THE LATEST “BREAKTHROUGH” WEIGHT LOSS RESEARCH

THE LATEST “BREAKTHROUGH” WEIGHT LOSS RESEARCH – one of the “pearls” of recent nutritional “science”

HOW THE MEDIA AND STUPID SCIENCE PLAYS WITH YOUR MIND

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

The Daily Mail newspaper in England recently published (online version, June 26^th, 2012) the conclusions of a study done at Tel Aviv University which bluntly states that eating dessert for breakfast helps you lose weight. The study, for obvious reasons, made for the BIG NEWS. But before you jump into eating doughnuts and cake for breakfast again, maybe you should at least try to dissect it a little bit further and see if the facts really hold up.

The article starts with: “Good news for dieters – having a sweet treat for breakfast can actually help you lose pounds and keep them off longer” – PERFECT advice! Have some processed sugar, Stupid!

It goes on to say: “Although both diets (there were 2 groups) had the same amount of calories (….) - one included a large breakfast with a sweet treat such as a doughnut, while the other allowed  for a larger meal later in the day”. What an ingenious statement that a bigger meal in the morning makes you fuller and more satisfied for the rest of the day, while being hungry all day and eating most of your calories at night keeps you fat. Did they really need to waste money on research to figure this out? Really???

The author of the study states that “The goal of a weight loss diet should be not only weight reduction, but also reduction of hunger and cravings, thus helping prevent weight gain”. Yes, indeed, that’s a smart statement, but how on earth did they draw the conclusion that you can (or should even attempt to) reduce hunger and cravings with extra sugar is beyond me.

In my holistic nutrition coaching practice I always suggest clients eat at least 25% (if not more) of their daily caloric intake for breakfast. The reason is simple and logical: your body needs most of the calories during the day to maintain a certain level of energy, not at night when it rests. No surprise here. So, if you starve it for the first part of the day, it will slow down its metabolic rate to conserve calories. This will result in fewer calories burnt overall and more calories stored. No surprise here either.

Unless you have been on a ketogenic diet for quite some time (meaning you have been eating mostly protein and fat, with minimal amount of carbohydrates, and your body has had a chance to switch to using body fat as fuel almost exclusively), you will still need some carbohydrates. Depending on your Metabolic Type you will need a lot, a little, or somewhere in between, but you will need them nonetheless for your body and brain to function properly. In the study, the subjects in the group that regained the weight were given not only 50% fewer calories, but of those calories only 13% were from carbohydrates – way too little even for Protein Types. The group that lost more weight was given double the amount of calories, more calories coming from carbohydrates (40%), AND a higher total amount of protein. (By the way, even in that group the ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and calculated 30% fat still kept that group in a moderate carbohydrate/high protein classification – a perfect Zone Diet.)

Why is it then a wonder that the results came out the way they did? One has to be completely blind to not be able to figure out why the higher carbohydrate diet worked better. So, simply speaking, the bigger meal satisfied the body’s energy needs better, by providing more satiating protein, more energy producing carbohydrates, and a sufficient amount of fat to keep the participants’ blood sugar under control. In addition, higher amounts of protein and carbohydrates created a higher level of thermogenesis (amount of heat produced and calories burnt in the process of digestion, assimilation, etc.) since they take more energy to break down and digest than a low-calorie breakfast, whose 52% of calories came from fat, a nutrient with a minimal thermogenic effect.

At this point, I start to wonder why anyone would even undertake a study whose outcome is not only obvious, but at best unhealthy, and dangerous at worst. And who could possibly pay for a stupid science like this? The sugar industry? I would be curious to check the sources that funded it, and I probably wouldn’t be very surprised with my findings.

Another important point, if you haven’t figured it out already, is the fact that the same effects could have been achieved by substituting some high quality, high fiber carbohydrates: vegetables, fruit, whole grains like old-fashioned slow cooking oatmeal, dairy (whose big % of calories come from carbohydrates, e.g. yogurt, etc.), and even small amounts of healthier sweeteners like organic raw honey or unprocessed maple syrup for the "dessert treat". I bet the researchers knew the outcome would have been exactly the same, or better, but the study wouldn’t have made big news.

What bothers me most, is that this is exactly what companies that fund dubious studies like this one count on – masses of readers or listeners, who have absolutely no idea how to evaluate scientific research, and who take whatever is fed to them by the media (and sponsored by the food and drug industries) at face value. If it’s research from some university, it must be valid.

With the overwhelming obesity epidemic in the US and (thanks to commercial CRAP food production driven exclusively by money) spreading quickly to other countries, the last thing we need is scientists telling us to eat more sugar in order to lose weight.

Funny though, the researcher’s conclusions are correct, for the most part:

1. Timing of the meal is indeed an important factor in weight loss success (here having a bigger meal in the am),

2. Diets higher in protein reduce hunger by giving the feeling of satiety,

3. Carbohydrates make people feel full.

But here’s the conclusion I have a real problem with: “dessert kept sweet and fat cravings under control”. Any half-reliable nutrition source will tell you that dessert (or any sugar for that matter) does anything BUT that. As a matter of fact, in most cases, it does the exact opposite: spikes your blood sugar causing your body to release massive amounts of insulin, then making the blood sugar plummet and increasing the cravings for sugar even more.

One thing that researches did not mention is just exactly how many carbohydrate and fat calories in the whole meal came from dessert, were they only from dessert, or were they just a small addition to other, better carbohydrate options – an important factor in the whole equation that should not have been omitted.

By the way, the only reason why sugar might satisfy sweet and fat cravings (though in case of just sugar it is only a short-lasting effect) is when your diet is seriously out of balance, you have nutritional deficiencies, candida or parasites, or you have been working out long or hard without replenishing your glycogen stores by consuming adequate amounts of carbohydrates afterwards. A comment here on sweet breakfast: many people (including yours truly) do not feel like eating meat and vegetables in the morning and would rather have something “sweet”. But that’s when natural foods like fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, wholegrain minimally processed breads, nut butters, honey and low-sugar 100% fruit spreads come in, if that’s what you crave. Dessert, in a true sense of the word, should hardly be a main option for breakfast as part of a healthy diet.

So what conclusion will most readers draw from reading the headlines (which is the only thing a majority of people read these days anyway)? That not only is it OK, but downright advisable, to have sweets for breakfast, because it will help them with their battle of the bulge. And, of course, they will be dead wrong and most will find themselves in even deeper trouble following such an insane advice.

The science and resulting lengthy advice on what to eat for breakfast is beyond the scope of this article (and it will differ from person to person), but one thing is for sure: DON’T TAKE WHAT YOU READ IN THE MEDIA AS GOOD ADVICE, EVEN IF IT CLAIMS TO BE A SCIENTIFIC STUDY (AND ESPECIALLY IF IT DEFIES COMMON SENSE), AND LOOK FOR MORE RELIABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION WHEN YOUR HEALTH IS AT STAKE. This, however, is a whole other endeavor, and a whole other story, since most sources you have been told are trustworthy unfortunately are not.

When it comes to your own health, do the research, and take your own responsibility. The results are worth it.


Here’s the link to the original article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2164976/Dessert-breakfast-HELPS-diet-beating-cravings.html

Los Angeles Personal Trainer Lists 33 Cures To Your Health Woes Found in the Kitchen -

If you are thinking about making a resolution to seek better health in 2012, and you are thinking of hiring a personal trainer to help direct you, be sure that the personal trainer you select is qualified to help you with all aspects of fitness, including the nutritional component.  Below are some guidelines that will help you make certain that your diet is helping, not hurting, your healthy living goals.

THE CURE IS IN THE KITCHEN

“LET NOTHING WHICH CAN BE TREATED BY DIET BE TREATED BY ANY OTHER MEANS”

                                                                   (Maimonides)

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter CPT, LWMC, HLC                                                          

We often forget that clean water and healthy food are not only the foundation of health but have more power than medicines to keep us healthy. But the quality of what we put into our bodies is also of prime importance. If you build a healthy foundation with simple things like nutrition and exercise, your body will thrive.

HEALTHY NUTRITION TIPS:

 1. The most important yet cheapest thing you can do for your body every day is drink good quality pure water, ideally with a ph of at least 7.0.

For the rest of the list of Healthy Nutritional Tips, go to this blog post.

WEIGHT LOSS - SMOOTH SAILING OR AN OBSTACLE COURSE - PART 2

Physical Reasons

(Continued from May 3^rd, 2011 post)

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WHY YOU ARE NOT LOSING WEIGHT AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

I have promised a while back to spend some time explaining how to get around the weight loss hurdles, and how to address specific reasons why you might not be losing weight. Some of you have been asking for more specific pointers and ideas for quite some time so I will devote the next few posts to this very subject. In this post I am going to start with the explanation of the most basic reasons for failure which, so often, is the source of frustrations for many.

PHYSICAL

1. You exercise too little

This is a very obvious one, yet so many people still can’t grasp the fact that it is NOT enough to follow the minimum daily guidelines for exercise, which is 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity activity, 5 days a week. Yes, if you have been sedentary for years and are totally out of shape, it’s a good start, but this amount is not enough, by itself, to start losing serious amounts of weight. I am going to be very cautious here and refrain from giving specific amount of exercise time recommendations, since all of you are different, eat a different diet, have different metabolism, daily activity level and lifestyle, as well as different conditions that might preclude you from intense or prolonged exercise. Your diet is still at least 80% of your weight loss success, but this does not mean exercise is not important. It is, and very much so. Keep in mind, however, that in order to lose 1 pound of body fat you will need to have a deficit of 3500 calories. An average person weighing 150 lbs burns about 150-200 or so calories during a 30-minute brisk walk (and I mean brisk! – at the speed of about 4 mph). Let’s call it a power walk to distinguish it from a leisurely stroll. If you walk 5 days a week, you will burn +/- 750-1000 calories. That’s not even 1/3 of a pound. The rest has to come from somewhere else. You will still have to cut back an additional 2500-2750. I will talk about the nutritional factors in the following posts devoted specifically to that subject, but in general, cutting your calories too low is not good either, because you will constantly be fatigued and grumpy.  Depending on your initial weight, the best solution is to cut between 250-500 calories from your diet daily (this number will depend on your overall calorie allowance for the day), and make up the rest of the difference in slightly longer, or more intense, workouts. Your weight training sessions should generally not be longer than 1 hour (plus a short warm-up and stretch), and your cardio sessions between 20 and 60 minutes; 20 for those who are total beginners, or those advanced ones who can really push at high intensity; and 60 for those who need to burn some serious calories but are not yet capable of working out doing high intensity interval training. I am generally not a big proponent of endless cardio sessions, (unless you’re an endurance athlete, of course) as they are catabolic in nature, make you lose muscle and, as a result, slow down the weight loss. They also very often lead to overtraining. My advice would be to limit your cardio to no more than 40-45 minutes, but put forward your best effort and really kick up the intensity. Also, do more lean- muscle-building weight training that will shape your body better than any cardio.

2. You exercise too much

This is as bad as doing too little and still quite common. I am not contradicting what I just said in the previous point, but more is NOT always better. Burning fat is very energy consuming for your body and you simply cannot fatigue it to the point where it has none left. Your body will outsmart you any time and will stop losing weight to protect itself from more abuse. You will also most likely find yourself looking puffy and retaining water, since it can’t keep up with clearing all the metabolic waste products out of the system. Use your common sense, listen to your body and let it rest if you feel exhausted. You will have more energy for your next workout and you can make it harder.

3. Your exercise is inappropriate for your age, fitness level and goals

I encourage all of you to invest in a few sessions with a good personal trainer. He/she will be well worth your time and money. Nothing can be more frustrating than wasting your time at the gym and not seeing results. Stop doing things you are not sure of or have no idea about. Your exercise program has to have arms and legs, be appropriate for you at the level you are currently at, be consistent with your goals and be performed according to a well designed plan that will progress you in the right way. Otherwise, not only will you not see much in terms of results, but you will be going in circles, and will eventually give up.

4. Your exercise intensity is too low or too high

Results oriented exercise is actually a science. Many people forget about it completely and think that anything will do. If you’re serious about results, ask someone who is trained in this area to figure out what intensity you should be working out at. This applies as much to cardio as strength training. If the intensity is too low, you are not going to challenge your heart or your muscles enough to get much benefit; if it’s too high, the chances are you will overtrain very fast, and might get injured in the process, which will only delay any possible progress.

5. Your exercise program lacks the proper balance of cardiovascular exercise and strength training

With all the knowledge out there on the importance of both, some people still often choose one over the other. From my observations, it’s usually the cardio lovers that tend to shun strength training and not so much the other way around. Keep in mind that both types of training affect the amount of calories burnt, and have the ability to increase your metabolic rate for quite a few hours afterwards. How much, depends on the intensity of the training itself. Cardiovascular workouts can burn quite a few calories during the session, while weight training builds muscle, and this in turn increases the metabolism overall, since muscle is a more metabolically active tissue than fat. The elevations in metabolism don’t seem very impressive in numbers, but add up considerably over time, so don’t ignore them. As a general rule, however, the more intense the workouts, both cardiovascular and strength training, the more additional calories your body will burn afterwards.

6. You are overdoing cardio

If you want to have a low percentage of body fat and look really lean, stop overdoing cardio. Your body gets very efficient at doing something you subject it to for such long stretches of time and will burn fewer and fewer calories the more you beat it up. Just look at so many “skinny fat” aerobics instructors who, though not heavy in a true sense, have a pretty high body fat. The same goes for long distance runners. Though lean due to pure amount of training, they look like famished skeletons with no muscle at all. Long aerobic workouts almost always guarantee that you will be burning precious muscle tissue, which is the last thing you want if you’re trying to lose weight. Also, it is almost a given that if you can do something for very long, you are not working out intensely enough.

7. Your exercise program is poorly designed or lacks any specific design to begin with

So you have read a few magazines and try to follow a routine described in the latest Men’s Health or Shape. Though some, or even all, exercises may be good, they may not always be the best for YOU. They don’t take all your particular circumstances into consideration and are almost never designed as part of a smart program, based on YOUR needs and goals. Or maybe you have designed your own routine, based on what you have observed in the gym – an even worse approach. Just because someone has a body you would like to have, does not mean you should follow everything they do. Their genetics are different, they may not have muscular conditions or imbalances that maybe you have, and you don’t know what else they do, or what they eat, to achieve the body you’re admiring. Exercise program design is a science and an art. Don’t just guess, or you’ll get nowhere.

8. Your form is incorrect on pretty much everything because you never learned how to perform the exercises appropriately. You think it’s OK because you’ve watched others do it

There is no substitution for working with a qualified trainer, at least for a few sessions. It is very hard to get the right feedback on whether you are actually performing the exercises correctly, especially if you have never done them before. It may seem to you that you are doing things exactly as they should be done, but only a qualified professional can spot where you’re lacking in form.  Invest in a few sessions and learn proper form. Otherwise, you are not going to achieve the results you are looking for.

9. You have no idea about proper intensity, load, sets, reps, tempo, rest periods between sets, etc. and how they affect your workout outcome

As I said in point 7, program design is a science. It takes years to study the human body and how it responds to various ways of training. Do you really know what intensity in a weight training session is? It is a degree of one’s applied strength relative to their current level of maximum strength. Probably not what you thought it was. How about load, tempo or rest periods? Do you know that when you change the rest periods just slightly, your whole program has just changed and you might be getting completely different results than you actually intended? If you plan on working out on your own and not wasting your time, make sure you learn about all the factors that affect your workout BEFORE you hit the weights.

10. You simply don’t have the knowledge when it comes to exercise and workouts

This is a very common problem, yet I see people in gyms all the time that insist on using weights and machines having absolutely no clue how to do so correctly. Please, please spend a few bucks and learn first. It will not only prevent an injury but is the ONLY way for you to get some benefits out of your workout.

11. You lift weights that are way too light to make any significant difference in gaining lean body mass and losing fat

This applies mostly to women, but not entirely so. In order to achieve strength gains, increase muscle size or just shape and tone your muscles, you need to challenge them enough so that they could respond by adapting to the new level of effort and thus changing the way you would like them to. This can only be done with a proper overload. If the weights you’re lifting don’t provide much of a challenge, you are wasting your time. For those women who are afraid of bulking up, I have a few words of assurance: we don’t have enough testosterone to build giant muscles that easily and you would have to lift very heavy weights in order to do so. If, however, you have a sizeable fat layer on your muscles, and you gain even a little bit of lean body mass, without losing any fat, it may look like you’re getting big. Extra muscle is a good thing, but you also have to look at your diet, incorporate cardiovascular exercise and stretch, in order to lose the fat and look really lean.

12. You don’t get enough recovery

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they get too eager to lose weight fast is forgetting that their bodies are not ever-ready batteries. Your muscles, and your cardiovascular system, need a sufficient amount of time to recover. Your muscles grow and change during that time, NOT when you put them through hundreds of contractions under heavy resistance. Remember to allow yourself enough rest days. It’s different for everyone. Some people can work out 5-6 days straight, and then take a day off; others might do 2 very intense sessions and have to rest on the 3^rd day. All depends on your fitness level and your body’s ability to recover. There is no golden rule here.

Stay tuned for Part 3 – the Nutritional Reasons for not losing weight – coming soon.

AM I NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT AFTER 6 PM?

FROM THE SERIES “ASK THE TRAINER”

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

Where did this come from? Well, there is some truth to it, but not in such an exact sense. Eating large meals at night is not healthy and not good if you are trying to lose weight. However, if you go to sleep at 11 pm or later (which is not healthy in itself!) eating at 6 would be very counterproductive not only to the way you’d be feeling, but also to the very quality of your sleep. Let’s say you go to sleep at 11.30 pm, as many people do. From 6 to 11.30, that’s 5 ½ hours. That’s way too long for your body with no food. If for some reason you truly need to, or want to, have dinner at 6 pm, because you have little kids, for example, and would like to have dinner with them, make sure to have a small snack later on – not a big one, but something balanced, with some protein, carbohydrate and fat. This way your blood sugar will remain steady during the night and you will have a much more restful night. And here’s the reason: when your blood sugar drops drastically during the night, your adrenals have to release cortisol, because this stress hormone has the ability to bring the blood sugar back up to normal levels. Unfortunately, this is not only very stressful to your adrenal glands, but cortisol is a “wake-up” hormone. In a healthy body, it is produced in large quantities in the early morning hours, to prepare you to wake up and get going. But when you have a sudden surge of this hormone in the middle of the night, it will wake you up unnecessarily, leaving you wound up and exhausted.

As far as eating in the evening is concerned…..a lot of people make the mistake of eating their largest meal at night and then being surprised that they have trouble losing weight.

The clue to successful weight loss is dividing your calories in a smart way throughout the day and eating MORE of your calories in the first part of the day, when your body needs them the most to support all your daily activities.  Breakfast and lunch should be fairly substantial, while dinner moderate. If you really don’t have much appetite for breakfast, have something small and then add a good size mid-morning snack, but never skip it. Research shows that people who skip breakfast have metabolism that is slower by about 10%-15%. That’s a lot, and over time it’s bound to show as unwanted, extra fat.

CAN I JUST HAVE 3 SHAKES A DAY TO LOSE WEIGHT?

FROM THE SERIES “ASK THE TRAINER”

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

It may work for a week or so, but you will eventually be tired and grumpy, and most likely hungry. Any liquid food gets absorbed very quickly. The body doesn’t have to work breaking it down, digesting, etc. The digestion process actually requires energy.  Absorbing shakes – very little. This causes you to not be satisfied or feel full, and people get off these kinds of diets very quickly. It is also very difficult to get all the important nutrients, minerals and vitamins in a few shakes, so you’re running a danger of being nutrient deficient. If you need to lose weight really fast for some important event AND are able to find a nutritionally balanced shake:  one that has enough good quality protein to spare your muscles, some good fat and carbohydrates to keep your energy levels up, as well as vitamins and minerals, go for it, BUT……only for a very short time. Depending on what’s in the shake already, you might want to take a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement. Shakes, however, will never be able to compete with fresh, whole foods. And they will never be really satisfying. And that’s always a clue to being able to stick to any diet or food regimen – if you get bored with it, you are going to quit.

The exceptions here would be your post-workout recovery shakes, which are designed to enter the blood stream very fast to stimulate protein synthesis and glycogen storage in the muscles, as well as shakes used by people trying to gain big amounts of muscle. In these cases, they do come in very handy in addition to solid food, as it becomes very difficult to eat enough calories to support intense workouts and muscle growth. (Think Hillary Swank in “Million Dollar Baby”.) But these would be in addition to, and not instead of, meals.

CAN YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT TO EAT?

FROM THE SERIES “ASK THE TRAINER”

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

Well, not exactly. And yes, it is possible, but I like to teach my clients about their bodies and encourage them to experiment with themselves and observe how they are feeling on a daily basis. If I were to just give clients a menu to stick to, it might be OK for a short period of time but it will make them slaves to a particular plan. I like to know that my clients are educated enough about food that they can make good healthy choices no matter where they are and what situation they find themselves in. Giving menus can be very helpful when trying to bring someone’s weight down quickly in a very serious way – let’s say for a bodybuilding competition, but those guys usually already know what they are doing (which is not to say it’s always healthy!). It also sometimes helps for a short period of time, when a client needs to understand what a certain amount of food will look and feel like, or more specifically – what appropriate portion sizes are and how can they actually be sufficient. But in general, I am very against telling people what to eat, because it takes the power of their own choice and responsibility away from them and that usually backfires long-term, when there is nobody to hold their hand and be accountable to. Your health is your own responsibility and I like to teach my clients this simple truth from the very beginning of our relationship.

WHY AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT?

FROM THE SERIES “ASK THE TRAINER”

By Monika Tarkowska-carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

How well are you eating? Are you cheating? How many cheat days/meals do you honestly have?

How many times a week do you work out? What kind of workouts are they? Only cardio? Weights? Maybe some intervals?

What’s your activity level outside of the gym – do you sit in the office and car all day or are your daily activities forcing you to be up on your feet for many hours a day?

Are you on medications? Are you under stress? Are you sleeping enough? Do you have heavy metal toxicity? Maybe you eat a lot of fish and seafood, which is full of toxic mercury these days or live in a polluted area, or eat foods loaded with chemicals?

Are there some emotional, unresolved issues in your life that could be contributing to so-called "stuck energy"? All of these factors will play a role to a degree and determine how well and how fast your body will respond to weight loss, fat loss and/or lean body mass gain. If your body is stressed for any reason it will fight off the effort you’re trying to put it through, simply because fat burning is a very energy consuming process and the body has to prioritize what’s more important for your health.

Under ideal circumstances (excellent diet and intense, consistent workouts) it usually takes your body about 2 weeks to start responding to improved nutrition in a meaningful way, and about 6 weeks to see visible results in your body shape and muscle tone. Remember, however, that these are just averages. An obese person will not likely “see” results so quickly, while a fairly lean and fit person might be able to look a lot leaner in a matter of 2-3 weeks. Your starting point, as well as level of commitment will determine the results.

If you are interested in all the different reasons why you might be having a hard time losing weight, please visit my earlier blog: "Weight Loss - Smooth Sailing or an Obstacle Course".

ARE CARBOHYDRATES REALLY BAD?

FROM THE SERIES “ASK THE TRAINER”

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

My answer is: it depends, AND depends for whom, as well as what kinds of carbs.

First and foremost let’s clarify what a carbohydrate is, because for some people it is still not so clear. We all know that pasta is a carbohydrate. So are rice and potatoes. So is bread. But where do fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy and various drinks fall in? Well, they are all carbohydrates, in a sense.  We can divide them into almost pure carbohydrates, like grains, and, what I call, mixed carbohydrates like dairy. The reason why I call them mixed is that, in most cases, they are a source of both carbohydrates and protein, and sometimes also fat. We can also divide them into complex carbohydrates which are called starches and simple carbohydrates like fruits. All carbohydrates get broken down in our digestive system into simple sugars, but it is the speed of breakdown as well as the insulin response they generate that differentiates them.

Vegetables are definitely a great carb and most people should be eating more than they currently are.

They are full of vitamins, minerals, protective antioxidants and fiber. The only time you may want to rethink your veggies is if you are either allergic to anything or if it’s hard on your digestive system. Some may argue that since humans are not ruminants, we process raw vegetables, especially those like lettuce, chard, spinach, etc. differently, and are not really well equipped, so to speak, to digest them. My own advice is: see how they make you, and especially your digestive system, feel.  Are you bloated? Do you have a lot of gas and discomfort after eating them? Listen to your body. You may be one of those for whom lightly cooked vegetables are better.

Fruit – generally on my good list, as long as it’s ripe, ideally in season and organic, you are not allergic to it OR, and this is important, you are not insulin resistant or diabetic.

Unfortunately, many people walk around overweight and with insulin resistance, not knowing about it. If you are overweight and have trouble losing weight no matter what you do, insulin resistance may be one of the culprits. If you do indeed have it, it means that your body cannot handle sugar very well and watching your sugar intake in any form, including fruit, is necessary. Also, if you are trying to lose weight or drop body fat, you will need to limit your fruit intake, for the same reason, to 2-3 servings of fruit per day. Remember, that 1 serving is a medium piece of fruit or ½ cup of cut up fruit.

Legumes are a great source of carbohydrates and protein, as well as antioxidants and fiber.

Because of that, not much is needed to make one feel full. That’s one of their great benefits. But….protein makes only a small % of total calories. Most of them (about 70% depending on the type of bean) come from carbohydrates. So, if you’re carbohydrate sensitive or are watching your diet, you should be mindful of the portions or, in some cases, skip them altogether.

Grains – that’s a whole subject depending on which camp you are in: carb camp or no/low carb camp.

There are valid arguments for both. Most people are OK eating small amounts of grains (unless you have a clear allergy or sensitivity to gluten, of course). It’s when the portions become big, or huge, that we get into trouble. A lot of people don’t even know what a small portion would be, and that’s a real problem. Another issue is the form in which grains come in: are they whole grains as they would appear in nature, or completely processed, denatured and with all their nutrients sucked out of them? Even if they are fortified, it’s all synthetic vitamins and minerals, and natural are always better for the body. Remember that no matter how healthy, bread, pasta, white rice, pancakes, pretzels, tortillas, etc., are all processed products and they will enter your blood stream much faster than whole grains they came from, often times causing fluctuations in blood sugar, which, in turn, result in insulin spikes and resultant fat storage in your adipose tissue.

Unfortunately, gluten intolerance and gluten, and especially wheat, sensitivity is becoming more and more widespread. One of the reasons could just be the fact that more attention is being paid to this phenomenon; another that we are eating more grains than ever, and a different one yet, that we are buying genetically modified foods, which alter our digestive system. GMOs are being downplayed by the food industry as safe but the results speak for themselves.  If you are one of those people who struggle after eating grains or you have insulin resistance or diabetes, or you are simply a protein metabolic type, then you should certainly stay away from them, and make sure you get the nutrients you will now be missing from other sources.

Diary – another food that clients often have trouble classifying: protein, fat or carbohydrate?

Well, actually it is all three. High fat cheeses have almost no carbohydrates, but very high fat and a decent amount of protein. Yogurt, can be full fat, low fat or nonfat but is usually mostly carbohydrates (about 2/3) with a much smaller percentage of protein (about 1/3 in a nonfat variety). The exception is Greek yogurt which is very high in protein and has a much smaller percentage of carbohydrates. And fruit sweetened and flavored yogurts are another chapter altogether. Many of them contain up to 7 tsp of sugar, some natural from lactose and the rest from various sweeteners.

And finally drinks. What are they?

I have heard from some clients that they are just that – drinks. The answer is: most of them, with the exception of alcohol, are carbohydrates. Milk and drinking chocolate (and a few others) would be an exception here, being protein, fat and carbohydrates in one. Soda drinks and energy drinks are pure carbs. Energy drinks are needed only in low concentrations to replenish electrolytes when your workout exceeds 90 minutes or you’re sweating profusely in hot weather. Most of the time they are needed only by competitive or endurance athletes. These “monsters”, or sugar “bombs” as they should be called, are pure sugar. They are, so called, empty calories – they put calories in, but without any nutritional value. Worse, they actually deplete you of important nutrients in the digestion process. Many sports drinks or large energy drinks available these days on the market can have up to 100 g of sugar, which translates to 25 teaspoons. One of the best ways to replenish your electrolytes, during and after your workout, (if you’re an average person and not a competitive or endurance athlete), is diluting a teaspoon of organic raw honey and 1/8 tsp of good quality sea salt (like Celtic Sea salt) in a quart of water.* Juices, though full of vitamins, (mostly if freshly squeezed and not pasteurized) are deprived of fiber and are basically the source of liquid sugar. Once in a while, it’s OK to have a small portion of freshly squeezed juice. Otherwise, limit their intake and choose fresh fruit instead.

Alcohol is in a class of its own.

Its calorie value is similar to that of fat. It provides 7 calories per gram. The problem with alcohol is that it gets broken down to fatty acids and needs to be detoxified by the liver first, before the body can go on with the fat burning process. It is for that reason, that alcohol should be one of the first foods to eliminate if weight loss is desired.

So, to sum it all up: choose your carbs carefully, try to eat mostly whole carbs, learn what the right portion sizes are and be extra careful with the high glycemic ones if you are struggling with extra weight or have insulin resistance. Be CARB SMART!

THIS?

                                                            Or THIS?

*In research done on comparison of sports drinks to water with a small amount of honey, the latter outperformed every sports drink on the market.

THE POST-WORKOUT MEAL DILEMMA

DO YOU REALLY NEED A PROTEIN SHAKE?

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

You eat well. You exercise regularly. You are trying to lose weight, get leaner or gain some muscle. Actually, you have just finished a grueling workout at the gym and you’re starving, but by the time you drive home, take a shower and prepare something to eat, at least another hour is going to go by. You think that since your goal is body fat loss, you shouldn’t eat too much, especially since you have just worked so hard to burn off all these unwanted calories. So you just wait until your next meal, right? WRONG!

So many exercisers are faced with this dilemma: should I eat something right after the workout? Should I have regular food or a shake? If yes, what kind of shake? When exactly should I have it? The supplement industry has been trying to sell us all sorts of various formulas for muscle growth, fat loss, weight loss, etc. for years. Is it just the money or are these potions actually backed up by solid scientific research?

I have been intrigued by this same question for years. I attended many lectures on the subject at various conferences, read pages and pages of research by scientists in the field as well as dieticians, talked to body builders and regular exercisers alike, and of course, most importantly, experimented on myself over the years. I have eventually come to my own conclusions and so here’s my take on a post-workout meal.

First and foremost, you have to ask yourself the question: what is the purpose of a post-workout meal?

It is to provide the best internal environment for fast and effective recovery, which involves:

1. Protein synthesis for tissue repair and muscle growth,

2. Delivering glucose to the muscles to replenish used glycogen,

3. Decreasing the levels of stress hormone cortisol, released during a strenuous workout,

4. Minimizing the suppression of the immune system – a common result of intense exercise,

5. Replenishing fluids lost,             

6. Shifting the metabolism from the catabolic to the anabolic phase.

Let’s briefly review important exercise physiology. During the weight training workout you tear muscle fibers and use your muscle glucose (stored in the muscles as glycogen) for energy.

Recovery starts right after you finish the workout and continues during rest, and especially sleep. This is the time when muscles, stimulated by the workout, need amino acids for protein synthesis, and carbohydrates to replenish glucose used for energy. Muscles are the most sensitive and responsive to the uptake of protein and carbs within the first hour post workout. However, the ideal time, when the absorption is close to 100% occurs between 15-30 minutes after the workout. Fat is needed only in small enough amount to help with a proper processing and absorption of protein but not to slow digestion.

So, knowing the above facts, what would be the most appropriate type of food to have after the workout? Solid food or a protein shake? The opinions are divided but my own is that, with all the convincing evidence speaking for shakes, you should really experiment with your own body and see what feels right. Can you tolerate the shakes well? Do they make you bloated and give you gas? Do you have enough appetite after the workout so that you can even stomach any solid food? Is your stomach settled or irritated after an intense workout? What’s your schedule like? Are you able to have/prepare a meal within 30 minutes from the end of the workout? What kind of quality would the food likely be? When is your next, later meal likely to occur – an hour or 3 hours later?

All these questions are important to answer before you make your decision.

The truth is that as far as quality is concerned, solid food is just as good a source of, and often superior to, good healthy protein and carbohydrates as shakes. So if you prefer solid food to shakes, or simply don’t have an option of having a shake available immediately after your workout, don’t despair. You can still get your nutrients in, as long as you don’t wait too long. The only problem with solid food versus shakes is that the process of breakdown, digestion and absorption in the digestive system takes time, and it is almost impossible for it to be completed within an hour (that’s supposing you ate your meal immediately after finishing your workout).* Shakes, on the other hand, are absorbed almost immediately for a couple of reasons: first, the proteins in powders are pre-digested so your stomach doesn’t have to do the work; and second, you mix them with carbohydrates in a blender (or shaker cup) to end up with a food that’s liquid whose absorption is much faster than that of solid food. To speed up the absorption even more, high-glycemic fruit and fruit juices are recommended, with fairly high sugar content. A drink like this will stimulate the release of insulin, whose role it is to carry both the protein and carbohydrates into the muscle cells for recovery, tissue repair and protein synthesis. The faster the process occurs within an hour (and ideally the first 30 minutes) after the end of the workout, the higher the chance of absorbing close to 100% of nutrients the shake provides. Also, many people have digestion that’s far from perfect these days, and eating a certain amount of food does not guarantee they will absorb all of it. In case of shakes this process is somewhat simplified and nutrients are therefore easier to absorb.

*You could theoretically take your solid food and puree it in a food processor, adding a higher- glycemic juice, like carrot or beet, to it, but it probably wouldn’t be the most palatable meal you could imagine. The recipe would look something like this:

1 cup carrot juice, 4 oz poached skinless chicken breast, 2 cups steamed broccoli, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil.

As far as I am concerned, I like my filet mignon as is, so I can enjoy the view of it on my plate, the taste, and especially the texture, it provides, and the fact that I can extend the enjoyment for as long as I like to. For anyone who just “eats to live” however, this is certainly an option if you want faster absorption. J

So, if getting really lean or gaining muscle is your goal, and you want to maximize your efforts, you should probably opt for a shake.

Now, with all that said, I have a few issues with shakes…… Most protein powders, available on the market commercially, are so highly processed, that they are, what I call a “dead food”. “Dead food” is a food whose nutrients have been denatured to such degree during various processes of production, that their nutritional value and quality are highly questionable. Remember that most protein powders available in stores are not organic, which means you are getting all the hormones, antibiotics, and residues of grain and other feed (and God only knows what else) in them. As if that wasn’t enough, most come from milk or eggs that were pasteurized and/or homogenized, which processes completely denature the proteins, and kill vital enzymes, contained in them. Most people have no idea whey is a product left over from cheese or butter production, which was considered unusable for human consumption just until recently, when the dairy industry figured out how to turn it into a profitable commodity.

As with any food that’s highly processed, convenience comes at a price. A large percentage of protein powder users have digestive problems caused by them (as had yours truly). These products are simply not tolerated well by our digestive system. Add to that milk/casein sensitivity, so common in people these days, and you have an explosive combination, causing bloating, gas, and serious discomfort. Some people are willing to tolerate it, thinking the benefits outweigh the side effects. (A few body builders I talked to admitted that outright.) So consider pros and cons and make the decision that’s right for you.

If you decide to opt for a shake, I would highly recommend doing your research and finding the best quality protein powder available. (By the way, a high quality whey protein that’s not very processed has many additional beneficial compounds that help to strengthen the immune system and help with the body’s natural detoxification.) A few great, reliable sources I have been able to find are:

1. Well Wisdom (www.wellwisdom.com) – for whey protein. The powder is produced in San Diego from organic raw milk from grass-fed cows in Southern Australia. It is minimally processed at very low temperatures, and of very high quality.

2. Living Fuel (www.livingfuel.com) – for vegetarian protein powder. Living Fuel is a highly reputable supplement company in Florida, producing many high quality products.

3. Great Lakes Gelatin (www.greatlakesgelatin.com) – for gelatin (more on the subject of gelatin later).

Be aware of claims advertising RAW whey powders which are untrue. They may be produced from RAW MILK, which is a huge plus, but CANNOT  themselves be called RAW as selling powdered products that are not pasteurized is against the FDA rules in the US.

Don’t forget that shakes will have to count towards your total calories for the day, so adjust that number accordingly.

Also, make sure to eat some carbohydrate and protein AGAIN 2 hours after the workout. Actually, all your meals for the rest of the day also contribute to your recovery and growth in a meaningful way, so don’t neglect them.

Here are the basics about ingredients, remarks about quality and general proportions as well as some important guidelines.

The amount of CARBOHYDRATES to PROTEIN should be somewhere between 1.5:1 AND 4:1, depending on whether your goal is losing weight and getting leaner or growing muscle. If gaining muscle is your goal, it makes sense to put more carbohydrates into your shake (3:1-4:1 ratio) since you’re looking for weight gain (in a sense). If, on the other hand, you would like to drop a few pounds and decrease % of body fat, then the smaller percentage would be ideal (usually 1.5:1 – 2:1).

To maximize your anabolic phase even more, you can add the following nutrients in the amounts listed below: (1)

- Leucine (amino acid with a very positive effect on protein synthesis) - 1-2 grams,
- Glutamine (most abundant amino acid in muscle that also gets depleted the fastest during exercise) – 1-2 grams,
- Vitamin C (antioxidant vitamin) – 60-120 mg,
- Vitamin E (antioxidant vitamin) – 80-400 IU

Below are just general guidelines. You may have to adjust them to your body weight, current % of body fat, your goals, and sometimes the length and intensity of the workout itself (especially if you know you may not be eating for a while).

CARBOHYDRATES:

A) Fruit should be organic, and either fresh, or frozen for a creamier texture.

B) You can use any fruit you like or whatever you have on hand.  Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, ripe pears, bananas, peaches, nectarines and cherries are all great choices. Wild blueberries are at the top of my list because of their high antioxidant content. (You can get them frozen all year at Wholefoods). Sour cherries, though harder to find, are another great choice as they have been shown in research to speed up recovery, due to their anti-inflammatory properties.

C) Orange juice (easily available and absorbed fast into the bloodstream) should be organic and ideally freshly squeezed as the amount of available vitamins is highest right after juicing.

D) You can use any juice available (fresh if possible), especially the ones with higher sugar content and high amount of antioxidants (pomegranate, apple, etc.).

PROTEIN POWDERS:

A) Whey protein (as long as it is organic and RAW, i.e. made from RAW milk, not the junk available in most stores that causes digestive issues in many people)

B) Egg white protein

C) Mixed vegetarian protein (usually rice and pea combined)  

D) Gelatin

Make sure they are good quality and minimally processed. I recommend gelatin, because of its many beneficial qualities and high standards of production (from Great Lakes Gelatin Company). It can be purchased as collagen hydrolysate on their website: www.greatlakesgelatin.com. However, it contains 7 essential amino acids with the exception of tryptophan, so you might want to mix it with animal milk or some other complete protein powder for best results. If you decide to use gelatin as a sole source of protein, tryptophan can be mixed into the shake to provide a complete amino acid profile. (You will have to find a high quality, reliable source, however).

You generally need about 20-25 g of protein in your shake. The body cannot use much more than this amount at one time.

If using commercial protein powder you will need about 1 scoop that is provided inside (usually equivalent to 20-25 g). If using gelatin, 4 Tbsp provide 24g of pure protein.

 SMALL amounts of fat are needed to facilitate protein absorption. This will depend on your body weight and total calories in a shake. Fat generally slows down absorption of food so make sure to add just a small amount, usually between 4-8 grams (1-2 tsps).

FATS:

A) My first choice of good fat is organic virgin coconut oil. It is a medium-chain fatty acid and converts to energy rather than fat. It is also one of the best and healthiest sources of much needed (yes, needed!) saturated fat. The only problem is that if you are using frozen fruit it does not dissolve very well. You might want to put the jar in hot water for a few minutes until it melts.

B) Organic coconut milk is another alternative and comes canned in a thick liquid form, but the taste is stronger so if you don’t like coconut it might be an issue.

C) Organic flaxseed oil is great as it provides some anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids. Make sure you keep it in the refrigerator as it is highly perishable and goes rancid very fast.

D) Another easy option is a 1/5-1/4 avocado (depending on the size). Because of its mild taste, you won’t even be able to tell it’s there, but it will make the shake creamier in texture.

E) Organic avocado oil is just as good as avocado.

F) Raw organic almond butter or peanut butter is also a great option (2 tsp- 1 TBS).

G) Nut oils are OK but only if very fresh and kept in the refrigerator.

H) If you don’t have any of the above, a teaspoon or two of good quality olive oil will do the trick.

LIQUIDS TO MIX WITH

A) Fruit juices, as listed above – these are pure carbohydrates

B) Organic, and ideally raw, cow, goat or sheep milk If you can tolerate them) – provide carbohydrates and protein (so remember to adjust the amount of protein and carbohydrates coming from other sources accordingly)

C) Nut or seed milks like almond, hazelnut, hemp, etc. – these are mostly fat (if unsweetened)

D) Soy milk (use organic as otherwise you are getting genetically modified soy!)

E) Grain milks like rice or oat milk – mostly carbohydrates

F) Kombucha – organic and raw - a naturally fermented beverage, rich in probiotics, antioxidants and B vitamins. (An 8 oz glass contains about 30-35 kcal and 7-9 g of carbohydrates.)

G) Coconut Water - a low calorie, low in natural sugars liquid with lots of potassium, great for replenishing electrolytes

H) Water – though the shake will probably not taste as great

If you’re using low fat milks (almond, cow, goat, sheep, or any other) you will need to adjust the amount of added fat accordingly. Depending on the amount of fat in the milk itself, you may not need any fat at all.

!!!!!

REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE POST-WORKOUT SHAKES ONLY. ALL HAVE A PRETTY HIGH GLYCEMIC INDEX, WHICH MEANS THEY WILL GET INTO YOUR BLOODSTREAM AND BE ABSORBED VERY FAST. THEIR GOAL IS TO STIMULATE THE SECRETION OF INSULIN FROM THE PANCREAS SO THAT IN TURN IT WILL DELIVER BOTH PROTEIN AND CARBOHYDRATES TO THE MUSCLES IN THE SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE. THE PROTEIN (BROKEN INTO AMINO ACIDS) WILL BE USED TO STIMULATE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS AND MUSCLE TISSUE REPAIR, WHILE THE CARBOHYDRATES (BROKEN DOWN INTO SIMPLE SUGARS) WILL BE USED TO REPLENISH MUSCLE GLYCOGEN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WORKOUT IS THE ONLY TIME YOU WANT TO STIMULATE HIGH LEVELS OF INSULIN IN ORDER TO CARRY MOLECULES OF PROTEIN AND GLUCOSE INTO YOUR MUSCLE CELLS, WHICH ARE MOST RESPONSIVE WITHIN THE FIRST 30 MINUTES POST-EXERCISE.

THEREFORE, THESE KINDS OF SHAKES SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A MEAL REPLACEMENT. THEY ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM TOO FAST AND WOULD MAKE YOU VERY HUNGRY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, CAUSING UNNECESSARY INSULIN SPIKES.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO REMEMBER THAT ALTHOUGH SHAKES MADE WITH FROZEN FRUIT MIGHT TASTE BETTER BECAUSE OF THEIR CREAMIER CONSISTENCY, THEY WILL NOT GET ABSORBED AS FAST, SINCE YOUR STOMACH HAS TO BRING THEM TO ROOM TEMPERATURE FIRST. ONE WAY TO GO AROUND THIS WOULD BE TO LEAVE THE BLENDER ON FOR A LITTLE LONGER UNTIL THE SHAKE HAS A CHANCE TO WARM UP A BIT.

So…..here’s my own conclusion based on years of experience and experimentation: if I have really good quality ingredients on hand to make my shake, my digestive system is OK with it, and I don’t have a meal planned in the first hour from finishing my workout, I will always choose to have a shake. It has helped me recover much better than any other food and my stomach tolerates it much better after intense exercise than, let’s say, a chicken leg eaten right in the locker room or in my car. Especially on a warm day, a shake can be very refreshing and will deliver all your essential amino acids, as well as carbohydrates, to help you recover, lose body fat and/or grow muscle. It’s also a good way to get your daily recommended fruit intake and, most importantly, if done right, it tastes great. The clue is to find what combination of ingredients works best for YOU, without giving you unnecessary side effects.

Look for my delicious shake recipes in the next blog post, coming soon.


References:

1. Kravitz, Len, Ph.D., University of New Mexico - “Nutrient Timing: The Future of Peak Performance” – webinar.

Ivy, J. Ph.D., & Portman, R. Ph.D. - (2004) Nutrient Timing. Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Kleiner, S.M. Ph.D., RD - (2007) Power Eating (3^rd Edition). Human Kinetics Publishers