Nutritional Seminar

Presented

by

Tom Ellis

DELLIS HEALTH & PERFORMANCE

DID YOU KNOW

• 75% of the population in the United States is considered overweight

• 50% of those who are overweight are excessively obese

• Of the 25% of those who are left, only a fraction of these individuals deliberately follow a healthy nutrition program and exercise regularly (many of them being amateur or professional athletes, entertainers, or models).

WE HAVE ONE LIFE AND ONE BODY

• People “diet” (starve) and do not exercise

• They only care about what size clothing they wear and how much they weigh

• When the concealing garment is replaced by a bathing suit the story takes a bad turn

• What really matters is how they feel and what their body looks like

• “Toning” is building muscularity and losing excess fat

• Our muscles burn 80% of the calories consumed

THE LESS MUSCLES YOU HAVE, THE FEWER CALORIES YOU BURN.

• This leaves more calories available for your body to store as fat.

• With the exception of specialized organs, such as the brain, our body replaces all of its cells annually.

• What do you think it replaces those cells with?• Think about it • As the saying goes, “we are what we eat.”

EAT WHEN IT IS TIME NOT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY

• This is important in maintaining normal blood sugar level

• Do not miss meals• Hunger will set in because your blood sugar level has

dropped• You will crave sugary foods• Or you will stuff yourself with more food than your body

can use from one meal• Too many calories will be available to be converted to

fat

EAT WHEN IT IS TIME NOT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY

• Your body functions only as well as your cells are functioning

• Your cells function well as long as they are receiving all the nutrients they need to keep them healthy

• Water,vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fat

• Its that simple

WHY LOW CALORIE DIETS DO NOT WORK

¤ When your blood sugar goes up or down rather than remaining in your “normal” range, the body sees this as an assault

¤ The body always overreacts to these assaults and starts making and storing fat (particularly in the low blood sugar state)

¤ Low calorie diets cause much of the food you eat to be stored as fat instead of being used to maintain sufficient energy levels and produce muscle tissue

¤ Increasing your muscle tissue raises your metabolism because muscle is alive

¤ Fat is dead weight

WHY LOW CALORIE DIETS DO NOT WORK

¤ If you have more muscle tissue you will burn more calories sitting still than others with less muscle mass

¤ In fact low calories make you lose muscle because your body feeds upon itself to obtain the energy it needs to function properly

¤ This is a very bad situation called ketosis

¤ Ketosis is high ketone bodies in blood and urine produced from protein and fat metabolism when carbohydrates are not available

HOW MUCH FAT DOES YOUR BODY NEED?

* Approximately 20 to 30 grams per day to remain healthy

* This allows for the necessary transfer of fat soluble vitamins such as A,D,E, and K

AVOID REFINED SUGAR PRODUCTS

� Refined sugar will make your blood sugar soar in 10-12 minutes

� It then crashes 20-30 minutes later

� Be careful of “fat free” products

� They may be loaded with sugar

� Sugar is one step away from fat

WHAT ABOUT FRUIT?

* Try to keep the consumption of fruit to a minimum* Fruit sugar or fructose is a fast acting carbohydrate (simple)

compared to complex carbohydrates (fibrous & starchy)* Although many fruits like apples, grapes, pineapple, kiwi,

papaya, or mangos contain enzymes that aid in the digestion of proteins when eaten with meals

* Many, however, do not digest properly with protein foods and therefore, cause gastrointestinal discomfort

* Remember you are trying to maintain a balanced blood sugar level and fruit will cause it to elevate more rapidly

* Fruit juices are even worse -dilute them with water

CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, AND PROTEIN

• These are the primary sources of energy to the body• They supply fuel necessary for body heat and work• Their fuel potential is expressed in calories

– FAT = 9 calories per gram– Protein = 4 calories per gram– Carbohydrates = 4 calories per gram– Alcohol = 7 calories per gram

CARBOHYDRATES

C They are the chief source of energy for all body functions and muscular exertion

C They are also necessary to assist in the digestion and assimilation of other foods

C Carbohydrates provide us with immediately available calories for energy by producing heat in the body when carbon in the system unites with oxygen in the bloodstream

C Carbs help regulate protein and fat metabolism; fats require carbs for their breakdown within the liver

C The principal carbohydrates present in foods are sugars, starches, and cellulose

CARBOHYDRATES

C Simple sugars, such as those found in fruits, are very easily digested

C Double sugars such as table sugar, require some digestive action

C Starches such as those found in whole grain, require prolonged enzymatic action in order to be broken down into simple sugars (glucose)for digestion

C Glucose, or “blood sugar,” is used as fuel by tissues of the brain, nervous system, and muscles

FATS

F Fats are the most concentrated source of energy in the diet

F There are two types of fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated

F Saturated are those that are usually hard at room temperature and come primarily from animal products

F Unsaturated including polyunsaturated are derived from vegetable, nut, or seed sources, such as corn, safflowers, sunflowers, and olives

F Other sources of fat are milk products, eggs, and cheese

FATS

F Excessive amounts of fat in the diet may lead to abnormal weight gain and obesity if more calories are consumed than are needed by the body

F Excessive fat intake will cause abnormally slow digestion and absorption. This results in indigestion

F If a lack of carbohydrates is accompanied by a lack of water, or if there is a kidney malfunction, fats cannot be metabolized and may become toxic to the body

PROTEIN

P Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body

P It is of primary importance in the growth and development of all body tissues

P Protein may be used as a source of heat and energy (not good)

P This energy function is spared when sufficient fats and carbohydrates are present

P Excess protein that is not used for building tissue or energy can be converted by the liver and stored as fat

PROTEIN

P During digestion the large molecules of proteins are decomposed into simpler units called “amino acids”

P These are necessary for the syntheses of body proteins and other tissue constituents

P The body requires 22 amino acids in a specific pattern to make human protein

P All but 8 can be produced in the adult body

P The 8 that cannot be produced are called “essential amino acids” because they must be supplied in the diet

WATER

� It is not only the most abundant nutrient found in the body it is by far the most important

� Responsible for and involved in nearly every body process

� This includes digestion, absorption, circulation, and excretion, water is the primary transporter of nutrients

� It is necessary for all building functions in the body

� It helps maintain a normal body temperature

� Fruits and vegetables are especially good sources of chemically pure water, which is 100% pure hydrogen and oxygen

WATER

� The average adult body contains approximately 45 quarts of water and loses about 3 quarts daily through breath, sweat, and urine

� Rate of water loss depends almost entirely upon level of activity and environmental conditions

� If severe deficiencies are not corrected as soon as possible, salt depletion and dehydration will occur, eventually resulting in death

� Adults should consume 32 -64 ounces of water per day

WATER

• Light exercise in a temperate climate uses half a gallon of water

• An athlete in heavy training uses over two gallons of water a day and must replace all body water every six days

• Performance can literally “dry up”

• It has been suggested that a person switching to purified water should make an effort to provide an adequate mineral intake by eating mineral-rich foods or supplementing the diet

ALCOHOL

° Avoid alcohol

° It poisons and dehydrates the body

° It will ultimately trash your athletic performance

° Alcohol interferes with the liver’s role in metabolizing fats

° Also because of the upward surge of blood sugar from the carbohydrate and the inevitable blood sugar dump which follows, you will get very hungry

° This always seems to happen before you go to bed and you end up eating foods you should not eat because of your dulled sense of reasoning (Sliders from Krystal)

ALCOHOL

• Liquor (bourbon, scotch, vodka, gin, tequila)

– have them on the rocks or with water

– if you do mix them, try to use a beverage that has minimal or no calories

– liquor offers only empty calories and absolutely no nutritional benefits

– the calories are from carbohydrates, but there is an absence of the enzymes necessary to convert it to a useable energy source for the body

ALCOHOL

• WINE

– fairly low in calories and aids digestion

– this would be preferred over liquor because it offers some nutritional value

– there are “light” versions available

• BEER

– drink the “light” versions

– has some nutritional value similar to wine

WHILE DRINKING ALCOHOL

• Always consume extra water during and after (an additional liter)

• As a suggestion, take a multi-vitamin, a mineral electrolyte tablet with a small meal (high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat) before going to bed

• If you do overindulge, DO NOT workout the next day and drink an additional liter of water for the following three days

DELLIS HEALTH & PERFORMANCE

written by

STEVE DEFALCO

&

TOM ELLIS