Getting Fit: Basic Nutrition
By: Keith
I am happy to explain, to anybody who asks, what I know about nutrition. The reasons that there are so many overweight people are vast and complicated on a psychological level but surprisingly simple from a practical point of view. Practically speaking, people are overweight because they eat too much, and they eat disproportionately from the food groups. The good news is that there exists plently of good information on the food groups and portion control. Our government has done a shockingly good job of breaking down the food groups with their revised food pyramid. In terms of working out and getting fit it is beneficial to know how our bodies use each nutrient and where to find them. That is what I want to do in this article. For actual food plans and diet advice I suggest The Not fad Diet by the American Heart Association and The Way to Eat by Dr. Katz.
Protein
Protein is used to build and maintain muscle tissue. Protein is what is responsible for our muscles being able to move and our organs being able to perform basic functions; protein repaires muscle tissue when it is damaged. When proteins are digested they are broken down into their component parts which are called amino acids. There are 13 amino acids that our bodies can produce without outside sources, but there are another 9 which we need to provide by eating certian foods. Without protein our muscles become atrophied and weak and our organs deteriorate more quickly. Weight lifters eat lots of protein. They need it to build big muscles; lifting weights breaks muscle tissue so that protein can build it back bigger and stronger. People who do not do much heavy lifting do not need as much protein (but everyone needs at least some). Good sources of protein are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and beans. Vegetarians can also get all the proteins they need with a combination of certain nuts and seeds. Meat is not the only good source.
Carbohydrates
Consider carbohydrates gasoline for the body. Proteins are used to repair muscle while carbohydrates are efficiently converted directly to energy during high endurance exercise. There are two kinds, simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugars that are found in candy. They require almost no effort for our bodies to convert them directly to energy. That is why kids run around like crazy after eating candy – then crash. They ingest rocket fuel for the body and peter out before they get into orbit. The other kind of carbohydrates are the complex variety. They are what sustain our bodies for longer and more steady energy use. They won’t get us into orbit but they will allow us to fly around the world without stopping. Endurance athletes eat a lot of complex carbohydrates before, during, and after exercise. Good sources of carbohydrates are whole grain breads, root vegetables, corn, and beans (beans are a miracle food). It is good to eat whole grains instead of the refined varieties because whole grains maintain fiber and vitamin content while still providing all the same carbohydrates of their processed cousins.
Fat
Fats are a necessary part of healthy living. Fats make our cell’s membranes stronger, regulate hormones, and support a healthy immune system. The wrong kinds of fats are bad. Saturated fats and trans fats are the bad kinds. They raise LDL (the bad cholesterol) which sticks to arteries and cause heart attacks (one of several risk factors). But, polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats are the beneficial fats found in fish oils, flax seeds, nuts, avocados, and olive oils. Everybody needs to make a special effort to eliminate the bad fats and replace them with the good ones. They are not to blame for our obesity; processed foods and candy can be blamed for that. Good fats help our bodies run smoothly and improve brain function (see omega-3).
Vitamins, Minerals, and Fiber
There are a slew of vitamins and minerals that bodies need. We use them for growth, our immune system, organ maintenance, and everything else that happens in our bodies. Some vitamins help with the development of red blood cells (the B vitamins) while others like vitamin A, C, and D have been shown to be useful in repairing sun damage to skin cells. So, yeah, vitamins are necessary. The best way to get them is through a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Not to be left out is Fiber. Everyone knows why we need fiber, and not getting enough fiber can be, echem, unpleasant. Eating plenty of fruits like pineapple, mango, and pears will supply needed fiber. Also, beans and whole grains have fiber (remember beans being a miracle food?). Athletes, more than most people, need to make sure to get plenty of vitamins and minerals. Exercising puts pressure on the immune system and athletes who do not either supplement with vitamins or eat a lot of healthy foods are risking illness due to a compromised immune system. The supplements I use are from USANA Health Products.
A diet book is not what I aim to write. Serving sizes and menus can be found in other, more comprehensive, places. My goal is simply to give a breakdown of what substances our bodies use for everyday function and how they relate to basic fitness. Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals have a function that we cannot do without. Diet books and health gurus are always chanting the merits of a balanced diet because only from a variety of foods can we get all the nutrients our bodies need. Eating fast food and pre-packaged food might, in some instances, satiate our need for certain vitamins or minerals, but they are seriously deficient in many other areas. Eating them is inadvisable. Those who are looking to lose weight should be certain that every bite counts, that there are no wasted calories. Whole grains instead of refined, lean meat rather than fatty, and high fiber, high vitamin and mineral roughage. And beans!
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I hope you don’t write a diet book because it would be just another one to add to the hundreds of others that rehash poor information.
“Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals have a function that we cannot do without.”
There is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate that we need to obtain from our diet. If this were so whole cultures such at the Inuits, Australian Aborigines, the Masai, who lived almost exclusively on meat products would not have survived into old age and in good health. Essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, no essential carbohydrates.
Check out the Wilhelm Steffanson experiment in the 1920′s.
The only organs that need glucose to function are the brain and central nervous system. But this is easily supplied by ketone bodies produced by dietary fatty acids and those released from adipose tissue as well as glycerol released with the breakdown of triglicerides and glucose converted from dietary protein.
There are millions of people around the world who live on very low carbohydrate diets in perfect health. My wife and I have been having no more than 30 grams per day for four years. All health markers have improved in that time. We are also very physically – supplied by a constant stream of fatty acids for fuel.
The balanced diet mantra and the low fat craze has led to an over consumption of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates increase insulin levels, insulin levels are the main hormone responsible for fat storage. Calories in/calories out plays a role but hormonal regulation also has a major impact on this simple equation (youtube :Gary Taubes lectures).
Bottom line – elevated insulin levels will lead to fat accumulating in the fat tissue so that less fuel is available for use which will lead to hunger, lower insulin levels will lead to fat being released from our fat tissue for fuel and so less hunger. Carbs = sugar = insulin = accumulation of fat = obesity. Anecdotally, I have seen this in action countless times as a personal trainer. People become lean when they reduce the carbohydrate level in their diet even while maintaining calories at a consistent level.
Saturated fat has not been proven to cause heart disease. Saturated fats can raise total cholesterol in some but it also makes LDL into the larger fluffier (and ‘healthier’) particles, as well as producing higher levels of HDL at a greater rate than it does LDL. Unsaturated fatty acids, particularly the polyunsturates lower total cholesterol and both HDL and LDL but lowers HDL at a much greater rate than LDL. You can therefore end up with a higher heart disease risk profile if you replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat, especially if you are following a high carb diet, as high carb diets increase triglicerides.
It is only a belief that saturated fat is detrimental to health. It is not supported by scientific literature. Start by doing some research on Ancel Keys flawed ‘Seven Countries Study’ and follow the scientific research from the point to present day to see where the mistakes have been made. Here’s a funny but accurate vid –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WA5wcaHp4
Also, if you are really interested in diet and its research over the past 100 years please read this book –
Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes.
Wow, reservoir dad, you really seem to know your stuff. You’re right that i am not an expert on nutrition and that I am mostly repeating the things that I have been taught. However, I am a runner (semi pro) and have run a 2 hour flat 23 miler. I was taught the importance of carbohydrates for long distance running, and my advice in that area is not without significant personal experience. I have no intention of writing a diet book as I am not a doctor or in any way a dietitian. I am very fit though and I practice what the things I have explained here. It has worked for me. However, I am always open to hearing new ways of doing things, and I appreciate the comment. Thanks.
No worries mate. I thought you had some training behind you. You might also want to look at a study done on long distance cyclists and low carb diets. I don’t have it anymore so can’t link it. Also, there is an interesting story of a man in America who is a middle distance runner who eats nothing but meat. His name is Charles Washington if you want to look him up. Also this blog by a marathon runner who follows a low carb way of eating http://lowcarbendurance.blogspot.com/. An interesting book I haven’t read but you might like is ‘The Paleo Diet for Athletes’.
My problem with current advice is that it excludes a very viable and healthy diet option because of some pretty poor science regarding dietary fat and heart disease. Most health experts would now agree that cutting carbs leads to leaner individuals but they won’t recommend it because of the fear of fats. There is also the myth that the body needs dietary carbs for fuel which keeps athletes trapped in one way of eating. A one hundred and fifty pound man can last a month on his fat reserves. So there is more than enough stored calories for a two hour run (pretty impressive!).
I am a competitive powerlifter – which involves training 8 plus sessions a week and I follow a very low carb diet. Competitions take about 4 or 5 hours. I just wish that low carb diets were reported accurately because there are many people around the world who could really benefit from it and a lot of people who are suffering for the same reason. I’ve helped several type 2 diabetics reverse their symptoms and lose weight by simply following a low carb diet. Type 2 diabetics in particular will suffer horribly from following the recommended way of eating.
Anyway, I’ve been enjoying flicking through your blog. Talk soon
Its hard to find good info like you have on your blog. Lets just hold thumbs that you’ll keep it up!
Good overview of the basics of nutrition. Many of us do tend to eat way too much and disproportionately as well.
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Carbohydrates are an important source of food energy. It is best, however, to limit the simple carbohydrates (table sugar) found in most desserts, candies, soft drinks and sweetened cereals. Complex carbohydrates are much better for us. Good sources include potatoes, brown rice, whole grain breads and whole grain cereals.
Above statement is supported by experts of the World Health Organization who confirmed that “The nutrient goals indicate that the health needs of the population are best met by a high carbohydrate,low-fat diet, rich in starchy foods (e.g., cereals, tubers, and pulses) and including a substantial intake of vegetables and fruit.” (Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic
Diseases, WHO, p. 158)