Tips Everyone Should Know About Nutrition and Fitness

CARDIO WORKOUT / BURNING FATS

The body burns more blood sugars in the first 20 minutes of a cardiovascular workout, and switches to using more fat for fuel for longer duration of exercise.  Blood sugars and fat are always burned at the same time.  When a person’s muscles are conditioned, (ie: after dedicated training) the body uses more fats for fuel even earlier in the cardiovascular workout.  Fat use of the body depends on the simultaneous supply of carbohydrates.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are required mainly for energy.  Complex carbohydrates burn slow and steady providing lasting fuel and a less severe response of the body to drop blood glucose.  Simple carbs like sugars, candies, soft drinks, raisins, give a quick burst of energy which is good for a sprinter, but the body responds by quickly dropping the blood glucose causing a sugar low.  Low in fat complex carbs are best for training.

PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS

1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight is the recommended daily intake for athletes training to build muscle.  0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight is the recommended daily intake for non-athletes.  The muscles cannot utilize extra protein which will be turned to fat or used for energy if there is no muscle building demands.  Overloading the muscle by weight training causes muscle tissue breakdown during a workout and during resting periods is when the muscle re-builds.  Therefore it is important to have carbohydrates for energy use during the workout and proteins after the workout.  The average North American gets 2 times the recommended protein intake so don’t worry about counting grams.

H20

Water is important in the workout because depletion of water within the muscle causes early muscle fatigue.  Thirst is a late indicator that the muscles need water.  1 quart per hour is the recommended consumption during the workout.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Without vitamins and minerals the muscle’s ability to convert food into energy is hindered and protein building is slowed.  There are links and regulators of energy producing and muscle building pathways.  B vitamins are especially important in training and their requirements increase with energy expenditure.  B vitamins are found in complex carbs like potatoes, pastas, cereals and breads.

Iron is the mineral most important to training because it allows the blood to carry oxygen.  If there is little oxygen there is little energy.  It is also the most common deficiency, but mostly in women.  Red meats and dark green vegetables are good sources.  Vitamin C enhances iron’s absorption into your system.

THE BALANCED DIET

Fresh fruit, fresh or frozen vegetables, red and white meats with the fat removed, complex carbohydrates (starches), low fat dairy products and a lot of H20 equal a balanced diet.

3,000 Calorie Diet

2 servings of low fat milks 5 servings of vegetables 4 servings of fruits 7 servings of starches 3 servings of lean meats 4 servings of fats

Keep your diet low fat, high carbs and medium protein and you can’t go wrong.  Give yourself one cheat day per week to indulge

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Nutrition

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