Tag: glycemic index

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Use the Glycemic Index

carbs

Glorious carbs carbs carbs! The mind and body craves no other macro-nutrient more than those oh so satisfying carbohydrates…and for good reason. Your skeletal muscle, organs, and central nervous system are programmed to primarily run on carbohydrates making them crucial for optimal physical and mental performance. Have you ever tried going more than a day or two without eating any quality carbohydrates? Lets just say your friends will be buying you a snickers! So for the sake of your body, mind, and friendships make sure you have some carbs in your life, but like most things you need to be picky about which carbs you choose to have…especially when trying to obtain a certain physique. Carbs can be your worse enemy when trying to lose body fat and control insulin levels, which is why you must understand the Glycemic Index to be successful.

Once ingested, all carbohydrates are broken down into the simplest form of energy to the body called glucose and then is either used right away for fuel or stored as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscle for later use. If you’re not an active person and/or do not have a good amount of muscle mass to sustain then your body’s glycogen capacity is going to be limited, therefore increasing the likelihood of those carbohydrates being sent to fat cells.

*Fun Fact:     One of the greatest benefits (in my opinion) of doing resistance training regularly is an increase in glycogen capacity meaning you get to eat more carbs without fueling fat cells!

Another big factor that determines how those carbs you just ate are going to be used and where they’ll go is the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (their conversion to glucose within the human body). The Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose (glycogen) is used as a reference point and is given a Glycemic Index (GI) value of 100. The other factor to Glycemic Index is the carbohydrates Glycemic Load. (click here to learn more about Glycemic Load)

*FYI- For most people, higher Glycemic carbohydrates (70-100 GI) should only be utilized pre- and/or post-exercise. Lower to moderate Glycemic carbohydrates (35-65 GI) should then be used for the rest of your meals and tapered down as you become less active and closer to bed time.

Now that you understand what the Glycemic Index is, it’s  time to put it in effect and modify your carbohydrate intake accordingly to reach your personal fitness goals. Here’s an example of the carbohydrate structure I follow when I’m trying to slowly reduce body fat and maintain current muscle mass. Again, portion sizes will vary greatly person to person depending on current condition, activity level, and fitness goals.

Meal 1 (breakfast): I have roughly a 50/50 mixture of Low-Moderate Glycemic carbs (45-65 GI) and Moderate-High Glycemic carbs (70-90 GI). For example: old fashioned oats sweetened with a little sugar and mixed berries, or gluten-free/Ezekiel bread with low-sugar jam or a piece of fruit, or plain cream of white rice with a fiber powder. There’s lots of options out there for each…check out the Glycemic Index for more.

Meal 2 (Post-Workout): Moderate-High Glycemic carbs (70-90 GI). Some examples include: banana, cereals/bars, white rice, and white potato. Occasionally a muffin or pastry after a long, vigorous workout.

Meals 3, 4, 5, 6: A blend of Low-Moderate Glycemic carbs (45-65 GI). Some examples include: Long grain rice with mixed vegetables, or sweet potato with mixed vegetables, or old fashioned oats with mixed berries.

Meal 7 (1 hour before bed): NO CARBOHYDRATES! Remember, carbohydrates are used for fuel…if you’re not active or have not been active for numerous hours then there’s probably no need for more fuel!

*Fun Fact!: Fats help reduce the glycemic response of carbohydrates, so adding a little dietary unsaturated fat (nuts, nut-butters, vegetable/nut oils, avocado, etc…) to your meal will help to off-set the insulin response.

This is just an example carbohydrate structure that I follow when maintaining my current weight and trying to very slowly lower body fat. Everyone’s body is different and their carbohydrate needs are different, so start with a similar carbohydrate structure and then adjust according to results. If you’re not losing weight/body fat, then cut portions down slightly across meals.

Have a question about the Glycemic Index or are you in need of help with meal planning and nutrition coaching? Feel free to contact me directly or leave your questions/comments below for a discussion.

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, FNC
Check Total Health
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com

 

 

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Cut Out the Processed Foods

processed food itemsMost people know that processed food items aren’t good for them, yet most American’s diet consists primarily of processed food items. Is it a lack of education or just a lack of concern? For the uneducated, I’m going to go over the 4 most common things found in processed foods that contribute to diabetes and heart disease…both of which are a growing epidemic in our country. I’ll also briefly talk about why you should avoid such foods and what to look for in the list of ingredients and nutrition label to make better food choices.

“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” ~Alfred E. Newman 

The 4 Big Offenders to Your Health    

  1. Trans Fats – Trans fats are used in processed foods as a cheaper alternative to butter, lard and coconut oil (saturated fats). You’ll find them in most baked goods, crackers, chips, microwave popcorn and fast foods. Trans fats wreak havoc on your arteries by increasing “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and decreasing “good” HDL cholesterol levels. And unlike saturated fats, trans fats also increase your levels of artery clogging triglycerides, which are estimated to cause 30,000-100,000 premature heart disease deaths in America every year. Check the ingredients list for “partially, fractionated, or hydrogenated” oil. These are synonyms for trans fat.
  2. Refined Grains – Food items containing refined grains include white bread, dinner rolls, sugary low-fiber cereal, baked goods, and white pasta. Choosing refined grains over whole grains can increase your risk for heart attack by 30% and also increase your risk for developing diabetes and high blood pressure. Check the ingredients list on grain products before making your purchase. Better grain choices will have these ingredients listed first: whole wheat, whole grain, or oats. The fiber content should be at least 3g per serving. Avoid food items that list flour as the dominant ingredient…even if its whole wheat flour. Once the grain has been broken down and processed into flour it has lost the health benefits that fiber offers.
  3. Sodium (Salt) – High amounts of sodium are hidden in most of the processed food items you eat. It’s used to increase shelf life (as it is a natural preservative) and also to enhance flavor. Sodium is essential to the body to maintain and regulate numerous metabolic processes; however, only in very small amounts. The average American consumes 3x the amount of the USDA’s recommended daily intake for sodium of 1,500 milligrams. Look at the nutrition label on food items for the sodium content and check the % of your daily value that it contains. If it’s more than 25%, put it back!
  4. High-Fructose Corn Syrup – Another chemically modified compound created to be used as a cheaper substitution for traditional sweeteners. Not only does it cost less to make than other sweeteners, but it’s also 10x sweeter. It’s used primarily in sweet beverages, but can also be found in many baked goods and frozen foods. Research suggests that this liquid sweetener interferes with numerous normal metabolic processes, and raises your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Look for the words “corn sweetener, corn syrup, or high-fructose corn syrup.” If it’s listed high up on the ingredients list…put it back!

Make better food choices by reading the nutrition/ingredients  label on all the food items you buy and avoid any that contain high amounts of the above mentioned ingredients. By choosing non-processed or minimally processed food items, you can greatly reduce your risk for many of the leading self-inflicted, killer diseases in America and have a much easier time maintaining a healthy weight.

Be sure to check in regularly to the NO B.S. FITNESS blog for free articles on fitness topics that truly make the difference. Feel free to post any questions/comments you have on the blog forum or on my Facebook business page wall- Check Total Health for a discussion.

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Carbohydrates!

Probably the trickiest macronutrient in my opinion to get a hold on for conditioning. Too many carbohydrates in your daily diet can easily contribute to fat cells, but too little carbohydrates in your diet will make you feel like ripping someone’s head off and limit your muscle building capability! I know people who have to eat less than 150g carbs/day to not put on fat and then there’s people like me who can eat up to 500g carbs/day without contributing to fat cells. It all comes down to your current conditioning, body type, and how much daily physical activity you get.

Carbohydrates are your fuel. Your body is genetically programmed to recognize carbohydrates as its main source of energy. Carbs are stored throughout the body, primarily in your liver, blood, and skeletal muscle. During exercise, we burn stored carbs in our muscle tissue which are then replaced by either stored carbs in your liver or “free” carbs floating in the blood.

Here’s where it gets tricky. If your blood sugar (carb) levels get too high and your muscle and liver carb capacities are fulfilled, where do you think those blood sugars get sent? Right to fat cells! So your carbohydrate needs will depend on your carbohydrate capacity (amount your body can store in the liver and skeletal muscle) and how much daily physical activity you do. There’s 2 ways to increase your carb needs and they both go hand and hand:

1. Increase your total capacity– one of the major benefits and adaptations that takes place from regularly engaging in resistance training is your body naturally increases it’s macronutrient capacities, primarily carbohydrates. The more you workout, the more your body will adapt to better handle that stress which means increasing it’s fuel (carbs) capacity.

2. Increase your total workload– Most of the time during exercise our bodies will tap into various fuel sources. You’ve probably heard that working out at a lower intensity will allow your body to use stored calories (fat) for fuel and working out at a higher intensity will burn more carbohydrates for fuel….and there is some truth to that; however, your body is never just burning carbohydrates or just burning fat for fuel. Rather, it’s more complex than that and usually a combination of the two depending on the intensity and type of exercise you’re doing. The bottom line is the best way to increase your carb capacity and workload is to do a combination of higher intensity training (such as cross training or vigorous cardio) and lower intensity training (such as resistance training or low/slow cardio). Both have their benefits for increasing your carb capacity and should be done regularly, but the combo will depend on your fitness goals. It’s pretty simple…the more you workout, the more carbohydrates you can eat.

The next tricky part with carbs is the amount, timing, and type. I could spend days writing about these topics, so I’m going to try to keep it simple.

Amount– we discussed above how your carb capacity is determined and how to increase it. In general, I suggest an active person to make at least 40% of their total calories carbohydrates (the USDA recommends 45-65%) . Carbohydrates have 4 calories/gram, so if you’re on a 2,000 calorie diet then you would start off eating roughly 200g carbs/day and then adjust up or down according to your weight goals/fluctuations, energy levels, and activity level.

Timing- there’s two times of the day when carbohydrates are crucial, even if you’re on a low-carb diet. Your first meal after you’ve slept and fasted for hopefully 6-8 hours and then immediately post-workout. Everyone should consume carbohydrates during these times as your carb stores are depleted during these times. As your physical activity decreases, so should your carbohydrate intake. I workout in the morning, so I have a first meal of complex and simple carbohydrates and then a meal with simple carbs right after my workout. Then for the rest of the day I start reducing and switching to more complex carbohydrates until dinner where I have very little (mainly vegetable sources of carbs).

Type- as to keep it simple we’ll just say there’s primarily two types of carbohydrates- simple and complex, even though with all the food items available today most are a combo of the two. Simple carbs (such as sugary beverages, cereals, breads, white rice, white potatos, etc…) will digest and absorb into your blood stream more quickly as opposed to complex carbs (fibrous carbs, brown rice, whole oats, sweet potatoes, etc…) which will digest and release into the blood stream more slowly. So, if you’re in a fasted or depleted state (like right when you wake up or right after vigorous exercise) it would make more sense to ingest simple carbs during that time to get your stores back up quickly and spare your muscle tissue from potential atrophy. Complex carbs should be utilized to keep a steady digestion of carbs into the blood stream to minimize insulin spikes when your liver and muscle capacities are already high.

Everyone’s needs and body is different, so trial and error is the only way to figure out your carbohydrate needs; however, I always recommend starting off with 40% carbohydrates of your total calories/day and adjusting accordingly. Keep the simple carbs for only post-workout and some at breakfast and then stick with more complex carbohydrates as you become less active.

Feel free to post any questions/comments on my website or FB business page for a discussion. NO B.S. FITNESS!