Day 1: Saturday (hard swim workout, race pace)

This was a one hour, 45 minute swim with warm-up and cool down.  The “main set” was mostly freestyle and butterfly at all-out race pace for distances of 25, 50, 75, and 100 yard intervals with long rest (1:2 – 2 times more rest than swim time) for the all-out 100 yard swims, and modest rest (2:1 – half the rest time of each swim).  The single most demanding aspect of this workout took place with about 25 minutes remaining and, though I didn’t measure peak lactate, I suspect it was around 12-14 mM, based on the discomfort I experienced. I was surprised that my lactate level was still as high as it was (see below) 25 minutes later, though I suspect I didn’t cool down as gingerly as I should have, to optimize for maximum lactate clearance.

During this workout I consumed nothing and prior to the workout I consumed my usual 40 mL of medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil.

At 7:29 am, just before beginning the workout, my glucose was 86 mg/dL, B-OHB was 0.7 mM (which is low for my fasting level), and lactate was 1.9 mM.

Immediately post-workout, at 9:14 am, my glucose was 118 mg/dL, B-OHB was 1.0 mM, and lactate was 7.2 mM.

I've been very familiar with insulin and mTor the last few years, and leptin to a slightly lesser degree. I've realized insulin and leptin's importance in health and disease as well. However, mTor has taken on a new life for me after watching the AHS 12 lecture Dr. Rosedale did and the subsequent reading of Dr. Rosedale's book.

I have known about mTor for a few years because it has been a bit of a buzz word/hot topic in the fitness/bodybuilding nutrition scene for awhile. A hot topic, but for completely different reasons than what Dr. Rosedale points out. In the fitness world everyone is trying to up regulate it as often as they can because you can induce protein synthesis independent from exercise via a bolus dose of any complete protein source containing 2.5 to 3 grams of leucine.

This of course is done with the goal of building muscle faster. The logic being, if resistance training triggers protein synthesis, then being able to trigger it via high protein meals as well would be even better. Particularly by having a high protein meal right after training in hopes of a synergistic response. Knowing what I know now and the potential risks of the above practices(thank you Dr. Rosedale), I seriously question this idea and am now leaning towards the idea that building muscle would be best achieved by improving insulin sensitivity, having adequate protein available and just letting resistance training be the primary/only trigger for protein synthesis.

All while keeping carbs low to let fat fuel the process of course. Seems like the fitness world has once again missed the mark in a similar fashion as they did with purposely trying to spike insulin post workout in an effort to build muscle.... Am I correct in my logic?