One on One's Key Nutritional Strategies
One on One's team of fitness professionals have identified the following nutritional behaviors as being key in helping clients get the best possible result from their time spent exercising. Too often, we have seen clients dedicate themselves to their exercise regimen, but not their nutrition. As a result, they often end up sabotaging their fitness efforts.
Alwyn Cosgrove stated it best in his article entitled “Hierarchy of Fat Loss”. Rule number one is, “Correct Nutrition.” Rule number two is “See Rule Number One.” Supportive nutrition simply can’t be ignored if you have goals of body composition change.
The information provided below is not meant to serve as an individual dietary prescription, but rather as general guidelines. If you are currently practicing these habits on a consistent basis and still not getting the desired results, you may want to consider consulting with a Registered Dietician or Nutritionist.
Maintain a food journal
Documenting your food intake is a powerful tool for developing awareness and increasing your nutrition IQ. Maintaining a journal will help you identify both internal and external factors that affect your decisions, helping to identify patterns of cause and effect.
This knowledge will help you to make conscious choices that are aligned with the positive behaviors that are part of your vision and goals. It will also create a history of behavioral patterns and their associated results. When successful, you can see how your state of mind may have influenced your behaviors. Conversely, if you were unsuccessful over a period of time, you may be able to identify destructive patterns.
We recommend tracking the time, location, description (type, amount and preparation), and your emotional state when eating and when finished.
Consume 3-6 small meals per day
This will help you...
- Be more metabolically active throughout day
- Curb cravings and unhealthy choices
- Improve glycemic levels
- Boost energy levels and maintain focus
- With portion control
It is important not to exceed 3-4 hours without eating something. Include lean protein, complex carbohydrate and healthy fat at each meal. Preferably, the carbohydrates will be in a slow-release form such as vegetables, fibrous fruits, or whole grains. Ideally, the timing of these meals will be consistent each day.
Planning and preparation is a vital part of this behavior change!
Eat a balanced breakfast daily
Research shows that a big breakfast can increase metabolism and decrease desire to overeat throughout the day. Also, a balanced breakfast, which includes protein will provide greater satiety, an increased level of sustained energy and ability to focus than a high carbohydrate meal, such as pancakes, waffles, bagels, etc.
Ideally, breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day and include protein (15-20 gm), complex (“slow release“) carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Some examples are:
Breakfast burrito made with 1 whole-wheat tortilla (weighing about 50 grams), 1/2 cup egg substitute scrambled with 1/2 cup assorted cooked vegetables, and 1 ounce of reduced-fat cheese (304 calories, 32 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fiber, 25 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 669 mg sodium).
Smoothie made with 4 ounces Greek yogurt blended with 3/4 cup frozen fruit and 1/2 cup soy milk or low-fat milk (245 calories, 45 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 15 grams protein, 3 grams fat).
Click here for more examples of healthy breakfast ideas.
Consume more calories during the day than at night
People who eat late at night most often do so out of habit or for emotional reasons. Calories consumed at this time are usually in excess of metabolic needs. It is wise to encourage no calorie consumption after the evening meal for this reason. There are always exceptions (e.g. erratic work schedule, late evening work-out), but this is generally a good rule to follow.
Consume protein with every meal
Research shows that lower carb/higher protein meal plans may produce weight loss more quickly than a high carbohydrate diet. Protein promotes satiety and helps to keep energy levels up by moderating the glycemic response of the carbs it is consumed with.
Equal distribution of protein throughout the day is best, with minimum total intake of 50 gm for women and 60 gm for men daily. This may be translated as 15-20 gm, or 2-3 oz of protein at each “meal” or snack.
One serving is roughly the size of a woman's palm or a deck of cards and is usually about 3 to 4 ounces.
Examples: 3 oz of lean meat (~21 gm protein), 3 egg whites (~18 gm protein), 1 cup Greek yogurt (20-23 gm protein), ¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese (18 gm protein)
Examples of Lean Proteins:
| Fish | Chicken |
| Clams | Egg Whites |
| Game meats | Lean beef |
| Shrimp | Soy beans |
| Turkey | Tuna-fresh or canned in water |
| Non-fat, low sugar yogurt | Non-fat cottage cheese |
Limit consumption of simple carbs and starches
Reducing simple carbs stimulates your fat-burning power. Combining protein and carbs at each meal gives the greatest thermic effect of food (i.e. burns more calories). Avoid foods high in sugar and fat, especially just before going to bed. By doing so, your body will tap into fatty acids for energy more readily the next day.
Simple sugars and refined carbs such as white bread, white pasta and white rice (also known as high glycemic) should be avoided due to their lower nutrient value and the surge of insulin they cause when consumed. Complex carbs take longer to break down, allowing the body to release glucose more slowly and avoid the “sugar high.” Increased insulin levels reduce the body’s ability to mobilize fat, which makes weight loss difficult. Controlling the glycemic response to a meal through proper balance of complex carbs (“slow-release”) plus healthy fat and protein is crucial.
It is important to emphasize the consumption of "slower released" complex carbs (whole grain/high fiber foods, fibrous non-starchy vegetables, fresh fruit) balanced with protein. Studies show that diets high in low-fat protein and complex carbohydrates are best for sustainable weight loss.
Examples of complex carbs:
| Apples | Barley | Beans | Beets |
| Berries | Black-eyed peas | Bran | Bread-100% stone ground |
| Buckwheat | Corn | Cabbage | Green beans |
| Lentils | Leafy greens | Pears | Nuts |
| Oats | Rice-brown,wild,puffed | Potatoes | Pumpkin |
| Shredded wheat | Root vegetables | Spelt | Squash |
| Yams | Wheat | Wheat germ |
The following fibrous, non-starchy vegetables are low in calories, high in nutrients and filling:
| Alfalfa sprouts | Asparagus | Bamboo shoots | Beans-green,yellow,wax |
| Beet greens | Broccoflower | Broccoli | Brussel sprouts |
| Cauliflower | Carrots | Celery | Cabbage-white,red,Savoy,Chinese |
| Collard greens | Cucumbers | Eggplant | Endive |
| Kale | Leeks | Mushrooms | Lettuce-Romaine,red leaf |
| Mustard greens | Onions | Pimentos | Peppers-green,red,yellow,hot |
| Radishes | Spinach | Summer squash | Tomatos |
| Tomato juice | Turnips | Turnip greens | Vegetable juice |
| Watercress | Zucchini |
Dark green vegetables:
| Bok choy | Broccoli |
| Collard greens | Dark green leafy lettuce |
| Kale | Mesclun |
| Mustard greens | Romain lettuce |
| Spinach | Turnip greens |
| Watercress |
Consume carbohydrates mainly from fruits and vegetables; reserve “faster released” carbohydrates for after exercise
This promotes consuming a nutrient-dense diet, glycemic control to allow for fat mobilization, and repletion of glycogen stores following exercise. Faster release carbohydrates include foods high in simple sugars and starches.
Examples of simple/faster released carbs.
- The best sources of simple carbohydrates are natural or unrefined sources, such as fruit.
- Any processed food with glucose, glucose syrup, sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup near the top of the list of ingredients
- Chocolate
- Sugary sweets and candy
- Honey
- Maple and any type of syrup
- Jams, jellies and preserves
- Refined flour products, e.g. white bread and white pasta
- White rice
- Pastries
- Pizza
- Baked beans
- Fizzy drinks like cola and lemonade
- Raisins
- Cakes
- Table sugar
Examples of Low Sugar Fruits:
| Blackberries | Blueberries |
| Boysenberries | Cranberries |
| Granny Smith apples | Green apples |
| Green pears | Kiwi fruit |
| Black raspberries | Strawberries |
Limit processed foods and consume whole foods whenever possible
Whole foods have a greater nutrient density and, due to generally higher fiber content, enter the bloodstream more slowly assisting with glycemic control. This stimulates greater fat mobilization than the consumption of processed foods. Whole foods give you more “bang for your buck!”
The fiber found in the natural carbs listed below gives you a feeling of satiety, requires more calories to digest, lowers insulin levels and controls appetite. The National Research Council recommends eating 20 – 30 grams of fiber a day. Keep in mind that juice and dairy have no fiber.
Examples of whole grain – high fiber foods:
| Brown rice | Wheat crackers | Whole grain barley |
| Buckwheat | Whole wheat pasta | Whole grain cornmeal |
| Bulgur (cracked wheat) | Oatmeal | Whole wheat sandwich buns/rolls |
| Whole wheat tortillas | Whole rye | Popcorn |
| Wild rice | Whole wheat bread | Amaranth |
| Whole wheat cereal flakes | Quinoa |
Drink lots of water (up to ½ your body weight in ounces)
When we are dehydrated, we are in a state of stress. The body will not easily give up fat when it is chronically stressed. Also, when muscle cells are well hydrated, they have a better abilitiy to synthesize protein, which aids in muscle building and ultimately aids in body composition changes. Lastly, since symptoms of dehydration and hunger often mimic each other (fatigue, irritability, decreased concentration), drinking water will help ensure you are not eating when it's really your thirst that needs to be quenched.
The general recommendation is to take your bodyweight and divide it in half. This is about how many ounces you should drink throughout the day.
Limit calorie containing beverages
Many drinks have a ton of calories and very little nutritional value. An added benefit of adding more water to your diet is that it often replaces other high calorie beverages. We must free up room in our diet for quality foods that provide the fuel needed for our activity, growth and regeneration.
Examples of calorie containing beverages include:
- Fruit juices
- Sodas/pop
- Beer
- Wine
- Liquor
- Sweetened teas
- Fancy coffee
Utilize workout nutrition strategies
Nutrient timing can be a key strategy for body transformation. Research has shown that consuming protein prior to exercise results in greater fat loss in the post-workout period.
- Pre-exercise 2-4 hours before exercise – have a well-balanced meal which includes complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats
- 15-30 minutes before exercise – easily digestible carbohydrates (fruit without the skin like banana, apple sauce, canned peaches/pears in their own juice, yogurt, applesauce.)
- During exercise session – 1 hour or less, water; greater than 1 hour, 15-30 grams easily digested carbohydrate per hour
- Post-exercise 30-60 minutes post – 2:1 carbs to protein (simple carbs). Examples include chocolate milk, cereal and milk, pita and hummus, beans and rice, spaghetti and meat sauce, turkey sandwich.
