April 25, 2009
Topic:
Unique Nutrition Requirements
We’ve talked a lot about how every exercise program should be customized to meet your needs. Well, your nutrition plan should be the same. Today, we're going to go over a few specific groups of population and what they need.
The Skinny guy - In this weight loss obsessed world, it’s hard to believe there are people out there who want to gain weight but when kids, especially teenagers see big, strong pro athletes you immediately have a large group of people that want to get big. The secret, if you’re skinny is to increase your calories of course, but not in junk food. Multiple studies have proven that extra protein can help increase muscle mass. This makes sense because even though 75% of your muscles are water, the rest is protein. I like muscle milk protein. It taste good, reasonable in calories and it’s not loaded in sugar and fat like many of the weight gainers out there. Remember, the key is to gain muscle, not fat so monitor your fat percentage while you gain weight. A reasonable increase in fat is acceptable when trying to gain a lot of muscle, just not much.
Pregnant women – If you’re expecting a child, your body’s iron and calcium requirements go way, way up. What you’re not getting in your diet, your growing baby will take from your body resulting in a plethora of side effects like weak nails, brittle hair and super low energy levels. Making sure to consume enough protein is important too. A good multi-vitamin designed for pregnancy should do the trick. Additionally, over half of all pregnant women gain too much weight putting more pressure on your internal organs and increasing your chances of giving birth to a baby that’s over 9 pounds. It’s true you’re eating for two, but the second person is very, very small. Every major authority on the subject recommends an increase of only 300 calories per day.
Senior Citizens - When it comes to active senior citizens, maintaining healthy joints are key to staying active. Many of my clients have had a lot of luck with the popular supplement Glucosomine and according to many fitness organizations; glucosomine seems to be one of the few supplements with a good amount of research backing its effectiveness. Also, due to naturally reducing levels of resting metabolism, it’s critical that the senior citizen maintain a reasonable amount of protein. Protein takes a lot more energy to digest than other foods. Experts call this thermic affect of feeding. Believe it or not it takes calories to digest that steak.
Children - Between the ages of 6-14, many experts believe these are the years kids are developing nutritional patterns for life. Although, I don’t believe a child should diet, I do believe parents should make sure a child’s daily eating habits include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Remember, it is the parent, not the child who is responsible for their kids nutrition. If you leave it up to a nine year old to pack his or her own lunch, it will probably end up looking more like a trick or treat bag than a healthy meal.
Question from viewers:
Bob
I’ve seen a documentary suggesting that the negative physical side effects of steroids are exaggerated. If that’s true, why shouldn’t we be allowed to use them?
Austin
If you could do only one exercise, what would it be?
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