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Exercise and Nutrition Advice

Discussion in 'Self Improvement' started by Improvement25, Apr 1, 2017.

  1. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    Hey everyone,
    I am a professional Exercise and Nutrition Coach.
    My Bachelors Degree is in Exercise Physiology and I have numerous professional certifications.

    Ask me anything about:
    • Fitness and Exercise
    • Nutrition
    • Weight Loss
    • General Health
    Any answer I provide I will include relevant links to the current scientific research on that topic so you know that my answer is accurate.
     
  2. Got any information on healthy snacks my dude?
     
  3. I want to learn to write my own personalized running training programs basing on individual goals. Ranging from beginners who wanna build up to 2 mile run without time limit for general health and weight loss up to professional athletes who are aiming to win marathons. Basically I wanna get really good at the theory of running training. Where do I start learning about it? Currently I'm on Google searching for resources lol. Any book recommendations? Mainstream ones? University grade books maybe? At the very least maybe you recall some useful scientific literature you studied in collage that I could make use of to learn about running?
     
  4. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    So I will preface this by saying that I casually run 5ks and half marathons but have never run competitively.
    I have also never trained serious competitive runners before.

    Here are my suggestions:
    1. Go to a local running shoe store and talk to the owners (they will have great tips for you)
    2. Check out Meet-up.com to find local running groups to find a good running partner
    3. Check out halhigdon.com for good training plans for all running levels
    4. Do not neglect strength training and stretching/mobility training in your running program. You can prevent injuries before they happen. Check out strengthrunning.com and www.running-physio.com for great training and injury prevention advice.
    Book Recommendations:
    On Injury Prevention: Ready to Run by Kelly Starrett
    On Running Technique: Anatomy for Runners by Jay Dicharry

    For all other general info, check out: http://runners-resource.com

    Please let me know if this information is helpful to you. Thanks!
     
  5. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    Healthy Snacks are just part of an overall healthy diet.
    Make sure your overall diet is balanced and nutritious emphasizing whole foods with protein, vegetables, and healthy fats at each meal.
    Here is a great guide to making healthy meals: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/create-the-perfect-meal-infographic

    Also, whenever you research nutrition online make sure what you are reading is written by a Registered Dietitian or is backed up by relevant nutrition research.
    I like https://authoritynutrition.com because they back up all of their nutrition information with scientific research.

    Check out this great article on healthy snacks:
    https://authoritynutrition.com/29-healthy-snacks-for-weight-loss/

    Let me know if this information was helpful. Thanks!
     
    AlienOverlord likes this.
  6. Son_of_Iroquois

    Son_of_Iroquois Fapstronaut

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    Hey man, I appreciate your post.

    I am naturally skinny and have a hard time putting on weight. Because of this I cut back on my cardio significantly, so as not to burn too many calories.

    Is this the right move? I enjoy running and how it makes me feel, but I find it really hard to gain muscle when I run.
     
  7. Hello my brother! Got a few questions :) I'm really interested in health and nutrition as well :D
    - Do you know how I could calculate my body fat percentage by myself?
    - Is there any way I could calculate accurately how many calories I should eat per day?
    - Also, do you know how I could lower my body fat percentage while keeping or even building muscle? Is that possible?
     
  8. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    Yes; that is a good idea. If you burn excessive calories by running long distance, you will find it harder to put on muscle.
    What does your current plan to put on muscle look like?
    Describe your exercise and nutrition plan and I can make some recommendations.
     
  9. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    Thanks for your question, brother!

    1. There is no accurate way to calculate body fat percentage.
    In order to know your body fat percentage, you need to test it using a BIA, skin calipers, or BOD POD.
    You could find a local personal trainer who would test you with skin calipers.
    BMI can be easily calculated. Check your BMI here: http://www.smartbmicalculator.com

    2. Calculate your number of calories per day using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
    You can input your numbers here: https://authoritynutrition.com/how-many-calories-per-day/
    Also, check out https://www.eatthismuch.com/ for getting started with a great meal plan.

    3. It is 100% possible to lose weight by while building muscle.
    You need to lift weights and eat healthy CONSISTENTLY.
    Use the program at: https://stronglifts.com/
    Follow this program religiously; you will see results. It is simple and effective.
    Make sure your diet is on point.
    You will ONLY see great results for losing fat and building muscle if you lift weights and eat a healthy diet.

    For diet info, check out:
    https://authoritynutrition.com
    http://www.precisionnutrition.com/
    https://examine.com/
    http://simplestartfitness.com/category/nutrition-101/

    Let me know if those answers help!
    Feel free to bring further questions to me later at this forum.
     
  10. Mateo89

    Mateo89 Fapstronaut

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    1. Can you explain the concept and importance of insulin levels, glycemix index/load in correlation to weight management?

    2. What are your views empirically on Gluten and Dairy in terms of health, anti aging and weight management?

    3. Can you differentiate for us Organic vs Grass Fed Meat? Which is better

    Cheers !

    Mateo
     
  11. Noelle

    Noelle Fapstronaut

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    I find Fitbit to be one of the most useful devices ever at keeping me fit. i aim for 12500 to 15000 steps daily. That coupled with monitoring food intake and I've lost a bit of weight since last year. :)
     
    Strength And Light likes this.
  12. Rimejkdrama

    Rimejkdrama Fapstronaut

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    Hi! Right now I'm coming back from very hard injury and just one week ago started biking to my full potential again. I'm not able to run yet but I'll come soon too.
    I got some fat here and there not too bad tho. Recently I started to go to gym. My training schedule is one day biking, one day gym, one day biking, one day gym with breaks inbetween. What's the most efficent way for me to get to a level of six pack? Am I doing right thing? In the gym I mainly focus on my legs (because of injury), chest, abs and biceps and triceps.
     
  13. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    Great job! Keep up the good work!
     
  14. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    If you don't mind me asking, what injury are you recovering from?
    I cannot make a specific program recommendation without specifics on the injury.

    The best thing you can do to get a six-pack (in addition to the exercise you are already doing) is focus on your nutrition. For your diet, you need a balanced diet focused on whole foods.
    Make sure you:
    • Have a solid protein source at each meal
    • Have a lot of vegetables at each meal (2 cups)
    • Have a healthy fat at each meal
    • Have healthy carbohydrates in post-workout meals
    Check out this guide: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/calorie-control-guide-infographic

    For food tracking, use: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
    For meal planning, use: https://www.eatthismuch.com/
    For general info, use: https://authoritynutrition.com/
     
  15. Rimejkdrama

    Rimejkdrama Fapstronaut

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    It tore my ACL. Thanks for other tips tho. :)
     
  16. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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    Mateo, Thank you for these questions! These are the most in-depth questions I have received so far on this forum.

    1. Glycemic Index is a measure of how quickly and significantly a given food can raise our blood sugar.
    The less processed and high-fiber a food is, the more complex its carbohydrate molecules usually are. Those foods will usually take longer to digest and have a lower glycemic index.
    For example, high glycemic carbohydrates include sugar, candy, breakfast cereals and bagels.
    Lower glycemic carbohydrates include legumes, whole grains and vegetables.
    When blood glucose goes up, the insulin goes up in relative proportion to the amount of glucose present.
    Glycemic Index is not all that matters. Often we do not eats foods in isolation and the amount of fats and proteins present in a meal change the insulin response of that meal.

    Glycemic Load is the Glycemic Index multiplied by the serving size of the food.

    Insulin Index is the amount of insulin the body produces in response to a particular food.
    Insulin Index is regarded as measure most closely correlated with health.

    This information was paraphrased from The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition by Krista Scott Dixon, PhD

    For practical purposes, you simply need to focus on a balanced diet based on whole foods while avoiding heavily processed foods and excess sugar.
    Make sure you:
    • Have a solid protein source at each meal
    • Have a lot of vegetables at each meal (2 cups)
    • Have a healthy fat at each meal
    • Have healthy carbohydrates in post-workout meals
    Check out this guide: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/calorie-control-guide-infographic

    2. Both gluten and dairy have been demonized by various nutrition advocates.
    However, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that either of these food groups are inherently unhealthy.
    You know your body better than anyone else.
    If you notice that dairy or wheat products make you feel like garbage, you could get tested for lactose intolerance or celiacs disease.
    Most western diets over-consume carbohydrates such as sugar and wheat products.
    It is always a good idea to reduce wheat and sugar consumption in pursuit of a more balanced diet.
    https://authoritynutrition.com/is-dairy-bad-or-good/
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/truth-about-gluten?page=1

    3. Here are some of the most common labels on protein and what they mean.

    Conventional/Non-organic
    Conventional refers to standard agricultural practices that are widespread in the industry. It can (but does not necessarily) include the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, “mono-cropping,” feedlot and confinement systems, antibiotics, hormones and other chemical approaches.

    Conventional farming in the U.S. may also include the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). If you do not see any labels on the product, it most likely is raised in this manner.

    Organic
    In order to be certified USDA Organic by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA), farms and ranches must follow very strict guidelines. A third-party certifier inspects these farms and ranches annually to ensure the organic standards are met.

    Here is an excerpt defining what is means for something to be organic taken directly from the USDA website:

    "Organic food is produced using sustainable agricultural production practices. Not permitted are most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients, or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Organic meat, poultry eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones."

    Here are a few of the key requirements for organic poultry, cattle, and pigs:
    • Must be raised organically on certified organic land
    • Must be fed certified organic feed
    • No antibiotics or added growth hormones are allowed*
    • Must have outdoor access
    *Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork and poultry.

    The animals’ organic feed cannot contain animal by-products, antibiotics or genetically engineered grains and cannot be grown using persistent pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

    Pastured/Grass-fed
    Pastured: Implies animals were raised outdoors on pasture. However, since the term is not regulated or certified, there is no way to ensure if any claim is accurate.

    Grass-fed: All livestock production must be pasture/grass/forage based. Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass, forbs, browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts (starch and protein sources) and must have continuous access to pasture. All livestock produced under this standard must be on the range, pasture, or in paddocks for their entire lives. This means that all animals must be maintained at all times on land with at least 75% forage cover or unbroken ground.

    Wild
    This applies to seafood and shellfish. “Wild” or “wild-caught” means that the seafood was not raised on a fish farm and instead was caught in the wild (oceans, rivers and other bodies of water). Being aware of fish that are supplied from fish farms as they commonly contain more toxins and fewer nutrients than wild seafood because of the diet they are fed. The most commonly farmed fish is salmon, so always look for the wild-caught kind, usually from Alaska.

    Cage-free

    This term is most often applied to egg laying hens, not to poultry raised for meat. As the term implies, hens laying eggs labeled as “cage-free” are raised without using cages, but almost always live inside barns or warehouses. This term does not explain if the birds had any access to the outside, whether any outside area was pasture or a bare lot, or if they were raised entirely indoors in overcrowded conditions. Beak cutting is permitted. No independent third party verification.

    The takeaway here is to start learning "where" your food comes from.
    How is it raised and what is it fed? Is it fed a natural diet, what it would eat in the wild, or is fed an unnatural diet simply to pack on the pounds and get it off to market?

    Ultimately, the choice is up to you but just like humans, the closer animals eat to their natural diet, the healthier the animal is going to be. In turn, the healthier food source for human consumption.

    The above information was taken from a lesson about protein from http://simplestartfitness.com/
     
    Mateo89 and Noelle like this.
  17. Improvement25

    Improvement25 Fapstronaut

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  18. Thank you very much! I shall look at the links as soon as possible :) Thank you for your help!
     
  19. joe242

    joe242 Fapstronaut

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    Hi im a 16 year old and would like to know your advice. I have acne and have heard that diet can affect acne. What foods do you recommend. In terms of fitness I want to increase my overall strength do you have any excersizes or a routine i should follow?
     
  20. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

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    I have tendonitis in my knees and ive had it for almost 3 years now, Unable to play tennis. If i dont heal them the next 6months i wont be able to play tennis and will have to quit as aiming to play as a pro. You have any ideas on how i can fix my knees from tendonitis? My doctor told me i have tendonitis. Excercises etc? almost 3 weeks ago i was on a reboot and was doing eccentric squats half reps 10 a day and my knees were feeling great. But went back to shit a week after.
    You think can help me on how i can fix my knees? I would die for help at this point honestly..
     

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