HSL is key to burning fat

HSL (hormone-sensitive lipase) is the hormone that does what everybody wants: it gets fat out fat cells.

"HSL is responsible for getting fat back out of fat cells by breaking triglycerides down into fatty acids that can mobilize out of fat cells and get used for energy elsewhere. Insulin shuts off HSL in fat cells."

Yet many of the major diets today actually deactivate HSL, sabotaging fat loss. Meanwhile, fat-burner drugs artificially stimulate HSL with the side effect of keeping people from really learning how to eat right. The moment they stop using the drugs, the fat comes back and they balloon out. There is a much better way--the natural way--to lose fat than becoming dependent on fat burning drugs.

How protein-heavy diets sabotage HSL and fat loss
I myself have long subscribed to the protein-heavy diet prescriptions that most strength-oriented diets suggest is necessary. Lift and eat a ton of protein, get big. The logic of the protein-heavy diets is that protein, espeically leucine, triggers mTor which is the muscle-building hormone, putting you in an anabolic state. Protein also breaks down into amino acides, the building blocks of muscle itself.

All this is correct and sounds great... except protein and mTor have additional effects:

High-protein problem #1: mTor inhibits HSL
"A chronic over expression of mTOR, though “anabolic,” can be detrimental. mTOR aids in the inhibition of certain hormones like hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), which impairs the body’s ability to break down stored triglycerides. So the "perma-bulkers" can now understand why they're always fat and have a hard time losing this fat. They're constantly force feeding themselves and are experiencing an over expression of mTOR."

Fat loss by Fred Duncan
http://www.elitefts.com/education/motivation/fasts-and-sprints-for-fast-fat-loss/

High-protein problem #2: Both insulin triggered by protein and amino acides themselves inhibit HSL
"Amino acids themselves can shut down HSL activity."

Eat fat to burn fat
by John Kiefer 2012
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/eat-fat-to-burn-fat-a-counterintuitive-approach-to-shredding.html

"Insulin shuts off HSL in fat cells."
"Amino acids themselves can shut down HSL activity."

Bottom line: applications for increasing HSL to lose fat
Understanding HSL brings a new level of clarity about how to lose fat.
1. Eating high fat will trigger HSL which by definition helps you lose fat.
2. Eating excessive protein is the achilles heel which keeps many lifters from losing weight even as they gain muscle. Excessive protein inhibits HSL in at least three different ways: insulin, mTor, and the amino acids themselves.
3. Eat high carbs triggers insulin which inhibits HSL, plus carbs turn into fat. High carbs never a good idea except post-workout.

So:
-Make good healthy fats your #1 source of calories by far. If you have a fast, heavy metabolism this could mean a lot of fat--that's OK.
-Eat protein but not excessive protein. Don't be a "perma-bulker" because in bulking you cannot lose fat.
-Make carbs your lowest source of calories from macronutrients. Post-workout is the best time to eat carbs.