Category: ID Life

By Mark Pinsky 0 Comments Exercising, ID Life, Nutrition

Optimizing Pre-Workout Nutrition: Fueling Your Body for Best Performance

What should I eat before I workout? This is another popular question from patients on a regular basis. Often patients say they can’t eat before working out. I believe this is more of a timing issue and what they eat. For those with truly sensitive stomachs, eating one hour prior is probably best. That will allow for most of the food ingested to be passed beyond the anatomical spot that will make you feel “weighted down” or even develop nausea. Fueling yourself before a workout will provide you with the necessary nutrients and energy to help you perform best. Carbohydrates that are COMPLEX can really help prevent the crash. However, I’m a stickler here because the last thing I want to do is carb load. A simple piece of fruit( I prefer a small banana) should prevent my body from sending my blood sugar high and allows my body some fuel so I dont use the muscle I’m trying to create, to break down for energy. I also advise some protein prior to a workout for the same reason. This can be done with chicken or eggs for example. I, however prefer to use a product called LEAN which contains BCAA’s(branched chain amino acids). Each one of these capsules is the equivalent to 1oz of chicken. LEAN helps promote muscle growth, cuts down on carb cravings and promotes thermogenesis( fat burning).
Equally important to nutrition with regards to your workout, is HYDRATION. Preloading, drinking water throughout your workout , and after can make all the difference. If you are weight training primarily there is argument about electrolyte replacement. I personally find that using HYDRATE really helps prevent fatigue during my workout and allows me to recover quicker. There is no added sugar to HYDRATE and the electrolyte balance is a perfect 1:1:1:1 ratio of sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. There are antioxidants and Vitamin B1, B2, and C added. There are no artificial colors or flavors added and it contains coconut powder.
So, appropriate pre workout nutrition and hydration are important in helping you achieve your wellness goals. However, since not everyone will respond the same, its important you use the above principles to determine what will work best for you.

By Mark Pinsky ID Life, Nutrition

The Pros and Cons of Black Coffee: What You Need to Know

Black coffee…Good for you? Well…… remember I am discussing black coffee here. No sugar, milk, cream or whatever other yummies you might add. As with anything in life, there are risks and benefits…
Benefits:

1.Antioxidant properties: Rich in antioxidants( one is chlorogenic acid)that decrease inflammation in the body. Some of theses antioxidants have been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease and even some cancers. Some studies show that consumption of black coffee reduces the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and even Parkinson’s disease.

2.Increased alertness and focus: some studies even show improvement in cognitive performance.

3. Enhanced physical performance and endurance and can increase the body’s ability to burn fat for fuel

4.Weight management. Works for appetite suppression, increases metabolic rate, and as previously mentioned, can stimulate thermogenesis( body’s burning of calories -fat loss)

Risks:

1. Caffeine sensitivity: Some people are sensitive to the effects of the caffeine and this can lead to anxiety, insomnia , increased heart rate ,irritability and digestive issues. My IDLIFE DNA results told me to keep my intake under 200mg of caffeine per day and this has prevented any adverse reactions from caffeine.

2.Can cause teeth staining and enamel erosion

3. Digestive issues: reflux(heart burn), ulcers

4.Has interactions with certain meds and medical conditions causing patients to limit caffeine consumption

*****Personally, caffeine has been a rollarcoaster ride for me. When I was younger, I could drink huge amounts of caffeine without any ill effects. As I have matured(sounds so much better), my sensitivity to caffeine has changed my consumption. Caffeine consumption, for me , has/had created none of the ill effects I described above. Instead, my major side effect to caffeine is brain fog and headache. Two changes have made these not occur. I keep my caffeine consumption below 200mg per day and switched my morning routine to taking an IDLIFE product called Energy. Why Energy? This is not just about caffeine. Yes it contains caffeine…. 75mg is immediately released and 75mg is encapsulated and released over 4-6 hours. So there is no crash or jitteriness associated with it. I believe the L theanine and taurine which have a “ calming effect”on the nervous system plays a role here.However, there is much more. There are ingredients like Acetyl L carnitine, Alpha Lipoic acid,N Acetyl L Tyrosine, GABA that enhance focus and cognition. I take this every am and in 5 minutes, I’m awake and able to begin my work day.

Mpinsky1.idlife.com

By Mark Pinsky ID Life, Nutrition

Personalized Carb Sensitivity: Unlocking Optimal Nutrition for Your Body

F/U complex carb post…How do you know how sensitive to carbs you are? Is keto the right way to go? The roadmap to understanding what percentage of carbs should be apart of your total calories can be obtained from a simple cheek swab. While my DNA results said I can have 45-65% of my calorie intake come from carbs, I know from personal experimentation, that my number is closer to 40%. However, on the days I do little to no cardio, I back it down to 35% and make them all complex carbs….that is key!!!! The other key is that I must keep my sugar intake below 36 g/day. My DNA also told me I had a low sensitivity to fat, but I was very sensitive to saturated fat. While my DNA showed I could consume 35-45% of my total calories from “good fat”, my experience tells me to keep it closer to 30%. However, less than 10% of my total calories can come from saturated fat. This is very difficult to do and it is my downfall, since 2 of my favorite foods are cheese and ice cream. What also stinks, but makes sense, is that for years I have tried to regularly “cheat” on my nutritional intake and make up for it in the gym. My DNA told me NO WAY…that wont work …you see I lose fat predominantly by what I consume. My fat is peripheral mostly which means it lies on top of the muscle. Therefore, exercise helps burn it,but by itself wont get the job done.

Another key is carbohydrate intake timing. I try to ingest the majority of my carbs earlier in the day so I have the ability to use them. I try and finish my carb intake by 7p. This way, they aren’t just “hanging around” and my body wont store them as glycogen or fat.

Another key is to try and ingest carbs with a protein or fat source. This will prevent the glucose(sugar) from rising too quickly which leads to an insulin spike. What we want is a slow rise to allow the body to process and utilize the sugar ingested.

Mpinsky1.idlife.com

By Mark Pinsky ID Life, Nutrition

Boosting Testosterone Naturally: Tips for Increasing Levels and Enhancing Vitality

Can I do anything to increase my testosterone levels?

Yes, it is possible through some natural methods. Before doing anything, its important to know what your levels are. This can be difficult to understand. A true low T is below 300. However, that’s not to say that you individually may notice signs/symptoms of low T at levels higher than this. Personally, I dont believe most should receive exogenous testosterone(via gels, injections) if their level is above this and that is the general consensus. There are some instances where I have done this, but the rationale goes beyond the scope of this post.

Here are some possible ways to raise your body’s own production of T:

1.Maintain a healthy weight( obesity lowers T levels)
2.Exercise regularly( HIIT training is particularly helpful)
3 GET YOUR SLEEP!!!!! Sleep is important for hormone production(7-8 hours is recommended)
4.Reduce stress!!!! Practice stress reducing techniques like meditation or do spiritual reading)
5. Consider supplements designed to boost free testosterone….I have used ID LIFE’s Vitality with tremendous success…boosted my T by 75 points and I could definitely tell

Home – IDLife

By Mark Pinsky ID Life, Nutrition

Debunking the One Meal a Day Myth: Sustainable Weight Loss Through Balanced Nutrition and Hydration

Another popular clinic topic is only eating one meal per day….I explain that while initially this might stimulate one’s metabolic rate, but sustaining this is almost impossible. Either the patient will give up from sheer hunger or they will realize they are depriving themselves of essential nutrients. This will inevitably result in either muscle wasting( a horrific and NOT healthy way to lose weight) or tremendous fat gain as the body is forced to store fat to preserve itself…this is the starvation mode phenomenon…eat less and gain more weight/fat. Fat loss is best achieved by,” feeding the body you want, and hydrating the body you have.” This means that your calorie intake is best determined by what you want your weight to be. Once you feed the body that way, it turns on a switch and metabolically it goes that way….Seems too simple? That’s what weight loss clinics want you to believe… they never teach you what you need to know for long term success….they create a revolving door. Pinsky Medical Weight Loss has never been about that. We limit the number of weight loss patients we see to provide you the time you need to teach you how to achieve long term success. No gimmicks…just proven science…oh and the hydration part? Drink 1/2 your CURRENT body weigh in ounces of water…that will also aid in burning fat…..more tips to follow

By Mark Pinsky ID Life

Understanding Fruit: The Key to a Balanced Nutritional Intake

Follow up to my previous post about fruit: I stand by what I said; however lets clarify for all those that got a little bent out of shape with that post. Eating fruit is one of the best ways to help you maintain a healthy, balanced nutritional intake. They are loaded with vitamins , minerals and FIBER your body needs to functional effectively. That being said, there are some choices that are better than others. Trying to pick fruits that are lower on the glycemic index is an excellent approach. The glycemic index is a measure of how foods affect your blood sugar. Examples of fruit low on the glycemic scale include berries( strawberries and blueberries), green grapes, watermelon,apples, and even a medium sized banana. Bananas get a bad rap, but they are actually on par with grapes and berries in terms of their index score. Just for clarification, I am talking about a medium sized banana that is not as ripe. Ripeness matters…the more ripe the higher the carb load.

The American Heart Association recommends 4-5 servings of fruit per day. This is equivalent to 2-2 1/2 cups. A serving can be a medium sized fruit or 1 cup of chopped fruit. Let’s simplify it….a cup of berries, 20grapes, a small orange or apple (fist size), 1/2 banana all are about 60 cal with 15g carbs….

Here’s the real key….I believe how much fruit you consume should be determined by the following:
1. What type of activity am I doing that day?(If I’m sitting at a desk all day and not doing much activity, I should take in fewer carbs- pieces of fruit that day)vs if I’m working outside doing landscaping) or doing a heavy cardio day
2. What time of the day will I be having the fruit?
3. What will I be eating with the fruit or will I be eating it alone?
4. What does my DNA say about my sensitivity to carbs and what should be my percentage of carbs vs my total calorie intake (#idlifeDNA)

*****GET IN TUNE WITH WHAT YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU…THIS WILL INVOLVE SOME TRIAL AND ERROR…BUT AFTER YOU DETOXIFY YOUR BODY, IT WILL TELL YOU WHAT IT NEEDS….YOUR HEAD HUNGER WILL BE GONE ….WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY YOUR BODY WILL TRULY SIGNAL YOU

******NEXT POST: CARBOHYDRATE TIMING/WHAT YOUR DNA WILL TEACH YOU/ HOW YOU CONSUME CARBS MATTERS