Low Fat Eating and Nutrition...

These include:

Fats

Good fats include the 'good' vegetable oils, such as olive, canola, soy oil, flax , & Udo's oil. Always use oil in place of all-animal fats and solid fats (such as shortening). Nuts, olives, seeds, and avocado are good sources of monounsaturated fat.

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Everyone Should Know About The Glycemic Index!

By: Fawnia Mondey

It all became clear to me; like something inside of me clicked. How to loose weight, primarily body fat by using something called the glycemic index (GI).

Chris, a friend of mine, who was in excellent shape wanted to have lunch. We met at a Japanese restaurant for sushi and his reason for calling this meeting was to talk with me about nutrition and how food works within us to help or hinder us in reaching our goals. The year was 1997 at a time when I was at my early weight lifting stages competing in Miss Hawaiian Tropic contests.

"Do you know about the Glycemic Index?" Chris asked me. "No, what is it?" I replied. "This is something you need to know if you are going to be serious about looking your best. From building muscle to losing body fat, the glycemic index is very important."

As Chris continued, I took mental notes of what exactly this miracle index was and how it could work for me. I was hanging on every word like it was the gospel. In essence, knowing about the GI, is pretty much like knowing the gospel in the fitness world.

What Is The Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index is a ranking of carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.

It compares foods gram for gram of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates that breakdown quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic indexes. The blood glucose response is fast and high. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low glycemic indexes.

"In a nut shell, eating foods that have a low GI level will help keep your blood sugar levels (BSL) stable." said Chris.

Obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, cancer and diabetes have all been linked to (as well as other factors) diets that contain foods with a high GI.

Foods with a low GI maintain a healthy BSL and help us to lose weight - one proven way to lower our risk of developing the diseases mentioned above.

Below is what I learned. I urge you to educate yourself on the Glycemic Index. Some foods may be listed as having a higher GI then you expect. Example: potatoes.

To slow the rate at which potatoes enter your system, add a tablespoon of flax oil, or even better, opt for sweet potatoes or yams since they naturally have a lower GI level.

 

What Is The Significance Of Glycemic Index?

Low GI means a smaller rise in blood glucose levels after meals

Low GI diets can help people lose weight

Low GI diets can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin

High GI foods help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise

Low GI can improve diabetes control

Low GI foods keep you fuller for longer

Low GI can prolong physical endurance

What Is Glycemic Load?

Glycemic load builds on the GI to provide a measure of total glycemic response to a food or meal

Glycemic load = GI (%) x grams of carbohydrate per serving

One unit of GL ~ glycemic effect of 1 gram glucose

You can sum the GL of all the foods in a meal, for the whole day or even longer

A typical diet has ~ 100 GL units per day (range 60 - 180)

The GI database gives both GI & GL values

How to Switch to a Low GI Diet

Use breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran

Use "grainy" breads made with whole seeds

Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat

Enjoy all types of fruit and vegetables (except potatoes)

Eat plenty of salad vegetables with vinaigrette dressing

Glycemic Index Table

 

Courtesy Bodybuilding.com

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Meal Frequency And Weight Loss!

By: Christopher Mohr

 

Eat More, Weigh Less?

Don't rub your eyes, do not pinch your cheek; yes you're awake, this is not a dream. While everything you may know up until this point has led you to believe you must eat less to lose weight, I'm here to question that theory-to an extent.

I'm not saying you can eat more food than your body can use and successfully lose fat, but I am saying that eating more frequently may help you break through a weight loss plateau. Hibernation season is over; it's time to get in beach body condition.

Weight loss is nothing more than a simple calculation; one that must tip the scale (no pun intended) in your favor. Very simply, if you consume less calories than your body needs, you will lose weight.

Unfortunately, in this case, too much of the weight lost will be lean body mass; not something fitness enthusiasts are after. In addition to simply reducing your calories through diet and exercise, the way those calories are divided throughout the day is important as well.

Believe it or not, while most bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts have been eating in this manner for a long time, this style of eating has not been extensively researched by scientists.

Although there is some science to support the benefits of meal frequency and meal patterns, more is clearly warranted. Let's take a look at what's available and extrapolate the findings to find what pertains to you and your clients.

The Importance Of Breakfast

Let's first start with breakfast. Breakfast was given its name because you are "breaking the fast" from the last 8 or so hours you have been sleeping. This is the reason it's often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Your metabolism slows down when you don't eat and more than several studies have shown a correlation between breakfast consumption and greater weight loss success.1, 2

Your body tries to do all it can to conserve your hard earned lean body mass (the first to go) when you're essentially in a starvation mode, which is what can happen during sleep. Subsequently, eating that first meal is crucial.

Furthermore, after you eat your metabolism increases due to something called the thermic effect of food. While each macronutrient has different effect on thermogenesis (increasing heat to burn calories), for the purposes of this article, it's important to understand that all foods increase metabolism, plain and simple.

So now we have two reasons to eat more frequently: preserve (or build) lean body mass and increase dietary induced thermogenesis.

In addition, it isn't wise to leave too long of a gap between feedings either. Otherwise, you'll essentially be preventing your body from going into "preservation mode" like what happens during sleep. Now of course this doesn't mean you should force feed your body until you reach gluttony with the intention of preserving lean body mass or increasing thermogenesis.

The excess calories you consume will help preserve overall body mass (fat included) because the calories you consume will be greater than the amount of thermogenesis they cause. But it may mean that having a mid-morning, mid-afternoon and evening feeding may help you lose body fat and maintain your hard earned muscle.

Protein Consumption And Meal Frequency

To support this notion, a study published over 20 years ago measured weight loss and resting metabolic rate in 38 obese patients.3 Subjects were fed 800 calories/day (known as a very low calorie diet or, VLCD).

For one week all subjects were initially fed three meals per day in which 13% of total calories were from protein. On weeks two and three of the study, groups of subjects were fed either 10% or 15% of total calories as protein.

Subjects' in these groups ate three meals per day. Another group of subjects was fed a diet providing 13% of total calories from protein. These groups consumed either one or five meals per day. Finally, the last group of subjects was fed 15% of total calories from protein as five meals per day or 10% of total calories from protein as one meal per day.

While that may seem confusing, remember that subjects in every group received the same total number of calories divided up differently throughout the day (i.e., one, three or five meals). In addition, there was a slight difference in the total amount of protein in each diet. Now that we have that straightened out, let's take a look at the results.

Not surprisingly, when protein levels were held constant at 13% of total calories, nitrogen losses were significant (i.e., it wasn't enough protein to meet the needs of the individual).

In addition, it was determined that those who had a higher percentage of their diet coming from protein (15%) and were fed more frequent meals (5/day) had a better preservation of lean body mass.

Energy Deficits

Another study published more recently assessed energy deficits (i.e., taking in less calories than your body needs) and body composition in elite female gymnasts and runners.4 The researchers collected dietary and activity data from these elite athletes to determine a typical day in terms of energy intake and expenditure.

The results from this well-designed study suggest that energy deficits (measured by frequency and/or magnitude of deficit) are associated with higher body fat percentage in these athletes.

In fact, the number of daily energy deficits greater than 300 calories throughout a 24-hour period correlated to higher body fat percentages in the athletes tested.

To summarize, eating more frequently (nibbling all day vs. gorging) is something many of you have probably read about and hopefully practice. While there is a paucity of research in this area, the few studies that are out there favor smaller, more consistent meal consumption.

This is of particular importance for athletes or even just the general fitness buff who hopes to preserve as much lean body mass as possible while attempting to lose fat. Products like meal replacement powders, blended with a bit of fruit, would make a nutrient dense, low fat meal and would fit this new eating style recommended.

References

Am J Epidemiol 158(1), 85-92, 2003
J Nutr 134,104-111, 2004
Br J Nutr 45(1),5-15, 1981
Med Sci Sports Exerc 32(3), 659-668, 2000

 

Courtesy Bodybuilding.com