personal trainer toronto, toronto fitness training, personal training, nutrition

Resistance training gets your muscle's attention, it still needs several things to
fulfill its vow to rebuild bigger and stronger than ever. Among them is proper
nutrition. Just what constitutes proper nutrition for muscle building is another
controversial area - witness the endless products that suggest they can help you
pack on muscular pounds.
While most expert remain skeptical of such claims for all but a few products,
there seems to be general agreements that your intake of protein and total
calories should increase if you want to add lean body mass. "the bottom line is
this: if you're not consuming enough energy, then you are going to be in trouble
either maintaining or building muscle","So priority number 1 has to be energy".
Even for those of us who were born without that all-important math gene, the
equation is simple. If you don't eat enough to replace the calories that your body
is burning off when you're weight training, you'll actually lose weight and muscle
mass. But figuring out how much to eat is a little trickier."In some studies of very
good weight their energy intake was approximately double but if you're not
training quite as hard, you obviously won't need as much generally eating about
40 calories per kilogram of body weight when trying to build muscle. That means
that the average 170lb pound man might need to eat roughly 3100 calories a
day. A 230lb pound man should consume 4200 calories a day or more.

You'll need to make sure that you're eating between 1.4 and 1.8 grams of
protein for every kilogram of body weight. That translates into about 123 grams
of protein for a 170lb pound man and about 167 grams for a 230lb pound man. (
just to give you an idea, three ounces of tuna packs 25.1 grams of protein, a
three ounce chicken breast has 26.7 grams, and an eight- ounce glass of 2%
low-fat milk contains 8.1 grams.

NUTRITION

Nutrition basics - click here

Home

		*Q & A*

Q: If I know the number of grams of different types of foods I consume, how do I compute the number of calories? I also want to know the optimal amounts of macronutrients to consume daily. A: Each gram of fat contains nine calories. A gram of carbohydrate and a gram of protein yields four calories each. So, for example, if you consumed 275 grams of carbohydrates, 55 grams of fat, and 180 grams of protein, your computations would look like this: carbohydrates: 275 x 4 = 1,100 calories fat 55 x 9 = 495 calories protein: 180 x 4 = 720 calories ------------------------- Your total daily calorie intake would be: 1,100 + 495 + 720 = 2,315 calories ------------------------ Your macronutrient percentage would be: 1,100/2,315 = 48% carbs 495/2,315 = 21% fat 720/2,315 = 31% protein A general recommendation for macronutrients would be 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 20% fat for normal, noncompetitive athletic nutritional programs. Q: What are the differences between complex and simple carbohydrates, and what are some of the foods that contain them? A: Simple carbohydrates, or simple sugars, include glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, and lactose. These sugars are easily broken down by the body and quickly assimilated. They spike insulin levels, which can cause a high fluctuation in blood sugar and energy levels, making you feel sluggish when your blood sugar plummets. They are also easily converted into fat for storage. Complex carbohydrates are many simple sugars connected together. They are ultimately broken down into the same byproduct as simple sugars, glycogen, but it takes a much longer time and more energy for your body to assimilate these carbohydrates. This allows you to feel more full for a longer period of time and releases insulin into the system at a more constant, even rate. In return, you will have more even blood sugar and energy levels and will probably be able to avoid food cravings. Simple carbohydrates include sweets, cakes, cookies, dairy products, fruits, and soft drinks. Complex carbohydrates include vegetables, oatmeal, grains, beans, potatoes, and rice. Q: I'm a serious athlete, and I want to know how much protein I need. Can excess protein actually cause harm? A: Protein is arguably the most important nutrient for athletes because it's a key component in retaining muscle and providing amino acids to the amino acid pool within your body. Inadequate protein intake can also make you more susceptible to over-training. Athletes should consume at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily, spread over six meals daily for proper assimilation. Regarding protein toxicity, we know of no documented clinical studies which show that a high protein intake can cause damage in healthy individuals. The RDA of 0.8 grams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight for protein is based on inactive people, not athletes. Athletes need a higher intake of protein to compensate for the stress they place on themselves through intensive training. We haven't seen research confirming any specific amount of protein that can be assimilated at one meal; however, a general recommendation is between 30 and 50 grams, depending on your bodyweight and timing of meals. If you want to use a protein supplement, a good time is right before you go to sleep at night, since during this time your body stores protein for the first few hours, then recycles and breaks down protein for several hours. You can also consume a protein supplement first thing in the morning to stop the protein breakdown phase of the sleep cycle. Q: I really love pasta, but my trainer told me to avoid it as it's too fattening. I thought it was a healthy carbohydrate source. Can you give me some information about pasta's nutritional value? A: Pasta gets a bad rap as a fattening food that's lacking in nutrition, but surprisingly, it is a low-fat, nutritious meal! It's the butter, cheese, greasy meat, and oils commonly added to pasta that make it a less-than-healthy meal. Pasta is rich in complex carbohydrates and supplies about as much protein as a whole egg (albeit an "incomplete" protein). Most pastas provide about six out of the eight essential amino acids. If you want a "complete protein" meal, you would need to include legumes such as beans or an animal protein source such as chicken or fish. Refined wheat versions of pasta contain high amounts of B vitamins, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, as well as fiber. Also, all grain-based foods produced in America, such as pasta, are fortified with folic acid. Q: I have heard that it is best to consume 5-6 meals a day. Why is that? A: The answer is you should eat more often than you do already now. To transform your body, to look better, feel better, and improve your health, you must develop the pattern of feeding your body frequently throughout the day. You should not go more than a few hours (while you are awake) without eating. There are many reasons for this. One is that eating often helps you keep your bodyâ€™s â€œfood alarmâ€� in check. This helps you convince your body and mind there is not a famine around the corner. Also, studies show eating often helps accelerate the metabolism, so you burn more calories. And when you do eat 5-6 nutritious, smaller meals a day, the food is more efficiently absorbed and processed by your body than the normal American diet of â€œthree squareâ€� meals a day. In fact, when you eat every few hours, you will have more energy, less hunger pains and cravings. Above all, you will be creating a â€œmetabolic environmentâ€� which supports fat loss and muscle gains, allowing you to transform your physique in record time. Q: I use nutrition shakes, but I'd like to get some protein from "real" food sometimes too. What are some good whole-food, low-fat sources of protein I can buy at the grocery store? A: Some good whole food protein sources include chicken breast, turkey breast, egg whites, lean fish such as orange roughy and cod, and lean cuts of beef such as sirloin and top round. You can ask the butcher in the meat department of your local grocery store to trim all of the visible fat off any of these cuts of meat, or you can also do this yourself before cooking. Q: Should I eat something before I work outâ€”like an energy bar? A: This depends on what your goal is. Now, if your only concern is athletic performance, you should consume carbohydratesâ€”like an energy bar or a sports drinkâ€”before, during, and after your physical activity. However, if your goal is to lose fat and gain muscle, I do not recommend eating before your workout. This is a mistake many people make. You see, if you supply your body with carbohydrates to use as fuel while youâ€™re exercising, you will slow down fat loss. Thatâ€™s why we recommend, for maximum fat-burning effects, you exercise on an empty stomach. Q: What if I'm a vegetarian? What kind of adjustments would I make to the proper eating method? A: Vegetarians following the proper eating method need to be more diligent in their meal planning to ensure they are consuming a quality portion of protein with each meal. In addition, special care must be taken when replacing authorized animal proteins, which contain no carbohydrates, with plant-derived proteins, which may contain significant amounts of carbohydrates. For example, a vegetarian following the proper eating method might be tempted to exchange a chicken breast with a portion of lentils for protein and consume that with a vegetable and an authorized carbohydrate, such as baked potato, for a complete meal. However, this would not be an authorized meal because lentils, while containing some protein, contain far too many carbohydrates to be eaten with a potato. More suitable replacements for the chicken breast would be nutritious, low-carbohydrate proteins such as a portion of low-fat cottage cheese or egg whites. Also, keep in mind that performance-nutrition shakes containing whey protein, may be one of the best sources of protein for vegetarians. Vegetarians must be careful to consume a large variety of foods to get enough of all of the amino acids - the building blocks of protein. By doing this, however, you now run into the problem of too many starchy carbohydrates and too much fat. Not only do quality performance-nutrition shakes contain all of the essential amino acids, they taste great, mix easily and are low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Q: I'm hardly ever hungry, I don't like to eat until noon, and I crave carbohydrates. What does this mean? A: Don't take this personaly, but it sounds like you've got some very poor eating habits. Nutritional habits like these can lead to: weight gain roller-coaster energy levels a bloated stomach recurrent major cravings poor health Many people believe they can lose weight by skipping meals or starving themselves, but not eating causes the body to store fat. When your starve yourself, your body fights back by lowering your metabolic rate, sacrificing muscle tissue, and pillaging your energy levels. This is all part of your body's built-in survival mechanism. On the other hand, eating frequentlyâ€”five to six small balanced meals throughout the day that contain quality protein and carbohydratesâ€”may lead to spectacular benefits, including: increased lean muscle (which promotes fat loss) less stomach discomfort/indigestion stable energy levels a controlled appetite enhanced metabolic rate and increased nutrient absorption and use Q: I have been trying to lose about 15 pounds of excess fat. What nutrition tips do you suggest? A: Here's a simple plan to lose bodyfat and retain your muscle mass with suprisingly little discomfort: Work with your body, not against it The worst way to try to lose fat is to starve yourself. When you do that, your body fights back by lowering your metabolic rate, sacrificing muscle tissue, and pillaging your energy levels. Eat six times a day By feeding your body frequently throughout the day, you can avoid hunger cramps and maintain stable energy levels and a healthy metabolism. Consume a lot of protein Each meal should contain a serving of protein and carbohydrates. Count "portions" instead of calories A portion of your food is roughly equal to the size of your clenched fist or the palm of your hand. "Pig out" once a week Rather than fasting once a week, we recommend just the opposite. One day a week, forget calorie counting, portion control, etc., and eat whatever you like. Drink water, not juice or soft drinks To lose fat and maintain muscle mass, you are going to need to consume food that is calorie-sparse and nutrient-rich. Consume at least 10 cups of water everyday. Monitor your progress regularly If your nutrition program is on track, you should be losing fat every single week. Q: I know several serious weight trainers, and their eating patterns seem to be low in fruits or vegetables. Aren't they missing important nutrients? A: Certainly not all weight trainers have nutritional patterns like this, but many have historically concentrated on protein sources and starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, or pasta in their nutrition programs. It is possible that neglecting fruits and vegetables in your nutritional program could limit your intake of certain vitamins and minerals. There are three questions you should consider: Question One: Is it important to eat fruits and vegetables, especially if you are consuming a high-tech nutrition shake? Answer: It might actually be better to consume the nutrition shake. Let me explain...Mother Nature is not always consistent in her allotment of vitamins and minerals in foods. For example, two oranges could vary dramatically in their Vitamin C content. Nutrition shakes are consistently manufactured to meet the label claims (at least those from reputable companies are). If the label says you are getting 50% of the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for a certain vitamin or mineral, you are. Question Two: Are artificial vitamins as good as natural vitamins? Answer: Chemically and structurally, there is no difference. If you could examine natural and synthetic vitamins on a molecular level, you would see that they are identical. Question Three: Is there anything found in fruits and/or vegetables that you cannot get in a nutrition shake that might be important for overall health? Answer: Most likely, the answer is yes. Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals, which simply refers to chemicals found in plants. Many of these chemicals are alleged to have certain disease-fighting properties. So what's the bottom line? In some ways, nutrition shakes are better than fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, these shakes contain few, if any, phytochemicals. One thing you can do is buy bags of frozen fruits from the grocery store, then when you mix up your nutrition shake, toss in some frozen fruit instead of ice cubes. But that still doesn't account for the vegetables. Those pre-mixed bags of vegetables for salads you can buy in the grocery store are a great time-saver. Here's an easy, healthy meal: open one of those bags, cover it with fat-free dressing, and add a protein source like a chicken breast, lean beef, or fish. Then have a piece of fruit or whole-wheat bread on the side.

			NUTRITIONAL RULES TO FOLLOW RULE ONE Always remember to eat at least 5 small meals a day. This will assist in raising your metabolism and maintaining you're energy levels needed to exercise. RULE TWO Be sure to always eat every 3 hours! This is very important in keeping your metabolism and blood sugar levels at a even keel. RULE THREE Remember 40-40-20, eat 40% Carbohydrates, 40% Protein and 20% Fat. So take your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) total calorie intake and divide each part accordingly. RULE FOUR Drink plenty of water. At least 8 glasses a day. RULE FIVE Zigzag your calorie intake every so often. Eat less than your calorie intake one day and a little more on another day. This shocks your metabolism and keeps it racing. RULE SIX Go easy on the alcohol. Alcohol stimulates your appetite causing overeating. RULE SEVEN Stop eating when you are full. Don't wait till your so full that your stomach hurts. RULE EIGHT Do not skip meals. This leads into indulging and overeating RULE NINE No matter how hard you try: You can't always eat perfect food You can't always eat 5-6 meals a day There will be many instances where you will want to cheat Don't knock yourself down and think you're a failure every time this happens. Keep a positive attitude and stay focused. forgive yourself and get back on track.You will get there.
	CARB DEPLETION/CARB LOADING? IMPORTANT! Before considering a carb depletion/carb loading cycle, consult your doctor before attempting it. It can very dangerous to your health. Carbohydrate depletion and carbohydrate loading is a 6 day cycle that starts 6 days out from a bodybuilding competition, running race or other sports activities. It starts with the first three days lowering your carbohydrate intake down to as low as 50 grams (eg;Small baked potato) per day. Then the last three days out from the event you carb load. As high as 100 grams per hour right up to the event. When followed properly the process creates tremendous results that are quite amazing. Bodybuilders have come in super lean with incredible muscle fullness and vascularity and runners and other athletes have performed to their optimum abilities due to the incredible sustained energy it releases Bodybuilders want to be very careful in this process because it can have a disappointing backfire to it and some contestants have actually entered looking like a smoothy (Retaining water). It should be experimented with about a month out from the show to be sure it will work for you. It's not for everyone. Bodybuilders will have to purchase ketone strips to be sure they are in a state of Ketosis and sterilized plastic containers that are available at most drug stores. Simply urinate in the container or place in your urine stream while urinating and match up the color it turns into with the chart that is included with the ketone strips. This assures them that their bodies are running on nothing but the little fat left on their bodies. They should also consume distilled water (Sodium Free)to prevent water retention, potassium, and workouts that consist of very light weights and high repetitions. You will find that the workouts are very hard to accomplish due to the effects of the depletion, so you might have to subside to supplements like MCT Fuel which you can find at your local Health Food Store or GNC.