Shed pounds with a protein shake?

It seems as though high protein diets and protein supplements have received a stereotype that they are solely for athletes, bodybuilders, or people looking to “bulk up.” In reality, everyone can benefit from a high protein diet, especially those interested in weight loss….That’s right, I said weight loss! I don’t know how many times I’ve recommended protein shakes to female clients and they look at me with a “you must be crazy look.” It seems as though in their minds they automatically associate protein shakes with bulking up or getting huge.  I reassure them that you won’t get “huge” by simply consuming a protein shake after you exercise or randomly throughout the day (if only it were that easy!).

Our lab (Exercise & Sports Nutrition Lab at Texas A&M University) has continually shown that a high protein diet when combined with a resistance training program is the most successful way to lose weight.  First of all, I should clarify that when I say a high protein diet it doesn’t mean that you should consume extra calories in the form of protein.  What it means, is that a higher proportion of your daily calories should be coming from protein (~55-60% of your daily calories).   

The theory behind a high protein diet is that it will help you maintain your muscle mass which is an active tissue that continually burns calories.  Otherwise, you will see people who lose both muscle and fat during a weight loss program which in turn lowers their daily energy expenditure and makes it harder to lose weight.  Also, it's important to remember that in order to lose weight, you will need to lower your calorie consumption or at least make sure that you are burning more than you are consuming. 

This type of weight loss program (a high protein diet) coincides nicely with a resistance training exercise program (specifically high intensity circuit styles of training) because it will actually add muscle mass which again will increase your daily energy expenditure (boost your metabolism). But again, don’t worry because this doesn’t mean you are going to get huge.  So in conclusion, don’t be afraid to grab that protein shake!

BMI is NOT TMI

BMI vs. Body Fat Percent

Ok, this is something that’s bothered me for a while and I just wanted to clear the air a bit.  The terms body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage are both used to classify people as normal, overweight and obese.  However, there is a clear difference in the way these two terms are used to analyze a person’s body weight and composition and therefore should not be used interchangeably. 

BMI is just a ratio of a person’s mass (in kilograms) to their height (in meters²) or kg/m² and as a result doesn’t give any information about a person’s body composition.  This measurement should only really be used for the general population and more specifically those who are sedentary because it doesn’t incorporate any information about a person’s actual body composition, specifically muscle mass.  According to this measurement bodybuilders and athletes, who typically have very low levels of body fat, are classified as overweight or in some instances obese.  This happens because they generally have large amounts of muscle mass and because BMI is just a ratio of weight to height, a larger muscle mass will increase their body weight while leaving the height unchanged and as a result the ratio is increased.

On the other hand, a body fat percentage is a more accurate measurement of a person’s actually body composition and should be used to classify a person as overweight or not.  This will give you very specific information about how much body fat and lean mass (fat free mass) a person has.  That’s why body fat percentages should be used as the standard for classifying people as overweight or not.

I do realize that a BMI is a lot easier and quicker to attain because all you need is a person’s height and weight instead of equipment needed to measure body fat percentage but if at all possible try to use the latter!

Are you getting enough water?

Alright,
It only seems appropriate that I start off by writing about water and hydration, or lack there of.  Last weekend I found myself playing 11 softball games in 2 days in the Texas heat and no matter what I did to stay on top of my hydration, it seemed as though the water was going right through me.

Water may be the single most important ergogenic aid period, plus it's free!  The body is made up of about 70-75% water, so it only makes sense that our bodies need it the most.  Sweating is the primary way that our body loses water and the average person can lose anywhere from 1-3 lbs of sweat per hour (.8-1.4L/hr).  It doesn't take much for a loss in body water to begin to affect one's performance. In fact, as little as a 2% loss in body water can lead to a 22% decrease in performance! That's the difference between hitting the game winning free throw and losing to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals even though you stacked your team (but that's a story for another day).  Extreme losses in body water can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke.  There are several signs that you can look for if you suspect you are becoming dehydrated: thirst, fatigue, nausea, light-headedness, and/or dark urine.  The best way to monitor your hydration status is to weigh yourself before and after exercise (the change in weight is likely due to water loss).  Another easy way is to monitor the color of your urine ( I know it sounds gross).  The darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are.  So always strive for that clear color! 

Tips for Staying Hydrated Exercise:
1.  Consume 2 cups (~500ml) of water 1-2 hrs before exercise.
2.  Consume 6-8 oz every 10-15 min during exercise.
3.  For every pound of weight you lost during exercise, you should replace it with 2 cups of water.

A simple rule to live by: if you feel thirsty, then you're already slightly dehydrated. You should always carry around a water bottle, especially if you are exercising in the heat!

Opening Day

Greetings,
  Just started the "High Performance" blog today. My goal is to use "High Performance" as a way to spread information about different aspects of sports performance. I plan to incorporate different posts about sports nutrition, training ideas, information about general health & wellness, and pretty much anything having to do about sports & fitness.  I've included a few helpful links at the bottom of the page that provide great information on sports nutrition, supplementation guidelines and the latest research in exercise physiology.