As far as I can remember, my dad and one of my older brother, Marc-André, used to reinforce to me this dietary maxim: Break fast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper.

Now a recent study by Lombardo M, et al.( J Am Coll Nutr. 2014 May 8:1-8. [Epub ahead of print.]), aimed to shed some light on the veracity of this maxim.

They had two groups of 21 subjects follow a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes vegetables, whole grains, fruits, olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes, herbs and spices and fish/seafood. Poultry, eggs and dairy were used in moderation, while red meat and sweets were reserved only for special occasions. The consumption of red wine, considered a staple of this diet, could be enjoyed if desired.

Both groups followed a dietary regimen which was made of 55 % carbohydrates, 30 % fat and 15 % protein. The main difference between the two groups was the caloric distribution throughout the day. Group 1 ate 70 percent of their calories at breakfast, morning snack and lunch, and 30 percent for their afternoon snack and dinner. While Group 2’s calorie distribution was 55 % for breakfast, morning snack and lunch, with the remaining 45 % for afternoon snack and dinner.

Subjects were tested with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the start of the study, and again after three months when the study period ended, to assess body composition.

The results indicated significantly improved body composition, metabolic parameters, blood pressure and cholesterol in both groups. However, group 1 edged out group 2 on weight loss, and insulin sensitivity improvement.

The research group’s conclusion was :“A low-calorie Mediterranean diet with a higher amount of calories in the first part of the day could establish greater reduction in fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity than a typical daily diet.”.

In conclusion, a 15% difference in earlier caloric distribution could help you reach your fat loss and health goals earlier.

Stay healthy,

Personal Training Vancouver

Do you need to replenish Glycogen stores after training for Personal Training Vancouver

Do You Need to Replenish Glycogen Stores After Strength Training?

March 24, 2014 by Charles Poliquin

Some people suggest that during a typical strength training workout you don’t consume enough glycogen to be concerned about restoring it.

To that I say, WTF?

If you deplete ANY amount of muscle glycogen, you should be concerned with replacing it… especially if hypertrophy and strength are your main goals. Furthermore, glycogen is not the only reason why you should consume carbs, hormonal modulation should be too.

If an “expert” claims that people do not need to be concerned with replenishing glycogen then either their workouts do not contain enough sets and have wussy-like intensity, or they are not up to par with the scientific literature.

The scientific research on glycogen levels during strength training demonstrate that workouts ranging from 6 to 20 sets and lasting about 15-30 minutes in length lower muscle glycogen levels by about 30-40%.

Now for hypertrophy training, workouts are usually 24 to 36 sets, so a drop in glycogen in the order of 60 to 75% would be more likely, as the reps range would be 8 to 12, and the rest intervals 45 to 60 seconds, especially when pairing agonists with antagonists.

Not consuming enough carbs will limit your recovery not only from a glycogen standpoint, but also from an hormonal standpoint. Since the late seventies, we know that modifying the testosterone/cortisol ratio improves gains. Consuming carbs post-workout together with protein helps lower cortisol, which in turn improves the ratio, but also boosts protein synthesis. Hence you lower catabolism and increase anabolism at the same time.

Enjoy the growth,

This is another article in our ongoing series to instruct and inform people on the benefits of Health and Fitness for Personal Training Vancouver.

Here is an excerpt from our website on our Philosophy of Health:

Our Philosophy of Health, Fitness and Performance

Mission Statement : To bring out the best in our students/clients and ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually in the long term through health, fitness, mixed martial arts and personal development.

Our goal is to provide holistic approach to fitness, health and performance improvement. By working with an individual, we can design a balanced, comprehensive and specific program to develop the mind, body and spirit to the highest level.

Since lack of mental discipline, skills and knowledge are often the key factors in people not getting the results they desire, we will develop these essential skills with a variety of tools depending on the individual.

The name of the game is results. We will demonstrate results objectively with measurements, pictures, weight and body fat logs, objective performance measures ( ie. max weight lifted, max # of reps in a determined period of time of a particular exercise for a particular area and quality), and various endurance and strength tests.

We view the body as a temple and we want to promote clean habits and abstain or limit things that detract from our goals and potential.

Personally, as a Christian, and having a respect and understanding for a variety of perspectives, I want to evolve our connection with our body/temple where God/holy spirit can reside within us and promote personal development. Regardless of whether you are a believer or not, a strong mind/body connection is typically a positive and a worthy goal and endeavour.

Personal Training Vancouver

Here is our website: Ultimate Personal Training Vancouver

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How the Timing of Caloric Intake Influences Fat Loss for Personal Training Vancouver

How Timing Of Caloric Intake Influences Fat Loss