Many people do not drink enough water.  It is often possible to think that you are hungry when you are actually thirsty.

Water is crucial as it is a key factor in almost every function and reaction of your body.  If you drink enough water, your body will burn stored fat for energy.  As an added bonus, if the water is cold your body will burn fat by trying to warm it up.  Neat huh!  I consume far more water than the recommended 8 glasses or 64 ounces.  I keep a water bottle with me at most times to drink on throughout the day.  Before a rigorous workout, I would recommend you drinking at least 32 ounces of water to get ahead of the water loss from the workout.  Also, if your urine is not clear, this is a sign that you may be dehydrating.

Water will also help to curb your appetite.  If you drink two glasses 15 minutes prior to eating, it will fill your stomach and cause you to eat less.

Now for what everyone thinks is scary: Fat.  the different types of fats are:

• Monounsaturated Fats
• Saturated Fats
• polyunsaturated Fats
• Trans Fats

Monounsaturated Fats are the healthiest fats.  Our body needs a certain amount for survival, and therse are what are referred to when you hear people talking about the “good” fats.  Monounsaturated fats are found in producst such as olive oil and nuts.

The other types of fats should be consumed in very small abounts.  Saturated fats are found in your cookies and chips, polyunsaturated  fats in your salad dressings and mayo, and trans fats can be found in your pastries and candies and sweets.

To keep a low fat diet, find alternatives to the fats you are consuming.  For example instead of butter, use Smart Balance spray.  Instead of mayo, use honey mustard, or find a no-fat mayo.  The best option in any diet is to eat the healthiest choices you can find.

Carbohydrates have been getting a bad rep over the past few years thanks to the Adkins diet and other fad diets.  However, if you are working out hard…like taekwondo or kickboxing, you will need the carbs for sure.  If you do not get your carbs in…you will be in deep trouble.

Carbohydrates are the energy builders within your body.  Without enough carbohydrates, you are going to feel very lazy and will not have enought energy to complete your workout.  They are also essential to help your body absorb protein, which will help you build muscle.

The amount of carbs you need daily depends on how hard you will be training, but a good starting point to consider is 2 grams per pound of bodyweight.  Remember as you lose weight, be sure to adjust your carb intake accordingly.  Excess calories will be what is going to make you fat.

Carbohydrates

UnHealthy

• White Breads
• White Pasta
• White Rice
• White potatoes
• boiled veggies

Healthy

• Wheat Bread
• Wheat Pasta
• Brown Rice
• Sweet potatoes
• Steamed veggies

Now that you have read my last blog post on how to eat, we will now begin to get into WHAT to eat.  Food is comprised of three main nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.  The inclusion of all three into your diet is very important.  The key to proper dieting is to fine tune how much of each you eat.  I will give you some important information over the next few days to help you with your food decisions.

Protein

Proteins are food for your muscles.  The amino acids that are released from digested proteins are used to repair your muscles.  Your muscles are in a constant state of damage and repair.  Weight lifting and exercise increases this process and therefore you need protein to rebuild your muscles.

There are two different categories of Proteins: Whey and Casein.  It is essential that you consume both of these types of proteins.

Whey:

You will want to consume the whey proteins, which are in egg whites and protein powders, early in the morning or after a workout.  Whey is the Ferrari of protein;  it gets into your bloodstream quickly after a workout.  Your body needs this fast hit of building blocks to begin to repair.  Also, this type of protein is good early in the morning as you have been “fasting” while you slept and you need nutrients.

Casein:

This protein is slowly digested and takes a long time to get into the blood stream.  This protein should be consumed during the middle of the day so you have a constant supply of protein all day long.  It is found in red meats, poultry, and whole eggs.

Remember, even though protein is not as bad as fat, it can still make you fat.  Eating anything in excess will make you fat, because it will cause calories to be stored.

Unhealthy:

Fried Chicken, fatty grades of hamburger, processed cheese, fatty cuts of steak.

Healthy:

Chicken breast (no skin), Turkey breast, skim milk, fish, lean steak, lean hamburger, protein shakes

The biggest problem most of us have is not knowing about proper nutrition.  It may come as a surprise to know that 3 square meals a day is not the best way to eat.  Even if it was, most of us only eat 2 large meals a day anyway.

The real way to lose weight is to consume multiple meals over the course of the day.  Ten percent of the calories you burn during the day come from consuming food, whether from chewing and swallowing, or from digesting.  What logically follows is that the more often you eat, the more your body has to work which will increase your metabolism and help you burn fat.

You should try to eat 5 to 6 meals a day.  These should not be large meals.  Your goal should be to eat enough to get you to your next meal, ideally in 3 hours.

Another big idea to keep in mind is portion control.  A meal you get at a restaurant may have 3 to 4 times an actual serving size.  When you eat out, instead of clearing your plate, anticipate bringing home food for meals tomorrow.

When making food at home, try splitting your plate into three parts (in half and then one of those portions in half).  This will give you a large portion and two smaller portion.  Vegetables or fruits should fill the large portion and meat and carbohydrates in the smaller two portions.  This simple “idea” will allow you to cut down drastically on the number of calories and fat you eat.

Upcoming posts will give you a greater insight into the major food classifications and what you should and should not eat in each.