As a parent, you have many obligations and responsibilities to juggle, all centered on your kids. You constantly serve as an example, not just when they are little, but throughout their lives. These obligations and burdens mean that you are a constant role model; you are the person that your kids look up to.

This means that how you take care of yourself will have an impact in shaping your children’s health over the course of their lives, too. If you are overweight, and do not take the time to exercise and manage your health, how can you expect your children to do so? If you see exercise as a chore or a burden, how long before your kids pick up that attitude from you and carry it forward throughout their lives?

Obesity is something that is determined in part by genetics, but is mediated by several other factors as well, among them diet, exercise, and activity level. Kids are, by nature, high energy. They are always running and shrieking when they are little, and burn off lots of energy by playing.

Make that your focus. Take the time to play with them. Do not make exercise ‘trudge on the treadmill’. Make it, “OK, let’s go to the park and play ultimate Frisbee”. Do things together as a family. Plan family hikes, walks, and bike rides. Use them as an excuse to get some exercise together and talk about the day. If the weather is really cold and your time is limited you may consider buying a kids fitness video that can be utilized by the whole family. My kids fitness video entitled “Fantastically Fit Kids Workout” can be utilized for those times when outdoor or extracurricular activities aren’t a choice.

How much exercise is enough? In general, try to get 30 to 60 minutes of low-level exercise per day, whether it is walking through the park at a brisk pace, running with the dog, or chasing your kids around the playground with a super soaker. Whatever you do, make it fun.

Give your kids some input into what activities you will do as a family. Some kids get into competition and sports, while some would rather do something fun that does not involve proving that they are better than anyone else. In particular, pay attention to your introverted children and let them know that what they want to do matters and that they will not get bullied by their older, more assertive siblings.

Since your kids will learn from your example, make sure you are setting the right one. If you are not taking the time to run around and play, they will emulate you and, once a child becomes obese, they can get ’stuck’ in that health problem for the rest of their lives.

For more information about kids fitness go to: Fitness3.com/kids

By Peter Marino

Posh Fitness.com

info@poshfitness.com

800. 577. 2989

Doctors, trainers and various other sports medicine professionals are all sure to tell you that eating healthy is part of being a successful athlete. What is not always mentioned is the need and requirement that you actually put forth the time and effort to create a very balanced diet. This includes the use of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, three components that are typically considered bad nutrients.

The thinking that is required of athletes not only in training but in nutritional situations is to consider food as a form of energy. Eating the right food can provide benefits to the body in extended energy and better muscle mass, while omitting the vital components can result in muscle fatigue, weakened muscles, deteriorating muscles, and even exhaustion to just mention a few problems. This leaves athletes with the responsibility of working closely with their doctors and coaches to develop an appropriate diet based upon their individual athletic abilities.

In order to be successful, especially when doing endurance or strength intensive sports, it is important to have the necessary muscle strength to perform the activity in an optimal fashion. If you are not consuming the correct nutrients, you are harming your body. However, there is more to proper nutrition than simply eating a small amount of the nutrients.

For example, protein is a nutrient that many people have tried omitting in recent fad diets. The bad news for athletes is that protein is a requirement in order to help build and maintain muscle mass. This results in athletes who cut protein from their diet losing muscle strength as well as mass, which can ultimately alter their performance, strength, and even health in the long term. Because of the benefits of consuming protein for athletes, it is vital that enough protein be consumed to keep the muscles in proper shape.

A rough guideline that is standard to use is you need to consume .08 grams of protein for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight each and every day for inactive adults. For people trying to lose weight it is recommended that they take in a minimum of 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight due to their decreased caloric intake.(1) For athletes who are involved in endurance sports the number increases to 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram per day, and for those athletes who are involved in intense strength training activities the number jumps to as much as 1.7 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. (2)

In addition to the general guidelines that are set forth there are also times when it may be beneficial to increase protein consumption to assist in a muscle injury healing. When this is a consideration, you should talk to your sports medicine doctor and get their exact recommendation on the amount and timing of protein consumption in accordance with your over-all routine. Usually the key times to consume more protein are first thing in the morning and immediately after a workout.

It is essential that you always carefully discuss your exact protein requirements with your sports medicine doctor as well as your coach/trainer anytime you start a new athletic activity, and especially if you are enduring a rigorous training routine. Doing so will ensure that your body continues to develop and maintain the muscle mass that is needed to sustain the athletic activity of your choice.
If you plan to modify your protein consumption, it is vital that you first discuss the risks with your sports medicine doctor and consult to see if any other dietary changes could help you achieve the results you wish to achieve. Remember, protein is a necessary component to help you ensure that you are creating and maintaining muscle mass, which is a requirement for all athletic activities, but protein is only one piece of the puzzle and a complete nutritional plan is necessary for optimal performance and muscle gains.

By Peter Marino
President
Fitness3.com

References:
1. K. C Maki, T. M Rains, V. N Kaden, K. R Raneri, and M. H Davidson
March 1, 2007; Effects of a reduced-glycemic-load diet on body weight, body composition, and cardiovascular disease risk markers in overweight and obese adults, Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, 85(3): 724 – 734.
2. Lemon, Peter. (1996). Is Increased Dietary Protein Necessary or Beneficial for Individuals with a Physically Active Lifestyle? Nutrition Reviews, 54, S169-S173.

Disclaimer:
The information, including opinions and recommendations, contained in this website is for educational purposes only. Such information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. No one should act upon any information provided in this website without first seeking medical advice from a qualified medical physician.

You’ve probably read numerous articles on dieting for a bodybuilding competition. Too many of these articles use unconventional techniques with no scientific basis. This is a solid explanation of basic fundamentals for effectively dieting your body fat down in preparation for a contest. It’s scientifically based and it’s specific for contest preparation.
Assessing Body Composition

You need an accurate assessment of your body composition. Have your body fat percentage measured at a health club, a local university (by the exercise physiology department), or a local hospital. You should aim for a body fat percentage between 2-4% by contest time; so you must determine how much fat you have to lose. For example, a bodybuilder weighs 200 pounds with 10% body fat, so he has 20 pounds of fat (200 x .10). To get down to 2% body fat, he would need to lose 16 pounds of fat.

Basic Nutrition

You must have a basic understanding of nutrition. Here is a quick run down of the most important things you need to know in order to make a pre contest diet. A pre contest diet is very restrictive and potentially unhealthy. Therefore, the diet should be done in the shortest time possible. In fact, your off season body fat should not exceed 8-10%. If your body fat is within this range it should take 12-16 weeks to get it down to 2-4% body fat, which is usually the body fat of a bodybuilder on the day of the contest.

• There are 9 calories per gram of fat, 4 calories per gram of protein and 4
  calories per gram of carbohydrate;
  
• Complex carbohydrates should be the only carbohydrates eaten; except after a work-out when simple sugars can be eaten (a list below will show the best carbohydrate sources);
  
• Only extra lean sources of protein are to be eaten (a list below will show
  the best protein sources);
  
• A moderate consumption of fiber should be eaten at each meal;
  
• All grams should be counted for each meal to keep you on the right
  rack.

Calories Needed For Your Weight

Number of Calories Per Day

In order to find out how many calories you need in a day you must use a precise measurement. This is done by using the same method registered dietitians use, the Harris Benedict Equation. To make this equation easier:

• Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms. Take your weight in pounds
  and divide it by 2.2. For example: 190 lb / 2.2 = 86.3 kg;
  
• Convert your height from inches to centimeters. Take your height in inches
  and multiply it by 2.54. For example: 67 in. x 2.54 = 170.1 cm.

Listed below are the equations, for both men and women, in order to calculate your Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE). Your BEE is the amount of energy you need in order to maintain your weight with no activity level. Therefore, your BEE is also equal to your total calories needed when you are active and trying to lose weight.

• Males:
  
  66 + [13.7 x (weight in kg)] + [5.0 x (height in cm)] -
  [6.8 x (age in yrs)] = BEE (in calories);
  
• Females:
  
  655 + [9.6 x (weight in kg)] + [1.8 x (height in cm)]
  – [4.7 x (age in yrs)] = BEE (in calories);

Number of Calories Per Meal

After calculating your BEE (Basal Energy Expenditure, or target daily caloric intake for fat loss), you have to break up your calories into at least 6 meals a day. This is simple enough. For example, if your BEE is 1300, then 1300 calories divided by 6 meals = 216 calories per meal.

Converting Calories Into
Grams of Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat

We now have to figure out how many grams of protein, carbohydrate, and fat to eat in each meal by dividing the calories among the macro nutrients, i.e. protein, carbohydrates, and fats. The following distribution is for pre contest dieting only. These percentages should not be followed for more than 16 weeks at a time:
 

Protein	40-45%
Carbohydrates	45-50%
Fat*	10-15%

(*A minimum of 10% is required or a serious essential fatty acid deficiency can develop. Note: These percentages happen to work well for me but everybody is different and you may have to modify these percentages slightly.)

Let us assume that the person dieting needs 216 calories per meal, 40% protein, 50% carbohydrate, and 10% fat. The following formulas would be used:  

MACRO NUTRIENT	TOTAL CALORIES  PER MEAL	x	%	=	CALORIES*
Protein	216	x	.40	=	86
Carbohydrate	216	x	.50	nbsp;=	108
Fat	216	x	.10	=	22

(*Convert these calories into grams by dividing each one by its caloric content as stated earlier

MACRO NUTRIENT	CALORIES  PER GRAM
Protein	4
Carbohydrate	4
Fat	9

The final step:  

MACRO NUTRIENT	CALORIES   PER MEAL	DIVIDED  BY	CALORIES   PER GRAM	=	GRAMS
Protein	86	<div align=”center”/	4	=	21
Carbohydrate	108	/	4	=	27
Fat	22	/	9	=	2

Now you know the exact number of grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat
that should be eaten at each meal.

Preparing the Right Meal

Okay, now you know the grams for each macronutrient for each meal, but you need to know what the best foods are for losing body fat.  Listed below are the best sources of each macronutrient excluding fat because it is in lean meats and protein powders you are eating.

Combine any three, one from each column, and you have a pre-contest meal.  Portion size will depend on the amount of grams you are permitted at each meal.

PROTEIN	CARBOHYDRATE	FIBER
Turkey Breast	Oatmeal	Broccoli
Designer Protein Powder	Rice	Kale
Chicken Breast	Whole Wheat Bread	Spinach
Tuna	Baked Potato	Bell Peppers
Sole or Flounder	Rice Cake	Cauliflower
Red Snapper	Grits	Brocco-flower
Perch	Cream of Wheat	Green Leafy Lettuce
Halibut	Farina	Romaine Lettuce
Egg Whites	Pasta	Collard Greens

Fiber
Fiber has various benefits for bodybuilders:

• Fiber aids to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates which has a direct
  effect on insulin.  A bodybuilder wants stable insulin levels as insulin spiking can cause the deposition of fat into adipose (fatty) tissue;
  
• Fiber from vegetables releases medium chain triglycerides in the intestines which act as a good source of fuel without the worry of fat deposition.  This is especially good when carbohydrate and fat levels are extremely low;
  
• The kind of fiber I recommend is from cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflower, bell peppers, and green leafy vegetables) which are nutrient dense with little to no calories;
  
  
• Last but not least, fiber prevents constipation.

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Monitoring Your Progress

It is very important to monitor your progress accurately. Track your weight with a scale, your measurements with a tape measure, and your body fat percentage with skinfold calipers or another accurate body-fat measure.  Of course the most accurate measure is the mirror.  If you are looking defined you will know it. However, always get another critical opinion that will tell you the truth regardless of how cruel it is… for me it is my brother.

Even if you are doing everything right, your body doesn’t always respond like you want it to.  This is the purpose for continually monitoring your progress.  If you are not losing body-fat as quickly as you’d like add aerobic exercise to your routine doing 20 minutes per workout separate from your weight training.  Initially do the aerobic exercise 2-3 times per week; if your body-fat still has not decreased increase the aerobics to 4-5 times per week.  As a natural bodybuilder your body is prone to catabolism which can result from extended aerobic work-outs and lead to loss of hard earned muscle.

On the other hand, you may lose weight too rapidly which can accompany muscle loss.  In this case you would slightly increase your protein and carbohydrate intake.  Any alterations should be done in small increments and recorded carefully.

Every pre-contest diet is a learning experience.  In order to learn from each experience you must accurately record every detail; what you eat, how you train, your body weight, your body composition, your measurements, and how you feel.

If this process seems a little complex, it is!  Dieting is a science and each body has slightly different laws by which they function.  However, we are all alike in how we gain and lose body-fat.  It is merely a question of how much or how little we need to obtain the desired result.

Peter Marino can be contacted at: petermarino@fitness3.com
For info, calorie calculators and diet planning go to Fitness3.com and click on free health services icon for calculators page.

To see the originally formatted article (no big spaces like on this page) click here: Pre-Contest Dieting

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