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fat burning strategies blog


STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE FAT OXIDATION

Fat oxidation means; the ability of your body to burn fat or utilise fat as energy source instead of carbohydrates. The benefits for this are, weight loss, reduction in body fat and increase in lean mass. But how can you achieve this?

There are many supplements on the market which claim to increase fat oxidation. These include: Caffeine, Carnitine, Green tea, Guarana, Asian ginseng and many more. But do they work? There is scientific research on most of these supplements indicating the ones which have an effect and those which don’t. Many of these claims don’t have scientific backing. To find out about which ones have an effect, email: health@grandphysique.com 

Exercise Training for Fat Oxidation

Exercise training improves capacity of muscle to oxidise fat. After training your body will rely more on fat oxidation. During exercise, the intensity of the training will determine the rate of fat oxidation. Scientific studies have indicated that moderate high intensity exercise is optimal intensity for fat oxidation. This is 62% – 65% of VO2max for well-trained athletes and around 50% VO2max for less trained individuals. Moderate high intensity exercise means: your breathing rapidly increases, but you’re not running out of breath, you start sweating at 8 – 10 minutes, you can carry on a conversation, but you cannot sing at this rate. For effective fat loss, I would suggest a moderate high intensity exercise for a duration of 30 minutes. 

Diet for Fat Oxidation

Another important factor for maximising fat oxidation is diet. A diet high in carbohydrates, will reduce the ability of your body to burn fat. A diet low in carbohydrates will increase fat oxidation. This is a so called; High-fat-low-carb diet. When consuming a high-fat-low-carb diet, your body will rely more on fat oxidation as energy source, because your carbohydrates are low. This, however, takes 7 – 10 days for your body to adapt to the new diet. When you are on a high-fat-low-carb diet it will become challenging for you to do a high intensity aerobic exercise, because your immediate fuel source (carbohydrates are low), your performance will be reduced. Therefore, it is advised to stick to low intensity exercise if you are on a high-fat-low-fat diet.

Another factor which can aid in increasing fat oxidation is training in the morning with an empty stomach. This will cause your body to utilise stored fat as energy source, which will result in weight loss, reduced body fat and increase in lean mass.  


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Nutrition for your body and wellbeing


MACRONUTRIENTS


The term Macronutrients or Macros is frequently used in losing or gaining weight, building muscles or just living healthy. If you are new to eating healthy and achieving body goals, you might have come across the term. But what does it mean? What do you need to know about it? How can it help you reach your body goals? What are the benefits?  

To begin with the definition: Macronutrients are nutrient/food sources your body requires in large amounts for daily functions like; energy, muscle/tissue and cell building and recovery, and many other internal functions. Macronutrients are CARBOHYDTARES, PROTEIN AND FATS. Each have their functions and mechanism. I will describe each Macronutrient in detail below and give examples, benefits, as well as recommendations to assist you in achieving your body goals and overall wellbeing.

 

PROTEIN

Protein is an essential macronutrient for your body. It makes up the building block for major organs, muscles, skin and hormones. Your muscles need protein to repair and grow. Protein has many other benefits like:  

  •  Reduction of appetite and hunger levels.
  •  Increase in muscle mass and strength.
  • Enhances metabolism
  •   Enhances fat burning.
  • Good for bones.
 

Your body also uses more energy to breakdown/digest protein, which assists in burning fat.

The following are great sources of protein:

  •   Lean meat and poultry: (Chicken fillet/breast, Beef, Turkey, Fish, Egg whites, Game meat, etc.)
  •  Supplements: (Whey concentrate and isolate protein powder, Casein protein powder, Plant based protein powder, Branched chained amino acids (BCAAs).
  •   Some grains and beans are also good sources of protein; however, they also contain carbohydrates, therefore, you must be careful with overall portion size. These are: lentils, black beans, red kidney beans, quinoa and more.

For simplicity, please focus on the top two sources of protein (Lean mean, poultry and supplements.

In general, and as a rule of thumb always make sure you consume at least 20 g of protein with every meal of your day (breakfast, lunch and supper). With supplements it will be easier to measure 20 g, but with meat u can use the palm of your hand to estimate portion size, with eggs you can consume 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites. So, make sure there is a source of protein in all the meals you consume.

 

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are complex, they are simply sugars and starches found in fruits, vegetables and grains. For simplicity we will separate carbohydrates into good ones and bad ones. This is based on the glycemic index (GI) ranking of the carbohydrates. It is a relative ranking used for carbohydrates, on how they affect your blood glucose/sugar levels. Low GI carbohydrates (<55>55) carbohydrates are the opposite of low GI carbohydrates.  

Don’t be frightened by the technical terms, I will simplify it to basic terms everyone is familiar with.

The following are sources of carbohydrates:

Good Carbohydrates

Wholefoods (whole-wheat, bran, rye), brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes (yam), green leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, peas etc.). As well as all fruits in moderation (1 fruit a day is enough).

Bad Carbohydrates

Highly processed foods: white bread, baked goods (cake and biscuits), sweets, chocolates (except for dark chocolate in moderation), pizza, white pasta, high sugar cereals. 

In general, and as a rule of thumb consume 30 – 40 g of good carbohydrates with all your meals. For example, this means 2 slices of whole wheat or rye bread, 1 medium sized sweet potato, half a cup of oats or brown rice.

ESSENTIAL/GOOD FAT

Yes, fat is essential. Like carbohydrates, there are good and bad fats. Without going into the technicalities, I will just give examples of good and bad fat.

Good Fat

Good fats are called unsaturated fats in scientific terms. They are liquid at room temperature and have the following benefits:

  •   Improve blood cholesterol levels.
  •  Decrease inflammation.
  •   Stabilize heart rhythm.

These can be found in foods like nuts (almond, pecan, hazel, peanut), avocado, oils (canola, olive), seeds (pumpkin, sesame, chai, flax) and fish.

Bad Fat

Bad fats are called saturated fats in scientific terms. They are found in all animal foods and few plant foods like palm kernel and palm oil.

Bad fats can be found in the following foods: Animal products (sausages, bacon, hamburgers, salami, pork, beef), cookies and desserts (baked goods), pizza and cheese, fried chicken, butter and dairy products.

It is always best to consume good fats, however, we cannot avoid consuming bad fats completely (unless one becomes vegan), as we consume them in meat and dairy products, which is why you must make sure you eat lean meat (which has less bad fat) and avoid deep fried foods, desserts and snacks.

In general, and as a rule of thumb make sure you consume 10 – 20 g of fat with every meal you consume. This is 10 – 15 almond nuts, half an avocado, handful seeds, or 2 whole eggs.


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balanced diet, specific nutrition and supplements


Nutrition plays a significant role on your Fitness and Performance. This pyramid is the ultimate guide to taking care of your Nutrition and Well-being. It is Scientifically proven, and it is what top athletes and sportsmen always use to stay on top of the game. I strongly recommend it for you as well, it will elevate your well-being significantly.

 

The most important part on the Pyramid is the BALANCED DIET, this is the foundation of Wellness and Performance. It supports healthy and active lifestyle, will provide enough energy for all needs, adequate Macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates & Fat), fluids and Micronutrients (Vitamins & Minerals). Make sure your Balanced Diet is varied.

 

The second most important is SPECIFIC NUTRITION. These are food products which provide immediate and direct macronutrients (Convenience). For example: Protein bars, Shakes, Energy gels & bars etc. These will help in optimising Performance & Recovery, will provide macronutrients and fluid. They will also assist in meeting your training goals. The key here is CONVENIENCE. Timing of nutrient intake is Crucial, especially when Training or Competing.  

 

The last one is SUPPLEMENTS. These are mainly to supplement your existing Balanced Diet. They should not be your main focus if already having a varied Balanced Diet. Supplements will give you the FINAL WINNING EDGE, it’s like icing on the cake! If you going to take Supplements, be Critical, Supplements should be backed-up by Science. Always, remember; when it sounds too good to be true, it usually isn’t true.

 

Send us an email or WhatsApp text to find out more about BALANCED DIET, SPECIFIC NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTS, we would like to assist and hear from you.


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Did you know that your body uses different energy systems to metabolize energy during training or sports?

The energy system your body uses, depends on the type of exercise/training you are doing or the type of athlete you are. For example, if you are a weightlifter you perform a lot of power movements, therefore, your body will use immediate phosphagen system to metabolize energy. If you are an endurance athlete, you perform based on the cardiovascular & respiratory system, therefore your body will use long-term aerobic system.

Knowing which system your body mostly uses, based on your training can assist you in determining the right supplements to improve your performance. Find out which system your body uses by sending us an email on our contacts.