BuckSpin - A Year Of Change

I started a workout journal in the O35:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=113167271

Goal is to update it every session for the next 3 years, when I (hopefully) will have worked hard enough to not embarrass myself competing.

I’ve read countless times how people trying to lose weight have difficulty avoiding the sweets, in particular chocolate. Its not uncommon knowledge that really good, high cocoa butter chocolate is good for you, but its also pretty high in fat & sugars.

There is an alternative.

A tasty alternative, a healthy alternative, an alternative that should rightfully go along any other supplement you take on a daily basis.

Its non-alkaline cocoa powder. Why? Not many people know the following:

1) This variety of processed chocolate is very high in cocoa solids, which gives it an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score that is literally off the charts. For example, gram for gram it has 10x more anti-oxidants than fresh blueberries! (Note - its important that it’s the non-alkaline processed form.)

2) Its amazingly waistline friendly! Per tablespoon (5g) the one I get at my local oragnic food co-op has:

• 15 calories
• .5g fat (0g sat or trans)
• .6g carbs (thats right, LESS than 1g!)
• 0g sugar
• 1g fiber
• 1g protein

3) Oh yeah….ITS CHOCOLATE! IT TASTES GREAT!!! Granted its not sweetened, but add a packet of whatever sweetener you like (I use stevia) and we are in business! Mix it in some fat free plain yogurt & freeze it and you have a great dessert that is actually GOOD for you!

For a chart showing how it stacks up:

http://www.rawdarkchocolate.com/xocai-antioxidant-orac-values.html

While it appears to be common knowledge on BB to encorporate sweet potatoes into one’s nutrition, what a lot of people don’t know is that the tasty spud is, per NutritionData.com the #1 highest rated natural source of the carbohydrate maltose.

Why is this significant to bodybuilders? Well, unlike other carbs maltose can be broken down into 2 glucose molecules….FAST!. So not only is it a great post-workout carb for that reason but that also means that it does not have to go to the liver first to restore any glycogen depletion there. It goes right into the blood stream upon digestion, and can then do its job of provided the “oomph” to get those protein derived aminos to where they need to be & do  what they need to do:

- get you out of that PWO catabolic state
- get you into a anabolic state
- start protein synthesis

Now, this is not an excuse to go nuts on them, but it is a great excuse to eat them post workout. I take it a step further and use them to create my Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie that I use during & post workout.

So for those of you who just can’t bring yourself to use a scoop of some maltodextrose or waxy maize and want some nutrition with those carbs, give em’ a try!

Did you know that cinnamon, based on the study mentioned here, can significantly increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood glucose levels, cholesterol and triglyceride levels?

To me, the insulin issue is key as someone trying to maximize the efforts of training with nutrition. Insulin is one of, if not, THE key hormone in bodybuilding as far as helping to get those bodies to where we all want them to be.

And the kicker? It only takes as little as 1/4 teaspoon/day to achieve these results! Plus, IT TASTES GOOD!

I get my daily dose in my morning bowl of oatmeal, as well as some smaller doses throughout the day.

Since I made the switch to this (based on reading the book "Nutrient Timing") I have noticed immediate results as far as my ability to recover faster PWO and have also made some nice gains physically! Plus, its just tasty!

I will have one of these about 20-30 minutes pre WO & another immediately upon finishing: 

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie PWO Shake
8-12oz sweet potato puree (IE one half of an overbaked sweet potato scooped out)
1 tsp non-akaline cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup skim milk
5g creatine monohydrate (*On Leg or Back Days I will add an additional 2g of glutamine)
1 scoop NO vanilla ice cream whey protein
dash of cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg & clove
splash of vanilla extract
1 stevia packet
1 whole tray of ice cubes

Combine everything in blender & liquify. Just about fills an empty 32oz yogurt container.

I like sushi. No, I LOVE sushi. I’m eating more & more of it. Typically I get a simple roll of tuna (or salmon, but usually tuna) & avacado in brown rice. Add a little grated ginger & some wasabi and its a great, lean, healthy meal.

Plus I eat my fair share of canned tuna as well. Its a great, cheap, lo fat source very high in protein. Its been a bodybuilding staple for decades.

However, there seems to be a LOT of misinformation about the mercury levels in tuna, and that people should not only limit consumption of it but actualy AVOID eating it.

Please, let me shed a little light on this.

Aside from being a great source of lean proteins & just screamin’ with Omega-3 fats, tuna (and salmon) are also very high in selenium…REALLY high in selenium. Why is that important? Well, it turns out that selenium acts as a "mercury magnet", if you will. It attaches itself to the mercury compounds & creates a new compound that is far more difficult to be absorbed by those animals (us) that eat tuna & salmon and makes it easier & much more likely that you will, um, "pass" the mercury, if you will.

Ironically, it seems that mercury seeks out selenium instead of the other way around, which can present problems if you have a diet low in selenium. So, you can do one of two things if you are concerned:

1) Start taking selenium as a supplement
2) Eat foods high in selenium, which, ironically, are TUNA & SALMON!!!

Also, when choosing seafood, choose those that are naturally highest in selenium. The greater the selenium to mercury ratio, the safer (and better/healthier) option the fish is. Again, two of the highest are various tunas & salmons.

Here is a great link if you want to learn a little more. Bookmark it & share it with your BB friends who are concerned or just misinformed:

MercuryFacts.org - Selenium

Finally, this graph shows the ratios of selenium to mercury in a number of fish species. The further on the right, the greater the selenium value. Notice which fishes are highest?

So go ahead & enjoy that nigiri or roll or canned tuna. Its OK.