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CP092015

C R Y D E R P O I N T 16SEPTEMBER EATING SMART BY KEN BERGER Eat carbs, don’t eat fat. Load up on butter, but skip the rice. Confused? No wonder. Every week, it seems, there’s a new study telling you what to eat and what not to eat. And chances are, it’s the opposite of what you read a week ago. Nutrition and health don’t have to be this confusing, and the results don’t have to be disappointing, either. By following a few simple rules, you can begin to adopt healthy habits that will help you look and feel better. That means no more flabby thighs or love handles. No more “Baby Weight.” No more “Dad Bod.” First, let’s make one thing clear: If you are one of the millions of Americans who want and need to lose weight, what you really want is to lose fat. Losing muscle and lean tissue isn’t going to make you healthier in the long run, and the higher percentage of lean mass in your body, the better you will burn fat. Second, the vast majority of people who want to lose fat aren’t active enough. So once you have checked with your physician and been cleared for physical activity, you want to gradually work up to 5-7 hours of exercise per week. This doesn’t mean you should go from sitting on the couch to training for a triathlon. If you’re not exercising at all currently, simply try walking for 15 minutes a day, then increase your activity gradually from there. But in the absence of a sound nutrition plan, you won’t reach your body composition or fitness goals with exercise alone. Thus, a simple “cheat sheet” of habits from Precision Nutrition, the largest private nutrition coaching and research company in the world. Here they are: Eat slowly and stop when 80 percent full. This is perhaps the easiest habit to adopt first, because you don’t have to change what you eat – only how fast. When digesting and absorbing nutrients from a meal, the body releases hormones to signal when you’ve had enough food. The problem is, if you’re always inhaling your food on the go, these signals lag behind your food consumption. By the time you feel full, you’ve already eaten too much. So try chewing your food slowly and taking at least 15-20 minutes for each meal. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, and stop before you’re stuffed. Include lean protein with every meal. The body needs a constant 16 CRYDER POINT COURIER | SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.QUEENSCOURIER.COM supply of protein to carry out every vital function, from energy transfer to tissue repair. Sources may include lean meats and fish, plain Greek yogurt, and if you’re not a meat-eater, legumes, plant foods and whole grains. When it comes to animal protein, consider the source. Organic, free-range poultry and pastured beef are the best choices. Choose wild-caught fish over farmed to limit toxins like mercury. All of the above are better for the environment, too. Include vegetables with every meal. Veggies contain vitamins and minerals that are essential to energy transfer, immune function and more – nutrients that the body can only get from the diet. Including a variety of veggies with meals throughout the day will provide nutrient-dense fuel without ringing up unwanted calories. Veggies also are rich in fiber, which is not digested or absorbed in the body and which binds to certain fats and carries them out of circulation. Eat the majority of your carbs after exercise. Carbohydrates are more likely to be used for muscle repair and recovery if eaten after exercise. Even then, if you have fat to lose, stick with whole-grain or unprocessed varieties. The closer a carb-dense food is to its natural state – sweet potatoes, fruits and unprocessed, whole grains – the better it will suit your body composition goals. Eat healthy fats daily. Fats are not bad or evil; they’re essential for cellular function, cardiovascular health, limiting inflammation and more. But the sources of these fats are important. Avoid trans fats and vegetable oils and focus on a balance of saturated (meat, dairy and tropical oils like coconut), monounsaturated (raw nuts, olives, olive oil, avocado) and polyunsaturated fats (wild fish, flax seeds, fish oil supplements). If there isn’t much fish in your diet, speak with your physician about supplementing with fish oils that are rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids. This is just a starting point. If you’re new to these habits, try adopting one habit at a time and doing it every day for two weeks before moving on to the next one. Beware of fad diets that promise unrealistic results with enormous calorie deficits or the elimination of entire food groups. Your body is too smart and complex to fall for such gimmicks. And you’re too smart to fall for the latest pseudo-science or uninformed media report. If losing fat and feeling better is your goal, a consistent approach like following the Five Habits is a great place to start. Beechhurst resident Ken Berger is a trainer and nutrition coach at CrossFit Bayside. Email him at nutritionwod718@gmail.com.


CP092015
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