There are a few goals we have for everyone we work with. It doesn’t matter if the individual’s goal is performance, weight loss or rehab we look to achieve this with all of them?

Do you know what ‘it’ is?

A couple of things I really like are efficiency and great value. I like it when things are moving forward at a good clip and when the return is better than expected. Who doesn’t like that though, right?

At Okanagan Peak Performance Inc we work with a variety of clientele that want to look, feel or play better. And these are quite varied goals. But one thing is in common with these three groups.

Nutrition is an interesting topic. For some, they treat it like religion. But it isn’t like religion at all. It doesn’t matter what I believe. Instead what should matter is what the research tells us to be true. We can decide to accept science or not.

Do you drink milk? That’s a pretty easy question because it doesn’t specify what kind of milk? Most people assume you mean cow’s milk but nowadays that question can be open to interpretation as the regular variety or one of rice, almond or soy. 

So the #1 goal of people who go to the gym is weight loss. And it’s like finger nails on a chalk board when I see people making all the right decisions when it comes to training, rest and the foods they eat only to blow it in one area.

What is that one area?

Tuesday a number of our clients, friends and family gathered at the facility for some beer, chocolate, wine & cheese and handed out some door prizes.

Oh yeah, there was also a nutritional seminar going on as well.

Quick question…what’s your favourite cheat food?

For a lot of people the answer would be something sweet. Maybe it’s ice cream, or chocolate or some type of candy. I like all of these.

But indulging in a treat can wreak havoc on your training goals. We’re trying to create a caloric deficit from training but then can quickly undo a lot of our efforts when we load up on sweets.

So last night I went and saw Hangover 2. And if you’re into that kind of humour you may find this one funny. But be warned. It’s not for everyone.

But after the show was over my mind drifted back to training.

And I started thinking about the effects of alcohol on training. So I did a bit of a review of the literature on some recent studies related to alcohol consumption and exercise.

Here’s what I found.

I had to take popcorn off the list. More on that in another post.

Keep in mind as well that not all snacks are suitable for every person.

For those looking to shed a few pounds (or more) keep an eye on the carbs such as the crackers, cereals and fruits.

For those looking to gain a few pounds increase your intake of healthy fats and dried fruits which have a higher caloric density.

The take home message is to listen to your body and track your results.

If during the mid afternoon at work or school you are experiencing head nods and struggling to stay awake maybe a snack and some fresh air would benefit you.

Or if you’re having trouble adding a few pounds of lean muscle mass look to add in a snack or two, especially on days when you’re not training, to put yourself into a caloric surplus and grow.

Now let me know your favourite snack. Even if it’s not a healthy one tell me anyways and I’ll see if I can find a healthy alternative for you.

Chris                                                                                                                                                                    okanaganpeakperformance.com ‘always moving forward’