Alcohol and Your Body --- Paying the Price for Partying

Pay the Price to Party – Alcohol and Bodybuilding

It’s Friday night, I’m in the club, and everyone is drinking. I did everything right during the week. I worked out and followed my diet to the “T.” So I can have a “few drinks” right? Wrong! Unless I want to halt my progress and limit the results I’ve worked so hard for, I won’t drink. I order water with a lime, to create an illusion that I’m drinking.

Alcohol is the world’s oldest and most widely-used drug. Alcohol is used to relax, facilitate social events, and liven up a party, but who’s really paying the price for you to party? Let’s take a closer look.

Alcohol stimulates appetite and loosens inhibitions. This is a great combination if your only goal is to have a fun time and get lucky, but a horrible combination for the physique conscious. In its purest form, Ethyl Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. Unlike calories from protein, fat, and carbohydrates, alcohol provides no nutrients or energy. This is why we call these 7 calories “empty calories.” On average a light beer contains 110 calories, a shot of 80 proof liquor contains 65 calories (don’t forget about the mixer), and red and white wines contain 120 calories. Factor the increased appetite and poor judgment and without even thinking about it you’ll be eating the typical “thousand calorie meal” establishments serve. The price being paid is already exceeding the physical dollar amount paid.

Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, but one standard drink takes around 10 hours to process. Assuming you had more than one drink, athletic performance may be affected up to 48 hours after the last round. When alcohol is being metabolized, glycogen metabolism decreases. Glycogen is converted into glucose, which provides energy to the body. For every one day of drinking your reaction time, balance, coordination, thought process, energy levels, and overall abilities may be negatively affected for the following two days.

Keeping your muscles hydrated results in a much higher anabolic environment. Some even take creatine to over hydrate the muscles, creating an even higher anabolic environment. Your kidneys regulate electrolytes and fluids in the body. Electrolytes and fluids supply nutrients and remove cellular waste. Alcohol forces the kidneys to process massive amounts of water from all over the body, including the brain, to break down alcohol. The kidney’s go into overdrive to get rid of the “toxins” leading to dehydration. This explains why drinkers have to go to the bathroom frequently when drinking.

Alcohol hurts muscular gains and recovery. Your body utilizes alcohol for fuel before any other nutrient. The nutrients you eat before, during, and after drinking aren’t absorbed efficiently and sit around while the alcohol is being metabolized. Alcohol interferes with the absorption, storage, and use of vital nutrients. Slower protein absorption will directly diminish your gains and recovery. After a night of drinking you may fall asleep easier but, the quality of sleep (especially Rapid Eye Movement aka REM) is reduced. REM is believed to be the period during sleep that bodies do the greatest amount of repair. A disturbance of REM sleep may ultimately diminish recovery. Recovery and gains can also be affected by missed meals the following day due to either waking up late or feeling sick/ hung-over the next day.

Most know that anabolism increases with increased testosterone production and decreases with increased estrogen levels. Some even choose to take steroids to drive their testosterone levels to unnatural levels to achieve unnatural results. Alcohol lowers testosterone by interfering with its production and raises estrogen levels. Testosterone levels can drop up to 25% while being intoxicated. Overtime, men that are heavy drinkers often develop gynecomastia (aka man boobs) because alcohol speeds up the aromatization of androgens into estrogens.

To fully understand the effects of alcohol on fat burning and metabolism, take a look at how it’s metabolized. After being consumed, alcohol gets absorbed into the blood stream through the stomach and intestines. Around 98% of the alcohol is then processed by the liver. The liver converts fats into usable food and is a critical element that maintains a healthy body composition. The liver converts alcohol into an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which converts into acetaldehyde, then into acetate. Carbohydrates turn into acetate as well, but through many steps, providing muscles with glucose and energy. Alcohol, on the other hand, converts into acetate fast and easy and provides no nutrients for energy. A sharp rise in acetate will result in increased fat storage. Alcohol is a by-product of yeast. The digestion of yeast irritates and weakens the lining of the stomach. When the stomach is weakened, food is digested slower and less efficient, making weight loss harder. Alcohol impairs pancreatic enzymes that are needed to metabolize fat, which can result in a high blood lipid (fat) level.

All living things are composed of cells. Bioplasm is the matter that forms the bulk of the cell. Bioplasm is the only living matter that can take up food, grow, multiply, divide, and move. In the book “Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why” by Martha M. Allen, an experiment was published on bioplasm. Different solutions were introduced to the bioplasm. A stimulant solution was added and the bioplasm increased in activity and divided more rapidly. An astringent was then added, causing the bioplasm to move more slowly and contract into a spherical shape. A relaxant was then introduced and the bioplasm spread in all directions barely moving, but when a stimulant was added again, it acted more vigorous than ever. Alcohol (also a stimulant) was then added and instantly the bioplasm contracted into a ball-like mass. They tried to stimulate and relax the bioplasm again, but nothing happened, it was completely dead.

“Alcohol destroys the very life force that alone keeps the body in repair.” If you want to perform at your best, build maximal muscle, or increase the potential for fat loss, alcohol should be avoided. The old saying goes “abstain and get them gains.” Who is paying the price for you to party? Your body is paying the price!

Reference: Martha M. Allen et al., Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why, pg 64-104, 1900.

9 ways to detox naturally in the New Year

Jeff Behar, MS, MBA President at MyBestHealthPortal.net Top Contributorgive us a run down of the best way to detox for the new year that's safe and effective check it out.

It’s the New Year, which means everyone’s talking about “cleansing” and “detoxing” after a bit of holiday binging. But the truth is, your body detoxes just fine on its own: Your liver, lungs, kidneys, skin, and digestive track are programmed by Mother Nature to keep your body clean 24/7.

But you can give your body’s natural detoxing powers a boost with these nine easy tips. 

1. Stay hydrated with water. Water is part of every metabolic process in the body, and adequate water intake also helps keep the balance of body salts normal. Natural thirst should always be addressed. And remember that fruits and vegetables are almost all water, so 5-7 servings can boost your natural water intake. And the best way to tell if your water intake is adequate is to check the color of your urine. Pale yellow is the goal. If it’s any darker than that, drink a glass of water or two.

2. Limit caffeine – but there’s no need to eliminate it. Caffeine can be a boost for mental focus and energy, if limited to less than 300 milligrams per day. A large mug of coffee has about 150 milligrams of caffeine, so that’s about two servings a day. A mug of tea is around 50 milligrams, so that’s about six servings. When it comes to caffeine, the less often it is consumed, the more of a positive biological effect you can expect. 

3. Extra credit: Avoid alcohol -- even red wine. (it.

4. Skip sugar – and low-calorie sweeteners. You want to ground zero your sweet taste buds with more limited intake of sweet of all kinds. Cut out sugary drinks, snacks, and treats, and you’ll be surprised how fruit will satisfy your sweet tooth. And taking a break from all low-calorie sweeteners helps you learn to tamp down your perception of sweetness.

5. Eliminate processed and prepared foods. As a general rule, don’t consume things that come in cans, boxes, bags or jars. Bonus points: Don’t eat in restaurants, either. Many restaurant foods may look healthy, but the food may have been prepared in unhealthy oils, or they may be drenched in a creamy sauce. Cutting out processed foods is the quickest and easiest way to limit excess (and often hidden) sugars, fats, and calories. 

6. Break a sweat. Skin is the body’s largest organ, and sweating helps you eliminate excess body salts and other metabolites of body processes. Breaking a sweat every day is a good way to support your body’s healthy elimination of metabolic breakdown products.

7. Eat fiber. There are so many myths associated with “cleansing” the digestive tract, but your digestive tract actually wants to be stimulated, especially with fiber. Think of this as exercise for your gut. Fiber revs up your digestive tract -- it’s like nature’s Roto-Rooter. But stick to fiber that’s found in nature -- fruits, veggies and whole grains -- and skip the bulked-up processed products that claim to contain 50 percent of your daily fiber needs or more in ONE serving. Stick with nature’s fiber content, which is about 3-4 grams a serving, about 15-20 percent percent of your daily requirement.

8. Get some sleep. Aim for seven to nine hours every night. Adequate sleep supports and maintains a healthy brain. Recent studies continue to support the connection between amount of sleep and cognitive function.

9. Change your response to stress. While eliminating stress is not realistic, changing how your respond to daily stressors goes a long way to boosting a healthy body.

Also, stop by 4x Nutrition Center adn speak with one of our certified nutrition specialist about other way to detox and get your body ready for the new year!

Til next time,

Mikie 

Have a Happy Paleo Christmas Dinner

With next the big feast of Christmas Dinner right around the corner we teamed up with our friends from Champion Naturals to bring you a few ways to keep your Christmas dinner healthy with these Paleo twist!

The Paleolithic diet (abbreviated “Paleo” for short) is a relatively simple concept. Proponents of this diet maintain that human physiology hasn't changed much since the days of our early ancestors, right before the dawn of the agrarian age.

 The idea is that eating the foods that we were able to hunt, gather or otherwise scrounge during our days as hunter-gatherers will help us avoid many of the diseases and other downsides to our modern age of largess, plenty and over-indulgence. While the science upon which the evolutionary assumptions used to develop the Paleo diet are contentious and somewhat flawed, the general idea is pretty sound.

Paleo Diet Main Ideas:

• Avoid processed meats and (where possible), consume only grass-fed or truly wild game
• Choose roots, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables over processed grains, legumes or potatoes
• Avoid dairy products and processed oils

That’s because (especially in the west) our diets are packed with unhealthy fats, processed meats, and hormone-fed livestock, pesticides and genetically altered grains – not all of which can be benign. So in addition to getting a healthy bout of winter exercise with your Thanksgiving dinner, try the following suggestions to serve a more healthy meal!

Turkey instead of Ham

In this case, the traditional dish has it right. With very few exceptions, ham (though delicious) is packed with extra salts and preservatives. It’s also way less healthy than a nice, roasted turkey – and that’s roasted, not fried. Nice try.

Note: while there are overlaps with “raw” food diets and Paleo, most proponents of Paleo eating are okay with cooking your food. To take full advantage of this, surround your turkey with diced vegetables; the more the merrier!

Stuffing the Paleo Way

Stuffing is traditionally made with bread. Bread is traditionally made with flour, and flour is traditionally made from grains. This makes it a no-no when it comes to Paleo. But what’s Christmas without stuffing?

Probably possible, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Here’s a recipe from www.agirlworthsaving.net on how to make a cornbread stuffing … without the bread (hint – use coconut flour instead of regular flour).

Alternatively, skip the stuffing and go straight for the Sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes However You Like Them

Some people might stop right here and wonder whether or not Sweet potatoes are on the Paleo menu. Personally, we think they should be – as they’re most definitely a root. In fact, if you really wanted to get down to brass tacks, all potatoes are Paleo in that they’re also roots. However, the cultivation of white potatoes as well as the difference in nutritional value (and a few other issues) makes them imperfect when it comes to the Paleo diet.

You’re welcome to do your own research regarding Sweet Potatoes and other types of potato in general. But for us, the risks outweigh the benefits. If you’re still on the fence, ask any weightlifter about sweet potatoes. They’re more than likely to tell you that they’re an excellent source of healthy carbs and many other nutrients – unlike the nearly-empty carbohydrates you’ll get from the regular old “Idaho” variety.

To stick with the general idea, though avoid things like sweet potato casserole and just bake or roast your potatoes. Roasted, mix them in with a big pan of baby carrots and diced onions. Delicious!

Green Beans, Squash & Raw Veggies

Another great form of Paleo nutrition and protein, Green Beans are especially easy to prepare if you don’t lump them into an unhealthy casserole. (Author’s note: Green Bean Casserole is delicious) Another great side to add color to your Paleo table is green and yellow squash. Just slice and cover in a microwave-safe bowl with a little black pepper on top.

As far as raw veggies go, you can always start with a bowl of salad before the main course and during the meal, put out a plate of raw, sliced tomatoes. Depending on how strict you’re being (if you’ve a large gathering, I don’t recommend forcing others to conform to your dietary quirks) you can add a little salt and pepper to your ‘maters – like my grandfather used to!

The other good news: Cranberries can be made into natural, Paleo or nearly-raw recipes, but there’s a whole lot of prep-time involved. You’re better off just opting for the “natural” cranberry sauce from your local natural foods store (and have a bowl of the can-shaped stuff ready for the kiddies).

Dessert

“Diet” and “Dessert” start with the same letter, but that’s about it. Mostly, this is because of the sugar. Some proponents of Paleo diets consider chocolate to be a Paleo-friendly food, others don’t. You can serve sliced dark chocolate, but that’s going to leave some of your guests feeling peckish.

For the truly serious and/or adventurous, offer sliced apples or pomegranates – they’re unbelievably nutritious and help with digestion as well. Or, alternatively, you can just ask other people to bring the dessert – after all, it’s not cheating if you didn’t make it yourself, right?

Have a Merry Christmas from all of us here at 4X Nutrition and Champion Naturals!

Til Next time,

Mikie

Five Supplements Even CrossFitters Should Love!!

Every now and then I run into some people who do intense crosstraining but don't take supplements. I ask them how they feel and they ALL say their times suck, they can't move the next day and that they don't feel like they are making progress.
So I ask what supplements they are taking and I'm shocked that they say nothing! NOTHING...not even aminos...zip...zilch...nada!!!

So I searched the internet for the best and most basic information I could find, so between all our knowledge here and the good folks at Breakingmuscle.com we've put together a great list of supplements that will help you become a healthier and better performing athlete.

CoQ10

Also known as ubiquinol, coenzyme Q10 is so named because it is ubiquitous in your body. That means it’s everywhere. Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring enzyme in our bodies, so you’re not putting anything foreign into yourself by supplementing with it. And while you can get CoQ10 in small levels in a variety of foods, our body’s level naturally declines as we get older.

What CoQ10 Does:

• Helps with the production of ATP (your ability to produce energy)
• Is a powerful antioxidant
• Plays a major role in circulation and the health of the heart
• Helps regulate insulin levels
• Helps prevent and alleviate migraines

CoQ10 isn't just hype. In fact, it’s been approved for use in Japan for the treatment of heart disease for many decades. This is one of those supplements that the more research comes out on it, the more of a no-brainer it seems to be.

On top of all those basic health reasons, recent research showed CoQ10 improved power output in elite athletes by 2.5%. Do some math with your “Fran” time and tell me you wouldn’t love that.

Magnesium

Some of you might take magnesium for sleep or for muscle function, but it’s benefits go way beyond that. Magnesium also helpsbalance blood sugar and lower insulin.You know, all those things you’re working toward with your paleo diet. Research has shown that there is an inverse relationship between magnesium levels and insulin resistance. So, the more deficient you are in magnesium, the more likely you are to take that first step toward diabetes.

Research has also shown that magnesium increases testosterone levels in athletes. Whether you’re male or female, healthy T levels are good for your muscle growth and performance, and regardless of gender your levels are dropping as you get older.

Phosphatidylserine

CrossFitters are nerds, let’s face it. Most of you guys are pretty darn driven, successful, and intelligent people. Wouldn’t it be great if you gave your brain all the fuel and power it could possibly use? What if your speed of thought, reaction time, and analytical powers were all boosted?Welcome to the world of nootropics.

A great nootropic to start with is phosphatidylserine (PS). Again, it can be made in the body, but we get most of our supply from the food we eat. Having a good enough supply in our system is essential for our brain health.PS is commonly used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other diseases related to aging of the brain.

More importantly for you as an athlete, though, is phosphatidylserine's ability to lower your cortisol levels. Here's an excerpt from one study:

The findings suggest that PS is an effective supplement for combating exercise-induced stress and preventing the physiological deterioration that can accompany too much exercise. PS supplementation promotes a desired hormonal status for athletes by blunting increases in cortisol levels.

In addition it was reported in Biology of Sport all the way back in 1998 that PS could be a "valuable training tool" for weight training athletes due to its ability to reduce muscle soreness. Reduced cortisol and muscle soreness? Sounds like a winner to me.

Vitamin D

So, like magnesium, we all know the basic reasons for supplementing with vitamin D. We know we need our dose of sunshine or we need to rub some liquid drops in our skin if we're trapped inside all day or happen to live in the northern regions.

But did you know that low vitamin D levels have been directly linked to low testosterone levels?So not cool. And again, whether you're male or female, you need testosterone in your body if you want to have strong bones and build your muscles. The great thing is, though, further research into magnesium went on to show that supplementation with vitamin D can indeed raise your T levels. Men taking 3,332 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year experienced a 20% increase in their free testosterone levels. So, it's an easy fix, as long as you've got vitamin D on your daily to-do list.

Protein Powder

I know, I know, CrossFitters only eat “real food,” right? And protein powder is the gold standard of everything that’s wrong in the supplement industry, right? Wrong.What’s wrong is all the stuff you bought in the past from some pyramid level outlet company that was indeed chemical-filled junk. But there are plenty of quality protein powder sources out there.

And let’s look at real life for a moment. For one thing, real food gets expensive. For another, real food is not always very convenient. And third, I don’t know about you but sometimes I don’t feel like chewing and digesting a meal within thirty minutes of a killer workout, but I do feel pretty stupid and woozy.

And as much as we would all like our lives to revolve around our workouts, the fact is we do have these things called jobs and schedules. Are you going to eat a cold chicken breast right after your 7:00am workout as you rush to shower and get to work? Would you rather not refuel your body than consume protein powder?

If you take your training seriously, then you need to take your post-workout nutrition seriously and that means replenishing glycogen stores and consuming protein. A good post-workout shake can fill the gap when you've got ten minutes to shower and get out the gym door.

So there you have it. Five things that are not foreign to your body, but in regards to which you may indeed be operating at a deficit. CoQ10, magnesium, phosphatidylserine, vitamin D, and protein. That list doesn't sound too bad right? And, all of these you can find at 4X Nutrition Center. Along with getting a sweet discount.

Consider the effort you put into each individual workout you do. Consider the care with which you choose and prepare your food, and the care you put into the selection of the gear you use. You are working hard and being incredibly discerning in your attempts to optimize your health and performance. Intelligent supplementation is just one more way to squeeze more results out of the work you do. You deserve supplements that work just as hard as you do!

And I promise it won’t make you a bad person if you take these. In fact, it might make you a better athlete and a healthier human being.

Til next time,
Mikie

Weight Management Tips for the Holiday Feast-tivities!

Alright, the holidays are quickly approaching and along with this time of year come, parties, big dinners and lots of tempting treats.  So here are a few tips for surviving the holiday feasting season:

1. Go For A Quick Walk:  On the days you are going to be feasting, take a walk in the morning and after the meal.  As you walk the increased oxygen, endorphin's and adrenaline will help digest the food and help you avoid the couch coma effect.
2.    Go Outside and Play:  This one is much easier for us here in South Florida.  Many families in Florida plan beach time during the holidays, just remember to bring the Frisbee or football and make sure you get some activity involved with your beach outing.  Or take the kids to the park after a big meal, get some fresh air and have some fun!
3.  Chew Your Food Extra Well:  Your body is used to chewing a mouthful of food a specific number of times.  The more you chew, the less you are inclined to eat and your body will feel full sooner.  Plus, when you chew your food very well, it has time to interact with the digestive enzymes contained in saliva.  Once you do swallow, your body is better able to digest, process and eliminate your meal, allowing nutrients to be absorbed more efficiently.
4. Drink Plenty of Water:  Water has no calories and helps you digest and process foods.  It will also make you feel fuller faster.  Drink a glass or two with the feast and it will interact with the fiber in your meal and make you feel full and satisfied faster.
5. Try Using Light Alternatives:  Nowadays there are lots of good alternatives that are low-calorie, lower in carbs or lower in bad fats that taste very much like the original high-calorie version.  See if you can add a few of these items to your menu to help reduce the calorie content of some of your favorite foods like butter, whipped cream, sour cream.  In some cases you can blend things like Stevia with real sugar to still make your baking sweet and tasty, but lighten the sugar/calorie content at the same time.
6. Pay Attention to Your Body:  When you begin to feel uncomfortable, stop eating!  Many times the food just tastes so good that we go way beyond the point of comfort.  You feel full and sluggish and, of course, the natural progression of this leads to a couch and a long nap.  It all sounds so tempting, but remember, when you sleep, so does your metabolism.  I call this the lips to hips condition.

You can enjoy the holidays and still keep on top of your diet and at least maintain your body’s current condition and weight.  It is not as hard as it seems with these simple tips!  Our Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialists have lots of other great ideas for helping you get through the holiday season happy and healthy!

Til next time,

Mikie

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I love the fall and all the healthy food that comes with it! 
One of my favorite things is sweet potato's and in the fall you get extra fresh ones. 

So I found a great recipe on www.eatingwell.com that I had to share!!
I've taken it a little father and added some Myofusion protein into the mix it give it a little more protein. I hope you enjoy!

Makes: 12 servings, about 1/2 cup each

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 scoop Myofusion Elite Vanilla

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, protein ,salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
3. Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F until hot, about 15 minutes.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 246 calories; 5 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 5 mg cholesterol;  24 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 2 g fiber; 228 mg sodium; 189 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (230% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and feel free to stop by and share your favorite recipes with us!

Til next time,

 Mikie

Nutrition and Martial Arts

Nutrition and Martial Arts

It happens at every school I have trained during my 15 years trying to get better at Jiu Jitsu and MMA, a new, young guy joins the school and is big, athletic and has a good amount of muscle.  A month later he is 15lbs lighter, nursing a bunch of injuries and probably has a cold or some other immune related illness.  A lot of the time the guy drops out and he is never seen at the school again, what a shame.  While many of us participate in martial arts for various reasons (to stay fit, to learn, to become a fighter etc.), it’s critical that we understand what we are doing to our bodies and how proper nutrition and supplementation plays a critical role in optimizing performance, recovery and the ability to grow and progress in the various disciplines we are competing in or learning.

First, what are we doing to our bodies when we train in this sport? 

Intense Interval and Over-Elated Heart Rates.  You expend huge amounts of energy in relatively short bursts, or rounds, when you spar, roll or drill followed by short rest periods.  This is called High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT.  During the round your heart rate likely soars to over 80% of its maximum heart rate.  Then in the rest periods we must quickly calm ourselves and prepare for the next round.  When your heart rate is over 80% of your max, we call this CARDIO training.  When your heart rate is between 60% and 80% of max we call this FAT-BURNING.  And when it is below 60% we call this NON-EXERTIVE.  At >80%, your body is essentially on full alert and is drawing energy from reserves and from the easiest available source to fuel you through the exercise.  Unfortunately, in “panic” mode, your body uses mostly carbs in your digestive system and protein which is in your digestive system or stored in your muscles because it can’t be patient and wait for your body to metabolize fat for energy.  So the first lesson is that you are tearing down your muscles to fuel your workout.  This results in the kid in the example dropping 15lbs of muscle in a few weeks of training.  Losing 15lbs is great, if and only if it we are losing FAT and not too much MUSCLE.  At heart rates between 60-80% of max your body is not panicking and has the time to burn fat and not reach into your muscles for protein.  Regrettably, our sport doesn’t let us keep our heart rate in this range as much as we would like.  (see below for how to calculate your target heart ranges)

1. Aerobic and An-Aerobic Exercise.  Our sport is a unique blend of aerobic (heart rate intensive, non-weight bearing) and an-aerobic exercise (weight bearing or resistance).  You have to have your heart pumping as you move your body and you have to be strong to punch, kick or get the 230lb monster off of you if you are rolling around on the mats.  His/her bodyweight and your movement create a unique blend of cardio and strength training rarely found in a regular gym.  An-aerobic or  esistance training is similar to weight training and what you are doing is breaking down your muscles through weight lifting so that they will grow back stronger.  The growing back stronger requires adequate rest and proper nutrition or you will do more damage to your body.
2. Stretching – Pulling – Kicking/Punching.  Your body is not made for all this stretching, reaching, pulling on joints and slamming or being slammed into.  Your body uses rest and nutrients you provide it to repair the damage.  Improper nutrition will not provide your body the means to recover if you need to keep training hard. 

OK, so what do we do to optimize our performance and health doing this sport?  As one of the Certified Sports Nutrition Coaches at 4X  Nutrition, I deal with these questions all the time and the answers are relatively easy.  I provide a few specific product names we have available in (brackets) so you know what to ask for when you are shopping.

1. Protein.  Increase your protein to at least 1g per pound of body weight per day.  For example, if you weigh 180lbs, then you should get AT LEAST 180g of protein per day.  Protein sources include chicken, lean meats, fish, dairy products, lean pork, protein shakes and protein bars.  Your body can only absorb about 40-50g of protein in one sitting and that will give you about 3-4 hours of repair and protection for your muscles with each serving.  Therefore, you must consume smaller more frequent meals of protein every 3-4 hours to reach your goal of 1g per pound of body weight.   With the right amount of protein, your body will protect your muscles during exercise and burn more fat, which is a good thing.  This seems hard to get this much protein, but at our store we have lots of great ways to reach your protein goals that taste great and are convenient through bars (Power Crunch) or shakes (Pro Complete 40, Myofusion Elite, Syntha 6).
2. Water.  You should be drinking at least a gallon of water every day and a little more on training days if possible.  Water helps to move nutrients around your body and helps revitalize the cells and speed recovery.
3. Vitamins – Minerals – Electrolytes.  A good multi-vitamin (Envie, Vita-Boost) will usually do the trick for replacing the vitamins and minerals you lose due to your intense training.  Right before, during and after your workout you should consider adding a sports drink with a little protein.
4. Glutamine.  Glutamine (CNS Glutamine) is the most abundant amino acid found in your muscle tissues and is found in most protein sources.  Glutamine reduces muscle soreness, fatigue and speeds the recovery of your body by increasing your growth hormone levels, improving the process of converting protein to energy and building your body’s immune system.  Take 5-10g of protein in your post-workout shake and one more similar dose before bed every day.
5. Joint Repair.  If you are experiencing joint and tendon pain, then you may also consider adding in a multi-faceted join formula (CNS Joint Support, Fluid Motion) that will help your tendons rebuild and repair.  Like Glutamine does with muscle fibers, Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM are three ingredients your body will use to ease the pain and improve overall joint health.
6. Other optional supplements.  A Pre-Workout Product (Cardio Igniter, NO Xplode etc.) that provides you a energy and endurance boost and perhaps some Creatine for additional strength may help you train after a long day at work.   Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are your Omega -3, -6, and -9 fats that come from nuts, fish oils, flaxseed and the like.  If you don’t cook with these oils or have them in your diet then you may also consider adding them into your supplement regimen to aid in cardiovascular, joint repair and improve your body’s growth hormone levels.  

 Everything listed so far, can be taken by both men and women, but men in particular as they get over 30, may also want to consider a natural testosterone booster (Fina Flex 1-Alpha, Vita-T, Pure Test).  Testosterone levels decline as men age and if we naturally boost them we will aid our body’s ability to repair it, protect and grow muscle, maintain stamina, strength and energy.Putting the right combination of diet and supplements together for you will help you improve your performance in martial arts as well as re-make your body.  Every day, our Certified Fitness Coaches at 4X Nutrition Center works with our clients to determine the right diet and supplement program to reach their goals for their sport and their body.  We provide free diet and supplement consultations to all FFA members and FFA members also receive a discount in our store every time they shop.  

We are happy to help you too!  Check us out at www.4xnutrition.com

Til next time,

Stace

How to Eat More Healthy Fats

How to Eat More Healthy Fats

 

Fat might be the most misunderstood nutrients of all time, often reduced or even cut out completely when people are trying to “shed” or eat “more healthily,” according to that old and erroneous low-fat mentality.  Given this  fat phobia, healthy fat is one of my favorite topics for discussion with people. It’s not only essential for our overall health and mood, but it’s critical for our metabolism. Fat matters when you’re trying to lose fat! Let’s talk about  tips for boosting this essential nutrient and giving your body the healthy fat it needs!

Healthy sources of dietary fat can include nuts and nut butters like P28, seeds and certain oils, as well as the naturally occurring fats in meats and some vegetables. When trying to boost intake of healthy fats, I generally coach with guidelines covering animal fats, nuts and seeds, and oils.

Keep the yolk. All sorts of healthy nutrients, including fat, live in the yolk of the egg. When preparing your morning breakfast or other foods, be sure to keep the yolk for some extra healthy fat in your meal.

Flax it. Flaxseed comes in whole, liquid or ground version, all which can be beneficial to pump up the healthy fat in your meal. Try adding a tablespoon to your gluten free oats, protein shake, or even to your stir fry or salad. 

Co-co-nut. Fix up the taste of your meals with coconut oil. Solid at room temperature, a tablespoon over the stove will melt fast and amplify the favor of your foods. Unsweetened coconut flakes can also be a great addition to any meal and works well for a healthier breading on fish and poultry! One of my favorite is by E-Pharm and called Organic Extra virgin coconut oil!

There are a number of supplement products that contain the correct amount of healthy fats as well, like Met-Rx Triple Omega and CLA, D-Fine 8 and even some proteins like Pro Complete 40!

Below is another list of some everyday 'Good Fat' you can add into your diet that you might not thing about. 

Til Next time, Seth