What You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Release Fat Properly

According to the World Health Organization, "Obesity has reached global epidemic proportions, with more than 1 billion adults overweight and at least 300 million of them clinically obese."

And if we focus on the U.S, approximately 65% of Americans (2 out of every 3 people) are overweight, of which 25% of those are clinically obese (meaning it is hard for them just to function). Following this rising trend in obesity is a rising trend in Type II Diabetes, and to epidemic proportions.

This is a tragedy!  But why is it happening? To answer this question requires us to take a look at the primary factors that are causing weight gain.


* EATING TOO MANY CALORIES:

The primary reason for weight gain is simply the over-consumption of calories, or eating more calories throughout the day than are burned by the body daily. Therefore, to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories throughout the day than you burn throughout the day, exercise more to increase the number of calories you burn, or both.
 
Does this mean you need to count every calorie you eat?  No. You can count them if you want to be precise, but I have discovered, over time, that most people will stop counting calories because they perceive it as cumbersome. So instead of counting calories, count "portions". It will still deliver the same result and save you some time.

Also, strive to eat SIX SMALL MEALS PER DAY. And strive to achieve BALANCE with each meal. You can balance your meals, for the most part, by eating one portion of a healthy protein with one portion of a healthy (low-glycemic) carbohydrate. The point of eating six meals, which might mean eating more frequently than you are accustomed, is to keep your blood sugar stable and accelerate your metabolism. Yes I know most of you were taught to eat three 'square meals' a day. But six small meals (think of all three of your current meals cut in half) will help you lose weight and release fat much more effectively.

NOTE:  A portion size is defined as the size of an open palm (like a grilled chicken breast the size of your palm) or a clenched fist (like a bowl of brown rice the size of your fist).

For those of you that are more analytical, and who insist on counting calories, you can determine the specific number of calories you need to take in everyday to maintain your weight. If you would like to learn how to calculate that number, read my blog article entitled, What You Need To Know About Calories. Once you understand the calories you need to maintain your weight, you can then determine how to create a caloric deficit so you can start losing weight.

Just keep in mind that 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat. This means you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume to lose 1 pound. So, if you were to cut 500 calories from your diet each day, you would lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories).

WARNING:  To lose weight, some people try to severely restrict their caloric intake. DO NOT DO THIS! If you severely restrict your caloric intake, you will slow your metabolism, which slows down the rate at which your body burns calories. You will also lower your energy level, which will make it harder for you to exercise or perform physical activity. This is just the opposite of what you want to do! To build a lean, healthy body, you must eat!

Also, if you are counting calories, and you want to achieve a BALANCED diet, you must consume 40-60% healthy carbohydrate, 20-30% healthy protein, and 20-30% healthy fat, DAILY. You should strive to achieve this balance with each meal.


* EATING THE WRONG TYPE OF CALORIES:

Another common reason for weight gain, and one many people don't understand, is tied to consuming foods that spike your blood sugar (or that are high-glycemic). The repeated spiking of your blood sugar will eventually lead to insulin resistance, and will ultimately lead to abdominal obesity, where you begin to gain weight primarily around the mid-section, but not much around the extremities. Once you become insulin resistant, it becomes very difficult to release bodyfat. In this state, your body will literally hold on to fat like a sponge holds onto water. In order to start releasing fat properly, you have to learn how to eat properly, eating foods that are healthy and balanced, and eliminating foods that spike your blood sugar.

This means you should eat foods that are low on the glycemic index, which includes most fruits, vegetables and whole grains (carbohydrates). These foods are part of a healthy diet anyway. As a matter of fact, they contain fiber and water which give them bulk without the calories, making them filling foods. These properties also play a positive role in your body's metabolism, which is key when striving to lose weight.

NOTE:  The glycemic index (GI) is a way of measuring the rate at which carbohydrates are broken down and appear in the blood as simple sugars. In general, the more refined and processed the food, the faster the food is broken down and the higher the GI. High GI foods act rapidly to influence blood sugar, providing quick energy. However, this energy is usually short lived and hunger soon returns, potentially leading to overeating and weight gain. Low GI foods affect blood sugar more slowly and steadily. These foods provide greater satiety and longer lasting, more consistent energy, making eating less (and maintaining weight) easier.

Also pay attention to fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate which is a crucial part of a healthy diet. Dietary fiber promotes satiety, which is especially important while dieting and striving to lose weight and release fat. In addition, a high intake of dietary fiber has many other health-related benefits (including a decreased risk of certain diseases). The current recommendation for fiber ranges from 21-38 grams of dietary fiber per day for adults, depending on age and gender.

When it comes to protein, make sure you include the right amount in every meal. Protein is cited as the most satiating nutrient. Beyond its basic function of building and repairing muscle and tissue, protein moderates the rise of blood glucose. This steadies your hunger and energy levels.

And when it comes to fat, make sure you include the right amount, and be selective about the types of fat you eat. Fat aids hunger control because it is slowly digested. Moderating the amount you eat will reduce your calories. And choosing healthier fats (like nuts, oils and avocado) instead of saturated fats can improve your heart health and help preserve good mental and physical health. For more information on fats, read my blog articles entitled, FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, and FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly - Part 2.

Also cut back on sugary drinks and alcohol, and pay attention to water intake. Sugary drinks, and alcohol, add a lot of calories but contain no nutrients. So instead, drink water when as often as possible. Aim for around 10 8-ounce cups of water every day. Some people believe you only need to drink water when you are thirsty. But the reality is that your body needs more water than it’s telling you. Drinking a sufficient amount of water helps your body to release some water weight. It is a good first step, and really a very simple step, when on the path to weight loss.


* GETTING TOO LITTLE EXERCISE:

According to the CDC, for important health benefits, adults need at least:

- 2 hours & 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e. brisk walking) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms); OR

- 1 hour & 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e. jogging or running) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms); OR

- An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

Not only does this provide important health benefits, but it helps burn calories. Unfortunately, many people do not achieve the level recommended by the CDC.

Not achieving the recommended levels of exercise will work against any weight loss goal. This is especially true when it comes to muscle-strengthening activities, or weight training. You must understand that when you lose weight through dieting and aerobic exercise (like walking or bicycling), you lose muscle along with fat. This can be a problem because when you lose muscle, your metabolism slows down, making you more likely to regain the weight. By engaging in weight training, you can maintain (or even increase) your muscle which allows you to maintain (or even boost) your metabolism. A boost in your metabolism means an increase in the rate at which you burn calories, which means faster weight loss (and fat loss). It also means an increase in your energy level, which will help you do more physical work and burn even more calories.


* GENETICS AND FAMILY HISTORY:

While genetics can play a factor when it comes to weight, just understand that even with genetic factors, you can follow fundamental principles that will facilitate weight loss, or more specifically, fat loss. In other words, you still have control.


* CERTAIN MEDICATIONS:

Some medications can lead to weight gain. If you are on a medication, I strongly encourage you to do everything in your power to wean yourself off of it in a responsible manner. You must understand that drugs really only cure symptoms. They don't get to the root of the REAL problem. Furthermore, drugs have side effects, which many times require you to take additional drugs to neutralize those side effects. This causes a vicious cycle which can lead you down a path of being on multiple drugs. This is NOT the path you want! The root of most illness and disease is tied to a nutritional deficiency of some type. So learn how to improve your diet, supplement properly, and exercise regularly, so you can eliminate any, and all, drugs....and truly achieve OPTIMAL health.


* UNHEALTHY HABITS:

- Do Not Skip Breakfast.

Eating breakfast may reduce your hunger later in the day, which may make it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel extremely hungry later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix, such as vending machine candy or doughnuts at the office. In addition, the prolonged fasting that occurs when you skip breakfast can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.

In addition, eating breakfast may get you on track to making healthy choices all day. When you eat breakfast, you tend to eat a healthier overall diet, one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day, too.

And finally, eating breakfast may give you energy, increasing your physical activity throughout the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply your muscles with immediate energy. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity. So, if you skip breakfast, whether you're trying to save time or cut calories, you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.

- Do Not Sacrifice Sleep.

The importance of sleep goes beyond just providing your body rest. Sleep helps to: improve the rate at which you learn; improve memory; reduce the risk of accidents and mishaps; improve mood; improve cardiovascular health; reduce the risk of disease; and more easily control metabolism and weight.

Sleep triggers hormones that help cells to repair the damage done to your body that day. The most important hormone in this process is probably human growth hormone (HGH), which stimulates cell growth by mediating in the metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. HGH also influences weight control by telling fat cells to release the energy in the fats they are storing and to reduce additional storage.

Your body seems to understand when to bring in these hormones, which isn't when you're performing normal daily activities such as work and play. As much as 70% of the growth hormone produced in any 24-hour period is secreted while you are sleeping. This is why sleep is important in helping you to achieve a weight loss (fat loss) goal.


These are the primary factors that lead people to being overweight, or even worse, obese. But, as discussed, this problem can be controlled.

If you have made a decision to start on a path toward weight loss, or more specifically fat loss, then heed the advice above. Furthermore, keep in mind that DIETS DON'T WORK! Nearly everybody that goes on a diet ends up gaining all their weight back, and more, within two years. Why?  Most diets don't address a fundamental problem of why people gain weight in the first place. And most are not balanced! Most diets are a short-term solution for a long-term problem. If you truly want to eliminate cravings, release fat properly, and be healthy, you must learn how to eat PROPERLY. I gave some advice around this above.

Keep in mind there are many fad diets around today, and plenty of others that will hit the market in the future, with slick-sounding names, but just remember that fundamentals don't change.

Pay attention to PORTION SIZES (or watch caloric intake). Eat the RIGHT TYPES of carbs, proteins, and fat. Eat these nutrients in the right BALANCE. Eat foods that are LOW-GLYCEMIC. And think about doing a HIGH_FIBER cleanse to begin your weight loss journey. A good cleanse will help you to get off the roller-coaster of eating high-glycemic foods...which actually create an addiction (which is why it's hard to stop.) There are many cleanses on the market, but you will benefit more from one that is higher in quality. For more information on what I recommend, send me a message. A good cleanse will usually last about five days and will include low-glycemic ingredients to help you control carbohydrate cravings, provide balanced nutrition for weight-loss success, and allow you to lose around five pounds in those five days.

Also keep in mind that healthy weight loss usually occurs slowly and steadily. In general, plan to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, even if your initial weight loss is a little faster in the first week or two. To do this, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day.


I hope this helps you better understand the keys to losing weight and releasing fat properly. If you have any questions about anything discussed in the article, please don't hesitate to send me a message.

What Athletes Need To Know About Diet and Supplementation to Optimize their Performance and Health - Part 2

In Part 1 of my article What Athletes Need To Know About Diet and Supplementation to Optimize their Performance and Health, I discussed how the three fundamental macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein) work together in the right balance, and at the right levels, to fuel an athlete's body so optimal performance can be achieved. Now I want to spend some more time discussing food and energy in more detail.

The food an athlete eats BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER a workout is important for both comfort and performance.


What an athlete should eat and drink BEFORE EXERCISE:

What you eat BEFORE exercise often depends upon your unique needs and preferences, but should be designed according to the intensity, length and type of workout you plan to do. Some GENERAL GUIDELINES include eating a solid meal 4 hours before exercise, a snack or a high carbohydrate energy drink 2 to 3 hours before exercise, and fluid replacement 1 hour before exercise.

It is probably intuitive that exercising on a full stomach is not ideal. Food that remains in your stomach during exercise, or during an event, may cause stomach upset, nausea, and cramping. So to ensure you have enough energy, but minimize the chance for stomach discomfort, you should allow a meal to fully digest before exercise, or before the start of an event. This generally takes one to four hours, depending upon what and how much you've eaten. Everybody is a little different, so you should experiment prior to exercising to determine what works best for you.

If you have an early morning workout or race, it's best to get up early enough to eat your pre-exercise meal. If not, you should try to eat or drink something easily digestible about 20 to 30 minutes before the event. The closer you get to the time of your event, the less you should eat. You can have a liquid meal closer to your event than a solid meal because your stomach digests liquids faster.

Since glucose is the preferred energy source for most exercise, a pre-exercise meal should include foods that are high in carbohydrates and easy to digest. This includes foods such as pasta, fruits, breads, nutrition bars, nutrition shakes, as well as HEALTHY energy drinks.

If you are going on a short running workout, it's not essential to eat immediately before you run if you consistently eat a healthy diet and have properly replenished your glycogen stores after your last workout. In fact, the majority of the energy used to fuel your run comes from the stored energy in your body (glycogen), not the food you've just consumed. Most people have enough glycogen to fuel about 90 minutes of high-intensity exercise and several hours of moderate exercise. So if you feel fine doing a short run on an empty stomach, go for it.

If running on empty doesn't feel good to you, you will want to eat something light that will digest easily. A good pre-run breakfast for those who run three to six miles can be something as simple as a banana, water and maybe a cup of coffee an hour or so before starting your workout. You could also eat toast with jelly or half a nutrition bar or half a nutrition shake. You'll need to learn what foods work best for you and figure out how much time you need to digest your food. But most people can eat a banana without problems.

NOTE:  Avoid food that contains a lot of protein or fiber, as it takes a long time to digest before running.

If you are going on a longer running workout (longer than 10 miles) it may be necessary to eat up to two hours before you run so you have enough energy and allow time for it to digest. Consider eating 400-500 calories and drinking 16-20 ounces of water before going on longer runs. Opt for high-carbohydrate foods that digest easily and provide quick energy for the run, i.e fruit, cereals, pancakes, a bagel with jelly, fruit smoothies, a nutrition bar, a nutrition shake, or anything else easily digested.

NOTE:  Stay away from food that has a lot of fat and protein, because it does not digest as well. Also, during your longer run, you may want to consider bringing along a carbohydrate gel pack or a small packet of pure honey in case energy stores run low.

Now when it comes to competition, here are some guidelines of what to eat.


Food Guidelines for Competition:

3 to 4 Hours Before Competition:

• Fresh fruit
• Bread, Bagels
• Pasta with tomato sauce
• Baked potatoes
• Cereal with milk
• Yogurt
• Toast/bread with some peanut butter, lean meat, or cheese
• Nutrition bar
• Nutrition shake
• Water

2 to 3 Hours Before Competition:

• Fresh fruit
• Bread, Bagels
• Pasta
• Yogurt
• Water

1 Hour or Less Before Competition:

• Fresh fruit (apples, watermelon, peaches, grapes, or oranges) and/or
• Energy gels
• Up to 1 1/2 cups of a sports drink

If you are an endurance athlete, research suggests that eating some sugar (glucose) 35 to 40 minutes before an event may provide energy when your other energy stores have dropped to low levels. However, you should experiment with this before competition because some people do not perform well after a spike in blood sugar.

NOTE:  Endurance athletes should avoid foods that contain a lot of fat or fiber since they can be very difficult and slow to digest and remain in the stomach a long time. They will also pull blood into the stomach to aid in digestion, which can cause cramping and discomfort. Meats, doughnuts, fries, potato chips, and candy bars should be avoided in a pre-exercise meal.

Now let's discuss hydration. Athletes should strive to drink ten cups of water every day, in addition to replacing water that is lost during exercise. A good rule of thumb is to drink about 16-20 ounces of water, 2-3 hours before exercise, and about 8 ounces of water 15 minutes before exercise. Try this and then modify your fluid needs as necessary.

You may be wondering about the benefit of caffeine for exercise. Caffeine is a stimulant and can improve endurance.

NOTE:  Caffeine can have serious side effects for some people. Those who are very sensitive to its effects may experience nausea, muscle tremors, and headaches. Too much caffeine is a diuretic, and can result in dehydration, which decreases performance.

And as a final note, just remember that everyone is a little different. What works for you diet-wise may not work for your teammate or training partner. An eating plan is highly individualized based on what works for each athlete along with the preference of that athlete.


What an athlete should eat and drink DURING EXERCISE:

Depending on the type and duration of exercise, energy foods (including bars, shakes, drinks, gels and other easily digestible carbohydrates) can keep you from depleting your energy too quickly DURING exercise.

In addition, drink up to about 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes during exercise depending on the type and duration of exercise. If you will be exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink about 8 oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8% carbohydrate) every 15-30 minutes.


What an athlete should eat and drink AFTER EXERCISE:

The first nutritional priority AFTER exercise is to replace any fluid lost during exercise. A good rule of thumb is to drink 16 ounces of water right after exercise. If you want to be more precise, weigh yourself before and after you exercise, and then replace fluid losses by drinking 20-24 oz of water for every one pound of weight lost.

The next nutritional priority after hydration is replacing key nutrients. The post-exercise meal is critical to recovery and improves your ability to train consistently.

It is important to consume carbohydrate, such as fruit or juice, within 15 minutes post-exercise to help restore glycogen.

In addition, research has shown that eating 0.3 to 0.6 grams of carbohydrate for each pound of body weight within two hours of endurance exercise is essential to building adequate glycogen stores for continued training. That works out to 45 to 90 grams of carbohydrate (or 180 to 360 calories) for a 150-pound athlete. Waiting longer than two hours to eat will result in 50% less glycogen stored in the muscle. The reason for the two-hour window is that carbohydrate consumption stimulates insulin production, which aids the production of muscle glycogen. However, the effect of carbohydrate on glycogen storage reaches a plateau.

Research also shows that combining protein with carbohydrate within 30 minutes post-exercise nearly doubles the insulin response, which results in MORE stored glycogen. A well-balanced, high-quality nutrition bar or shake can provide a convenient way to meet this recommendation. The OPTIMAL carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that will have a negative impact as it will slow rehydration and glycogen storage.

Consuming protein has other important uses after exercise as well. It provides the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that was damaged during intense exercise. The amino acids in protein can also stimulate the immune system, making you more resistant to colds and other infections. Protein can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration.

When it comes specifically to running, some good options for your post-exercise meal include a high quality nutrition bar, a high quality nutrition shake, oatmeal with low-fat milk or soymilk, eggs with whole grain toast, or yogurt and berries. Whatever you choose, you want to find a way to get the right nutrition within the 30-minute window.

NOTE:  For those people that aren't athletes that might be reading this article, this wouldn't be the ideal plan for you. If your goal is fat loss, you would want to wait to eat an hour after your workout to maximize fat burning.

The bottom line for athletes is this: If you are looking for the best way to refuel your body after long, intense exercise, a 4:1 combination of carbohydrate and protein within the 30-minute window post-exercise seems to be your best choice.

It's worth noting that many athletes do not receive the optimal levels of MICRONUTRIENTS, vitamins and minerals, from their diet. In fact, in my experience, many don't understand the OPTIMAL levels of micronutrients necessary to optimize performance. It's important for an athlete to understand that micronutrients are just as critical as macronutrients (carbs, fats, and protein) in optimizing performance.


Importance of a pharmaceutical-grade multivitamin/multimineral supplement:

Good supplementation is just as critical as a good diet, and supplementation gives you the assurance you are not depleted in essential nutrients. But you might be wondering what I mean by good supplementation. Athletes can benefit from a good multivitamin/multimineral supplement in the same manner as non-athletes (to fill in the missing gap of nutrients they are not getting from their diet). It is true that athletes are more likely to eat a better diet, increasing their intake of key nutrients. However, the extra physical and mental stresses many athletes experience may also increase their requirement for certain key nutrients. These stresses can lead to depletion even if an athlete is eating a good diet.

That is why it is critical for an athlete to take a high quality, broad-spectrum, well-balanced, pharmaceutical-grade, multivitamin/multimineral supplement. It is not enough to take just ANY multivitamin/multimineral supplement. While there are lots of companies that make supplements, there are lots of companies that make POOR QUALITY supplements. Don't sell your health to the lowest bidder. Look for a multivitamin/multimineral supplement that is produced to pharmaceutical standards so quality and safety is ensured. A complete, broad-spectrum, well-balanced, safe and effective multivitamin/multimineral supplement is critical to ensuring key nutrient requirements are met and optimal performance can be achieved. You DO NOT have this guarantee with most supplements on the market unfortunately, which is why athletes especially need to be selective. If you would like help selecting a multivitamin/multimineral supplement, please send me a message, and I will walk you through the process of selecting one that will optimize performance. 


Note for World-Class Professional and Olympic Athletes:

You MUST BE selective when it comes to nutritional supplements as you have to worry about the possibility of testing positive for banned substances if you take over-the-counter supplements. If you are a professional or olympic athlete, to give you more assurance, verify that the supplements you are taking have gone through third-party testing to ensure purity. One such program, whose approval is sought out by top companies, tests for the presence of WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) banned substances and is called the NSF Certified for SportTM program (http://www.nsf.org/). This independent certification helps athletes make educated decisions about the safety of the dietary supplements they choose to take and is free of potential company hype.

The NSF Certified for Sport program was developed to meet the growing demand of athletes, coaches and all others concerned about banned substances. The NSF Certified for Sport(TM) Mark helps consumers know that products have met NSF's stringent independent certification guidelines. Products are tested and facilities are inspected for a wide range of substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NFL/NFLPA and MLB/MLBPA. The list includes stimulants, narcotics, steroids, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, beta blockers, masking agents and other banned substances.

Also look to companies that have received Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) registration and dietary supplement certification through NSF. NSF International is an independent, not-for-profit organization, that helps protect you by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, air and consumer goods. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. Additional services include safety audits for the food and water industries, management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations, Ltd., organic certification provided by Quality Assurance International and education through the NSF Center for Public Health Education.
 
These third-party certifications simply help athletes, as well as consumers in general, know the products they are taking are nutritionals they can trust.

I hope these past two articles have given you more direction as an athlete to help you achieve optimal performance. If you have any questions about anything posted in the past two articles, please feel free to send me a message. May your next training session be great!

What Athletes Need To Know About Diet and Supplementation To Optimize Their Performance and Health - Part 1

I want to focus my discussion this week on athletes and nutrition since I continue to receive questions by athletes who want to know how to optimize performance. If you are an athlete, understanding how the body uses food as fuel can help you eat and train efficiently so you can improve performance.

Optimizing performance starts with an understanding of how the three fundamental macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) fuel the body to do work. In the body, these nutrients get converted to energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As ATP is broken down in cells, energy is released which allows muscle cells to contract and exercise to be performed. However, each nutrient has unique properties that determine how it gets converted to ATP.

Carbohydrate is the main nutrient that fuels exercise of a moderate to high-intensity (like sprinting and weight-lifting). Fat helps to fuel lower-intensity exercise for long periods of time (like marathon running). Proteins are generally used to maintain and repair body tissues, and are not normally used to fuel muscle activity.

With that said, let's now lay out the amount of each nutrient that is recommended in the diet for optimal performance. Sports nutritionists recommend the following mix of nutrients:

• 55-65% of daily calories from CARBOHYDRATE
• 25-30% of daily calories from FAT
• 12-15% of daily calories from PROTEIN

Your specific nutrition plan should be structed to meet your training needs, with the understanding that carbohydrates are the primary fuel needed for intense muscular efforts, regardless of the sport you play.

Now let's discuss carbs, fats, and protein in more detail.

And since carbohydrates are the cornerstone of an athlete's diet, let's discuss them first.


CARBOHYDRATES (carbs):

Irregardless of the sport you play, carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle contractions. When you eat carbs, they are broken down in the body into smaller sugars, and if needed, they get absorbed and used as energy. Any sugar (also known as glucose) not needed right away gets stored in your muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. Once these glycogen stores are full, any additional glycogen gets stored as fat.

If you haven't heard the term glycogen before, understand that it is the source of energy most often used for exercise. It is most often used because your body can tap into it immediately when needed for shorter-duration, higher-intensity exercise like sprinting and weight-lifting. Glycogen actually supplies energy during the first few minutes of any sport. During longer-duration, lower-intensity exercise, fat can help to fuel activity, but glycogen is still needed to help break down the fat into something the muscles can use.

Not only is adequate carbohydrate intake necessary to fuel activity, but it also helps to prevent protein from being used as energy. If your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrate, protein is broken down to make glucose for energy. But this takes away from protein's primary role of being the building block for muscles, bone, skin, hair, and other tissues. Relying on protein for energy, by not taking in enough carbohydrate, can limit your ability to build and maintain important tissues. Furthermore, it can stress the kidneys because they have to work harder to eliminate the by-products of this protein breakdown.

Carbs also have other functions in the body, which include fueling the central nervous system and brain.

Well now that you understand the importance of carbs, you may be wondering how much energy carbs actually give you. One gram of carbohydrate will provide you with four calories of energy. For an understanding of the specific number of carbohydrate calories YOU need daily as an athlete, as well as the total calories you need daily, please refer to my blog article What You Need To Know About Calories?

When considering carbs, it's important to understand the terms "carbohydrate loading" and "carbohydrate depletion" which refers to your body's ability to store and use carbohydrate energy in your muscles.

Eating large amounts of carbohydrates will increase carbohydrate stores, which is known as carbohydrate loading, but there is a storage limit. The maximum amount of carbohydrate you can store in your body is about 6.8 grams per pound of body weight. So, if you weigh 200 pounds, you can store up to 1,364 grams of carbohydrate [or 5,455 calories] in your muscles, which is enough energy to fuel high-intensity exercise for several hours.

During depletion, any stored carbohydrate is used up. If you don’t replenish these carbohydrate stores, you can run out of fuel for exercise that requires immediate energy. When this happens, it is referred to in the athletic world as "bonking" or "hitting the wall."

How long the energy supply from carbohydrate lasts depends on the length and intensity of the exercise. To avoid running out of energy during exercise, START with full glycogen stores, replenish them DURING exercise, and refill them AFTER exercise to be ready for the next workout.

One final word on carbohydrates:  Carbs are divided into TWO TYPES - simple and complex.

Simple carbohydrates are absorbed and converted to energy very quickly and provide a rapid source of energy. Fruit and sports drinks are a good source of simple carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, typically take a bit longer to be digested and absorbed into the body. They also typically take longer to break down and therefore provide energy at a slower rate than simple sugars. Examples of complex carbohydrates include breads, rice and pasta. Starch and fiber are also considered complex carbohydrates but fiber can not be digested or used for energy. Starch is probably the most important energy source in an athlete’s diet because it is broken down and stored as glycogen. Foods high in starch include whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and grains.

But understand that even some complex carbohydrates, like a white potato, can provide a rapid source of energy.

Now let's turn our attention to the importance of fat in an athlete's diet.


FAT:

Contrary to popular belief, not all fat is bad. In fact, the right types of fat are essential for optimal performance and health.

In addition, the stored fat we carry on our bodies (known as adipose tissue) provides cushion and insulation to internal organs, covers the nerves, moves the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) throughout the body, and provides the largest reserve of stored energy available for activity. Fat is stored when we consume more calories then we use.

There is an optimal level of body fat for health and for athletic activity. When this optimal level is exceeded, too much dietary fat can lead to problems with health as well as athletic performance.

Let's take a look at the three different types of dietary fat that exist:

• Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (the healthier fats) and are typically found in plant sources. This type of fat is usually liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats have health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. Common food sources include olive and canola oil, avocados, fish, almonds, soybeans and flaxseed. An important class of fats that contribute to improved athletic performance and improved health include the polyunsaturated fats known as omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. These healthy fats can be found in some foods such as certain types of fish, but they are also available in supplements for those that don't obtain enough of them in their diet. But learning how to select a quality supplement that contains them is important. If you would like help in learning how to identify a quality supplement, please feel free to send me a message.

• Saturated fats are found primarily in animal sources like meat, egg yolks, yogurt, cheese, butter, and milk. This type of fat is often solid at room temperature. The over-consumption of saturated fat has been linked to numerous health problems such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Consequently, saturated fat should be limited to no more than 10% of your total daily calorie intake.

• Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are created (naturally or man-made) when an unsaturated fat is made into a solid. Trans fats, just like saturated fat, should be limited as much as possible because they increase cholesterol levels and they increase the risk of heart disease.

So how does fat provide energy for athletes? Fat provides the highest concentration of energy of all the nutrients. One gram of fat gives you nine calories. This calorie density, along with our great storage capacity for fat, makes fat our largest reserve of energy. One pound of stored fat provides approximately 3,500 calories of potential energy. While these calories are less accessible to athletes performing shorter-duration, higher-intensity exercise like sprinting and weight-lifting, fat is essential for longer-duration, lower to moderate-intensity endurance exercise (from walking to marathons).

But remember, even during higher-intensity exercise, where carbohydrate is the main fuel source, fat is still needed to help access the stored carbohydrate (glycogen).

Also remember these three things when using fat for fuel for exercise. First, it can take up to six hours to digest fat to a point where it can be converted into a usable form of energy. Secondly, converting stored body fat into energy also takes time. The body needs to break down fat and transport it to the working muscles before it can be used as energy. And third, converting stored body fat into energy takes substantial oxygen, so exercise intensity must decrease for this process to occur.

For these reasons, you need to carefully time when you eat fat, how much you eat, and the type of fat you eat. In general, it’s not a good idea to eat fat immediately before or during intense exercise.

For more information on fat, read my blog articles entitled FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly and FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly - Part 2.

Now let's move on to the importance of protein in an athlete's diet.


PROTEIN:

Proteins are often called the building blocks of the body because they contain amino acids which combine in various ways to make muscles, bone, tendons, skin, hair, and other tissues. They serve other functions as well, like moving nutrients to where they belong and aiding in the production of enzymes. You might be surprised to learn that there are over 10,000 different proteins in the body.

Athletes need protein primarily to repair and rebuild muscle that is broken down during exercise, as well as to help optimize carbohydrate storage in the form of glycogen. Protein isn’t an ideal source of fuel for exercise, but it can be used when the diet lacks adequate carbohydrate. A problem is created, however, if protein is used for fuel because it doesn't leave enough available to repair and rebuild body tissues, including muscle.

Adequate amounts of protein, eaten regularly, is essential because it isn’t easily stored by the body. And athletes have to be aware that there are two kinds of protein. Foods that include protein can contain "complete proteins" or "incomplete proteins". Complete proteins contain all nine of the essential amino acids, and they come mostly from animal sources such as meat, fish, and eggs. Soybeans are also considered a complete protein. Incomplete proteins lack one or more of the essential amino acids, and they come from sources such as grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.

Vegetarian athletes can have trouble obtaining complete proteins, so they have to pay careful attention to how they combine foods so they get adequate protein. Foods that contain incomplete proteins can be matched with other foods to create complete proteins. As an example, rice is low in the essential amino acid lysine, and beans are low in the essential amino acid methionine. By eating rice with beans, you improve (or complete) the proteins in both.

While protein is extremely important, most athletes in a strength sport get far more protein than is necessary to promote muscle synthesis. The current protein recommendation for athletes is as follows:

• ENDURANCE ATHLETES: About 0.5 to 0.6 grams per pound of body weight per day.

• STRENGTH-TRAINING ATHLETES: About 0.7 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day.

So for an endurance athlete weighing 200 pounds, he/she would need 100 to 120 grams of protein per day. And for a strength training athlete weighing 200 pounds, he/she would need 140 to 160 grams of protein per day.

There is no scientific evidence that more than about 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight has any additional benefit in muscle strength or size.

One final word on protein:  According to research, high protein/high fat diets can hurt performance. An inadequate amount of carbohydrate in the diet can result in reduced muscle glycogen stores in the muscle and liver, decreased endurance, decreased maximal effort, decreased serum glucose levels, and an increased risk of hypoglycemia.

Additionally, high protein/high fat diets can also have a negative overall impact on health in general, such as an increased risk of degenerative diseases like heart disease and cancer, increased calcium excretion leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis, and a reduced intake of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals contributing to fatigue and an increased risk of disease.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of how the three fundamental macronutrients (carbs, fat, and protein) work together to fuel your body to achieve optimal performance in your sport.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of "What Athletes Need To Know About Diet and Supplementation To Optimize Their Performance and Health" where I discuss more about how athletes should eat while training, the importance of a high-quality multivitamin/multimineral supplement, and the type of third-party testing companies should pass before selecting a supplement made by that company.

FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly - Part 2

PART 2:  Recommendations For Dietary Fat Intake


In Part 1 of my article "FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" which I posted last week, I discussed the different types of fat that exist and pointed out which ones are healthier for you.

In Part 2 this week, I am going to discuss the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the Department of Agriculture, which provides recommendations for dietary fat intake.

Here's a look at the recommendations and common food source for each type of dietary fat:
 
* TOTAL FAT:  This includes all types of dietary fat (i.e. monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 essential fatty acids, saturated fat, and trans fat). Limit total fat intake to 20-35% of your daily calories. So for somebody on a diet of 2,000 calories per day, this amounts to 44-78 grams of total fat a day. The major food source for fat is both plant- and animal-based.
 
* MONOUNSATURATED FAT:  While no specific amount is recommended, the guidelines recommend eating foods rich in this healthy fat while staying within your total fat allowance. Major food sources include olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, poultry, nuts and seeds.
 
* POLYUNSATURATED FAT:  While no specific amount is recommended, the guidelines recommend eating foods rich in this healthy fat while staying within your total fat allowance. Major food sources include vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils), nut oils (such as peanut oil), poultry, nuts and seeds.
 
* OMEGA-3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS:  While no specific amount is recommended, the guidelines recommend eating foods rich in this healthy fat while staying within your total fat allowance. Major food sources include fatty, cold-water fish (i.e. salmon, mackerel and herring), ground flax seed, flax oil and walnuts. You can also obtain quality omega-3s from a pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplement.
 
* SATURATED FAT:  Limit saturated fat to NO MORE THAN 10% OF YOUR TOTAL DAILY CALORIES. Limit it to 7% TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE. Based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day, a 10% limit would yield 22 grams of saturated fat per day, while a 7% limit would yield 15 grams per day. Saturated fat intake counts toward your total daily allowance of fat. Major food sources come include cheese, pizza, grain-based desserts, and animal products, such as chicken dishes, sausage, hot dogs, bacon and ribs. Other food sources include lard and butter as well as coconut, palm and other tropical oils.
 
* TRANS FAT:  No specific amount is recommended, but the guidelines say THE LOWER THE BETTER. Avoid trans fat from synthetic (processed) sources. It's difficult to eliminate all trans fats because of their presence in meat and dairy foods. The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fat to NO MORE THAN 1% OF YOUR TOTAL DAILY CALORIES. For most people, this means less than 2 grams per day.  Major food sources include margarine's, snack foods and desserts such as cookies and cakes. Other food sources (and these are naturally occurring) include meat and dairy products.

• NOTE:  Many foods contain more than one kind of fat along with varying levels of each type. As an example, butter contains both saturated and unsaturated fat, but a larger percentage of the total fat content comes from saturated fat. As another example, canola oil contains saturated polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fat, but a larger percentage of the total fat content comes from monounsaturated fat.  

Now that you understand the recommendations for dietary fat intake (as issued by the Department of Agriculture), you can calculate what your daily fat intake should be in grams. To calculate your daily fat intake, first multiply your daily total calorie intake by the recommended percentage of fat intake. Then divide that total by 9 (which is the number of calories in a gram of fat).

• EXAMPLE 1:  Assume you are limiting your total daily fat intake to 25% and that you are on a diet of 2,000 calories per day, To calculate your total daily fat intake in grams, multiply 2,000 by 0.25 to get 500 calories. Then divide 500 calories by 9 calories per gram to get about 56 grams of fat. So in this example, your total daily fat intake is 500 calories or 56 grams. You don't want to exceed these levels.

• EXAMPLE 2:  Next, assume you are limiting your daily saturated fat intake to 7% and that you are on a diet of 2,000 calories per day, To calculate your daily saturated fat intake in grams, multiply 2,000 by 0.07 to get 140 calories. Then divide 140 calories by 9 calories per gram to get about 16 grams of fat. So in this example, your daily saturated fat intake is 140 calories or 16 grams. You don't want to exceed these levels.

You might think that since watching fat intake is a good strategy, it might be even better to try to eliminate ALL fat from your diet? But it's not. Your body needs some fat — the healthier fats — to function normally. If you try to avoid all fat, you risk getting insufficient amounts of fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids. Also, in attempting to remove fat from your diet, you may wind up eating too many processed foods advertised as low-fat or fat-free rather than healthier and naturally lower fat foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Enjoy healthier fats in moderation.

So now that you have a better understanding of the different types of dietary fat that exist, along with their recommended levels of intake, how do you adjust your diet to meet recommended dietary guidelines?

In a nutshell, focus on reducing foods high in saturated fat and trans fat. Then emphasize foods that include plenty of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. But be careful not to go overboard even on healthier fats. All fats, including the healthy ones, are high in calories. So try to consume foods that contain monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats INSTEAD of other fatty foods...but in moderation.

As an experiment, track your fat intake tomorrow.  Then send me a message (via the "Contact Me" tab at the top of the page) telling me how many calories you ate and the breakdown of fats you ate in calories or grams. (Include all monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 essential fatty acids, saturated fat, and trans fat.)

If you have any questions about anything I discussed, please feel free to send me a message. I will be happy to answer all of your questions.

FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Do you need to eat fat to be healthy? Does eating fat make you fatter? The answer to both of these questions is YES and NO! You certainly need to ensure you are consuming the right types of fat as there are health benefits, but you also need to watch your fat intake as it can lead to weight gain if you eat too much.

In Part 1 this week, I will discuss the different types of fat that exist and point out which ones are healthier for you.


Part 1: Understanding The Different Types Of Fat That Exist and What They Mean To Your Health


The first thing to understand about fat is that there are numerous types of fat, and most foods contain several different kinds of fat. Your body makes its own fat from taking in excess calories. But some fats are found in foods from plants and animals and are known as dietary fat. Dietary fat is one of three fundamental macronutrients that provide energy for your body. (The other two macronutrients are protein and carbohydrates.) Fat is essential to your health because it supports a number of your body's functions, including improving cardiovascular health, improving brain function, and improving skin moisture levels. In addition, some vitamins must have fat to dissolve and nourish your body.

On the other hand, the concern with some types of dietary fat is that they are thought to play a role in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: There is extensive research that suggests when it comes to dietary fat, you should focus on eating healthy fats and avoiding unhealthy fats.

So what are unhealthy fats? And what are healthy fats?

There are two main types of unhealthy fat: saturated fat and trans fat.

Saturated fat is a type of fat that comes mainly from foods from animals. Saturated fat raises total blood cholesterol levels as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Trans fat is a type of fat that occurs naturally in some foods, especially foods from animals. However, most trans fats are made during food processing through partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats. This process creates fats that are easier to cook with and less likely to spoil than are naturally occurring oils. These trans fats are called industrial or synthetic trans fats, and research studies show that synthetic trans fat can increase unhealthy LDL cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Most fats that have a high percentage of saturated fat or trans fat are solid at room temperature. Because of this, they're typically referred to as solid fats. They include beef fat, pork fat, shortening, stick margarine and butter.

There are also two main types of healthy fat: monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

Monounsaturated fat is a type of fat found in a variety of foods & oils. Studies show that eating foods rich in these fats improve blood cholesterol levels and may benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control.

Polyunsaturated fat is a type of fat found mostly in plant-based foods and oils. Research shows that eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fats improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease. These fats may also help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. One type of polyunsaturated fat, called omega-3 fatty acids, may be especially beneficial to your heart. Omega-3s, found in some types of fatty fish, appear to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. They may also protect against irregular heartbeats and help lower blood pressure levels. Omega-3s can also be found in nutritional supplements for those that don't eat fish. Just make sure your nutritional supplement is manufactured to pharmaceutical-grade standards so you can ensure quality. Foods made up mostly of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil and corn oil.

Because some fats are considered healthy and others unhealthy, it pays to know which ones you're eating and whether you're meeting national recommendations. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the Department of Agriculture, provides recommendations for dietary fat intake. I will discuss these recommendations next week in Part 2 of my article on "FATS: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly".

Until then, do you know how to determine the different types of fat that you are eating?