human performance and nutrition consulting

Just last week I sent newsletter subscribers a short article discussing nutrient timing. The article, in its brevity, was pretty straightforward. But a few questions always come up when I discuss nutrient timing - questions based on what I call 'individualization.' In other words, people want to know how nutrient timing can work for them. So here's a quick Q&A based on my interactions with readers this last week.

QUESTION
Your nutrient timing concepts suggest that most carbs should be eaten during and after exercise. However I'm an athlete and believe that I need more carbs. How do I reconcile the two?

ANSWER
This rule is primarily for recreational exercisers interested in fat loss. And, the truth is, this strategy been the most powerful in terms of body composition impact for my recreational exercisers since they're typically only exercising 3-4 times per week.

So, simply put, the typical recreational exerciser interested in fat loss does best when he or she saves his or her starches (pasta, bread, oatmeal, rice, etc) and sugary carbs (sweets, recovery drinks, sports drinks, etc) until they're exercising or immediately after.

Of course, the rules are a bit different if you're an elite athlete or a recreational exerciser interested in muscle gain or improved muscle strength. Further, the rules are a bit different based on your body type.

QUESTION
So how do the rules change based on body type or goal set?

ANSWER
Here's a quick index showing how you can individualize based on your goal set or body type.

Carb Tolerance: Excellent
Typical Goal: Gain Muscle
Typical Body Type: Ectomorph
Typical Activity If An Athlete: Endurance Activity
Carb Timing Rules: Should include sugary carbs during/after each exercise session. Some starchy, whole grain, unprocessed carbs can be eaten at each other meal. Veggies and fruits (3:1 serving ratio) should be eaten at each meal.

Carb Tolerance: Moderate
Typical Goal: Body Optimization
Typical Body Type: Mesomorph
Typical Activity If An Athlete: Intermittent Sport Athlete
Carb Timing Rules: Can include sugary carbs but only during/after exercise. Starchy, whole grain, unprocessed carbs can also be eaten at breakfast and post exercise. They should be used in moderation during the rest of the day. Veggies and fruits (3:1 serving ratio) should be eaten at each meal.

Carb Tolerance: Poor
Typical Goal: Fat Loss
Typical Body Type: Endomorph
Typical Activity If An Athlete: Strength and Power Athlete
Carb Timing Rules:: All starchy and sugary carbs should be included only during/after exercise if at all. Veggies and fruits (5:1 serving ratio) should be eaten at each additional meal.

Of course, this is just a quick overview of how carb intake and timing can be customized for body type and goal set. The strategies outlined here are explained more fully in Precision Nutrition.

QUESTION
This seems kind of complicated. Isn't there an easier way to do things?

ANSWER
You bet! There is an easier way to do things and the easy way is what I call Level 1 Nutritional Programming.

Level 1 is ideal for beginners. And when I say beginners, I mean nutritional beginners. You can be advanced in the gym or on the playing field yet still be a nutritional beginner.

Further, it's also ideal for those with more modest goals. If feeling better every day or modest body composition improvements are your primary goals, this level is probably right for you.

However, the strategies above are part of what I call Level 2 and 3 Nutritional Programming.

Levels 2 and 3 are ideal for those who wish to accomplish specific, aggressive goals such as competing in a physique contest, dropping body fat percentage into the mid-single digits (men) or close to single digits (women), or optimizing intake for training and competition.

These are the types of individuals who want accomplish lofty physique and performance goals and have the discipline to follow 95% (or higher) adherence, rigorously track intake, calorie-count, vary macronutrients systematically, and more.

QUESTION
How can I find out more about Levels 1-3?

ANSWER
The Precision Nutrition Individualization Guide (which comes as part of the full Precision Nutrition program) contains this information and much, much more.

This coming Thursday, March 1st, 2007, I'll be bringing good nutrition to Windsor.

The Windsor School Board, recognizing that child and adolescent obesity rates have reached epidemic levels in the US and Canada, have begun to include nutrition and exercise in the curriculum in a more systematic way.

As a result of this focus, I've been brought in to spend Thursday with the 500+ Hugh Beaton Public School students, grades 1-8, teaching them about the importance of eating the right foods and practicing physical activity.

And Thursday night, at 7pm, I'll give a presentation on The Right Nutritional Fit For the Family. This presentation is open to the entire community and there is no cost*.

If you're interested in attending this public event, here are the details:

Location:
Hugh Beaton Public School
2229 Chilver Rd
Windsor ON N8W 2V4
Canada

Date:
Thursday March 1, 2007

Time:
7:00-8:30PM

*Donations for the Hugh Beaton Nutrition Program will be accepted. As well, I will be selling my Precision Nutrition program at the event and a portion of each sale will go back to the Nutrition Program.

Nutrient Timing is the hot new topic in the nutrition world.

You see, in the past, traditional nutritionists spent much of their time helping clients figure out how much to eat (calorie intake) and, to a smaller extent, what to eat (good carbs vs. bad carbs; good fats vs. bad fats; etc).

And, of course, both of these approaches had immense value.

Yet most people felt like something was missing - like there was more to the nutrition puzzle. And they were right.

Nutritional science has now clearly demonstrated that nutrient timing or when to eat, is an important topic and has big implications for improved body composition, health, and day-to-day performance.

'So, what's so special about when we eat?' you ask.

Well, simply put, the body's ability to tolerate different nutrients changes throughout the day. Also, by eating at certain time intervals each day, anabolic (building/repair) hormones can be improved while catabolic (breakdown/destruction) hormones can better be controlled.

So, by feeding the body the right foods at the right times, body composition, health, and day-to-day performance can be improved.

Here are some strategies for improving your nutrient timing.

1) Eat frequently - every 2-4 hours: Researchers at Georgia State University have demonstrated that eating frequently can lead to: better glucose tolerance, decreased insulin response to meals, decreased blood cortisol, decreased blood lipids (fats), decreased body fat, and maintainance of metabolic rate.

That's right, you can control your sugars, control your cholesterol and triglycerides, decrease your body fat, and improve your lean mass by eating frequently. (Of course, you have to eat the right stuff too!)

2) Take advantage of post-workout fat burning: Within 1-2 hours after exercise, the body prioritizes fat burning while, at the same time, prioritizing carbohydrate storage. This is a unique phenomenon as the body typically burns a mixture of carbs and fat. Therefore, after the workout there's a great fat-burning window. This is great news if you've got some fat to lose!

3) Use during and post-workout carbs intelligently: As a result of the body's post-exercise shift in fuel burning/storage, carbohydrates eaten during and after exercise are much less likely to provoke fat storage than they would be during the rest of the day. They're stored instead, forcing the body to burn more fat.

The take home message here is this: you've gotta earn your bread by exercising first!

So, in the end, using nutrient timing to your advantage means, among other things, eating every 2-4 hours, saving your higher carb meals (those meals rich in sugars or starches until during/after exercise) and eating meals composed of lean proteins, healthy fats, and veggies and fruits the rest of the day.

Starting out with these simple nutrition strategies can bring you a long way toward an improved eating plan and an improved physique.

Last week I sent out an email to newsletter subcribers discussing 5 ways to maximize the metabolism. The response was nothing short of staggering. So I figured I'd share more on this important topic here:

QUESTION
If someone does everything right (i.e. in terms of both exercise and nutrition), what kind of jump in metabolism can you get?

ANSWER
The typical North American sees a 10% reduction in metabolism per decade and this is directly correlated with a drop in both physical activity and energy intake as we age. However, with the strategies outlined in the metabolism article I sent out, this metabolic decline can be prevented entirely. Further, by systematically applying them, people can increase their metabolic rates by 40-60%. For those keeping score, that's a huge jump in metabolism!

For more on age-related metabolic decline, read this study.

QUESTION
Do you feel your metabolism has changed much since you were a 19 year old bodybuilder? Do you expect it to change much in the next 10-20 years?

ANSWER
Not much, although it has for sure changed. When I was 19 years old, I was a hard-training, big eating competitive bodybuilder and walked around with a body fat % of about 10-12% year round. Now, about 14 years later, I walk around with a body fat % of around 6-8%. So I've been able to keep my metabolism high over the years and keep myself in great shape.

However, I will say this; as I've gotten older I've had to increase my weekly physical activity levels and fine tune my nutrition - Precision Nutrition style . So the metabolism has come down a bit.

Yet this isn't due to AGE-RELATED metabolic decline; rather, it's due to LIFESTYLE-RELATED metabolic decline. You see, most of my days are currently spent at a desk and therefore my total physical activity levels are much-reduced from when I was 19. Therefore I have to make up for this total decrease in energy expenditure with more purposeful physical activity (about 5-7 hours of exercise a week at the gym) and much more intentional eating.

In the next 10-20 years I expect to be able to maintain this foundation I built, however I know it's imperative to keep my physical activity levels up. The studies show that the metabolism only decreases when physical activity levels drop over the years. So the key is not to let them drop.

QUESTION
What about female readers? Let's say they are 35, with 3 kids, and a sedentary job, but exercise intensely 3 times per week. What else can they do to increase their metabolism, and can they turn 'back the metabolism' clock by 10 years?

ANSWER
In the article I sent out the other day, I isolated the 5 key metabolic targets. They work for man, woman, and child - metabolic physiology is metabolic physiology. By hitting each target, the metabolism can be maximally stimulated. Yet it's important for many females to remember that ALL 5 must be targeted.

Hours of cardio cannot accomplish what's outlined above. And very infrequently can 3 exercise sessions per week at 30-45 minutes accomplish it. It typically takes a minimum of 5 hours of exercise per week to achieve an awesome body - sometimes more.

In fact, to see exactly what it takes, readers can download 3 metabolic workouts and a discussion of time-saving strategies - all designed for those who consider themselves 'too busy to boost'. Here's the link.

QUESTION
What about fat loss supplements? Do any of these work? Can you really boost your metabolism with a pill to a significant amount, or are they just glorified caffeine pills?

ANSWER
Do fat burners work? Yes, some do. Some speed up the metabolism, some increase the release and burning of body fat, some decrease appetite, and more. And others do nothing whatsoever.

Heck, with over 29,000 supplements and natural health products on the market, there's bound to be more that don't work than do.

But let's assume that you've got in your hands a fat burner that does 'work' and does produce metabolic and weight loss benefits. Well, these benefits can also come at a cost. A small % of stimulant users experience mood disturbances, heart abnormalities, erectile difficulties, and other side effects from the use of such powerful metabolic stimulants. So, as with any powerful medication, a cost-benefit analysis should be done to determine use.

For more on supplements, check out my supplement review section.

Maximizing the metabolism requires a targeted exercise and nutrition strategy.

This strategy usually includes a diversified exercise portfolio including some resistance, interval, and low intensity exercise.

And it requires, what often is the biggest stumbling block for most, a good nutritional plan.

Fish oil is rich in DHA and EPA, two powerful fats responsible for things like: increased metabolic rate, improved fat burning, increased carbohydrate storage in muscle, better glucose and insulin tolerance, reduced blood lipids, AND reduced risk of platelet aggregation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. In fact, recent studies even show that it may assist in the management of back and neck pain.

Article 1
Article 2

I typically recommend using about 6-12g of total fish oil per day or 3-6g of combined DHA+EPA. Preferred sources include:

Biotest Flameout (US and Canada)

o3mega (US)
o3mega (Canada)

I've gotten alot of questions about "green food" lately as most people are becoming aware that their diets are woefully deficient in fruits and veggies.

While the recommended intake of these dietary goodies is between 5-10 servings/day, less than 5% of the North American population gets even 3 servings per day.

This is why people are turning to supplemental "green foods" and why I suggest using them if you're falling short.

greens+ is my green food of choice and here are 5 reasons why:
greens+ Research

To give greens+ a try:
In the US
In Canada