I'm a certified Exercise Physiologist, and part of my job is to keep learning about health and fitness. I read a lot of journals and articles and listen to podcasts, and I'm always discovering new things, new misconceptions I had held, and stuff that I just can't wait to share with friends as well as clients.
This week I've learned:
The importance of fiber in your diet. We all know fiber fills you up and makes you poop better, but did you know that insoluble fiber actually reduces the fat and protein your body takes in by absorbing it? For this reason, and that it doesn't get broken down completely by the body, insoluble fiber is considered to have ~2cal/g (compared to any other carb at 4cal/g). Soluble fiber works similarly, but is more readily broken down and digested by the body, so it has ~3cal/g. Get your fiber through vegetables and whole grains, the less processed the better.
Cardio might be hurting your weight loss attempts. You know from the treadmill screen that cardio burns a lot of calories while you're doing it. But it doesn't leave you with a lasting afterburn (boosted metabolism). Consistantly putting in hours at the cardio station or on the trails also tells your body to hold onto calories for future sessions. All your body wants to do is achieve homeostasis (state of stability), so it adapts to the tasks you give it. The more you run, the more your metabolism learns to slow down so you aren't burning all that awesome stored fat (in its opinion). The solution to this is not to quit running, but to mix up the routine so your body is constantly adjusting, and constantly burning fat for you. Strength training is an awesome way to lose weight, because toned muscles take more fuel at rest than untrained muscles. You are investing in your weight loss for later (with afterburn as well) every time you push, pull, or lift something heavy. Changing the way you do cardio can also be very effective: swim, bike, run, stair climb, arm bike, dance all challenge your body in different ways, so try to alternate your method. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is one of the best ways to torch calories and keep the body challenged. Alternate between moderate-level activity and burst of vigorous activity (walk/jog for 30 seconds, sprint for 10, repeat). An added bonus of this type of training is you can do less time and get bigger results. Just reaching a vigorous level of exertion for 10-30 seconds at a time tells your body to turn on the big guns in terms of muscle activation, and it will strengthen and adapt accordingly. If you run at a low-moderate pace for 60 minutes, you might feel equally as exhausted, but your body never got to that highest gear.
That's what I've been itching to share with everyone this week. I will definitely write another post when I have another burning piece of info for you all :)