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Nutrition
- The Fundamentals of Eating Right
for More Energy
On average, when people stop exercising and no longer care about what
they eat, they can gain five to ten pounds a year. That is why in five
short years, people step on a scale and cannot believe they are nearly
FIFTY pounds overweight. Weight has a way of sneaking up on you over
time. You do not get overweight overnight and you do not lose
the weight overnight either. Both take time, but fortunately
losing weight can be faster if you follow a strict nutritional and
exercise plan. Both take only minutes a day.
Related Articles for Nutrition / Workout Purposes /
Nutrition / Fat Loss
Here are a few eating tips TO LOSE FAT and some ideas on quick exercises routines to try when time is limited:
1) Lay off the fast food – Before you go on a trip or a long day at work, try to eat before you leave and pack a lunch. Foods high in protein mixed with a natural carbohydrate are great energy meals. Try a lean turkey or chicken sandwich with vegetables like lettuce and tomato. Try mustard and limit mayo for reduced calories. Fruits are great quick snacks too. Try apples, oranges, bananas for natural sources of energy. For more ideas see www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/dietplan.htm
2) Wake up and burn some calories – As busy days pile up with more and more obligations, the scheduled 5:00pm workout can easily get bumped! Make thirty minutes of exercise fit into your mornings and do some type of workout.
- Try biking, walking, or running for 30 minutes
- Go to your gym of TV video for a quick circuit routine
- Try calisthenics like jumping jacks / pushups / crunch routine and jumping jacks / squats / lunges / crunches
- Try using dumbbells for arms and shoulders
- Another Tip – if you do not schedule a workout – it does not exist!!
Check out a previous article for great ideas for any workout- Quick Workouts
3) Don’t wait – Start NOW! – Why wait? When you can, you should try to eat at regularly scheduled times during the day. Healthy snacks and meals will carry you through your stressful days much better than skipping meals or binge eating. You will find that if you keep a good schedule, you will lose weight and inches. Add exercise to the plan and you will also get fit and feel better than you have in years. Try an eating schedule of the following recommended times:
0630 – breakfast
0930 – morning snack
1230 – lunch
1530 – afternoon snack
1830 – dinner
If your days are longer than 15-18 hours you should try another light snack at 2100 of foods like yogurt, grapes, milk. Other snacks during the day can be salads, fruits, lean meats, small sandwiches, boiled eggs and others. See chart on next page for better ideas on what to eat during the day and before and after exercise sessions.
4) Walk more for fat burn– When safety is not an issue, try to walk farther than normal when going about your normal day. Burning a few more calories by walking is one of the easiest ways to walk off that extra weight. Just twenty minutes of brisk walking can burn over 100-150 calories.
5) Keep working the abdominal region – Not with food but with exercises like crunches, situps, and lower back stretches. When you do these exercises for just 5-10 minutes daily, it is easier to remember to watch your food intake and stop yourself from gorging.
Washboard Abs link Love
handles link
Overall, it is important to keep up the habit of moving more and eating better foods for you. These tips can help you prevent
unneeded weight gain. If you limit too much of a macro-nutrient you will see decrease in athletic performances so keep up with
carbs, protein, and
fats.
See Fundamentals of Nutrition Chart below and on the next
page:
Morning Meal (Serving = fist size) Eat 2-3 servings of any *minimal - 1 qt water Proteins – boiled egg whites, yogurt, milk, lean
meats, protein shake, veges w/eggs Carb/Protein mix – some fruits like grapes,
bananas, blueberries – cereal with milk… Mid Morning Meal Eat 1 serving Protein/carb meal bar, boiled egg, Go-Gurt, Tuna… Fruit salad, apple, orange, banana etc… Lunch 1 qt water Chicken, tuna, fish, lean meat sandwich on grain
bread mix meat with salad Mixed salads with variety of vegetables – green
leafy lettuce, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, onion Mid Afternoon Meal 1 qt water Optional – peanuts, almonds = high calories / good
fats Optional – juice, fruit, vegetable – small salad Evening Meal 1 qt water Lean chicken, fish, meat, broiled NOT FRIED Large Salad – above eggplant Before Your Cardio
Workout Before Your Lifting or
PT Workout
Carbohydrates – 75 – 100%
Carbohydrates 75% & Protein 25% Prior
to running, swimming, biking etc…at medium to high intensity levels for
30-40 minutes, it is best to eat a small snack to boost sugar levels in
your body especially if your workout is before your morning
meal. After a night of sleeping and not eating for over 10-12
hours, you need a boost to help you get through the workout.
Fruit or fruit juice is fine 20 minutes prior to workout and during is
fine. Foods with small amounts of protein can be eaten
pre-workout and will help post workout requirements of protein too. Sample
Ideas for pre-workout snack are: 1-2
hours prior to lifting eat protein foods and carbohydrates so the
protein is there for you after the workout. Lifting weights and doing
high repetition calisthenics will break down your muscles and require
protein immediately after your workout – within 30 minutes.
Foods high in carbohydrates to replace the loss of glycogen stores are
needed within this time too. For
a great rule of thumb – after you workout eat protein, carbohydrates
and minimize fatty foods. Foods
that should be considered are: Bananas,
apples, oranges, carrots, juice, some sports drinks, (any fruit of
choice really). Before
workouts longer than 30-40 minute, add some protein to stabilize
absorption rates so you can last longer: Sip
water and carbohydrate drink (juice) throughout the workout Pre-workout
ideas for lifters / PTers: Bananas,
berries, boiled eggs, tuna fish, Fruit
Drink / Protein / Carb bar is an option Protein
or carb replacement drinks are great if post workout occurs mid-day or
early morning. See above meal options for protein and
carbohydrates sources and these below: Tuna,
chicken, boiled eggs, and green leafy salads with tomatoes, broccoli,
cucumber, carrots, onions, and light dressing or oil. Post Workout Meals The
key is to replace carbohydrates and electrolytes
lost during the workout – drink juice or chocolate milk immediately
after workout IF you lost several pounds during the workout.
A banana, kiwi, or potato will replace the
electrolytes just as well.
I like to
eat a can of chicken noodle soup after a tough workout where I lose 5
lbs of sweat in humid or arid environments. The soup
offers potassium, sodium, calcium, carbs, and protein all rolled into
one meal! But there are obviously many electrolyte options
out there for you. Another important
factor is to add protein to help rebuild muscles –
see above meal / snack ideas within 30 minutes of workouts for optimal
recovery / growth.
The
Fundamentals of Nutrition OPTIONS
Pre
– Post Workout Meals
Eat the following about 1-2 hours prior to exercise: Yogurt,
protein drink, chocolate milk, boiled egg, slice of meat or cheese, a
meal replacement bar as a snack
Note - this chart applies to active teens as well but as a growing adolescent athlete you should be focused on eating to grow stronger not on the aesthetics side of fitness which can dehydrate you and potentially stunt growth
Feel free to email me if you have any questions at stew@stewsmith.com
TRX Workouts - This is a great device to use if you are failing at pushups and pullups. The TRX rows will help you build your chest, shoulders, triceps and bicep / back muscles like a set of weights, but also work the core at the same time.
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