Hormonal Optimization
Sensitize the receptors. Unlock the stubborn fat.
Mechanism
Unlock stubborn fat
Citation
Lafontan & Berlan, 1993
By week 9, adipose tissue beta-adrenergic receptors become more sensitive to catecholamines (adrenaline/noradrenaline). This creates a powerful lipolytic cascade: hormones → cAMP → protein kinase A → hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) → triglyceride breakdown. Stubborn fat in this phase requires extra catecholamine drive.
What to do
For 7 full days in week 10, eat at your current maintenance calories. Keep protein high; let carbs come up to ~3g/kg.
Why it works
After weeks of deficit, leptin and thyroid hormones drop, slowing metabolism and increasing hunger. A structured diet break refills leptin, reactivates thyroid output, and restores the hormonal capacity to burn fat in the final weeks.