John Berardi, Ph.D.

Gourmet Nutrition Featured In Global Chefs Magazine

2008-07-22T21:55:00.006-05:00

This month, Global Chefs, a top culinary magazine maintained by Jeremy Emmerson, a top chef featured in People Magazine and on Rachel Ray, gave a big thumbs up to Gourmet Nutrition and the Precision Nutrition program.

Here's what Global Chefs had to say...

August 2008
At last, a cookbook for food lovers and athletes alike… the Gourmet Nutrition cookbook.

The idea for the book came from sports nutritional guru John Berardi PhD, a guy that has the smarts of a geek but the build football player, one look him is all you’ll need to know, that he knows his stuff.

He enlisted a few pals, chef Michael Williams, John Williams PhD, personal trainer Kristina Andrew and photographer Jason Grenci.

Featuring over 120 great recipes for a high-performance body, Gourmet Nutrition’s recipes cover breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and each is accompanied by relevant nutritional data and recommended portion size (for men and women). The book is beautifully produced with full-page color photographs for every recipe. But this is not the end of the tale…

Gourmet Nutrition also contains basic meal plan templates to show you how much to eat and when to eat it in four scenarios: non-exercise day, morning workout, afternoon workout and evening workout. This is a pared down version of Dr. Berardi’s well crafted Precision Nutrition program, a great starting point for anyone who wants to get in shape by exercising and eating really good food.

A "Balanced Diet" Isn't Enough

2008-06-21T22:10:00.003-05:00

You hear it all the time - from your mom, from dietitians, from doctors, from coaches, heck, even from your uncle Jimmy.

Just eat a "balanced diet" and you should be fine.

Of course, the fact that no one ever mentions what actually constitutes a "balanced diet" only adds to the mystique and allure of this mythical creature.

However, new research suggests that even when folks try to eat a "balanced diet" they usually miss the mark.

Indeed, in one recent study, over 70 diets were analyzed and every single one was deficient in 3 or more nutrients. And some diets were deficient in about 15 nutrients!

Not good - but completely preventable.

Click here to find out how...

The NEW Gourmet Nutrition is Here

2007-12-15T10:29:00.000-05:00

From the creators of Precision Nutrition comes a cookbook for people who love to eat great food, but hate that after-dinner guilt. For those who love to eat with style, but hate to look “indulgent.” For those who love to entertain, but want to do it right.

Enter Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover.

We’ve taken the healthiest ingredients and whipped them into nearly 300 pages of delicious culinary creations that you can serve with confidence to the most discerning foodie – or the most nitpicky nutritionist. We’ve included detailed cooking instructions and ideas for improvisation. And we’ve even photographed every recipe in beautiful color to show you just how appetizing healthy food can be.

Gourmet Nutrition is the cookbook that’s as friendly to your body as it is to your taste buds, and it’s equally at home on your kitchen counter and your coffee table. Pick it up, read it through, and try it out – we know you’ll love it! Grab a free sample of the book by clicking here:

Gourmet Nutrition Free Sample

JB and Dr McGill in St Louis

2007-10-30T21:00:00.001-05:00

The Central Institute for Human Performance

Dr Stuart McGill and Dr John Berardi

1st Annual CIHP Sports Performance and
Rehabilitation Symposium

"Bridging Science and Performance"

St. Louis ,Missouri - January 19-20, 2008

Click here to download the registration form

Come Talk Nutrition, Exercise and Supplements With Us

2007-09-11T21:31:00.000-05:00

Want to improve the way your body looks, feels or performs?

Got a training, nutrition, or supplement question?

Want to learn the latest health and fitness information?

If so, join us on our Precision Nutrition Forums.

We've got a dozen fitness experts on line as well as over 21,000 of your peers - all committed to helping each other be the best they can be.

And the best part? You can join us right now by clicking the link below. It's easy and it's absolutely free.

Come Visit The Precision Nutrition Forums Today!

We Need Your Vote

2007-09-03T14:48:00.000-05:00

The Precision Nutrition Hot Body Contest registration period is over and we've selected 16 Hot Body Finalists - 8 men and 8 women.

And at this point, we need your help. You see, it's your vote that'll help us select a winner for the Grand Prize.

So here's what we need you to do. Simply pop on over to the Precision Nutrition web site, check out the hot bodies, and vote for your favorite Hot Body Finalist.

Click here to see the male finalists

Click here to view the female finalists

The PN Hot Body Contest

2007-07-29T15:24:00.000-05:00

Just the other day I got an email from one of our Precision Nutrition customers. Unfortunately he was a bit peeved. You see, he was kinda mad about the fact that because he's already in great shape, he's not eligible for any of the PN Body Transformation Challenge prizes.

Yet he was shocked when I spilled the beans about our newest event - The Precision Nutrition Hot Body Contest.

Here's the deal...

For those of you who've already made great body transformations, those of you who already feel like an "after" pic, we've definitely got some prizes available for you too.

In fact, we're rewarding our top two Hot Body Contest winners - one man and one woman - with an all-expenses paid trip to Toronto as well as a professional photo shoot and the opportunity to appear in several upcoming fitness magazine spots!

That's right...if you ever wanted to be a physique model, either professionally or just once for fun, we're giving you the chance!

All you have to do is click here.

Registration kicks off August 3rd and closes out August 20th...we hope to see your registration soon!

NOTE: As with the Body Transformation Challenge, membership has its privileges. To enter, you must own a copy of Precision Nutrition. Click here to get yours.

The PN Body Transformation Contest - Are You Up For The Challenge?

2007-06-27T12:54:00.000-05:00

Be prepared to be blown away...the following Precision Nutrition Members have changed their bodies in a major way. And even better, have offered their before and after pics as a testament to the effectiveness of the Precision Nutrition System.

No, they're not paid spokespeople. No, they're not fully-supported PN coaching clients. They're simply folks who bought PN, folks who took on the challenge of transforming their bodies, and folks who posted their progress on the PN Forums.

Some posted because they wanted to be held accountable. Others posted to get ideas and support. Others posted to show us what the combination of Precision Nutrition, the Precision Nutrition Forums, and a little determination can accomplish.

Regardless of their motivation for posting, we applaud them for their openness and thank them for allowing us to share in their journey.

Kristin Before and After

Adam Before and After

For more success stories like these, click here.

Better yet, become a success story yourself!

Enter the Body Transformation Challenge - Win Prizes!
That's right, you heard it here first. This is our first, unofficial, public announcement for the upcoming PN Body Transformation Challenge!

I'm sure that whether you're a customer who's not yet committed yourself to the PN principles, a PN Member who's fallen off the wagon due to injury, illness, or lifestyle impediments, or a non-customer still on the fence as to whether you should pick up a copy of PN, you've got 1000 reasons for getting started.

However, from time to time we can all use a little kick in the pants. So consider the following prizes my foot hitting your seat.

Prize Package #1 - Free groceries & supplements for 1yr
That's right, Precision Nutrition buys your food and supplements for 365 straight days
Prize Package #2 - Free meal delivery for 3 months
We'll design your meal plan and, for 3 months, all the food will be delivered right to your doorstep. No cooking, no cleaning, no hassles
Prize Package #3 - Free camera & Results Tracker
With this digital camera and lifetime access to our Online Results Tracker you can continue to track your progress

So, how can you get started today?
Click here to read more about the Precision Nutrition Body Transformation Challenge, including how you can get eligible to win one of those great prizes above.

I Never Expected This!

2007-04-01T12:21:00.000-05:00

Just the other day I was talking with a friend of mine who's on the JB.com mailing list but who doesn't own a copy of our flagship product, Precision Nutrition.

And during the conversation he mentioned that while he loves the newsletter updates, he often finds himself cursing us when we post links only for PN customers.

Fair enough, I guess.

Yet his entire demeanor changed when he found out what I'm about to tell you. In fact, he promised to never again take the name of Precision Nutrition in vain. So, what did I tell him?

Well, here's the big news. We've finally figured out a way to make our entire forum accessible to anyone who wants to check it out! That's right, if you pop on to our forum, you can now gain access to this entire knowledge base, including:

The ability to read all the latest updates and blogs by myself and the Precision Nutrition experts.
The ability to read over 39,000 posts on every nutrition-related topic under the sun. If you've got a question about nutrition, we've answered it before - and you can find it on this site.
Access to the new Precision Nutrition Exercise Database with high resolution video demonstrations of over 450 exercises (each exercise from multiple camera angles).
Use of the Precision Nutrition search engine to rapidly locate the knowledge you need.
Subscriptions to threads and forums of your choosing and email notification of new posts
Weekly email updates of new articles, recipes and exercises
Downloads of our two newest ebooks, Precision Nutrition Strategies and Gourmet Nutrition Desserts.

And the best part: all of this is available to you right now. Even if you don't own a copy of Precision Nutrition. Just click the link below for instant access.

Instant Access to the Precision Nutrition Knowledgebase

I look forward to seeing you on the forums!

Dr John M Berardi, CSCS
Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Texas
President, Science Link, Inc.

PS...From now on, all my blog entries and updates will take place on the Precision Nutrition forums. So make sure to click this link to see what's new.

Fruits and Veggies Worthless?

2007-03-25T20:59:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've come across this claim more and more...

"You would have to eat 40 servings of today's spinach in order to get the same nutrients as you would from one serving of spinach 50 years ago."

Often times the numbers (i.e. servings, how many years ago) and vegetables referenced change...but the message is the same.

So is there any truth to this claim?

Well, there is limited research in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and this research does show that there has been depletion of nutrients within selected produce over the last 25-50 years.

A broad range of vitamins and minerals have been found to be lower in our fruits and vegetables, including vitamins A and C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper.

However, our fruits and veggies are still loaded with those all-important nutrients. And any claims suggesting that our veggies are worthless - or are 50x less potent - are often disingenuous.

In fact, with spinach in particular, vitamins C and A as well as calcium, potassium, and magnesium are lower by 45%, 17%, 6%, 18%, and 10% respectively. This means that, if anything, we’d need to eat 2x the amount of spinach to get the same amount of vitamin C vs. 50 years ago. And as far as the other nutrients, anywhere from 1.6x-1.18x the amount.

So it isn’t as bad as some are saying.

Yet our soil is getting depleted and this is becoming a problem. The real discussion that has to take place is in reference to the solution. Organic growing makes a difference so in terms of infrastructure, some things have to change.

However, on a more personal note the solution is simple.

First, eat more fruits and veggies (I recommend 10-15 servings/day). This will help ensure that even if the produce you’re choosing is lower in per serving vitamin and mineral content, you’re making up for this in an increase in total servings.

Second, if you’re not getting your 10-15 fruits and veggies, supplement with a green food product and/or a multi-vitamin. Even JAMA (The Journal of The American Medical Association) recommended the multi-vitamin thing.

Yet keep in mind, your best solution is to go with the fruits and veggies. No matter how sexy certain supplement formulas may be, they're no substitute for fruits and veggies.

Jack Nicholson and JB

2007-03-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

Here's another heads up for you to check out the premier episode of www.bigbuttradio.com. Not only was yours truly a guest but so was THE Jack Nicholson (and the interview with Jack is hilarious).

And as I'm not one to miss a promotional opportunity - while I've got your attention, here's a quick note about my upcoming seminar at Eric Cressey's facility (Excel Sport and Fitness Training) in Boston, Mass. This is one you won't want to miss!

It's taking place on Saturday and Sunday May 5th and 6th and is all about how you can use G-Flux - the relationship between energy intake and expenditure - to build the body you're after.

My last G-Flux seminar was such a huge hit that I received dozens of rock-solid testimonials and T-nation even did a review of the event. Here's the review

And here are a few quotes from attendees:

I would like to personally thank Dr. Berardi and Jonathan Labelle for putting together a great seminar this past weekend. Both days were packed with loads of information and I sure took lots of notes! The group that attended the seminar was great and a lot of very interesting questions were answered masterfully by JB.
-Dan

Like a child, counting down the days till Christmas I was counting down the days till this event. Believe me, it was worth it.
-Ruslan

Definitely an amazing time in Ottawa! Thanks to the man himself, JB.
-Josh

Another Frenchie here to say a big thank you to John, Jonathan, Coach Mike and Amanda. It was a great seminar!
-Frederic

The G-Flux seminar was my best investment in 2006. Worth every penny.
-Zen Warrior (from T-nation)

So book aside the dates and, if you can possibly make it out, I guarantee it'll be worth your while! Click here for all the details including seminar outline, pricing, location, and more. (Adobe PDF)

PS...Once you've viewed the PDF above, if you'd like to inquire further about this event, contact Jon Sullivan at 781-890-0009.

Back Pain Be Gone

2007-03-17T17:41:00.000-05:00

The lower back is one of the most common areas of injury and pain for athletes, recreational exercisers, and non-exercisers alike. Chances are if you haven't dealt with back pain at some point in your life, you will.

So how can you injury-proof your back?

Well, one way is to master your posterior chain muscles (hamstrings, glutes, etc). And one of the best ways to master these muscles is to regularly deadlift.

However deadlifting can be tricky. Do it right and the back improves tremendously. Do it wrong and it gets worse - perhaps much worse.

Here to set you straight is Eric Cressey, world-renowned exercise specialist. In this great interview, Cressey shares his most important tips on doing this exercise the right way.

And speaking of Cressey, I'll be giving a 2-day presentation on 'The Power of G-Flux' in Boston Massachusettes on May 5th and 6th. This seminar will take place at Cressy's facility - Excel Sport and Fitness. Click here (Adobe PDF file) to find out more - this is one you won't want to miss!

Chocolate - A Health Food?

2007-03-05T10:23:00.000-05:00

Much ado is being made about the…uhh…“health” properties of chocolate. It’s everywhere:

“Study Hails Chocolate’s Benefits”

“Boosting Brain Power – With Chocolate”

“Chocolate is Good for Health”

“New Research Endorses Chocolate”

Now, come on, can all this “news” really be true? Can chocolate, the ultimate “guilty pleasure” actually be good for us? Is all this media attention on chocolate and its benefits justified?

Or is this simply a case of chocoholic justification?

Well, let’s ask Cornell researcher Chang Lee, chairman of the Department of Food Science and Technology. Comparing the antioxidant content and activity of green tea, red wine, and cocoa, Lee and his team found that cocoa has nearly 2x the antioxidants of red wine and up to 3x the antioxidants of green tea!

"If I had made a prediction before conducting the tests, I would have picked green tea as having the most antioxidant activity." said Lee. "When we compared one serving of each beverage, the cocoa turned out to be the highest in antioxidant activity, and that was surprising to me."

You see, it appears that cocoa contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols – yep, the good stuff found in grapes, berries, and wine. Further, cocoa contains a healthy dose of catechins and epicatechins – that’s right the good stuff found in green tea.

But hold on a second…before you rip open that Snickers bar, it’s important to note that we’re talking about COCOA here, not milk chocolate. You see, there’s a big difference!

Milk chocolate typically contains sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, milk or milk powder, and vanilla as the base ingredients. And something like Snickers contains much more including lactose, soy lecithin, artificial flavor, corn syrup, milk fat, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, egg whites, and more.

All this means that you’re getting very little real cocoa per bite! So I pretty much avoid milk chocolate like the plague as it’s 100% junk food, plain and simple.

Real chocolate – the high % cocoa healthy stuff – is another story. Real chocolate is a very simple product. It contains cocoa. And it contains cocoa butter. That’s it. And as a result of this simplicity, real chocolate has virtually no sugar, is high in fiber, and is loaded with maximal doses of polyphenols and catechins!

Check out the nutritional profile of a 50g bar of healthy, 100% cocoa chocolate:

100% cocoa, 50g
250kcal
7g protein
13g carbs (0.5g sugar, 8g fiber)
24g fat (16g sat fat)

Now, moving down the scale of “healthiness”, let’s look at some other options:

85% cocoa, 50g
260kcal
5g protein
10g carbs (6.25g sugar, 3.75g fiber)
22.5g fat (14g sat fat)

70% cocoa, 50g
275kcal
3.75g protein
16.25g carbs (13.75 sugar, 2.5g fiber)
21.25g fat (12.5g sat fat)

Snickers Bar, 50g
282kcal
4g protein
35g carbs (30g sugar, 1g fiber)
14g fat (5g sat fat)

Notice that the farther we move from the high cocoa chocolate, the following happens:

1) We get more calories

2) We get more sugar

3) We get less protein

4) We get less fiber

It’s also important to note that as the % cocoa goes down, we usually get fewer and fewer antioxidants while adding more and more artificial ingredients.

My conclusion:
If you’re going to eat chocolate at all, go 100% or go home.

Just make sure you do so in moderation as, unlike Green Tea, all chocolate contains a fair amount of calories and this needs to be considered as you try to work it into your Precision Nutrition Approved eating plan.

My preference:
Domori’s 100% varieties. These guys do some of the best chocolate in the entire world. Check them out at www.domori.com

Note:
Interestingly sports supplement companies have now begun selling a cocoa extract called chocamine that is meant to provide the stimulation and health benefits of chocolate without any calories, sugars, or fats.

According to David Tolson of 1fast400.com:

"Chocamine contains numerous constituents, including methylxanthines (theobromine, caffeine, and theophylline), biogenic amines (phenylethylamine, tyramine, and according to one source, synephrine), amino acids (phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, others), minerals (with a high content of magnesium), numerous beneficial antioxidants, and possibly some non-psychoactive cannabanoid-related compounds.

The combination of these multiple ingredients produces a unique effect. Promotional literature makes many positive claims about chocamine, including increased energy, appetite suppression, increased lipolysis (fat burning), improved mood, improved concentration, increased alertness, improved physical performance, aphrodisiac properties, and health benefits."

For more on chocamine, check out this link

Precision Nutrition At The Arnold Classic

2007-03-04T10:37:00.000-05:00

During the last 6 weeks, myself, Coach Carter Schoffer, and the rest of the Precision Nutrition Team pushed figure superstar Valerie Waugaman like she'd never been pushed before.

Working, eating, training, supplementing, posing, sleeping, and doing it all over again the next day, all this hard work was leading up to one thing...

The Arnold Classic Figure International Contest

And as this was to be our first Arnold Classic together, we were gunning for the top, hoping to bring home the coveted Figure International title and show the figure world that Val Waugaman is one of the best in the sport.

Well, with anxious anticipation, the moment of truth finally arrived.

This past Friday, March 3rd, Val stepped onto the Arnold Classic Stage with style, beauty, and poise. And, after duking it out with the best of the best, the top 15 figure athletes in the world, Val brought home the 5th place award. Always positive and grateful, Val was very pleased with her success as she brought the very best Val Waugaman to the competitive stage.

Of course, winning the title would have been nice. And, according to many, including Flex Magazine, Val should have won the title.

" As far as the Figure International, Lado's victory was not unexpected, as she does bring a lean and beautiful physique to the stage - she had improved on her 2006 Olympia condition (she was fifth), but wasn't quite as strong as her 2006 International win. But all in all, for a sport still struggling for an identity and consistent judging criteria, it's hard to fathom rhyme or reason why one competitor edges another.

Case in point: Valerie Waugaman, who finished fifth despite what probably was the strongest total package onstage. However, until a steady and repeatable criteria emerges, it'll be hard to decipher the results of figure competitions."

Yet, for Val, a motivator, businesswoman, and role model, her involvement in figure competition isn't just about winning. It's also about health, personal pride, personal growth, and inspiring others.

So congrats to Val for her great work and awesome showing at the Arnold Classic.

PS...If you're wondering what Val did to achieve such great results, look no further than the Precision Nutrition program. Precision Nutrition forms the baseline of Val's eating plan and the Individualization Guide helps her dial it in for shows.

PPS...For more about Val's progress and her transformation, visit our Precision Nutrition Forums (membership required).

Some of the Top Fitness Minds Under One Roof

2007-03-03T11:33:00.000-05:00

I just got this note from my buddy JP at JPFitness.com and wanted to pass it along...it looks like it’s shaping up as a great industry event! I attended 2 years ago and had a blast!

Attention Fitness Enthusiasts and Professionals!!!

Mark your calendar and prepare to attend one of the best fitness seminars of 2007!

The 5th annual JP Fitness Summit will be held on April 13th & 14th in Little Rock, Arkansas, and will feature eight of the top names from the fitness industry. Alwyn Cosgrove, Chad Waterbury, Charles Staley and Bill Hartman are just a few of the speakers who will share their expertise over the course of this two day event.

The full list of speakers, and their presentation topics, is provided below. As you can see, this Summit will offer the best of the best from the training, physical therapy and nutrition sectors of the fitness industry. You just can’t miss this one!

Click here to find out more!

Your Nutrient Timing Questions Answered

2007-02-27T15:19:00.000-05:00

Just last week I sent newsletter subscribers a short article discussing nutrient timing. The article, in its brevity, was pretty straightforward. But a few questions always come up when I discuss nutrient timing - questions based on what I call 'individualization.' In other words, people want to know how nutrient timing can work for them. So here's a quick Q&A based on my interactions with readers this last week.

QUESTION
Your nutrient timing concepts suggest that most carbs should be eaten during and after exercise. However I'm an athlete and believe that I need more carbs. How do I reconcile the two?

ANSWER
This rule is primarily for recreational exercisers interested in fat loss. And, the truth is, this strategy been the most powerful in terms of body composition impact for my recreational exercisers since they're typically only exercising 3-4 times per week.

So, simply put, the typical recreational exerciser interested in fat loss does best when he or she saves his or her starches (pasta, bread, oatmeal, rice, etc) and sugary carbs (sweets, recovery drinks, sports drinks, etc) until they're exercising or immediately after.

Of course, the rules are a bit different if you're an elite athlete or a recreational exerciser interested in muscle gain or improved muscle strength. Further, the rules are a bit different based on your body type.

2007-02-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

QUESTION
So how do the rules change based on body type or goal set?

ANSWER
Here's a quick index showing how you can individualize based on your goal set or body type.

Carb Tolerance: Excellent
Typical Goal: Gain Muscle
Typical Body Type: Ectomorph
Typical Activity If An Athlete: Endurance Activity
Carb Timing Rules: Should include sugary carbs during/after each exercise session. Some starchy, whole grain, unprocessed carbs can be eaten at each other meal. Veggies and fruits (3:1 serving ratio) should be eaten at each meal.

Carb Tolerance: Moderate
Typical Goal: Body Optimization
Typical Body Type: Mesomorph
Typical Activity If An Athlete: Intermittent Sport Athlete
Carb Timing Rules: Can include sugary carbs but only during/after exercise. Starchy, whole grain, unprocessed carbs can also be eaten at breakfast and post exercise. They should be used in moderation during the rest of the day. Veggies and fruits (3:1 serving ratio) should be eaten at each meal.

Carb Tolerance: Poor
Typical Goal: Fat Loss
Typical Body Type: Endomorph
Typical Activity If An Athlete: Strength and Power Athlete
Carb Timing Rules:: All starchy and sugary carbs should be included only during/after exercise if at all. Veggies and fruits (5:1 serving ratio) should be eaten at each additional meal.

Of course, this is just a quick overview of how carb intake and timing can be customized for body type and goal set. The strategies outlined here are explained more fully in Precision Nutrition.

2007-02-27T13:33:00.000-05:00

QUESTION
This seems kind of complicated. Isn't there an easier way to do things?

ANSWER
You bet! There is an easier way to do things and the easy way is what I call Level 1 Nutritional Programming.

Level 1 is ideal for beginners. And when I say beginners, I mean nutritional beginners. You can be advanced in the gym or on the playing field yet still be a nutritional beginner.

Further, it's also ideal for those with more modest goals. If feeling better every day or modest body composition improvements are your primary goals, this level is probably right for you.

However, the strategies above are part of what I call Level 2 and 3 Nutritional Programming.

Levels 2 and 3 are ideal for those who wish to accomplish specific, aggressive goals such as competing in a physique contest, dropping body fat percentage into the mid-single digits (men) or close to single digits (women), or optimizing intake for training and competition.

These are the types of individuals who want accomplish lofty physique and performance goals and have the discipline to follow 95% (or higher) adherence, rigorously track intake, calorie-count, vary macronutrients systematically, and more.

2007-02-27T12:36:00.000-05:00

QUESTION
How can I find out more about Levels 1-3?

ANSWER
The Precision Nutrition Individualization Guide (which comes as part of the full Precision Nutrition program) contains this information and much, much more.

Dr Berardi Brings Good Nutrition to Windsor

2007-02-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

This coming Thursday, March 1st, 2007, I'll be bringing good nutrition to Windsor.

The Windsor School Board, recognizing that child and adolescent obesity rates have reached epidemic levels in the US and Canada, have begun to include nutrition and exercise in the curriculum in a more systematic way.

As a result of this focus, I've been brought in to spend Thursday with the 500+ Hugh Beaton Public School students, grades 1-8, teaching them about the importance of eating the right foods and practicing physical activity.

And Thursday night, at 7pm, I'll give a presentation on The Right Nutritional Fit For the Family. This presentation is open to the entire community and there is no cost*.

If you're interested in attending this public event, here are the details:

Location:
Hugh Beaton Public School
2229 Chilver Rd
Windsor ON N8W 2V4
Canada

Date:
Thursday March 1, 2007

Time:
7:00-8:30PM

*Donations for the Hugh Beaton Nutrition Program will be accepted. As well, I will be selling my Precision Nutrition program at the event and a portion of each sale will go back to the Nutrition Program.

Nutrient Timing - Eat Frequently and Earn Your Bread

2007-02-20T21:54:00.000-05:00

Nutrient Timing is the hot new topic in the nutrition world.

You see, in the past, traditional nutritionists spent much of their time helping clients figure out how much to eat (calorie intake) and, to a smaller extent, what to eat (good carbs vs. bad carbs; good fats vs. bad fats; etc).

And, of course, both of these approaches had immense value.

Yet most people felt like something was missing - like there was more to the nutrition puzzle. And they were right.

Nutritional science has now clearly demonstrated that nutrient timing or when to eat, is an important topic and has big implications for improved body composition, health, and day-to-day performance.

'So, what's so special about when we eat?' you ask.

Well, simply put, the body's ability to tolerate different nutrients changes throughout the day. Also, by eating at certain time intervals each day, anabolic (building/repair) hormones can be improved while catabolic (breakdown/destruction) hormones can better be controlled.

So, by feeding the body the right foods at the right times, body composition, health, and day-to-day performance can be improved.

Here are some strategies for improving your nutrient timing.

1) Eat frequently - every 2-4 hours: Researchers at Georgia State University have demonstrated that eating frequently can lead to: better glucose tolerance, decreased insulin response to meals, decreased blood cortisol, decreased blood lipids (fats), decreased body fat, and maintainance of metabolic rate.
That's right, you can control your sugars, control your cholesterol and triglycerides, decrease your body fat, and improve your lean mass by eating frequently. (Of course, you have to eat the right stuff too!)
2) Take advantage of post-workout fat burning: Within 1-2 hours after exercise, the body prioritizes fat burning while, at the same time, prioritizing carbohydrate storage. This is a unique phenomenon as the body typically burns a mixture of carbs and fat. Therefore, after the workout there's a great fat-burning window. This is great news if you've got some fat to lose!
3) Use during and post-workout carbs intelligently: As a result of the body's post-exercise shift in fuel burning/storage, carbohydrates eaten during and after exercise are much less likely to provoke fat storage than they would be during the rest of the day. They're stored instead, forcing the body to burn more fat.

The take home message here is this: you've gotta earn your bread by exercising first!

So, in the end, using nutrient timing to your advantage means, among other things, eating every 2-4 hours, saving your higher carb meals (those meals rich in sugars or starches until during/after exercise) and eating meals composed of lean proteins, healthy fats, and veggies and fruits the rest of the day.

Starting out with these simple nutrition strategies can bring you a long way toward an improved eating plan and an improved physique.

Maximizing the Metabolism

2007-02-13T01:14:00.000-05:00

Last week I sent out an email to newsletter subcribers discussing 5 ways to maximize the metabolism. The response was nothing short of staggering. So I figured I'd share more on this important topic here:

QUESTION
If someone does everything right (i.e. in terms of both exercise and nutrition), what kind of jump in metabolism can you get?

ANSWER
The typical North American sees a 10% reduction in metabolism per decade and this is directly correlated with a drop in both physical activity and energy intake as we age. However, with the strategies outlined in the metabolism article I sent out, this metabolic decline can be prevented entirely. Further, by systematically applying them, people can increase their metabolic rates by 40-60%. For those keeping score, that's a huge jump in metabolism!

For more on age-related metabolic decline, read this study.

2007-02-12T19:22:00.000-05:00

QUESTION
Do you feel your metabolism has changed much since you were a 19 year old bodybuilder? Do you expect it to change much in the next 10-20 years?

ANSWER
Not much, although it has for sure changed. When I was 19 years old, I was a hard-training, big eating competitive bodybuilder and walked around with a body fat % of about 10-12% year round. Now, about 14 years later, I walk around with a body fat % of around 6-8%. So I've been able to keep my metabolism high over the years and keep myself in great shape.

However, I will say this; as I've gotten older I've had to increase my weekly physical activity levels and fine tune my nutrition - Precision Nutrition style . So the metabolism has come down a bit.

Yet this isn't due to AGE-RELATED metabolic decline; rather, it's due to LIFESTYLE-RELATED metabolic decline. You see, most of my days are currently spent at a desk and therefore my total physical activity levels are much-reduced from when I was 19. Therefore I have to make up for this total decrease in energy expenditure with more purposeful physical activity (about 5-7 hours of exercise a week at the gym) and much more intentional eating.

In the next 10-20 years I expect to be able to maintain this foundation I built, however I know it's imperative to keep my physical activity levels up. The studies show that the metabolism only decreases when physical activity levels drop over the years. So the key is not to let them drop.

2007-02-12T18:27:00.000-05:00

QUESTION
What about female readers? Let's say they are 35, with 3 kids, and a sedentary job, but exercise intensely 3 times per week. What else can they do to increase their metabolism, and can they turn 'back the metabolism' clock by 10 years?

ANSWER
In the article I sent out the other day, I isolated the 5 key metabolic targets. They work for man, woman, and child - metabolic physiology is metabolic physiology. By hitting each target, the metabolism can be maximally stimulated. Yet it's important for many females to remember that ALL 5 must be targeted.

Hours of cardio cannot accomplish what's outlined above. And very infrequently can 3 exercise sessions per week at 30-45 minutes accomplish it. It typically takes a minimum of 5 hours of exercise per week to achieve an awesome body - sometimes more.

In fact, to see exactly what it takes, readers can download 3 metabolic workouts and a discussion of time-saving strategies - all designed for those who consider themselves 'too busy to boost'. Here's the link.

2007-02-12T17:59:00.000-05:00

QUESTION
What about fat loss supplements? Do any of these work? Can you really boost your metabolism with a pill to a significant amount, or are they just glorified caffeine pills?

ANSWER
Do fat burners work? Yes, some do. Some speed up the metabolism, some increase the release and burning of body fat, some decrease appetite, and more. And others do nothing whatsoever.

Heck, with over 29,000 supplements and natural health products on the market, there's bound to be more that don't work than do.

But let's assume that you've got in your hands a fat burner that does 'work' and does produce metabolic and weight loss benefits. Well, these benefits can also come at a cost. A small % of stimulant users experience mood disturbances, heart abnormalities, erectile difficulties, and other side effects from the use of such powerful metabolic stimulants. So, as with any powerful medication, a cost-benefit analysis should be done to determine use.

For more on supplements, check out my supplement review section.