I am not a nutritionist and I do NOT claim to know everything. However, I spent over 8 years of my life studying how the body functions. These are just the general guidelines that I use for myself.
I can never stress it enough how crucial proper eating is. It is one of my biggest reasons why I was able to lose weight and keep it off. Without proper eating, you are wasting your time at the gym. All the cardiovascular exercise in the world is not going to help, without good nutritional choices.
If you want to lose weight and gain lean muscle, you will want your eating to consist of high protein and high fiber foods. You will understand why after reading this article.
We know that dieting is often a lost cause and counting calories is too complicated. You see, diets often look at food with a negative association.They look at talking food away, both in your choices and in amount, in order to reduce your calories to help you lose weight.
I look at food a bit differently. By choosing the right foods and eating them at the right times, you can actually make food a powerful fat-burning ally in your war on stubborn body fat.
CHANGES HAVE TO BE MADE…
Make no mistake I had to make some changes in my lifestyle and I am going to be asking you to make some changes also!
We’ve all developed some nasty habits along the way, myself included, that have to be dealt with in order to see the kind of results we are capable of.
You have the body you see in the mirror right now because of your current diet, and you have to look at the mirror and say…
“I am FAT because of the way I EAT”…Hard words to say, but they’re the TRUTH!
NUTRITIONAL BASICS
Knowledge and understanding is the first step to change. Now you don’t need to be a microbiologist to succeed, but you do need to have a basic understanding of the major nutrients that you’ll get from your foods.
The food you consume can be broken down into 3-main categories of nutrients:
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
1. PROTEIN - Protein is essential to repair and growth in muscles. It is composed of amino acids, tiny building blocks in the human body. Amino acids are critical to your health. Remember the more muscle that you can keep and build, the higher your metabolism. The more muscle, the more fat burn, even while you sleep.
However, one of the biggest reasons why protein plays a big role in your supportive eating is because protein does not spike your sugar level up. The more your blood sugar is steady, the more fat your body can release to be utilize as energy.
Protein is hard for your body to break down causing up to 20% more thermic effect compared to carbohydrates and fat. What does that mean? When you consume protein, 20% of the total protein calories are used just to break down the protein into small chains of amino acids. That is extremely important to help boost your metabolism.
Protein is also a natural appetite suppressant.
My favorite sources of Protein:
Egg Whites (hard boiled eggs)
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Lean Beef
Fish, Tuna
Lean Pork
Low-Fat Dairy products
Whey protein
Beans
Nuts
Legumes
Protein Rule #1:
Consume a serving of high quality protein in every meal.
Your body is going to need an on-going supply of amino acids to keep feeding your muscles with the raw nutrients it needs to repair itself and increase in size and strength.
Protein Rule #2:
Consume 2 servings of protein immediately after your workouts.
When you train hard, you’re causing microfiber damage to your muscle cells. Don’t worry, thats a good thing because you’re training your muscles to build up stronger to be able to handle the extra workload you’re throwing at it. That repair process will help you build more muscle, increase in strength, and burn more fat. Immediately after a workout, your muscles are BEGGING for some additional support to begin the recovery process so they need more protein than usual.
Protein Rule #3:
Consume a serving of protein about 1-hour before going to bed.
When you sleep, your body goes into repair mode.This is a key opportunity for your body to build muscle and burn fat. But to do its job, it needs protein and since you’re about to go into a 6-8 hour fasting period, you need to give it one more shot of protein’s amino acids.
Protein Rule #4:
Consume a serving of high quality protein first thing in the morning.
While you were sleeping, your body was basically in a starved state. When you first get up in the morning, it will be looking for a re-supply.
2. CARBOHYDRATES / FIBER - Carbohydrates provide energy to the body. They also help protect muscle, fuel the brain, and assist in digestion. Carbohydrates are critical in the utilization of fat as an energy source. Most of your carbohydrates should come from complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Adding fiber into your meal is crucial for overall heath. Fiber (soluble) absorbs water making your feel fuller and for a much longer time. Insoluble fiber helps move the food faster through the stomach and intestines to prevent constipation and other disease. It is recommended to consume about 25-35 grams of fiber per day.
You may be familiar with the more recent classification of carbohydrates by their (GLYCEMIC INDEX) rating. This basically refers to how fast or slow a carbohydrate is processed in your body.
The faster a carbbhydrate is processed into sugar, the higher its glycemic index rating and the more your body has to pump out insulin in order to quickly balance out your blood sugar levels. Since insulin triggers your body to store body fat, the more high-glycemic carbohydrates you consume, the more likely you are to gain fat.
Low Glycemic carbohydrates are broken down slowly by the body and don’t spike your insulin levels so you’re less likely to convert them into body fat.
I have a simple system of breaking down the low glycemic carbs into what I call Starchy carbohydrates and Fibrous carbohydrates
My favorite sources of Carbohydrates:
Starchy
Plain Oatmeal (not instant)
Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Pasta
Sweet Potatoes/Yams
Whole Grain Breads
Beans
Nuts
Legumes
Fibrous
Fresh Vegetables
Fresh Fruits
Carbohydrate Rule #1:
Consume one serving of starchy carbohydrate immediately after your workouts.
Immediately after an intense workout, you have what is called a, “Metabolic window of opportunity” when your body has used up blood sugar and muscle glycogen to fuel you’re training.
In this depleted state, your muscles are actually looking for a sugar re-supply and by immediately consuming a higher glycemic (starchy carbohydrate) post-workout meal, the resulting insulin spike will quickly feed your muscles the nutrients they need to begin the repair cycle instead of triggering fat storage.
Carbohydrate Rule #2:
Avoid consuming ANY starchy carbohydrate within about 3-hours before going to bed.
Simply skip the starchy carbohydrates in the evenings.
Carbohydrate Rule #3:
Fibrous carbohydrates are your free-for-all food choices.
It’s virtually impossible to eat to many fibrous carbohydrates like fresh fruits and vegetables to make a serious dent in your calorie intake.
Note:
Some higher calorie fresh fruits I categorize as starchy carbohydrates for simplicity state. They should ONLY be consumed post-workout.
These include:
Bananas
Mangos
Dried Fruit
3. FATS - Fats are used as an energy source during long periods of consistent low-heart-rate exercise. Fat is also beneficial for nerve conduction, healthy skin and hair, and hormone regulation. Fats from plants, such as canola, avocado, safflower and almond, tend to be better for your health.
My favorite sources of Fats:
Nut Butters (peanut, almond)
Olive oil
Avocados
Olives
Fish Oils
Nuts
Seeds
Low-Fat Cheese
As you can see by the function of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats, you need them ALL, working together to be in your best physical shape and well-being. You can not leave one of them out, like some Fad diets state.
The ultimate ratio for blood sugar stabilization and the release of body fat is: 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fats.
QUICK GUIDELINES
#1 Eat smaller meals throughout the day.
Try to eat every 3-31/2 hours of a smaller meal everyday. Not only will you feel less hungry but it will help boost your metabolism by constantly supplying your body with the adequate amount of energy.
#2 Consume high quality protein every day.
Protein has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates and fat. What does it mean to you? Your body has to burn extra calories to break down your protein into smaller amino acids. Plus, it will keep you satisfied a lot longer compared to carbohydrates. In addition, protein is needed to build and maintain lean muscle.
#3 Consume 25-35 grams of fiber a day
Your carbohydrates should be mostly high fiber foods such as vegetables, fruit, and high fiber unrefined grains. Fiber in your food absorbs water causing it to expand in your stomach and therefore making you feel more satisfied for a longer time. In addition, high fiber food will also control your blood sugar level; therefore, allowing you to release more body fat.
#4 Avoid refined sugars and refined grains.
High sugary food / drink intake can cause your blood sugar to spike up causing you body to stop producing another hormone called Glucagon. Glucagon is a releasing hormone that is responsible for releasing body fat to be utilized as energy. However, when you consume too much sugar, your Glucagon production is discontinued.
#5 Consume an adequate amount of fat.
When I say fat, I meant the healthy kind of fat such as nuts and seeds, nut butters, olive oil, meats, eggs, and avocados. Depleting yourself of the healthy fat can negatively affect your hormone levels that will only result to more cravings.
#6 Keep yourself hydrated all day.
Since most of your body is comprised of Water, it is the one single Most Important nutrients you need to consume just to stay alive. It is also one of the most thermogenic fat-burners you can ever put in your body!
By drinking water, you provide the necessary medium for proper cellular function, you boost your metabolism, balance your pH levels, aid in digestion and removal of waste, and boost your energy levels.
Try to drink 1-ounce per pound of desired body weight, which is about (8) 16-oz glasses of water per day. DO NOT wait until you are thirsty. If you are thirsty, you are also dehydrated.
LETS PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
I eat small meals through out the day containing one lean protein and foods that are rich in fibers. In order for you to lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit; in other words, you must burn more calories than you consume. However, consuming too little calories (extreme dieting) can result in an even lower metabolism.
I will explain shortly, an easy and quick way to know how much you really need to eat without counting calories. I hate counting calories as much as you do!
MY TYPICAL EATING SCHEDULE
I have broken it down to training days and non-training days. Your body needs different amounts of certain nutrients during these specific days.
Training days: 3 (Starchy) carbohydrates
- Meal #1 protein / starchy (pre-workout)
- Meal #2 protein / starchy (post-workout)
- Meal #3 protein / starchy (lunch)
- Meal #4 protein / fibrous (snack)
- Meal #5 protein / fibrous (dinner)
- Meal #6 protein / fibrous (optional snack)
Non-Training days: 2 (Starchy) carbohydrates
- Meal #1 protein / starchy (breakfast)
- Meal #2 protein / starchy (snack)
- Meal #3 protein / fibrous (lunch)
- Meal #4 protein / fibrous (snack)
- Meal #5 protein / fibrous (dinner)
- Meal #6 protein / fibrous (optional snack)
If you workout in the evenings, rotate the schedule to accommodate your needs. It is OK to consume a starchy carbohydrate in the evening AFTER your workout.
MY SUPPLEMENTS TIPS
I DO NOT recommend any fat burning pills or drinks.
However, I highly recommend and take, Muti-Vitamin / Multi-Mineral, Antioxidant, Omegas oils, with breakfast. Whey Protein and other Meal Replacements can also be very helpful as well.
PORTION CONTROL
(The Key To Losing Weight Without Calorie Counting)
We know that one pound of body fat is equal to about 3,500 calories, right? A deficit of 3,500 calories will equal out to one less pound of fat on you body.
Calculating all of the calories you consume is too time consuming and frustrating for the average person. I have heard it said, “Calories Do Count, But Don’t Count Calories”
Take advantage of your own visual cues, to easily pre-plan your caloric intake through, Portion Control. By planning how much you eat ahead of time, and only placing before you the amount of food you need to eat, you diffuse the tendency to eat mindlessly.
So if your goal for a meal is one (serving) each of protein, carbohydrates and fat, you simply serve yourself the pre-determined amount and when you’re done, you know you’ve eaten exactly what you needed to stay on track with your dietary goal.
YOUR HANDS
(Portable Calorie Counter)
By using your hands as visual portion-meters, you can determine how much food to place on your plate without having to worry about calorie counting.
Let’s say you want one serving of PROTEIN for your meal and you’re looking at a chicken breast for dinner. Well, all you would do is put on your plate enough chicken so that it would be about the size of the PALM of your hand and that would be how much you would eat.
STARCHY CARBOHYDRATES, your CLINCHED FIST would equal one serving.
Fats work a little differently. For FATS, you will use either your THUMB or a HANDFUL.
If the fat you’re consuming is a LIQUID (olive oil, canola oil, butter, salad dressings), you would use a portion that is about the size of your FULL THUMB. The one exception to this is if you are COOKING with the liquid in which case you would use an amount of oil equal to TWO THUMBS.
If the fat you’re consuming is a DRY (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds), then you would simply grab a FULL TIGHT HANDFUL of them and that would equal one serving.
Now notice I didn’t bring up measuring out your servings of FIBROUS CARBOHYDRATES. There’s NO LIMITATION on the fibrous carbohydrates you consume. You can have as much as you want, whenever you want, as long as you’re staying true to the other other factors in your eating plan.
- Protein: Palm of Hand
- Starchy Carbohydrate: Clinched Fist
- Fibrous Carbohydrate: NO LIMITS
- Fats: (Liquid) Full Thumb – (Dry) Tight Handful
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