Thursday, June 4, 2009
11:16 AM | 
Posted by
DI Hip Hop
Dear Hot Hip Hop Honeys,
Exercise/Diet/Rest. The holy trinity of good health. All three must be included for us to feel and do our best each day. If you work really hard at class but do not refuel properly or get some high qualitY sleep, you will not realize all the benefits that you earned by dancing/working hard.
Today I am tackling the topic of nutrition. It is a tricky subject to get into because it's extremely personal. Everyone must decide for themselves what materials they will use to sustain their body. Please take this note as a jumping off point, food for thought (sorry bad pun), and a little nudge to do your own research/experimentation.
I love snacks. I love carby salty snacks. And a vanilla latte is so up my alley. But it was when I understood the mechanics of digestion that my resistance to temptation became stronger. The problem with carbs in large or sugary starchy un-fibered amounts (chips, cake, soda, lattes, pasta) is that when we eat them our body reacts by producing insulin (a digestive hormone) and converting those carbs to fat (storing them on really flattering areas of our physique). Insulin response also STOPS our body from using fat as fuel as soon as it kicks in. So how do we get the fuel we need without eliciting that Hormonal response?
What I try to do (some days more successfully that others) is focus on eating lean protein, veggies, healthy fats (from raw nuts, flax, fish, avocados, olive oil) and fruit in several small meals throughout the day. When I decide to cave to a carb crave- I try to keep it small to limit the insulin response and have a little protein too,to balance it out.
The key is that after a hard hip hop workout, the rules change a bit. That (within an hour) is when you want to replace the fuel you used to exercise (glycogen) with a healthy dose of carbs and some protein. A 4:1 ratio is recommended. (and a few fish oil caps for anti inflammatory effect) BUT 4:1 ONLY AFTER EXERCISE! That carbs:protein all the time is not optimal.
We need energy, we need to ramp up our metabolism in the morning (with food) and keep it burning all day. And when we crank out an effort that uses LOTS of energy, we need to refuel properly.
Make the most of your workout- by continuing it at home at the table. Have a sweet potato and some fish/ a turkey slider with some baked french fries/ a protein shake and a bowl of cereal.
Knowing exactly how food impacts you system and your booty is the key to deciding to do something better for yourself. Figure out what works for you and try to keep a stash of desperation meals ready so that the really decadent stuff can be a treat and not just the only way to avoid starvation after a long day.
Enough of that important yet semi-tedious stuff.
Tonight bring your boys out to play. It will be a great night of fun. We will sweat, laugh, shake it and challenge ourselves and it is not to be missed.
xo
Exercise/Diet/Rest. The holy trinity of good health. All three must be included for us to feel and do our best each day. If you work really hard at class but do not refuel properly or get some high qualitY sleep, you will not realize all the benefits that you earned by dancing/working hard.
Today I am tackling the topic of nutrition. It is a tricky subject to get into because it's extremely personal. Everyone must decide for themselves what materials they will use to sustain their body. Please take this note as a jumping off point, food for thought (sorry bad pun), and a little nudge to do your own research/experimentation.
I love snacks. I love carby salty snacks. And a vanilla latte is so up my alley. But it was when I understood the mechanics of digestion that my resistance to temptation became stronger. The problem with carbs in large or sugary starchy un-fibered amounts (chips, cake, soda, lattes, pasta) is that when we eat them our body reacts by producing insulin (a digestive hormone) and converting those carbs to fat (storing them on really flattering areas of our physique). Insulin response also STOPS our body from using fat as fuel as soon as it kicks in. So how do we get the fuel we need without eliciting that Hormonal response?
What I try to do (some days more successfully that others) is focus on eating lean protein, veggies, healthy fats (from raw nuts, flax, fish, avocados, olive oil) and fruit in several small meals throughout the day. When I decide to cave to a carb crave- I try to keep it small to limit the insulin response and have a little protein too,to balance it out.
The key is that after a hard hip hop workout, the rules change a bit. That (within an hour) is when you want to replace the fuel you used to exercise (glycogen) with a healthy dose of carbs and some protein. A 4:1 ratio is recommended. (and a few fish oil caps for anti inflammatory effect) BUT 4:1 ONLY AFTER EXERCISE! That carbs:protein all the time is not optimal.
We need energy, we need to ramp up our metabolism in the morning (with food) and keep it burning all day. And when we crank out an effort that uses LOTS of energy, we need to refuel properly.
Make the most of your workout- by continuing it at home at the table. Have a sweet potato and some fish/ a turkey slider with some baked french fries/ a protein shake and a bowl of cereal.
Knowing exactly how food impacts you system and your booty is the key to deciding to do something better for yourself. Figure out what works for you and try to keep a stash of desperation meals ready so that the really decadent stuff can be a treat and not just the only way to avoid starvation after a long day.
Enough of that important yet semi-tedious stuff.
Tonight bring your boys out to play. It will be a great night of fun. We will sweat, laugh, shake it and challenge ourselves and it is not to be missed.
xo
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