Turning Point Strength and Conditioning

Congratulations to Candice for being our April MVP!! She took the quote “if you’re not first you’re last” literally…. (After seeing her husband, Joe, win MVP for the month of March)

We interviewed Candice after notifying her of her achievement and she said, “(she is) The rightful Siebenthal.”

Be like Candice for the month of May💪🏼

Let’s break it down REAL simple.

Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose which is converted to energy. Glucose is the main source of energy for your body’s cells tissues and organs.

Glucose is used to support bodily functions and physical activity.

The most common and abundant forms of carbohydrates are sugars, fiber and starches.

Let’s just talk about sugars today.

Sugars are carbs in their most simple form. They’re called monosaccharides (simple sugars) and include glucose, fructose and galactose.

Foods containing monosaccharides often taste sweet because our taste buds recognize them as sweet.

Simple sugars are found in:
▪️ honey
▪️ corn syrup
▪️ candy
▪️ fruit and fruit juices
▪️ some fruits and vegetables

When two monosaccharide sugars bind together they form disaccharides like lactose, sucrose and maltose. Some examples are:
▪️ table sugar
▪️ dairy products
▪️ beer
▪️ some bread
▪️root vegetables like sweet potato and carrots

Simple carbs (as listed above) are quickly absorbed by the body causing increased blood glucose levels.

People have long associated simple sugar consumption with a sugar rush followed by a crash. However studies have discovered that consuming sugary foods can actually cause short term fatigue instead. This “crash” is usually accompanied by irritability, light-headedness, drowsiness, headaches and other symptoms.

Processed foods with added sugars (candy, soft drinks, corn syrup, and desserts contain the most potent amounts of simple carbs.

Quick story - as a teenager in the 90’s I became exceptionally interested in nutrition. Nutrition is a relatively new science and 1990 is when the FDA first required food labels to be included on food packaging.

In the youth of my mind and the youth of the science I was convinced that fat made me fat, so….I stopped eating fat. Any fat. All fat. “Fat free” was the only safe option to ensure I didn’t gain weight. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot about fat in the last 30-ish years.

Fat, like protein, is a macronutrient meaning your body needs it in large quantities.

Fat allows you to store energy, cushion organs, make certain hormones, absorb fat soluble vitamins, and helps with cell membrane integrity.

There are 3 types of fats:

Trans fats - should be cut out of your diet. These are unsaturated fats that have been altered by adding hydrogen molecules through a process called hydrogenation. You can find trans fats in margarine, shortening, store bought baked goods, and fried foods. If you see trans fat on the label it should be avoided.

Saturated fats - does not have any bends in the molecule because it’s saturated in hydrogen molecules which makes them solid at room temperature and mostly found in animal sources with high fat content. Things such as high fat beef, lamb, pork and poultry with skin, lard, cream, butter, full fat cheese and dairy. It is recommended that you decrease saturated fat intake and lean towards more healthy fats, known as unsaturated fats.

Unsaturated fats - have at least one double bond causing bends in the molecule. These are harder to stack and therefore liquid at room temperature. The number of bonds allows for the naming of unsaturated fats. MONO unsaturated fats have one double while POLY unsaturated fats have multiple or many. Unsaturated fats are considered healthy fats because they can decrease your risk for heart disease. You can find unsaturated fats mostly in plant sources such as avocados, nuts and nut butters, seeds, olives, and oils (olive, canola, safflower, etc.). They can also be found in animal sources such as fatty fish including salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and herring.