How to Fuel yourself for success

Nutrition doesn't have to be overly complicated as long as you understand a few basic concepts. The following are ten basic nutrition guidelines we teach athletes and clients at the Performance Institute. The first 5 guidelines apply to anyone who wishes to perform to their peak potential, and the last five guidelines apply to individuals who are trying to lose weight.

1. Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day (If this is too difficult eat at LEAST 3x's/day)
3. Understand what foods are "starchy" carbohydrates and which foods are proteins, and understand what a single serving size of each is. These two foods will make up the base of most of your meals.
5. Have a water bottle with you always and sip constantly.
7. If you're "starving" going into an intense work-out, have a small high glycemic snack or sports drink before working out.
9. Plan to have a "meal" no later than ½ hr after completing a work-out
11. Know the difference between hunger and craving. If you're hungry eat! (a healthy meal). If you're "craving", grab a safety food you have conveniently stashed.
13. If you're trying to lose weight, add in moderate intensity cardio (start 2x's/wk and increase up to 5x's/wk)
14. To maintain metabolism (and muscle) strength train a minimum of 2x's/wk during weight loss efforts
15. If you are trying to lose weight, minimize/eliminate starchy carbs after 7pm
16. If you are doing all the above, but still not losing weight, reduce starchy carbohydrate intake to the minimal allotment suggested (females 5, males 7)

To help you to create your "meals" the following pages suggest the types of food that should be present in each meal. As you are "digesting" the following information, keep in mind the following about portion sizes.

ONE SERVING

Performance Institute Food Template (Female)

Perfornace Institute Food Template (Male)

PERFORMANCE MEAL "MAKERS"

Try to eat from the "Best Choices" 80% of the time

CARBOHYDRATES:

STARCHY CARBS

BEST CHOICES: ¾ cup oatmeal, ½ cup rice (brown preferable), ½ cup couscous, ¾ cup chick peas, lentils black, red or white beans, fist size potato, sweet potato, or yam, corn, slice whole wheat bread, ½ cup pasta (whole wheat preferred)..   

LESS FAVOURABLE CHOICES: muffins, buns, 10-14 wheat or rice crackers, ½ white pita bread, ½ bagel, 1 English muffin, ¾ cup cereal, 10-14pretzels, 1 waffle, 3-4 cups low fat popcorn, energy bars, granola bars

POOR CHOICES: 2 cookies, slice of cake, 3-4 cups buttered popcorn, 1 small pastries, small piece of pie.

SIMPLE CARBS (Fruit or sugars)

BEST CHOICES: ½ cup berries (any kind!), cup of melon, apple, pear, orange, grapefruit, peaches, cup of grapes, cup of cherries, pineapple, or banana.

LESS FAVOURABLE CHOICES: ¼ cup raisins, dried fruit, ½ cup juice,

POOR CHOICES: prepared fruit with added sugar (i.e pie filling, fruit roll-ups etc), high calorie drinks (i.e Starbucks)

COMPLEX CARBS (Vegetables )

BEST CHOICES: any colourful raw or cooked vegetable that has no added fat or sugar (i.e. broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, peas, beans, dark greens, onions, peppers, squash, asparagus) serving size = ½ cup, 1 cup low sodium vegetable soup

POOR CHOICES : fried veggies of any kind

PROTEINS

BEST CHOICES : 2 eggs (omega 3 preferred), fist size; lean steak, skinless chicken, fish, extra lean ground beef/turkey/chicken, pork fist size amount of shrimp, lobster, ½ can tuna, 4 slices veggie/soy deli meat, or veggie/soy cheese, 1 cup of skim milk, soy milk, ¾ cup low fat yogurt, 60-80g lean sliced meats (occasionally, since high salt), 3-4 dice worth of low-fat cheese, ½ cup 1% cottage cheese, non fried sushi (rolls also count as starchy carbs)

LESS FAVOURABLE CHOICES: single serving = approx fist size: steak, prepared burger, 60-80 g processed meat (regular fat), cold cuts , 3-4 dice worth regular fat cheese, 1 cup 2% milk or chocolate milk

POOR CHOICES: fast food burger, battered fish or chicken, poultry with skin on.

ADD-ONS- foods that you add to foods to add variety and taste

"FREE" ADD-ONS: ( no-limit) (balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, any spices, salt free seasoning, fresh or dried herbs, garlic)

ADD-ONS: ( If trying to lose weight, limit to 3/day) (low fat salad dressing, molasses, peanut butter, low sugar jam, soya sauce, Splenda (depends on your opinion on artificial sweeteners!), olive oil, ketchup, non-saturated-lo-fat margarine, low fat- low sugar (i.e. 15-50 cals/ 2tbsp serving of flavouring sauces), non-fat sour cream, salsa, 1 tbsp of nuts  

"ADD-ONS" POOR CHOICE: (if trying to lose weight minimize/eliminate) high fat/sugar salad dressings, full-fat sour cream, butter, fried foods, cream, sugar,

COMBO FOODS

•  yogurt, protein bar (women 200cals, men 250-350), lentils/chickpeas with lowfat/omega-3 dressing, protein shake, chocolate milk