Try this recipe on for a quick snack that is Ricky approved
Almond Iced Coffee (courtesy of TMuscle)
In a shaker bottle, add:
8 to 12oz of Almond Milk (flavor of your choice)
1 scoop of vanilla whey protein (try natural factors brand)
1 packet of stevia (not splenda)(add this packet only if needed)
1 serving of instant coffee
Handful of ice
Shake vigorously.
Try it and post thoughts to comments.
Nutrition Label Lies and Loopholes: Serving Size Sleight of Hand, by Tom Venuto - The Huffington Post
Post thoughts and questions to comments.
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Remember, what I post here is not always what I believe or follow. It is merely to bring about discussion and to make you think a little. Don't take what you read to always be the only way. Everyone has an opinion and/or hidden agendas.
Read the articles, watch the videos, visit the websites. Develop your own philosophy and help others. What works for you may not work for someone else. It's all about principles not the marketing that is trying to win you.
We have vegetarians/vegans that workout in our gym and even though I don't believe or follow that path, who am I to judge their eating habits. As long as they are getting adequate amounts of all macro-nutrients throughout the day (this depends on activity and human size) then that is all that matters. You may be low on some vitamins and minerals with a meat-less diet but this also holds true with a meat-eating diet as well.
One thing holds true among both types of groups, the ingestion of many different kinds and colors of vegetables (organic being the best) is key. Another good rule of thumb is to make sure that you are getting an adequate amount of good fats. We as humans take in way too many Omega-6 fatty acids in relation to Omega-3 fatty acids. We are looking for a 1 to 2:1 relationship but most American diets are more like a 20:1 relationship.
Most of your fats should come from Mono/Poly - Unsaturated fats, a little less from saturated (but please don't be afraid of saturated fats), and pretty much nothing from trans-fats. If you aren't taking in a super ton of fish oils (Omega-3), you are missing out. We are looking for 1/2 to 1 gram per 10 pounds of body-weight. This means that if you weigh 200 pounds, you will need to take in anywhere from 10 to 20 grams a day. Yes a day!
Finally, make sure you are getting in protein. Preferably in the form of meat (free-range, grass-fed being the best) but again, I ain't judging. Just get it in. As a crossfitter who is also active in other ways (strength, runner, biker, sports, etc.), I would suggest in the vicinity of 1 gram per pound of body-weight. If you are a crossfitter only, I'd drop that number to about .7 to .8 grams per pound of body-weight. These are all estimations and may not work for everyone. You gotta find what works best for you.
This is just the beginning. Remember that we are of all different metabolic types. Some of us get really tired and sluggish from eating just a small amount of fruit whereas a few lucky ones can eat pasta and other whole grains and be ready to tackle the day. Find where you fit in.
Another area is post-workout. Some of us take it too far with post-workout recovery. This is not an excuse to pig out. This is a special time where the body is a bit more insulin sensitive. You can really take your training to the next level with corrective post-workout nutrition. You may be keeping yourself less lean than you'd like because of your post-workout nutrition. Tough, long workouts (distance, hour-long strength) require a bit more carbohydrate (40 to 60 grams, estimated) but protein should be around 20 to 30 grams. If the workout is something like Fran or in the same time vicinity, you may only need to go with about 20 to 40 grams. The range depends also on your body-fat. The more body-fat you carry the less carbohydrate for recovery that you need.
I know that this is a lot of stuff but just take it in one thing at a time. Focus only on eating on a daily basis or focus only on post-workout nutrition. Either way, get one in check and then when you set a foundation, attack the other.
Post any questions you have to comments and I'll do my best to answer (in a timely manner).........
17 comments:
Ricky, As far as post workout nutrition. What is better? Should it be right after your workout (like bring it with you) or within the next hour or 2.
Ricky, You realize I am going to be a big pain in you a$$. Where do you get vanilla almond milk and why do you use Progenex Recovery?
Randy,
No pains here. In my recommendation, the sooner you can put it in your body, the better off you are. There are numerous studies out there that differ in what kind of window you have that is optimal but across the board, they seem to all agree that there is said window. I would say within the first 30 minutes after working out with around the 10 minute mark being the best. Again, this needs to be closely monitored. You need to match your sugary carb intake with the amount/intensity of activity.
I've tried coconut milk, regular almond milk, and now vanilla almond milk. By far, vanilla almond milk, mixed with vanilla whey protein is the best tasting. Look for almond milk at your nearest grocer, probably in the health market. The two brands at the moment are Blue Diamond and Silk.
Finally, the reason I am using Progenex (this year's sponsor of the CrossFit games) Recovery is because they sent me a bag of it to try and give feedback to the company. So far so good.
If you are looking for a good whey protein to mix with your almond milk, try JayRobb.com and/or Whey Factors. Both these protein powders are GMO free, come from cow's that are pasture fed and not injected with growth hormones, and have only a few ingredients.
Hope this helps.
Ricky,
Big fan of the blog.
Question regarding protein. At one point I did a couple months of strict zone and recall them using a 1oz of lean meat = 1 protein block = 7g protein estimation formula. Since dropping the hassle of weighing and measuring I generally eyeball my protein portions by taking a 1 lb piece of chicken and cutting it in half for a dinner meal or something along those lines. If I do this I end up with roughly 8 oz of uncooked chicken which would come to 56g of protein using the zone estimation, however an ounce is actually about 28g when you convert it. What is the other 21g that is in each ounce of chicken if I am buying the chicken without additives and with no injected water etc? Is one of these calculations incorrect?
Thanks Ricky!
Mike,
You'll have to scan and email me the label from this chicken you are buying. What you are saying is that on the label, it says that one ounce of chicken has 28g of protein? Are you sure that this isn't saying that one serving of chicken is 28g of protein? Just making sure.
If you send me the label, I can probably answer your question a bit better. Usually with chicken, a serving is around 22 to 32 grams of protein with a serving usually being 4oz. This would make the chicken, anywhere from 5g to 8g per ounce.
Hope this helps.
Ricky,
No sorry for the confusion. My label doesnt say an ounce is 28g- just the metric conversion of anything from ounces to grams is 1 ounce to 28g. Just was wondering what was making up the other 21g of the 28 if only 7 of those grams are protein. Now that I reread what I wrote- its kind of a dumb question- it doesnt really matter what the other grams are- it is what it is.
Good info on here. I appreciate you answering questions pretty quickly. I've got a question on supplements. I know you've talked about fish oils which I do take (have to increase the dosage based on your recommendation tied in to bodyweight). What is your opinion on glutamine to help with muscle recovery/soreness? Right now, I am taking fish oils and glucosamine/chondroitin daily and myoplex (carb/protein mix) after workouts.
Shelley,
Good question. I like glutamine. It's a good supplement. I also think creatine is a good supplement. About the only two other than protein. I don't take much of either any more as I am not sure if it's worth the price to keep buying when you can just eat real food. (There is a good amount of creatine in red meat).
If I were you, I'd drop the glucosamine/chondroitin (unless you feel it helps) and increase your fish oil consumption. I would also look at getting oil instead of capsules if you aren't already.
Lastly, I would also recommend changing from myoplex to either an almond milk or chocolate milk mix with protein. This way you can alter how much carbohydrate you take in. All workouts are not created equal, if you get my drift. Plus, it'll save you some money.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Ricky. I will begin increasing fish oil consumption and change to oil form. I've been using capsules to this point. I'll check into the almond milk at Hyvee as I'm sure they have that in their health market section (one of the brands you mentioned).
If I'm eating a protein rich whole foods diet, it sounds like I don't need to take additional glutamine so I will skip that. I'd never even thought about creatine before.
I appreciate your advice.
Ricky, Right now I am taking capsules also. What do you mix with your fish oil or are you crazy enough to just drink it! HaHa
Shelley, I do take creatine and I find it helps me.
Love this blog!!!!
Randy,
I have found two different brands of fish oil to be okay tasting. I mean c'mon, it's fish oil. (both can be purchased at whole foods)
1. Carlson Labs - Lemon (best one)
2. Nordic Naturals - Lemon (not as good)
The problem with capsules and what not is that there is so many excipients, as they are called.
These range from:
Binders that hold ingredients together.
Fillers that help fill out the shape.
Disintegrants which help expand the capsules/tablets.
Lubricants that keep ingredients from clumping together and from sticking to the fillers.
Coating that keeps the ingredients from deterioration by moisture.
To top all this off, you will be taking an enormous amount of fish oil so you can imagine that the oil by itself is much better as it usually only has sweetner, flavor, and color additives.
And yes, I just open the bottle, pour it into a tablespoon a couple of times, and down it.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the info Ricky
Ricky,
Love the nutrition blog! You are so passionate about the way you train, I love it! Have you ever read "The China Study"? If so, what are your thoughts?
Mike,
I forgot to respond to your earlier post. The conversion from ounces to grams is volume and has nothing to do with the actual protein amount within the chicken.
Once ounce of chicken volumetric-ally is equal to 28 grams. Does this make sense?
Hope this helps.....
Ricky,
So what about spacing out our vitamins? Should I take 16G of fish oil all in the morning? Right now I'm spreading my vitamin consumption out to three times per day. This blog rocks, seriously :)
Jen Duffey
Jen,
First off, congrats on your pull-ups. I always tell people, you won't like this gym if you don't like results. It's not about CrossFit. It's about the coaching and caliber of person that we coach. As a matter of fact, if you walk into any gym, they are trying to copy what we are doing but doing a poor job of it.
It's not about the pushups, burpees, pull-ups, etc. Its about the programming as a whole. It's about teaching someone how to squat correctly. I bet there are so many people in this city alone that don't know how to perform or teach a squat.
Anyways, I just wanted to congratulate you.
On to your question. If you feel you need to space out your supplements over the course of the day then so be it. I tend to recommend that fish oils be taken at the same time everyday and usually work best after a meal. I also tend to recommend that a multi-vitamin supplement be taken at night instead of in the morning and again after a meal.
Hope this helps......
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