What's a TransFat?

3/06/2006

What's a TransFat?

An overview from the American Heart Association
Trans fat (also called trans fatty acids) is formed when liquid vegetable oils go through a chemical process called hydrogenation, in which hydrogen is added to make the oils more solid. Hydrogenated vegetable fats are used by food processors because they allow longer shelf-life and give food desirable taste, shape, and texture. Evidence suggests that consumption of trans fat raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, causing the arteries to become clogged and increasing the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. To read the full story about transfats and other fats, click here.

Weight Loss Tip: The only way to lose weight is to have a calorie deficit.

Change your diet to take in less calories than your burn. increase exercise and lean muscle mass to burn more calories than you take in. Or, try a combination of these techniques.

Many supplements that claim to "raise your metabolism" are simply stimulants that raise your heart rate --- you may as well drink 6 cups of coffee, which you probably would not be willing to do. And supplements are not FDA approved. Guarana, for example, contains very high concentrations of caffeine and has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity.

Nutrition Recommendations for Athletes

"Protein recommendations for [male] endurance athletes are 1.2 g/kg body weight per day, whereas those for [male] resistance and strength trained athletes may be as high as 1.6 to 1.7 g/kg body weight per day...Little information is available regarding requirements of endurance athletes who are women [and] data on female strength athletes are not available. These recommended protein intakes can generally be met through diet alone, without the use of protein or amino acid supplements, if energy intake is adequate to maintain body weight." *"Data are not presently available...to suggest that athletes need a diet significantly different from that recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans...(55% to 58% of energy from carbohydrates, 12 to 15% of energy from protein and 25 to 30% of energy from fat)." * "Before exercise, a meal or snack should provide sufficient fluid to maintain hydration, be relatively low in fat and fiber...be relatively high in carbohydrate...be moderate in protein and be composed of foods familiar and well tolerated..." * "...Athletes should consume a mixed meal providing carbohydrates, protein and fat soon after a strenuous competition or training session." Source: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, Joint Position Statement by American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada

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Cary Raffle Certified Personal Trainer - NYC

Training Rates

3/06/2006

What's a TransFat?

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