The “Re-Fuel” Window

In the first hour after exercising, look to replace the important nutrients lost during your workout. Many people in the fitness world call this the “refuel” or “anabolic window.” The goal here is to replenish muscle glycogen fuel stores to help repair the muscles. Glycogen is what keeps you going when your body isn’t getting energy from food—we love glycogen. When you break it down, glycogen is made up of glucose molecules, which are the main source of fuel for our cells. The way your body makes glucose is through breaking down the food you eat. The human body is incredibly smart when it comes to storing energy. When you don’t need the energy from food right away, glucose gets put into storage in the liver and muscles to use when you’re ready. These guys hate being alone, so they huddle together and call their new group “glycogen.” Then, when you do end up needing a boost of energy—to crush your next camp, for example—the group of glycogen is broken apart to release each glucose molecule into the bloodstream to be used as fuel for the cells, leaving the glycogen “storage facility” empty. Our job is to fill that storage container back up, which requires protein and carbohydrates.

Not every workout is created equal—even Burn Boot Camp’s weekly protocol balances strength and high-intensity cardio days. That being said, it is something to consider when choosing your post-workout fuel. After an intense workout, you want to make sure to get protein and carbs with foods like smoothies or an apple and peanut butter. If you need inspiration, check out these recipes:

After a strength-based workout, adding a scoop of protein to some water or your milk of choice is a great way to make sure you don’t miss the anabolic window. Try to use a high-quality protein powder that is minimally processed for maximum absorption. Some key things to look for on the label:

• Contains zero artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners or preservatives 
• Non-GMO
• Grass-fed, non-denatured whey 
• More than 20 grams of protein per serving 

Two options we love that meet all these requirements : 

• Chocolate Protein Powder
• Vanilla Protein Powder

The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests active people aim for an overall daily protein intake of between 0.64 and 1 grams per pound of body weight—for example, a 150-pound active person needs roughly 95 to 150 grams of protein per day. If you find that you are falling short of the recommended amount, a serving of AfterBurn protein powder will give you 23 grams per serving.

10 Ways to Use Protein Powder

• Coffee 
• Smoothies 
• Yogurt 
• Oatmeal 
• Pancakes 
• Cookies 
• Brownies 
• Shakes
• Added to Milk
• Waffles 
• Cake 

If you are feeling adventurous, these Burn recipes are so delicious, you won’t believe they pack a protein punch:

• Funfetti Afterburn Protein Bars
• Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal
• Protein-Packed Afterburn Pancakes
• Giant Triple Chocolate Protein Cookie
• Sugarless Sugar Cookies with Whipped Protein Frosting

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So if everyone is claiming to see amazing results from each of these diet trends, is one actually better than the others? And if you want to see better results through your diet, should you be sticking with only one?

The answer to both of these questions is no.

Many people see amazing results with a fad diet because it encourages them to become more aware of what they are eating. Either their previous diet habits included eating whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, in any amount they wanted, or they thought they were eating healthy foods but weren’t educated on what “healthy” actually means. When they began fad dieting, they were given boundaries and rules to follow, as well as better education on what healthy food really is.

Whether it’s paleo, keto, intermittent fasting or vegan, most diets have three common principles: Eat more whole foods, eat less sugar and processed foods, and either control your caloric intake or control your eating times (which helps to control caloric intake).

So if these advocates shifted their diet from eating processed carbohydrates, fats and protein to eating high-quality real food, of course they lost weight, regardless of what eating style they followed. The fad diet simply encouraged them to make better eating choices.

So is it the fad diet to thank for the amazing results or is it the healthier foods they are now consuming on a regular basis? The next time you hear that someone lost 25 pounds in two months on the ketogenic diet or by going vegan, ask what their diet was like prior to their new eating style before forming your opinion.

Another reason many people see significant results quickly through fad diets is due to losing water weight. Unfortunately, many times this weight loss isn’t real weight loss. Most processed foods are high in sugar and carbohydrates, and when you cut them out of your diet and consume more whole foods, your carbohydrate intake will drastically drop. As eating 1 gram of carbs causes you to retain 3 to 4 grams of water, reducing your intake of carbohydrates leads you to retain much less water. Therefore, the majority of the weight loss is actually water weight and if you do not stick to whatever diet you are on, you will quickly gain that weight back.

So what should you be eating?

Every person and every body is different. There is no one-diet-fits-all approach to better nutrition. Each of our bodies has different metabolisms, digestive systems, hormone levels, gut health, genetics and activity levels that all have different needs. While one person may be able to metabolize fat easily and find success eating a high-fat diet, others may not be able to digest fats as easily and fats should be limited in their diet. While someone else may have a fast metabolism and thrive on carbohydrates, someone else may have imbalanced hormones and need to control their intake.

Just because one person lost a drastic amount of weight through a certain diet trend doesn’t automatically mean you will see the same results if you jump on the bandwagon. While you might see amazing results, your body might also have the complete opposite reaction! Find what works best for you by experimenting and observing how your body feels and reacts to the foods you consume, the amounts you consume and the time of day you consume them.

Begin to observe your hunger and energy levels as well as your body composition with the foods you are eating. Take note after each meal and after a few weeks. For instance, if you regularly eat a higher carbohydrate breakfast and always feel a mid-morning hunger pang, then maybe your body is telling you it needs more fat or protein in the morning. Switch up your breakfast to eggs and notice any differences you feel mid-morning and observe if your body composition changes over a few weeks.

Through becoming mindful of what your body needs, tuning into what it is telling you and actually giving it what it needs is the right diet for you! Rather than not eating oatmeal for breakfast because you heard someone say it spikes your insulin and causes you to store fat the rest of your day, don’t eat oatmeal because maybe it doesn’t provide you with the right energy and vibrancy you need—or continue to eat because it makes you feel like you are thriving!

What if you don’t know what to look for when observing whether or not your diet is right for you?

Here are signs your diet isn’t working:

• – You are constantly hungry
• – You have intense food cravings
• – You are regularly bloated or gassy
• – You are tired all the time
• – You have irregular digestion or are constipated often
• – You get sick a lot- 
• – Your have brain fog
• – You have a lack of motivation
• – You experience regular energy crashes
• – You lose your menstrual cycle
• – You are always cold
• – Your have regular breakouts
• – You have regular mood swings

And here are signs that your diet is working for you:

• – You are energized
• – You are happy
• – You have great digestion
• – You are at peace with food and your body
• – You sleep well
• – Your mind is sharp

More importantly, what works for your body now may not be best for your body one month or one year from now. You as a person are constantly changing, and so is your body. Continue to evolve your diet as your body evolves. Don’t be rigid with high-carb, low-carb, low-fat, high-fat or whatever it may be. What your body needs right now might be different from what your body needs in the future.

So what is the best diet?

The best diet for you includes:

• – Eating habits you can maintain long term
• – Eating foods that make you thrive
• – Eating foods that satiate you
• – Eating foods you thoroughly enjoy
• – Consuming primarily whole foods
• – Eating the proper portion sizes

The diet that is NOT for you definitely does not include:

• – Quick fixes that you cannot and should not maintain long term, such as drastic caloric restriction, deprivation or diet supplements
• – Eating habits that work for other people but may not be best for you
• – Eliminating entire food groups. Life is all about balance!
• – Not being able to be social with friends and family

This power of persuasion has influence on what things we look at when investigating a label! It is extremely common to reduce our focus to just parts of the “picture” – such as calories, sugar, carbs, and protein, without checking out what it is that is making up those calories. We have programs that focus solely on calories without any regard to where they may be coming from. The problem isn’t that we are eating TOO MANY calories, or that we are not eating enough, but that the QUALITY of the calories we are eating is poor! There are so many more things that determine the quality of food, beyond calories, fat, and sugar. Let’s figure out what determines quality!

Micronutrients

Whole foods that are unprocessed are filled with vital vitamins and minerals that get lost through processing! At Burn Boot Camp, we promote eating whole foods and minimally processed goods. These micronutrients have important roles in the body like hormone secretion, immune function, maintaining bodily functions… and the list goes on!

Fiber

Carbs get a bad rap these days. The reality is carbs are a broad group that range from short-chained simple sugars to complicated long-chained polysaccharides, such as fiber. Carbs are your bodies primary source of energy. On the label, you will see that under the ‘total carbohydrate’ number is two sub-categories: sugar and fiber. You want to select foods that are HIGHER in FIBER and minimize sugar intake. Fiber plays an important role in regulating digestion, blood glucose levels, and lowering cholesterol!

Extra Ingredients

If it says no sugar, no fat, and just 15 calories…it must be good for you right? Not so fast, look closer. Are there artificial sweeteners and ingredients listed in the label? The most common artificial sweeteners include:

• Neotame
• Aspartame
• Acesulfame Potassium
• Sucralose
• Saccharin
• Sorbitol
• High Fructose Corn Syrup

And then there are artificial ingredients:

• Monosodium Glutamate
• Sodium Nitrite/Nitrate
• Sulfur Dioxide
• Potassium Bromate
• Artificial Colors and Dyes

These unnecessary food additives should be avoided. Therefore, it is important to read the ingredient list to truly determine if a food is as “healthy” as it appears! Just as you don’t judge a book by its cover, don’t trust a product by it’s packaging!

Fat

Fat isn’t bad! YES, I said it! Just like a carbohydrate, the type of fat you eat goes a long way! Unsaturated fats and fatty acids (omega-3 and 6) are health promoting! You should steer away from foods high in saturated and trans-saturated fat. These types of fats are associated with higher chances of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

This can all be very overwhelming! That is okay! It takes practice to identify these factors and look at them together as a whole! Take it one step at a time, first looking for artificial sweeteners, then add in unnecessary food additives a month later. Lastly, don’t do it alone! Ask your family or friends to go with you. This can serve as a great learning experience for the kids! Not only are you going to get stronger but you are going develop healthier habits for your family!

Don’t let it scare you… YOU CAN DO IT! Now that you have the knowledge, get to shopping in a healthy way! Learn more about Burn Nutrition by signing up for our news letter below!

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