Hi there: I've got a few things to cover in today's newsletter. The first is another quick piece on post-workout nutrition. That one really seemed to pique a lot of interest. Secondly, I'm going to let you in on the title for the upcoming seminar and give you a taste of what's in store for you. Next, in future articles I want to start profiling the various athletes we work with and introduce you to them. I think you will find their stories inspiring and will hopefully motivate you as well. Lastly, I'm going to share a conversation I had with one female client that perhaps many of you will be able to relate. Now on to the newsletter.

With regard to the post-workout nutrition I tried to give you some examples of real food, that can be easily prepared and consumed and meet the objectives laid out in the previous emails. What I didn't address was actual recipes for meals or post-workout shakes. The reason for this is that I want you to begin eating as soon as possible after the workout. If I give you a recipe for grilled chicken and vegetables some people may think they should head home after training, begin preparing this meal and then eat. With this approach we would lose almost all the benefit of the post-workout meal and sacrifice the potential gains from our training. Remember timing is crucial and the sooner the better.

In regards to using a shake after your workout I think this is a great idea. The only thing to keep in mind with any supplement is the definition of the word which is "in addition to" not "in place of". Read the product label and choose products with a quality protein such as a whey isolate. Use the same guidelines as before regarding the protein:carbs ratio and look for the protein measure first. You can always make up the remaining cards with fruit. If you need help selecting a protein supplement for your post-workout shake Jeff at Popeyes on Springfield would be more than happy to oblige.

As for the seminar everything is in place. We will be announcing the time/date in a subsequent email. For everyone signing up for the 1 Month of Training 3 d/wk for $1 you will attend for free. The topic for this seminar is Over 100 Ways to a Healthier Life. There are tips on training, nutrition, mental preparation and time savers to get the most bang for your buck out of the investments you make in your health and fitness. You have a multitude of options for 2009 and will be encouraged to do at least one of these tips per week for 2009 to get in the best shape of your life. Here's one of the sample nutritional tips:

Buy healthier foods in bulk and cheat foods do not buy at all. This doesn't mean to have no cheat days at all but simply to go out for an ice cream cone once in a while rather than buying a 4 L pail of Rocky Road. As for the healthier foods buy them in bulk to save money and run out less frequently. With this small change you will notice that when you are looking for a snack there is no license plate chocolate bars or pillow cases of chips. Instead there are almonds and dried fruit to snack on.

Here is the conversation with a female client of ours, Jane. Jane has been training with us for about a year and was slim and healthy to begin with but was not overly competitive, had some postural compensations and knee pain. Recently Jane jumped on the scale and was horrified to see she was up 13 lbs! How could this be? She was training harder than ever before, was making sound nutritional choices, rarely had a glass of wine and was getting good sleep. I then had to point out to Jane how much her posture had improved and how this came through in how she carried herself. Next I asked her when the last time she noticed having knee pain and she couldn't remember. We also discussed the various compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts and presses and how much stronger she is in these lifts. Lastly I asked her how her best pair of jeans fit? Did she have to lay back on her bed and suck it in to get them on? No, Jane said, they actually fit better than ever.

We are so conditioned to seeing a number on a scale and equating this is to our health and fitness. A lower number means better health and fitness and a higher number....well nobody wants the higher number right? Wrong! With Jane's increase of 13 lbs and more strength and a smaller midsection this equates to a net gain of 13 lbs of lean muscle mass. Net gain? If Jane gained 17 pounds of muscle and lost 4 lbs of fat there would be a net gain of 13 lbs of muscle. This is a great thing because every extra pound of muscle burns an extra 50 cal/day by doing nothing. So Jane is potentially burning an additional 650 cal/day by carrying this extra muscle mass! And to look at her she actually looks leaner than when she was 13 lbs lighter!

So ladies, I ask you, who wants to join the 1 Month of Training 3 d/wk for $1 and become the next Jane?

As always I look forward to your feedback.

Chris
www.okanaganpeakperformance.com
250.212.2972
facebook group - Okanagan Peak Performance