Eating For Exercise

Ever notice how some days you have a fantastic workout and even have the energy to stretch properly afterwards? Then there are other days where you’re counting every passing second. There is an important factor to boosting your energy and soaring through workouts.  

Among other things such as sleep and stress level, your energy level is largely determined by what and when you ate before hitting the gym. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, the body’s main source of fuel.  Excess carbohydrates are stored in the form of glycogen to be later used for energy.

A lot of knowing exactly what and when to eat comes from experience and knowing your body, but there are some general guidelines. Eating too soon will result in blood rushing to the stomach for digestion instead of to the muscles. Waiting too long without eating can cause weakness and dizziness during workouts.

Eat a solid carbohydrate-rich meal at least 4 hours before you exercise. Baked potatoes or whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce, whole-grain cereal and milk, or a whole-grain turkey sandwich are some good options.  If you’re working out in an hour or less, something that is easily digestible and will break down into glucose quicker such as fresh fruit is ideal. Bananas are my favorite thing to have right before a workout because they are higher in calories than other fruit, carbohydrate-rich, and the potassium can help prevent muscle cramps. Of course, you can have fruit with any meal or snack before exercising.

If you’re working out in two to three hours, you may want something a little more substantial such as a whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter, a whole wheat bagel with a little low-fat cream cheese, an energy bar, or yogurt with granola or fruit.

Let’s not forget water! Staying hydrated is essential to sustain your workout and efficiently move glucose and other nutrients into the cells. It also keeps your heart rate from rising too high and causing the body to become overheated. Drink at least 2-3 cups of water before and after working out. You should also make sure you’re staying hydrated throughout the day.

Things to avoid before exercise

• High fat foods that will leave you feeling weighed down and uncomfortable because they take longer to digest
• Sugary foods, candy bars, and high-sugar energy drinks that will give you a quick burst of energy then die out in the middle of a workout.
• Too much liquid that will be sloshing around in the stomach and cause discomfort

For recovering from a workout, eat carbohydrates to restore glycogen stores with a lean protein to help repair muscle tissue.

You Snooze, You Lose: How Sleep Affects Your Weight

Source: Sleep Medicine Reviews (2007) 11, 163–178

It’s ten past 8am, you’ve been snoozing since 7:30 and didn’t get home until 3am or maybe you’ve been tossing and turning all night since 11pm. You decide to skip breakfast and later reach for chips, candy bars, and sugary and greasy snacks from the vending machine that you otherwise wouldn’t have. You end up feeling groggy and bloated and uncomfortable the whole day and throwing any plans to exercise out the window. If you’ve experienced any form of this, you’re one of many and there is a biological reason behind it.

Sleep disturbance or deprivation interferes with important metabolic processes.  Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain because of changes in hormone levels that regulate appetite. Ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger, increases with sleep deprivation. Conversely, the hormone leptin that signals fullness decreases. During sleep, the body secretes growth hormone which helps metabolize fat and regulate blood sugar. Its counter-hormone, cortisol, is a stress hormone that makes the body store fat and glucose. When sleep is disturbed, these hormones become imbalanced and the body favors cortisol, while limiting growth hormone.

A study examined the effect of sleep on metabolic parameters that detect the risk of obesity and diabetes. Subjects were fed an identical diet and underwent a phase of sleep deprivation (4 hours of sleep a night) for 6 days followed by an equal phase of extended sleep (12 hours of sleep a night) for recovery. During the deprivation phase, the results of their glucose tolerance test (a marker of type 2 diabetes) were 40% lower than the sleep recovery phase. Some of the subject’s glucose tolerance levels were so low that it resembled those of populations with a high risk of type 2 diabetes.  A similar study confirmed these findings and also found that the sleep deprived group also experienced a decrease in leptin levels and an increase in ghrelin.

Large population studies done around the world found a trend of longer sleep duration with a lower body mass index (BMI), the relationship between height and weight; however, many of these studies relied on self-reporting, which is not the most reliable tool.

You don’t have to be chronically sleep deprived for this to happen either. Even a sleep debt of two hours a night for a week can pose a risk for your health and increase your chances of glucose intolerance as well as weight gain.

After taking in account the different variables, one study in the US found that every extra hour of sleep is correlated with an 80% reduction in obesity risk.

How to get a good night’s sleep defined as at least 7 continuous hours, but preferably 8-9 hours:

• Get to bed early
• Drink chamomile or similar decaffeinated herbal teas before bedtime
• Turn off all noisy electronics and lights when going to sleep
• Try not to drink coffee or highly caffeinated beverages after noon

Egging On Weight Loss

A study shows that if you want to lose weight, you may want to switch that morning bagel out for an egg or two.

Protein in meals typically results in a more lasting fuller feeling because it takes more time to break down and digest. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates like white breads, white rice, and sugars, break down easier and may make you feel hungrier quicker.

For eight weeks, Vander Wal and colleagues studied 152 men and women and divided them into four groups: those on a restricted calorie and low-fat diet with either two scrambled eggs or bagels of equal calories and those who were not on a restricted diet with either eggs or bagels for breakfast.

Results showed that the egg group on a restricted diet lost over 65% more weight than the bagel group on a diet of equal calories.

Even though two eggs a day were eaten for about five days a week, exceeding the recommended daily cholesterol allowance, they still lost weight and did not affect their cholesterol levels. Consistent with previous studies done on eggs, the cholesterol in them has not shown to raise blood cholesterol. What has a real adverse affect on cholesterol is saturated fat found in animal products and oils and trans fat found in fried foods, certain baked goods, and processed food.

The group that did not restrict their calories did not show much of a difference in their weight; however, the way the eggs and bagels were prepared was not accounted for. Still, a complete and natural protein like an egg is a healthier option than a bagel if you’re trying to lose weight.

Try them boiled or scrambled with a little olive oil, vegetable oil, or cooking spray. An omelet with your favorite veggies is another healthy and hearty breakfast.

To avoid contamination, buy organic or local eggs from the farmer’s market and make sure the eggs are cooked thoroughly.

If you don’t eat eggs, you can still substitute other high protein options and combine them with complex carbohydrates such as

• Low-fat cheese with a whole grain English muffin or yogurt with granola
• Almond or peanut butter on a whole grain piece of toast
• Hummus with whole wheat pita

Source: International Journal of Obesity (2008)