Nutritional Tips:

Nutrition and training go hand and hand. No matter how hard you train or what type of training routine you're on, it's all in vain if you don't provide yourself with the right nutritional support. There are three key ingredients to good nutrition high Protein, low carbohydrates, and low fat.

Protein: Your body needs protein, and lots of it. It is the building block of muscle. Without enough protein in the body, muscle mass will not increase. During your weight training workouts, your muscles are getting broken down. In order to rebuild and repair your muscles, your body needs protein. It is as simple as that.

Besides water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. Protein builds, maintains and repairs body tissue. It is your muscle-building nutrient that is made up of structural units or chains called amino acids (AAs) and is your secondary source of energy or fuel at 2,000 calories per pound.

Carbohydrates are your energy food and your source to recuperation. They are your primary source of energy or fuel at 1,600 calories per pound. Carbohydrates yield 4 calories per gram. Carbs come in two forms: simple and complex. Simple for quick energy like fruit and juice! Complex carbs are used for timed-released and sustained energy. Starch, cereals or vegetables are good sources of complex carbs and are your ideal source. Complex carbs make you feel satisfied or full after a meal.

Refined sugar (a simple carbohydrate) should be avoided for four reasons. One, it decreases or slows down the body's ability to burn fat because it interferes with fat metabolism and may contribute to fat gain. Two, it decreases the body's energy level needed for prolonged intense activity. Three, it increases hypertension, contributing to high blood pressure. And four, it creates an energy roller coaster ride because of rapid changes in blood glucose (energy) levels.

Fat provides energy for aerobic energy metabolism, such as sitting, walking and jogging. The higher your resting metabolism is (through exercise) more fat will be wasting away while sitting and/or sleeping! Fat is your third and last source of energy or fuel at 3,500 calories per pound. Fat yields 9 calories per gram.

Saturated Fat This type of fat is most often found in animal products (meat, seafood, whole-milk dairy products -cheese, milk, and ice cream - poultry skin, and egg yolks) and is solid and waxy at room temperature. It is important to limit this type of fat as it has been shown to increase blood cholesterol by increasing both the good HDL (high density lipoprotein) and bad LDL (low density lipoprotein) types of cholesterol.

 

Trans Fat These fats result from the hydrogenation process, which occurs when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. Trans fats are often used for commercial goods, as they are less likely to turn rancid — they therefore hold their shape longer. Crackers, cookies and cakes are products typically high in trans fatty acids and, from a health standpoint they are a less desirable choice compared to saturated fats, as they actually lower the good HDL cholesterol while raising the bad LDL

Multi-Vitamins: it makes sense to get the Daily Recommended Values for vitamins and minerals just in case you don't get them from food. Many people run short on some key nutrients, possibly raising their risk of heart disease, weakened bones, nerve damage, etc.

 

 

My 10 top natural starchy carb and whole grains
1. Oatmeal (old fashioned)
2. Yams
3. Brown rice (a favorite is basmati, a long grain aromatic rice)
4. Sweet potatoes (almost same as yams)
5. Multi grain hot cereal (mix or barley, oats, rye. titricale and a few others)
6. White potatoes
7. 100% whole wheat bread
8. 100% whole wheat pasta
9. Beans (great for healthy chili recipes)
10. Cream of rice hot cereal

My Top 10 top vegetables
1. Broccoli
2. Asparagus
3. Spinach
4. Salad greens
5. Tomatoes
6. Peppers (green, red or yellow)
7. Onions
8. Mushrooms
9. Cucumbers
10. Zucchini

My top 10 lean proteins
1. Egg whites (whole eggs in limited quantities)
2. Whey or Casein protein (protein powder supplements)
3. Chicken Breast
4. Salmon (wild Alaskan)
5. Turkey Breast
6. Top round steak (grass fed beef)
7. Flank Steak (grass fed beef)
8. Lean Ground Turkey
9. Bison/Buffalo
10. Trout

My top 10 fruits
1. Grapefruit
2. Apples
3. Blueberries
4. Cantaloupe
5. Oranges
6. Bananas
7. Peaches
8. Grapes
9. Strawberries
10. Pineapple

Does calories count? Calories not only count, they are the bottom line when it comes to fat loss. If you are eating more calories than you expend, you simply will not lose fat, no matter what type of foods or food combinations you eat. Some foods do get stored as fat more easily than others, but always bear in mind that too much of anything, even "healthy food," will get stored as fat. You cannot override the laws of thermodynamics and energy balance. You must be in a calorie deficit to burn fat. This will force your body to use stored body fat to make up for the energy deficit. There are 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. If you create a 3500-calorie deficit in a week through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound. If you create a 7000 calories deficit in a week you will lose two pounds. The calorie deficit can be created through diet, exercise or preferably, with a combination of both. Because we already factored in the exercise deficit by using an activity multiplier, the deficit we are concerned with here is the dietary deficit.

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