Supplementation

It seems it is pretty much the American way to want "the easy"...whatever satisfies the "right now" urge. This is what has gotten us in a lot of the trouble we currently face (but that's an entirely different post!), and it is also why companies that produce supplements or "diet pills" are making bajillions of dollars. 

Sensa anyone? RIDIC! 

HOWEVER, we DO think that when done *correctly*, supplementation can be helpful in starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here's the gist: there are some basics that, WHEN COMBINED WITH A HEALTHY DIET AND REGULAR EXERCISE, can help your body to perform at optimal level:

1. Multivitamin - seems simple, but so many people overlook it. It's just a good supplement that can fill in any gaps in your nutrition.

2. Omegas - 3, 6, and 9 in particular; essential fatty acids support healthy blood circulation, normal blood pressure and help balance bodily fluids.....not to mention it is good for your hair, skin, and nails!

3. Protein - if you aren't getting enough protein through real food, a supplement can help make up the difference! Whey protein (or brown rice/pea/soy/etc. proteins if you're avoiding dairy) is a good basic! Casein protein before bed can be used if you're working out really hard! 

Those three will make sure your basics are covered, but here are some others to potentially consider:

• Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) - when taken during training, they can improve prolonged performance and promote recovery. BCAAs may also reduce muscle breakdown!
  
• Glutamine/L-Glutamine - this is particularly beneficial after workouts because it has the ability to re-synthesize muscle glycogen and glutamine levels lost during exercise. This is a good one if you are working out a lot!
  
• Thermogenic/Fat Burner - these are most of the "diet pills" you see (Hydroxycut, Slim Quick, etc.) They are marketed to increase your metabolic rate and motivate your body to burn more calories than it would otherwise. But just taking a fat burner and not working out isn't going to make you burn calories - something to keep in mind :)
  
• Zinc monomethionine aspartate (ZMA) - promotes restful, restorative sleep and has been shown to enhance muscle strength and endurance. We are former Melatonin users, and ZMA has been wonderful to help ensure we get good sleep! 

 
 QUESTION: Do you use any supplements? If so, what and why? Please put your answer in a comment below!

In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay
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Nutrition 101: Part 2 - Protein

This is Part 2 of our Nutrition 101 blog series. Check out Part 1 here for an overview of how many calories to eat, what to eat, meal makeup, and timing of meals. Now ladies and gentlemen, we present Part Deux....

Protein is absolutely essential for life. While most microorganisms and plants can biosynthesize (check out that fancy word!) the amino acids in protein, most animals, us human-folk included, must get it through our diet.

What is typically the first thing people think of when they hear protein? We're willing to bet it is something like this:

MMEEEAAATTT!

Yes, tis true - los animales make up a good portion of protein sources: meats, poultry, fish, etc. However, other sources of protein include:

• legumes (dry beans and peas)
• tofu
• eggs
• nuts and seeds
• milk and milk products
• grains, some vegetables, and some fruits (provide only small amounts of protein relative to other sources)

To explain the difference between a complete protein and an incomplete protein, we introduce this lovely summary from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Think of amino acids as the building blocks. There are 20 different amino acids that join together to make all types of protein. Some of these amino acids can't be made by our bodies, so these are known as essential amino acids. It's essential that our diet provide these.

In the diet, protein sources are labeled according to how many of the essential amino acids they provide:

•  A complete protein source is one that provides all of the essential amino acids. You may also hear these sources called high quality proteins. Animal-based foods; for example, meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese are considered complete protein sources.

• An incomplete protein source is one that is low in one or more of the essential amino acids. Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. For example, rice contains low amounts of certain essential amino acids; however, these same essential amino acids are found in greater amounts in dry beans. Similarly, dry beans contain lower amounts of other essential amino acids that can be found in larger amounts in rice. Together, these two foods can provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids the body needs.

How much protein you should take in depends on your sex, age, and goals. The USDA recommends that protein make up between 17% - 21% of your total daily calories (~46 grams for adult women, ~56 grams for adult men). In our case, where we do strenuous workouts on a daily basis, we consume much more protein than that. Feel free to email us (fitwithfarrar@gmail.com) for some personal consultation to help figure out how much protein you should be consuming.

SOOO....That might be more information than you feel like you need to know, so let's K.I.S.S. it.

• You need protein....
• You should mostly get your dietary need of protein through high quality/complete proteins, but can supplement with incomplete proteins, and....
• You should at the very, VERY least be consuming 46 (women) to 56 (men) grams of protein each day.

And that concludes Part 2 of the Nutrition 101 series - Part 3 will go into the supposedly dangerous waters of the land of CARBS!

If you enjoy our blog posts, please share with your friends and family! We are on Facebook too and always have motivational updates, workout and food pics, etc. Just click here and "like" our page!

In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay

The Breakfast Cookie

Seriously - does anyone get tired of the recipes?? Hope not because we've got another one for you!!

This marvelous creation comes from the beautiful and fun Gina at The Fitnessista! We spend most of our internet time reading health and fitness blogs - there is SO much good stuff out there, seriously....take a look around sometime! And when a recipe like this is found, your eyeballs tell your tummy "MUST. HAVE. NOW"

The Breakfast Cookie is pretty simple, but after Gina posted the creation, it swept the blogsphere! And after having one this morning, we see why.

First, you start out making this the night before....might we suggest when you are preparing/packing your meals for the next day :-)

In a small bowl, add 1/3 cup oats, 1 tbs nut butter of choice, and 1/2 scoop protein powder. We used quick oats, no salt natural peanut butter, and chocolate egg white protein powder. Stir to combine and use the spoon to break up the nut butter until you have a nice crumbly mixture. Actually, your hand combines it much better, if you don't mind a little messiness!

Add 1/8 cup milk of your choice (For us, unsweetened plain almond milk) and mix until fully moistened. Then, pick the mix-ins! You can get creative with this one – banana, raisins, pumpkin, chocolate chips, ground espresso beans, etc. We did dark chocolate chips - duh.

Stir together with some seasoning (Cinnamon and a pinch of stevia was in ours). Plop the mixture onto an appetizer-sized plate and with the back of your spoon, flatten it into a round shape with equal thickness throughout. Put the cookie in the fridge overnight. It will harden slightly from the nut butter and the oats will soften from the milk.Next morning, grab ya a spoon and DIG IN! If you want it to be harder, more like an actual cookie texture, Gina recommends putting it in the freezer for 10 minutes before you eat!




Not really too different than regular oatmeal; however, we found it to be much more moist (guessing from the oats having all night to soak up the almond milk). Next time - might do the freezer trick so we could eat this giant cookie with our paws! YEAH!

This is a good meal to start your day - a lot of fiber and good carbs from the oats, which will keep you full. Also, adding in the cinnamon helps regulate your blood sugar. And lastly, a little bit of protein from the protein powder!

In Health,

Lindsay and Timothy