You are what you eat!

You are what you eat!

Revised Nutrition Guidelines

The National Health and Medical Research Council last week released new nutritional guidelines for Australian adults, adolescents and children. The new guidelines were released to highlight new research into appropriate dietary choices and to promote good nutrition and health. This comes at a time where obesity and type-2 diabetes are at an all-time high in Australia, with numbers set to rise further.

The guidelines recommend regular consumption of fruits and vegetables. Though this is nothing new, recent studies have shown a variety of vegetable types and colours can reduce the risk of some cancers. Similarly, consumption of a wide range of fruits has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Perhaps more obviously, the guidelines suggest strong evidence exists that sugar-sweetened drinks are associated with weight (fat) gain.

There is also new evidence suggesting eating whole grain products can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, excessive weight gain and type-2 diabetes. Milk and other dairy products have also been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease in some cases.

Committee chairwoman Doctor Amanda Lee summarises -
"We need to eat double the amount of vegetables and fruits, double the amount of wholegrain cereals, much more milk, yoghurt and low-fat cheese, and increasing our lean poultry and fish,"

Detailed guidelines can be found at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n31.pdf

A simplified poster can be found at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n32.pdf

Does dieting make you fat?

The overweight and obesity epidemic is a worldwide problem. Obesity rates in Australia have more than doubled over the past 20 years. According to Fitness Australia over 7 million adults are jeopardizing their health by excessive weight. As a result children are following their parents examples and it is estimated that over one in 5 children are obese. The rates of overweight and obesity are rapidly increasing and it is estimated that, at the current rate of increase, about 75 per cent of the Australian population will be overweight or obese by 2020.

It seems like a contradiction: Diet and you'll get fatter. The problem is not with the dieting itself, but how you approach it. When it comes to dieting, most people fail. In fact, up to 95 percent of people who go on a diet regain all the weight they lost. Our bodies are programmed to understand hunger signals and not to diet. When you deprive your body of food, it will get the message that there's a risk of starvation. As a result, your hunger will increase and your metabolism will slow down to compensate for it. Once you get off the diet, your mind will go into overdrive and make you want to eat more to make up for the deprivation you just suffered. This is your body's way of preparing for possible famine. As a result, you might end up eating more than you did before the diet, to soothe both your emotions and your body. Also, by trying to lose large amounts of weight quickly, you throw your body into disarray. This might cause weight loss but it's likely to be a temporary solution. This means that once you go back to your regular eating habits, you're more likely to regain this weight back. More than 60 percent of dieters regain all the weight lost within a year of giving up their diets. Within five years, almost all dieters are back to their original weight.

Instead of focusing on instant gratification, the key to permanent weight loss is to think long-term. For example, choosing to eat whole grains instead of highly processed carbohydrates (fast food) is a healthy choice that will pay off over time: you'll be healthier, gain energy and lose weight. The key to successful weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life

Energy Drinks Pose Serious Health Risks for Young People

Energy drinks all over the world are recieving more media attention due to their high levels of caffeine. Self report surveys indicate that energy drinks are regularly consumed by 30% to 50% of children, adolescents and young adults.
Energy drinks are categorized as nutritional supplements and therefore avoid the limit of 71mg caffeine per 12 fluid ounces which the US Food and Drug Administration has set for soda. Some of these energy drinks contain as much as 75 to 400mg per container coming from additives such as guarana, kola nut, yerba mate and cocoa with addition caffeine not included in the listed total.
A study in New Zealand found that on average all children, teenagers and young men would exceed the adverse effect level of 3mg/kg per day of caffeine after consuming a single retail energy drink. The recommended daily caffeine intake of 2.5 mg/day for children and 100mg/day for adolescents.
The consumption of energy drinks posses a variety of health risks including, liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders , confusion, seizures, psychotic conditions, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hypertension, heart failure and death. People with cardiac conditions, attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, those on diabetes, those taking medication or consuming alcohol are strongly advised to not consume any kind of energy drink.

Losing Christmas Weight

Over the Christmas period, many of us put on a fair bit of weight. Here are some tips for getting that weight off:

1. Eat a lot of protein.
Protein is burnt at a slower rate compared to carbohydrates and fat, and due to this is essential when attempting to lose weight. A high protein meal will lead to to a ‘full’ feeling for longer, reducing the chances of having a high-sugar or fat snack. In addition to this, more calories are burnt during the digestion process after eating a high protein meal in comparison to a high carbohydrate or high fat meal.

2. Get a workout partner
Having a partner challenging you to perform at your best can work wonders in the gym, particularly when they have the same goals as you do. Pick someone who is close to you, and attempt to lose the Christmas weight together. This way, you are held accountable to not only yourself, but your partner as well. To make things even more interesting, organize a competition with a reward that both desire, and a punishment that both would prefer to avoid!

3. Drink water
During the silly season, consumption of alcohol and soft drinks invariably increases, leading to huge caloric intakes. However, these habits can sometimes ‘spill’ over to the New Year, resulting in constant consumption of sugar and alcohol. Cutting out a single bottle of Coca-Cola leads to a decrease of 260 Calories every day, or 1820 calories in a week. Next time you reach for the red bottle, consider swapping it for a water instead.

Soft drinks - Work of the Devil.

Soft drinks, and cordials are the work of the devil.
They supply your body with empty kilojoules. i.e. They provide your body with lots of energy, but don't give you the important nutrients that your body needs.This extra energy will eventually be stored as fat, if it is not used up in your daily energy requirements. Soft drinks are also high in G.I., meaning your blood sugar levels, and insulin levels are elevated significantly after drinking. Regular consumption of high GI foods can lead to type II diabetes.

Latest research out of Yale University has shown that the consumption of soft drink also results in a reduction in the intake of both dietary fibre, protein, fruit and macronutrients intake. Sugar drinks also stimulate one’s appetite for non-nutritional foods with higher glycaemic indexes eg hamburgers and pizza. Cola drinks contain a caramel colouring that may increase insulin resistance and the inflammation of the capillaries.

Soft drinks are the work of the devil!

A Caveman Approach To Nutrition

A Caveman Approach To Nutrition.

Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate. Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man.

The idea of a Caveman approach to eating, identifies that we evolved from Hunters and Gatherers. We are designed to eat natural foods from the earth, not the processed garbage that we are faced with in the supermarket.

So:

"The closer it is to out of the ground the better it is for you"

Next time you do your hunting and gathering at the supermarket look for the "more natural options." An apple comes from a tree. An apple roll up comes from a machine.

Pictured: Lace and Rocket tucking into some cake at Rockets 30th Birthday Party!

What Foods Should I Avoid?

What Foods Should I Avoid?

Picture: Tanya after 6 pies and a soft drink. Look at the pain caused by too many high-glycemic carbohydrates. NOTE: Pies and soft drink are BAD!

Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is a major cause of nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their ability to elevate blood sugar.

What is the Problem with High-Glycemic Carbohydrates?

What is the Problem with High-Glycemic Carbohydrates?

The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an excessive insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, mood dysfunction and many other diseases and disabilities.

What does this mean to us: Eat a low-glycemic diet to improve your health. Or put even more simply: "Eat some salad you fat bastards!"

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

To use supplements or not is a contentious issue made more confusing by the huge array of supplements promoted to athletes. There are many issues to consider when deciding whether to use nutritional supplements or not.

1) Are you getting what you're paying for? Quality control regulations for nutritional supplements vary from country to country, and are generally not tight.
2) What is the supplement meant to help you with, and how does it work? Many athletes take supplements simply because someone else is - which is simply NOT a good enough reason!
3) What is the proof that it works?
4) How much does it cost? Is there any benefit over food alone?
5) Are there any side effects, and could it affect your health and wellbeing in either the short or long term?

ALWAYS REMEMBER, NO SUPPLEMENT WILL EVER REPLACE SMART TRAINING OR A WELL-BALANCED DIET WITH ENOUGH ENERGY FOR YOUR NEEDS.

Read the full article here:

TO GROW MUSCLES, YOU NEED TO FEED THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS TO SUPPORT GROWTH.

TO GROW MUSCLES, YOU NEED TO FEED THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS TO SUPPORT GROWTH.
PROTEIN = BUILDING BLOCKS
CARBOHYDRATES = FUEL



Studies have shown that the timing and amount of protein are key factors when looking to gain muscle. On top of a balanced diet, additional protein and carbohydrate both before and after training can be of great benefit. The recommendation are that males aiming to gain muscle should consume 1.2-1.5g/kg/day of protein, ANY MORE WILL BE USED FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION. But the protein will not go towards growth if you are not eating enough to meet your energy needs (i.e. Wt loss goals), therefore you can get stronger, whilst leaning up, but it is hard to lean up and get huge at the same time.

Follow this link to find out more:

You Are What You Eat.

We have all heard the common saying: "You Are What You Eat."
So the question you need to ask yourself is: "Do you eat a load of shit?"