Post Workout Nutrition & #1 Fat Loss Supplement?

I'm off to the doggy dermatologist today......taking Bally the Dog in for food allergy tests.

Hoping to determine the cause of his recurring ear infections (which he has avoided since I removed wheat products from his diet).

But enough about doggy nutrition, let's talk about fat loss nutrition tips for you.

I recently interviewed world-famous Dr. John Berardi, owner of Precision Nutrition, and he had a couple of very surprising things to say about post-workout nutrition & supplements for fat loss.

CB: John, what are your post-workout nutrition recommendations? Do they differ for overweight beginners compared to bodybuilders?

John Berardi:
In my opinion, if someone is training really hard with weights, and is looking for a muscle building adaptation, you'd normally go with a fast digesting protein-carb drink, maybe a two to one ratio,
drinking it during your training.

However, if someone is just exercising for a little fat loss I think they can skip the post-workout drink all together.

If they're not actually trying to force a big adaptation, grow muscles, change the way that their muscle fibers perform under endurance conditions, simply eating a healthy whole food meal is
recommended instead.

You'd use the same rules as we talked about earlier, eat whole food, mostly plants, not too much, and I think they're going to do fine.

So, I don't necessarily think a post-workout drink would impede fat loss, whether you drink it during or after, but I definitely think it's not necessary.

I like to keep it as simple as that. If you're really trying to push the envelope, and you're truly trying to perform and grow, then yes, these drinks are great.

CB: What are some of the simplest yet most effective changes that a beginner can do for fat loss?

John Berardi:
Definitely a good question, Craig. With our coaching program, we actually use a series of questionnaires and assessments to determine what level a client is when they come to see us. There are generally three levels that most clients fall into.

With beginner clients, we basically approach one habit at a time, because people who are entirely new to eating well have a tendency to become quite overwhelmed with the changes they have to make through exercise and nutrition.

These are the people, who end up quitting early, or they try to adopt 20 different habits at once, and they burn out after a couple of months wondering what the heck happened.

With our coaching, we select one of the person's habits that create the biggest physiological change. I refer to this as the lowest psychological resistance, and it's an important combination. So, what can you find has a big physical impact that someone can do psychologically?

Well, for example, we have Lean Eating coaching. The first habit is to start off with one gram of fish oil per one percent body fat.

When people are new to the program that's the number one thing they start with. We do that up to about 30 grams, so if someone is 20 percent body fat, they take 20 grams of fish oil a day. If they're 30 percent, they take 30 grams a day.

We also have them throw a multivitamin in there each day. So, habit number one is fish oil (one gram per percent body fat), and then a multivitamin. We do this as the first habit because it's really effective.

For starters, physiologically it kicks starts the body's fat loss by increasing metabolism, along with so many other benefits. It can improve skin quality, and it helps you feel more full at each meal.

There's also some new research showing that it fish oil impacts the motivation "centers" in the brain. So, people may be more motivated to follow their exercise plan as well as their good nutrition habits when they're taking fish oil at this dose.

On the psychological side it's actually a habit that's pretty easy to do, and it fosters habit building and positive momentum.

Then every two weeks from there we add another habit. The second habit in our program is eating the "most carb dense" meals after exercise. This is another really effective one physiologically and
psychologically.

By eating our carb heavy foods like pastas, bread, rice, stuff like that after exercise only is going to do something for you physiologically.

The idea is to take better control of your overall calorie intake by using the carbs when they are less likely to convert to body fat by creating a menu that's rich in proteins, veggies, and good fats
during the non-exercise periods.

This one simple habit helps us realign our entire diet allowing us to start thinking about each meal a little more differently.

We're also is doing something psychologically by creating a trigger habit. You've got to earn those pastas, rice, and breads by exercising first.

If you don't plan on exercising then you want stick to the lower density carbs like legumes and veggies, and lean proteins, BUT if you do exercise you earn these other foods.

*********************************************

I hope you enjoyed John's interview. Surprisingly, his number one supplement for fat loss wasn't protein or green tea, but the mighty fish oil (a source of powerful omega-3 fatty acids).

 

I'm definitely surprised and will keep an open mind about his recommendation. If you try it, let me know. And I'm also doing

another interview with Dr. John at the end of the month about more advanced nutritional and behavioral patterns that help fat loss.

Until then, if you need to get protein powder or omega-3 essential fatty acids, I have partnered with and recommend Prograde. This is the brand of protein I buy for my mom. Prograde is also having a 20% off sale on their new chocolate protein flavor this week too.

=> 20% Off New Protein for Advanced Recovery

 

And here's their essential fatty acid product (with all the health and fat loss benefits of fish oil without the "fish burps"):

=> The Essential Fatty Acid Product that I use

 

And remember to eat whole, natural foods, mostly plants.

Diet is still more important than exercise for fat loss,

 

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training   

PS - Looking for a laugh?

I posted a photo of me and my mustache on my facebook page today.

=> Do you like my mustache?

And yes, that mustache is still going strong. I might just keep it.

 

Although the vet will probably think I'm a dork. But I'm used to that...