Alright,
I have been reading again, I know it is a dangerous thing. But hey you have to do it to stay on top of things. So I was reading Zatsiorsky et Kraemer’s book “Science and Practice of Strength Training” and I can tell you, it sure is not an easy Sunday afternoon read but still highly interesting. I came across an article in there that talked about carbohydrate and protein intake before and and after a strength workout.
Here is the gist of it and I am going to try to simplify it somewhat:
Taking in carbs and protein before and after your workout, may that personal training, on your own or in boot camp, etc. affects the amount of testosterone binding to androgen receptors, which at that point are more receptive to testosterone. Testosteron itself is one of the major players in increased protein synthesis in the muscle but only if bound to a receptor. ERGO: protein intake
So why the hell carbs? Well, carbohydrate intake after your workout is associated with a higher insulin level which itself is responsible not only for the transporting glucose to your muscle cells but also transporting amino acids into the muscle. Additionally growth hormones and insuline like growth factor -1 increase as well with the nutrient intake.
It seems that the food intake may play a major role in optimizing the anabolic environment surrounding a workout.
This is what is suggested: 25-50g of protein (primarily essential amino acids) and 50g of carbs before and after the workout
Have a great workout,
Michael
Head Personal Trainer @ Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting
Source: Vladimir M Zatsiorsky et William J. Kraemer (2006) Science and Practice of Strength Training (2nd Edition). Human Kinetics
Alright, here is another one on the list of debunking some of the so called nutrition facts. Fat is not the big evil nutrient that packs on the pounds. It also plays a vital role in our health. Like everything, please use in moderation.
Please be aware that fat is important but that most of us take in way too much of it and of the wrong kind. Most Americans
take in 35% fat in their diet which is plenty (too much). Taking in that amount of fat blows any calorie intake up and makes weight loss almost impossible.
What are “healthy fats”? Healthy fats are usually mono- and polyunsaturated fats that you can find in vegetable oils. Saturated and considerably more unhealthy fats are connected to higher cholesterol levels and are usually found in animal fats, chocolate candies, fried foods and high fat dairy products.
Facts about Fat:
- Your intake should be around 15-30% of your daily intake
- Your fat metabolism is dependent on carbohydrates to complete the metabolic cycle. That tells you: Keep eating carbohydrates to lose weight!
- Fat supplementation in athletes does not benefit performance, quite the opposite it reduces performances significantly. Add fat only if the food intake should be >4000 kcal/day!
- Omega -3 and -6 fatty acids help with healthy skin, neural functions and reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke. You can find these fats usually in cold water fish (salmon, albacore tuna, atlantic herring)
- The average person has at any time roughly 50 000- 100 000 kcal of fat stored. That would allow that person to walk 500-1000 miles
- There are an additional 2000-3000 kcal of fat stored in muscle tissue.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding this. If you are interested in getting lean, flat abs and toned. Check out our personal training and our boot camps.
Michael
