The cover of Christine Avanti’s book “Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salads” caught my eye almost immediately when I walked into an Indigo store in the summer of 2009. While I never had a goal to be skinny, keeping my wight under control was a challenge, despite the fact that I ate healthy (or so I thought). This book forever changed what and how I eat. I am a “why” rather than a “what” person. In her book, Christine very expertly explained how carbs, protein and fats are processed by our body, and the consequences of unbalanced meals and overeating. Christine recommends that 25-30% of calories in our diet should come from protein, 50-60% from carbs, and 15-20% from fats. Ever since that summer, a protein in the form of plain Greek yogurt, egg whites, pressed cottage cheese, beans, chicken breasts or fish has always been a part of breakfast, lunch and dinner in our family. I also loved Christine’s hack for the scenarios when we eat too much at one meal (which, of course, happens): walk it off right after your meal, to spend the extra calories and not let your body store them as fat.
Why am I writing about this now? I am very passionate about “Adding life to years, not years to life” concept. Exercise is the proven way to slow down and even reverse our biological clock by helping us maintain our muscle mass and function. But we also need proteins and amino acids to prevent the imbalance between muscle protein synthesis and breakdown. I recently came across a 2014 article by Dr. Daniel R. Moore (Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto) “Keeping Older Muscle “Young” through Dietary Protein and Physical Activity”. Dr. Moore states: “the combined approach of resistance exercise and protein ingestion is ultimately the most effective means to maintain or enhance musculoskeletal mass and quality with aging”. He advises to include dietary protein at each of the 3 main meals (i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner) in order to maximize muscle protein synthesis. This would be “the most efficient means to consume the daily protein intake and ultimately help attenuate the loss of lean mass with age”, says Dr. Moore. This is exactly what Christine Avanti recommended in her “Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salads” book!
When it comes to protein, some researchers consider leucine to be the most important amino acid. It helps regulate blood sugar, improves wound healing, and produces growth hormone. Leucine is best known for its role in the muscular system, including muscle building, muscle recovery, prevention of muscle loss, weight control. Sources of leucine include whey protein, soy, salmon, chickpeas.
When it comes to exercise, Dr. Moore says that “physical activity should be viewed as a tool to help “make nutrition better” to maintain or enhance musculoskeletal health with age”. He notes that “performing even moderate resistance exercise before consumption of a protein-containing meal allows for a greater utilization of dietary amino acids for the synthesis of skeletal muscle proteins”.
I love that the research shows that resistance exercise does not need to be exhausting. Resistance is used in Essentrics® as a technique to strengthen and slenderize our muscles. Every time we contract a muscle while lengthening it and/or use imaginary resistance (think of arms pumps, windmills and legs lifts)—this is your resistance exercise.
See you in the next class!