Okay, since I lost my internet connection AND my “Plan B” laptop/ dial-up connection last night, I’m dropping my usual Wed. schedule to host a thread here tonight.
Ask your questions or I’ll just start attempting to spew wit and wisdom!
Okay, after sleazing around a number of other threads, I figured I’d return.
Today’s words of wisdom*:
Beware getting too lean for brief periods. Bi-annual diet phases all the way down to sub-6% fat (or even <10% of current body weight) may ultimately make you fatter over the years.
Metabolically it’s hard to pinpoint why (leading to controversy) but activated pre-adipocytes (immature fat cells “growing up”), altered gene activity and other mechanisms could cause the body to take years to reset, if ever!
I’m actually anxious to read this article, Dr L!
I’m cursed with a sweet tooth, so what are your thoughts on artificial sweetener. I seem to remember reading somewhere that they elicited the same response as the real thing. What’s your carb of choice in your shake, and your opinion on honey? I hear it’s mostly the same as sucrose, so good or bad? Thanks
We mentioned artificial sweeteners in the audio show I did with Chris (Shugart).
I’m a fan of using only a little (1/2 pack or less) as a treat while getting away from the desire for overly-sweet foods. In this way, over a few months, one can detrain his palate from sweet cravings to some extent. Artificial sweeteners do have their place when used prudently (and not as a crutch).
Carb-wise, I prefer good ol’ sucrose (table sugar) in my dilute mid-workout and post-workout drinks. Sports drinks fit the bill too (I add a 1/2 scoop or so of protein).
I usually eat a high protein, high fat meal not long before I go to sleep every night.
Since I am not consuming carbs I dont think I will be storing fat (lack of insulin) , plus this meal gives me energy for protein synthesis during the night…
What do you think?=
thanks
Dr. L,
There’s been a lot of discussion of DiPasqule’s (sp?) Anabolic Diet as of late.
What are your thoughts on this approach? Effective? Healthy?
Lonnie could you check back to my post? Thanks.
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=668641&pageNo=0#668824
trap_builder,
There is some evidence that limiting meals to 30-50 g of total fat is prudent regarding the “use it vs. store it” intake level.
I personally try to consume this amount of healthy fats at dinner (~5:30 PM) then again at supper (~7:30 or 8:00 PM).
Solid food proteins digest more slowly and work well with this approach (meats pan seared in oils or prepared in other ways with olive oil). Some casein in a nighttime shake would also linger into the sleeping hours.
Lowery,
This is something I am interested in a great deal and am having a difficult time trying to figure it out… It’s not that big of a deal really but I wonder what is going on and I toy with it frequently…
You would think that someone who truly values nutrition and the importance of quality food would not take cheatmeals or eat fudge, donuts, etc and yet it happens… Possibly because of a secondary function of taste. I view food as functions. Nutritional value and fueling the body as being the primary function of food. A secondary function of food would be taste. The primary function would seem to over rule the secondary function when a discrepancy of food choices occur. Then there is the whole instant gratification one chooses when eating a bad food choice. The instant gratification of fudge or chocolate will not produce long term happiness. So someone who continues to eat fudge for lets say every meal may be indulging, literally in instant gratification but feels “off” after eating it.
Knowing this and even realizing I am, myself gaining mass tend to use self justification… Oh it’s ok because I’m gaining mass anyway… It still puzzles me why I seem to be compelled sometimes to take a cheatmeal every now and again given nutrition and fuel being the primary function of food.
Then there is perhaps the chemical reaction with the brain which might mean some foods could be addictive by nature.
Anyway, your thoughts on whats going on.
I was thinking I could redefine what a food is and maybe that would help.
Food for our purposes could be something like… plant or animal that is virtually unprocessed or untouched that is complete in and of itself. For example: Spinach leaves are in and of themselves complete. A piece of meat is virtuall unprocessed and complete. An almond is in and of itself complete without any need to modify or recreate…
Donuts, fudge, candy… would then not be considered food and entirely something else… but what…?
mmmm… soo someone could argue well food is a compound of elements. That being the nutrients…
But if you view it this way then candy could be considered a food in part…
I would view it as more of a whole than in pieces… However, things become broken down when in the body into specifics…
Any thoughts on ways in which this could be cleared up?
If you have time maybe some thoughts on why cheatmeals are inevitable?
-Get Lifted
Get_Lifted,
I understand your thinking. It’s admirable to analyze the “whys”, “hows”, and “whats”. Yet like so much I see here, much of the groundwork has already been thought out by many professionals, educators and scientists.
So just to let you know you’re not off the mark (but to keep you from wasting any time reinventing the wheel), here’s some facts…
We choose to eat for many reasons. Appetite, taste, price, nutrient content and health beliefs, availability, schedule, social and religious inclinations, etc. All things being equal, most folks choose TASTE (yes, instant reward). Maybe you can check out “Eat It” by doing a search here on the site.
Foods are technically substances of plant and animal origin that can be taken into the body for energy and nutrients (not the same thing) for such things as growth, repair, functioning, etc.
I think that a simple rule to address part of your thinking is to go for minimally processed foods. The closer to what you might find in nature, the better. Whole fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy, whole grains… each of these things lacks the processing of most of our grocery store food products. (Hmm, try searching for the “Frankenfoods” article as well.)
By contrast consider what we’ve done to these simple foods: fruit pies, salty discolored canned vegetables or French fries, soft fatty brger sandwiches, sugary flavored dairy products, stripped refined white bread… you get the idea.
Simpler is better.
You always have great recipes, I was wondering if you had a few favorite preworkout meals? I usually lift in the afternoon, so it would be my 2nd or 3rd meal of the day. Thanks!
Jilly,
Thanks! Pre workout, I’ve always liked low-carb protein snacks.
Instant coffee and chocolate protein blended with 1/2 c. Carb Countdown milk and 1 c. water makes a decent mocha.
These can be kicked up a notch with a 1/2 cup raspberries for a choc-raspberry-mocha drink… or added mint extract can result in a chocolate-mint type of thing not unlike what one might see at a coffee shop. Ditch the coffee and try cottage cheese and bluberries = bluberry cheescake shake.
…there was far more floating around this forum. I just like to keep the protein and caffeine up and the carbs down prior to exercise. (Don’t want that insulin jacked sky-high protecting my body fat stores!)
And know what? Natural PB on a piece of low-carb toast goes great with some low-CHO milk or protein drink, too. It’s the simple things ya treasure.
I’ll have to think about actual meal recipes though. These are snacks 'cause pre-workout, it’s not good to get bogged down with a big meal.
Alrighty, I’m out.
I skipped kendo tonight for you guys (and gals), so tomorrow will call for some extra exercise before Prime Time! I must try not to get any fatter from these injuries (they’ve been slowing me down!)
See you manana!
When you competed, did you supplement with creatine? How close to the day of comp did you use? Any regrets?
Thanks!