Fit'n'Flexed - The Ultimate Health, Strength and Fitness TV Show - Nutrition

New Study Finds A Low Salt Diet May Be Unhealthy

Dayne Hudson — Wed, 25 May 2016 03:09:55 +0000

You're always told that too much salt is bad for you and is a recipe for ill health - but just like a lot of what you're told, it's not backed 100% by flawless cause and effect science!

A new worldwide study that compliments many others has found the cause for alarm is somewhat unfounded (1).

The "others" I'm referring to are:

1. This recent study that examined 8670 people found that no association between salt intake and high blood pressure

2. This massive review into many randomised controlled trials (the Gold Standard of research) that found no need for us to reduce our sodium intake in an attempt to reduce heart disease or death

Salt and Heart Disease

This new study has discovered that low-salt diets may not be ideal and might actually increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and dying in comparison to an average salt intake (1).

Now this was an observational study and not cause and effect, and generally these studies (incoming intended pun) shouldn't be taken with much more than a grain of salt. However, as you'll see via above links, there has been randomised controlled trials showing the same results.

However, I'm still not declaring this is the "nail in the coffin" for salt and health, as we may need more research. But the point here is that whilst it's accepted by many worldwide as a definitive fact, science (off the back of this study and previous ones) doesn't support it.

Examining more than 130,000 people from 49 countries, the research findings suggest that the only people who need to worry about salt consumption are those with hypertension (high blood pressure) and have a high intake of salt in the first place.

The research specifically looked at whether the relationship between sodium (salt) intake and death, heart disease and stroke, was any different in people with high blood pressure compared to those with normal blood pressure.

So what did they find?

They learnt that whether people had high or low pressure, that a low intake of salt is associated with MORE strokes, heart attacks and deaths compared to the average intake.

So whether or not people had high blood pressure in this research, low-sodium intake was associated with MORE heart attacks, strokes and deaths, when compared to the average intake...

It's quite an interesting finding!

Specifically, this fresh study found that the risks associated with low-sodium intake - less than 3 grams per day - are consistent regardless of a patient's hypertension status.

This research was out of a University in Canada and current salt intake there is typically between 3.5-4 grams a day, with some guidelines recommending lowering salt intake to below 2.3 grams a day.

Statistics suggest Australia's salt intake is around 5.5 grams a day, whilst the US consumes about 8.7 grams daily.

About 10% of the 130,000 people examined here had both hypertension and high sodium consumption - which is classified as more than 6 grams per day.

The researchers suggested that what's recommended as a healthy intake for salt appears to be set too low, irrespective of a person's blood pressure level.

Dr. Martin O'Donnell was one of the studies co-authors, who said of the findings:

"An approach that recommends salt in moderation, particularly focused on those with hypertension, appears more in-line with current evidence."

Ahh that "moderation" word again....it pops up far to frequently doesn't it!?

Whilst more research may be needed before we make any definitive conclusions, there's no doubt the research currently points towards "salt being the devil and a fast ticket to death" as being inaccurate.

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Let's nail your diet and get you in the shape of your life...

(Read that sentence again)

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

Reference

(1) Andrew Mente et al. Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies. The Lancet, 2016.

Tags:

Nutrition

Popular Mainstream Protein Powders Fail BCAA Test

Dayne Hudson — Tue, 17 May 2016 07:26:29 +0000

I'll be brief because I know you're busy...but your choice of protein powder makes a big difference to the quality you're getting!

In a recent study, some popular brands of protein were tested for their BCAA content (1).

You most likely know that BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids, with one of three of them being leucine, the key regulator behind protein synthesis (2). So essentially, this is the very core of the brand, and the efficiency of the product if you like!

Muscle Milk, Syntha 6, Isoflex, Cellucor, and Optimum Nutrition

Below you'll see the table that outlines what the product claims to have in terms of BCAA content, and what it actually does when tested:

As you can see, the differences are unbelievable...

I was recently told from a successful person in the industry that he'd tested all protein powders for their purity. What he told me he found was quite unbelievable - he was testing them as he needed a very pure protein for his particular product he was manufacturing.

He mentioned some of the brands above and some more popular mainstream brands, and this is in line with the above. The actual purity of the products shocked us both!

We must be careful though - not all brands are bad and whey protein has a higher biological value than beef and poultry - but again it comes down to the fillers added that ultimately determines the overall percentage of pure quality!

It's important to note that price isn't always correlated with quality - some of these companies sponsor big name athletes and have to pay their bills somehow!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

References

(1) Lamela D, Sachandani, Hubble K, Keenan K. Measurement of level of branched chain amino acids in nutritional supplements.The FASEB Journal.vol. 29 no. 1 Supplement 559.25. April 2015.

(2) Norton LE, Layman DK. Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):533S-537S.

Tags:

Nutrition

Supplements

More Refeed Day Evidence: Twice As Much Fat Loss?

Dayne Hudson — Mon, 16 May 2016 03:41:20 +0000

I'll be brief because you're busy - but if you're keen to know one of the best ways to lose weight, the refeed day may turn out to be one of them.

This is of course not the magical pill the world has been looking for (that will never be invented) but rather a tool to use IN CONJUNCTION with a solid dieting aproach to weight loss!

Quickly for those who don't know - a refeed day involves largely increasing calorie intake for 1-3 days in an effort to provide mental relief after a period of dieting, and allow you to eat some of the foods you love in higher volume that otherwise wouldn't fit into your daily macronutrient intake.

Generally, as I explain here in this detailed look at the refeed day and why it works, it involves keeping fats low and increasing carbohydrate intake considerably.

However, this new study looked at eating whatever ad libitum (as much as you like) for a period of 1-3 days, after 5-6 days of sticking to a calorie deficit, v's no and libitum intake at all (1).

Now the study was done into rats, which as we know is NOT definitive. But it does lend some support to what we do know about refeed days.

Whilst some are certain a refeed day's benefits are only psychological - if that's inevitably what the tool does then it's still worth implementing, particularly in the wake of these rat study findings which you're about to learn about!

The rats were first fattened up after 22 weeks of a calorie surplus. Then as part of a 12-week weight loss phase, one group was put on a 18% calorie deficit whilst another was put on the same deficit, except only for 5-6 days before they could eat ad libitum for 1-3 days.

In the end, both diets resulted in the same weight lost, however the "refeed group" as I'll call it, achieved it with a 11.5% high energy intake, so the refeed diet was therefore calculated to be 2.3 times more efficient!

Now in humans, fat and free fructose (you'd get that from fruit only but still no need to cut it out ever) has no effect on leptin levels (2), which is why ad libitum intakes generally aren't recommended as such - it's more about increasing carbs strategically and keeping fats low. Although, there's still nothing wrong with an ad libitum intake, however it's all dose-dependent.

However, we need much more research than this, and need solid long-term data into human beings to see just what occurs.

However, my approach to refeed days for not only myself but for Fit'n'Flexed diet plan clients continues to yield great success - clients really can't believe how it happens or how it works, but it sure as eggs does!

Maybe in a few years we'll have the perfect tried and tested results, but currently, the literature continues to support the refeed day!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Let's get your refeed days on point for FAST fat loss!

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

References

(1) Seimon, Radhika V., et al. "Intermittent Moderate Energy Restriction Improves Weight Loss Efficiency in Diet-Induced Obese Mice." PloS one 11.1 (2016).

(2) Dirlewanger M, di Vetta V, Guenat E, Battilana P, Seematter G, Schneiter P, Jequier E, Tappy L. Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Nov;24(11):1413-8.

Tags:

Nutrition

No Metabolic Advantage For Fat Loss On A High-Fat Low-Carb Diet

Dayne Hudson — Thu, 12 May 2016 03:20:12 +0000

I'll be quick on this one because I know you're busy - but a new study suggests what previous data has found before - that a higher fat diet (similiar to a ketogenic diet) offers no metabolic advantage for fat loss.

There's been debates right around the internet since it surfaced, so I'll provide both sides of the story and allow you to make up your mind!

Firstly for those who don't know, a ketogenic diet is a high protein and high fat approach with very minimal carbohydrates. Whilst this studies carb intake in one part was slightly higher than a standard keto approach, it's still of great interest and relevance.

This new research was oddly funded by an organisation caled NuSI, that notorious ketogenic advocate and anti-carb campaigner Gary Taubes is a director of, and it found no metabolic advantage to a ketogenic diet vs a diet containing carbohydrates (1). (So much for studies being funded by a particular group or industry always finding what they believe, which is what a lot of anti-sugar people try and claim during the sugar debate!)

The study used 19 obese subjects; 9 females and 10 males (the men had 32% body fat, the women had 48%).

Subjects were placed in a metabolic ward (where they were constantly monitored with ALL food measured) with a washout period between trials to ensure their previous dietary set-up didn't effect any outcomes. This is really as good as studies get, as so may others can be inaccurate as they simply rely on food diaries.

They exercised for an hour a day on the treadmill, and the two different diets were a reduced fat and reduced carb diet with these macronutrients:

Reduced Fat

Protein: 101 grams

Fat: 17 grams

Carbohydrates: 350 grams

Reduced Carb

Protein: 101 grams

Fat: 108 grams

Carbohydrates: 140 grams

Protein was matched which is terrific, as so many other studies have failed with this in the past. Both diets were to the tune of a 30% calorie deficit and each diet was followed for 6 days in total.

The Insulin Causes Fat Gain Hypothesis - Debunked Forever

Those who follow my articles and videos KNOW the hypothesis that insulin causes fat gain is COMPLETELY WRONG. I've written about it in more detail here.

And it's been shown in this study as well - increased insulin DOES NOT mean MORE fat will be gained. The researchers observed that insulin levels were the same in the reduced fat group (high carb group).

So if insulin was an issue then the higher carb group would have put on more weight. But this didn't happen.

Also, study author Kevin Hall in this video talks about how fat loss actually SLOWED on the low carb diet.

To the naked eye, the study suggests that a reduced carb diet is better and that fat oxidation increases on a low carb diet....and it's right.

But here's the catch - it's only an increase in the burning of total DIETARY FAT and NOT body fat....and truth be told, a dexa scan in the end was unable to measure any differences in actual fat lost.

Other research has found this too.

High Fat Diets And Satiety

There are many instances where a ketogenic diet has been reported as being superior in regards to satiety for the subjects, which is what many keto followers adore about the low-carb high-fat approach.

Author of this study Kevin Hall says via the link above about a high fat approach and appetite:

"I still think there might be something interesting to say about appetite, something that was measured very indirectly in this study, which I'm not presenting the data on yet."

So What's The Best Diet For Me?

Other obvious criticisms are that the fat numbers in this study (just 17 grams) in the high carb approach, aren't that realistic. And this is true.

But considering there was NO advantage for FAT LOSS (only weight loss which is water weight) with either approaches, the choice really is yours.

However, remember this is overweight people, and not bodybuilders or fitter healthier people.

And recently in one of the most INTENSE findings for muscle growth, a high fat diet was found to interfere with protein synthesis AND muscle signalling recently. Here's an article detailing all of that.

I want to make this point clear - I am NOT against a ketogenic diet or any other high fat dieting approach. I just think given some of the data into muscle signalling it may not be the best idea - but more research is needed. Also, given there's no magical fat loss advantage and the insulin hypothesis has COMPLETELY been disproven, it doesn't make me want to jump onto it anytime soon.

But even if you notice a slight advantage in terms of satiety from a high-fat approach - the question is, is it worth not being able to eat your favourite carbs? If you really DON'T want to eat carbs, and you really think (even though some keto followers admit to me it's "probably mental") that you're LESS hungry on it.....then get on a ketogenic diet and stay there!

And even if a ketogenic style diet approach does interfere with muscle signalling - the BEST diet in the world is the one that you can stick to!

I notice some people in the Fit'n'Flexed facebook group are saying it's their favourite dieting approach - they think their results are better with a ketogenic diet approach. And if they prefer it, then I will always recommend it!

The bottom line is, I'm not having a go at you!

As I say, the best diet is the one you can stick to.

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

You tell me what and how you like to eat, and I'll help you lose weight!

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

Reference

(1) Hall KD et al. Calorie for Calorie, Dietary Fat Restriction Results in More Body Fat Loss than Carbohydrate Restriction in People with Obesity. Cell Metab. 2015 Sep 1;22(3):427-36. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2015.07.021. Epub 2015 Aug 13.

Tags:

Nutrition

High Fat Diets Like The Ketogenic Approach May Be Worse For Muscle Growth

Dayne Hudson — Mon, 09 May 2016 13:48:39 +0000

I'll be brief because I know you're busy - but science suggests a ketogenic diet may not be the best for muscle growth.

First of all for those who don't know, a ketogenic diet involves a high fat, low carb and adequate protein approach to eating.

I've spoken before about how some ketogenic diet studies suggesting more muscle growth are generally just because of the carb up subjects get at the end - but this data I'm about to present is a little more unflattering for the eating approach.

Research into 7 young healthy male volunteers led to the authors discovering that an "anabolic resistance" in the form of muscle signalling and protein synthsis was evident after a lipid infusion, whereby a "complete supression of muscle 4E-BP1 phosphorylation" was observed (1).

Effectively, the fat infusion meant the ideal anabolic environment wasn't created - 4E-BP1 is a "downstream component" of a key muscle growth pathway called mTOR (2).

Futhermore, other researchers weigh in the findings that a high fat diet does decrease protein synthesis, and may lead to a decrease in muscle mass and the response to growth stimuli, whilst interfering with the key muscle building pathway I mentioned above (3).

Let's bring in these authors:

"High-fat diets are known to decrease muscle protein synthesis, the adaptation to overload, and insulin sensitivity. We show that a high-fat diet activates the unfolded protein response.These findings suggest that components of the ER stress pathway might contribute to a decrease in muscle mass and the response to growth stimuli. Palmitic acid, like other well-known ER stress inducers, triggered the unfolded protein response and also led to a decrease in protein synthesis and the activity of mTORC1."

In other research, a diet high in saturated fat saw the decrease in muscle PGC-1alpha expression (a gene in your muscle activated by exercise) by 43% after a week, which then presisted for more than 11 weeks (4).

Now this was a rat study, granted, but it still warrants further investigation, particularly given the alarming data into human beings I presented above!

And in terms of fat loss, the link in paragraph two also highlights why there's no fat loss advantage with the ketogenic diet.

This data also lends support to the idea that just "eating whatever whenever" without tracking intake whilst trying to grow muscle may not be ideal. For example, all the copious amounts of fat consumed on a "dirty bulk" may just hinder optimal muscle gains.

Currently, there's no solid data that suggests a ketogenic diet is superior to a standard diet approach containing a balance between protein fat and carbohydates, for muscle growth and fat loss.

Some subjects swear they experience superior satiety on a ketogenic diet, and prefer it for that reason. So even if it IS mental, and you prefer that approach, then that's fine, stick to it!

But if you have a choice, don't jump on this diet thinking it may bring superior muscle growth and fat loss results to an otherwise "normal" balance of protein fat and carbs.

But the end choice is ultimately yours, and one you must be able to stick to and feel the best on, whilst obtaining the best results!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Let me tailor YOUR perfect diet plan!

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

References

(1) Stephens FB et al. Lipid-induced insulin resistance is associated with an impaired skeletal muscle protein synthetic response to amino acid ingestion in healthy young men. Diabetes. 2015 May;64(5):1615-20. doi: 10.2337/db14-0961. Epub 2014 Dec 18.

(2) Dreyer H et al. Resistance exercise increases AMPK activity and reduces 4E-BP1 phosphorylation and protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle. J Physiol. 2006 October 15; 576(Pt 2): 613–624. Published online 2006 July 27. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2006.113175

(3) Deldicque L, Cani PD, Philp A, Raymackers JM, Meakin PL, Ashford ML, Delzenne NM, Francaux M, Baar K. The unfolded protein response is activated in skeletal muscle by high-fat feeding: potential role in the downregulation of protein synthesis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab.

2010 Nov;299(5):E695-705. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00038.2010. Epub 2010 May 25.

(4) Crunkhorn S, Dearie F, Mantzoros C, Gami H, da Silva WS, Espinoza D, Faucette R, Barry K, Bianco AC, Patti ME. Peroxisome proliferator activator receptor gamma coactivator-1 expression is reduced in obesity: potential pathogenic role of saturated fatty acids and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. J Biol Chem. 2007 May 25;282(21):15439-50. Epub 2007 Apr 6.

Tags:

Nutrition

Is It Better To Cook Your Vegetables Or Eat Them Raw?

Dayne Hudson — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 04:29:40 +0000

I'll be quick because you might just be about to cook some vegetables - but how you cook them might play a large role in the nutrients absorbed.

Focusing on broccoli, and one piece of research compared 5 cooking methods to consuming it raw intrigued many (1).

The cooking methods examined were steaming, microwaving, boiling, stir-frying, and stir-frying followed by boiling (stir-frying/boiling).

So what did they find?

All cooking treatments, except steaming, caused a large loss of vitamin C (steaming was as good as the raw sample for vitamin C retention).

The greatest loss of vitamin C was seen in broccoli after stir-frying/boiling and boiling treatments (38% and 33%, respectively) followed by microwaving and stir-frying (16% and 24%, respectively).

Brocolli - Practical Recommendations

Here's the bit most practical finding from the researchers:

"Steaming did not cause any significant loss of vitamin C, compared with the raw sample."

Futhermore, and Carotenoids have long been touted as a potential fighter for cancer (2), making their appearance important for overall health.

So how did the cooking effect the carotenoids? Let's bring in the researchers again:

"Microwaving, steaming, and stir-frying mostly kept the content of total carotenoids after cooking, while boiling and stir-frying/boiling caused the loss of total carotenoids by 13% and 28%, respectively."

The research also found that glucosinolates (also cancer fighting) were also not significantly effected with a steamed cooking approach.

It currently seems that steaming your broccoli is the best way to cook it. However, if you prefer it raw, you can continue to do so, but cooking it may make it alow easier to consume more of it, thus more nutritional goodies in the process!

Vegetables and Mortality Rates

Quickly to finish off, and some observational research (which does not study cause and effect but is interesting for generating a hypothesis) found that cooked veges were better than raw veges when examining mortality rates (3).

Now let me be clear - I'm not drawing conclusions here at all. It's merely just an observational peice of research I think you might find interesting!

The researchers looked at data gathered on more than 150,000 people over the age of 45 in Australia, as part of the "45 and Up" study, whereby subjects were followed for an average of 6.2 years.

As we know - good and bad habits bind together - smoking, inactivity, vs vegetable intake, sleep, physical activity, etc, which makes this piece of research inconclusive, but relevant for further investigation.

As expected, those who had large amounts of fruit and vegetables scored higher on the other aspects - they were more likely to sleep 7-9 hours daily, have a healthy weight, and be physically active.

Also, the higher the intake of vegetables, the lower the mortality rate amongst the subjects.

But here was the interesting finding: Raw vegetables didn't lower the mortality rate, with the "p" for trend being very low.

Check out the graph below:

As you can see, the raw vegetable consumption didn't effect the mortality rate, whereas the fried boiled or steamed veges did reduce the mortality rate.

As I say, this is NOT conclusive. The authors add:

"The association of raw versus cooked vegetables in relation to mortality requires further investigation."

What I personally take away (you might be different) is that steamed veges might just be the best way to go.

However, we can still stir fry our vegetables when it suits the dish we're having, but generally steaming seems to be pretty good.

I will point out though, we should really focus on just eating vegetables in general, even though some cooking approaches might see us lose some nutrients!

If you prefer your raw vegetables, go for it, but just remember you may be able to eat more broccoli when it's steamed, allowing for a greater intake of goodies!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Let's get you shredded without restricting your lifestyle...

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

References

(1) Gao-feng Yuan et al. Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2009 August; 10(8): 580–588.

(2) Nishino H et al. Carotenoids in cancer chemoprevention. Cancer Metastasis. 2002;21(3-4):257-64.

(3) Nguyen B, Bauman A, Gale J, Banks E, Kritharides L, Ding D. Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause mortality: evidence from a large Australian cohort study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2016 Jan 25;13(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12966-016-0334-5.

Tags:

Nutrition

Intermittent Fasting: Should We Train With Weights On An Empty Stomach?

Dayne Hudson — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 04:01:29 +0000

I'll be brief because your time is precious - but it's probably better that you train in a "fed" state as opposed to a fasted one.

With the rise and popularity of intermittent fasting (that's great for your lifestyle if it suits you), this question is popping up more than ever.

A recent study examined 16 Ramadan bodybuilders with the average age of 25, who trained 3-4 times a week performing an average of 20 sets each workout over a month (1).

50% of the subjects trained after sunset in a fed state (between 9-10pm) whilst the other half trained on an empty stomach in the afternoon, between 4 and 6pm.

Their protein intake was also on point: 1.6 ± 0.1 grams per kilogram of body weight in the fasted group and 1.7 ± 01 in the fed group.

So what did they find?

The bodybuilders training in the fed state built slightly more muscle mass, but it wasn't statistically significant.

So we can train in the fasted state then right? Because there's no difference?!

Well, it's not quite that simple.

Because there's long-term evidence supporting a benefit to training fasted, there's no real point at this stage in doing so.

Now this is not a long term study - it was only for a month - and as we know, we should really only gamble on things where there is a potential reward awaiting at the end!

Other research into fasted cardio (not weight lifting, but still exercise all the same) found that output was superior when training in the fed state (2).

This may just explain why the fed group in the Ramadan fasting study grew slightly more muscle, though it wasn't statisticaly significant, and the research only lasted for a month.

So why bcaas before pumping iron?

Other research suggests that BCAAs prior to weight lifting increases the phosphorylation of p70s6k (a potential indicator of muscle growth) when taken fasted prior to training (3).

Why? Because Leucine (one of the three BCAAS) has a favourable anabolic effect on protein metabolism by increasing the rate of protein synthesis and decreasing the protein breakdown (4,5).

So you can take advantage of this benefit by having a whey protein shake before training, bcaas, or simply training in the fed state.

I'd note that generally, BCAAs are a useless supplement, that is if you're NOT training fasted. When you hit your protein numbers in the context of a fat loss or muscle growth dieting approach - they will not yield you any additional results.

A Massive Benefit Of Training Fasted?

The case for training fasted is as follows: this study found that a fasted training group experienced double as high levels of p70s6k compared to the fed group (6).

BUT - 4 hours after the session, it was all even between both groups.

The fasted group had a carbohydrate, protein and leucine beverage after the training, as opposed to the fed group who 90 minutes before the exercise, had a 11% protein, 85% carb and 4% fat meal.

Effectively, at least short-term, the anabolic activity was higher, but only for 4 hours.

Now whether or not long-term the fasted training is SUPERIOR for muscle growth, remains to be seen. It's hard to imagine there being any amazing significant differences, but I'm not declaring anything until I see a long-term study!

Practical Implications For Bodybuilding

So what's the final conclusion?

With the literature where it currently is, I'm advocating not training in the fasted state (with the exception of bcaas before hand), to ensure there's no muscle potentially lost long-term, and for maximal power output potentially long-term too.

Currently, there's not enough evidence to suggest training completely fasted long-term is going to be anymore beneficial.

However, by training fasted WITH bcaas we reduce the risk of muscle breakdown, whilst still getting the added benefit of the additional p70s6k afterwards when we break the fast, even though it might only be for 4 hours and may not yield long-term results!

The important thing is to take an approach to training (be it fed or not) that most suits your lifestyle, until the long-term effects of the both of them are studied.

However the take-away message is: if you're training fasted, have some BCAAs before hand!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Let's get you shredded without restricting your lifestyle...

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

References

(1) Trabelsi K, Stannard SR, Ghlissi Z, Maughan RJ, Kallel C, Jamoussi K, Zeghal KM, Hakim A. Effect of fed- versus fasted state resistance training during Ramadan on body composition and selected metabolic parameters in bodybuilders. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Apr 25;10(1):23. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-23.

(2) Paoli A, Marcolin G, Zonin F, Neri M, Sivieri A, Pacelli QF. Exercising fasting or fed to enhance fat loss? Influence of food intake on respiratory ratio and excess postexercise oxygen consumption after a bout of endurance training. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2011 Feb;21(1):48-54.

(3) Karlsson et al. Branched-chain amino acids increase p70S6k phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle after resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism Published 10 June 2004 Vol. 287 no. 1, E1-E7 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00430.2003

(4) Nader GA and Esser KA. Intracellular signaling specificity in skeletal muscle in response to different modes of exercise. J Appl Physiol 90: 1936–1942, 2001.

(5) Nair KS, Schwartz RG, and Welle S. Leucine as a regulator of whole body and skeletal muscle protein metabolism in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 263: E928–E934, 1992.

(6) Deldicque L, De Bock K, Maris M, Ramaekers M, Nielens H, Francaux M, Hespel P. Increased p70s6k phosphorylation during intake of a protein-carbohydrate drink following resistance exercise in the fasted state. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 Mar;108(4):791-800.

Tags:

Nutrition

Training

Will Carb Cycling Give Me The Edge for Fat Loss?

Dayne Hudson — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 02:24:24 +0000

I'll be brief because I know you're flat out - but the answer to this question is: NO.

Quickly for those of you who aren't aware, carb cycling is the idea of having alternate days of carbohydate intake.

E.g: Monday = high carbs, Tuesday = low carbs, Wednesday = no carbs, and repeat.

It's based off the fallacy that an insulin spike causes a direct fat gain with nothing else being considered, which it just doesn't, whilst a carb cycling approach too suggests the body can magically drop fat based on carbohydate intake, which it can't.

A study I reference quite often is this one (1), that found a diet that contains either high or low carbs or high or low fat when protein is matched in a calorie deficit, results in the same amount of fat lost.

This has also been seen in a ketogenic diet vs a "normal" diet - the super low carb approach does NOT mean more fat is lost.

Carbohydrate intake in a calorie deficit, won't make you fat - that's just the bottom line.

People think they get results from a carb cycling approach, and that it's magical!

But their results are merely because they consume LESS calories over a given period.

So many people are trying to come up and/or sell approaches to the public that suggest "body hacking" is possible - it's just not. Believe me.

Early weight loss results can be seen on this approach, but it's just water weight.

Glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is a hydrated molecule, attracting about 3-4 grams of water per gram (2). So when you eliminate the carbohydrates that are causing the storage of water, the scales change, which misleads many.

What was also seen in the first study referenced (1), was that initially the carbohydrate group lost more "weight". But then over the long term period, the FAT lost between groups evened out.

To those experienced with fat loss and well educated on the literature, this is complete common knowledge and common sense.

However, that's not to say carbohydrate cycling is a bad thing to do, if you like doing it and it suits your lifestyle for whatever reason.

It's just another way to ensure you're in a calorie deficit, albeit a slightly more complicated and time consuming one.

However the concluding fact remains: it's NOT going to give you the edge and it NOT a superior approach to fat loss.

Much like another carbohydate myth, the myth of carb backloading, carbohydrate cycling is based off a misunderstanding of the hormone insulin and it's role on fat loss/gain.

So feel free to carry on doing it if you like the approach - but remember this: It's not magical and potentially might only complicate the weight loss process.

Focus on a calorie deficit and a good balance of macronutrients tailored to YOU, and you'll never look back!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Let's sort your personalised macronutrients out and watch you drop the weight!

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

References

(1) Sacks FM, Bray GA, Carey VJ, Smith SR, Ryan DH, Anton SD, McManus K, Champagne CM, Bishio LM, Laranjo N, Leboff MS, Roos JC, de Jonge L, Greenway FL, Loria CM, Obarzanek E, Williamson DA. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Eng J Med. 2009 Feb 26;360(9):859-73. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0804748.

(2) Olsson, KE et al. (1970). Acta Physiol Scand 80: 11–18.

Tags:

Nutrition

Why Do Athletes Drink Gherkin/Pickle Juice?

Dayne Hudson — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 05:04:57 +0000

Social media and commentators alike recently wondered why the hell Australian NRL football teams had gherkin juice on the sidelines for the players.

The appropiate question popped up during Round 7 2016 Manly Sea Eagles and Parramatta Eels clash (that the Eels won 22-10).

And it can be answered as simply as this - science suggests gherkin juice may fix cramping quicker than regular sports drinks!

How to Fix Cramps and Cramping: Gherkin Juice

As gherkins are high in sodium, magnesium, potassium, they contain a lot of electrolytes and more than some popular sports drinks.

One study gave young men either 74 millilitres of straight pickle juice, or deionised water (water with the minerals removed) upon their cramping from exercise and electronically stimulated cramping (1).

The results?

The group consuming the pickle juice experienced a halt in their cramping after 85 seconds, whilst the water group continued to experience them.

The authors concluded that the pickle juice was 37% faster at fixing the cramps than the water - and 45% faster than having nothing at all - with the vinegar thought to be one of the main reasons because of it's potassium content.

Hope this helps answer the question!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Wanna get shredded eating the foods you love?

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

Reference

(1) Miller KC et al. Reflex inhibition of electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010.

Tags:

Nutrition

Supplements

Are Food Companies Honest With Their Nutrition Labelling?

Dayne Hudson — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 01:29:00 +0000

I'll be quick because I know you're in a hurry - but there's a high chance you're consuming more calories then you think.

A recent study reminds us that labels aren't always accurate (1).

As part of the investigation, the researchers analysed 40 different foods purchased in restaurants and supermarkets.

As you can see below, the numbers weren't always accurate.

It was discovered that the meals contained 8% more calories than the labels indicated.

The Calorie Detective - Casey Neistat

In this clip below, YouTuber Casey Neistat bought 5 foods he liked to eat: a Muffin, a Frappicino from Starbucks, a Chipolte burrito, Vegetarian sandwich, and a 6 inch Subway sandwich.

He then took the foods to Columbia University to have them tested by food scientists, which took 10 hours!

As you'll see in the video - only 1 of those items actually came in BELOW the count - the Subway sandwich!

Mr Neistat admits this is NOT a conclusive study as there was only 1 sample tested, but it's still interesting nonetheless.

But based on these caloric values, Mr Neistat would have consumed 548 calories MORE than he calculated.

Now of course, this series of foods is not a weight loss approach to eating, that's for sure.

But the point is, on somedays you may be actually consuming more than you think. It's just something to keep in mind moving forward whilst tracking macronutrients.

Check out the video below!

The point is that these foods CAN make their way into your diet as part of a healthy/flexible approach, but just be aware and make allowances to the tune of about 10%, to ensure your fat loss continues.

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

Are you ready to get in the shape of your life, with these foods or not?

I know you're busy, so I won't keep you for long...

My readers regularly message me as losing weight can be extremely difficult.

Even worse is when stopping an extreme diet brings all the weight back!

I have a solution that'll allow you to continue eating the foods you love (in moderation, of course!) but without an extremity such as paleo, no sugar or no carb.

That's me (Dayne Hudson) above. The photo on the left is me at the end of a bulk, and the photo on the right is after dropping off the weight...in just 12 weeks!

I don't believe in short term diets either! I believe in creating a healthy lifestyle, eating the foods you love, and not needing to worry about your diet around the clock!

As a Sports Nutrition Specialist, scientific researcher and valued member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, I use proven studies to generate results that last for you.

GET STARTED

Reference

(1) Urban LE, Dallal GE, Robinson LM, Ausman LM, Saltzman E, Roberts SB. The accuracy of stated energy contents of reduced-energy, commercially prepared foods. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jan;110(1):116-23. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2009.10.003.

Tags:

Nutrition