Fat - Is It Evil?

Common Sense:- How much time do you spend training? One hour a day? Ten hours a week? You train hard and expect results.

BUT...

How much time do you spend planning your meals and getting your food right?..........NO It does not look after itself...The arm that places the food into your mouth is attached to the body you train so hard. Unless you are training to be a sumo wrestler, there is no proof that being heavier will help you in ANY SPORT - But lots of lean muscle mass will. Think about it......Good strong lean muscle will win every time.


Lean Muscle Mass in the TDU bunch in January 2011



Get rid of those peaches
as soon as possible



SO HAVING SAID THAT it is common sense that if you increase your Power generated on the bike, the total number of watts you put out AND decrease your weight you will become a much stronger rider.

Increase Power – GOOD

Reduce Weight – GREAT

DO BOTH – Awesome!!!!

A tin of peaches (a small one weighs a pound), so instead of riding around with the equivalent of 10 tins of peaches stuck to your hips, you need to lose those cans of peaches, keep training and then see a fantastic improvement.

BYE BYE PEACHES

Reduce the number of kilojoules we eat every day
Increase activity

Think about every bite you eat, make sure it is healthy and filling. Stop munching on those empty Fat and Alcohol loaded calories (they seriously are what is making you fat!)



When you think about what sugar and fat loaded foods
do to your body? Are they good then?

 This article is NOT ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS, it is about fat and some facts you should know.

We need fat as it serves as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins such as A, D E &K and so our body needs some fat per day just to be able to utilise those vitamins A, D, E & K that we eat.

If our body was fat free it would not survive as fat forms part of cell membranes, brain tissue, nerve coverings, bone marrow and your vital organs like your heart liver and kidneys have a layer of fat to protect them from physical damage and to provide insulation and protection.

Women also have extra fat in the “hourglass” areas, the breasts and the hips which is there to assist with hormone activity..

  

AN AVERAGE PERSON HAS ENOUGH BODY FAT FOR THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS OF  CONTINUOUS RUNNING (Mind you fatigue would get you before your fat stores ran out.)

The fats and oils that you eat can be divided  into three main groups, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Saturated Fats

Fats that are hard at room temperature such as butter, lard, cheeses and the hard white fat on meat are mainly saturated. Theses fats are used to make biscuits and cakes



The hard white fat on meat is mainly saturated fat.

 Eating too much saturated fat has been associated with increases in the harmful LDL cholesterol, linked with increased risk of heart disease. Minimising saturated fats is the best way to achieve better health.

Monounsaturated fats.



Not all Monounsaturated Fats are as obvious as this
so read the labels (it doesnt take long) 



These fats are usually liquid at room
temperature and include olive oil, canola oil and almond oil. These fats are thought to be the best for health benefits. This interest was boosted by low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries, despite a high level of fat in their diet. Research has indicated that olive oil can lower total blood cholesterol and LDL (Bad cholesterol) when you use theses monounsaturated fats to replace saturated fats in the diet.




Polyunsaturated fats


Some foods will show the different amounts
of the various fats contained in their
foods. Monounsaturated - GREAT and zero TRANS!



Most vegetable oils, nuts and seeds and oily fish are polyunsaturated and are considered excellent source of fat, although whilst helping reduce the nasty LDL cholesterol, but have been implicated in reducing the good HDL cholesterol too. Still better for you than SATURATED FATS

You may have heard about Omega 3 fatty acids or fish oils. These are found particularly in deep sea fish like tuna, mackerel and sardines. Again studies of other cultures that eat a lot of theses foods, in this case Greenland Eskimos, have shown a low incidence of heart disease.

There are two polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as EPA and DHA which are the main reason why theses Omega 3 Polyunstaurated fats have been linked with lowering blood pressure, improving immune responses and helping with endurance and aerobic metabolism 

Where is the best place to get fat?

Plant sources include:- linseed's, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, canola oil, and soybeans and the respective oils fro these products

Animal sources: Oily fish like fresh tuna, salmon and sardines.

BE CAREFUL OF THE HIDDEN "BAD" FAT

Trans fatty acids, found in processed fats are considered to be worse for you than saturated fats. Most of these fats are labelled as HYDROGENATED fats and oil which are used in a lot of cakes, biscuits, and chocolate bars. The hydrogenation process has two advantages for the food manufacturer, it prolongs the shelf life of the food and alters the texture of the food by making a liquid product solid and perhaps more spreadable.

Reduce the following to avoid theses trans fatty acids:-

• Spreads that are made with hydrogenated oils. The more spreadable the margarine, quite often the less hydrogenated fat is included
• Fast Food. Partially hydrogenated oil is often use to fry those fries
• Cakes and Biscuits. This is where you will find the most "hidden" trans fatty acids. Shop bought cakes and biscuits can contain a surprisingly high amount of hydrogenated fat and shortening (high in trans fats)
• Chips and snacks. Nuts are OK, just keep an eye on the amount of nuts you eat
• Chocolate Bars. The label that states "vegetable fat" means hydrogenated fat.

The State Government of Victoria linked website "Better Health Channel" gives a guidelines when reading those food labels on the back of products. Remember to look at the 100g column not the "per serving" column

The following are large amounts per 100g:

30g of sugars

20g of fat

3g of fibre

600mg of sodium.

The following are small amounts per 100g:

2g of sugars

3g of fat

0.5g of fibre

20mg sodium.

This information is obtained from Better Health Channel

  

Fat is not evil - It is a necessary part of your diet. You just need to watch your sources and make sure you don't eat too many "bad" fats. So the best thing to so is eat a variety of fats and oils, try to avoid fatty spreads containing the words “hydrogenated”. In cooking use Omega-3 oils such as olive and canola and seed and nut oils. Try to eat oily fish several times a week.

 

Butters,margarines and spreads are usually all placed together in the dairy case of the
supermarket, so take a peek at the ingredients on the back to see which ones are best for your health.

 Read about Protein
Read about Carbohydrate

 REFERENCES

Bean, A. (2010). Sports Nutrition (6th Edition ed.). London: A & C Black Publishers Limited.
Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2000). Understanding Pathophysiology (2nd ed.). New York: Mosby Inc.
Marieb, E. N. (2001). Human Anatomy & Physiology (5th ed.). United States of America: Benjamin Cummins.
NHMRC. (2005). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. Robert Garran Offices, Attorney-Generals Department. Canberra: Australian Commonweatlh.
Wahlqvist, M. L. (Ed.). (2002). Australia and New Zealand Food & Nutrition (2nd ed.). Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. R. (2008). Understanding Nutrition (11th ed.). Belmont CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Protein - The Rebuilder

I looked at "The Humble Carbohydrate" in the last entry so today I am focussing on PROTEIN.

Lean muscle mass, it is what gets us to the finish line or to the top of the hill (as theses legs from the 2010 Tour of Bright winners clearly show you)

 So Carbohydrate is the most basic form of energy and it is clear that athletes need to include a good amount of carbohydrate for their ENERGY REQUIREMENTS. But the next most important nutrient is PROTEIN.

When you break down protein you get Amino Acids - the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids, 9 of which are the essential amino acids which must be supplied to the body in what we eat as our bodies cannot make these amino acids, or make them at the rate the body needs them. The remainder are the are the non-essential amino acids, which the body can make.

What does protein do in my body? 

• It forms cell membranes  
• It helps with chemical reactions in the body including the metabolism reactions
• In the blood proteins have important roles such as carrying oxygen (you may have heard of haemoglobin...the oxygen carrying protein)
• In the form of antibodies, protein help to get rid of bacteria and viruses from the system
• Proteins in muscle help with muscle contraction and the movement of our muscles (pretty important as an athlete).

 IN REAL TERMS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Improved strength from muscle growth, improved recovery from exercise as tissues repair faster, improved immunity to fight disease (so less time away from training due to sickness), decrease in injuries, increase in manufacture of proteins for all purposes in the body and increase in development of lean muscle mass.

 

Different types of exercise require different amounts of protein.

 How much protein is enough?

Studying protein requirements is an interesting task in itself. Our diet needs to be looked at as a whole - NOT JUST PROTEIN OR CARBOHYDRATE

Our bodies are quite smart in being able to manufacture the things that may be inadequate and there are differences in requirements.A 25 year old bodybuilder, who effectively is causing muscle damage each time he pushes his boundaries with weight lifting - muscle repair is the key to “building” muscle, is going to have different requirements to say a 16 year old female dance student who trains in endurance type work for 6 hours a day. But there is a way to calculate your requirements.

The recommended daily amount is 0.8g per kg of body weight per day.....but HANG ON .. athletes need more! Are you an athlete? Do you participate in regular exercise? Then read on:

When we eat protein products, they are broken down into amino acids and theses amino acids top up the body’s pool of amino acids which will then be utilised to make those proteins used in the body, the excess amino acids are broken down to form energy (helping out the Humble carbohydrate) when glycogen stores are running low during exercise, the body will look to fat and a little bit of muscle for energy, which is why we need to rebuild with protein after exercise. If we overdo the protein, excess is just removed through waste, so too much protein is really a waste.

Your protein requirements will depend on the type of training you do. There is a constant stream of information and new studies stating particular requirements for protein.

As a general guide:-

Endurance – moderate to heavy training – 1.2-1.4 g/kg/day

Strength or power athletes (bodybuilders) 1.4-1.8 g/kg/day

So work out your daily requirement using the estimate above....An 80kg endurance athlete (hey that could be a cyclist) would need 96-112g of protein per day.

WHERE TO FIND PROTEIN IN "REGULAR" FOOD



Don't underestimate the amount of Protein
 in Dairy - Try to choose low fat dairy where possible



Approximately

1 large egg has 6 g of protein

85g of Mince Steak has 21grams of protein 

85 g of Roast chicken breast without skin has 26g

85g of Tuna has 25g of protein

1/2 cup of tofu ahas 10g of protein

1 cup of Baked beans has 14g of protein

200ml skim milk has 7g of protein

50g of peanuts (1 handful) has 12g

3 tbsp of boiled chickpeas has 12g

  



So this 263gram chicken breast fillet will give you
 approximately 78g of protein. It adds up quickly




MORE IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER

Studies have shown that a diet deficient in protein is associated with a loss of muscle mass, but a diets containing both a medium and a high amount of protein resulted in very similar increase in muscle. Therefore, excess protein has no real advantage.

 VEGETARIANS

Look to dairy products (low fat) and protein rich plant sources to meet your requirements.



Again when in doubt look at the labels,

 200g of this low fat yoghurt (Jalna in this case)

 will provide you with 10.6g of protein.





WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?

ESPECIALLY AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS

It can be considered "trendy" to use supplements and with promises such as "building muscle". "high quality protein" they seem like a good way to get your protein requirements

Before using supplements, try this exercise:- for a couple of days, calculate your protein requirements, and work out how much protein you are eating without supplements. You might find you are eating an adequate amount without using expensive supplements.

Protein supplements remain a controversial area. I will just say that inadequate protein intake has been associated with loss of muscle, and excessive protein whilst not being harmful offers no real advantage for health or performance.



Read the labels, here we can see that 100g of tuna has 24.0g of Protein.
 WARNING.- Be careful when reading the "serving sizes"
as sometimes they are a lot less (or more) than you might
personally eat in a serving



Studies have been inconsistent demonstrating that supplements are beneficial.

SO IN SUMMARY

Eat good quality protein such as that found in meat/fish/.chicken and dairy and plant proteins.

After your workout enjoy a post exercise snack, containing both carbohydrate and protein to maximise muscle repair and glycogen stores.

It might sound complicated, but just spend a few days looking at the contents of your food and you might be surprised to find that you are already on track to meeting your protein requirements

Next article I will look at FAT.....the good the bad and THE UGLY