Archive for Nutrition
The most important supplement
Would you like to learn about a substance that can improve sports performance, rev up your metabolism, enhance speed, increase strength and positively impact cognitive function?
No it isn’t the latest magic formula from the supplement industry, it’s WATER! Water is not only important in numerous bodily functions but when utilized properly can enhance athletic performance. When dehydration begins, even a 3% drop from optimum fluid levels may cause an 8% loss in a muscles contractile strength as well as a 10% loss of speed. Dehydration can even negatively impact cognitive function, on or off the playing field.
Two of the most common ailments that I encounter, which are often treated with over the counter medications are, headaches and acid reflux. Both of these may be diminished or even completely cured through proper hydration.*
I feel that most people, including athletes, are not properly hydrated. By over looking this simple but powerful substance you may be holding back your sports performance as well as contributing to daily discomfort from other problems. So before you drop a boat load of cash on the latest miracle supplement from the bodybuilding nutrition “experts” or grab another box of those purples pills; make a concerted effort to become properly hydrated and stay that way.
I am confident that you will notice the difference.
PAU for NOW
TAKU
For more information on optimal hydration levels and other topics of interest, check out my performance enhancement articles at: www.hybridfitness.tv
*This article is not a recommendation to stop any prescribed treatment you may be undertaking with the care of your personal health care provider.
Eat a salad
By now most of us know we should be getting multiple servings of fruits and veggies every day. It seems many folks feel that this is a difficult thing to do at times. The truth is, even if you eat out every day for almost every meal you have lots of ways to get those fruits and veggies in to your personal eating plan. One way is to replace your rice, potato’s or pasta with extra fruit and or veggies. Whether you are dining at a fancy restaurant or the local Denny’s there are always some sort of fruits and veggies available.
If you are a sandwich person and you often find your self at one of the many local deli chains, try the following. Order your favorite 6″ sandwich and ask for double meat, extra veggies, no mayo, (have oil & vinegar instead) and hold the cheese. For more fruit just ask for it in place of the chips, cookies or what ever you usually have for dessert.
My favorite way to get more fruits and veggies into my personal eating plan is to eat at least one big salad every day. To me the best salads and the best salad dressings are the ones you make yourself. You might think it’s a pain to make a big salad every day, and creating a tasty dressing may seem like rocket science to those who rarely cook. I am going to make it really easy for you by giving you both a delicious dressing recipe as well as a great salad that will give a nice boost to your daily veggie quota.
Make the salad and dressing the night before and place them in some type of reseal-able, to-go containers. This way all you have to do is grab them on your way out the door and you’ll be well stocked for later in the day. As I mentioned above, have a piece of fruit as dessert after your salad. Stick with fruits that are grab and go like Apples Oranges and Bananas.
For you fast food junkies who spend your lunch break hanging with the King, the Clown or that guy with the big round head and pointy hat, remember that even the fast food chains have some form of salad and fruit options these days. Finally, if all else fails and you are really pressed for time, you can always buy one of the many pre-made salads at your local super market.
So you see, there really is no excuse not to eat a salad.
PAU for NOW
TAKU
Quick and tasty Caesar dressing:
1 Tbsp Olive oil.
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar.
1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice.
3 cloves garlic (crushed).
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
1 tsp Anchovy paste.
1 tsp creamy Dijon mustard.
1/2 tsp pepper (black or white).
Mixed Veggie salad:
Romaine lettuce, 1 cup (3 leaves torn).
Green peppers, 1/4 cup chopped.
Celery, 2-3 stalks chopped.
Cucumber, 1/4 cup sliced.
Cherry tomatoes, about 5 halved.
Mushrooms, 1/4 cup sliced.
Hard boiled eggs, 2 sliced.
Feta cheese, 1-2 ounces crumbled.
Dressing of your choice, 2 Tbsp. (Try that Tasty Caesar)
How to stimulate your metabolic rate
Diet and Exercise Changes Can Affect How Your Body Uses Energy
People who participate in fitness related activities strive to build, shape and tone their bodies to achieve their goals. The primary factor affecting this change is the body’s metabolic rate.
What Is Metabolic Rate?
Your metabolic rate is the energy expended to sustain your body’s functionality. This includes the internal organs such as the heart, kidney, and stomach and all of the small cellular reactions taking place in your blood that keep your cells working so that your body can keep you alive.
Exercise
The most significant effect on metabolic rate is achieved through exercise. During moderate to vigorous activity you elevate your metabolic rate expending hundreds of additional calories. This can be accomplished by aerobic activities. The more vigorously you exercise the more calories you use per minute. Regular resistive training (weights, body weight, and medicine balls) can also help. The benefits are lower blood pressure, better endurance, stronger muscles, joints and bones. The more muscle mass you create, the more calories you burn. Every pound of muscle that you build burns an extra 50 calories of stored energy. (One pound of human fat equals 3500 calories.)
Sleep
We all know we need sleep. Apparently, good sleep helps us lose weight. Interrupted sleep increases a hormone in our bodies called “ghrelin” that increases appetite. So try and get your 6-8 hours a night. Read a book before you sleep. Practice meditation and gentle stretching before you go to bed. It can help relax you and you’ll enjoy a deep and restorative night’s sleep.
Diet
Eat small regular meals.
Eating small meals or snacks at regularly timed intervals seems to result in a slightly higher metabolism. The reasoning is that if someone eats small meals consisting of a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats their metabolism burns energy more evenly over the course of a day. Skipping meals or making the wrong food choices can alter your metabolism making it erratic and confusing your body as to how it is to process energy. If you are changing your eating habits to eat more frequently please make sure you are not adding calories to the change.
Consume protein
It takes more calories to digest protein. A high protein diet intake may also reduce hunger. Why? Sugars in the diet (carbohydrates) stimulate the pancreas. The pancreas produces insulin. Insulin is the chemical hormone that your body produces to facilitate the uptake of sugar into our bodies. Replace high carbohydrates and empty calorie foods with proteins such eggs, fish, nonfat diary products and lean meats. The correct balance of non-meat sources such as whole grains, minimally processed, soy based foods as well as rice and beans may also create complete proteins.
Avoid restrictive dieting
Limiting caloric intake too severely can decrease your resting metabolic rate. A reaction known as the “somatic response” your body goes into energy conservation mode. In other words, it slows down to cope with the food decrease. This response creates a yo-yo response to your metabolism speeding it up and down and making it difficult for your body to kick start your energy burning center (i.e. Muscles). As illustrated before, eat small regular meals throughout the day and you’ll be more likely to burn stored energy more effectively.
Summary
Enjoy flavorful foods and small portions of food. Increase your exercise intensity aerobically and participate in regular strength training 3-4 x week, Practice these things consistently and you’ll soon see your body the way you want it to be.
Abu Pigott D.C.
“Almost” RAW Eggs
You know those movies like Rocky, or Electra Glide in Blue, where you see the hero drink down a big gulp sized glass of raw eggs? Have you ever tried it? Drinking raw eggs is not the easiest thing to do. The texture is not the greatest and the flavor is not so great either.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love eggs. I use eggs quite a bit in my personal eating plan, they are a great source of protein as well as other important nutrients. I even use raw eggs in some of my favorite recipes. I’ll admit however that I have only actually been able to drink a glass full of raw eggs on one occasion.
Some people are afraid that raw eggs may be a source of salmonella. The secret to eating raw eggs safely is to get the freshest eggs possible and to know the source. If you are worried about getting sick but still would like to use eggs in your recipes, try using “almost” raw eggs. Almost raw eggs allow you to enjoy your eggs with no fear that they will make you sick while you still have an egg with a loose consistency for salad dressings, home made mayo, aoli etc.
Here is how you make them “almost” raw:
1. Put egg(s) out at room temperature
2. Boil water and then turn it off (leaving on burner)
3. Put egg(s) immediately in water and leave for 5-6 minutes
4. After 5-6 minutes has elapsed, empty hot water
5. Before breaking eggs run under cold water for a few seconds ( you don’t want to burn your hands)
6. Break open egg(s) into bowl or blender etc. You may need a spoon to scoop out some of the whites which may be slightly stiff.
Well there you go, an easy way to make your eggs safe and still enjoy them in your favorite recipes. Remember to check back here for more nutrition tips as well as other ideas about how to enhance your own personal eating plan.
PAU for NOW
TAKU
www.hybidfitness.tv
“Almost” RAW Eggs
You know those movies like Rocky, or Electra Glide in Blue, where you see the hero drink down a big gulp sized glass of raw eggs? Have you ever tried it? Drinking raw eggs is not the easiest thing to do. The texture is not the greatest and the flavor is not so great either.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love eggs. I use eggs quite a bit in my personal eating plan, they are a great source of protein as well as other important nutrients. I even use raw eggs in some of my favorite recipes. I’ll admit however that I have only actually been able to drink a glass full of raw eggs on one occasion.
Some people are afraid that raw eggs may be a source of salmonella. The secret to eating raw eggs safely is to get the freshest eggs possible and to know the source. If you are worried about getting sick but still would like to use eggs in your recipes, try using “almost” raw eggs. Almost raw eggs allow you to enjoy your eggs with no fear that they will make you sick while you still have an egg with a loose consistency for salad dressings, home made mayo, aoli etc.
Here is how you make them “almost” raw:
1. Put egg(s) out at room temperature
2. Boil water and then turn it off (leaving on burner)
3. Put egg(s) immediately in water and leave for 5-6 minutes
4. After 5-6 minutes has elapsed, empty hot water
5. Before breaking eggs run under cold water for a few seconds ( you don’t want to burn your hands)
6. Break open egg(s) into bowl or blender etc. You may need a spoon to scoop out some of the whites which may be slightly stiff.
Well there you go, an easy way to make your eggs safe and still enjoy them in your favorite recipes. Remember to check back here for more nutrition tips as well as other ideas about how to enhance your own personal eating plan.
PAU for NOW
TAKU
www.hybidfitness.tv
“Almost” RAW Eggs
You know those movies like Rocky, or Electra Glide in Blue, where you see the hero drink down a big gulp sized glass of raw eggs? Have you ever tried it? Drinking raw eggs is not the easiest thing to do. The texture is not the greatest and the flavor is not so great either.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love eggs. I use eggs quite a bit in my personal eating plan, they are a great source of protein as well as other important nutrients. I even use raw eggs in some of my favorite recipes. I’ll admit however that I have only actually been able to drink a glass full of raw eggs on one occasion.
Some people are afraid that raw eggs may be a source of salmonella. The secret to eating raw eggs safely is to get the freshest eggs possible and to know the source. If you are worried about getting sick but still would like to use eggs in your recipes, try using “almost” raw eggs. Almost raw eggs allow you to enjoy your eggs with no fear that they will make you sick while you still have an egg with a loose consistency for salad dressings, home made mayo, aoli etc.
Here is how you make them “almost” raw:
1. Put egg(s) out at room temperature
2. Boil water and then turn it off (leaving on burner)
3. Put egg(s) immediately in water and leave for 5-6 minutes
4. After 5-6 minutes has elapsed, empty hot water
5. Before breaking eggs run under cold water for a few seconds ( you don’t want to burn your hands)
6. Break open egg(s) into bowl or blender etc. You may need a spoon to scoop out some of the whites which may be slightly stiff.
Well there you go, an easy way to make your eggs safe and still enjoy them in your favorite recipes. Remember to check back here for more nutrition tips as well as other ideas about how to enhance your own personal eating plan.
PAU for NOW
TAKU
www.hybidfitness.tv
Personal Eating Plans
When creating a personal eating plan you need to keep several things in mind. First what is the purpose of this plan ? Is it for gaining lean body mass, supporting athletic performance, losing body fat, or perhaps just maintenance of current body composition? Just like creating a customized workout we need to consider individual genetic limitations and abilities, needs, goals, and preferences as well as environmental influences in order to be sure our plan will be optimal for the individual in mind.
The personal eating plans that we create at Hybrid Fitness are called Mac-Map which stands for Macro Nutrient Manipulation. It should be obvious that no single personal eating plan will work for all people at all times. Not only do we need to consider the information mentioned above, we must also consider such personal details as age, height and weight, sex and of course energy expenditure in the form of BMR as well as ones daily exercise regimen.
Below is an example of a personal eating plan designed to support lean body mass gains while limiting body fat storage. Remember this is just an example. In order for a personal eating plan to be effective it must be “personal”. The needs of a 30 year old, 200 pound, male rugby player are going to vary broadly from those of a 16 year old, 98 pound, female gymnast. So don’t just print this plan out and start following it blindly. You may end up with less then optimal results depending on your own personal goals.
PAU for NOW
TAKU
Mac-Map Mass
DAY(s) 1-3= High Protein / Low Carbs
Meal 1. Omelet with 4 whole eggs, 4 strips of Bacon or Sausage. Feel free to use butter or any “friendly” oil of your choice (Olive, Walnut etc)
Meal 2. 2 scoop Whey Protein + 1 Tbsp Flax Oil in Water (10 Oz)
Meal 3. Grilled Chicken breast or Turkey (8 Oz)
Meal 4. Protein drink as above
Meal 5. Steak or other lean meat (10 Oz) with veggies, salad & ¼ avocado
Meal 6. Protein drink as above
Approximate Cal = 1854 / Protein = 200g / Carbs = 30g / Fat = 107g
DAY 4= Mod Protein / High Carbs
Meal 1. Oatmeal (16 Oz cooked), Pineapple (4 Oz), 1 whole Banana (chopped & stirred into oatmeal)
Meal 2. “Quick-Shake” Non-fat milk (8 Oz), Orange Juice (8 Oz), 1 Banana (mix in blender)
Meal 3. Roasted chicken (6 Oz), rice (8 Oz), beans (6 Oz), Sherbet (6-8 Oz)
Meal 4. Cottage cheese (8 Oz), Pineapple (canned in own juice) (8 Oz), Mandarin Oranges (4 Oz)
Meal 5. Almond Butter & Jelly Sandwich 1 Tbsp Almond-butter + 1 Tbsp jelly on sprouted (flour-less) bread, Non-fat milk (8 Oz), 1 Banana, 1 apple
Meal 6. “Quick-Shake” Non-fat milk (8 Oz), Orange Juice (8 Oz), 1 Banana (mix in blender)
Approximate Cal = 3674 / Protein = 159g / Fat = 62g / Carbs = 560g
DAY(S) 5-7= High Protein / High Carbs
Meal 1. Non-fat milk (8 Oz), Oatmeal (8 Oz cooked), 3 egg whites (stirred into oatmeal), 5 dates (chopped & stirred into oatmeal)
Meal 2. “Quick-Shake+” Non-fat milk (8 Oz), Low-fat yogurt (6-8 Oz), 1 Banana (mix in blender)
Meal 3. Roasted chicken (6 Oz), rice (8 Oz), beans (6 Oz), Sherbet (6-8 Oz)
Meal 4. Cottage cheese (8 Oz), Pears (canned in own juice) 4 halves
Meal 5. Almond butter & Jelly sandwich 1 Tbsp Almond-butter + 1 Tbsp jelly on sprouted (flour-less) bread, non-fat milk (8 Oz) 1 Banana
Meal 6. Tuna sandwich (tuna packed in water) on sprouted (flour-less) bread, 1 apple, handful of your favorite raw nuts (4 Oz)
Meal 7. “Quick-Shake+” Non-fat milk (8 Oz), Low-fat yogurt (6-8 Oz), 1 Banana (mix in blender)
Approximate Cal = 3586 / Protein = 211 / Fat = 69 / Carbs = 527
