danmacfitness

Follow my fitness life. Tips on training, nutrition and general motivation.

[danmacfitness-blog]

3 simple considerations when looking for fat loss & muscle gain.

1.Calories. Calories matter! This is obvious for both losing fat and gaining muscle. However not all calories are equal. As a unit of energy, yes. But some are far more nutritious for you than others. Some calories we can digest easier and some we really shouldn’t be having at all! No matter how you try to spin it, fat loss and muscle gain will always come back to the “calories in vs calories out” equation. We need to understand the different types of calories and how they affect us in order to progress in the most efficient way. 2.Protein Intake of protein is always a hotly discussed subject. From experience with my clients, I would advise aiming for 2g-2.5g of protein per lb of lean body weight over the day. However this can be increased to more, dependant on what you are looking to achieve. Other factors which will also affect it are genetics, goals, gender, training volume and how well you recover. We should also take into consideration carbs as they will help to conserve muscle tissue. (protein sparing) 3.Meal Frequency Again another controversial topic. I am a advocate of the more meals we can get in then the better the nutrient spread across the day. However, eating 7 meals every day is something that very few people can, or will, do! At a minimum I’d be looking to get in 4 sittings, this will help to maximise protein synthesis. Eating first thing in the morning is key to achieving the results you want. If you're not hungry after sleeping for 7-8 hours then this is the sign of some real imbalance within the body. By spreading out our meals we will maintain blood sugar levels. This will helper to suppress cravings, which in turn helps our goals of muscle building and fat loss. Enjoy the process! Dan

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Charles Poliquin Cutting Edge Training Methodology : Learning points

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a 2 day seminar where I got to listen to Charles speak about all things to do with Body Composition and Hypertrophy. I wanted to  put together a small snapshot of bullet points which I have taken away and already implemented with my training and clients. I have more details on these points so if anyone is interested then please comment or message me directly.

Cheers

Dan

Day 1 - Body Composition The use of skin fold sites to measure carbohydrate sensitivity 

The importance of HCL in the health system. The way to test your own levels 

To chew food properly in order to aid digestion and reduce the stress involved in the process. Limit rise in cortisol 

The FAT & CARBOHYDRATE sliding scale

The possible introduction of the “paleo fisherman’ diet for those who are heavily obese 

The 41 special. 4 days strict, 1 day with refuel meal 

Low fat diet screw ups : Lack of salt

       Too low in fat. 

First thing that goes in your mouth in the morning, providing its food, dictates your neurotransmitter for the rest of the day 

You cannot overeat at breakfast!

Low intensity steady state cardio is bad for you for a number of reasons!

Use interval training 

The importance of supplementation and enough good quality sleep 

The use of Vitamin D3 and its vital importance

DAY 2 - Hypertrophy

3 types of trainer : Volume, Intensity or Variation 

How dopamine dominant you are dictates your training

Importance of TEMPO

No correlation between hypertrophy and maximal strength 

Get stronger to get bigger 

The law of continuum 

Train according to your genetics 

7 functions of the bicep!

As a rule, 70% of population require more sets to grow 

Fast twitch muscles have greater capacity for more sets

Law of diminishing returns 

Eating for hypertrophy 3.3-4.4g PRO per kg BW

Importance and amount of supplementation pre, intra & post workout

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“Are you a good fat, or a bad fat?”

Id like to think that this notion of “low fat” diets and “low fat” foods is now finally dying out. However I still manage to come across the same conversations day to day regarding fat loss and low fat diets. 

Fat Matters! We are no longer living in the 90s and the sooner we get up to speed with using fats in the right way, and not being scared of them, the better! I also wholey believe that its not the general publics fault why this view is still had. For ages it was touted and praised by the media and the governing health bodies who are supposed to be there to look after us. Yes there are more calories per gram of fat(9cals/gram) which is why we still need to consider this, but its not fat itself we should be worried about, but the actual calories we are consuming.

FISH! Eat it ……..and nuts. Essential fatty acids omega 3 & 6. We should be aiming to eat at least 2 portions of fish each week. If this is not possible them supplementation is the next best. Omega 3 (3-6 caps per day).

EPA & DHA found in fish oil have been linked with just about every health benefit going!

In terms of Omega 6, the best way is to eat more nuts. The people who eat the most nuts are found to be leanest, lowest chance of diabetes, respiratory problems and cv disease.

Saturation In the 1900s a large commercial company who are still around today was the first to use hydrogenation to produce products such as margarine. This was said to be the healthier alternative to butter. It is only now we are slowly beginning to realise how wrong this was. The trans fats produced by hydrogenation process have been strongly linked to heart disease. Granted saturated fats do raise cholesterol levels, but this alone is not enough to put you at risk of heart disease. The more this is being looked at the less evidence of harm is being linked. The worst advice that is still happening now is the replacement of sat fats with carbohydrates!

Types of Dietary Fats

Monounsaturated Olive oil Peanut oil Nut butters (almond, cashew, peanut) sesame oil avocados olives Nuts

Polyunsaturated Walnuts sunflower, sesame seeds flaxseed Fatty fish(salmon, herring, trout, tuna)

Saturated Meat cuts (beef, lamb, pork, chicken with skin) whole fat diary butter cheese coconut oil full of MCT (medium chain triglycerides) great source of energy.

“Fat Free” myth Don’t believe the hype. Just because it says “fat free” on the label doesn’t necessarily mean that its good for you. Most of the time the fat has been removed and replaced with refined carbohydrates and sugars. Things that are much worse for you. As a general rule id always look to consume the whole food version of anything as this has gone through less of a process than any of the other low fat options.

Be clever and work around your calorie input for the day. Don’t deprive yourself of the foods you like, just be a little smarter. You should never restrict yourself from a certain food group as all you will be able to think of is having it! Its human nature to want what we can’t have. Balance is the key.

In summary nutritional Fats are not the enemy. We should be including these within our daily food intake. They are a great source of energy and also can promote fat loss! Crazy i know, eat fat to lose fat. Just be aware of the calorie content.

In general try to aim for between 20-30% of total caloric intake from Fats (even up to %55 in certain athletes). Also try to look at this over a weekly period and not just daily so we can manage energy levels in accordance with the goal we are trying to achieve. For example if fat loss is the goal then we would look at possibly lowering the amount of carbohydrates in someones diet, but then increasing amount of fat & maintaining protein levels in accordance with goals set.  

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CV by street light 😃👍🚶✔️ #cardio #LISS #gym #fitness #530club #prep #ukbff #ukbffmodel #teamFD #musclepowermk #theptcentre

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Last set of dips (@70kg) from today's @francisdiet #chest #power session. Still being able to move the weight around and feeling pretty good just over 3 weeks to go. 😁 chest was a weak area for me and I feel it has progressed more than ever in these last 4 weeks of training. Brutal but super fun! 😆 #gym #fitness #training #prep #ukbff #ukbffmodel #lean #muscle #flex #video #teamFD #musclepowermk #theptcentre (at Muscle Power - Milton Keynes)

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Post LISS #leg #flex 😝 yes filter added as no one needs to be blinded by my pasty ass #wheels 😂 getting there now. More cuts coming, feeling tighter. Just under 4 weeks to go. #gym #training #fitness #cardio #quads #lift #lifestyle #muscle #lean #teardrop #ukbff #ukbffmodel #theptcentre #musclepowermk #teamFD (at The PT Centre MK)

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“What supps should i take?”

I get this question ALOT, from clients and friends. Even before we've even looked at the food situation the mention of supplements is there. 

Just so were clear. There are NO magic pills, potions or powders. These are here as i feel wholeheartedly that they aid and help with heath & fitness. This is from my own experience and from clients past and present. 

So i thought i would put together a list of my top supplements and why i feel they are useful and have been effective for me. I also recommend all these to my clients. 

In no particular order.....

 omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Two types EPA & DHA Mainly found in types of fish. If your diet is lacking in fish intake then definitely supplementing with Omega 3 is a good idea. Lower risk of heart disease by lowering triglyceride levels. Can help with joint pain & stiffness. They will make you happier! Countries where a higher intake of fish is consumed are found to have lower levels of depression. Can help with ADHD in children. Improving mental skills. Always try to gain fatty acids from real food sources but if you can’t then use supplement form. Sources: Tuna, bluefish, herring, mackerel, salmon(wild) sardines, anchovies. *Be careful on eating farmed sources as they may contain more levels of contaminants like mercury.

 ZMA  

ZMA is zinc monomethionine/asparate and magnesium aspartate. I have used this for a few years now and it has many benefits including: Muscle recovery, muscle size & strength and can help with fat loss. Its basically a mineral supplement, a very important one. Zinc is an essential mineral with antioxidant properties, and is also critical for protein synthesis. Magnesium also essential for a lot of actions within the body. Helps with the cardiovascular system, our metabolic rate and skeletal health. Along with al this they also help to promote better sleep, and better sleep means increased recovery which in turn helps us train better. The likelihood is you will be difficient in zinc & magnesium. Due to a number of factors like sweat when training, lost through urine, protein synthesis and even can be lowered by too much refined sugars in your diet.

 vit D  

Estimations are that as many as 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in Vit D. In the UK during the winter months it is thought at least half of the population are not getting enough for their health. An adequate level of Vit D is required for healthy bones at ALL ages. For optimal bone health aim for 20-30ng/ml (more than double the amount recommended by uk national osteoporosis society). Lowers chances of Cancer, heart disease & diabetes. Daily intakes of 1000IU are sufficient. Do not consume over 1200IU daily.

 glutamine  

An essential amino acid. Its key role is in Protein synthesis and can aid in the stopping of muscle breakdown. (given to cancer patients for this reason) During training glutamine levels are reduced so i would recommend using supplementation intra workout for maximum benefits. Can help with production of growth hormone. Use 5g during training and pre bed. Helps to protect the gut and digestive system.

 bcaa (branch chain amino acids)

yes glutamine is one of these but i also like to use supplements for the other 19. Essentially this will help with the catabolic effects of dieting. Help to increase the rate of protein synthesis, and increase the cells capacity for protein synthesis. Main one responsible for this is leucine. BCAA work well because easily absorbed into bloodstream. I would recommend using before, during & after training. Especially intra workout with added glutamine as mentioned before. More muscle kept and more fat lost=winning!

 whey isolate  

Purest whey protein available. Usually over 90% protein with minimal fat & carbohydrate. Full of the whole amino acid profile, especially leucine which we have mentioned above. Helps with growth and maintenance of muscle mass. Useful to increase protein intake, especially if travelling and whole food is not an option. Cost effective for the amount of servings.

 casein  

Similar to whey but made up of mainly milk proteins. It also has a excellent amino acid profile and is slower digestion. Useful to take before bed, or if prolonged time between meals. Excellent anti-catabolic effect.

 selenium  

Indispensable for fertility, thyroid function, antioxidant defences, immune function and cancer prevention. Selenium is a trace mineral found in soil. Unfortunately it is not present in UK soil, but of you’re over in the US you will be fine. Hence the reason for supplementation. Up regulates the immune system. destroying cancer cells and has anti-cancer actions. Dietary sources: Fish, meat, shellfish, kidneys & liver. Supplement with 50-60mcg daily. Note that too much can have a adverse affect and is toxic.