BURN CALORIES BY DRINKING WATER

Many diet books recommend drinking plenty of water to cut hunger and create a feeling of fullness. But did you know that , drinking water also increases metabolic rate slightly and burns more calories. German researchers found that drinking 500 milliliters of water (about 1 pint) increased resting metabolism by 25 percent- so about 20 extra calories for 60 minutes. Drinking 50 milliliters of water or 500 milliliters of saline (mildly salty water) had no effect on metabolism.

Water increases calorie burning by diluting the blood going to the liver (portal circulation) and by turning on the sympathetic nervous system (the body's fight-or-flight system). The cells have very sensitive methods for regulating fluids in blood, cells and the space between cells. Water intake activates this system, which increases caloric expenditure. Drinking extra water has little effect on weight control and could be dangerous...just like anything. You must find the right balance that works for you and how water plays into your everyday activities. The 20 calories you expend processing the water is equivalent to jogging for two minutes. But again...don't forget, excessive water intake can cause hyponatremia (water intoxication), which can be deadly.

So remember to stay hydrated each and every day...do not go overboard on your water intake especially if you are not active. Water has and will always be vital to your survival. It participates in almost all the chemical reactions in your body, it helps cool you, and moves vital fuels and hormones to your muscles and tissues. Just be aware that just like anything else...there have been known cases of people drinking too much water and dying from these decisions. BALANCE IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING IN THIS LIFE! So be ACTIVE and DRINK YOUR WATER!!

Journal Clinical Endocrinolgy Metabolism, 92: 3334-3337, 2007)

Get On That Treadmill

Do you want to burn loads of calories but don't have much time? Well, here is a solution for you...try treadmill walking or running up an incline. Going up hills burns calories at an incredible rate. For example, say you have a 160-pound man walking on a level treadmill at a leisurely pace of 2.5 miles per hour, which uses 4 calories per minute. That balloons to nearly 7 calories per minute when walking at the same speed up to a 10 percent grade and a whooping 10 calories per minute when walking up a 20 percent grade. Walking up small inclines increases the energy cost between 75 and 250 percent. Just as with any exercise, always start off conservatively and increase the incline and treadmill speed gradually. Increasing the grade on the treadmill- the world's most popular cardio machine- will help you melt the fat away while building nicely muscled legs. You have nothing to lose...so get on that treadmill and watch your body change. :)

Prevention, November 2003.

Be A Calorie Burner

Studies show that some people move less after they begin an exercise regimen. When women and men started to work out twice a week, their everyday activity decreased by 22%, according to research from the Netherlands. The reason for the slowdown, experts speculate, may be post-workout fatigue or the perception that if you exercise, you can afford to skip on the small stuff.

Wrong!

Little activities such as standing instead of sitting, fidgeting, and walking more throughout the day can add up to an extra 350 calories burned per day, according to Mayo Clinic studies. Other research shows that a decrease in everyday actions may shut down an enzyme that controls fat metabolism, making weight loss tougher. And even daily half-hour to hour-long workouts aren't enough to turn it back on.

Prevention.com. July 200.8. Pg. 129

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.

The Power Your Body And Mind Have Available

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to...keep the channel open...Whether you choose to take an art class, keep a journal, record your dreams, dance your story, or live each day from your own creative source, above all else, keep the channel open!" -Martha Graham

Everything is ENERGY. Energy can be defined in a number of ways. Some describe energy as the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Others suggest it is a feeling of possessing such strength and vitality. Energy is your available power...your ambitious drive and effort. YOU ARE ENERGY...it is your strength of expression- the power to impress the mind and arouse your feelings...LIFE AND SPIRIT...YOU! Your energy comes from within and while it is made available for you, you must fuel that energy. To fuel your energy with the power to act effectively you must eat the right foods to give you the strength and vitality for sustained and mental activity. 

The amount of energy contained in any given amount of food is measured in calories. A calorie is a measurement of heat, which is valid because energy production for muscular contraction in the cell is a form of oxidation. It is slow oxidation, of course, but simply another form of the rapid oxidation known as fire. So let's try this again...Calories are a measurement of the amount of heat given off by the "slow burning" of energy in the muscle cells.

Be aware that all of the macro nutrients- protein, carbohydrates, and fat- contain energy, and therefore calories. But one important point you must understand is that they all differ in the amount of calories they have.

For example, 1 gram of protein or 1 gram of carbohydrate= 4 calories
1 gram of fat= 9 calories

And from the example, it is obvious that if you are trying to drop body fat you will minimize the fat in your eating regimen (*this does not mean take it out completely/body still needs fat).
On the flip side, if you are going to hike for days across the mountains, you should carry foods very rich in fat. Fat is more than twice as dense in calories as either protein and carbohydrate.

An interesting fact to keep in mind is that all fats, regardless of type, contain the same amount of food energy. Whether you are talking about olive oil, animal fat, butter, lard, or fats and oils in any other forms, they all contain the same amount of energy- 9 calories per gram.

Your body metabolizes calories in two basic ways: in basal metabolism (the energy it takes to maintain basic life functions) and in physical activity. A fascinating fact is that muscle tissue determines the caloric requirements of the human body. The two reasons is:

1. The more muscle you have, the more calories you consume at rest.

2. The more muscle effort you put out, the more calories are consumed in the process.

The leaner your body mass, the higher your RMR (resting metabolic rate). The formula to calculate this is: RMR= lean body mass (pounds) divided 2.205 x 30.4

An example is a person with a lean body mass of 150 pounds would have an RMR of about 2,100 calories. Keep in mind that other factors influence metabolic rate- age, gender, body type, thyroid function, etc.

Here it is...you have heard me say this time and time again. The number of calories you burn when exercising depends on the kind of activity you are engaged in. The harder you exercise and the more work you do, the more calories you metabolize. Whether you are moving your own body (ex. running) or lifting a barbell, the more you do it and the harder you do it, the more energy it takes. Here are a couple of examples on how this works.

ACTIVITY/CALORIES BURNED PER HOUR

1) Sleeping /72

2) Sitting /72-84

3) Walking (3.5 mph)/336-420

4) Swimming (basic)/360

5) Cycling (10mph)/360-420

6) Jogging (5mph)/600

7) Running (7.5 mph)/900

There is something very interesting about the relationship between walking, jogging, and running. When you go on foot, you burn up about 100 calories per mile (depending, again, on your overall body weight and lean body mass). It doesn't matter if you run or walk. You metabolize the same amount of energy for the same distance because you have done about the same amount of work. The difference is that you burn off the energy much faster when you run than when you walk.

Here it is again...energy expenditure is largely determined by how intense the training is. When you train continuously, going from one set to another, one exercise to another, with very little rest, you burn considerable calories over the one and a half or two hours of your workout. Also, when you train on a split schedule (two-a-days/two workouts a day), you burn up that much more energy.

WARNING!!!!

There is no such thing as a free lunch. When you subject your body to various kinds of artificial stimulation, you may get short-term results, but there is an inevitable letdown and your overall performance ability is damaged over time. One doctor suggests that some examples are:

1) Adrenaline

2) Alcohol

3) Alkalis

4) Amphetamines

5) Caffeine

6) Cocaine

7) Coramine (nikethamide)

8) Lecithin

9) Sulfa drugs

There is nothing wrong with a couple cups of coffee or an energy drink before training, but a handful of caffeine pills is just going to make you climb walls and possibly injure yourself during your training. Keep in mind that in order to develop the optimum physique, you need to be in an optimum state of health.

Schwarzenegger, A. The New Encyclopedia...Pgs. 722-725.

Stop Counting

One of the best pieces of information that I can give you is stop counting your calories. First of all, most people don't have the time or discipline to record every pretzel stick they eat or weigh the three slices of turkey breast they carved. Secondly, all calories are not made equally when it comes to metabolism. Instead, the important thing is to eat the right foods. And if you do this, your body will essentially regulate your caloric intake all by itself.

Some of the problems many people face when they count calories or set a number of calories to take in...is they end up not taking enough calories and their body goes into starvation-survival mode and your metabolism slows down. Please understand that you need enough calories to power you through your workouts. Calories give you the energy to exercise with intensity. It is mostly true that a calorie is a calorie-the difference between eating 1,500 calories of Oreos and eating 1,500 calories of chicken is fairly minimal in terms of actual weight gain. So the most important thing to think about in regards to calories is that leaner bodies need more calories than less lean ones.

Zinczenko, David. Eat Right Every Time Guide. Pg. 61. 
Michaels, Jillian. Making The Cut. Pg. 10, 12.

Stop And Eat

We eat for three main reasons...to provide the energy we consume to stay alive, to build and repair the body, and to enable parts of the body to function efficiently. Energy for INTENSE physical effort comes principally from carbohydrate, which is stored in your liver and in your muscles in the form of glycogen. There are three forms of carbohydrates: natural sugars (fruits and their juices), refined sugars (jam, honey, and soft drinks), and starches (complex carbs and found in foods like potatoes, pasta, and bread.

The other major source of energy is the fat that is stored around the body.  Fat has a higher energy density than carbs, which means that per gram it supplies more fuel: it is estimated that if all the energy stored in the fat reserves of a lean, 150-pound bike rider were there as glycogen, they would weigh about 275 pounds. Most people have enough fat in their bodies to fuel many hours of activity, which means there is no need to eat fat in any great quantity, particularly as any excess carbohydrate or protein is converted to fat and stored for future use.

Proteins play the major role in building up and repairing the body: they are found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, in vegetables such as beans, lentils and peas, and also in carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes and bread. In extreme situations, protein is also burned to produce energy.

Vitamins and minerals enable the body's processes to function normally. For example, Vitamin A is important for maintaining healthy skin, helping fight infection and maintaining good eyesight--One source of this vitamin is carrots. Fruits, vegetables, fish, dairy products, meat and eggs are all important sources of various vitamins.

The final element is fluid. The body can function for some time without solid food by running off  stored energy and protein, but without water, a vital part of  all bodily processes, death soon results. A drop in your body water, through sweating, of just two percent will reduce your performance, five percent will cause fatigue and ten percent could be fatal.

Your intake of energy providers is vital if you are not to run out of the "fuel" stored in the muscles and liver. Body repair materials are equally important if you are to rebuild the muscle fibers you break down as you train, and if you are to construct stronger ones, which is the whole point of training.

Fotheringham, W. Cycle Racing. Pg. 52.

Answers You Can Use To Achieve Success

Anything worth having is worth working for

Q: Why is it important to eat more frequently throughout your day (every 2-3 hours/5-6 meals)?
A: You will metabolize your food (burn your fuel) more efficiently and consequently, have increased energy. Also, by combining these meals with exercise, you will raise your metabolism, stoking your machine (body), burning more calories, and reducing your body fat.

Q: Is cutting out fats from my diet essential for weight loss?
A: You must remember that not all fats are bad. Look to the heart-friendly unsaturated fats found in certain vegetables, nuts, flax seed, and fish. Some studies have shown that unsaturated fats may also promote weight loss and are better for your heart.

Q: How bad is alcohol when trying to lose weight or trying to get in good condition?
A: First of all, alcohol is not good for your waistline...a standard mixed drink contains 100 to 250 calories. And many people will eat more when they drink...alcohol makes you crave the foods you are trying to avoid. Next, the body processes alcohol differently from the way it does other carbs. DON'T FORGET ALCOHOL IS A CARB! Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram in most carbs. Your body treats alcohol as a toxin, so your liver processes alcohol calories before all others in an attempt to clean the toxins from your bloodstream. So as other calories wait on line, your body senses a rise in calories and shuttles many of them into your fat cells! UH-OH, NOT GOOD!

Q: Is bread really that bad for you?
A: Bread is filled with empty carbs that spike your blood sugar, sending your body into fat storage mode and increasing your sensations for hunger. BREAD IS EMPTY, WASTED CALORIES. Most types of bread really pack on the calories. For example, most bagels contain more than 400 calories. Now this doesn't mean to take out breads completely. Try to take out breads/crackers for a 2-3 week period and challenge your body...see how your body responds to the no bread plan!

Head Back To The Nutrition Drawing Board

One of the big questions I often hear is, "Do calories really cause you to gain weight?" Or, "how many calories should I be consuming?" Many studies have shown that if you consume calories and don't burn them for energy, you will store them as fat, which is a true statement. But you must consider the fact that an abundance of insulin is also a factor in fat storage, no matter how many calories you are eating. So the solution would be to keep calories and insulin in a healthy range that will allow you body to burn fat as energy. So for every meal and snack, think low-fat protein first, low-sugar carbohydrates second, high-fiber carbohydrates third, and small amounts of healthy fat to complete it.

Another suggestion on the drawing board, is do not skip on carbohydrates. Its primary function is to serve as a fuel source for the body. Restrictions of carbohydrates can be counterproductive and may not provide you with enough energy. Another interesting function is its role in maintaining immune function, if you are on a low carb diet you may be more susceptible to colds and other infections. Choose the right carbohydrates at the right time...consume high-glycemic carbs called simple sugars during and immediately after workout. Examples of simple sugars are fructose and sucrose. And make sure you are eating unrefined complex carbs for the rest of your day. Examples of these carbs are wheat, brown rice, and other grains.

So in order to perform better, to see your body composition change, and increase your immune function, you must take in the right amount of calories and carbs for you goals and for your individual body makeup. Tomorrow, I will include an example of a nutrition action plan that will help you stay on track and help guide you through the road to healthy eating!