What’s In Food? Back to the basics

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates (carbs) occur in grains, such as wheat and rice; legumes, such as beans and lentils;
and in some root vegetables, such as potatoes, parsnips, and yams. These are often referred to as
“complex carbs.” All you need to know is that foods such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, certain
breakfast cereals (oatmeal, shredded wheat, unsweetened muesli), pasta, beans, and potatoes, are all
wholesome. They are good because they provide slow-release energy and a wide range of nutrients.
They are generally inexpensive and bulky, and traditional, healthy diets all over the world are based
largely on grains and legumes. These “good” carbs tend to have a low GI (glycemic index)rating. This
means they’re converted slowly from carbs into sugars without causing a sudden rush of insulin into
the bloodstream. Low GI foods protect against diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, and heart disease.
Confusingly, sugars are also carbohydrates, and these are not as good for you, especially if they supply
most of the energy in your diet.

Refined sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, dextrose, and maltose, are used in massive quantities in
processed foods, including savory products, such as baked beans and tomato soup. You can often find
three or four of them listed in the ingredients on food packages. These sugars do not need processing
by the body and are absorbed straight into the bloodstream, stimulating the pancreas to produce excess
insulin. These are high-GI foods, and excessive consumption may lead to weight gain and a condition
called insulin resistance, a forerunner of type 2 diabetes. This condition is known as “adult on-set
diabetes”, since it normally begins in middle age. However, with so many sugary foods being consumed
by our youth, type 2 diabetes has found its way to the youngsters as well. The sugars that your body
produces from low-GI carbs do not have this effect.

Here’s a small list of “good for you” carbohydrates.

Barley, Brown Rice, Oats, Wheat or Buckwheat: helps with circulation, digestion, stress, fatigue and
urinary.

Lentils: rich in protein, minerals and fiber (good source of B vitamins), low in fat.

Beans: help to reduce cholesterol and protect against heart disease, circulatory problems and colon
cancer. Beans are rich in plant hormones which protect against osteoporosis and breast and prostate
cancer. Try all varieties (pinto, kidney, garbanzo, butter, blackeyed, soybeans)

Millet: only grain that is a complete protein. It is also the only alkaline grain. It is rich in silicon, a
structural part of collagen. Silicon is vital for healthy skin, hair, teeth, eyes and nails.

Stay tuned for the next What’s in Food - Back to Basics blog on Fat.

Let your 4x Nutrition staff of Certified Sport Nutritionist help with any questions you may have. Stop in
and see us!

Til next time,
Missy

So what's this WHEY stuff???

We contently have people asking: What is Whey? So lets take some time to go back to the basic and go over what WHEY is.

There are many benefits to including whey protein as part of your daily diet. Whey protein is a convenient way to get your protein. That does not mean that you should replace your meals with a protein supplement. Whey protein can be used in addition to eating whole foods or supplementation of your diet.  Benefits include weight loss when used alongside a well-balanced diet, a convenient snack, when taken post workout it restores depleted amino acids and also inhibits production of cortisol.

                     

After a workout your muscles are depleted of glycogen and amino acids. To restore the glycogen lost a fast digesting carbohydrate is needed to spike your insulin and push the carbohydrates directly to your muscles. At the same time you also want to ingest a quick digesting protein to restore the amino acids in your muscles.

There are three types of whey protein. I’ll start with the “good” type. A whey protein concentrate is good. It is a quick digesting protein when compared to whole food; however it has a slower absorption rate than the other two types of whey protein. About 70% of the protein is actually digested and absorbed by the body. The rest just passes through your body  and may cause gas and bloating. Examples of a concentrate are BSN Syntha-6 and Dymatize Elite Gourmet.

The second type "better" than the first. This is a whey protein isolate. Isolates have the fat and lactose removed. The molecule is slightly smaller than a concentrate. Still on a percentage of it is absorbed and the rest goes to waste. Examples are Met-RX Isolate and BSN Syntha-6 Isolate.

The third type is the "best". It's hydrolyzed whey protein. The process of hydrolysis involves introducing food grade enzymes to the molecule outside of the body slicing it in to smaller pieces. It's essentially pre-digested before it enters your mouth. Hydrolyzed whey proteins are absorbed 100% completely. This type of protein will not cause gas or bloating and it is perfect for pre or post workout, athletes and bariatric surgery patients. Examples include BNRG Proto Whey, Intek Isolate and ON Hydrowhey. So when choosing a  protein, choose wisely and choose what feels best to your body.

So that's the in's and out's of WHEY protein. Feel free to come by and let us give you some samples of the different types of WHEY that we have at 4X!

Til next time,

Seth

Meet Seth Cairns!!

There is a new face walking around 4X Nutrition these days and it belongs to Seth Cairns. New to the team Seth is excited to be apart of 4X and help you reach your goals with unwavering motivation! 

So here is a little back ground on the new kid in town in his own words. Meet Seth Cairns:

   I grew up in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and now reside in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am the youngest of three children; I have two brothers. I have been a personal trainer for ten years and now a nutrition specialist at 4X nutrition as well.  I received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Physical Fitness and Wellness Management from Eastern Kentucky University in 2003. I moved to Florida in December 2011 and decided to enroll at Keiser University to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. My goal is to be a Certified Occupational Therapist by April 2014. I feel being a COTA will add to my skills and education in order to bring out patrons best potential.  

 I always wanted to be a professional athlete; however I was not the biggest nor the fastest. I decided to pick up weight training and started studying fitness when I was 15 years old. I was introduced to bodybuilding in 2002 and took an immediate interest in it.  The year 2002 was also the same year I met Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Arnold Classic Fitness Expo in Columbus, Ohio. After experiencing the Arnold Fitness Expo I decided I was very interested in bodybuilding. I competed that following year in 2003. Then I competed in another show, and then another, and then another….

 What I feel is most successful to me is the timing of meals throughout the day. Since training is the priority, I like to plan my meals around that training time. The timing insures that my body is receiving optimal energy. About an hour and a half before my workout I make sure to eat a carbohydrate such as brown rice or a sweet potato.

 The supplements that work for me best as a pre workout is Speed X by Lecheek Nutrition. For post workout I drink 8oz of a high glycemic fruit juice like tropical punch as well as a Dymatize Iso-100 protein shake. I also take glutamine and a multivitamin in the morning and Met-Rx ZMA at night before bed.

Seth is willing and able to help with all your fitness needs. His years of training combined with his passion for fitness makes him the perfect addition to our 4X family! Stop by and meet Seth Cairns and let him help you be the best YOU, you can possible be!