Meal Management Workshop Pics
Had a great group at the seminar today – lot’s of fun, great group, and Coach Nancy passed some serious knowledge!
Here’s a few pics of the gang putting their new found talents to work!
Had a great group at the seminar today – lot’s of fun, great group, and Coach Nancy passed some serious knowledge!
Here’s a few pics of the gang putting their new found talents to work!
When a man hears the word “Muscle”, he is probably thinking of big biceps, broad shoulders and a tapered waistline.
A women might be thinking the same thing, which is all well and good as long as it isn’t her sporting the huge guns!
Conversely when a women envisions being “Toned” she is thinking thin, slim and shapely. You know, looking good in a swimsuit.
A man probably has the same idea, as long as it’s not him with the 12 1/2″ biceps and eurosuit.
The common denominator?
Both goals (muscle/tone) really are both sides of the same coin and usually require two components:
A common objection (and misunderstanding) among women is that resistance training will “bulk them up” and they will look like a man. In reality this is very difficult for a women (it’s hard enough for men to gain large amounts of muscles) primarily because of lower amount of hormones such as testosterone in women compared to men. While there can be exceptions (“Outliers” as defined by Malcolm Gladwell) it is certainly not the norm for women to get “hyooge” with hard and even heavy weight training. Take a look at Coach Nancy (as I like to do) and you will see what I mean.
When you do not strength/resistance train during “dieting” you run the serious risk of losing large amounts of your metabolic engine – lean/tone/muscle, which has serious negative consequences down the road.
Your bodies main task is to do one thing – survive. When you don’t eat enough calories to maintain your current weight, your body assumes you don’t have enough food, and true to form starts doing what is necessary to stay alive. Unfortunately for you that means it is going to shed the most metabolically active tissue first – your muscle (the lean, tone, good stuff).
Why?
Because muscle requires about twice as many calories to maintain as the stuff we don’t want – excess fat. Plus fat stores energy, so while your body might burn some off to meet your energy requirements it is going to buckle down and keep as much as it can.
Unless…
You resistance/strength train (which is why we focus on such training).
So our goal when losing “weight” is in reality to keep as much as the good stuff (lean/tone/muscle – hereafter known as LTM) and get rid of the bad stuff (excess bodyfat).
Because…
We don’t want to metabolic engine to slow down, which occurs when we lose LTM.
Remember… Lean burns about twice as much energy (calories) as fat, so keep the lean – lose the fat.
We have probably all heard of “Yo-Yo” dieting. A person goes “on a diet”, loses a bunch of weight, goes “off the diet” and ends up fatter than before.
That’s because he slowed down his metabolic engine by losing a bunch of LTM, and when he goes back to eating “normal” his body doesn’t require as much energy (calories) and starts storing the excess as bodyfat – Ughhh!
An Example:
Two women (Matilda and Madeline) want to get into beach body shape for the summer. They are both weighed, measured and their bodyfat % calculated, and how amazingly convenient, they both have the exact same percent of bodyfat, which happens to be 40%
Starting Weight: 170 lbs
Lean Tissue: 102 lbs
Fat Tissue: 68 lbs
Bodyfat: 40%
Six months later Matilda and Madeline come back to be weighed and measured again, and lo and behold both have lost 40 pounds! The scale is my friend, or is it? Let’s dig a little deeper.
| Matilda | Madeline | |
| Ending Weight: | 130 | 130 |
| Lean Tissue: | 82 lbs | 102 lbs |
| Fat Tissue: | 48 lbs | 28 lbs |
| Bodyfat: | 37% | 21.50% |
Matilda and Madeline both weigh the same (140 pounds) but their bodies are nothing alike! Although Matilda lost 40 pounds total, she only lost 3% bodyfat and sacrificed 20 pounds of LTM to do it!
On the other hand Madeline managed to preserve all her Lean/Tone/Muscle and lost 19.5% bodyfat – nicely done!
We will outline how Madeline did it in a minute, but first I want to show you what the difference is.
Fellow fitness pro Leigh Peele has created a guide to body fat percentage, which shows you what different percentages look like on both the male and female body. It is well worth the look at both the page and the website and downloading her free guide.
Click on the link below and scroll toward the bottom of the page, there you will see a visual of what 30%, 25%, 20%, all the way down to 11% looks like (if you download the guide there are more example).
Click this link (go ahead, I’ll wait) Leigh Peele Bodyfat Pictures and Percentages
Pretty dramatic difference between 30% and 20%, wouldn’t you say?
How to get on the “Madeline” plan
There are some basics to preservation of LTM while concurrently losing bodyfat.
They include:
Resistance/Strength Training: As we discussed last time, steady state aerobics does not have the LTM preserving abilities or the fat burning abilities of resistance/strength or high intensity interval training. You must give your body a reason to preserve lean tissue, and when you resistance train your body wants to adapt to that training by preserving/building more LTM.
Adequate Protein Intake: You must have enough material (protein) to both maintain the daily functions of living and build/maintain the LTM. Inadequate protein intake affects your immune system, your hormones, and ability to maintain your structure (LTM). How much is adequate? A loaded question for sure, but a general rule of thumb for healthy adults with no contraindications is 1 gram of protein for every pound of LTM and often higher. So Madeline and Matilda would have been eating around 100 grams (400 calories) from protein every day.
Eat Slow Carbs: Read Low Carb or Slow Carb
Recovery Drink & Meal: Read Post Workout Nutrition Made Easy = Better Recovery = Better Results
Additional Recovery: Getting enough sleep, recovery between training sessions, reducing stress, and taking a whole-food multivitamin are also supportive activities to keep your fat loss fires burning.
So while Madeline is enjoying her new healthy body, Matilda continues to struggle and find herself bouncing on the yo-yo once again. If only she had listened to her coach! 🙂
Don’t Be Matilda!
Coach Dean
Wanted to give a big “Thank-You” to both Brett Sprinkle and Frank Rhoades for setting us up with new coolers in both the Epsom and Concord locations. Sprinkle delivered and set up the coolers, and Frank generously provided numerous samples for us to test, taste and evaluate.
In the end we chose one “Ready to Drink” training/post-training beverage – Myoplex Strength Formula.
Here’s the breakdown:
So what’s so special about Myoplex Strength, and why did we choose it over many other options?
In the end we feel it is an excellent choice to quickly refuel your body after a tough training session. As we have discussed previously, your body is ready, willing and able to process carbohydrates and refill your glycogen stores after training. Going more than an hour without fueling up after training will greatly inhibit your ability to recover optimally and continue to make progress.
We like this particular formula for some compelling reasons. First it has a Carb/Protein ratio of about 1:1. For those clients who are looking to lose bodyfat, we have observed a 1:1 ratio helps optimize recovery while not inhibiting the loss of fat. Many of the other protein/recovery beverages on the market have a ratio of 2:1 or more, and in some populations (skinny dudes in particular) may be more appropriate. The source of the carbohydrate was also a big factor in choosing Myoplex Strength. All the other products we looked at used sugar, while the Myoplex uses maltodextrin.
The cool thing about maltodextrin is that it a complex carbohydrate that does not slow digestion. In other words it still allows for rapid uptake of nutrients into your cells, which is exactly what we want.
Here is an explanation of maltodextrin from our friends at Precision Nutrition:
“Maltodextrin is a glucose polymer, a string of glucose units put together, similar to the protein peptide. It is therefore, by definition, a complex carbohydrate. However its more complex nature does not slow digestion, and thus, both the glycemic index (GI) and insulin index (II) remain high. Maltodextrin is the absolute best carbohydrate to consume during exercise for rapidly delivering blood glucose and for muscle glycogen recovery. It is also best for fluid uptake.”
In short we think Myoplex Strength is another great tool in your training arsenal, especially if you find yourself so limited for time you haven’t been cranking up those Super Shakes using your UMP.
The other beverage populating our coolers is Fiji Water, in two sizes. Nancy and I both like the taste of Fiji, and if you ever want to get your geek on about bottled water and the differences in different waters, talk to Sprinkle.
Download A Fiji Water Quality Report Here
As always, we aim to keep the prices of our supplements low in order to make sure you can get what you need at a great price! Please see your coaches for more details and to purchase. Thanks!
I heard the term “Slow Carb” from Tim Ferriss in his book “The Four Hour Body”, and I got to thinking what a useful description it really is.
Because while limiting the amount of carbohydrate in your diet always seems to engender controversy, there is no denying that building your carbohydrate consumption around “slow carbs” is the best way to control blood sugar/insulin output, and therefore positively affect your body composition (read: fat loss).
Good nutrition really is not opinion based, it is science based. It doesn’t necessarily mean that every person has to (or can) eat the same way and get the same results, but your body is designed to work in a certain way. Your body has very specific chemical reactions to not only how much you eat, but what you eat.
The aim of this article is to explain the science behind the “slow carb” recommendation.
Slow Carbs
Goal: Control Insulin Response and maintain insulin sensitivity by eating slow (read complex) carbs
Why? When glucose (sugar) from the breakdown of carbs enters the bloodstream, your pancreas secretes insulin, which allows this glucose to enter the cells in the form of glycogen. This is important to remember because unconverted glucose is toxic to the body. Once insulin is secreted, blood sugar levels go down and insulin production slows. Your body wants to maintain this even keel.
Unless: You don’t make enough insulin, as in Type 1 diabetes, or your body has become insulin resistant.
Insulin Resistance: Your liver and muscles cells only need so much glycogen (storage form of glucose from carbohydrate metabolism). When you eat more carbohydrates than the body needs, the pancreas keeps pumping insulin (just like it’s supposed to) but because you are already “filled up” those cells start to become resistant to the call of insulin. The insulin “receptor sites” on the cells start to decrease in efficiency as well as in number (Down Regulation). Double whammy! Now we have a real problem – there is still too much glucose in the blood stream, so the pancreas keeps pumping insulin, which still can’t get it into the liver and muscle cells. Voila – the insulin shuttles the glucose into your fat cells, where it is stored as fat. That’s right, it’s not fat that gets stored in your fat cells, it’s carbohydrate!
A Vicious Cycle: As the process described above goes on over time, your pancreas eventually gets “overworked”. This is what causes Type 2 Diabetes, which can eventually lead to needing insulin therapy such as injections just to stay alive.
Not To Mention: High carb and fast carb dominant diets can also cause excess inflammation, keep your cells from absorbing amino acids from protein intake, keep the liver from converting thyroid hormones, and lead to plaque build up in the arteries. (This is by no means an exhaustive list, but you get the point – it’s not good!)
Good News: Insulin sensitivity can be improved with exercise! Who knew?
Your muscles burn your stored glycogen as fuel during and after your workout. These muscles need that glycogen back in the cells, and will “up regulate” your insulin receptors to make that happen. That is why exercise is so important for Type 2 diabetics and those who don’t want to be one.
Good nutrition plays a huge part as well. Choosing carbohydrates that digest slowly causes the whole process of glucose/insulin response to slow down, which helps maintain normal function. Unrefined carbohydrates have the added benefit of increased micronutrient (vitamins, mineral) absorption, greater fiber intake, and enhanced satiety. Examples: REAL Whole grains, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus.
You control a lot more than you think you do.
Every time you put a bite of food in your mouth, there is a cascading reaction. It’s not just about being full, it’s about providing your body with what it needs. Disease is caused when we don’t give our body what it needs in the right amount. The human body is an amazing machine, capable of withstanding a tremendous amount of abuse, but eventually the system breaks down.
Running your body on refined carbohydrates (sugar, soda, cereal, bread, pasta) is just as bad as running on a broken leg, it isn’t as painful as fast, but it will catch up with you.
Treat yourself nicely – go slow carb starting today!
Make It Happen,
Dean
Dean Carlson is a Certified Professional Fitness Trainer with the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, a Level 2 Youth Conditioning Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association and is a Level 1 Certified Precision Nutrition coach.
Dean was recognized in 2010 as Best Fitness Trainer in Concord by the Hippo Press and Best Fitness Trainer in the Capital Area by the Concord Insider.
The Get Fit NH Cookbook has arrived!
Titled “Making A Difference Making It Happen”, this cookbook is chocked full of healthy recipes from our kitchen as well as many from our incredible clients as well.
Here’s what’s inside:
The cool thing about this particular cookbook (besides the overall general awesomeness of course) is that all the proceeds from the sale of the first run of 100 cookbooks is going toward a great cause – to help a little boy with Autism get a touch-screen therapy computer.
If you are new to the Get Fit NH Bootcamp family, please read Joshua’s story by clicking here…
During the Fall we collected recipes, did taste testings, and typed them up for printing. We think it’s the most happenin’ cookbook around!
So here’s the deal – the “Making A Difference Making it Happen” cookbook helps solve two very specific challenges – as a way to fund Joshua’s therapy computer and get some healthy, tasty and easy to prepare recipes into your hands!
The “Making a Difference Making It Happen” cookbook is available for purchase for the super low cost of only $10. Get Fit NH Bootcamp has sponsored the production and printing of the first run of 100+ cookbooks, which means 100% of the purchase price for the cookbook will go to Joshua’s family.
The most common questions we get revolve around nutrition and healthy eating, so don’t miss your chance to grab a copy!
Make It Happen!
Coach Nancy and Coach Dean
Mint and Chocolate – One of Nancy’s Favorite Combos – at the holidays or any time!
Try It – You’ll Like It!
1 cup Hood Chocolate Calorie Countdown (Let’s Hear It Mark Riel!)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 scoop UMP Chocolate protein powder
1T General Foods International Coffees Swiss Mocha sugar-free, fat-free instant coffee
3 drops peppermint Extract
2 T of flax meal
Ice to taste
Directions: Blend ingredients in a blender. Serves 1-2.
Christmas is a busy time of year. Don’t let it be an excuse to not eat healthy meals prepared at home. My favorite kitchen aid is my crock pot. It serves up delicious meals without a lot of fuss. Plus it makes the house smell good all day while it cooks. Here are three meals when served with a salad will keep you on track nutritionally.
Salsa Style Pork
Combine pork loin, salsa, chilies, and black beans in crock pot and mix well. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over top and serve.
Herbed Turkey Breast
Place vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. Top with turkey breast. Combine seasonings and chicken broth. Pour over the top. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 hours.
Sirloin Tip Roast with Horseradish
Combine seasonings. Spread over roast halves. Place in slow cooker. Add broth. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove from cooker. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing diagonally across the grain. Scoop juices from crock pot into gravy dish. Serve with horseradish if desired.
Enjoy,
Coach Nancy
The incomparable Helen Dutton of 8:30am Concord fame shared an article with me this morning that is definitely worth forwarding, and paying attention to!
It seems like eating a little fat and protein in the morning and keeping fat and calories low in the evening might actually be good for you! Who knew? 🙂
According to research at the University of Connecticut, those who ate eggs at breakfast ate 112 fewer calories at an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet three hours later than did those who ate a bagel for breakfast. Not only that, they consumed 400 fewer calories over the next 24 hours than did the bagel crunchers.
That is huge!
A pound of fat stores approximately 3500 calories of energy. The extra 400 calories would add up to a pound of fat every 9 days or so. Over the course of a year overeating 400 calories a day would add an extra 40 pounds on the backside (and other places).
I love eggs, but I know that is not the case for everybody. The point is to eat SOME sort of protein rich breakfast, and leave the bagels, donuts and boxed cereal alone. There is a commercial I saw the other day that says “Our cereal has as much protein as an egg”.
Well here’s an idea guys – Just Eat The Egg!
Make It Happen,
Dean
Tired all the time? Grumpy and can’t shake the blahs? Do you have trouble losing weight? Do you walk around in a fog? What about digestive issues? Constantly battling a stuffy nose?
Major health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and auto-immune diseases are dramatic examples of how sugar can wreak havoc in your life. There are less dramatic ways sugar affects our bodies before we experience major problems.
Addictions come in different forms.
What type of addict are you?
Do you often feel tired and achy? Do you need coffee to get going in the morning? Does your energy fade by mid-afternoon? Do you get frequent headaches?
You may be an Energy Shark.
Do you find you are often thirsty and need to use the restroom? Do you get recurrent sore throats and swollen glands? Do you sometimes get dizzy when you stand up? Is life a crisis for you?
You may be a Feed-Me-Now type.
Do you have chronic nasal congestion? Do you have irritable bowels? Have you been clinically treated for acne? Do you clear your throat a lot? Often an overgrowth of yeast internally will cause the sugar cravings like those who are
The Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addicts.
Chronically depressed, fatigued, battling insomnia and a loss of libido might have you classified as a Depressed & Craving Carb addict. Your sugar cravings are caused by fluctuating hormones.
No matter what the type you can fight your way out of your sugar addiction. Nutrition is the key to locking up the addict inside you.
Each addiction has its own issues but don’t let your addiction control you. Furthermore don’t let the addiction you have today bring damaging diseases in your future.
To your health,
Coach Nancy
Reference – Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now!
It all starts here. Nutrition is not half the battle, it is the battle! What we eat is the single most important factor when it comes to how we look and feel. With today’s busy lifestyles, it is more important than ever that we learn to make the best choices to support our healthy goals.
The choices we make when feeding our bodies have both short and long term consequences. Did you know it’s possible to eat too much food and be undernourished? Not only do we become overweight, but are also more susceptible to disease because we are not receiving the nutrients we need for optimal health. It is important to remember that the primary reason we eat is to give our body what it needs to function optimally. A growing number of studies show that Americans do not receive the nutrients they need from their dietary intake.
There are a number of reasons for this. Our crops themselves are not as nutritious as in the past, probably due to soil depletion and the overuse of fertilizers. Fast food restaurants and prepackage foods in our supermarket shelves make it all too easy to consume a large amount of calories with nearly no nutritive value. While such food choices may be fast and convenient, there is no doubt they contribute to obesity and disease.
Over-consumption of grains, particularly refined wheat (eg. white flour) and corn, has also contributed to our growing problem with obesity. Too many grains and not enough variety of vegetables in our diet leads to excess calories and nutrient deficiencies.
While fruit has many critical nutrients and should be enjoyed, it may be helpful to think of it as “nature’s candy” because of the high sugar content. Refined grains and fruit juices can also make controlling blood sugar difficult.
It does take more work to prepare healthy meals, there is no doubt about it. Doing so is a small price to pay when you consider the negative health consequences of eating poorly. Most people do not think about the future, only the here and now, but the cost is greater to fight disease than to prevent disease. Eating for optimal health is the foundation of living well.
Recently we unveiled Fitgoal. Take advantage of all it offers.
• Daily food log so you know exactly what you are feeding yourself.
• Reports so you can monitor your fitness progress after each “Test Day”
• Visuals like charts and graphs for your food intake
• Write out personal goals so you know where you want to go and how you plan on getting there
• A journaling section to list important factors that give insight into your well being.
• The ability to directly contact your trainer through Fitgoal.
We are here to help you reach your goals,
Coach Nancy
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