Eat More And Burn More

Hi there. Well its the end of the week already and I hope you are getting ready for a fun filled weekend.

In the past I have often written about how important it is to eat after your workout. Whether you are trying to gain or lose weight, what you eat after a workout can help you reach your goals dramatically.

What you intake before your workout can also dramatically help you out. More studies are now showing the importance of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's). Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein. Our bodies can make some amino acids, while others must be ingested (essential). BCAA's are 3 essential amino acids. These three amino acids make up 1/3 of skeletal muscle in the body. These 3 are leucine, isoleucine and valine. These BCAA's are necessary in order to build muscle. They can also be used for energy. The body can break down protein (muscle) and use these BCAA's for energy when needed. This is not a good thing. If you are not getting enough BCAA's in your diet you will lose muscle mass. This is one of the biggest problems with extreme low calorie diets.

By ingesting these amino acids before a workout you will do a number of important things, like prevent muscle degradation and building more lean body mass. There are three main reasons why you want to include BCAA's prior to your workouts.

1. BCAA's can reduce cortisol levels that are elevated during exercise.
2. Taking in new BCAA's can prevent your body from using muscle for fuel, even when you are on a restricted diet.
3. They can help burn fat and build muscle at the same time. BCAA's actually will use stored fat for energy to build muscle.

There may also be one other huge benefit of combine BCAA's with carbohydrate before your workout. A newer study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that when 6g amino acids were ingested with 35g of sugar prior to resistance training energy expenditure was higher during and after the workout. This means that those that had protein with carbohydrates before their workout burn more calories.

So for a little extra boost to your workout you can try and snack on some protein and carbohydrates before your workout or you can try a BCAA supplement with a sports drink.

Click here to try out a great BCAA Supplement.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

Eat Bread And Reduce Stomach Fat

Hi there. I hope you are doing great this week. I am still recovering from a friend's bachelor party this past weekend. It feels good to be back on my workout routine and regular eating habits. One fact I am definitely sure of, is that bachelor parties are not good for reducing stomach fat. I am hoping I didn't do too much damage this weekend. But can breads actually help us reduce stomach fat?


If you have ever tried to lose weight or know someone who has, the title of this post may seem completely wrong. We have been told that you need to stay away from carbs or grains if you want to lose weight. While there may be some truth to that a new study actually found the opposite.

The key is what kind of carbs you are eating.

In the latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition there was a study released that looked at eating whole grains vs. refined grains and how fat was stored in the abdomen. This study involved 2,834 participants (men & women) of ages 32-84.

The study found that there was in fact a correlation with eating grains and abdominal fat. What they observed was that by increasing whole-grains into a diet there was lower visceral fat in the abdomen and those that ate more refined-grains saw an increase in visceral abdominal fat.

Visceral Abdominal fat, is the fat tissue that is found in the abdominal cavity surrounding organs. This is the fat that is seen as a high risk for heart disease. Basically it is very bad to have a lot of this type of fat.




It is important to understand the difference between refined and whole grains. A whole grain consists of 3 parts. The Bran, which is the protective outer hard shell, the endosperm, which provides energy for the seed, and the inner germ which provides the growing seed nutrients. The Bran contains fiber, vitamins, and trace minerals and the germ contains oils, antioxidants, and additional vitamins. The endosperm consist mainly of carbs (sugar). During the refining process the bran and the germ are stripped away leaving only the endosperm so all you are left with is the carbohydrates without the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

When you eat refined grains you are essentially eating simple sugars. Some simple sugars are not the worse thing to be eating, but in our society, these refined grains make up the majority of our diets. When possible stick with whole grains which are rich in fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium.

Examples of Whole Grains:

Whole Wheat (Ezekiel Bread)
Barley
Brown Rice
Bulgur
Oat Grouts
Quinoa
Rye
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Millet
Spelt

Examples of Refined Grains:

White Flour
Degermed Cornmeal
White Bread
White Rice
Corn Tortillas
Crackers
Pasta
Pretzels
Chips
Cereal (Although you will find some that contain whole grains)

Remember to check the labels. Some of the examples listed above can be found as whole grain products but not all. If you see the words whole grain you are probably ok although some products will mix whole and refined grains.

So it is possible to eat bread and have a smaller stomach, as long as you are sticking with whole grains, which most people will not do.

You Stay Healthy San Diego.

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator