A screenshot from the new Gatorade site

Now, I know I have harped on this book before, but I just can’t harp on it enough – Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition is a fantastic, researched based book on the hows and whys of sports nutrition timing, which Gatorade is utilizing in their G-series line. What you really need to know is that a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein is optimal not only for post-workout consumption (the most important meal of the day), but also before and during a workout or competition. Having protein in the mix does magic things, allowing your body to perform better in and recover quicker from a workout or competition.

So, Gatorade is making an effort to add protein to their products. This is a good start, but they really don’t knock it out of the ballpark. This article from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute confirms the same approximate 4:1 carb-protein ratio as ideal for sports drinks. Yet, Gatorade’s new “Recover” drink provides 16 grams of protein per bottle coupled with only 14 grams of carbs. This less than 1:1 ratio isn’t even consistent with their own research on post-workout nutrition. It’s great that they’re providing protein now in their recovery drink, but it’s not in the right mix.

Gatorade Recover

And as for “Prime” and “Perform”, steps 1 & 2 respectively in the 3 stage system, there is no protein whatsoever in the formulas. “Perform” is regular old gatorade, providing 14 grams of sugar per 8oz (which some studies say is too much), and “Prime is a 4oz packet of gel containing 25 grams of carbohydrate, designed to be slurped 15 minutes before competition. This concept has been out for quite sometime, and forced down by runners and bikers by the brand names of “GU” or PowerGel.

I don’t see anything wrong with taking the gel and drinking Gatorade during a workout, and it can certainly be beneficial IF you’re working hard enough. Gatorade is right in that the pre, during and post-workout timeframes all require giving your body nutrition to perform optimally. But, the research is saying that:

1. The 4:1 carbs-protein ratio should be used in all windows, not just post-workout, for best performance. (Gatorade only puts protein into its post-workout drink, and in the wrong ratio.)
2. Consumption needs to be tailored to your endeavor and your body size and metabolic needs. (Bigger, more muscled athletes or those with more intense workouts or sports need more fuel, but Gatorade doesn’t provide guidelines for this.)

Overall, Gatorade has wised up a bit, but is still lacking. I wish they would put protein in all their drinks. I also wish they would correct the ratio on their recovery drink, but I’m willing to grant them the charity that maybe they assume drinking Gatorade Perform will leave enough carbohydrate in the system to boost the post-workout ratio. Maybe.

Yet, even though Gatorade has improved, it’s still over-consumed by athletes everywhere. It’s used too often as a recreation go-to drink, a replacement for those who don’t like drinking water, rather than serious workout/competition nutrition, which is what it should be reserved for. Guys don’t need to down 2 quarts of it during a baseball practice or while walking to and from class. There is still 56 grams of sugar per quart, if you’re not working out hard, you’re better off with water and a healthy meal for fuel.

Yet, I hate the message this article sends. Americans are so damned lazy as they are, and each such garbage food on a regular basis, that we should not be preaching acceptance. Sure, normal or slightly overweight people may be healthy and as such entitled to feel good about themselves, but people should only start accepting a non-ideal bodyweight when they are in a power position – that is, living a lifestyle in which maintaining that imperfect weight is easy. I think that most overweight people are not; rather, they are on a slow but slippery slope toward eventually being very overweight, especially if they are young.

A Bad Investment

We have to wonder, when is 10-15 extra pounds OK? At age 55 I would say it’s more than fine, and shows that someone has either had good genetics or generally took care of himself over a half century. But at age 25, that extra 15 pounds is going to be an extra 20 by age 30, and an extra 30 by age 40. You see this trend all the time – people have poor dietary and exercise habits but a young and fiery metabolism to counteract it early in life. As their metabolism slows, their bad habits catch up with a vengeance.

I just see young and middle aged people reading that article, then looking down at their belly bulge and smiling, knowing that they now don’t have to go to the gym if they don’t want to -after all, their going to be just as healthy, and look great when they’re older (read the article for details). Rather, they need to be taking a good look at what they’re doing and where they are going to end up in 5, 10, 20 and 30 years.

People need to be looked upon as investments. If you’re not taking care of yourself and building good habits while young, it’s inevitable, for most of the population, that you will just get more out of shape as you age and your metabolism slows – a bad physical investment. And, weight gain is easy because fat always accumulates in a trickling fashion. No one can visually tell they’ve gained 1 extra pound of fat, and anyway, who cares if one is 15 pounds over weight, or 16? It’s 1 pound, right? Well, those fat grams and pounds add up into big numbers over time.

True Maintenance Can’t Work

Here is my argument against settling for being a little overweight:

• Being overweight, even slightly, indicates less-than-ideal dietary and exercise habits
• Maintaining the same habits throughout life will lead to increased weight-gain with age due to slowing metabolism and decreased muscle mass, both natural products of human aging.
• Therefore, even those with good habits will have a difficult time maintaining their weight into later life. And, those who are overweight, who present less-than-ideal habits, will gain weight even fast later in life.
• Then, if we tell people to stop worrying about being a little overweight, they will surely make maintaing their weight their only goal (which is impossible if one uses the same method of maintaining one’s weight as one ages).
• Thus, if we tell overweight people they only need to maintain their weight, then they will continue to gain weight as they age and eventually become more overweight, and possibly obese.

What Message Should We Send?

People should understand that being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean a flat stomach or a six-pack. But, the fight against weight gain is a war that has to be fought with improved tactics as one’s metabolic army ages and slows. If what you’re doing while young is putting on a few extra pounds, then it’s going to put on lots of pounds later on. So, the goal should be to find a fat-loss program that works AS your maintenance program, understanding that finding ways to aid the body in burning fat is increasingly necessary with age. Yes, being a little overweight is OK, as long as being a little overweight isn’t halfway down the slippery slope.

So your Doc says you need more fiber…

Great! He or she is probably right. The average American eats a diet high in processed foods, from which natural dietary fiber is almost always stripped. There is a good chance a fiber supplement might be recommended to you, however, that is not the way to go about it. The problem isn’t just fiber – it’s the fact that you’re not eating natural, unadulterated foods.

Types of Fiber Supplements

Metamucil, Benefiber and the like are all pretty much the same – soluble fiber in a drinkable, powdered form. Sure, they make getting fiber easy, but not significantly easier than, say, eating an orange, which gives you a lot (5-7 grams) of fiber, plus vitamins, minerals, slow-releasing energy and deliciousness.

Fiber Source (Not too appetizing)

I don’t understand the need for fiber supplements in light of the fact that fruits and vegetables are so readily available, require little or no preparation, and taste good.

Plus, when one considers that the recommended daily intake for dietary fiber is 26 grams, one has to wonder how that can be so difficult to achieve with so many high-fiber fruits and vegetable out there. It only takes about 3 large oranges to pretty much get you there for one day. Throw in a little brown rice, broccoli and a sweet potato and you’re well above the FDA’s guidelines.

Fiber Source (How does that not look appetizing?)

But, I guess this is all easier said than done. Some people really don’t eat anything that doesn’t come out of a box or wrapper, and that’s sad. And, those are the people who would benefit the most from eating a few more apples, rather than copping out for the Benefiber.

And, let’s talk about this bogus 26 gram recommendation by the FDA; Who decided on this tiny number? I charted my dietary intake one day a year ago, and it turned out I had eaten between 130-140 grams of fiber. Why? Because I eat almost 5000 calories a day, and get all of my carbohydrates from either fruits, veggies or whole-grain products. When that’s all you eat, you get TONS of fiber. And, your body adapts and handles it just fine.

Think back to how people evolved (if you believe in Adam and Eve, leave now). They ran around in the wilderness eating leaves, roots, and whatever grew in the forest. The ONLY things they ate, aside from meat, contained TONS of fiber, and they did just fine. Imagine how much fiber you could get if you could only eat what you found in the jungle! You would get 26 grams before 8am. So, the world’s food scientists think 26 grams is all we need/can handle/should have? Please.

PLUS! We Have bonus Irony!

A fiber supplement is a processed source of fiber, meaning they remove the fiber from something to make it into the supplement. What’s ironic is that eating processed foods is the very we reason we “need” fiber supplements, and the recommended cure is consuming yet another processed foodstuff! Way to go, food scientists! Curing a problem with the problem itself!

The Important Ingredients

“Fish oil” is the oil you get from wringing out a fish. Insightful, right? People focus on how much fish oil they get, but that’s not the important factor. When you buy fish oil the health benefits are coming from the omega-3 fatty acids, which only make up a percentage of the total volume. Usually, in a 1000mg capsule, this means 180mg EPA and 120 mg DHA. All you really need to know about EPA and DHA is that they are what you want, in as large a quantity as possible, when you buy the oil of a sea creature. Virtually all non-DHA-specific formulations will contain more EPA than DHA, but that’s OK. There is some research out there that claims men need more DHA than women, so I personally try to find a formulation with a higher percentage of DHA in it, but DON’T stress about it. The important thing is just taking a high potency dose, and taking it regularly. The people who will say that you need to be super nit-picky about how much of each omega-3 fatty acid you get are usually trying to sell you their own formula.

To summarize: Buy for the EPA and DHA, not just “fish oil” in general

Serving Size

Don’t let the label fool you into thinking you’re getting more than you actually are.

Consider the following formulations:

Formula #1: 1 serving = 1 1000mg capsule contains 180mg EPA and 120mg DHA

Formula #2: 1 serving = 3 1000mg capsules contain 500mg EPA and 300mg DHA

Which is the higher potency formula?

I hope I’m not insulting anyone’s intelligence here, but “serving size” throws people off a lot when they are unfamiliar with how to read nutrition labels. Often the first thing people will look at is the potency without even referencing the serving size section to see what constitutes a serving. Here is another example:

Carlson Fish Oil Liquid Label

The above label is from the Carlson Fish Oil Liquid that I take. So, is it potent stuff? At a glance, it appears so, right? Not so fast…

The serving size is a teaspoon, which is 4 grams. This means that the serving on the bottle is equivalent to 4 capsules. So, it appears that this stuff is really just right on par with the typical 180/120 capsules. Why am I knocking my own preferred product, you ask? Well, the liquid lends itself to a higher dose at a cheaper price – they don’t have to encapsulate it, which makes it more of a bulk commodity, which we all know comes at a reduced price. And, Carlson oil is very strictly purified and is much easier to take than 40 capsules. That’s my reasoning.

Biotest Flameout Label

The above label is from a product called Flameout. It’s made by Biotest, and is a pretty good product. 3 weeks worth costs 35 bucks, which is a little pricey for me, especially since I would take more than the recommended dose. Their product is different because they jumped on the research about DHA and put MUCH more DHA in their formula than any other I have seen. If you want a good-sized dose with minimal capsules, it might be worth a try.

Price

You should be able to get a very high dose, if desired, for $30 or less per month. That’s the price point that I don’t like to go above.  Places like Costco actually sell some decent high-potency capsules, and all of their stuff is at a good price. Trader Joe’s also sells a good high-potency capsule that I take with me on vacation, or when I can’t get my hands on a bottle of NOW high-potency fish oil pills.

Potent, Numerous and Cheap

How Much to Take?

That depends on you. Fish oil, when stringently purified (most of them are) isn’t toxic. You could 3 slices of pizza that contain 50 grams of saturated fat without toxicity, so why not 50 grams of fish oil? Fact is, many populations such as Inuits and earlier humans ate diets brimming with omega-3s taken from sea mammals, fish, and the bone marrow and brains of many a land dweller. There’s nothing in the stuff that hasn’t been around for millions of years, except for impurities in poor-quality formulations. Ultimately, you’re body will absorb as much as it can, and the rest might, well, leak out of you. If your underpants get a little oily, you’ve hit the upper limit of your tolerance. Gross-yes-but deadly, no. Larger doses are going to have a much stronger effect on joint pain, inflammation and muscle recovery from exercise. Be conservative, aggressive, or experimental with your dosing. Your choice.

Bears: Also a Good Source of Omega-3

Brands to Trust

I trust Carlson, Nordic Naturals, NOW Foods, and any brand with the USP label. I’ve also taken a few others that maybe I shouldn’t have trusted, but I’m still alive and kickin.’ I’ve also taken Harp Seal Oil, which is illegal in the U.S. and was probably made by poachers in their bathtub. Live and learn.

Many products get USP verification on their fish oil, so go for that if possible, and choose a product that has been through a strict filtering process to remove Dioxin, PCBs and mercury, all VERY BAD things that are unfortunately polluting the waterways and ending up in sea creatures.

So go forth with the knowledge that once you take enough Omega-3s, you too will saturate your cells and become a “good source of omega-3.” Thankfully, we’re at the top of the food chain.

…or maybe not.

EAT MORE VEGETABLES, LESS CRAP

Enough broccoli to shelter a community of smurfs

I know you feel duped, but there really is no big secret. You just need to eat mostly vegetables and lean protein.

If you want to look good on the beach, stop giving in to your guilty pleasures and eat some veggies, for god’s sake. If you’re not committed to eating vegetables, your body isn’t committed to losing fat. That’s the (not so)shocking truth!

USP stands for U.S. Pharmacopeia, and they test dietary supplements to verify that what is on the label is actually in the product. Right now, all you’re likely to find with the USP seal is bottled capsules and tablets – sports products almost never go through USP verification.

Look For This Seal

The USP seal is the only thing I care about when I buy things like vitamins. Not all types of products, though, are going to go through this process. If you buy things like creatine, whey protein, and other sports nutrition products you just want to buy from a company you trust, because even the reputable companies don’t seem to get those types of products verified.  I trust Optimum Nutrition for my protein, and NOW foods for seemingly everything else (NOW sells protein too, but I like Optimum better).  NOW is one of my favorite companies to buy from because the vast majority of their products, are subject to some sort of independent testing or USP verification.

I’m not all the reliant on supplements, as whole foods are priority #1, but I do make sure to get the best for the least when I do buy them. Fish oil comes from Carlson, whey protein from Optimum, a multivitamin and vitamin D from Wal-Mart (Equate brand, baby!), and creatine from Optimum.

Bottom line is, if the ingredients are the same, why pay more? I know guys who lovetalking about taking their Animal Pak multivitamins. They feel soooo great taking these packets of 7 or more pills to get the RDIs of every vitamin. Animal Pak has done a great job at selling to suckers under the premise that if 100% RDI is good, then 1500% must be 15X better. Not so. And guess what? If I did want to take a worthless mega-dose of vitamins I could just pop 8 Equate multis. At 4¢ a piece, taking more than necessary still wouldn’t break the bank (Animal pak runs about $35 for 44 days worth, making each dose about $.80 each).

I don’t stress about taking vitamins because I try to eat for my vitamins, and I do a pretty good job of it. Anyone who eats a balance diet of lots of different colored vegetables and fruits doesn’t need a whole lot of help from multivitamins, and certainly not the mega-doses that many brands claim are crucial to health or athletic performance.

The bottom line? Pick the cheapest product that gives you the VERIFIED potency you are looking for.

Come back on Thursday, March 18th for my thoughts on buying fish oil, and feel free to comment on brands that you know and trust!

I was intrigued.  There was no price, so I asked the purveyor how many yen he charged for such a cuddly health booster.  Sadly, the 39 dollars they were asking for the bottle was just too blubbery for my budget. I flopped back onto my belly and paddled away.

Yet, here I sit, wondering about the seal that got away.  The potency of the tiny capsules was high, 500mg of DHA, DPA and EPA in each, and there were 300 for 39 bucks.  I could get my usual high dose with about 10 caps per day, which would make the bottle only marginally more expensive, on a monthly basis, than my pint bottle of fish oil.  Plus, I’ve never had seal burps before…how fun!

"We need to make sure we use every last bit of him, just like the natives would"

Thing is, the price is almost right and the product is healthy, exotic, illegal and a little taboo. I’m also not all that sensitive of a fellow.  Now, I wouldn’t club a seal myself, but if it comes not only pre-clubbed but pre-cleaned and prepackaged as well, then I get the full eskimo experience with none of the muscle fatigue, cleanup or regret.

I did a little internet research, and not only is selling marine mammal products illegal in the US, but it’s highly unsympathetic.  Those poor, easily caught creatures are in desperate need of our help, apparently.  Plus, for every seal that we wring into a bottle, one more killer whale is going hungry.  I flashback to my dear Mom’s words at the dinner table…”finish your baby seal, there are hungry orcas off the coast of Africa who would love that seal.”

It’s a tough call.  I need Omega-3′s, and I like exotic food as much as I like eating healthy.  If that bottle was priced at 29 dollars I would likely be throwing back caps like feeding time at SeaWorld.  Yet, I think for now, I am priced out of the harp seal market.  Anyone wanna go halfsies with me? If so, I’m willing to concede the most playful 150 capsules to you. Club, er, hit me up if you want in.

What Do I Need to Get Out of My Meals?

Breakfast

Let’s assume you arise at 8:00 am, and will depart for bed at 11:00 pm.  Your breakfast needs to set the stage for 15 hours of activity, and it’s makeup should reflect that.

What macronutrient is associated with a rapid increase in energy? You guessed it – Carbohydrates.  Now, there is a lot of misinformation about carb intake but no matter your dietary goals, they need to be included in every diet – the questions are how many, and when.

The specific “how many” is something that needs to be addressed on an individual basis, but the general answer to both questions is more in the morning, and less in the evening.  The reason behind this is simple: with more hours of activity in front of you, the more carbohydrates you will need to sustain good energy levels, and with less activities and minimal awake time before a night of sleep, carbs should be kept to a minimum.

Mango-Blueberry Oatmeal. When You Need Carbs, it's Good and Good For You

So if you’re going to eat a higher carb meal, the time to do it is first thing in the morning.  This will give you a blood sugar boost, replenish your liver glycogen (your liver stores carbs for energy, that it largely depletes overnight) and give you a great start for the rest of the day.

Yet, you don’t just want to pound a bowl of Golden Grahams and pat yourself on the back for a perfect first meal – rather, you need to eat foods that will slowly release those carbs for the next 3-5 hours, keeping you going without an insulin spike and crash.

NO.

Foods with a low glycemic index will provide sustained energy, and eating a meal with all three macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) will also help slow gastric emptying and keep you full and energetic longer.  Have some fat, some protein, and some carbs, all from natural whole food sources.

A great sample breakfast might look like this:

• A bowl of cooked Old Fashioned Oats with chopped walnuts, apples, raisins, cinnamon and flax seed meal.
• 4 Eggs over easy, made with 3 whites and 1 whole egg
• A teaspoon of Fish Oil
• A big glass of water (or two – remember you’re still dehydrated from a good night’s sleep)

Dinner

So you just got home from work, and you’re hungry.  What to eat?  Let’s consider the situation:  You’re grounded at home for the rest of the night, save maybe an errand or two.  No hard work, no exercise, just catching up with the family and relaxing until bedtime.  How does this change your energy requirements, you ask?

You no longer NEED big sources of carbs – grain products, rice, potatoes, etc.  They will provide you with carbohydrates that your body won’t be able to burn by time you go to sleep.  Unless you want to store those extra carbs as fat, you need to adjust your intake for dinner and the smaller meals/snacks before bed.

Vegetables are Your Body's BFF

People who stay lean always follow this rule: eat for what you just did, or what you are about to do. If you just worked out (remember, post-workout is THE most important meal of the day) then you need to eat more carbs and protein to get maximum results from your hard work.  If you’re about to work out, then you need a few more carbs as well to make sure you get through it.  If you’re relaxing for the evening, then carbs are largely off limits.

So for dinner your plate should be largely covered with lean protein, green vegetables, and it’s okay to include a little more fat than earlier in the day.  Because you still need some source of energy, but don’t want to awaken your pancreas, protein and fat are your best friends later in the day.  You will get a great, healthy meal with said protein, fat, and veggies.  Shelve the starchier vegetables and grains for tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch or post-workout meal.

A Sample dinner might look like this:

• 8oz of London Broil
• 1 Cup of Lentils, cooked with chicken stock and spices
• 1-2 Cups of sliced squash, zucchini, broccoli and carrots stir-fried in a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

This meal is full of protein, fiber, healthy fat and nutrients.  It’s the perfect energy source for your last few hours of the night. Make enough and you can have leftovers as a snack or small meal later on.

2¼ Cups Tap Water : .0001¢

1 Heaping Cup Frozen Mango Chunks: 80¢

1 Heaping Cup Blueberries: 60¢

1/4 Cup Ground Flaxseed: 10¢

No added sugar, splenda, salt, or any of that garbage: $0.00

Waking up with a smile, because I’m about to eat the best oatmeal ever….

One Big, 5-Cup Serving

…PRICELESS! (man, what a dork I am)