Nutritional 7 pillars to keep in mind

We are not trying to write a thesis here, so we will not be too specific. We are not

looking to use complicated terminology neither. We are just trying to let you know

about a few things that will make your eating habits a lot more dynamic and flexible

so you don’t have to fill up your agenda with strict procedures.

Since these are considerations built up through years of practice, research and

experience, we are pretty sure that your trainer/coach will be happy about you

knowing these few facts, please let us know if he/she doesn’t though!

So let’s start with this: We always hear how important it is to eat regularly, but we

seldom times hear about how the sort of type we eat may actually makes hungry

again in a shorter or longer period of time.

PILLAR 1

We need to know more about these tricky facts. Because there is no point on

organizing a meal-plan without knowing them, unless we want to be hungry

or/and storage fat (these two very often go together).

Breakfast is the first meal of the day and you probably know that already, that you

should be having one. The most common question here is usually: What should

I eat for breakfast? In order to answer to that question, we will first skip all the

habit-building considerations (which we will obviously spot later on, they ARE

very important) and jump to the main types of breakfast and how they affect your

morning.

HIGH-SUGAR BREAKFAST

A high-sugar breakfast (fruit, bread, jam, juice... the usual in many houses)will trigger

your sugar levels, which means that, generalizing (and that is something that we have

to do in this sort of articles), will probably make you hungry again in a short period

of time.

Why this happens can be very complicated to explain, but we will choose a simple way.

There are two main hormones regulating your apetite, one is the insuline (sugar levels,

ready to switch your body ON for some time) and the other is the glucogen (more

worried about repairing your body tissues). Again in general terms, sugar triggers

the first and protein triggers the second.

HIGH-PROTEIN BREAKFAST

Therefore, a high-protein breakfast will trigger your glucogen and keep you going for

longer, even without any salads or veggies beside. Yet everyone finds it very hard to eat

this kind of food in the morning (mostly eggs, meat and fish).

The common ‘suitable’ option tends to be the protein shake or the protein bar. It usually

works very well for the early birds since they tend to find it to cook anything that early

in the morning. It will require you to have a good second breakfast though (specially

if you want to have a decent session in the evening time after work).

HIGH-VEG BREAKFAST

We could also call this one the High-Nutrient breakfast. With a breakfast that is high

in veggies or/and salad, you will have no problem going to the toilet but your energy

levels are likely to be low. You may feel quite full quickly enough but, if you are low on

nutrients due to an insufficient diet (which is the common thing in general terms), you

will feel hungry sooner than planned with this one.

Some go this way (mostly vegans), choosing a soup (unfortunately it will very likely be

a pre-made soup) or a salad. It is hard to recommend this option unless you are on a

detox-diet or have very low activity due to a serious injury.

MIXED OPTION: HIGH-SUGAR+PROTEIN

Great for high-energy levels. The downside is that it will require a long digestion.

In the average diet, this compounded option is the one we generally recommend to our

trainees for most of their training year.

A frustrating reaction from some trainees, specially those looking to cut their weight and

their fat content, is to be afraid of a good compounded filling breakfast. It IS a wrong

approach to avoid your breakfast in order to get rid of your fat content. Our bodies have

evolved through many years towards survival. If you try to starve yourself, your body will

conclude that you are an idiot unable to find yourself some food. It WILL hold on to

‘as much fat as possible’ so you don’t starve yourself. We will write more on this later.

MIXED OPTION: HIGH-SUGAR+VEG

We have to consider this option for vegans, because they struggle quite a lot for

suitable options that do not include meat, fish and eggs. Here they may have a Quinoa

and vegetables soup in with a toast of bread for breakfast.

I do not really fancy this option myself but I have done it too. Why then? Because I know

well, that in order to eat natural (we will also talk about the natural thing later on), we need

to embrace variety and cooking skills.

The main downside to this one is that you will feel hungry soon, if not very soon.

And you will have to struggle again for more ideas, and probably in a less suitable

environment to find the desired foods (i.e. at work).

MIXED OPTION: HIGH-PROTEIN+VEG

Believe it or not, ‘late’ birds love this one. I’ve known several bouncers for example,

that will wake up late in the day and have a massive meal right then.Also bodybuilders

of course, or myself even if I wake up quite early (I’m not a bodybuilder though), and here

is the most unexpected... also female fitness instructors.

Those who have a graceful stomach, and enjoy any meal, are likely to have an easier

fight keeping a good nutrional plan. The wider the spectrum the more the options

available. This option (let’s say, a protein shake with a tomato+lettuce+tuna salad

and a bowl of tomato beans i.e.), will definitely require a looong digestion, but it will

surely keep you going for a long while.

CONCLUSIONS

Bottom line here, is that we need flexibility in order to eat better. To achieve that flexibility,

we need feasable options. And when it comes to our breakfast, our most important meal,

we have to open our mind a bit so we can stretch our spectrum of options.

Start by keeping the following tips and answers in mind as soon as you can:

1. Ask your trainer/coach (or someone that can give you a reasonable answer), for

three breakfast options that may suit: a. your goal; b. your lifestyle; c. your shopping options.

2. The moment we start trying different options is the moment that we are really making

an effort. Do not ‘ban’ every proposal, try it first.

3. You can find good suggestions anywhere and in anyone, but it will be hard to know

which ones are, even with the tips provided. We all are unique and know ourselves

better than anyone else, ask for reasons, understand them and see if it really fits you

the way they say it will.

SPECIAL OFFERS FOR KINEMOVE MEMBERS

Register with us to avail from these special offers, we will give you a member

number that you can use for any of these and other special offers. That easy.

Capoeira Classes		6 Weeks Program		Muay Thai Boxing
	€7/Class		€119/Full		€20/Month* *Students only
Dynamic evenings full of Capoeira, Fitness, Dance, Self-defense, Music & Percussion.		Fitness evaluation Nutritional assessment, Body fat %,BMI analysis and much more.		Intensive Thai Boxing training, Self defence, and all the excitement of a worldwide famous MA.