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Looking for answers to your nutrition
queries? Like how do I shed that excess fat? Alternatively,
how do I gain more energy, build more muscle, or help
my child learn to focus better? That’s
right! At Warrior’s Realm Muay Thai
& MMA Academy, we have an expert nutrition advisor
on hand to answer your most pertinent questions! Cheri
Doney will help you take your and your child’s
training to an entirely different level! She is here
to answer your inquiry. Just drop her a line, and
wait for her answer. It’s
that simple. Now, all your nutrition solutions
are just a click away!
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Cheri Doney is a Registered
Sports Nutrition advisor, a wife and mother. Nutrition
became a priority in Cheri’s life when motherhood
struck; as a mother of two boys (now 10 and 12), her concern
for the health and well-being of her family fostered a
renewed interest in healthy living. While working at Weight
Watchers Cheri further discovered a tremendous need in
our society for accurate information and support. |
There seemed to be an overwhelmingly apparent
misrepresentation of proper nutritional information being
distributed by major companies marketing their food to sell
the highest volume with a lack of concern for the consumer’s
health. This realization made Cheri eager to share her knowledge.
Cheri was a leader and mentor for Weight Watchers members
and enjoyed it enormously, this peaked her interest in pursuing
nutrition as a line of work. Desiring an education with a
holistic and naturopathic perspective, she commenced studying
at the Alive Academy and after two great years successfully
completed her Sports Nutrition Certificate. With her compassionate
and caring nature Cheri believed she could focus her energies
toward a rewarding career helping others. Cheri is eager to
teach you the skills you need to help you achieve optimum
sports performance, lose weight, and of course enjoy overall
well-being. Cheri strives to offer the best of herself to
you to ensure your growth and will continue to inspire all
the people she helps in the years to come.
Cheri resides in Nanaimo BC but has made
the trek north to do a couple of seminars here at Warrior’s
Realm. The seminars were very successful; everyone took home
a fountain of knowledge that helped them in their own lives.
Keli (Instructor/owner Warrior’s Realm) brought Cheri
on board because she knew that she would be a perfect fit;
Cheri and Keli have a long history of sharing similar views,
they are cousins and grew up together! The two share the same
passion for a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle. Both enjoy
staying fit and happy and passing on their immense combined
knowledge about health and fitness to others. Warrior’s
Realms commitment to Martial Arts, fitness and personal growth
paired up with Cheri’s passion for learning about nutrition
creates a force to be reckoned with. Collectively this powerful
duo can offer people the proper training and discipline united
with the correct nutritional information essential to excelling
in sports and life!!
Cheri is a welcome addition to the
team at Warrior’s Realm and really helps to keep the
feeling of family present. Cheri Doney will be posting answers
to questions/concerns you may have about your health or sports
nutrition. You may email Cheri at nutrition@warriorsrealm.ca
to ask her directly. Check back into the website regularly
for updated questions and answers that will help improve your
overall health and well-being.
Q. What
are the best foods to create the most energy for a workout?
A. The body
always uses a mixture of carbohydrates and fat, plus a little
protein for energy.
Carbohydrates are the body's primary high-energy
fuel source. Complex carbohydrates rather than simple sugars
are the best bet for sustaining energy. Whole grains such
as brown rice or oatmeal eaten one - two hours prior to a
workout will provide your body with the most benefits as far
as energy level.
Fats, or lipids, are also important sources
of fuel for athletes, particularly endurance athletes. The
quality of the fats are important to your health as well as
your workout. Include nuts and seeds such as almonds and sesame
seeds in your diet. Fish and soy are important sources of
quality fats. Use expeller-pressed, unprocessed safflower,
canola, sunflower, olive and flaxseed oils in your diet and
avoid hydrogenated oils such as margarine or shortening.
Amino acids, or proteins are required by
the body to sustain the energy conversion processes and to
build and repair tissue. Good quality proteins are essential
to your diet. Again, nuts, seeds and fish are good choices.
Beans, legumes and whole grains as well as many vegetables
are also excellent sources of protein. Animal proteins are
the most difficult and therefore the slowest foods for your
body to digest. Eating animal proteins before a workout would
not be a good choice. Your body will be utilizing energy for
the digestion process so there won't be enough for your muscles.
It is better to consume animal proteins near the end of the
day when they are more likely to be used as building material
for your body.
The most important factor in maintaining
energy during your workouts will be maintaining a regular
diet of all the nutrients with emphasis on quality choices.
A desire for sweets is hardwired into the
human brain, a survival mechanism left over from our 'caveman'
ancestors. One of the causes for craving carbohydrates, particularly
the simple kind (sugar) is an imbalance in serotonin. Serotonin
is a chemical released by our brains that regulates sleep,
reduces pain and appetite and generally calms us down and
improves our mood. Low serotonin levels in our blood cause
low energy levels, hunger, depression and stress. If we eat
a diet high in protein we may have reduced serotonin levels.
If we lose weight too quickly by eating a very low calorie
diet the result will be lowered serotonin levels. Intense
aerobic exercise can lead to cravings for carbohydrates as
the body attempts to restock drained fuel stores. Carbohydrate
rich snacks will raise serotonin levels, energize us and provide
relief from mild depression or tension. The relief is temporary
though, once the serotonin levels are depleted we will crave
sweets again.
Although we can't change the hardwiring
in our brains there are a few steps we can take to reduce
our 'sweet tooth' cravings. Drinking water at regular intervals
and including exercise in our daily routines are important
factors. Maintaining an even level of sugar in our blood stream
is the most important factor in staving off sugar cravings.
This is accomplished by eating meals and snacks at regular
intervals throughout the day where we are including plenty
of whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Whole grains such
as oatmeal, barley, bulgur, brown rice, whole wheat, couscous,
buckwheat, quinoa, kamut, peas and corn are high in fibre
as are vegetables and fruit. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes,
yams and squash are a good choice as they provide sugar (starch)
with plenty of fibre to slow down the release of the sugars
into our blood stream. Including small amounts of quality
protein with each meal will further slow down the release
of the carbohydrate's sugar. Making sure we are including
healthy fats in our diet is also important as sometimes a
diet too low in fat may induce sugar cravings since most sugary
foods are also high in fats. Healthy oils include flax seed,
sunflower, safflower, canola, hemp seed and olive oil. With
this in mind be sure to incorporate a moderate amount of nuts
and seeds into your diet.
When our diet incorporates a mix of unrefined
whole grains, vegetables and fruits along with healthy fats
and quality proteins our bodies will be well nourished. In
a well nourished body we will feel satisfied and we will be
able to save sugary treats for enjoying in small amounts on
special occasions.
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