Nutrition Fundamentals

JOEL MARION CISSN, NSCA-CPT

2007 Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC

TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUALITY MACRONUTRIENT INTAKE
Fat Carbohydrate Protein 4 4 6 7 8 8 8 9 10 11 13 16

MAXIMAL CALORIES, OPTIMAL FAT BURNING

The Deadly Combination Carbohydrate Timing Meal Frequency

Putting it All Together

WORKOUT NUTRITION FUNDAMENTAL NUTRITION TIPS ABOUT THE AUTHOR

body with the right foods in the right amounts to achieve your goals; theres

factor when it comes to obtaining the body you want. You need to fuel your

Nutrition, although often overlooked, is probably the most important

simply no way around it. That said, things arent as simple as just eat healthy, you can expect to see in your nutrition program.

either. In this manual well explore some of the fundamental elements of things

QUALITY MACRONUTRIENT INTAKE

nutrients, all of which play an important role in getting the most from your take a minute and distinguish between those types of each you should be consuming and those youll want to be wary of. Protein, carbohydrate, and fat make up the three major or macroefforts in the gym. But not all proteins, carbs, and fats are created equal. Lets

Fat
created equal. While some are indeed unhealthy, many are healthful and can different types. Trans-fat The process of hydrogenation, in which hydrogen is bubbled through Dietary fat has gotten a bad rap over the years, but again not all fats are

contribute immensely to your muscle building efforts. Lets take a look at few

naturally occurring unsaturated fats for the purpose of increasing product shelf life, transforms these fragile fats into the man-made dietary demon known as

trans-fatty acids or trans-fats. Because trans-fatty acids do not occur in nature with them once ingested. Even an extremely small intake of trans-fats has been

(with rare exception), our bodies are not equipped with mechanisms to deal shown to result in negative health consequences, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, immune dysfunction, and dementia. Needless to say, these should be avoided. To avoid trans-fats, take a look at the product label and list of ingredients. avoid anything containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils on its deep fried at high temperatures (i.e. fried chicken, French fries, etc).

Other sources of trans-fat include foods that have been

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are considered to be

essential (meaning, the body is unable to make them and they can only be obtained by dietary means). These fats possess a myriad of health benefits, but as a result of modern processing and agriculture, are scarce in the American food supply. They are, however, abundant in cold water fish and marine oils and can also be found in more moderate amounts in flax seeds and flaxseed products. To name just a few of the health benefits these wonder fats possess: they have been shown to decrease the risk for developing heart disease and cancer, decrease blood cholesterol, improve cholesterol ratio, decrease blood pressure, improve liver and kidney function, reduce joint pain, improve vision, improve diabetic conditions, decrease occurrence and intensity of migraine headache, reduce stress, and increase metabolic rate.
One way to ensure you are getting enough Omega-3, especially if you are

not regularly consuming fish as a part of your diet, is to supplement with fish oil capsules.

extremely delicate and prone to rancidity; therefore, unless encapsulated, they should be refrigerated and stored in containers where their exposure to light is minimal.

Another important thing to note is that these fatty acids are

Monounsaturated Fat Monounsaturated fats are relatively stable, making them a good choice They have been shown to boost

for cooking at moderate temperatures.

immune function, support healthy hormone levels (which are extremely important for optimal fat burning and muscle building), and decrease the risk for developing cancer and heart disease. Additionally, olive oila great source

Other good sources of monounsaturates include: canola oil, almonds and almond butter, avocado, hazelnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts.
further fight disease and aging by attacking dangerous free radicals.

of monounsaturated fatis rich in antioxidants, particularly Vitamin E, which

Saturated Fat and Animal Fat Often we are advised to avoid red meat and other animal products

because of their saturated fat content. In fact, the terms saturated fat and

animal fat are used almost interchangeably by the media and many health professionals today. While avoiding an excessive intake of saturated fats is a half of the fat in red meat is unsaturated. good idea in general, most anti-beef advocates fail to realize that more than saturate found in beef and dairy products is stearic acida saturate whose reducing intestinal cholesterol absorption. Furthermore, the most common

consumption has been shown to decrease plasma and liver cholesterol by prevent arterial clotting and the formation of fatty deposits within the arteries, so dont let the hype deter you from sitting down every so often to enjoy a tender, flavorful steak. Also, stearic acid intake helps to

Carbohydrates
main issue with carbohydrates is how fast a particular carb source is broken For example, highly refined carbohydrates (such as white bread) and simple fiber-rich, unrefined sources tend to be digested more slowly and yield a steady, controlled release of sugar. Typically, a blood sugar spike yields a spike As was the case with fats, not all carbohydrates are created equal. The

down to its simplest form (sugar/glucose) and released into the bloodstream. sugars are digested quickly and enter the blood at a relatively rapid rate, while

in the hormone insulin (insulin is a storage hormone released from the pancreas whose function is to clear sugar from the bloodstream), while a steady release of sugar into the bloodstream yields a steady, controlled release of refined carbs and simple sugars) can be detrimental both to your physique and

insulin. Chronic high levels of insulin (caused by regularly consuming highly overall health. Spikes in insulin lead to more fat storage and less fat burning. Also, regular consumption of insulin spiking foods can lower your sensitivity to insulin, a condition which can eventually result in type II diabetes. So, good bad carbs are those that spike blood sugar and cause the pancreas to pour out massive amounts of insulin. The one exception to this rule is during and after weight training, which we will discuss later.

carbs would be those that digest slowly and have a low insulin response and

use something known as the glycemic index. The Glycemic Index

In order to determine if a carbohydrate digests quickly or slowly, we can

how fast they cause blood sugar to rise.

The Glycemic index is a system in which foods are ranked according to With the GI system, all foods are

assigned a numerical value that is representative of that foods effect on blood

sugar relative to the standardglucose (there is also a scale in which white are numerous foods that digest more rapidly than white bread and therefore

bread is the standard; however, it is not as common nor as useful since there end up having higher values than the standard). Because glucose is the simplest sugar and is the compound all carbs are converted to before being released into the bloodstream, it makes for a pretty good standard. On the GI scale, glucose is assigned the value of 100, and as stated previously, all other values are relative to this figure. For example, oat bran has a GI of 50, meaning that oat

bran is digested and released into the blood stream at 1/2 the rate of glucose. GIs between 55 and 70 are labeled as moderate, and anything 70 or above To give more meaning to these numbers, a GI of 55 or less is considered low,

constitutes a high GI. As mentioned previously, we want to choose foods that

elicit a steady, controlled blood sugar response, so low to moderate GI foods are during and after weight training).

the carbs of choice in most circumstances (again, the one exception being

Protein
noted of which is the maintenance and repair of various bodily tissues, including muscle tissue. protein is needed to carry out the aforementioned function; however, there are other reasons beyond tissue repair and maintenance to make protein a staple macronutrient in any dietary regime. First, protein has the greatest thermic Many people will argue that only a small amount of dietary Protein serves several functions within the body, the most commonly

effect of feeding (TEF). TEF is the amount of energy required to digest the food calories through eating. Protein ingestion also stimulates the secretion of the

we eat; therefore, a protein-rich diet will actually allow you to burn more hormone glucagon, a hormone with antagonistic properties to those of insulin. In other words, glucagon helps to minimize insulins negative effects on fat storage, allowing you to eat more without additional fat gain. Furthermore,

glucagon also inhibits the activity of several other enzymes playing a role in fat

storage. Simply put, a diet rich in protein leads to less fat storage and greater Premium Web-based nutrition program.

fat burning, which is why well be including protein with every meal in your

from meat, eggs, and dairy products (including milk protein powders such as body. Other proteins such as vegetable, soy, and grain proteins are inferior and should not constitute the majority of protein consumed in the diet.

As with carbohydrates and fat, not all proteins are created equal. Protein

whey and casein) have a high biological value and are fully utilized within the

MAXIMAL CALORIES, OPTIMAL FAT BURNING

proteins, lets take a look at how to fuel our metabolisms by eating optimal while still keeping our bodies in fat-burning mode. Now that we understand how to choose the right carbs, fats, and amounts of each of these macronutrients, and most importantly, how to do so

Avoiding the Deadly Combination: Carbohydrates + Fat

together poses a problem that is best avoided. We know that neither carbs nor fats are bad, but combining the two When you consume large

quantities of carbohydrate, insulin (a.k.a. the storage hormone) is released to

aid in clearing excess sugar from the blood. Add fat to the mix and now youve time. Put em together and youve got fat storage. So carbs (especially white, simple carbs) + fat is a no-no that well do our best to steer clear of.

got lots of insulin (i.e. storage) and fat floating around in the blood at the same

possible macronutrient combinations for each meal, protein and fat, which well refer to as P+F meals and protein and carbs, which well call P+C meals.

Because protein will be included with every meal, we are left with two

Carbohydrate Timing
fundamentally important to ensuring you get all the muscle-building and storage properties. As alluded to earlier, the time at which carbohydrate is consumed is

recovery benefits this powerful nutrient has to offer while avoiding its fattimes in which muscle insulin sensitivity is at its peakthose times being upon awakening, the body is in a semi-fasted state having not been externally fed in This can be done by scheduling carbohydrate intake at

awakening and the hours following an intense weight training session. Upon eight or so hours. As you sleep, the body instead feeds on carbohydrate stored

in the muscle and the liver (called glycogen) leaving these stores somewhat depleted when you wake up. Because of this, these tissues are primed to suck up carbohydrate during this time.

as stored carbohydrate is used to fuel contracting muscles. Additionally, extra to pull in even more glucose into the cells.

After intense weight training, muscle glycogen stores are again depleted

glucose transporters are transferred to the surface of muscle cells allowing them

Meal Frequency
accumulation while still eating maximal calories as they allow for a better utilization to storage ratio of a given caloric intake. Meaning, all else being Eating smaller, frequent meals is another way to stave off fat

equal, if one individual were to consume 3000 calories split over 2 meals, and another individual were to consume the same 3000 calories, but split over 6 meals, the former would store most of those calories while the majority of being, there is an upper limit as to the number of calories the body can utilize 1500 calories per sittingmuch more than the body is able to utilize at one timecausing many of those calories to be stored.

calories ingested by the latter would be more readily used for energy. Reason during the average digestion period. In one example, a person is consuming

through something we touched on previously known as the thermic effect of feeding.

Another way frequent feedings help to increase energy expenditure is

numerous times each day, and that constant stimulation is keeps metabolism cranked.

With frequent feedings, your bodys digestive engine is fired up

tissue over the course of each day. When eating one or two meals daily, muscle tissue is starved for hours at a time; certainly not the ideal situation to support every few hours) each day. your gym efforts. For these reasons, we will strive to consume six meals (one

Lastly, frequent feedings provide a steady flow of nutrients to muscle

Putting it All Together

training, and also that we should avoid consuming carbs and fats together in Weve learned that carbohydrates are best eaten in the morning and after

substantial amounts. Additionally, weve discussed how frequent feedings can help us utilize, instead of store, more of the nutrients we ingest. Given this information, we can create a basic template for P+F and P+C meals for our daily diet on both training and non-training days. Heres what they look like: Non-training Days Meal 1: P+C (7 am)

Meal 2: P+C (10 am) Meal 3: P+C (1 pm) Meal 4: P+F (4 pm) Meal 5: P+F (7 pm)

Meal 6: P+F (10 pm) NOTE: All carbohydrates eaten on non-training days should be low to medium glycemic.

Training Days (based on a 5pm workout) Meal 1: P+C (7 am) Meal 3: P+F (1 pm)

Meal 2: P+F (10 am) Meal 4: P+C (5 pm) Meal 5: P+C (7 pm) Meal 6: P+F (10 pm) NOTE: Carbohydrates in meals 4 and 5 should be higher glycemic.

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*Times are for reference purposes only On training days, well strive to consume all carbohydrates in the

morning and then again after training. On non-training days, carbohydrates will be eaten exclusively in the morning.

WORKOUT NUTRITION
without a doubt the most important food you ingest each day. The goal of the workout and the time frame that follows thereafter. function to: The nutrients you consume immediately pre and post weight training are these nutrients is to keep the body in an anabolic state throughout the length of

They specifically

1. Replenish glycogen and creatine energy stores 2. Halt muscle tissue catabolism (breakdown) 3. Initiate muscle protein synthesis (growth)

that we have a short window of opportunity to take advantage of in which digested too slowly to be optimally effective during this time. Also, pre/post

Ideally, these feedings should be in liquid form as research has shown

muscle tissue is very receptive to growth and repairwhole foods are simply workout nutrition is somewhat of an exact science; simply throwing down a

meal replacement shake an hour after your workout may give you better results you to reap outstanding gains from your training. Over the years we have come

than the average Joe who consumes nothing, but it certainly isn't going to allow a long way in our understanding of pre/post workout supplemental strategies; as more research is conducted and published, we learn more about how to take advantage of this potentially very anabolic time frame. While I'm sure there is pre/post-workout beverage based on what we do know at this time: still more to be learned, here are the recommended ingredients for an optimal

1) Maltodextrin and/or Dextrose- These rapidly digested carbohydrates will quench the catabolic hormone cortisol, produce a dramatic insulin spike to replenish muscle glycogen stores which have been somewhat depleted for the purpose of shuttling nutrients into muscle tissue, and will begin

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2) Whey Protein (preferably whey hydrolysate)- Intense training causes an muscle protein balance to slip into the negative range. This fast

during exercise.

extreme amount of damage to muscle tissue at the cellular level, causing digesting protein further spikes insulin, helps bump protein balance back

3) Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)- These essential amino acids also 4) Creatine- Creatine supplementation has been shown over and over again to promote gains in strength and LBM while boosting recovery. in this beverage only makes sense. muscle uptake of creatine is maximized when insulin is high, including it Since aid in the anabolic process of protein synthesis.

up to positive values, and sparks protein synthesis (muscle growth).

As for how much of each to include, use the below figures based on lean body mass:

Maltodextrin and/or Dextrose: .6g/lb of LBM Whey Protein: .3g/lb of LBM BCAAs: 5g Creatine: 5g For our 200 lb individual at 10% body fat, this equals: Maltodextrin and/or Dextrose: 108g Whey Protein: 54g BCAAs: 5 grams Creatine: 5 grams Half of the beverage should be consumed immediately prior to weight

training (or sipped during) and the other half immediately after.

recommendation is based on the current research supporting the notion that immediately prior to or during your workout and consumed immediately following your workout) yields the greatest benefit.

This

splitting your workout beverage into two separate shakes (again, consumed

its a bit of a hassle not to mention the taste will leave much to be desired.

Now, you could purchase each of these ingredients separately, however,

Fortunately, there are a few great products that combine these ingredients in

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similar ratios to those above while being both economical and great tasting. One is Aftershock by Myogenix, and is available in Orange, Tropical, and Berry runs somewhere around $30 for 15 servings. The other is Surge Recovery by flavors. Aftershock contains all of the ingredients and when purchased online Biotest Laboratories, and is available in Original, Root Beer Float, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Raspberry flavors. The original flavor has a unique taste akin to angel food cake. Surge Recovery is similar in price for 16 servings, but does not include creatine within its ingredients; therefore, creatine would need to be by buying plain creatine monohydrate in bulk.

added, which can be easily done for about 20 cents or less per 5 gram serving

10 FUNDAMENTAL NUTRITION TIPS

1. Eat throughout the day
yields a plethora of benefits including a better utilization to storage ratio of ingested nutrients, greater thermic effect of feeding, and a more stable influx of As mentioned in the Meal Frequency section, eating throughout the day

nutrients to support muscle tissue throughout the day. Instead of eating one or two large meals, strive to break up your total caloric intake over 5-6 smaller less hungry, youll burn more calories, and ultimately youll look better because of it. meals per day, making sure to fuel your body at least every few hours. Youll be

2. Eat protein with every meal

composition. Protein is the macronutrient of choice when it comes to changes in body It possesses the highest thermic effect of feeding of all three

macronutrients and aids in the controlling of insulin and blood sugar levels through the release of the hormone glucagon. Include it as part of each meal you consume and your body will thank you because of it.

3. Avoid combining carbs and fats (in significant amounts)

triglyceride simultaneously is certainly a recipe for fat storage. So what are we Ah yes, back to the deadly combination. High blood levels of insulin and

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going to do about it? Well skip the combination in favor of protein + carb and gram of fat or that P+F meals cant have any carbs whatsoeverheres the rule: keep the gram total for the minimized nutrient under 10 grams for that meal. That means less than 10 grams of carbs for P+F meals and less than 10 grams of fat for P+C meals.

protein + fat meals. Now, thats not to say that P+C meals cant have a single

4. Time your carb intake

times of day, one being immediately in the morning after an overnight fast and the other being both during and immediately after weight training. These are Your body is most sensitive to soaking up carbohydrate at two different

the times of day when insulin sensitivity is highest and muscle tissue is literally

craving carbohydrate, so it makes sense to eat your protein + carbohydrate meals at this time. The other times of day are when youll be eating your protein + fat meals, which brings us to our next tip.

5. Dont neglect the fat

its hormone optimizing effects. Simply put, if you want to build lean muscle you have to make sure your natural anabolic, muscle-building hormones are Strive to consume roughly 25-30% of your total calorie intake from fat to keep your anabolic hormones in the optimal zone. where they need to bea healthy fat intake keeps you covered in this regard. Fat is a critically important nutrient to building a better body because of

6. Come back to earth!

premise is this: the further a food is away from its earthly, natural state, the appear in nature. For example, a potato chip is quite a ways away from a potato This is a simple tip that makes choosing the right foods a cinch and the

worse it is for you. Therefore, concentrate on consuming foods the way they and a box of frosted flakes isnt quite the natural grains those flakes originated mostly whole foods. And if it comes in a box, seriously think twice before eating it. I dont know about you, but I havent seen many boxes growing out of the ground lately.

from. Basically, do your best to steer clear of heavy processing and stick with

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7. Eat more veggies

Vegetables, particularly green veggies, are full of vitamins, minerals, health This is a no-brainer and goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip.

promoting phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fiber all while carrying very little caloric value. In fact, because of their fiber content and extremely high volume to calorie ratio you can more or less eat green veggies in literally any quantity anytime you wanttheyre absolutely fantastic for curbing hunger and increasing the satiety of any meal. Additionally, theyre also great as between meal or late night snacks. Almost everyone can stand to eat more veggies, and health, satiety, and dietary adherence. theres no reason not to when you realize their value when it comes to overall

8. If it has calories, dont drink it

calories each day? Want a quick and easy way to easily get rid of three to five hundred Simply ditch the calorie containing drinksand yes, that ore: eat an orange.

means fruit juice, too. Now, if youre concerned about the nutritional value in a glass of orange juice, heres a simple way to get it, and m

The actual fruit is more satisfying, more nutritious, and contains loads of fiber that you wont get by solely consuming the juice. The juice of any fruit on the other hand packs at least a whopping 100 calories (of pure sugar) in each small 8-ounce serving that does utterly nothing to satisfy your hunger. water. again, if it has calories, skip it in lieu of something that doesnt, preferably

So, once

9. Get your workout nutrition no matter what

nothing else right on a particular day, at bare minimum make sure you get your impossible to see substantial results from your training. This is hands down the most important feeding of the day. If you do

workout nutrition. Without it, muscle tissue suffers to recover and its next to

important. Bottom line: make sure to get your workout nutritionno matter what.

It really is that

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10. Embrace the value of strategic cheating

Loss Hormone, you can do so now by clicking here. Strategic cheating is without a doubt the most powerful weapon you can have in your fat loss arsenal as it works with your body psychologically to increase dietary adherence and physiologically to avoid the adaptations of chronic calorie restriction, keeping fat burning at its peak week after week.
If you havent already downloaded my free report The Secret Fat

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

is the author of over one hundred fitness and nutrition articles for popular health and fitness magazines, both in print and on the Web. He serves as a member of the Mens Fitness Training Advisory Team and has appeared on CBS, Joel Marion CISSN, NSCA-CPT, and 2001 Body-for-Life Grand Champion

NBC, Sirius Satellite Radio, and numerous other media outlets across the country to discuss his breakthrough fat loss and muscle building methods.

consultant to a wide variety of clients including doctors, lawyers, business to improve his or her appearance. Learn more at www.JoelMarion.net

In addition to his writing, Joel is a highly sought after lecturer and a

professionals, athletes, and models as well as the average Joe and Jane looking

DISCLAIMER
is not intended for use as a substitute for consultation or advice given by a The information in this manual is strictly for information purposes only. It qualified medical practitioner, health practitioner, or fitness professional. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision.

Before beginning any exercise and diet program, you should consult a physician.

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