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A LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY SCORE IS HOLDING YOUR PERFORMANCE HOSTAGE

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  Energy availability (EA) is the amount of energy that is available for an individual's body to perform all its physiological functions, excluding exercise. It is calculated as the difference between energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure during exercise (EEE), and is expressed relative to an individual's lean body mass. Research led by Prof. Anne Loucks showed that low energy availability, not exercise stress, was responsible for endocrine dysregulations in female athletes with amenorrhea. This research has since been expanded to other physiological systems in both sexes by Loucks and others EA is all about maximising performance not aesthetics. If you are aiming to get to a really low bodyfat % level there will be compromises in terms of EA score and performance in your sessions. EA is considered a crucial cause of several physiological dysregulations related to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports. When an individual's energy intake is insufficient, their body priori...

PROTEIN

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  Protein How much, when and sources All of the below is best practice however not best suited for you and your own individual context of daily schedule, eating preferences, goals, current physique etc. That’s something a qualified Sports Nutritionist like myself can help you dial in. How much: A good place to start is getting 1.4-2g of protein per kg of ideal bodyweight per day. I say ideal bodyweight as it works for both those who want to gain and lose weight. ( PMID: 28642676 ).  When: 3-5 evenly spread doses across the day hitting ~30-40g protein per meal with 3g leucine per feeding period to maximise muscle protein synthesis (MPS- the process of building muscle) Sources: Your protein sources should be varied, roughly 3-4 different types (protein supplement, beef, chicken, tuna). Emerging evidence suggests there is no difference in muscle gained when consuming either animal or plant proteins as long as you ingested 5g creatine daily and consumed 2g protein per kg of bodywe...

What you NEED to know if you eat protein bars

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  Protein bars ...whilst its something that can be a good swap for people to help them adhere to their calorie deficit, as most things they should be consumed in moderation. Why? Sugar alcohol content. What are Sugar Alcohols? Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate that are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, but are also commonly used as a sugar substitute in many processed foods and sugar-free products. They have a similar taste and texture to sugar, but are not completely absorbed by the body and therefore have fewer calories and a lower glycemic index. Some examples of sugar alcohols include xylitol, erythritol, malitol and sorbitol. It is important to note that consuming large amounts of sugar alcohols may cause digestive issues such digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and bristol 7's. Some people are more sensitive to these sugar alcohols than others so while you might be able to have 3 bars a day no worries I'd advise people look at why they are eating ...

What is a 'Sports Nutritionist'

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  A sports nutritionist is a professional who specialises in the field of nutrition as it relates to athletic performance. They are or shall I say should be QUALIFIED and INSURED to work with every day people and athletes to develop personalised nutrition plans that support their physical training, optimise their performance and enhance their recovery. The main goal of a sports nutritionist is to help their clients achieve optimal health and fitness through proper nutrition. This can include providing advice on nutrient timing, fuel for training, and recovery, hydration, dietary supplements, body composition, weight management and much more. They may also work with clients to address food allergies or intolerances that may affect performance. Your every day PT is only allowed to provide general guidance in line with the National dietary guidelines, they aren't qualified, assessed nor insured to prescribe meal plans and macro plans, let alone all the things that go into a physique...

Overrated and Underrated Nutrition and Health Habits

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  Overrated and Underrated Coffee - Overrated. Whilst caffeine is a very effective tool in increasing exercise and mental performance, it is a stimulant that is overused by most people. It is often used to cover a deeper issue like poor rest and sleep. So fixing that will yield more benefits than increasing your daily coffee shots to 6 or beyond. Sleep - Underrated. What does the 30-60 minutes before you go to sleep look like? Sacrificing that final daily hustle or netflix episode for an effective winding down routine will more than likely see you gain those minutes back in productivity the next day by improving sleep quality. Also aim to finish your last meal at least 60mins before sleep. This is an area I’m working on at the moment to get it out to 2hrs. Nutrient dense meals - Underrated. Higher volume meals or a wider variety of real foods at set meal times will lead to feeling more satisfied after each meal thus not constantly reaching for the delicious treats. Aim for at least...

Top 5 tips for losing 5-10kg

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  Top 5 tips for losing 5-10kg 1 - I believe the biggest reason by far for overeating is distraction. If you were to have the same snack you had scrolling while sitting at a table with no phone you almost certainly wouldn’t eat the same amount or perhaps even the same type of food/drink. Helpful tips: consume your food first then go do the other thing. The opposite also works. I.e. If trying to gain weight, purposely distracting yourself can help you consume more. 2- When it's helpful to track: if you haven’t tracked before, do so for a couple of weeks so you learn to understand how many calories you are actually eating. It may also be worth temporarily tracking if you have tracked before but have an inconsistent intake or its been >24months since tracking. Times when its not helpful: busy parent or if you have a poor relationship with food -> possible solutions: utilise the palm method (1 palm protein, 1 fist veg/salad, 1.5 palms carbs, 1 thumb fats) or simply aim for a prot...

Top 5 tips for gaining muscle

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  Top 5 tips for gaining muscle 1- Progressive overload . A very simple principle often overlooked in the search of faster results. Play the long game, get really good at a select few movements, milk them for all the progression you can then switch it up. 2- Second no brainer is eat in a surplus over an extended period of time . Minimum 12 weeks before considering any mini cuts. 300-500cal surplus is enough to grow and minimise fat accrual. Whilst you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, realistically that’s only possible if you’re a newbie or on liver king supplements stack. You are far better off spending your time in phases of surplus/maintenance/mini cuts. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)= physical activity that is not planned (e.g. fidgeting, yard work, typing, taking the stairs at work cos the lift is broken). NEAT may inadvertently increase when on a surplus so you need to track average bodyweight and progress photos and adjust calories to ensure you are ...