NUTRITION:
“THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A COMPLETE FITNESS PROGRAM.”

There are millions of Americans who are frustrated with dieting everyday. Some will persevere, but most will give up. The following keys, if implemented with a sound fitness program that provides the appropriate amounts of resistance and cardiovascular training, can bring success to any frustrated “dieter”. The first issue that needs to be addressed is, how to prevent the body from storing food (or fuel) as fat. The key to storing carbohydrates as fat lies in the relationship between blood sugar and insulin.

Everyone loves carbohydrates. Everyone where you go there is an abundance of this sometimes starchy, sometimes sugary substance (oatmeal, pasta, break, cookies, candy, fruit, and potatoes, to name a few). When a person is trying to lose body fat, after the fat itself, carbohydrates are used. When carbohydrates are consumed, they provide a great deal of sugar into the blood stream all at once. Insulin is then released to absorb the sugar in the blood. This blood sugar is stored by insulin in the cells of the body as fat.

If the carbohydrate is a more slowly digested form (starch), the blood sugar is lower and more
constant, so the need for insulin is diminished. Insulin is released from the pancreas when a sufficient amount of blood sugar is released into the blood stream. If the amount of blood sugar stays below this trigger, then no insulin is released, insulin is a hormone that will store excessive amounts of blood sugar as body fat. The second key to successful “dieting” is not losing muscle when you are restricting your caloric intake.

Protein contains amino acids which are the building blocks for muscle growth. When consuming protein, it creates what is called a positive nitrogen balance. When you have a positive nitrogen balance, it is possible to build lean muscle tissue. One pound of lean muscle tissue requires 50-100 calories to maintain it, so it is adding to the metabolic rate of your body.

The final key to raising a body’s metabolism is eating more frequently, which in turn, gives the body a constant source of energy and has a metabolism stimulating effect. The philosophy is simple, eating more frequent meals, allows for proper metabolism, better food utilization, and the more consistent uptake of nutrients, thus making the body more efficient. In summary, for fast and safe fat loss, one needs to limit their carbohydrate intake, choose the proper carbohydrates to consume, and avoid eating carbohydrates late in the day. Second, participate in an exercise program which allows for resistance training (to increase and prevent the loss of lean muscle mass) as well as cardiovascular training. Finally, a body that has a high metabolism burns more calories at rest than a body with a slow metabolism. Therefore, keep eating and you’ll keep losing.

Jeremy Smith