In this article we are going to give you some tricks to return to the fold and lose weight after the Christmas holidays. It is possible that you have spent eating and drinking last Christmas, there is no need to worry, since the important thing is what is done between Kings and Christmas Eve and not what is done between Christmas Eve and Kings.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile and video-based social network for users who train strength and/or body weight exercises. At Fitenium users can find free personalized routines, follow their performance, compete and get discounts at nutrition stores and sports equipment. Download it here.

Some tricks to lose weight after the Christmas holidays

First trick to know how to lose kilos after Christmas: Use small plates.

According to a study carried out at the University of Cambridge, using a small plate to eat and reducing the portion can help to address the problem of being overweight. According to the author, the portion sizes we eat have grown significantly in recent decades, and simply resetting what we consider to be “normal” portion sizes has a significant impact on the current obesity epidemic.

In fact, we tend to eat what is put in front of us. Now the plates and glasses are getting bigger and we eat more. Regardless of whether it is small or large, our brain registers the plate as a single unit. We propose to reduce the portion of food and drinks and eliminate large sizes such as menus and packaged foods. This makes it easier to lose weight as we have a greater feeling of satiety.

The same is true at home: serving small plates reduces the amount we eat without feeling hungry.

how much should i eat

Second trick to lose weight after the Christmas holidays: Combine macronutrients well.

Although it is difficult to establish universal recommendations, there are some general guidelines that apply to everyone. This is what the so-called Food Pyramid tries to do, a graphic representation of foods in the recommended amounts, and it is in full evolution. In fact, the Spanish Society for Social Nutrition announced its own redesign in 2017, which was controversial.

It is clear that each person has their needs according to aesthetic and performance objectives, but an acceptable starting point would be to apply the nutritional pyramid. As can be seen below, to improve health you have to have an emotionally healthy lifestyle and have an adequate energy balance depending on whether you want to lose fat or gain muscle mass.

Lifestyle

Third trick to lose weight after the Christmas holidays: Create a lifestyle.

Regardless of whether you go on a diet for after Christmas, it is important to acquire habits that allow us to maintain a good physical and health condition. The key to losing weight after the Christmas holidays and maintaining it is to be active, whether it is strength training, running, dancing… activity is the least of it as long as we are active and controlling our diet a little, giving prominence to unprocessed and rich foods. in micronutrients.

If you stick to this all year long, you won’t have to worry about losing weight after the holidays!

In recent months, some Mercadona supermarkets have put up for sale, although not in all of Spain, new shots made with impressive ingredients such as activated charcoal, ginger and aloe vera.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile and video-based social network for users who train strength and/or body weight exercises. At Fitenium users can find free personalized routines, follow their performance, compete and get discounts at nutrition stores and sports equipment. Download it here.

These shots claim to have different capacities, as shown on the outer label. Activated charcoal shows detoxification, ginger shows activation and Aloe Vera purification. To find out more about these products, how they work, how they are manufactured, etc., we consulted with the Mercadona Communications Manager about the quality and characteristics of these products and we investigated what science says about it.

Focus on superfoods that eliminate toxins and rejuvenate us

Mercadona reports that the activated carbon injection consists of a single dose of a highly concentrated and slightly diluted superfood (activated carbon). In its benefits and utilities, they point out that it not only eliminates toxins, but also eliminates gases, controls diarrhea and balances the PH. The recommended daily intake is 1 bottle per day.

This product is made with 50% apple juice, 40% coconut water, 9% lime and 0.1% activated carbon according to the product label.

As for ginger shots, Mercadona, like activated charcoal, is a single dose of high concentration of the superfood in question (ginger) and teaches us to provide energy injections in addition to improving our circulation. prevents colds and throat infections.

This product is made with 70% apple juice, 20% ginger juice and 10% lemon juice. Both products have a size of 60 milliliters and cost around 1.35 euros.

Scientific evidence mentions similar products

Of course, the reaction to these products is wide and diverse. Many nutritionists and experts in the health food industry have commented on the true usefulness of these products.

activated carbon shot

The first thing to know is that activated charcoal is a product used to treat people who ingest toxic substances (really toxic, like poison).

However, this product does not have a detoxifying effect on our body and there are some risks. First of all, unless you are ingesting poisonous or toxic substances, you should seek medical attention immediately if you detoxify your body or go through the detoxification process.

Our bodies are fully prepared to purify and eliminate ingested substances from food that we do not need ourselves. What can happen with the consumption of activated charcoal is that if we overdo it, we run the risk of absorbing the necessary vitamins and beneficial bacteria. In addition, it can cause intestinal obstruction.

Of course, the amount contained in the Mercadona Shot is below the amount that can start to be dangerous (0.2 grams is the maximum recommended according to Mercadona), but because the amount is too small. It has real therapeutic utility (in the case of real addiction). This means that this product is not dangerous, but has the least possible benefit.

ginger shot

In the case of ginger, the benefits of this food have been admired in recent years. In particular, around 1 gram per day (grated or from the root itself) is especially appreciated to relieve stomach upsets such as nausea and vomiting. ).

In any case, as pointed out by the National Center for Complementary Foods, “there is growing concern that ginger may interact with some medications, such as anticoagulants.” In this sense, the research carried out by Heck or Miller and his team specifically points to possible interactions with Walfarin. These studies specifically mention when foods and supplements consume large amounts of ginger: “more than is normally found in spicy foods.”

In any case, the existence of this interaction is not entirely clear, but it is advisable to consult your GP. In addition, NCCFF mentions its use in pregnancy: “In general, it is not clear that ginger is safe in all cases during pregnancy”, and goes to the doctor for advice. I recommend that.

Studies such as Tiran and Viljoen are doing the same, showing that each particular case must be considered before recommending the use of ginger to pregnant women. In general, aspirin should avoid the use of ginger,” Tiran and his team find.

Viljoen and his team have found that the most effective and suitable dose for pregnant women who do not meet the above conditions is 1500 mg or less per day. Furthermore, Stanishieri and his team point out in a 2018 survey that our doctors must also evaluate the quality of ginger and the process it went through.

For this particular product, the amount of ginger present is minimal. It should be remembered that 60 milliliters contain only 20% ginger, and that it is ginger juice, not ginger itself, studies carried out on therapeutic doses of ginger have it specific for each one. We found that it varies between 250 mg and 4 grams daily, depending on the case.

The amount of ginger contained in these injections is not exactly known, but since ginger juice is only 20% and the injections contain 60 milliliters, the amount of ginger present is therapeutically effective. It is less than the minimum amount it appears to be. Also under anything that could harm us. In any case, if in doubt, it is best to consult a doctor.

Also, note that the product does not contain a great, but is made from a variety of juices, including apple, lemon, lime, and ginger juices. Juice is not the most appropriate way to consume fruit. Fructose acts as free sugar in our body because the fibers it contains are lost and fructose does not have the fibers that help us metabolize it correctly.

If you want to take advantage of the characteristics of apple, ginger or coconut water that contain activated charcoal injections that help hydrate, it is more effective to consume whole apples, ginger infusion and coconut water. Avoid sugar, no additives.

When we talk about leading a healthy lifestyle, we are all thinking about eating right and exercising regularly. However, a healthy lifestyle also includes aspects such as good hygiene, in this case maintaining good oral health.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile and video-based social network for users who train strength and/or body weight exercises. At Fitenium users can find free personalized routines, follow their performance, compete and get discounts at nutrition stores and sports equipment. Download it here.

Impact of oral health on performance

Since the 1968 Olympics, there has been a link between elite athletes and the oral health of the poor.

According to a systematic review, 28% to 40% of athletes say that their oral health affects their quality of life and 5% to 18% of their performance. Oral health is also one of the factors that determine the quality of life.

There is little evidence on how diseases such as caries, periodontal disease, and periodontitis negatively affect quality of life. And the impact in this area can make a big difference in the performance of that sporting elite.

Published on Unplash by John Fornander

Pain, systemic inflammation or the impact of an athlete on the social environment may be part of the cause of poor performance due to poor physiological adaptation to training or its poor quality.

Why is the athlete’s oral hygiene deficient?

With very few studies available, it is difficult to establish one or more strong causes. Still, it is almost impossible to design a good study that can answer this question.

High carbohydrate intake, especially from gels and sports drinks, is speculated to be one of the nutritional causes of diseases such as dental caries in elite athletes. It is also said that eating disorders can cause vomiting and damage enamel, especially in light weight sports such as gymnastics, boxing and horse riding.

Another cause that can contribute to the appearance of these diseases is oral dehydration during sports. Saliva has a moisturizing and remineralizing effect, deficient in the aforementioned carbohydrate drinks and below, which increases the diffuse effect on teeth.

What can you do to keep your teeth healthy?

For the nutritional habits of elite athletes, it is difficult to make a difference because training performance depends on these habits, but regular visits to the dental office prophylactically are good oral hygiene.

For amateur practitioners, it is important to maintain oral hygiene habits, as an overdose of sugar and acidic drinks and poor oral hygiene can cause a variety of diseases.

After all, the best medicine is prevention. This is because many drug models are treatment-based and treatment-based, but not prevention-based, which is detrimental to both patient health and societal health costs.

Tea is after water, the most consumed drink in the world. This aromatic drink can be classified into different types of tea according to its flavor and texture and its origin is from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, a type of perennial shrub native to Southeast Asia.

Drinking the tea is associated with several health benefits including protecting cells from damage and reducing the risk of heart disease.

Additionally, other studies have found that the tea can enhance weight loss and help fight belly fat. In particular, some types of tea have been found to be more effective than others in achieving these goals.

So what is the best tea to burn fat? Among the best types of tea to lose fat and burn fat, we will introduce you to the most outstanding ones.

#1 White tea

White tea stands out among other types of tea because it is very little processed and harvested even while the tea plant is still young. White tea tastes very different from other types of tea and is characterized by a delicate, slightly sweet flavor.

The benefits of white tea have been well studied, ranging from improving oral health to destroying cancer cells in some laboratory tests. In any case, and although additional research is needed, white tea may contribute to losing weight and body fat.

Among the available studies considering white tea, there are two representative ones that explain how white tea and green tea have comparable amounts of catechins, which is a type of flavonoid present, for example, in apples, which can help you lose weight.

In addition to this study, a laboratory analysis showed that white tea increases the breakdown of fat cells and prevents the formation of new ones. Keep in mind, however, that this was a test-tube study and the results are not yet conclusive for people.

#2 Green Tea

Green tea is one of the most popular kinds of tea in the world and is associated with health benefits.

Among the types of fat loss tea, green tea has also been identified as the most effective fat loss tea due to the bioactive substances such as caffeine and antioxidants that it contains that provide metabolism-boosting and fat-burning effects.

A study conducted with the aim of identifying the ability of green tea to lose weight used a group of 60 obese people for analysis. During the tests, these people followed a standard diet for 12 weeks in which they drank green tea and placebo.

The results of the study were conclusive when it was shown at the end of the exercise that the group that drank green tea during the 12 weeks reduced their weight by 3.3kg more than the group drinking placebo.

And this is not the only study. Another study conducted by a group of Japanese researchers found that their test group drinking green tea extract for 12 weeks experienced significant decreases in body weight and waistline and body fat compared to the control group.

These results also apply to matcha, which is nothing more than a concentrated type of powdered green tea that contains the same beneficial ingredients as green tea.

#3 Black tea

Black tea is one of the best known types of fat loss tea. This type of tea is characterized by having carried out a more pronounced oxidation than other types of tea such as green tea, white tea or oolong tea.

Oxidation is a chemical process that occurs when the tea leaves come into contact with air, resulting in a darkening of the tea leaves characteristic of black teas.

Among the different types and mixtures of tea to lose weight and burn fat, black tea has varieties such as Earl Gray and English Breakfast, several studies have shown that black tea can be effective in controlling weight loss.

A recent study on the intake of black tea in a population of people concludes that drinking black tea for three months can help reduce weight and body fat when compared to the intake of caffeinated beverages.

Some researchers have attributed these results to the presence of flavonoids in the tea. Flavonoids are plant pigments found in tea leaves that have antioxidant properties.

These results were obtained by analyzing the intake of flavonoids from food and black tea in an adult population for 14 years. Finally, it was shown that the individuals with the highest intake of flavonoids had a lower body mass index within the group.

#4 Te Oolong

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea that has been partially exposed to air and has slightly oxidized, achieving an intermediate appearance between green and black tea.

This type of fat loss tea is often described as fruity with a fragrant aroma and unique flavor, although these nuances can vary depending on the level of oxidation.

Several studies have shown that oolong tea can help with weight loss by improving fat burning and speeding up metabolism.

For one of these studies, researchers concluded that oolong tea intake among an obese population reduced weight and body fat in this group after drinking tea every day for six weeks. The justification in this case would be related to the activation of the metabolism of the individuals who drank tea.

In another case study, oolong tea and water were distributed to a sample of men during a three-day experiment, concluding the analysis with an almost 3% increase in energy expenditure among those who drank the tea. On average, they burned more than 280 more calories thanks to the intake of oolong tea.

For now it seems that the research community is satisfied with the results of the studies on oolong tea so that the link between tea intake and metabolic activation is accepted.

#5 Red Tea

This type of tea to lose fat may not be one of the best known, which does not mean that it is less effective. Red tea is also known as pu’er or pu-erh tea and is a type of fermented black tea originating in China.

This fat burning tea is usually taken after eating, and has an earthy aroma that increases with the time it has been stored.

The clues that researchers have found about how black tea helps with weight loss are that black tea can lower blood sugar and triglycerides in people and animals.

For one of these studies, a representative sample of seventy men was selected who were given a black tea or placebo for three months. Those who took the tea capsules lost their weight an average of more than 2 kg more than those who only took placebo.

Other studies have also shown the anti-obesity effects of red tea extract in animals. However, the research carried out on te puerh is limited, so additional studies are needed to understand its full effects.

#6 Herbal tea

Herbal teas use the infusion of herbs, spices and fruits in hot water. These teas differ from traditional types of fat loss teas in that they do not contain caffeine and are not made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.

Among the most popular types of tea we can find rooibos fat loss tea, ginger tea, rosehip tea and hibiscus tea. All of them are herbal teas.

At first it would seem that herbal teas can vary greatly in their composition, so it would be almost impossible to obtain conclusive results on whether they can help us reduce our weight or lose fat.

But is not the case.

In an animal study, several Chinese researchers discovered that by giving herbal tea to obese rats, they decreased their weight and managed to normalize their hormone levels.

In another laboratory study on rooibos tea, it was found that this type of weight loss tea increased metabolism and helped block the formation of fat cells.

Once again, the results of analyzes carried out with animals and in laboratories can give us an indication of how herbal tea is one of the types of tea to lose fat, although more studies are still necessary to conclude about the effects of herbal tea. in people.

recommendations

If you are thinking about what kind of drinks you can drink to lose weight or lose weight, fat burning tea can be a wonderful choice due to its natural properties to help you lose weight.

In this sense, you can replace drinks with many calories such as juices from soft drinks in your diet and replace them with tea. Especially you can use any of the types of tea that we have mentioned in this post because although additional research is still needed on its effects on people, white, black, herbal, green, oolong and puerh teas have achieved results in reducing the weight and lose fat.

A cup of tea or two every day is not going to turn you into a paintbrush. But if you want to scratch on all fronts, it won’t hurt to drink weight loss and fat burning tea daily and combine it with a good diet and better exercise routine.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can follow their performance, compete and get discounts in nutrition and sports equipment stores. Download it here.

It is common to read that gaining muscle mass is a marathon. A volume phase is an exercise in perseverance and patience, since it takes a long time to see results compared to a definition phase. If you are also one of those people who have difficulty gaining weight, it can be frustrating. That’s why after weeks of eating a healthy hypercaloric diet with barely a sight of the scale moving, it’s quite tempting to go to the first fast food restaurant you see and bump up your calories. However, there are better options to build muscle mass, being rich in nutrients and dense in calories.

If you make a conscious effort to include these foods in your diet you will see how the number of calories goes up easily while you eat healthy and delicious meals.

First of all, how much should I eat to gain muscle mass?

We must be clear that both to lose fat and to gain muscle mass, more does not mean better. Creating a larger caloric deficit in your diet will slow your metabolism and make your trim unsustainable, and in the muscle gain phase the same principle applies. We must create a caloric surplus as a basis to gain muscle mass, but the surplus must be controlled to minimize fat gain, which on the other hand is inevitable, and therefore, maximize muscle mass gain and not have to do aggressive definitions later . This study analyzes the limit that the body has to gain muscle mass, with the rest of the caloric surplus going to our fat reserves

To find out how many calories we should consume to gain muscle mass, we will go to a basal metabolism calculator and enter our data to have an estimate of our daily caloric expenditure, including our physical activity. However, we must be careful with this calculator, since formulas like Harris Benedict tend to overestimate the exercise quite a bit.

For example: we are a person of 30 years, 180 centimeters and 70 kilos of weight. We have a sedentary job and we train 6 times a week. We enter the data in the basal metabolism calculator and obtain these results.

Another simpler and valid option for people who do sports at a recreational level, recommended by Lyle Mcdonald, is simply multiplying your weight in pounds by 11. Adapting it to kilos would be multiplying your body weight by 26-28. This result is usually quite accurate when calculating the caloric expenditure of a person with an average composition who trains regularly.

For example: a recreational athlete weighing 83 kilos would obtain a result of 1,890 by multiplying his weight by 27. Adding a caloric surplus of 400 calories, we would get a goal of 2,290 calories per day. It is surprising how similar this data is compared to that of the calculator considering its simplicity, but the truth is that it is a good starting point.

Maintain muscle mass gain over time

We have already determined our caloric intake, and we will progress in our weight over the weeks and months. The reasonable thing to do in a volume phase if we want to prioritize gaining muscle mass is to gain between 500 grams and 1 kilo every four weeks. The changes in our weight are not linear, so we recommend weighing yourself every day and taking a weekly average that we will take as a reference.

At some point, we will gradually stop gaining weight and reach a point of stagnation. It is reasonable because a 70-kilo person does not consume the same calories as a 80-kilo person and what was a caloric surplus will cease to be over time. At this point we simply add 100 calories to the diet while maintaining our macronutrient allocation. If we continue to stagnate, another 100 calories.

It is important that the rise in our caloric intake is progressive to focus on gaining muscle mass and minimizing fat gain.

macronutrient distribution

Although the star macronutrient in fat loss is protein, when we want to gain muscle mass, carbohydrates take on a lot of prominence. That does not mean that a good diet to gain muscle mass does not have a higher amount of protein than the average sedentary person.

Regarding protein, the recommendation for people who do weight training is between 1.8 and 2.5 grams of protein per kilo of weight. If we are in the definition phase we should go towards the upper end and in the volume phase to the lower end, since there is not so much danger of catabolism. Therefore, we will take as a base 1.8 grams of protein per kilo of weight. Each gram of protein is equivalent to 4 calories.

Fats are important to have an adequate hormonal environment to gain muscle mass, so we should not minimize them. In addition, each gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories, so it is good to put more calories in our diet if it is difficult for us to reach the calories. A reasonable recommendation is 0.7 grams of fat for each kilo of weight.

Carbohydrates are very important in this phase, since they will give you energy to perform better in your workouts and are less satiating than protein, which helps us increase daily caloric intake. Since we have already calculated our total calories, and we know how many grams of protein and fat we are going to consume daily, our carbohydrate intake will simply be the rest of the calories we have!

Continuing with the example of the 30-year-old athlete and 70 kilos who has 2,390 calories a day as a goal.

• 1.8 grams of protein per pound of weight = 126 grams of protein * 4 calories per gram = 504 calories.
• 0.7 grams of fat per pound of weight = 49 grams of fat * 9 calories per gram = 441 calories.
• 2,390 total calories – 441 calories from fat – 504 calories from protein = 1,445 calories from carbs divided by 4 calories per gram = 393 grams of carbs.

This results in a diet with the following distribution of macronutrients: 21% protein, 19% fat and 60% carbohydrates.

Recommended foods to gain muscle mass

Interesting foods in a muscle gain diet usually have a series of characteristics that define them: caloric density, nutritional density and good distribution of macronutrients. Our list of recommended foods with your is as follows:

• Salmon: per 100 grams 191 calories, 20.6g of protein, 12g of fat and 0g of carbohydrates.
• Chicken thighs: per 100 grams 114 calories, 19g of protein, 4.1g of fat and 0g of carbohydrates.
• Lean pork: per 100 grams 156 calories, 22g of protein, 7.6g of fat and 0g of carbohydrates.
• Serrano Ham: per 100 grams 221 calories, 28g of protein, 12g of fat and 0.2g of carbohydrates.
• Cured sheep cheese: per 100 grams 450 calories, 23g of protein, 39g of fat and 1.8g of carbohydrates.

Why are all the above products interesting? All of these foods are sources of highly bioavailable protein, high-quality fats, and are very nutritionally dense.

• Tuna in Olive Oil: per 100 grams 147 calories, 13.52g of protein, 10.8g of fat and 0g of carbohydrates.
• Natural Almond: per 100 grams 602 calories, 25.3gr of protein, 50.9gr of fat and 5.4gr of carbohydrates.
• Cashew: per 100 grams 604 calories, 21.9g of protein, 48.2g of fat and 19g of carbohydrates.
• Peanut Butter: per 100 grams 562 calories, 24.2gr of protein, 44.6r of fat and 15.9gr of carbohydrates.
• Avocado: per 100 grams 160 calories, 2g of protein, 14.66g of fat and 8.53g of carbohydrates.
• Olive Oil: per 100 grams 884 calories, 0g of protein, 100g of fat and 0g of carbohydrates.

Why are all the above products interesting? They are products quite high in healthy fats and calories, which is why, in moderation, they are ideal for reaching our target calories in volume diets.

• Oatmeal: per 100 grams 367 calories, 12.1g of protein, 8.4g of fat and 56.1g of carbohydrates (1.0g of sugar).
• Banana: per 100 grams 89 calories, 1.09g of protein, 0.33g of fat and 22.84g of carbohydrates.
• Potato: per 100 grams 104 calories, 1.66g of protein, 2.4g of fat and 19.36g of carbohydrates.
• Sweet Potato or Sweet Potato: per 100 grams 107 calories, 1.61g of protein, 0.6g of fat and 24.19g of carbohydrates.
• Whole milk: per 100 grams 146 calories, 7.86g of protein, 7.93g of fat and 11.03g of carbohydrates.

Why are all the above products interesting? They are slow assimilation carbohydrates, perfect for energy without sugar spikes.

conclusions

The most important thing to take away from this article is that gaining muscle mass is a long-distance race. Do not despair and the results are less noticeable than when you start a phase of fat loss. We must not get carried away with the “more is better” and apply too large a surplus because that will increase fat gains. We must not forget clean foods that are valid for both definition and volume phases, but we can also prioritize foods with a little more caloric density as long as that density is accompanied by healthy ingredients and nutritional density.

If you follow this plan consistently, the results will come. And we want you to share them in Fitenium.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can follow their performance, compete and get discounts in nutrition and sports equipment stores. Download it here.

We have always read as universal truths, often recommended by doctors and experts, things like that it is important to eat breakfast to perform or that if we want to lose fat we must eat six small meals a day to “rev up metabolism” and optimize fat loss. I’m sure you too have heard these tips and probably followed them. Don’t worry, I’ve been there too.

However, in recent years the internet has helped to democratize knowledge, we have easy access to the latest medical research and therefore, we can learn about the benefits of intermittent fasting directly. What would you say if by skipping breakfast and eating two or three larger meals you can get the same results in a more comfortable way?

We are talking about intermittent fasting 8/16, which consists of fasting for 16 hours and eating for the remaining 8 hours of the day. A common protocol is to fast from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. the next day, that is, we skip breakfast, although the protocol in which we start fasting at 4:00 p.m. and finish it at 8:00 a.m. is not uncommon either: 00 the next day.

Before delving into the benefits of intermittent fasting, we must clarify a series of concepts and myths that circulate about this protocol:

• Intermittent fasting is a diet: This statement is incorrect, intermittent fasting is an eating protocol, not a diet. Two people can eat in totally different ways following the same protocol.
• If you do intermittent fasting, in the eating window you can eat whatever you want: Although it is true that by reducing our eating window we have more room to add calories once we start eating, that does not mean that we have an “open bar” of food since no matter how much intermittent fasting we do, we are not going to lose fat if we do not have a caloric deficit.
• Training fasted is bad for your health: You won’t pass out from training fasted if you get enough energy and rest according to science.
• Training fasted is magical for fat loss: despite the fact that scientific evidence indicates some benefits at the cardiovascular level or improvement in insulin sensitivity, training fasted will not imply greater fat oxidation than in other training.
• Training fasting burns muscle mass: this does not happen in the first 24 hours of fasting, in fact there are studies that indicate that lean mass retention is greater than with a traditional hypocaloric diet approach.

How to go from the usual eating protocol to intermittent fasting.

Surely if someone talks to you about skipping breakfast, the first thing you will think is that you cannot do that because if you skip breakfast you will starve all morning and therefore cannot enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting. And what you say makes total sense. When we are used to eating all the time we are awake, transitioning to an intermittent fasting protocol is difficult at first. However, all that hunger and even other symptoms such as headaches pass after a few days. Therefore, the first step to start doing intermittent fasting is to lose the fear of going hungry.

Subsequently, we must also be clear about our goals and how we want to approach them. If we want to gain muscle mass, the “Lean Gains” protocol is one of the most popular and effective, since it takes into account, in addition to fasting windows, the training schedule, BCAA supplementation and other variables. For fat loss, I personally recommend the 16/8 protocol, since it is the one I carry out, but there are other very interesting protocols such as:

• Fasting 12/12: 12 hours eating and 12 hours fasting, most of us do it unconsciously on a regular basis. It is a good way to familiarize ourselves with this type of protocol and gradually increase the fasting window until 8/16 or even more.
• 20/4 Fast: A more advanced but not necessarily better version, especially useful for people who don’t have time to cook and/or eat.
• 5/2 fasting or Eat Stop Eat: consists of fasting twice a week for 24 hours on alternate days and eating normally the other five days a week.
• FMD or Semi Fasting: strong semi fasting consists of eating very little (500-600 calories) for periods longer than 24 hours that a normal fast lasts.
• Warrior Diet or Warrior Diet: strong the hardest version of all, is to eat all your daily calories in one meal. I personally don’t recommend it because it’s hard to get to, but it does have its benefits if you manage to stick to it.

When we are clear about the protocol we want to follow (I recommend progressing to 16/8 for a standard amateur athlete), we must calculate our caloric needs. As I mentioned earlier, the fact of having a higher caloric margin when eliminating some foods does not mean that we can eat what we want. If there is no caloric deficit, we will not be able to lose fat and if we do not obtain a surplus, there will be no gain in muscle mass.

Just as important as the caloric deficit is the allocation of macronutrients, especially to maintain muscle mass as much as possible when applying intermittent fasting for fat loss.

One of the benefits of intermittent fasting is that our meal plan is simplified. Instead of having to prepare 5 or 6 meals, now with 2 or 3 we will have the whole day covered. It is also key to know at what time of day we are going to fast and when we will have our eating window, also taking into account when we are going to train.

Once we are psyched up, we have chosen the protocol that interests us the most, calculated our caloric needs and defined our fasting and eating windows, all we have to do is be constant and start to get results.

The benefits of intermittent fasting.

• Reduction of insulin levels, improving sensitivity to it.
• Improvements at the cognitive level.
• Reduced anxiety once adapted.
• Greater adaptation to our day to day.
• Increased autophagy.
• Improvement of the lipid profile by reducing triglycerides.
• Increased maintenance of muscle mass.

However, despite the benefits of intermittent fasting, it is important to know that certain prior considerations must be taken into account, and it is not recommended for people who require medical supervision, such as:

• Pregnant women
• Breastfeeding women.
• People with diabetes.
• People with very low blood pressure.
• Polymedicated people.
• People with eating disorders.
• People with a significant underweight.

In these cases, it is always advisable to talk to your doctor because this type of protocol can affect your previous condition.

conclusions

Although intermittent fasting is counterintuitive and even unhealthy for many people, there is plenty of evidence on the benefits of intermittent fasting, especially for people whose goal is to lose fat. Even so, it is not a magical protocol and if we do not take into account the caloric deficit and distribution of macronutrients, we will not obtain the desired benefits. However, for many people, this type of fasting is the best way to end anxiety and improve their relationship with food until they achieve a balance between health, performance and freedom to eat.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can share the progress they make from training and following a good calisthenics diet. Download it here.

One of the factors that most attracts people to bodyweight training is its simple nature. You don’t need to join a gym and you don’t need a lot of equipment either. Only with your body and at most on the bars of your nearest park to start training and obtain “gains” of strength and muscle mass. However, considering that in calisthenics and street workout our body is our main tool to exercise, it is even more important to maintain it in an optimal state to gain control over it. That is why we are going to help you with the principles of the calisthenics diet so that you can progress as much as possible in a natural and healthy way.

We defend 4 principles when designing a calisthenics diet, which are the following. It is nothing complex or sophisticated, no supplementation or precooked food is used, the strategy for success is based on these four pillars.

Avoid junk food, prioritize natural foods.

Obesity is an increasingly widespread pandemic in the world. Many Spanish-speaking countries are in the highest positions in the hateful ranking of countries with the highest obesity rate, highlighting the cases of Mexico and Chile, with rates above 25% in the case of Chile and a worrying 32% for the North American country, only surpassed by the United States.

Currently there is a tendency to overuse processed foods that do not contribute anything and are more expensive than the sum of their ingredients and, although we are very clear that a food should not be demonized because it is processed (a yogurt, for example, is processed and can be very healthy), for our calisthenics diet whenever we have doubts it is better to opt for foods with as short a list of ingredients as possible.

It is clear that we are interested in maintaining a low fat percentage for the practice of calisthenics and for this, sugary foods or foods high in saturated fat will provide a very high amount of calories and very little satiety. Of course there are sugar-free soft drinks and they are not a bad option to drink from time to time, but our recommendation will always be to drink water.

Take your protein! Calisthenics diet needs it

Whether we want to gain muscle mass or lose fat, protein plays a very important role in both processes. It is true that if we are in a stage of fat loss, in order to maintain all the lean mass possible, the grams of protein per kilo of weight. You can expand more information in our two articles on how to lose fat and about how to gain muscle mass, but to summarize about the consumption of fat in both phases, it is normally recommended to consume between 1.8 and 2.5 grams of protein per kilo of weight, tending to the ceiling if we are in the definition phase and to the floor if our goal is to win fat.

Where to get that protein? It’s not complicated, there are many quality sources available within real food. The most common option is meat, but we must not forget the protein available in other foods such as eggs, dairy, fish… or if you are vegan there are options such as legumes, soy and others. In the following table we can find a protein reference per 100 grams of various foods.

Chicken breast: 23gr
Turkey breast: 24gr
Lean beef: 22gr
Lean Pork: 22gr
Serrano Ham: 36gr
Stuffed Loin: 38gr
Tuna Steak: 24gr
Tuna: 21gr
Salmon: 21gr
Mackerel: 15gr
Sardinas: 24gr
Octopus: 15gr
Calamar: 16gr
Egg: 13gr
Egg whites: 11gr
Whole Milk: 8gr
Lechi Seeds: 8gr
Skimmed Milk: 8gr
Fresh Cheese: 12gr
Semi-cured cheese: 23gr
Cured Cheese: 25gr
Old Cheese: 25gr
Fresh Shake Cheese: 8gr
Queso Quark: 12gr
Lentils: 25gr
Chickpeas: 19gr
Beans: 21gr
Textured Soy: 50gr
Peanut: 30gr
Almendras: 25gr
Anacardo: 22gr

Regarding whey protein, despite the fact that it is a processed food, we believe that it can be useful for people who have difficulties reaching the protein weight they are looking for. Vegans generally have a much more difficult time than omnivores, so whey protein is even more useful in this case. However, do not worry, the Frank Medrano diet is vegan and is a benchmark in the world.

Of course, if your economy allows it and you have access, we recommend buying grass-fed meat, free-range eggs, free-range chicken, etc… the flavor and fairer treatment of animals are worth it.

Finally, if we are in a stage of fat loss, we must bear in mind that some of these foods (salmon, nuts, cheese…) apart from protein, have a high amount of protein, they are also rich in fat of quality, which are necessary for a balanced diet, but are caloric and therefore we recommend eat them in moderation.

Carbohydrates and dairy, how to manage them?

Although protein is perhaps the most key macronutrient of all, carbohydrates provide the energy that a good calisthenics diet requires if you are to perform on the bars.

While many people are against adding grain and dairy to the diet because they supposedly promote intestinal inflammation, a large number of other athletes take milk and gluten with no problem. In general, from Fitenium we recommend that you take both if you do not have any intolerance and they feel good, but if you constantly have bad digestions, try to stop taking them to see if they are the reason.

On the other hand, we must be careful with the carbohydrates we choose. We must prioritize slow-digesting or complex carbohydrates, which fill us up for longer and do not create insulin spikes. Some of them are tubers, rice, pasta, bread or cereals taking care that they are integral. Ideally, they should be low in sugar and high in fiber to go to the throne like clockwork :).

What about the fruit and vegetables in the calisthenics diet?

If you have doubts about eating fruit or not eating it, eat it. It is a very healthy food with an enormous nutritional contribution, perfect for a calisthenics diet. In addition, they are generally low in calories and create great satiety, so it is difficult to screw up your caloric deficit with apples.

However, it is true that other more caloric fruits such as bananas or grapes should be taken because they are nutritionally quite good but in moderation. I wouldn’t worry too much about the sugars in the fruit, since they are naturally present in the food and not added as in so many processed foods.

Regarding vegetables, eat all you want and more, the more varied the better.

conclusions

We must take care of our body above all, but if it is our training tool, even more so. It is key for a calisthenic to be low in fat to progress in exercises with your own body weight, for which we must try a moderate and high protein intake, the first step is to avoid junk food. In general there are many sources of real food with quality protein, but nothing happens if we help ourselves with a protein shake.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can follow their performance, compete and get discounts in nutrition and sports equipment stores. Download it here.

Yam is a rare tuber on our table, but today we will talk about it because it can mean another source of high-quality carbohydrates and other beneficial nutrients. However, the yam, which is very common in the Caribbean and South America, has been part of their diets for centuries. It is a food suitable for diabetics and paleo, so you are interested in knowing the yam properties!

what is name

Like other root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, potatoes and cassava, yams are rich in carbohydrates, mainly containing more than 70% starch and more than 8 grams of fiber per 100 grams of food. Slows down digestion and lowers blood sugar.

Similarly, it is a tuber that is richer in protein than any other and contains approximately 12% of this nutrient.

Rich in high-quality micronutrients, among which calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium stand out, certain antioxidants also help the body’s health.

Regarding their physical properties, yam starch and flour are stable in hot suspensions and have gelling and thickening properties.

HOW TO COOK THE YAM

Being rich in fiber and vegetable protein since it is a concentrated carbohydrate, it is considered an energy food (so you go to the gym to give it your all), but it does not have a high glycemic index, so it is not only for athletes but also for patients diabetics.

In addition, it provides a feeling of satiety, which, together with its high percentage of starch and its low cost, make it a self-sufficient crop according to the FAO.

Rich in fiber, resistant starch, and antioxidants, it has elevated blood triglyceride levels and diseases caused by lipid oxidation, including atherosclerosis, even in rodent studies. In addition, it can be used to extract gluten-free flour and starch. This is ideal for diversifying the diet of celiac people.

For example, the stewed yam is a simple recipe that everyone can prepare, you will not need many ingredients and it will be ready in a matter of minutes. Accompany a delicious fish with this stew or eat accompanied by pieces of bread or tortillas. Best of all, you can buy this root vegetable at any supermarket or even grow it in your own home.

However, it is also very adaptable for recipes such as making chips, soups or even stews, it is incredible!

How to use yam in cooking

Yam is an inaccessible crop, but you should keep in mind that its use in the kitchen is very similar to that of other tubers. Always cooked, boiled and then baked or grilled, just like flour or starch.

You can take it in the form of flour or starch, which acts as a thickener or gelling agent to replace, for example, corn starch, and it can also be fermented to make bread suitable for celiacs.

Of course, you can also use it to cook other types of dishes, such as stews, soups and chips, to eat between meals.

It is a high-quality, low-cost food product with excellent properties that ensure its quality throughout the food industry. And not only that, but in cosmetics the yam root cream improves the condition of the skin in general (it is known as the plant of youth) giving it vitality, and applied in the form of circular massages is another way to strengthen and give volume to the breasts. Also massages with yam root cream are a very effective stimulant and an excellent sexual energizer.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can follow their performance, compete and get discounts in nutrition and sports equipment stores. Download it here.

These are the conclusions drawn after evaluating the results obtained from the weight and height censuses carried out by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Education (MEP).

Children who eat in the private dining room are more likely to be overweight than children who eat in the public dining room. A census carried out with the participation of more than 300,000 schoolchildren has revealed that the problem of being overweight among Spanish minors has increased rapidly in recent years.

The cases of obesity and childhood obesity have increased by 12% in recent years.

Looking back at the current results and comparing the results of the 2008 weight and height census conducted by the National Nutrition Survey, the problem of overweight children exceeds 21%. In 2008, 34% registered this final qualification.

The difference is even greater for minors who eat in private school canteens, with census results of over 34% for minors between the ages of 6 and 12 who eat in public canteens. In the case of, it has risen to 38%. for children eating in a private dining room.

This astonishing 12 percent increase in children with obesity problems in just eight years is responsible for generating alerts to educational authorities that have committed to launching new eating plans and healthy habits in public schools.

Is the increase in overweight children only due to problems with the food served in public or private centers, or is it also related to their sedentary habits?

The prevention of obesity in children is essential to rule out possible health problems in children.

Do you think that the increase in overweight children is only related to the food in the dining room?

We’ll find out in the data from the next scheduled census…

Published on Unplash by Dominic Sansotta

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can follow their performance, compete and get discounts in nutrition and sports equipment stores. Download it here.

They are the best vegetables, and when roasted they take on a new dimension by deepening and deepening the flavor and caramelizing. The hint of cider and mandarin makes it a very Christmassy point of aroma and goes well with meat, fish or vegetarian main courses.

Ingredients for 4 people

Brussels sprouts: 500 grams

Pumpkin: 400 grams

apple cider vinegar: 15 ml

Sidra 50 ml

large tangerine: 1

Extra virgin olive oil: 10 ml

Black pepper

Provencal herbs to taste

Sal

Pumpkin spice (optional)

chives (optional)

additional tangerine (optional)

Difficulty: easy

Total time: 50 minutes (10 preparation and 40 cooking)

How to Make Pumpkin Cider Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Preheat the oven to 200ºC and prepare a dish or tray with a little olive oil.

Gently wash the Brussels sprouts, remove any damaged leaves, and tap to dry. Cut the larger one in half and leave the smaller one as it is. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into cubes of approximately the same size.

Combine both vegetables in a skillet, season, and toss with cider vinegar, cider vinegar, tangerine juice, and olive oil. Add Provencal herbs and taste.

Stir halfway through cooking, add more cider or water to prevent over-drying, and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Serve with chopped chives and pumpkin seeds, and optionally more tangerine juice.

What to pair with roasted pumpkin sprouts

These Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash, like I said, make a very versatile side dish, but they can also be combined with eggs, rice, beans, or other grains and served as a simple side dish for a light lunch or dinner. Leftovers can be safely stored in a refrigerator in a closed container.