There are two types of carbohydrates, which usually causes some confusion. The first is ‘Complex carbs’ also known as ‘slow glycemic carbs’ or ‘fat loss carbs.’ These carbs provide the body with a constant release of energy to help you train and exercise effectively. The very best sources are Brown Rice, whole grain pastas, sweet potatoes/yams, fresh vegetables and salads. The other type are ‘simple carbs’, refined sugars like sodas, fruits, sweets, juices, white flour based products like breads, bagels, rices and pastas. These carbs are converted quickly to blood sugar by your body as soon as you’ve digested them. These carbs provide quick energy as opposed to the ‘slow carbs’ which provide longer lasting energy. Usually your energy plummets rapidly with ‘simple carbs’. It’s these carbs that no longer have a future in your nutrition plan. Because of their sudden and dramatic effect, their response on the fat loss process is a negative one. When you feel the crash effects of consuming simple carbs and your energy begins to decrease this is where the problem begins to occur. You’ll start to feel hungry very quickly and this is the sign that your body is calling for more blood sugar and more food. This is great if you want to put on weight and bulk up, but not if you’re looking to lean out and chisel those abs!

We can look at the best and worst sources of carbohydrates by viewing the Glycemic Index and List of Good Carbs and Bad Carbs

Fat is very much a double-edged sword. We have two types, Saturated (Bad) and Unsaturated, known also as essential fatty acids (Good). Some people believe, that to live a healthy life, fat should be completely eliminated from your diet, not true. We actually need to feed our body with some fat to help it function properly. Lets begin with saturated fats, found in, chips, fries, candy, sweets, desserts, etc. These fats are just not required in your diet. They will do nothing but hinder results. A treat here and there is fine, but any of the above consumed regularly will limit your progress without question. On the other hand unsaturated fats found in, salmon, trout, etc. are extremely good for you. These essential fatty acids contain omega 3 and 6 oils, which can only be consumed in food, your body cannot make these acids. And, without these omega oils your body will be unable to maximize the fat loss process. Many people when beginning a new diet often start by eating primarily low fat foods and within days they feel exhausted, irritable and even dizzy, and this is a sign that the body is craving essential fatty acids (Unsaturated fats). You may not feel like eating fish day in day out, so it’s essential to purchase a good oil like, sunflower oil, flaxseed, safflower, soybean or canola oil. Alternatively you can purchase oils in capsules form, CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) is our recommended choice.

Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin B and C and are generally not stored in the body for more than a few hours, so their intake is very important. Fat soluble vitamins include A, D, E and K. These longer lasting vitamins will provide extended stimulus and will strongly decrease the chance of developing deficiencies.

We all lose water every single minute of the day, when we walk, when we eat, and when we sleep. During warmer weather we lose even more. Our body relies heavily on water and without it we would not survive. It produces energy, keeps us hydrated, regulates our body temperature, detoxifies our body and helps with numerous other functions. Do you often get headaches? feel irritable? low in energy or weak? If you answered yes, then your problem could very well stem from lack of water. So how much water do we need to maintain a healthy balance? You should ideally replenish your system with water every two hours, keep a bottle of water with you at all times. A good way of checking your bodies hydration is to look at the color of your urine. Drink enough water to keep the color light yellow or clear. A golden/ dark yellow coloring is a sign you’re low on fluids and require replenishment. If you drink alcohol you should significantly increase water consumption as alcohol causes the body to lose even more water, replenishment is essential to dispose of the toxins found in alcohol.