Lumen

[transcend2007]

Have you guys heard about, read about, or do you have any personal experience with Lumen? It is a device that you blow into and it reports whether you are currently burning carbs (glucose) or fat.

The concept is to determine if you are metabolically flexible (burning both carbs & fat) as one's ability to burn fat makes it easier to lose fat.

In any case, I am somewhat skeptical about this device which is why I am posting about it here and wondering if anyone has benefited from its use (or similar device).

The device is sold on a subscription basis for 6, 12, and 18 month time frames at $249, $299, and $349. I do not own one nor am I affiliated in any way to this company. However, if it were possible to burn more fat by making different or Lumen suggest food choices this would seem to be potentially worth it …

There will be or may be already competitors to Lumen - I am interested in the process or anyone getting results from tracking the metabolism, so if you have a similar device that indicates whether carbs or fat is currently being burned please share that information as well …

 

[Send0]

So it's a fancy keto test strip? Pretty sure you can get ketone tester that you blow into without requiring a subscription. At least I feel certain I've seen them on Amazon for a fraction of that subscription cost.

 

[TODAY]

I don't really see the utility for non-professional athletes who are in relatively good metabolic and cardiovascular health

Especially not at those prices.

 

[Send0]

Yep, just search for "ketone tester breath" on Amazon. Lots of them for $50-100, mostly around the $50 range.

If that thing is not measuring ketones, then I don't know how the hell it tells if you're burning carbs vs fat... If it does measure ketones then that subscription cost is a HUGE waste of money.

 

[transcend2007]

So it's a fancy keto test strip? Pretty sure you can get ketone tester that you blow into without requiring a subscription. At least I feel certain I've seen them on Amazon for a fraction of that subscription cost.

To be honest I don't know ... I have not done low carb diet since Adkins in the 1990's which predated those things ... but the techonology of today is interesting .. but still I'd like to hear someone we know who has actually used any of them with success ...

 

[Test_subject]

You can tell if you’re in ketosis for free by checking if your vagina is itchy or not.

 

[transcend2007]

I don't really see the utility for non-professional athletes who are in relatively good metabolic and cardiovascular health

Especially not at those prices.

TODAY - my question is there any benefit to knowing if you are burning glucose or fat at the time .. I've never really believed that nutruional or macro timing actually mattered ... I have always believed in the simpler calories in calories out model to be the actual driver of results -- especially fat loss ... but again newer technology and others experience I am interested to know if there is actually a benefited from timing ... I am often told here that I opinionated and don't listen ... which may be true at times ... however overall I'd like to keep an open mind to things that are working ...

 

[transcend2007]

You can tell if you’re in ketosis for free by checking if your vagina is itchy or not.

I defintely keep that one in mind ... way more cheaper ..

 

[Send0]

So I've tried keto before to cut fat; it works, but if you're doing true keto then getting in all the protein you need might throw you out of ketosis because of gluconeogenesis.

However I've also cut fat with normal diet, results were probably actually a bit better because I could keep my protein higher.

I've also done PSMF. It works, but for me I think I'll only do it for short durations, because after about 6 weeks I start to get really bad carb cravings.

Which all of this leads me to the idea that the primary thing that matters when trying to lose fat is whether or not you're in a caloric deficit.

Based on my own experience, I personally don't think it matters if you know whether you're burning fat or glucose. If you're in a deficit, pushing hard in the gym, then you'll lean out over time.

 

[fnbgray]

You guys ever watch Severance? Company in it is called Lumen.
I don't know shit about this topic but thought I would say, check out Severance if you haven't seen it. Its pretty freaky and good.

 

[CJ]

Your body will utilize the fuel that you provide it, in an appropriate fashion for the task presented to it. Your body isn't dumb, it wants to survive.

 

[transcend2007]

1,000% agree -- especial with the last part ... it has been my experience that timing is hocus pocus ... where as real calories deficites have considerable science behind them ...

Sorry to mention the book OutLive again .. but it was there I first heard the term metabolic flexibility ... it did not mention macro timing but it did say people who were NOT insulin resistent were more metabolically flexibility and were able to burn glucose or fat as fuel sources ... where insulin resistent people had more difficulty burning glucose as fuel because the body stored it as fat ....

 

[CJ]

1,000% agree -- especial with the last part ... it has been my experience that timing is hocus pocus ... where as real calories deficites have considerable science behind them ...

Sorry to mention the book OutLive again .. but it was there I first heard the term metabolic flexibility ... it did not mention macro timing but it did say people who were NOT insulin resistent were more metabolically flexibility and were able to burn glucose or fat as fuel sources ... where insulin resistent people had more difficulty burning glucose as fuel because the body stored it as fat ....

So then the insulin resistant people must have burned bodyfat as a fuel, if they had issues burning carbohydrates. Right?

 

[transcend2007]

Your body will utilize the fuel that you provide it, in an appropriate fashion for the task presented to it. Your body isn't dumb, it wants to survive.

Are you familar with the term metabolic flexibility and being able to burn either ... where less fit people struggled burning one or the other .... it's all new to me and I am trying to understand it better ... and at the end of the day I'd like to be more efficient at burning body fat which really means eating less sugar (process especially) and being in a calorie deficit most likely ...

 

[transcend2007]

So then the insulin resistant people must have burned bodyfat as a fuel, if they had issues burning carbohydrates. Right?

I'm not sure ... and I do not know if I am metabolically flexible ... probably not a high level ... since I just heard about it my understanding is very limited ... which again is why I am asking about it and Lumen ....

 

[CJ]

Are you familar with the term metabolic flexibility and being able to burn either ... where less fit people struggled burning one or the other .... it's all new to me and I am trying to understand it better ...

I'm very familiar with this

and at the end of the day I'd like to be more efficient at burning body fat which really means eating less sugar (process especially) and being in a calorie deficit most likely ...

Burning fat for a fuel at any given time and losing bodyfat are two separate things, although they can overlap.

 

[CJ]

I'm not sure ... and I do not know if I am metabolically flexible ... probably not a high level ... since I just heard about it my understanding is very limited ... which again is why I am asking about it and Lumen ....

They had to, or they'd be dead.

If they can't burn glucose or fat, what are they using for fuel?

And before you say ketone bodies, those are synthesized from amino acids and fatty acids, so..

 

[transcend2007]

I was not going to say ketones ... lol as I don't know much about that either as I've not been a part of the low carb rmovement nor fasting to be honest ... I have literally always believed that key to fat loss was to run a smale to moderate calorie decificit .... and watch protein very closely in order to not lose (or lose only minimumal amounts) of lean body mass ...

However, there seems to be some hype and even claiming sciene to back up these more macro timing based weight loss devices while not actually running calorie deficits ... which as I stated earlier that I am skeptical about but open to people's experience or scientific studies others have seen that there is actually something previously unknown around macro timing ...

 

[CJ]

I was not going to say ketones ... lol as I don't know much about that either as I've not been a part of the low carb rmovement nor fasting to be honest ... I have literally always believed that key to fat loss was to run a smale to moderate calorie decificit .... and watch protein very closely in order to not lose (or lose only minimumal amounts) of lean body mass ...

It is. Add in effective training to give your body the stimulus to retain muscle though, because you want the weight loss to be fat, and not muscle tissue.

However, there seems to be some hype and even claiming sciene to back up these more macro timing based weight loss devices while not actually running calorie deficits ...

To lose weight in a calorie surplus would imply a recomp scenario, which is widely accepted that the most likely scenarios where that would happen is on the untrained that resume training, the very obese, and steroid users.

which as I stated earlier that I am skeptical about but open to people's experience or scientific studies others have seen that there is actually something previously unknown around macro timing ...

Remember, Lumen is trying to sell you something. Sales pitch.

 

[transcend2007]

Remember, Lumen is trying to sell you something. Sales pitch.

Yes it is the sales pitch getting me no doubt ... I want to eat cake and burn body fat (in a surplus) ... ok not really .. I know that the reality is calorie deficit tracked on MFP is the key ... eating health food (cut the process sugar at the knee caps) and doing a reasonable amount cardio FFS (for fucks sake) ...