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• September 8, 2014
• Nutrition
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Eat Strong!

 

Eat Strong

Traditional weight-loss diets (TWLD) weaken people. Counting calories, eliminating carbohydrates, removing meats, avoiding fats and deprivation all contribute to irritated, constipated and impotent individuals. Here’s why:

1. Counting calories is laborious. The incessant label reading, arithmetic, weighing and contemplation will eventually frustrate even the most ardent dieter. Furthermore, when determining the impact of a food on body composition, calorie count is only part of the equation.

2. Excessive carbohydrate restriction will certainly decrease anaerobic performance and impair the ability to build muscle. Overly restricting calories will manifest as fatigue, low blood pressure, confusion, irritability, menstrual changes, constipation and decreased libido. Hardly hallmarks worthy of an athletic icon. It’s ridiculous to expect a culture of physical activity while denying adequate fuel.

3. Meats provide superb nutrients for workout warriors. Besides being a source of superior quality protein, meat provides: vitamin B12, heme iron, conjugated linolenic acid, creatine, omega 3’s, zinc, carnitine and carnosine. You have to be a very astute vegetarian to compensate for a meat deficiency.

4. Inexorably, many people still believe fat is unhealthy and should be avoided for health and performance. In fact,the right fats reduce bodyfat, build muscle, protect the heart, improve insulin function and support the mind.

5. Depriving oneself of all sweets, treats and alcohol is unrealistic and completely unnecessary. Cravings will compound – eventually causing dietary collapses. Monumental ‘cheat days’ are a sure sign of an imbalanced approach to living life.

Weight loss is less important than exercise for good health. It is time for a new dietary paradigm. The Eat Strong diet is unique as it accommodates the demands of both good nutrition and an indulgent lifestyle. This balance ensures a diet that can be followed for life. Eat Strong is composed of two primary ingredients:

1. The Big Bolus

2. The Rest Of The Day

The Big Bolus: A large evening meal (dinner or before bedtime) is a defining characteristic of Eat Strong. Traditionally, we are told breakfast should be the largest meal of the day as subsequent daytime activity will burn it off. Eat Strong advocates the opposite for the following reasons:

1. Large, high carbohydrate meals have a sedative effect. Daytime sedation is not desirable for most people.

2. Dinner is the meal of greatest social significance. People want dietary freedom when eating with friends, clients or family.

3. A full stomach facilitates sleep. Trying to sleep on an empty stomach is sure to result in a restless night!

4. The evening usually allows the most preparation time for a large and luscious meal. Most people have little time for food preparation in the morning or during business hours.

5. If we are lucky, sleeping results in a eight to ten hour fast. A large meal, just before bed, will help keep nutrient levels up late into the night. Keeping nutrients available during sleep will facilitate protein and glycogen synthesis – helping to accelerate recovery.

The goals of The Big Bolus are threefold:

I) Satisfy cravings – a diet will not be sustainable unless it accommodates your favourite modern foods.

II) Fulfil carbohydrate requirements – carbohydrates and insulin fuel recovery and promote aggressive workouts.

III) Create awareness – with the majority of the day’s calories piled into one meal it becomes easy to track and manage what is going into your mouth.

Rules for The Big Bolus:

I) Assign standard portions for everything (ie: one bar of chocolate, one can of beer, 2 bowls of ice cream etc.)

II) Getting too fat? Reduce a portion size. Too deprived? Add portions of a favourite food.

III) We want to eat our favourite foods. However, avoid polluted and processed foods that may contain trans fats and other harmful chemicals.

The Rest of The Day (TROTD): Since the Big Bolus is geared towards satisfaction, TROTD must be devoted to healthy, performance enhancing nutrition.

The goals for TROTD are threefold:

1. Insulin Sensitivity: Since The Big Bolus causes a sizable insulin surge, the TROTD must be dedicated to keeping blood sugar low. While fasting for the day will augment insulin sensitivity, such an approach does not facilitate protein synthesis and nutrient intake.

2. Maximum Protein Synthesis: Protein synthesis produces muscles. The available evidence suggests eating protein every three hours is optimal for promoting muscle development.

3. Maximum Nutrient Intake: The daytime should be dedicated to nutrient loading. Adequate levels of protein, essential fats, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients have to be consumed to earn a Big Bolus.

Rules for TROTD:

1. Eat only lean protein, vegetables and fruit. Wise eaters may add nuts, seeds, yogurt and cottage cheese.

2. Eat protein every three hours. Protein is consumed for two reasons: (1) to provide nutrients for building muscle and (2) to occupy space in the stomach with a low-efficiency food (protein digestion uses more calories than the digestion of either carbohydrates or fat).

3. Keep things practical, convenient and consistent. Save the desire for variety and complexity for the Big Bolus. Eat and get back to work!

Here is a typical day of Eating Strong – including 3 possible renditions of the Big Bolus:

TROTD

6 am – eggs and vegetables (2 whole eggs with additional whites)

9 am – chicken, walnuts and dried goji berries

11 am – training session

12 noon – whey protein infused Greek yogurt and a banana

3 pm – beef jerky (when you are craving preservatives or second whey protein shake if not)

strawberries and blueberries

6 pm – 2 salmon patties

boatload of broccoli

9 pm – put the kids to bed

The Big Bolus

(Rendition #1)

medium bowl of ice cream

100 g of 55 percent dark chocolate

500 ml of beer

(Rendition #2)

large plate of lasagna

1/2 baguette

1 glass of wine

(Rendition #3)

chef’s special sushi dinner

2 bowls green tea ice cream

compari and soda

First and foremost, Eat Strong embodies a spirit of fuelling exercise. A sense of physical ability and confidence will motivate far more active lifestyles than ambitions to be skinny. Eat Strong advocates a “glycemic cycle” where a long period of low blood sugar is alternated with a brief period of high blood sugar. Focus on fruit, vegetables and lean protein during the day and then allow indulgence at night. A sustainable diet accommodates healthy, performance-enhancing nutrition and a fulfilling lifestyle. Train hard and Eat Strong!