose. But some people are more prone to releasing cortisol, which is why IF is not optimal for everybody when it comes to building muscle.

A lot of people do. Just like a lot of people feel great on keto while other feel like ass.

A few reason why some people feel great om intermittent fasting (I do too).

  1. Increased adrenaline levels. Without making things too complex when you eat you decrease adrenaline levels, when you spend time fasted you increase it. One of the reasons is that cortisol increases the conversion of noradrenaline into adrenaline. When you are fasted, cortisoil increases to elevate blood sugar levels and it can increase adrenaline levels. This will give you more energy, focus, drive.

  2. Decreased glutamate/increased GABA. Glutamate is an excitory neurotransmitters, an emotional amplifyer, in excess it can cause anxiety, mood swings, taking everything personal, etc. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that can help you stay calm under stress and makes you feel more chill overall. Glutamate and Gaba rarely are both high at the same time because glutamate is converted to Gaba and Gaba can be reconverted back to glutamate. So normally one isalways high and the other is low. Intermittent fasting and keto dieting can increase the conversion of glutamate into Gaba.by increasing glutamic acid decarboxylase. Well to be precise, ketones can increase the action of the GAD enzyme which increases the conversion of glutamate into Gaba. So it can reduce anxiety.

  3. Timed increase in serotonin. Eating a large meal, especially if it contains plenty of carbs will increase serotonin levels. The higher the armount of carbs is, the more tryptophan is absorbed and the more serotonin you can produce. So if you have a large meal with carbs at the end of the day (which is common with IF regimen) you can boost serotonin which will also make you feel good, chill, relaxed, carefree, etc.

  4. Belonging to a group or following a concept. A lot of people need to feel “part of something” to stay motivated. IF is “in” and it can make you feel more motivated to be part of the movement.

May I ask you please about fasting day? Should that “one meal a day” be high caloric or high protein meal? I mean you mentioned in your article that you do IF you supplement with metabolic drive protein to have a plenty of protein a day.
So this last meal should be like “100g protein or more, meal with carbs, plenty vegetable, some fats” and a few hours later (2-3) have small meal like protein shake/desert, like warriot diet approach? Or it doesnt matter, just “healthy meal”?

Thank you so much.

I have the foodie/insatiable characteristic as well, and don’t even really know what “satiated” feels like - I just have hunger and painfully stuffed. If it’s an acetylcholine issue, is there some supplement to temper this issue?

Regarding cardio - is fasted walking (with or without weight vest) suitable for Type 3 seeking fat loss, so long as breakfast after includes carbs? Can I do this 7 days/week?

I’m also looking at a T/Th/Sat split, with Wednesday doing more intense cardio (like rowing machine or assault bike - slow and steady for 30-40 min).

Thank you CT

It’s not acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is more about being imaginative and liking to use all your senses when eating. It doesn’t play much role in satiery.

It can be a dopamine or gutamate issue if we are talking about neurotransmitters. Ghrelin and leptin can be the hormonal culpit. I have to leave for the gym but I’ll expend a bit more when I get back.

OK, looking again my 1B Principal score is 3, and you said this category measures acetylcholine, correct? In that case, it could be one of the others. I thought I was a 2B for a minute because of identifying with some aspects of the high glutamate you had posted about.