The Importance of Nutrition

Good Morning and Happy Monday! 

I've been asked if I could give out some of my recipes for clean eating., but first you should know why some of the ingredients in my daily diet are part of my own routine and how they may benefit you in your health and fitness endeavors.

What are macronutrients? 

It is important to remember that while we are doing all this hard work in the gym, we cannot neglect to fuel our bodies with proper nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat (the good kind of fat), and water which are important for growth and regeneration. These are called macronutrients, which can be found on food labels on most food items. Whole foods such as vegetables and fruits will not have food labels.

Food Labels 

Food labels will tell you the serving size (how many servings are in one packaged item) and how many calories are in that serving size. It will also tell you information like: how much protein is in a serving size, the amount of fat (which will also be broken down into transfat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat), how many carbohydrates are in the serving size and how much of those carbohydrates are from added sugars. Other things to keep in mind while reading food labels are the fiber content. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, but it does not get absorbed by the digestive tract. Insoluble fiber ("Fiber" listed on food labels does not have any calories in it and is good for digestion. It will help to keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time. 

Protein 

Protein is an important building block for the muscles. During weight training you are breaking down muscles which need replenishment within a certain time frame afterward. If we starve our muscles for too long after our workout or before our workout then our muscles get hungry and we may not see the results we desire. Protein is also great for keeping our blood sugar stabilized. Too little protein each day can make us feel weak, tired, and fatigued. There are at least 20 different types of proteins in the body. Some proteins take longer to break down by our digestive tract than other proteins such as chicken or beef protein vs. milk (whey/casein) protein or protein in an egg. You should get a variety of sources of proteins from your diet which can come from animal protein and plant proteins. 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can either be complex or simple and is a nutrient source for energy. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. Complex carbohydrates are those that are typically rich or abundant in fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as fruits, green vegetables, wholes grains, starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and pumpkin, beans, lentils, and peas. Look on food labels to see what added sugar content. Choose foods that have less than 15 grams of added sugar in them per serving and be mindful of how many servings per package you are consuming. Consuming 2 servings of something that has 15 grams of sugar in it means that you're really consuming 30 grams of added sugar (table sugar!) which means... (see picture).

Fats

Fats also come in all shapes and sizes and is a nutrient source for energy. For example, there are trans fats (which should be avoided at all costs), saturated fats (which can't always be avoided and should not always be avoided), monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Each type of fat differs in its molecular shape and how our body reacts to that is different as well. Sometimes these fats are hidden in our food, but if you check food labels you can gain a better sense for how much is in a serving you're about to consume. Trans fats are man made and are difficult for our body to process. Think of it as eating rubber, you wouldn't do that would you? Saturated fats can come from a variety of sources of food such as animal and plant proteins. There has been extensive evidence that saturated fats can increase your risk for heart disease. However, there's a new debate that it may not all be bad (you've heard the benefits of coconut oil which is high in saturated fat?). It's important to limit the amount of saturated fat you eat and consume enough of the monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats which can be found in nuts and seeds, egg yolks, fish, sunflower oil, olive oil, and avocado. These fats are metabolized much faster and used for energy. 

Nutrient Density Example

A good rule of thumb is to ask myself "is this food item nutrient dense?" which means that it would contain more vitamins and minerals,  protein, good fats, fiber, and carbohydrates compared to the total number of calories in a serving size. 

For example: a Subway 6" turkey breast sub (not including cheese or vegetables) (serving size) has: 

290 calories (per 6" serving)

4 grams of fat (1 gram saturated, 0.0 grams trans fat) 

46 carbohydrates (7 sugars) 

5 grams dietary fiber

760 mg of Sodium

17 grams of protein 

Iron - 20%, Vitamin C - 20%, 

Compared to: a Subway 6" chicken and bacon ranch melt (including cheese or vegetables) has:

500 calories (per 6" serving)

23 grams of fat (7 grams saturated, .5 grams trans fat)

46 grams of carbohydrates (8 grams of sugar)

5 grams of fiber 

28 grams of protein 

1030 mg of Sodium 

Iron - 15%, Vitamin C - 15 % 

As you can see the fat content (and saturated fat content), and sodium are all very high for this second serving size compared to the fat content of the Subway 6" turkey breast sub. The sodium content is also very high for the second example. Although salt adds flavor, too much of it can increase your risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. 

Be Wise 

It is wise to go for foods that are whole foods and contain little to no ingredients list, that is not always possible in today's society. Make wise choices, which can be done using food labels and common sense. Fat and carbohydrates are energy sources so we should be keeping a balance between the two. 

Would you run for an hour and then go weight train for an hour when you had a million other things to do that day? Would you eat an entire avocado and then go eat an entire chicken breast? These might sound like silly questions, but my point is that you need to find the right balance between fat and carbohydrates, which are both great sources of energy. An avocado is composed of all fat, good of course, and chicken is mainly protein. It is not necessary to eat an entire chicken breast because it contains A LOT of protein (1 oz. of animal meat contains approximately 7 grams of protein). Macronutrients can be eaten together or separately, and both fat, carbohydrates and protein are often found in the same foods (such as nuts which have a combination of fat, carbohydrates and protein). This is why nuts make a great snack! If you are eating a meal high in carbohydrates such as fruit, whole grains or vegetables, limit the amount of fat in that meal (don't eliminate it because your brain, joints and nerves need healthy fats!). The same goes for the opposite, if you're eating a meal high in fat such as a salad with nuts, avocado, and oil-based dressing, limit the amount of carbohydrates (energy) you have with it. Too much energy intake will lead to your body storing that energy and if you aren't utilizing that energy (burning it off) then it will be stored as fat. 

Tips: 

Drink water first thing in the morning.

Drink water frequently throughout the day to aid in digestion and metabolism. 

Eat at least three balanced meals throughout the day.

Don't skip breakfast. Sip on a nutritional shake throughout the morning if breakfast isn't your favorite.

Pack healthy snacks for the day like cut-up vegetables, whole grain crackers, hummus, nuts, and fruit for times of low-energy.