NUTRITION ECTO FL


OVERVIEW

 

You are an Ectomorph on a fat loss programme. Losing fat should be relatively easy for you. Your priority is to maintain the muscle being built in the gym. Due to the difficulty your body-type has building and maintaining muscle, it is essential not to cut calories or carbohydrates too drastically as this will have the effect of breaking down muscle, which will in turn slow down metabolism. When your metabolism slows it makes losing fat harder. Therefore one of our goals is to burn fat by increasing muscle mass and subsequently speeding up your metabolism.

Fortunately as an Ectomorph you have a naturally faster metabolism, so you will burn your stored fuel more quickly than other body types. Keeping your fuel stores topped up throughout the day is important, as it limits muscle breakdown whilst training. Therefore for your body-type it is important to eat little and often to balance your blood sugar, keep insulin levels stable and limit muscle breakdown. 

As an Ectomorph you have a smaller digestive system and storage capacity than the other body types, and you will tend to get full more quickly when eating, therefore be careful not to over consume at one sitting, as this will lead to fat storage. You are carbohydrate tolerant, so you can eat carbs without the associated fat gain that other body types have. This doesn’t mean eat as many carbs as possible, but the right carbs at the right time will limit muscle loss.

Cutting calories beyond our recommended estimate will not only have the negative affect of muscle breakdown but also signal to your body to hold onto its fat stores. This is your body’s safety mechanism, as in times of famine those fat stores are needed to survive. When your body is in famine mode it will take protein from your muscle and convert it into energy, which we are trying hard to avoid. This is why the leaner you become, the harder it is to lose fat.

There are 3 nutrient timing phase’s. The first phase is the energy phase, where you fuel your body before and during the training session. The second phase is the anabolic (building) phase, this being the hour immediately after training which is the optimal time to replenish the body’s energy stores, hence consuming a post workout shake. Due to your Ectomorphic body-type we want to maintain as much muscle as possible so it is essential to get the correct nutrients in this window. Miss it and you will have wasted the opportunity to make the most of the hard work you did during your training session. Therefore we recommend consuming your shake within the first 20 minutes post training. The third and final phase is the growth, repair and recovery phase. This is the 24 hours post training and it is in this phase that the majority of strength, muscle gain and adaptations occur. The carbs consumed in this phase, including breakfast, should be low GL (glycemic load). This will keep your stored carbohydrate (glycogen) levels replenished, preventing muscle breakdown.

 

MACRONUTRIENT BREAKDOWN TABLE

 

MACRONUTRIENT BREAKDOWN TABLE

Daily Nutrition Grams Calories %
Protein
Fat
Carb
Total 100

The above table shows your ideal macronutrient breakdown, this information would be useful if using MyFitnessPal.

 

BASIC VERSION

Key points

  • We strongly recommend you use MyFitnessPal to track your nutrition targets.

  • Keep as close to your daily calorie and macronutrient breakdown as you can. (see table).

  • Ensure you eat breakfast.

  • Drink 200-300ml of water upon waking.

  • Ideally eat 1-2 hours before training.

  • Try to avoid fat 90 minutes before and after training.

  • After training consume a post exercise shake.

  • Spread your meals throughout the day. (Ideally 6 meals). Your post exercise shake is classed as a meal.

  • Eat lean meats, healthy fats and low GL carbohydrates. (Suggested on your food list).

  • Eat only 1-2 pieces of fruit per day due to the sugar content.

  • Aim to eat a minimum of 6 vegetable a day. This will help to get the fibre you need.

  • Vary the type and colour of fruit and veg you eat.

  • Aim to eat 1.5 - 2.5 hours before sleep.

  • Sticking to the above points may be difficult, remember these are just guidelines. Do the best you can.


ADVANCED VERSION

 

Key points

  • Drink 200-300ml of water upon waking.

  • Regardless of whether you are training or not, for your body-type it is important to eat breakfast within an hour of waking.

  • Aim to eat 1-2 hours before training, ideally a meal containing low GL (glycemic load) carbohydrates, fat and protein. However if you are training early morning try to eat something light 30-45 minutes before exercise. This snack should contain low GL carbohydrates, protein but no fat.

  • Your recommended fat intake (on the chart above) should be spread evenly between your meals, however avoid fat 90 minutes before and after training.

  • Take BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids) during training along with approximately 500ml of water (you will find your recommended dose of BCAA in your nutrient breakdown table).

  • After training consume a post exercise protein and carbohydrate shake. Refer to your personal nutritional breakdown table for your specific recommended dose. Whey protein is thought to be the best form.

  • Post training take 1000mg of Vitamin C.

  • Add 10g of glutamine to your post exercise protein and carbohydrate shake.

  • Eat 6 meals a day, therefore you should be eating every 2 to 2.5 hours. Your post exercise protein shake is classed as a meal. Spread your other 5 meals evenly throughout the day.

  • Any protein and/or carbohydrate drinks that have been recommended in your nutrition plan are already included in your daily calorie estimate.

  • Eat low GL carbohydrates, except after training when high GL is most suitable. We advice dextrose as a fast absorbing carbohydrate (see nutrient breakdown table for the recommended amount). If you are not having the recommended Dextose shake then eat something high GL (see your food list for examples)

  • Eat lean meats suggested on your food list.

  • Ensure to spread your protein evenly throughout the day.

  • Eat healthy fats suggested on your food list. Be sure to spread these throughout the day.

  • For your body-type we recommend a small amount of low GL carbs with your evening meal as stated on your nutrient breakdown table.

  • Eat only 1-2 pieces of fruit per day due to the sugar content. The majority of your weekly fruit intake should come from the fruit section A on the nutritional data table

  • Eat 6-12 vegetable a day. The majority of your vegetable intake should come from the vegetable section A on our nutritional data table below. This will help to get the fibre you need.

  • Vary the type and colour of fruit and veg you eat. Refer to our nutritional data table below for ideas and information.

  • Aim to eat 1.5 - 2.5 hours before sleep.

  • On a non-training day reduce your carbohydrate intake by 10% and on a second consecutive non-training day reduce your carbohydrates by 20%.

 

Daily Calorie Intake = 0000

The red column is the amount of calories needed to maintain your BMR (basal metabolic rate) This is the rate at which your body uses energy when you are resting in order to keep your vital body functions working. The yellow column represents the amount of calories needed for your PAL (physical activity level). This is the energy used in your daily activity, we gathered this info from your YBP form. The blue column represents the amount of calories YBP feels you need to adjust for your specific goal and body type. The green column is the sum of the first 3 columns BMR + PAL +/- ADJUSTMENT = DAILY CALORIE INTAKE

Macro-Nutrient Breakdown

The above chart is the breakdown of your macro-nutrients (Carbs, Fat and Protein). YBP has calculated your ratio based on your gender, body-type, goal and PAL (physical activity level)

Remember to check your charts on a monthly basis as your daily calories and macro-nutrient breakdown may change with your progress.

 

Nutrient breakdown tables

These tables give you the ideal breakdown in grams of the amount of protein and carbohydrate you should aim to eat in each meal/supplement on a training and non training day.

As an Ectomorph on a fat loss programme aim to eat 6 meals per day. The supplement you have during training consists of BCAA mixed with 300-500ml of water. The post training shake is a combination of whey protein, glutamine and dextrose mixed together with 300-500ml of water and should be consumed within 20 minutes post exercise. This shake is classed as a meal therefore spread the remaining 5 meals evenly throughout the day. On training days avoid fat 90 minutes before and after training and remember to spread your fat throughout the day.

On a rest day we have reduced your carbohydrate intake and supplements are not necessary, therefore you will consume 6 meals in total.

TRAINING DAY

Protein (gm) Carb (gm)
During training supplement g BCAA
Post training shake 25g whey protein & 10g glutamine 00g dextrose
Meal 1 g g
Meal 2 g g
Meal 3 g g
Meal 4 g g
Meal 5 g g

NON TRAINING DAY

Protein (gm) Carb (gm)
Meal 1 g g
Meal 2 g g
Meal 3 g g
Meal 4 g g
Meal 5 g g
Meal 6 g g

NUTRITIONAL DATA

Quick look macro tables

Easy to use tables to help you get the right amount of protein and carbohydrate into your meal plan. What does 10g of protein actually look like....

Amount of protein Food
5g
Handful of chickpeas
20 almonds
1 small egg
Serving of peanut butter (for 2 small slices of toast)
Handful of pumpkin seeds (20g)
1 slice of proscuitto
2 large handfuls of endemame beans (50g)
Handful of cashew nuts (25g)
10g
2 small eggs
1 cup of soya milk
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds (big handful)
Serving of Greek yoghurt (100g)
Serving of quinoa (60g)
Serving of tofu (1/4 pack)
1/2 Buffalo mozarella ball (62g)
Small portion of squid rings (100g)
15g
Half a ready to eat pouch of puy lentils (125g)
3 medium eggs
2-3 slices of smoked salmon (60g)
2-3 rashers of bacon
Small handful of beef biltong (25g)
Small seabass fillet (90g)
Small lobster tail (100g)
Portion of smoked mackerel (75g)
20g
Half a pot of cottage cheese (165g)
Single hamburger patty (110g)
Skinless cod fillet (120g)
Skinless haddock fillet (120g)
Serving of monkfish (150g)
Single venison burger
25g
Single beef steak (120g)
4 large eggs
Tuna steak (120g)
2 skinless chicken thighs (120g)
Single pork loin steak (130g)
Skinless salmon fillet (110g)
30g
Tin of tuna (120g)
6 slices of roast turkey breast (120g)
Small venison steak (140g)
Half a pack of venison mince (150g)
35g
Average skinless chicken breast (170g)
Packet of prawns (150g of raw prawns)
40g
Half pack of lean mince beef (200g)
Sirloin steak (230g)
45g
Half a pack of turkey mince (150g)
50g
Portion of diced turkey breast (150g)
Amount of carbohydrate Food
5g
Small bowl of strawberries or raspberries (100g)
Portion of blueberries (75g)
10g
1 large carrot
15 cherry tomatoes
Serving of mange tout (150g)
Small slice of pumpernickel & rye bread
Slice of rye bread
15g
Single aubergine (250g)
Medium pear
4 Nairn oat cakes
Slice of wholemeal seeded bloomer
Glass of Alpro oat milk (250ml)
Portion of brown rice (75g)
Portion of bulgarwheat (65g)
20g
Small banana
Medium apple
Serving of wild rice (85g)
Glass of Alpro soya chocolate milk (250ml)
Slice of Biona millet bread (50g)
Serving of granola (50g)
25g
Slice of white sourdough bread
Large banana
Slice of spelt sourdough
30g
Single ciabatta roll
Sweet potato jacket
Half a pack of fresh egg noodles (150g)
Serving of buckwheat soba noodles (50g)
Serving of porridge oats (50g)
35g
Large wholemeal bread roll
Serving of Straight to Wok Udon noodles
Serving of giant wholewheat couscous (50g)
40g
Half pack of fresh rice noodles (150g)
45g
Medium jacket potato (200g)
Serving of wholewheat spaghetti (75g)
50g
Serving of spinach pasta (75g)
Serving of spelt pasta (75g)

 

Nutritional data tables

 
Food per 100g Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Vegetables Section A
Asparagus 20 2 4 / L 0 2
Beetroot 43 2 10 / L 0 3
Capsican Pepper Green 20 1 5 / L 0 2
Capsican Pepper Red 31 1 6 / L 0 2
Capsican Pepper Yellow 27 1 6 / L 0 1
Broccoli 34 3 7 / L 0 3
Brussel Sprouts 43 3 9 / L 0 4
Cabbage, Savoy 27 2 6 / L 0 3
Carrots 41 1 10 / L 0 3
Cauliflower 25 2 5 / L 0 3
Celery 16 1 3 / L 0 2
Aubergine 24 1 6 / L 0 3
Fennel 31 1 7 / L 0 3
Garlic 149 6 33 / L 0 2
Green Beans 31 2 7 / L 0 3
Kale 50 3 10 / L 0 2
Leeks 61 1 14 / L 0 2
Lettuce, Iceberg 14 1 3 / L 0 1
Mushrooms, White 22 3 1 / L 0 1
Onions 40 1 9 / L 0 2
Spinach 23 3 4 / L 0 2
Sugar Snap Peas 42 3 8 / L 0 3
Swiss Chard 19 2 4 / L 0 2
Turnips, Boiled 22 1 5 / L 0 2
Vegetables Section B Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Butternut Squash, baked 40 1 10 / L 0 0
Olives, Green 145 1 4 / L 15 3
Peas 81 5 14 / L 0 5
Potato, baked with skin 93 3 21 / M 0 2
Sweet Potato, baked with skin 90 2 21 / H 0 3
Yams 118 2 28 / M 0 4
Fruits (Raw) Section A Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Apples 52 0 14 / L 0 2
Blackberries 43 1 10 / L 0 5
Blueberries 57 1 14 / L 0 2
Clementines 47 1 12 / L 0 2
Cranberries 46 0 12 / L 0 5
Grapefruit 42 1 11 / L 0 2
Gooseberries 44 1 10 / L 1 4
Lemons 29 1 9 / L 0 3
Limes 30 1 11 / L 0 3
Melon, Honeydew 36 1 9 / L 0 1
Melon, Watermelon 30 1 8 / L 0 0
Nectarines 44 1 11 / L 0 2
Oranges 47 1 12 / L 0 2
Peaches 39 1 10 / L 0 1
Pears 58 0 15 / L 0 3
Plums 46 1 11 / L 0 1
Raspberries 52 1 12 / L 0 6
Strawberries 32 1 8 / L 0 2
Tomatoes 18 1 4 / L 0 1
Fruits (Raw) Section B Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Apricots 48 1 11 / M 0 2
Avocado 160 2 9 / L 15 7
Bananas 89 1 23 / H 0 3
Cherries 63 1 16 / L 0 2
Figs 74 1 19 / L 0 3
Grapes 69 1 18 / L 0 1
Kiwi 61 1 15 / L 0 3
Mangoes 65 1 17 / L 0 2
Melon, Cantaloupe 34 1 9 / H 0 1
Papaya 39 1 10 / L 0 2
Pineapple 50 1 13 / L 0 1
Seafood Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Clams, steamed 148 26 5 / L 2 0
Cod, oven cooked 105 23 0 / L 1 0
Halibut, oven cooked 140 27 0 / L 3 0
Mackerel, oven cooked 134 26 0 / L 3 0
Monkfish, oven cooked 97 19 0 / L 2 0
Mussels, steamed 172 24 7 / L 4 0
Prawns, cooked 77 18 1 / L 1 0
Salmon, oven cooked 206 22 0 / L 12 0
Scallops, steamed 112 23 0 / 1 0
Sea Bass, oven cooked 124 24 0 / L 3 0
Shrimp, steamed 99 21 0 / L 1 0
Tuna, oven cooked 139 30 0 / L 1 0
Tuna, tinned 128 24 0 / L 3 0
Eggs and Dairy Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Eggs, fried 196 14 1 / L 15 0
Eggs, poached 142 13 1 / L 10 0
Eggs, scrambled 167 11 2 / L 12 0
Eggs, whole hard boiled 155 13 1 / L 11 0
Camembert 300 20 0 / L 24 0
Cheddar Cheese 403 25 1 / L 33 0
Cheshire Cheese 387 23 5 / L 31 0
Cottage Cheese 98 11 3 / L 4 0
Cows Milk, 3.25% fat 60 3 5 / L 3 0
Edam Cheese 357 25 1 / L 28 0
Feta Cheese 264 14 4 / L 21 0
Goats Cheese, Hard 452 31 2 / L 36 0
Goats Cheese, Soft 268 19 1 / L 21 0
Goats Milk 69 4 4 / L 4 0
Gouda 356 25 2 / L 27 0
Gruyere 413 30 0 / L 32 0
Mozarella 300 22 2 / L 22 0
Parmesan 392 36 3 / L 26 0
Ricotta 174 11 3 / L 13 0
Roquefort 369 22 2 / L 31 0
Yoghurt, plain whole milk 61 3 5 / L 3 0
Beans and Legumes Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Black Beans, cooked 132 9 24 / L 1 9
Chickpeas, cooked 164 9 27 / L 3 8
Haricot Beans, cooked 140 8 26 / L 1 11
Kidney Beans, cooked 127 9 23 / L 0 7
Lentils, cooked 116 9 20 / L 0 8
Lima Beans, cooked 115 8 21 / L 0 7
Miso 199 12 26 / M 6 5
Pinto Beans, cooked 143 9 26 / L 1 9
Tempeh 193 19 9 / L 11 0
Tofu 76 8 2 / L 5 0
Poultry and Meat Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Beef fillet, pan fried 179 28 0 / L 7 0
Beef Sirloin, 0% fat, pan-fried 188 30 0 / L 7 0
Beef Mince, 5% fat, cooked 137 21 0 / L 5 0
Chicken Breast, oven cooked 165 31 0 / L 4 0
Chicken Breast, pan/stir fried 187 33 1 / L 5 0
Chicken Legs without skin, oven cooked 191 27 0 / L 8 0
Chicken Thighs without skin, oven cooked 209 26 0 / L 11 0
Duck Breast without skin, oven cooked 201 23 0 / L 11 11
Duck Breast without skin, pan/stir fried 140 28 0 / L 3 3
Lamb Mince, cooked 283 25 0 / L 20 0
Pork Mince, cooked 297 26 0 / L 21 0
Pork Loin, cooked 131 25 0 / L 4 0
Turkey Breast without Skin, oven cooked 135 30 0 / L 1 0
Turkey Legs without Skin, oven cooked 159 29 0 / L 4 0
Turkey Mince, cooked 235 27 0 / L 13 0
Venison Steak, cooked 152 31 0 / L 2 0
Nuts and Seeds Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Almonds 575 21 22 / L 49 12
Brazils 656 14 12 / L 66 8
Cashews 553 18 33 / M 44 3
Chia seeds 490 16 44 / L 31 38
Coconut, fresh 354 3 15 / L 33 9
Flaxseeds 534 18 29 / L 42 27
Peanuts, plain 567 26 16 / L 49 8
Pine nuts 673 14 13 / L 68 4
Pistachio, plain 557 21 28 / L 44 10
Pumpkin Seeds 541 25 18 / L 46 4
Sesame Seeds 573 18 23 / L 50 12
Sunflower Seeds 584 21 20 / L 51 9
Walnuts 654 15 14 / L 65 7
Hazelnuts 628 15 17 / L 61 10
Chestnuts, roasted 245 3 53 / H 2 5
Pecans 691 9 14 / L 72 10
Dried Fruits Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Apricots 241 3 63 / H 1 7
Cranberries, sweetened 308 0 82 / H 1 6
Prunes 240 2 64 / H 0 7
Raisins, seedless 299 3 79 / H 0 4
Grains Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Barley, Pearled 352 10 78 / H 1 16
Bread, Pitta Wholewheat 266 10 55 / H 3 7
Bread, Rye 258 8 48 / H 3 6
Bread, Wheat 266 11 48 / H 4 4
Bread, Wholewheat Commercial 247 13 41 / M 3 7
Buckwheat 343 13 71 / H 1 10
Millet, cooked 119 4 24 / M 1 1
Oats 389 17 66 / H 7 11
Quinoa, cooked 120 4 21 / L 2 3
Rice, Brown Long Grain, cooked 111 3 23 / M 1 2
Rice, White Long Grain, cooked 130 3 28 / M 0 0
Rice Noodles, cooked 109 1 25 / M 0 1
Rice, Wild, cooked 101 4 21 / L 0 2
Rye 335 15 70 / H 3 15
Spelt, cooked 127 5 26 / M 1 4
Natural Sweeteners Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Honey 304 0 82 / H 0 0
Maple Syrup 261 0 67 / H 0 0
Molasses 290 0 75/H 0 0
Oil Cals Protein (g) Carb (g) / GL Fat (g) Fibre (g)
Coconut Oil 862 0 0 / L 100 0
Olive Oil 884 0 0 / L 100 0
Rapeseed Oil 884 0 0 / L 100 0
Walnut Oil 884 0 0 / L 100 0

 

Nutritional data table – Foods to avoid

Food Why
Highly Processed Foods Typically these foods are low in nutrients and high in artificial chemicals and preservatives, which are potentially damaging to the body. These include ready made meals, breakfast cereals, tinned produce, white bread, refined grains, cheese, fast food, crisps, fizzy drinks, bacon and ham.
Added Sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup These have a negative effect on your hormones. High sugar consumption is linked to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
Trans Fats (also known as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats) These are unsaturated fats that have been chemically changed to increase shelf life and make them solid at room temperature. They increase levels of small dense LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and lower HDL cholesterol (the good kind). They also increase abdominal fat, which can lead to various health problems.
Seed and Vegetable Oils They contain a lot of omega 6 fatty acids, but these need to be in the correct ratio with omega 3 for optimal use by the body. If not in balance it can lead to inflammation in the body.
Artificial Sweeteners These can increase your appetite as your body is expecting a large hit of carbohydrate that doesn’t arrive. They have been linked with obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Sweeteners are also many times sweeter than table sugar and therefore can perpetuate sweet cravings.
Low Fat or Diet Foods Often these products are high in wheat, high in sugar and highly processed, so you may be better to choose the full fat version.
Grains Be aware to eat the right type of grains at the right time of day for your particular body-type and goal (this will differ for each person and is expained in your nutrient timing section). If you feel uncomfortable after eating them, it may be worth considering having an intolerance test.

RECIPES

Check out our recipe page for lots of healthy tasty meals. 

Beneath every recipe there is a chart to advice you whether it's a good meal for an Ectomorph on a fat loss goal, and if so then what time of day to eat it and whether to remove/add carbohydrate. Also remember to watch the video at the top of the recipe page for an explanation on how to use the chart.

Meat and poultry
Fish and seafood
Vegetarian
Smoothies


NUTRITION INFO FOR YOU GEEKS

For those of you who are interested in understanding the science behind our methods then this is the section for you. You will find information on :

  • Nutrient timing

  • Nutrient timing phase one – Energy phase

  • Nutrient timing phase two – Anabolic building phase

  • Nutrient timing phase three – Growth repair and recovery

  • Safe fat loss

  • Carbohydrate

  • Protein

  • Fat

Here at YBP we seek to educate, by giving you the facts and allowing you to make your own informed choices and decisions on how to be the best and healthiest you can be!

With all the contradicting information in the media plus the latest gimmicks and concepts it’s easy to lose track of what to do and tempting to follow the latest health or exercise trend. Believe us, they are usually trends for a reason, they don’t actually work in the long term. We advocate a good healthy balanced approach to achieving your goal, tailor made for you.

We have done the research and the hard work for you, as there are many completely opposing studies with much of the research being very generic and not taking into account: body type, age, gender, height, weight, ethnicity, lifestyle, hormone balances, allergies or intolerances. All of which affect how an individual responds to exercise and nutrition. One size does not fit all and at YBP we treat you as an individual giving you a bespoke exercise and nutrition programme based on the above factors, plus the goal you have chosen.

Factors such as what and when we eat, what style of training we perform, how hard we train, how long we sleep and how we deal with stress, all differ from person to person. Most importantly these factors affect us all in very different ways. For example some people will need to eat a high carbohydrate diet to help achieve their goal, while for others a low carbohydrate diet would be more appropriate. In terms of exercise, some people’s training regime should consist predominately of cardio exercise, while others would benefit more from resistance training. Therefore it is essential to understand your body and how it responds to exercise and nutrition. Ultimately the message we hope to convey is to be proud of your body-type. We all have a natural genetic shape, and with work these shapes can all look great!

The body goes through different metabolic phases during the day, but we believe it’s important to begin the day correctly by drinking 200-300ml of water upon waking. This will help to hydrate you after a night's sleep and also aid digestion. Not drinking enough water can cause bloating as the body will hold onto whatever water it has stored in the muscles in an effort to maintain necessary hydration for metabolism and other bodily functions. This can give a bloated appearance. Women tend to be more vulnerable due to the higher fluctuations of hormonal levels, especially during menstruation (see your hydration section on your profile page for more information).    

 

Nutrient Timing
Whatever your goal, nutrient timing can be the difference between success and failure. It’s often the most overlooked aspect of many training regimes, when it could be argued it should be the most important.

When you eat and what you eat will affect your body in lots of ways, from manipulating hormones, replenishing macronutrient stores (carbs, fat, protein), preventing muscle loss, reducing muscle damage or boosting your immune system to help you get the best and quickest results. What, when and how much you eat varies a great deal depending on your goal, gender, weight, height and body type. Nutrient timing is not exclusive to the hours around your training session, but from the hour before training and the hours after and up until your next training session. At different times during the day your body requires, and is more receptive to certain nutrients than at other times. If you eat the wrong food at the right time, or the right food at the wrong time then you will miss the opportunity to maximize your results.

Nutrient Timing Phase One
There are 3 nutrient timing phases. The first is the energy phase where you fuel your body before and during the training session. When you exercise your body will release stored sugar (glycogen) and cleave amino acids from muscle. Even if you are training early it’s important to try to eat something light before exercise. (Link: list of snacks). It has been shown that training while in a fasted state increases cortisol levels, which suppresses the immune system and breaks down muscle tissue. Eating something small and easily digestible will reduce cortisol levels and give you energy to train harder, yielding better results. A simple rule is that it should be soft to touch, as this means your digestive system can break it down comfortably preventing indigestion. Avoid fatty foods as they are slow to digest and can make you feel sluggish and cause cramping. Avoid carbohydrates with a high GL (glycemic load) prior to training as these will give you a sugar rush, and inevitably an energy crash in the middle of a workout. Lastly don’t eat too big a meal pre training as it may cause nausea or vomiting. (link: Eating Before Training). Research has shown that consuming carbohydrates with protein prior to training, helps spare muscle glycogen, reduce the catabolic (cutting) effects that cortisol has on muscle, decreases muscle damage, and helps ready muscles for a quicker recovery post exercise. During your training session we advise taking BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids) with 300-350 ml of water to be used for energy rather than breaking down muscle. (link: BCAA). BCAAs increase nutrient availability for working muscles, limit immune suppression, help reduce glycogen loss and the inevitable resulting muscle breakdown.

When training your cortisol level will rise and the longer and/or harder you train the higher it will rise. Amongst its many impacts on the body, cortisol’s main role is to generate fuel to working muscles. It does this by breaking down stored carbohydrate, fat and protein. Usually the body uses these fuels in this order to produce the energy needed to workout (link: Energy currency and energy systems). However, when you place your body under stress, as you do during high intensity training, the release of cortisol causes the priority of the macronutrient breakdown to change from carbohydrate, fat then protein into carbohydrate, protein and lastly fat. This causes an increase in plasma amino acids, specifically glutamine and branched chain amino acids. These amino acids have been obtained from muscle to provide extra fuel for the body, as high intensity activities deplete carbohydrate stores, and fat cannot be broken down fast enough at high intensities. So we know that the harder and/or longer we train, the higher the cortisol level and, subsequently, the more muscle is broken down. Therefore the correct nutrient timing is critical to prevent this. The foremost reason for cortisol increase after high intensity exercise is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), so consuming the correct nutrients, depending on your goal and body type, before, during and after training will help reduce cortisol, and its more negative effects.

Nutrient Timing Phase Two
The next phase is called the anabolic (building) phase, which is the 15 minutes directly after training. In this phase we recommend that you consume high GL carbohydrates, protein, vitamin C and glutamine. It is essential to get the correct nutrients in this window. Miss it and you will have wasted the opportunity to make the most of the hard work you did during your training session. This phase initiates repair to damaged muscle and replenishes muscle glycogen stores. Muscle damage is essential for your body to adapt and change, but we need the correct nutrition in place to help speed up the recovery, ready for the next session. (link: Muscle Damage)

In this post exercise period muscle cells become particularly sensitive to the hormone insulin, and this is when you need to shift your body from a catabolic (breaking down) state to an anabolic (building) one. Insulin is a hormone that has a bad name due to its link with fat storage. It is true that too many of the wrong type of carbohydrates at the wrong time will increase insulin and cause fat storage, but used correctly insulin is essential for maximising results during this window. Insulin is very sensitive to carbohydrate post exercise. It is crucial to take advantage of this sensitivity, as within an hour of exercise the benefits will drop by 50 percent. Post training your body will be in a catabolic state and this time of heightened insulin sensitivity the correct type and amount of carbohydrate will replenish glycogen stores rather than increase fat storage. This quick uptake of carbohydrate and essential amino acids will also initiate protein synthesis, muscle repair and help bring down cortisol levels. The rise in insulin will increase blood flow to the muscles, aiding the removal of carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and helps to bring oxygen and essential nutrients to the muscle. It may seem a little confusing at this point. How can high insulin cause fat storage and replenish glycogen stores? When you are sedentary your fat cells are more sensitive to the effects of insulin, meaning when you eat carbohydrates whilst sitting at work, for example, the high insulin will cause the circulating blood sugar (carbohydrate) to be taken up by the fat cells, and convert it to fat (lipogenisis) and store it. However after exercise it is the muscle cells that become more sensitive to the influence of insulin, having a glycogen replenishing effect.

This increase in insulin will also increase amino acid uptake into the muscle, driving protein synthesis. After exercise there is protein synthesis (building), but there is greater protein catabolism (breakdown), leaving the body in a protein negative state (nitrogen deficit). This is why is it essential at this stage to introduce the correct nutrients at this insulin sensitive point will switch the balance to protein synthesis (positive nitrogen balance). Therefore we suggest a protein shake containing your recommended grams of protein and carbohydrates. Whey is generally considered the best one, although some people prefer the vegan or vegetarian alternatives. It’s a good idea to buy a high protein low carbohydrate mix and add your own carbohydrate in the form of dextrose or maltodextrose so you can measure your own specific quantities.

We recommend taking 1000mg of Vitamin C in this period to boost the immune system, which is suppressed during exercise. Vitamin C will help speed up the recovery of damaged muscles and reduce the hormone cortisol, preventing any further muscle breakdown. We also recommend taking 10g of Glutamine in this window. It is used by the muscles during exercise and therefore needs to be replaced and like Vitamin C it is also needed to fuel the immune cells.

Nutrient Timing Phase Three
The third and final phase is the growth, repair and recovery phase. This is the 24 hours post training. It is in this phase that the majority of strength, muscle gains and adaptations occur. It’s essential in the next 24-hours to keep giving the body the nutrients it needs. Spread your carbohydrate, protein and fat evenly throughout this 24-hour period. The goal in this phase is to balance blood sugar. To learn how these macronutrients are digested and absorbed (link: Digestion and Metabolism)

The amount of carbohydrates your body requires on non-training days will inevitably be less than on training days. However, the 24 hours after exercise is when your body is actually repairing, building and adapting, so it is better to wait until after this window before reducing your carbohydrates. It’s only 24 hours after your last workout that your carbs intake will need to be reduced, and for any subsequent, consecutive non-training days.

 

Safe Fat Loss
YBP’s approach is not the quick fix fad; it is scientifically based on the latest research. You won't lose a stone in a week. Quick weight loss is not healthy or maintainable. You may also notice that at YBP we say fat loss not weight loss, this is because with rapid weight loss there is more muscle tissue and water loss than fat. This has the effect of slowing down metabolism, actually making it easier to store fat, subsequently making you put on more fat than you had previously. This is where the term yo yo dieting comes from. Leptin is a hormone that related to the amount of fat you have, the more fat the more leptin. Leptin controls appetite, modulates metabolism and promotes fat burning. When fat drops dramatically there is also a drop in leptin, triggering the body to slip into starvation mode. Starvation mode causes a reduction of daily energy expenditure by lowering metabolism, increasing hunger signals and increasing breakdown of protein for energy (gluconeogenesis) and slowing the breakdown of any further fat for energy (lipolysis). The extreme response by the body is not only to regain the fat that has been lost, but extra fat too. There are of course health risks related to rapid weight loss. Calorie restriction will inevitably cause a lack of essential nutrients. Nutrient deficiencies will affect the functioning of the whole body, causing immune suppression, fluid imbalances, cramps, loss of bone mass, the list could go on and on. A safe, attainable and maintainable fat loss is 1-2 pound per week. Take note that Fat loss programmes tend to include more intense training routines. The increase in exercise intensity accompanied by a calorie restricted diet and depleted glycogen stores can cause tiredness. You will undoubtedly notice a slight loss in strength during a fat loss period.

 

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the bodies preferred source of fuel. Consumed carbohydrates either need to be used immediately or stored as glycogen. (link: Glycogen). Carbohydrates have received bad press over the years due to their association with fat gain. It’s true that eating the wrong type of carbs in the wrong amounts and at the wrong time of day will cause fat gain. Whether the body uses or stores the carbs depends on your glycogen (stored carbohydrate) status, and your activity level. When your blood sugar levels drop (hours without food or 25-30 minutes into a workout), glycogen will be released for fuel. Only a finite amount of glycogen can be stored, so it's essential to spread your carbohydrates throughout the day rather than eating too much at one sitting. Eating more carbohydrate than your body needs at any point will inevitably lead to it being converted to fat, a process called De novo lipogenesis. Whether you eat carbohydrates before bed depends on your goal and body type (see your nutrient table).

Eating some complex carbohydrates when you wake will provide some much needed energy to start the day, ensure glycogen stores are full for training and stop any muscle breakdown. How much and how long before training depends on your body type and goal (check your personal nutrition table).

Post workout your blood sugar and glycogen stores will have depleted, the longer and more intense the workout then the greater the depletion. Protein is also important at this time, however blood sugar and glycogen replenishment is the most important thing for your body. This is when the simple, fast acting carbohydrates are required as your body is sensitive to the refuelling and recovery effects of insulin. Check your nutrition table for the recommended post workout carb and protein amounts.

It’s essential to replenish your glycogen stores post training. The body stores the carbohydrates we eat as glycogen. Glycogen is a multi-branched polysaccharide of glucose (single unit of carbohydrate). Our second long-term energy store, glycogen is made in the cells of the liver and muscles. It is this energy reserve that is actually converted back into glucose during the training session. The more intense the session, the more is used. Light or low intensity exercise/activities utilise the first long-term energy store, which is fat (this doesn’t mean you should be doing low intensity training to lose fat. Read your cardio section on your profile page for more info).

Each molecule of glycogen is hydrated with three to four parts water. This stored glycogen is important in helping prevent muscle catabolism (breakdown). At YBP we don’t advocate extreme low carbohydrate diets (Ketogenic). The carbohydrate amount we estimate is based on your body type, goal and daily activity levels. Low carbohydrate diets are less than 150g per day, an extremely low carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet is below 50g per day. (link: ketosis)

Low carbohydrates in the diet will lower thyroid hormone output as it tries to slow metabolism, in order to prevent starvation. It will also cause low insulin production which in turn will increase sodium loss through the kidneys, which coupled with high intensity interval training can leave you dehydrated and deficient in the important electrolytes. This will cause bloating, lightheadedness, headaches, fatigue and constipation. It’s important to balance blood sugar and have a slow controlled release of insulin, but like everything in the body homeostasis is key, too much/little is not advised. Too little carbohydrate will cause a depletion of glycogen, which will subsequently lead to fatigue, especially during high intensity workouts, when you will want to have plenty of energy. It will also lead to the breakdown of protein from muscle. Conversely, eating too much carbohydrate, the wrong type and at the wrong time, will lead to too much insulin being produced by the cells in the pancreas and consequently fat gain. YBP have given you a base reference carbohydrate intake point to start from. This base point may change depending on the information we receive from your monthly feedback form.

Keeping your blood sugar (glucose) balanced throughout the day is not only essential to prevent fat gain but it also prevents many other symptoms such as low energy, mood swings, depression, low immunity, inflammation, headaches, dizziness, the need for more than 8 hours sleep, the need for tea or coffee to get going, frequent urination, heavy sweating, cravings for sweet foods, palpitations and feeling thirsty. Throughout the day blood glucose levels may fluctuate outside of the body’s desired blood glucose range. Blood sugar levels rise after a meal, stimulant or stress. If you are stressed, if you eat high glycemic carbohydrates or if you drink too much caffeine you will experience an initial rise in blood sugar, followed by a crashing down to below the desired levels. Insulin is a hormone responsible for keeping the blood sugar levels within the normal desired range. Insulin works by opening channels on cell membranes to facilitate glucose uptake from blood into the cells.

To help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range, avoid refined foods (white bread, white pasta, white rice), sugary foods (confectionary, sugary drinks), convenience foods (they often contain hidden sugars and can be high in saturated fats) and stimulants (tea, coffee, alcohol, chocolate). Instead, eat foods that balance blood sugar such as whole grains (complex carbohydrates, which release sugars slowly into the blood to provide sustained energy and help balance blood sugar). These include brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, sweet potato, whole grain pasta and wholegrain bread. Oats are particularly good, making them an excellent choice, particularly for breakfast.

Aim for seven pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables per day, ideally having two pieces of fruit and five portions of vegetables (a single portion is around 80g). Fresh fruits and vegetables are a good source of fibre and contain essential vitamins and minerals that are needed for blood sugar balance and general health. Try to include a wide variety of colours including dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and kale.

Essential fats, found in oily fish, nuts, seeds and their oils, improve insulin’s ability to transport glucose out of the blood into cells. Although we do not advocate eating low carbohydrate diets at YBP, certain body types who tend to be intolerant to large amounts of carbohydrates will need to eat less than other body types, but still not an extremely low carb diet. The more sedentary a person is the less carbohydrates they will need. All these factors are taken into consideration from the information gathered on your YBP questionnaire to give you the most accurate carbohydrate estimation possible.

You should include a protein source at each meal and snack, ideally a source that does not contain high levels of saturated fats (see food chart for more info). Protein slows digestion which creates a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream and subsequently a gradual, even release of insulin. Fibre found in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils also help slow the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream.

Drink plenty of water (mineral/filtered if possible), herbal / fruit teas and diluted fruit juices. Eating little and often is the way to help your body keep blood sugar balanced so include snacks in your diet.

 

Protein

You need to get the correct amount of protein in your diet to allow your body to build and repair your muscles. Tissues, ligaments, hair, skin, nails and muscles are all made from protein, as well as hormones, enzymes and some chemicals essential for life.

Protein is made from chains of smaller molecules called amino acids. These are the most basic building blocks of your body. Your body requires twenty-one amino acids to build proteins, it can make twelve but the remaining nine need to be obtained from food. These are called essential amino acids. These are phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine and histidine. The body requires the correct amount of protein to provide it with these essential amino acids to build and repair. When you are training regularly it increases your body's demand for protein, as training damages muscles more than if you are sedentary. It’s still vital even for a sedentary person to consume adequate protein to prevent muscle loss and slowing of the metabolism.

Protein performs a wide variety of jobs including cell signalling (insulin is a protein), DNA replication and repair and muscle growth. Every day, not just the muscle cells but all body cells die and need to be repaired and replaced. This process is increased through exercise as you are essentially damaging muscle fibres so they grow back bigger and stronger. Not getting the correct amount of protein per day will affect the functioning of your body and therefore your results.

Making sure you have the right amount of protein will help you to build muscle, burn fat, preserve lean mass and increase satiety. There’s a lot of conflicting information as to how much protein you should eat per day. YBP performed a meta-analysis of many studies in order to give you what we believe to be your ideal amount of protein.

Like carbohydrates, overeating protein can also cause fat gain. Excess protein will be converted to glucose and if not used for energy converted into fat. Intake of protein should remain consistent on both training days and rest days as your body is in a state or recovery and repair throughout the week and therefore requires it.

 

Fats
Fats are important for correct and healthy functioning of the body. Fat has many jobs. Fat helps the absorption of fat soluble vitamins, A,D,E and K, provides the highest concentration of stored energy  of all the macronutrients (50-60,000Kcals) and helps with regulating hormones. Fat is the preferred fuel for the body during lower intensity exercises such as walking, sitting at your desk and even when sleeping.

During long duration and low to moderate intensity exercise periods, fat provides the main fuel source, however a small amount is also needed during high intensity exercise (where carbohydrate is predominately used) to help access stored carbohydrate (glycogen). Fat is slow to digest, it can take up to 6 hours. The conversion of stored fat to energy (lipolysis), requires a great deal of oxygen, so exercise intensity must decrease for fat to be able to be used for fuel.

Fat is the dominant fuel source on rest days, due to the low intensity of general life (unless you have a very active job). Don’t eat fat immediately before or during exercise, as its long digestion time can cause a sluggish feeling and indigestion. It is also thought that fat can affect oxygen availability by decreasing nitric oxide (helps dilation of blood vessels). (link: Importance of Fat)