Nutrition

Healing your body from the inside first is where it all starts

Complete Proteins

We have 22 types of Amino Acids (13 Non-Essential) and (9 essential). These 9 Essential or "Complete" Proteins are proteins our bodies do not make on their own, so we need to make sure we get our Complete Proteins from foods like meat, fish, dairy, eggs, quinoa, buckwheat, hemp and chia seed.

Proteins repair and build tissue, assist in digestion, help prevent infection, and balances your metabolism. Proteins also help build a healthy mind, helps with brain function and even has an impact on your mood.

For an athlete, you should shoot for .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Look for good quality, proper type of protein, and daily consumption throughout the day.

Complex Carbs

The first thing I want to get across is that Carbohydrates provide us with energy, so if you don't consume enough Carbs you will hit brick walls in your training plain and simple.

There are three types of Carbs, the first type (Monosaccharides) are simple sugars, these are bad. They are found in fruits, honey, syrups, candy, soft drinks, energy drinks, and most desserts. The second type (Disaccharides) are made of glucose and fructose. They basically have 2 monosaccharides that make them a disaccharide. These foods include stuff like ice creams, infant formula, wine, beer, and white breads, rice, and other starches during digestion. The last type of Carb and one that you should seek out to consume is Polysaccharides. These are found in plant and animal sources like legumes (beans, peas, lentils), cereal grains like wheat, oat, rye, and barley. They are also found in vegetables and fruits of deep color. Look for vegetable and fruits of deep color.

Look at consuming 45% to 65% in Carbs of your daily caloric intake.

Good Fats

To me, good fats is the secret weapon to my success in endurance racing. If you're training properly, good fats will supply us with more energy, regulate our body temperature, and balance our good and bad cholesterol. We need a healthy heart to continue our training and racing especially the older we get, so I consume foods like avocados, nuts, and get my omega-3's, 6's, and flax oil in my daily post-workout shakes. There are three types of fats, Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats. Saturated fats are what we are trying to avoid. These are found in foods like red meats, butter, whole milk, and cheese. There is another form of fat called Trans-Fatty Acids which are your fast foods, doughnuts, cookies and stick margarine. There is no use for these fats for an athlete trying to make gains. In fact it only slows down your gains, energy, and in keeping a clear mind. Look at consuming 20% to 35 % of your good fats in your total daily caloric intake.

Organics

Organic...what the hell does it mean anymore? How the hell can it be organic from a grocery store? How can it last that long for the process of it getting to the grocery store and not rot by the time it's on the shelves for you to buy? Be very careful nowadays purchasing your organics, it would be very wise to purchase some books on cancer free living and eating, drinking, and living organically. Not just the foods we eat, but what we are drinking, breathing, wearing, and washing our clothes in should all be taken into account. We build up so many toxins in our bodies over the years, deprive our insides, and live with a high level of stress that we create a perfect environment for cancer to form and spread. We have cancer in us all the time, but our bodies are strong enough to fight it off everyday until that day comes that we neglected ourselves enough to break down and see the cancer or chronic disease take hold. When you do purchase organically, try and get your foods from a local co-op, farm, or reliable source. Get educated and save your own life.

Calories in vs. Calories out

Do you want to make excuses or do you want to succeed? It's those last 10 pounds, the extra step, and becoming mentally strong to achieve true results in your weight loss and weight gain goals. I've heard it all, "my body will never lose those last few pounds", "I've done everything and nothing works", "I eat right and do abs all the time, and I just can't lose those last few pounds".

Bullshit.

Let me hold you underwater for three minutes and see how bad you want to breathe. (When you want to breathe as bad as you want to succeed, then you'll be successful). It's about what foods you eat, the calorie tracking, and stress management. No more excuses, find out what foods are holding you back from your success, what foods you may be intolerant too, what foods cause inflammation, and win. Cut out alcohol, sweets, sugars, and pay for a consultation with a nutritionist. Whatever it takes. Make it happen...Today. You can purchase exercise and calorie tracking watches to assist you that are incredible with the technology today. But I also suggest writing down what you eat and drink for one week, to show yourself what's really going into your body.

Pre/Post Workout

Loading up an hour prior to your workout will prepare your body to supply you with the energy needed to get through your workout with the energy and focus needed. There are many great reasons to fuel prior to a workout, but, one very important reason is to maintain focus on every rep to the very end so you don't injure yourself during training. Post workout re-fueling is just as important to get those spent calories and nutrients your body is craving. Try and get those re-fueling calories within 10 to 20 minutes after finishing your cool down. Always remember to find the time to conduct a good cool down, breathing, and stretching routine at the end.