Daily Reminders To Proper Nutrition

It is important to understand that in order to get in the best shape you not only have to work hard in the gym, but you MUST have the proper nutrition to fuel the results you are making. You must feed your body the right way, along with learning and developing the necessary eating habits that will promote the best overall results. As a trainer I have seen many people mistakenly think that losing fat is simply a matter of EXERCISING MORE AND EATING LESS. This conception has led many people to a dead end wall...but all this can be resolved by mastering what works for you body, timing, and balance.

I want to begin by discussing the idea of CLOCKING YOUR CARBS. Understand that too many carbs can give you unwanted weight gain and make you fat, but too few carbs for an extended period of time can slow down your metabolism. So this brings in the idea of TIMING! I want to give you a helpful tip that may be useful for you in your daily regimen.
**Consume a large sum of your daily carbohydrates at BREAKFAST AND AFTER TRAINING! Why?
**Eating at least 50 grams of FAST-DIGESTING CARBS first thing in the morning and immediately post-workout hinders training-induced muscle breakdown and keeps CORTISOL, a stress hormone that destroys muscle and slows metabolism, in check.

The next point I want to bring to the table is to MAKE CARBS WORK FOR YOU. First, you must understand that building MUSCLE is the best way to burn FAT in the long run and in order to do this you must make your workouts intense to get the results you want. Next, think about taking in 20 grams of whey protein and 20-40 grams of SLOW-DIGESTING CARBS (from sources such as fruit, sweet potatoes, or brown rice) 30 minutes before you strength train. This will help you power through you workouts with the required intensity. You want to keep your weight loads up and your rest periods short to burn through the PREWORKOUT FUEL!

Also, try to prioritize your SLOW-BURNING CARBS. Slow-digesting carbs consists of beans, whole-grain breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potatoes. These carbs should constitute the bulk of your daily carbohydrate intake...don't forget that the exceptions being first thing in the morning and immediately after you workout. It is crucial that you understand why slow-digesting carbs are so important...they reduce the effect of insulin, the hormone that initiates both hunger and fat storage. Research confirms that athletes who consume slow-digesting carbs BURN MORE FAT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS WELL AS DURING EXERCISE!

So take these three tips and make them part of your daily reminder to proper nutrition, and I believe you will begin to see the first-hand changes you have been looking for. Hopefully, all these tips will continue to help you in your journey to proper nutrition and overall health and fitness.

Muscle and Fitness. 2008. pg.100.

Be Kind To Fruit

The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." -Barbara Kingsolver

When I was growing up, my mom (a 3rd grade school teacher) made sure that my sister and I were both getting proper nutrition in our daily regimen. She believed in making healthy choices and rewarding us with foods we loved when appropriate. In the morning, she believed in breakfast no matter what (because it gave us energy and it helped with our focus in the classroom)...each breakfast was well-balanced and included some sort of fruit. She packed our lunches and again they were all well-balanced, which also included fruit and a cookie for dessert. Our afterschool snack was always some sort of fruit instead of cookies, candy, or donuts. Or when I would come in from riding my bike, I would say, "Mom, I'm hungry." And she would always answer, "Mija, get a piece of fruit to hold you over until dinner."

I believe that the fruit she had us eat gave us the energy we needed throughout our day, it helped us focus in the classroom, and because fruit has sugar...it tricked our bodies into thinking it was getting the sugar it craved for like a piece of candy or a cookie. I remember after eating my piece of fruit, I didn't have that sugar craving that I had prior to eating the fruit. Moms and especially if they are school teachers always know what is right. She somehow knew that fruit wouldn't give us that crash you experience with candy, cookies, and donuts. Or that hyperness you get when eating too much sugar from twinkies, candy, or cokes.

Now don't get me wrong, I have the sugar tooth in the family and I would always express my feelings of having fruit all the time while my friends were eating ding-dongs. I remember telling my mother it just isn't fair. It didn't matter though because she stuck to her guns and very rarely gave in to me. She knew what she was doing all along, which was building a strong healthy foundation for me and my sister. And that foundation has continued to be strong for both of us as adults. At the time I thought she was being unfair but now I know that she was giving me a special gift. She was having me eat the proper foods that were going to promote a strong, healthy body . She was training the body to be familiar with these foods and to know what to do with these foods, so we would grow up to be healthy.

Many people struggle with their weight as adults because of certain eating habits they had as children BUT I also believe that you can have a healthy foundation later in life. It is never to late to start making the right choices. I am always asked what fruits should I eat or what fruit would be good for me to eat before I workout. Below I have included the right fruits to choose before a workout (preworkout), in the morning, and after a workout (postworkout). I think you will find it very helpful and it will help you make the better choices if you haven't already.

PREWORKOUT
These fruits provide higher fructose than glucose for sustained fuel that won't block fat burning. Eat one or two servings.
1. Pear (1 medium)> Total Sugars-16/Fructose-11/Glucose-5
2. Watermelon (1 wedge)> Total Sugars- 18/Fructose-12/Glucose-6
3. Apple (1 medium)> Total Sugars- 14/Fructose-9/Glucose-5
4. Cantaloupe (1/2 melon)> Total Sugars- 22/Fructose- 12/Glucose-10
5. Grapes (1 cup)> Total Sugars-24/Fructose-13/Glucose-11
6. Strawberries (2 cups)> Total Sugars-14/Fructose-8/Glucose-6
7. Raspberries (2 cups)> Total Sugars-10/Fructose-6/Glucose-4

IN THE MORNING
These fruits provide equal or nearly equal fructose and glucose to restocke liver and muscle glycogen to help halt muscle breakdown. Eat two or three servings.
1. Pineapple (1 cup diced)> Total Sugars-13/Fructose-7/Glucose-6
2. Honeydew melon (1 wedge)> Total Sugars-13/Fructose-7/Glucose-6
3. Orange (1 medium)> Total Sugars-12/Fructose-6/Glucose-6
4. Banana (1 medium)> Total Sugars-18/Fructose-9/Glucose-9
5. Blueberries (1 cup)> Total Sugars-14/Fructose-7/Glucose-7
6. Nectarine (1 medium)> Total Sugars-10/Fructose-5/Glucose-5
7. Kiwi Fruit (2 medium)> Total Sugars-12/Fructose-6/Glucose-6

POSTWORKOUT
These fruits provide more glucose than fructose for restocking muscle glycogen and enhancing muscle growth. The last five fruits from the morning fruit category are also decent choices postworkout, for their ability to fill glycogen stores. Eat one or two servings along with white bread, baked potatoes, or a carb drink.
1. Cherries (1 cup)> Total Sugars-14/Fructose-6/Glucose-8
2. Peach (1 medium)> Total Sugars-8/Fructose-3/Glucose-5

HONEY, I SHRUNK MY GUT

TIME IS ALWAYS TO BLAME FOR NOT EATING BREAKFAST.  BEFORE WORK, MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO GET THE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL, TAKE A SHOWER, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THEIR LUNCHES READY, ETC. AND SO THE RESULT IS THAT MANY OF US WILL TREAT BREAKFAST AS A LUXURY--SOMETHING THAT WE DO ONLY IF WE HAVE TIME!

LISTEN UP! THERE IS NOTHING GOOD THAT COMES OUT OF SKIPPING BREAKFAST. WITHOUT BREAKFAST, YOU'RE OPERATING ON RESERVES, PUTTING YOUR BODY IN A PSEUDO STARVATION MODE THAT TELLS YOUR BODY'S METABOLISM TO SLOW DOWN AND PROTECT YOU. 

SOLUTION: YOU NEED TO EAT! AND EAT HEARTILY.

BELOW IS A RECIPE THAT YOU CAN ZIP THROUGH FASTER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.

GREAT ADVICE TO TAKE TO HEART: WHAT YOU EAT THE FIRST HOUR YOU'RE AWAKE WILL HAVE A HUGE EFFECT ON WHAT YOU EAT FOR THE NEXT 16 OR 17. 

ALWAYS START YOUR DAY STRONG. BELIEVE THAT IF EVERY DAY OF GOOD EATING IS A RACE, THEN HOW WELL YOU START DETERMINES HOW WELL YOU FINISH!

1 cup 1% milk

3/4 cup plain instant oatmeal

1/2 cup blue or blackberries

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

Dash of cinnamon

*Mix all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for 2 minutes.

Per serving: 459 calories

19 grams of protein

70 grams of carbohydrates

9 grams of fat (2g saturated)

9 grams of fiber

132 mg of sodium

Zinczenko, D. The Abs Diet. Pgs. 80-81.

BE SURE TO LOVE YOUR EGGS

For a period of time, eggs were considered a big no-no, according to doctors. That's because just two eggs contained enough cholesterol to put you over your daily recommended value. So then it was advised that you could cut out some of your cholesterol by removing all of the yolk and using just the whites.  

More and more research shows that eating an egg or two a day will not raise your cholesterol levels, as once previously believed. Go figure! Also, most of the protein and all the good nutrients are found in the yolk of an egg. I still suggest to my clients to mix it up. For an individual who is going to to have four eggs...I will suggest that they have 2 eggs with yolk and 2 eggs with no yolk. Much of this research shows what has been learned is that most blood cholesterol is made by the body from dietary fat, not dietary cholesterol. 

Take advantage of eggs and their powerful makeup of protein.  The protein found in eggs has the highest "biological value" of protein--a measure of how well it supports your body's protein need--of any food. In other words, the protein in eggs is more effective in building muscle than protein from other sources, even milk and beef. Eggs also contain Vitamin B12 which is necessary for fat breakdown.

SUPERPOWERS: BUILDS MUSCLE AND BURNS FAT
SECRET WEAPONS: PROTEIN, VITAMIN B12, AND VITAMIN A

FIGHTS AGAINST: OBESITY

Zinczenko, David. The Abs Diet. Pg. 38-39.

The Little Things That Make Up YOUR Big Picture

• Pay Attention To All The Little Things In Your Daily Regimen...These Little Things Will Soon Make Up The Big Picture You Are Shooting For!!!!!

• Below Are Some Tips To Incorporate In Your Daily Regimen...Give Your Body What It Needs!

• Exercise is not enough. You must also include healthy eating habits.
• Make a list of all the benefits regular exercise provides you. Everything from feeling healthier, sleeping better, preventing depression, feeling stronger, etc. Post this list somewhere that you will easily see it everyday so that it can serve as a reminder why you should workout.
• Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast consume fewer total calories during the day then those that don't.
• Don't waste your calories on drinks. Drink low-calorie or no calorie drinks instead (preferably water).
• Try to take at least 20 minutes to complete a meal. This is how long it takes for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full.
• Use a lot of spices and seasonings when cooking low-fat/low-calorie meals. They can make your meal taste so much better and therefore make you feel more satisfied.
• Decrease your caffeine intake. Too much caffeine can decrease the burning of stored fat.
• Consume at least 64 ounces of water per day, plus an additional 16 ounces for every hour of moderate-intensity exercise.
• Each day fill a container(s) with your daily water supply so you'll always know how much you've drank and ensure you drink the required daily amount.

Remember What Your Mom Said...Eat Your Breakfast

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is the meal that gets you ready for your day. Helps you focus, and it gives you the energy you need to get through your day. So if we know all these things, why do we continue to skip the most important meal of the day. Why don't we give our body the fuel it needs to help us get through our day. Keep in mind, that every time you skip breakfast your body has to play catch up for the rest of the day. Not to mention, without breakfast you will have a hard time focusing and will continue to slow down your metabolism. So try to eat breakfast daily...give your body what it needs to start the day. Here are a couple of breakfast recipes that you may want to try.

EGG WHITE VEGGIE SCRAMBLE (SERVES 3)

Cooking spray, olive oil preferred
1 Cup Mixed Bell Peppers (red, green, and yellow), diced
1/2 Medium onion, diced
6 Medium Mushrooms, diced
1 Cup Egg Whites
6 Tablespoons low-fat Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Coat skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place on medium heat.
2. Combine and saute all vegetables until tender, around 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add eggs and cheese; stir until egg whites are firm.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.


NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories: 106
Fat: 2g
Protein: 15g
Sodium: 247mg
Fiber: 2g
Carbohydrate: 7g


BREAKFAST BURRITO (SERVES 2/SERVING SIZE IS 1 BURRITO)
4 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent egg substitute)
1 Tablespoon 1% Low-Fat Milk
1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Dash of Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
Cooking Spray
2 Tablespoons Reduced-Fat Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided in half 2 (8-inch)La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas, heated
4 Tablespoons chopped, Seeded Tomato, divided in half 2 Tablespoons Bottled Chunky Salsa, divided in half


1. Whisk the first four ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl.
2. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the egg mixture, and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula to scramble.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese down the center of one tortilla; top with half the scrambled egg, 2 tablespoons tomato, and 1 tablespoon salsa.
4. Roll up burrito-style (fold bottom up and sides to center). Repeat with remaining ingredients.

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories: 139
Fat: 5g Protein: 
15g
Sodium: 247mg
Fiber: 1g
Carbohydrate: 5g

Michaels, J. Making The Cut. Pgs. 62-63.

Honey Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup thawed, frozen limeade concentrate

4 cups cut-up fresh fruit

2 Tbsp. slivered almonds toasted

Directions

Mix honey and limeade in medium bowl. Toss fruit and honey mixture. Sprinkle with almonds.