NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

We have a pretty simple philosophy with nutrition. You are what you eat! Think about all the variables that occur in your everyday life. The one thing you have complete control over is what you feed your body to be lean, strong, and vibrant.

NUTRITION:

Approach

There is no one-size fits all solution to eating, there are however guidelines to follow that get you the most out of your training. Learn more about eating for YOUR goals. (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

Event Preparation

NUTRITION:

Strategies for Sports Performance

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two types of inflammatory bowel disease. Both involve an immune reaction against the intestinal tract. And even t... (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

CARBS

Carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of metabolic energy fuel. They are the exclusive fuel source for red blood cells and the primary fuel for nerve cells. Consuming an adequate amount of carbohydrates before intense exercise will prevent the breakdown of muscle, sparing it from the metabolic process of fueling the body .... (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

FATS

Fat is a nutrient that provides the body with 9 calories per gram. Aside from providing energy, it also has some other key functions which include aiding in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins and producing hormones. One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding this nutrient is that eating fat will make you fat. (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

PROTIENS

NUTRITION:

ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals can damage cells and are caused she your body breaks down foods or is exposed to radiation or tobacco smoke. These free radicals are linked to certain diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

CROHN'S DISEASE

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two types of inflammatory bowel disease. Both involve an immune reaction against the intestinal tract. And even though they are different diseases, they act very similarly and a similar nutritional guidelines can help in managing and even alleviating signs and symptoms of the diseases. (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

STRATEGIES FOR

WEIGHT LOSS

There are a million ideas for diets out there, fad diets, food limiting diets, low-carb, high carb, low fat, high fat, and everything in between. Let’s get down to the basics. There are a few things that ... (MORE INFO)

NUTRITION:

Healthy approaches to nutrition

We want to give you the basics of physiology and metabolism. Our metabolism works in a very predictable and specific way. Under periods of low calories and stress, it slows down and stores everything we eat. Under periods of high calorie intake and stress, same thing. We help you find the balance of eating well, eating to lose body fat and not starve yourself into those jeans, and maintain lean muscle mass, our most metabolically active tissue in our bodies. Our plan is to get you on the correct plan, eating the right stuff, and learning healthy sustainable lifestyle changes that will allow you to be lean, healthy, and full of ENERGY!

Be Consistent:

Weight loss happens over time. Consistency is critical to your plan, and making a conscious effort to stick to it is really the challenge of your plan. But we will help you with any obstacles along the way. How to eat heathy at a restaurant, eating consistently throughout your day, having a plan in a crunch. Consistency is your second key to success.

Be Accountable:

We want to provide you with all the tools necessary for success. Our support system will help you be accountable, and just realize that set backs are going to happen. When it does, you have to get back up and get back on track. We are here to help you 100% with all of your health and fitness goals.

Strength Training:

Muscle is very metabolically active. Research shows adding just one pound of muscle to your body burns an average of an extra 50-100 calories per day!! This is a great way to think about your strength training and lean muscle. It is a metabolic booster!! And it makes all other things throughout your day a little easier, and little lighter, and your body will be a lot leaner and stronger in the long run. Lean muscle is a huge key to your success.

All calories are not created equal! The surgeon general advises that we eat from specific food groups throughout the day. We suggest it is much more simple than that. Know your fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, Have your plan, stick to it, hit the gym, and be accountable. We will guarantee your success. Be healthy, be lean, be vibrant!

NUTRITION:

Information About Proteins

Proteins are found in every cell body and perform a myriad of functions. Proteins are made up of sequences of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids which are categorized as essential or non-essential. Essential amino acids (EAA’s) must be acquired from the diet as the body cannot synthesize them, non-essential amino acids can be made within the body. Animal proteins are termed ‘complete proteins’ because they contain all EAA’s while most plant protein sources are deemed as ‘incomplete proteins’ because they are missing some EAA’s. To create a meatless meal containing all EAA’s, you must simply match two foods whose combined EAA’s create a complete amino acid profile, beans and rice for example. If the body does not obtain adequate amounts of EAA’s it will start to break down its own muscle to fuel other vital body function.

There are many sources of protein each having its own set of pro’s and con’s including price, fat content, digestibility, and amino acid profile. The importance of each of these points is weighted differently from person to person. Universally, the quality of different protein types are scored using the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) where a score of 1.0 indicates the protein exceeds EAA needs of the body. This is the most widely accepted method for quantifying protein quality but even within a perfect score of 1.0 there is some variation quality, in part due to digestibility and amount of amino acids. Whey and bovine colostrum (BC) are the two highest quality protein sources however, BC can be quite expensive.

Milk is made up of about 80% casein and 20% whey and is a good source of protein and carbohydrates, providing about 8 g of protein per cup. Milk is a great example of a pre or post workout supplement. Whey is separated from whole milk as a byproduct during the cheese making process. Whey is quickly digested which allows for a rapid release of amino acids into the blood stream, is generally lower in fat than milk, and because the majority of allergens are in the casein portion of milk, whey is tolerated by most lactose intolerant people. Casein protein is also a high quality source but with a slower digestion rate. Faster digestion, frees amino acids more rapidly for protein synthesis. A casein rich meal can be beneficial during times of fasting, such as during sleep, as the amino acids are released slowly, over an extended period of time. All three of these dairy sourced proteins are rated 1.0 on the PDCAAS.

Egg protein is also a 1.0 on the PDCAAS, and is of equal quality as milk, but is somewhat more expensive if purchased as a powdered supplement. Eggs themselves serve as a relatively cheap and easy way to fuel the body with protein pre or post workout.

Soy serves as a great protein option for vegetarians as it has a PDCAAS of 1.0, but lacks the amino acid methionine and is therefore lower quality than the afore mentioned sources. Due to its plant source, soy is a lower fat option than many other protein sources. There is debate concerning the negative effects of soy in men causing some to avoid it for an alternate protein source.

Meats are the most commonly thought of protein source yet only rank from 0.8 to 0.9 on the PDCAAS. A couple of the draw backs to meat sources are the higher levels of fat and inferior digestibility. This is not to say that meat is not a good source of protein, it just should not be the only source of protein in an athlete’s diet.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is:

1.0g/kg body weight/day for children 11 to 14

0.8 to 0.9 g/kg body weight/day for adolescence 15 to 18

0.8 g/ kg body weight/ day and 0.8 g/ kg body weight/ day adults

0.8 to 1.0 g/kg body weight/day adults in general fitness programs

1.5 to 2.0 g/kg body weight/day for strength athletes

NUTRITION:

Information About Carbohydrates

The different types of carbs play different roles in the context of sport and exercise nutrition. Monosaccharides (single-molecule unit) and disaccharides (double-molecule unit) are commonly referred to as sugars, while larger chains of monosaccharide molecules (polysaccharides) are known as complex carbohydrates or starch, fiber, and glycogen. The three monosaccharides are glucose, galactose and fructose which then pair up to make up the disaccharides, maltose, sucrose, and lactose.

Starch and Fiber are both sourced from plants. Glucose is stored as starch within plants and fiber is the remaining non-starch polysaccharides. Our bodies store carbohydrates (glucose) as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscle.

Having muscles fully stocked with glycogen is important for exercise and sport performance as the body relies on it to fuel muscles. While a low-carb diet is also typically lower in calories resulting in weight loss, it is not a diet conducive to anything but low intensity exercise. The body’s liver and muscle glycogen stores are rapidly depleted once a low-carb diet is started. When muscle glycogen stores are depleted the athlete experiences fatigue and will be forced to stop or significantly reduce the intensity of exercise, allowing the body time to replenish muscle glycogen. This is particularly important in aerobic endurance athletes as their bodies are under constant stress, with no recovery periods, for extended periods of time. However, that is not to say carbs are not important during anaerobic exercise. During exercise sets consisting of many high-intensity repetitions with short recovery periods, such as sprints, the muscle glycogen stores must provide a constant supply of fuel. During strength training, the consumption of carbohydrates increases insulin secretion. Insulin acts as an anabolic hormone, promoting muscle growth and preventing muscle breakdown. The recommended daily consumption of carbs varies between these athletes with endurance athletes requiring more and anaerobic athletes fewer but a general rule of thumb for athletes in training is 5 to 7 g of carbs/kg body weight. For perspective, a nonactive adult requires about 5 g carbs/kg body weight.

Eating the proper foods at the proper times will mitigate glycogen depletion by ensuring the athlete begins the activity with their muscles fully stocked with fuel and maintains them throughout the exercising bout. Choose carbohydrates with low glycemic index (GI) scores for meals between work outs for prolonged recovery. Low GI foods provide a low-level of glucose exposure to muscles over an extended amount of time, giving muscle a chance to replenish their glycogen supplies without an unnecessary insulin spike.

Foods with higher GI ratings are also an important player in proper exercise nutrition. High GI carbs are vital in maintaining proper blood glucose levels during prolonged exercise and for the rapid recovery of muscle glycogen stores. These foods can be eaten just before, during, or after, activity for a quick boost.

NUTRITION:

Strategies for Event Prep

Aerobic Endurance

Preparing the muscle for an aerobic endurance event should ideally begin three days before the competition. Trained athletes eating an adequate amount of carbohydrates have enough muscle glycogen stores to sustain 60 to 90 minutes of exercise. However, most athletes do not consume proper amount of carbohydrates on a daily basis and will benefit from carb loading. As mentioned, carb loading begins three days before the event. The athlete simply eats 8 to 10 g carb/kg body weight/day while reducing volume of, or refraining from, training.

A high-carbohydrate meal (200 to 300 g) with some protein in a 5:1 to 4:1 ratio should be consumed 2 to 4 hours before competition. This is especially important if the athlete has fasted overnight (sleeping) and may require an early wake up time to ensure proper nutrient intake prior to the event. If this pre-exercise meal is in the morning it can be difficult to decide if the extra hour of sleep or proper food intake is more important. You must be careful not to eat too much, too close to exercise, or abdominal discomfort can occur. Experimentation in the timing of pre-exercise meals may have to be done for each athlete to determine optimal feeding time as it can vary between individuals. IF a proper meal cannot be eaten far enough in advance, the athlete must consume carbohydrate rich foods or drink throughout the event to maintain optimal intensity.

During endurance exercise, athletes should ingest carbohydrate supplements in small, frequent feeding versus a large amount one time. Supplements containing more than one type of carbohydrate (glucose, sucrose, fructose) maximize the body’s ability to break them down and deliver the nutrients to the muscle. Many studies have also shown combination carbohydrate and protein supplements with a 4:1 ratio are even more beneficial than carbohydrates alone by reducing muscle damage.

Recovery meal should be consumed within 30 minutes after exercise. This meal should contain 1.5 g carb/kg body weight. While carbohydrates are the most important factor in the recovery from endurance exercise, the addition of protein and fat to the post workout meal has added benefits, promoting greater glycogen and protein synthesis

Recommended carbohydrate consumption: Aerobic endurance athletes

55%-65% of total caloric intake from carbohydrates

5-7g carb/kg body weight/day for athlete in training

8-10g carb/kg body weight/day for extreme training regimes

Recommened protein consumption: Aerobic endurance athletes

1.2-1.4 g/ kg body weight/ day

Daily (8-10 g carb/kg body weight/day)

Complex carbs (low to moderate GI)

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

beans, milk, yogurt, apples, fish sticks, lentils, peanuts, grapefruit, cherries, dried apricots and low fat yogurt, whole grain bread, oatmeal (not instant), sweet potatoes, bran cereal, wheat pasta, grapes, fresh apricots, peas, oranges, yams.

2-4 hours before event (4g carb/kg body weight)

Low to moderate GI carbs with some protein and fat

Oats (not instant or minute oats) with apples or raisins and nuts

Whole grain bread (made w/ whole grain flour or cracked wheat kernels) with peanut butter and/or jelly

Low GI Cereal (ex: Original Special K, All Bran) with skim milk and fruit

Sport drink – electrolytes, 6-8% carbohydrate concentration and more than one kind of sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose) is ideal, may also contain protein in a 4:1 carb to protein ratio

Avoid fructose as primary carb before and during exercise, to avoid gastrointestinal distress

30-60 min before event (1.2-1.5 g carb/kg body weight)

Sport drink/supplement – electrolytes, 6-8% carbohydrate concentration and more than one kind of sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose) is ideal, may also contain protein in a 4:1 carb to protein ratio

High GI, easily digested foods – white breads, bagel, jelly, rice, potatoes, packaged pre sport bars, corn flakes

Avoid high fiber foods to prevent gastrointestinal upset

During exercise (if longer than 60min)

1 – 2 cups every 15-20 minutes

Sport drink/supplement – electrolytes, 6-8% carbohydrate concentration and more than one kind of sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose) is ideal, may also contain protein in a 4:1 carb to protein ratio

Post exercise (1.5g carb/kg body weight with some protein and fat within 30 minutes)

Sport drink/supplement – electrolytes, 6-8% carbohydrate concentration and more than one kind of sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose) is ideal, may also contain protein in a 4:1 carb to protein ratio

High GI foods - white breads, bagel, jelly rice, potatoes, cereal, pasta, packaged pre sport bars, carrots, corn flakes

Fruits, Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Hardboiled egg, Whey protein supplement

Strength Training

With all exercise you must establish and maintain a positive nitrogen balance to increase muscle mass, that is, you must take in more protein than is broken down. This is especially true in resistance training where muscle is consistently damaged and rebuild to increase strength and size. Muscle glycogen stores are also reduced during resistance training thus carbohydrates are needed to increase stamina and facilitate recovery. Because resistance training is not an endurance activity, carb loading is not necessary, just a pre workout meal containing sufficient amounts of carbohydrates.

The benefits of a protein and carbohydrate meal occur regardless of when you eat it, the greatest returns occur if eaten 30 to 45 minutes before exercise. The benefits of these nutrients on performance, strength, and body composition, diminish as the time between ingestion and exercise increases. Ideally, athletes should consume a pre and post workout meal, both within 30 to 45 minutes of exercise, both containing protein and carbohydrates. Current guidelines are to ingest 1.2 to 1.5 g carbs/ kg body weight with 0.3 to 0.5 g / kg body weight of whole protein or essential amino acid supplements.

Recommended nutrient intake: Strength Training

Daily

5-8 g carb/ kg body weight and 1.2-1.5 g protein/ kg body weight

Complex carbs (low GI), lean proteins, beans, milk, yogurt, apples, fish sticks, lentils, peanuts, grapefruit, cherries, dried apricots and low fat yogurt, whole grain bread, oatmeal (not instant), sweet potatoes, bran cereal, wheat pasta, grapes, fresh apricots, peas, oranges, yams.

Chicken, beef, skim or low fat milk, eggs

30-45 Min Before Exercise

0.3 to 0.5 g / kg body weight whole protein (ex.whey) and 1.2 to 1.5 g carbohydrate/ kg body weight combination, an essential amino acid supplement can be used instead of or in addition to the whole protein

Milk, chocolate milk, hardboiled egg, peanut butter and jelly on wheat, protein supplement and fruit smoothie, cottage cheese and fruit, jerky

During exercise (if longer than 60min)

Sport drink/supplement - 6-8% carbohydrate concentration and more than one kind of sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose) is ideal, supplements containing protein in a 4:1 carb to protein ratio may have added benefits

Post exercise (within 30 minutes)

Milk, chocolate milk, sport drink, bagels, fruit, whey protein

Northwest Fitness

217 S Broadway, Coos Bay Oregon 97420