Recovery, macronutrients; carbs, proteins, and fats

Carbohydrates : Carbohydrates (sugars, starches and fibers) are the primary energy source for moderate to intense activity. They can be categorized according to their glycemic effect.
   High Glycemic (e.g., simple sugars)- rapid increase in blood glucose and insulin
   Low Glycemic (e.g., complex fibrous foods)- slow increase in blood glucose

General Carbohydrate Guidelines: Match needs based on activity:
   Low intensity/skill based: 3–5 g/2.2 lbs of body weight (or BW)
   Moderate intensity: 5–7 g/2.2 lbs BW
   High intensity: 6–10 g/2.2 lbs BW
   Extreme: 8–12 g/2.2 lbs BW

Carbohydrates For Recovery: During post-exercise recovery, optimal nutritional intake is important to replenish stores and to facilitate muscle-damage repair and reconditioning. After exhaustive endurance-type exercise, muscle glycogen replacement forms the most important factor determining the time needed to recover.
The post-exercise carbohydrate  recommendations is 1 g/2,2 lbs BW hour for four hours, then match activity needs (meaning, during the activity) according to the intensity chart above. This is the most important determinant of muscle glycogen synthesis.

Since it is not always feasible to ingest such large amounts of carbs, the combined ingestion of a small amount of protein (0.2−0.4 g/2.2 lbs per hr) with less CHO (0.8 g/2.2 lbs per hr) stimulates insulin release and results in similar muscle glycogen-replacement rates as the ingestion of 1.2 g/2,2 lbs per hr carbs.

Additionally, post-exercise protein and/or amino acid administration is warranted to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, inhibit protein breakdown, and allow net muscle protein accretion. The consumption of ~20 g intact protein, or an equivalent of ~9 g essential amino acids, has been reported to maximize muscle protein synthesis rates during the first hours of post-exercise recovery.

Consuming carbs and protein (4:1) during the early phases of recovery has been shown to positively affect subsequent exercise performance and could be of specific benefit for athletes involved in multiple training or competition sessions on the same or consecutive days.

Carbohydrate dosing relative to resistance training should be commensurate with intensity guidelines outlined under the carbohydrate section.

Proteins: Large macromolecules of one or more long chains of amino acid residues.

Protein functions: 
   Muscle Protein Synthesis (to build muscle)
   Facilitating metabolic reactions (as catalysts)
   DNA replication
   Transporting molecules
   Energy supply

Sources:
   1). Complete (All essential amino acids)- Animal products: beef, poultry, pork, lamb, fish, eggs, dairy
   2). Incomplete- Plant products (Quinoa and soy are complete proteins, but there is an energy trade off, i.e., more calories/serving to get the same amount of leucine).

Protein and Recovery: Optimum protein consumption is a key to minimizing catabolism, stimulating muscle protein synthesis and facilitating repair.

Protein Recovery Guidelines For Strength Training:
   Protein Dose: 1.6–2.0 g/2.2 lbs BW
   15-20 g per meal in 4 meals

   Branch Chain Amino Acids- Leucine dose: 3 g is optimal to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (whey is a good source).

   The addition of 50 g of carbohydrate with protein pre- and post-exercise can decrease muscle breakdown.
   Consuming 1–2 small protein rich meals in the first 3 hours post-exercise can capture the peak of muscle protein synthesis.

Fats: Fats and oils are categorized according to the number and bonding of the carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain. The degree of saturation determines the melting point and stability.

   Saturated fats -Solid at room temperature, no double bonds.
   Unsaturated fats – Liquid at room temperature, one or more double bonds.

Functions:  Hormone production, energy storage (in the form of body fat), and to an extent, functional energy.

Essential Fatty Acid Balance: The Standard American Diet is notoriously pro-inflammatory, with the Omega 6’s in far greater abundance than Omega 3’s. The ratio is more than 4:1 (actually, closer to 18:1).

To reduce inflammation and enhance recovery, fitness enthusiasts should focus on getting the fats in their diet from dark green leafy vegetables, flax/hemp seeds, walnuts, cold water fish, grass-fed beef, omega-3 eggs; and limit omega-6 (vegetable and seed oils). Saturated fat should come from grass fed, pasture raised animals. Olive and avocado oils are good choices for cooking.

Fish Oil for Repair and Recovery: DOSE: AHA recommends 1 g/day for general health. To reduce soreness: incorporate a 6 g dose, spread over the course of a day.
PS: Don't forget your hydration too, it's a very important part of your recovery along with nutrition!

http://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html or... https://tdeecalculator.net/

Diet Sodas - Are the Dangers in the Chemicals or the Headlines?

BY HARRIET HALL, M.D.

In April 2017, there was a flurry of news reports with alarming headlines:

• “Diet Sodas May Raise Risk of Dementia and Stroke, Study Finds”
• “A Daily Diet Soda Habit May Be Linked to Dementia–Alzheimer’s”
• “Is Diet Soda Harming Your Brain Health?”
• “Diet Sodas Tied to Dementia and Stroke”
• “Here’s Another Reason You Might Want to Quit Diet Soda”
• “Drinking Too Much Soda May Be Linked to Alzheimer’s”
• “Is Soda Bad For Your Brain? (And is Diet Soda Worse?)”
• “Diet Soft Drinks Triple the Risk of Dementia”
• “Two Things Diet Soda Does to Your Brain”

Some of these headlines were from respectable sources like The New York Times and The Washington Post. It’s not surprising that many people were alarmed by the news and assumed that diet sodas had been proven to cause dementia. Some people were frightened enough to stop drinking diet sodas.

Headlines are designed to get people’s attention so they will read the article. They are notoriously unreliable. The first thing is to check whether the information in the body of the articles matches the headlines; sometimes it doesn’t. Even when the information matches, the article may selectively report some but not all of the studies’ findings, and it may put an unwarranted spin on the meaning of the findings. These headlines all referred to a single study; I wanted to know what that study actually reported, so I read it.

What Did the Study Show?

The study, by Matthew Pase and his colleagues, was published in a reputable journal, Stroke. The subjects were 2,888 individuals in the community-based Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort. During a 10-year period of observation, 97 subjects over the age of 45 had a stroke: 82 ischemic (restriction of blood flow) as opposed to hemorrhagic (ruptured vessel and bleeding), and 81 subjects over the age of 60 developed dementia (63 consistent with Alzheimer’s). They estimated cumulative consumption of artificially-sweetened soft drinks based on self-reports on a food-frequency questionnaire. They found that drinking one or more artificially-sweetened soft drinks a day was associated with a nearly 3-fold increase in the incidence of ischemic stroke, all-cause dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease compared to drinking none. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks were not associated with stroke or dementia. […]

Read the full article

Refuel, Repair, Rehydrate, Revitalize: Nutrition for Optimal Recovery

from NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)

Whether you’ve just finished a HIIT workout, completed a CrossFit WOD, hit your personal best lifts, or finished a triathlon, your focus should move from performance to recovery.

This involves: Refueling, Repairing, Rehydrating, & Revitalizing: Evidence-based strategies to enhance the recovery process should focus on:
   Energy balance: are you trying to lose weight, gain it, or simply maintain?
   Macronutrients: proteins, carbs, & fats (7 in the proper amounts)
   Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals
   Hydration: water, water, water!
   Nutrient timing: eating often enough to stay refueled and ready for action
   Supplements: as needed and/or desired

Energy Balance: Energy (calories) is the foundation of your repair process. Optimize your energy for your training activities by focusing on the 3 Ts:
   1). Total calories– Match your caloric intake with your training/activity requirements and goals. Not eating enough stresses your nervous system and adrenals and may delay the recovery process.

   2). Type of calories– Focus on carbohydrates for energy and glycogen restoration, adequate protein for repair and muscle protein synthesis, and healthy fats to minimize inflammation and support overall health.

   3). Timing of your meals– Time your meals strategically around training sessions and competitions.
Energy availability is essential for performance and recovery. Energy availability is the difference between energy intake (diet) and energy expenditure (exercise, training and competing, and NEAT- non-exercise activity thermogenesis).

 (LEA) occurs when there is an imbalance between the energy intake (calories from carbohydrates, proteins and fats) and energy expenditure, resulting in an energy deficit. Affecting both men and women, LEA can be inadvertent, intentional or psychopathological (e.g., disordered eating). It is a factor that can adversely impact reproductive, skeletal and immune health, training, performance and recovery, as well as a risk factor for both macro- and micronutrient deficiencies.

Are you at risk for LEA (Low Energy Availability)?
   a), Performing multiple training sessions daily/weekly, especially if you’re always pushing your strength and/or endurance boundaries in each and every workout.
   b). Irregular eating patterns: if you don’t eat the appropriate type and amount of food at regular intervals, your energy balance and your performance will suffer.
   c). Failing to meet the quality element of your energy needs: see “b” above!
   d). Unrealistic/unsupervised calorie restriction to make your weight: “gotta make it so right now” goals and draconian methods will take you further from your goals, not move you towards them.

Signs & Symptoms of Poor Energy Management
Chronic fatigue
Inability to gain or build muscle or strength
Recurrent injuries
Training hard but not improving performance
Poor performance
Decreased muscle strength and power
Poor healing/recovery
Recurring infections and/or illnesses
Depression and/or irritability
Anemia/low serum iron
Disordered eating
Irregular menstrual cycles
Abnormal or unplanned weight loss
Gastrointestinal problems
Decreased bone mineral density
Stress fractures

Practical Strategies to Meet Your Energy Needs
1). Aim for three meals and a couple of healthy snacks in between.
2). Adjust your intake based on your activity needs (more for more activity, less when less active).
3). Supplement with additional snacks and protein shakes to meet the energy demands of your training, if necessary.
4). Develop realistic and health-minded performance and body composition goals.
5). Set realistic timelines for any weight loss or body composition changes. Lost? Get professional help!

Follow well-planned and personalized training and nutrition strategies that can best prepare you to perform and stay healthy.

Determining Your Energy Needs: There are a number of online calculators that can help you estimate your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and Activity Energy Expenditure to determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and optimum energy requirements

http://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html or https://tdeecalculator.net/
Bottom Line- Meet your energy needs by matching your caloric intake with expenditure.

Macronutrients: Macronutrients are both energy substrates and signaling molecules that can be strategically manipulated in order to ensure adequate recovery.

How Often Should You Work Your Abs? (Part 2)

by Tom Venuto

The effect of "indirect" ab training Here's something else to consider: If you're doing full body weight training, you might already be working your abs more than you think. The muscles of your core and midsection contract when you're doing exercises that aren't direct ab exercises.

Front squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, pullups and rows all create a strong isometric or "bracing" contraction of your abs and core. You may even hear people say their abs were sore the day after doing heavy pushdowns (a tricep exercise) or straight arm pulldowns (a lat exercise).

It's not unheard of for someone to have great ab muscle development (visible six pack) without ever training their abs directly (with exercises like crunches, planks, etc). Their abs were getting worked indirectly during other exercises, and they also simply had low body fat levels.

The best way to see your abs is... reduce your body fat! When you see someone with great, well-defined abs, it means they've achieved low body fat, it doesn't necessarily mean their ab training routine is ideal. The ideal ab training frequency and the ideal method of fat loss are not the same thing. That brings us to the final point...

Many people with fat loss goals train their abs more often and with more volume under the misguided idea that more ab training will burn more fat off the area and you will see your abdominal definition faster. This is false.

Spot reduction is a myth. When you're in a calorie deficit, you draw fat throughout your entire body and wherever you put it on first you will tend to lose it last (F.O.L.O. = first on, last off). Ironically, abdominal fat can be the last fat to go.

Abdominal training will strengthen and condition the ab muscles but won't burn fat off the abdominal area to any significant degree. Fat is lost with caloric deficit and the number one way to achieve that is diet (stricter compliance to a calorie deficit, and consistency over time, which most people lack).
In conclusion, here are the key points to remember about ab training frequency:
1. The best practice is to train your abs like any other body part - usually 2 times per week. Try that first and if it works well, stick with it. If you want to prioritize abs and experiment, try a third workout each week and see how you respond.

2. Training abs every day is not necessary. Just because some people do it doesn't mean it's the scientifically supported best practice.

3. If you wouldn't train your chest or biceps every day, they why would you train your abs every day?

4. The number one way to see your abs is not extra ab workouts, it's losing body fat with an effective fat-burning nutrition program. You could already have a great set of abs, but if they are covered up with a layer of body fat, you're not going to see them until you diet the fat off. 

What about skipping ab training completely? After this article was originally published, I received a question from a reader who asked, "If your abs and core are worked when you do basic barbell exercises like overhead presses, front squats and so on, isn't it possible to achieve great looking abs without any direct ab training just by working really hard and heavy on those compound movements?"

I see this in a similar way as I do the argument that if you do compound barbell movements, then you don't need to train your biceps and triceps directly because your triceps get worked indirectly during presses (shoulder and chest) and your biceps are worked indirectly during pulling movements like rows and especially chin ups. That's true, but what I've discovered is that without direct training, a muscle is unlikely to get developed to the maximum. Without directly working the abs, like the arms, you're almost certainly leaving growth on the table, especially if you're not genetically gifted in one area.

If you're 100% happy with the way a body part looks, you can argue for minimalist training or there's no reason to train it at all, at least for cosmetic reasons. For example, I know people genetically gifted with ridiculous huge calves, so they simply don't work them. But also consider, especially in the case of the abs, that most people also train for strength and athletic ability or at least general fitness and function. Strong muscles that are kept in balance with the rest of the body can also help prevent injury.

It pays then to include at least a minimum of direct ab training, even if you're not a big fan of ab workouts. For whatever it's worth, I never enjoyed ab training and slacked off at multiple times in my life and that gave me an opportunity to see the difference. I was blessed with pretty good ab genetics, so when I was lean enough, my abs still looked pretty good even when I didn't work them at all. But when I trained them directly, they looked better by a large order of magnitude. I ultimately found that even only one ab workout a week helped me maintain strength in my abs as well as a good six-pack, but I don't recommend skipping abs completely.

How Often Should You Work Your Abs?

by Tom Venuto

Q: I would like to know how many days per week I should work my abs. I've been doing research online and seen conflicting opinions.

A: If you search online or watch people in the gym, you'll hear all kinds of different opinions and see all kinds of different practices with regards to ab training, mainly because so many people believe the abs are somehow different than other muscles. That's why this can be a confusing subject.

Some people believe the abs should be trained just like any other body part, typically 2 times per week. Others believe the abs can handle more frequent training, such as 3 times per week or every other day, and you'll always bump into people in the fitness industry who recommend training the abs almost every day.

Ab training frequency is one of those debates that may not ever end, and part of it simply has to do with different personal preferences and different goals. However, the science of resistance training has advanced to the point where we've got some good best practices that the majority can follow with confidence.

Is abdominal muscle tissue really different? First of all, it's a myth that the abdominal muscles are completely different than other muscles in your body (making ultra high reps or high training frequency necessary). Granted, the various muscles in your body may have minor differences in fiber type and the distribution of fiber type may also be influenced by genetics, but in terms of muscle cell structure, physiology and function, the abdominals are very much like other skeletal muscles.

This suggests that you should work your abs with similar training variables including the weight, sets reps, and the frequency as you would your arms, legs, back, deltoids, and so on. Many people prefer slightly higher reps for abs, but the abs respond to heavier loads and moderate reps as well, and differences in program design should have more to do with differences in personal goals than in muscle fibers.

Abdominal training and muscle recovery The abs also have similar needs for recovery in between workouts. After intense resistance training, muscle tissue is broken down (microscopic tears and inflammation, etc) and it takes time to rebuild and recover from that training stress. Allowing for muscle recovery is one of the reasons the abs should typically be trained with the same frequency as any other body part. That's usually about 2 times per week, give or take a little, though there may be exceptions. 

When someone wants to prioritize a body part that's lagging or simply wants to build a body part to the maximum, one way to do that is to train it more often. Still, even during priority training phases, every muscle requires a certain amount of recovery time which is usually at least 48 hours. That's why 3 times per week or every other day at most, is the highest frequency you typically see for resistance training, and that should apply to the abdominals as well. 

More reasons training abs every day is not necessary, even when it's possible When it comes to non-resistance exercises, which may include body weight exercises and calisthenics, along with low to moderate intensity cardio, it's often possible to do them daily and your body is able to recover. That's because most body weight only resistance exercises don't break down muscle tissue to the degree it does when you train with heavier weights and higher intensity. This is why you may occasionally see people - many who appear highly fit and look great - who do sit ups, push ups and so on, almost every day.

Most experts agree, and I concur, that training abs every day is unnecessary at least in the sense that there's a diminishing return from the additional time and effort spent beyond 2 ab workouts a week.When you're prioritizing ab training, you might bump the frequency to 3 days per week, but any additional benefit from more frequent training is likely to be so minimal that from a practicality viewpoint we could even argue it's time wasted.

Unless you're very sure about your abilities, you also have the question looming over your head of whether you are over-training and the muscles are not recovering, or whether you will start to incur overuse injuries.  

You may read about a fitness model training abs every day or see a Navy seal on You Tube doing sit ups, push ups and pullups every day, for hundreds of reps, but that doesn't mean everyone else should, or needs to. Remember that recovery ability may vary from one person to the next based on genetics, training experience, conditioning level, and skill level, among other factors.