here are 7 habits to live by:
1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.
2. Eat lean protein with each meal.
3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.
4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.
5. Ensure that 25-35% of your calories comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).
6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea. diet soda is FINE. don't listen to the people who say otherwise.
7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).
form those into habits and follow them 90% of the time (no more than 4 meals out of an average 42 meals per week should violate any of those rules) and you're well on your way to a perfect body.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
OMG I'm sooo FAT, will 3 m&m's + 1 chip ahoy + 3 bites of banana make me drop 43 lbs in 2 months??
Our youth actually believe that stuff! We can't blame them however. We should blame ourselves for this mess!
There are three major dieting strategies for fat loss:
carb-dominant diets where fat is minimized
fat-dominant diets where carbs are minimized
balanced diets where both fat and carbs provide a similar amount of energy.
As a rule of thumb, fatter individuals and natural endomorphs ("husky people") will respond better to the low-carb approach, whereas leaner individuals and natural ectomorphs ("skinny people") will do better on a higher carb intake.
Mesomorphs, people who are naturally lean and muscular, do well on all kinds of diets, but seem to respond best to a balanced approach.
There are three major dieting strategies for fat loss:
carb-dominant diets where fat is minimized
fat-dominant diets where carbs are minimized
balanced diets where both fat and carbs provide a similar amount of energy.
As a rule of thumb, fatter individuals and natural endomorphs ("husky people") will respond better to the low-carb approach, whereas leaner individuals and natural ectomorphs ("skinny people") will do better on a higher carb intake.
Mesomorphs, people who are naturally lean and muscular, do well on all kinds of diets, but seem to respond best to a balanced approach.
How many calories does my body burn while doing NOTHING?? Well kiddo, that is called your BMR
Your Basal Metabolic rate is the amount of energy that your body "burns" in a 24-hour period while doing absolutely nothing. If you were seated on your couch, watching TV for 24 hours, you would burn the equivalent of your BMR in calories. It's possible to estimate your BMR from a formula. Obviously, this wont be 100% accurate, but it gives you a pretty good idea of what your body needs to function. These formulas are:
MEN: BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) — (6.8 x age)
WOMEN: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.7 x height in cm) — (4.7 x age)
Let's take, for example, a 29-year-old man, 5'9" (175 cm) and 207 pounds (94 kg):
BMR = 66 + (13.7 x 94) + (1.7 x 175) — (6.8 x 29)
BMR = 66 + 1287 + 297 — 197
BMR = 1453 calories
This man would burn 1453 calories in a 24-hour period, while doing absolutely nothing.
Depending on your daily activity, your actual Daily Energy Expenditure (DEE), or the amount of calories you burn in a day, will vary. You can estimate this amount by multiplying your BMR by an "activity" factor.
1.0 = sedentary (do nothing all day but eat potato chips and watch TV)
1.2 = very light activity (desk job, no training, some walking)
1.4 = light activity (no training, job might require some light physical labor)
1.6 = moderate activity (most of us: a physically undemanding job, but training on a regular basis)
1.8 = high activity (daily training plus a somewhat physically active job or lifestyle)
2.0 = very high activity (twice-a-day training, sports + training. or training + a very demanding job)
So in our example, if our 1453-calorie subject is moderately active, his DEE would be around 2324 calories per day (1453 x 1.6). This means that he needs to consume 2324 calories per day, just to maintain his physical status quo (neither gaining nor losing weight).
You should remember, again, that these are only approximate figures. It's better than guessing, but it's only really precise with "normal" individuals. If you're a mesomorph (naturally very muscular and lean), for example, this formula tends to underestimate your caloric expenditure by around 10%. It's still a workable formula, though it might require some tinkering and tweaking.
Another way to establish your DEE is to record everything you eat for a week, then calculate your caloric intake. If you neither gained nor lost any weight in that 7-day period, then you basically ate at your DEE. This method, although a bit more precise, can be a real pain in the ass, so most people should stick to the calculation and adjust their caloric intake depending on how their body is responding.
MEN: BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) — (6.8 x age)
WOMEN: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.7 x height in cm) — (4.7 x age)
Let's take, for example, a 29-year-old man, 5'9" (175 cm) and 207 pounds (94 kg):
BMR = 66 + (13.7 x 94) + (1.7 x 175) — (6.8 x 29)
BMR = 66 + 1287 + 297 — 197
BMR = 1453 calories
This man would burn 1453 calories in a 24-hour period, while doing absolutely nothing.
Depending on your daily activity, your actual Daily Energy Expenditure (DEE), or the amount of calories you burn in a day, will vary. You can estimate this amount by multiplying your BMR by an "activity" factor.
1.0 = sedentary (do nothing all day but eat potato chips and watch TV)
1.2 = very light activity (desk job, no training, some walking)
1.4 = light activity (no training, job might require some light physical labor)
1.6 = moderate activity (most of us: a physically undemanding job, but training on a regular basis)
1.8 = high activity (daily training plus a somewhat physically active job or lifestyle)
2.0 = very high activity (twice-a-day training, sports + training. or training + a very demanding job)
So in our example, if our 1453-calorie subject is moderately active, his DEE would be around 2324 calories per day (1453 x 1.6). This means that he needs to consume 2324 calories per day, just to maintain his physical status quo (neither gaining nor losing weight).
You should remember, again, that these are only approximate figures. It's better than guessing, but it's only really precise with "normal" individuals. If you're a mesomorph (naturally very muscular and lean), for example, this formula tends to underestimate your caloric expenditure by around 10%. It's still a workable formula, though it might require some tinkering and tweaking.
Another way to establish your DEE is to record everything you eat for a week, then calculate your caloric intake. If you neither gained nor lost any weight in that 7-day period, then you basically ate at your DEE. This method, although a bit more precise, can be a real pain in the ass, so most people should stick to the calculation and adjust their caloric intake depending on how their body is responding.
FATS don't make you FAT, FATHEAD.....
Each gram of fat provides 9 calories. Let me first mention that fat is not evil! At least not all fats are. The "good" fats are the essential fatty acids: fatty acids that your body can't produce itself and that are needed for optimal function. These fats have to come from your diet or supplementation program. These essential fatty acids fall into two broad categories: omega-3 and omega-6. Most people get plenty of omega-6 from their diet, especially if it's rich in animal protein sources. However, omega-3 deficiency is very common in North America, mostly because fish consumption is generally very low. Omega-3 fatty acids, especially the all-important DHA and EPA, have several benefits when it comes to being healthy and building a muscular physique.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
- Increase insulin sensitivity, which has positive effects on both muscle building (facilitating nutrient transport to the muscle) and fat loss (reducing the amount of nutrients stored as fat).
- Increase the body's use of fat for fuel, especially when exercising.
- Improve nervous system recovery/regeneration and function.
- Improve cardiovascular health by improving blood flow, reducing triglycerides ("bad" fatty acids), as well as the formation of plaque and blood clots
- Reduce inflammation and promote healing.
omega-3 fatty acids is the one supplement that everybody should be taking.
Beside the benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids, fat consumption has other benefits. One of these main benefits is the increase in testosterone production. Cholesterol is the raw material for the production of our favorite hormone, testosterone. If you're not getting at least 20% of your total calories from fat, your testosterone production can go down. And as you know by now, less testosterone equals less muscle.
I'm not recommending that you go gulp handfuls of lard and butter, or guzzle quarts of heavy cream; I'm just reminding you that cutting your fat intake too much will seriously sabotage your muscle-building goals.
Fat is also needed for the proper absorption of several vitamins (A, D, E and K), which are needed for optimal health. If your fat intake is too low, you might develop deficiencies in one or several of these vitamins.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
- Increase insulin sensitivity, which has positive effects on both muscle building (facilitating nutrient transport to the muscle) and fat loss (reducing the amount of nutrients stored as fat).
- Increase the body's use of fat for fuel, especially when exercising.
- Improve nervous system recovery/regeneration and function.
- Improve cardiovascular health by improving blood flow, reducing triglycerides ("bad" fatty acids), as well as the formation of plaque and blood clots
- Reduce inflammation and promote healing.
omega-3 fatty acids is the one supplement that everybody should be taking.
Beside the benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids, fat consumption has other benefits. One of these main benefits is the increase in testosterone production. Cholesterol is the raw material for the production of our favorite hormone, testosterone. If you're not getting at least 20% of your total calories from fat, your testosterone production can go down. And as you know by now, less testosterone equals less muscle.
I'm not recommending that you go gulp handfuls of lard and butter, or guzzle quarts of heavy cream; I'm just reminding you that cutting your fat intake too much will seriously sabotage your muscle-building goals.
Fat is also needed for the proper absorption of several vitamins (A, D, E and K), which are needed for optimal health. If your fat intake is too low, you might develop deficiencies in one or several of these vitamins.
Ladies & Gentlemen......Protein
Each gram of protein provides four calories. The word "protein" comes from a Greek word meaning "first" or "of primary importance." For bodybuilders and strength athletes, this nutrient is of primary importance, because proteins are the building blocks of, among other things, muscle tissue. Protein is broken down into amino acids in the body, and these amino acids are turned into muscle via a process called protein synthesis, or muscular anabolism (from another Greek word meaning "to build up" or "ascend."
Proteins (amino acids) make up the major portion of the solid part of a muscle. Around 20-25% of the muscle content is protein, 70% is water and other fluids, and the remaining 5-10% comprise muscle glycogen, minerals, intramuscular fatty acids and other elements. You don't need to memorize the proportions, just master the point that protein is the most important nutrient for muscular growth. No protein, no muscle.
Exactly how much protein is needed for maximum growth? Good question. Studies have shown over and over that a higher protein intake is associated with a more positive nitrogen balance and a higher rate of protein synthesis. In other words, the more protein you eat, the more muscle you build.
However, it's not that simple. At some point we run smack into the law of diminishing returns. Once you've reached the maximal amount of protein that your body can use to build muscle, any additional protein you swallow will notincrease your rate of muscular growth.
That sucks, doesn't it? I mean, wouldn't it be great if all we had to do to build muscle was consume tons of protein? In no time at all, we'd all be 250-pound shredded behemoths! Even the girls! Sadly, we are limited by our own natural biochemistry when it comes to being able to use protein (amino acids) to build muscle.
Protein is found primarily in animal products such meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and cheese.
Proteins (amino acids) make up the major portion of the solid part of a muscle. Around 20-25% of the muscle content is protein, 70% is water and other fluids, and the remaining 5-10% comprise muscle glycogen, minerals, intramuscular fatty acids and other elements. You don't need to memorize the proportions, just master the point that protein is the most important nutrient for muscular growth. No protein, no muscle.
Exactly how much protein is needed for maximum growth? Good question. Studies have shown over and over that a higher protein intake is associated with a more positive nitrogen balance and a higher rate of protein synthesis. In other words, the more protein you eat, the more muscle you build.
However, it's not that simple. At some point we run smack into the law of diminishing returns. Once you've reached the maximal amount of protein that your body can use to build muscle, any additional protein you swallow will notincrease your rate of muscular growth.
That sucks, doesn't it? I mean, wouldn't it be great if all we had to do to build muscle was consume tons of protein? In no time at all, we'd all be 250-pound shredded behemoths! Even the girls! Sadly, we are limited by our own natural biochemistry when it comes to being able to use protein (amino acids) to build muscle.
Protein is found primarily in animal products such meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and cheese.
Ahhhhhh, Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs): Carbs are the first of the two "energy" nutrients. Each gram of carbs provide 4 calories. The main function of carbs in the body is to provide a quick source of fuel for physical and mental work. It can be stored in any of the three main storage units of the body: in the muscle and liver as glycogen but also as body fat.
Carbs are the body's preferred energy source, so if sufficient amounts of carbs are present in the diet, it's hard to "force" the body to use fat for fuel. In other words, if you eat a lot of carbs, your fat will remain where you last left it!
Carbs also cause the greatest insulin spike of all three main macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat). In fact, the elevation of blood sugar levels (carbs are sugar) is the main stimulus for insulin release. This is both a pro and a con: insulin, you recall, can help drive protein and carbs into the muscle (a Good Thing) but it can also stimulate fat storage (a Bad Thing). Furthermore, as long as insulin levels are elevated, it's next to impossible under normal circumstances to stimulate the release of fatty acids from the fat stores. This means that as long as insulin levels are high, fat loss is almost impossible. Remember also that when insulin levels are elevated it puts your body into "storage" mode.
So under certain circumstances elevated insulin is a good thing (when you need to shuttle in nutrients to your muscles ASAP) but most of the time it's not. The only two times you should have a lot of carbs (and thus spike insulin) are at breakfast, and right after a workout.
After you wake up, the breakfast insulin spike will help halt the catabolic (muscle wasting) state brought on by eight or more hours of fasting ("breakfast," of course, means "breaking the fast"). After a workout, the insulin spike will rapidly deliver the nutrients to the muscle. This will initiate the recovery and building process immediately, while countering the actions of cortisol. Keep in mind, however, that the amount of carbs you should have at these times will vary greatly depending on your goal and degree of leanness.
Any other time is not a good time to consume a significant amount of carbs, as the insulin elevation will have a negative impact on body composition. Your insulin level remains elevated for up to 4 or 5 hours after a carb-rich meal, which can bring fat loss to a standstill for this period of time. In other words, a high sugar meal will not only directly add fat to your body, it will also prevent fat use effectively, turning you into a fat storing machine.
Although carbs are your body's preferred fuel source, carbohydrates aren't essential the way many amino acids and fatty acids are essential. This means that you could function properly even on a diet of zerocarbs: the body would adapt to other fuel sources and you'd do just fine.
Carbohydrates come in many varieties. Without going into too much detail, every carbohydrate from pure sugar to whole wheat is turned into glucose in the body. The main difference is the speed at which it's turned into glucose. The faster it turns into glucose, the greater the insulin spike will be (because more glucose will enter the blood stream at once). The speed at which a carbohydrate (or any food, for that matter) elevates blood sugar is measured by the glycemic index (GI). Every food is given a specific GI number, and the higher the number is, the faster it elevates blood sugar levels. While not always perfectly accurate, it does give us a clue as to how much a food will affect insulin production.
But no need to be super scientific about it. If your goal is body composition in general, the following rule applies:
Must-have carb sources: green veggies (broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, celery, asparagus, etc.)
Can-have carb sources: other veggies (except potatoes), berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.)
Occasional carb sources: Other fruits
Rare carb sources: brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, cream of wheat, potatoes, yams
Should-avoid carb sources: white bread, white pasta, oatmeal
Must-avoid carb source: pastries, cookies, candy and any other junk sugary food
Carbs are the body's preferred energy source, so if sufficient amounts of carbs are present in the diet, it's hard to "force" the body to use fat for fuel. In other words, if you eat a lot of carbs, your fat will remain where you last left it!
Carbs also cause the greatest insulin spike of all three main macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat). In fact, the elevation of blood sugar levels (carbs are sugar) is the main stimulus for insulin release. This is both a pro and a con: insulin, you recall, can help drive protein and carbs into the muscle (a Good Thing) but it can also stimulate fat storage (a Bad Thing). Furthermore, as long as insulin levels are elevated, it's next to impossible under normal circumstances to stimulate the release of fatty acids from the fat stores. This means that as long as insulin levels are high, fat loss is almost impossible. Remember also that when insulin levels are elevated it puts your body into "storage" mode.
So under certain circumstances elevated insulin is a good thing (when you need to shuttle in nutrients to your muscles ASAP) but most of the time it's not. The only two times you should have a lot of carbs (and thus spike insulin) are at breakfast, and right after a workout.
After you wake up, the breakfast insulin spike will help halt the catabolic (muscle wasting) state brought on by eight or more hours of fasting ("breakfast," of course, means "breaking the fast"). After a workout, the insulin spike will rapidly deliver the nutrients to the muscle. This will initiate the recovery and building process immediately, while countering the actions of cortisol. Keep in mind, however, that the amount of carbs you should have at these times will vary greatly depending on your goal and degree of leanness.
Any other time is not a good time to consume a significant amount of carbs, as the insulin elevation will have a negative impact on body composition. Your insulin level remains elevated for up to 4 or 5 hours after a carb-rich meal, which can bring fat loss to a standstill for this period of time. In other words, a high sugar meal will not only directly add fat to your body, it will also prevent fat use effectively, turning you into a fat storing machine.
Although carbs are your body's preferred fuel source, carbohydrates aren't essential the way many amino acids and fatty acids are essential. This means that you could function properly even on a diet of zerocarbs: the body would adapt to other fuel sources and you'd do just fine.
Carbohydrates come in many varieties. Without going into too much detail, every carbohydrate from pure sugar to whole wheat is turned into glucose in the body. The main difference is the speed at which it's turned into glucose. The faster it turns into glucose, the greater the insulin spike will be (because more glucose will enter the blood stream at once). The speed at which a carbohydrate (or any food, for that matter) elevates blood sugar is measured by the glycemic index (GI). Every food is given a specific GI number, and the higher the number is, the faster it elevates blood sugar levels. While not always perfectly accurate, it does give us a clue as to how much a food will affect insulin production.
But no need to be super scientific about it. If your goal is body composition in general, the following rule applies:
Must-have carb sources: green veggies (broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, celery, asparagus, etc.)
Can-have carb sources: other veggies (except potatoes), berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.)
Occasional carb sources: Other fruits
Rare carb sources: brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, cream of wheat, potatoes, yams
Should-avoid carb sources: white bread, white pasta, oatmeal
Must-avoid carb source: pastries, cookies, candy and any other junk sugary food
The First Mass Monster Freak, Dorian Yates said...
"Nutrition is 100%, training is 100%, recovery is 100%"
Consultation Costs
Basic Diet/Nutrition Advice & Supplement Regimens: $50.00
Month by Month thereafter: $40.00
6 Months Consultation: $200.00
Month by Month thereafter: $40.00
6 Months Consultation: $200.00
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Welcome everyone! I've restructured things to now offer online training! My methods deliver results! 75% of the population do very well on my healthy, low carb dietary plans. Straight up! No B.S.!! Real Talk Nutritional Advice
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