NUTRITIONAL CONCEPTS
In all my years as a trainer, there has never been a subject more confusing to people about health and fitness than nutrition. Do I need a low carbohydrate diet? What about supplements? Do I need to eat certain foods to get "cut", and so on. I have also taken a look at recommendations from other trainers as well. I find most recommendations are simply too strict to follow for any length of time, and many "diets" can leave one feeling unsatisfied and/or lacking in proper nutrition for long term health. I'm going to tell you, nutrition is easy. If you follow the basic plan I outline, you can see body fat loss, improved energy levels, improved strength (with a strength training program, of course), and health for life. All this without feeling deprived or hard to follow plans. Oh, by the way, you do not need supplements to achieve these goals.
1) First and foremost, calories do count. If you want to see fat loss, you must consume less calories than you burn off on a daily basis. There is no getting around that. There are no shortcuts. There is 3500 calories in a pound of fat. If you want to lose 4lbs of fat, you need to burn 14,000 calories to do it (yes, 14 thousand). Is that even possible in a weeks time? Two weeks? You get the point. If you are carrying, let's say, 10 lbs of fat you want to lose, you need to burn 35,000 calories to do it. It did not come on over night. It won't come off overnight. The good news is that you can realistically lose 1 to 2 lbs of fat a week, by taking in less calories and increasing your activity to bring about a 500 to 800 calorie deficit a day. In 6 months that equates to 24 to 48lbs of fat dropped from your frame...permanently! I offer my clients two methods to achieve this goal. The first one, which I highly recommend, is to write a journal of what you eat, when, and how much. You do not have to write calorie amounts, but the size of your portions. That's the best way to get a sense of what your eating habits are. Then you can start to make small changes slowly so you do not feel deprived. Cut portion sizes down just 10%. Pick one meal a day where you focus on making healthier choices consistently, then move on to another. This alone will assist you in losing body fat that should be noticeable in a month or two. The second method is more direct. Generally speaking, for men to lose body fat, they need to eat between 1800 to 2200 calories a day. Women will be successful with 1500 to 1800 calories a day.
2) Eat high fiber foods. Foods such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, high fiber cereals, etc. makes you feel full with less calories than their processed counterparts. Foods such as white flour, regular pasta, and processed cereals have more calories and lower nutritional value, so it takes more to feel full. A good rule of thumb on this is if it has at least 4 grams of fiber per serving, it would bode well for you. The general recommendation is 25 to 40 grams a day.
3) As best as you can, try to eat smaller, more frequent meals daily. At least 4 times a day. If you skip meals, you get really hungry, and when you do eat, you eat far more calories than your body needs. It's hard to notice the feelings of satiety.
4) Eat whole foods as much as possible. Items such as whole grains, fruits, lean meats, fish, and vegetables that are not overly cooked. You'll get much higher quality nutrition with a lot less total calories. It is important to note that the body has what's called an "appestat". It works a lot like a thermostat, in that when you have all the nutrition and calories you need, it kicks in and makes you feel satisfied. It works so well that you can stay lean and healthy without having to count calories. Personally, I have not counted calories for over ten years now. I'm in tune to my body. If I do get a little excess body fat, I cut back on portion sizes a little bit, and cut back on my wine...just a little bit.
5) Keep alcohol in moderation. If you want to get lean, allow yourself 2 to 3 drinks a week. Alcohol is calorie dense, and we all know it is easy to have 2 or 3 drinks before even realizing it.
6) Beware of low fat or non fat foods. They take the fat out, but add sugar in. They have to, or you wouldn't buy it. Upon close inspection, you will find that they have roughly the same amount of calories anyway, so you might as well get the good stuff...just eat smaller portions.
7) Combine a protein and a carbohydrate every meal. This would help prevent an insulin response and keep you feeling fuller, longer.
8) Eat at home. This is important. Restaurants have hidden calories in their meals. This makes it taste good. If you cook at home, I guarantee you'll save thousands of calories over a three month period.
9) Don't eat what you don't like. This may seem obvious, but how many times do you eat something simply because it is there? Candy in a bowl at work? Somebody brings in bagels, and you have just one? You get the idea. Just ask yourself, do I really want this?
10) Don't eat when you are not hungry. Often times, people eat when they are bored, anxious, or tired. Listen to your body. If you are not hungry, try doing other things instead, such as reading, meditation, or even a nap.
11) Eat you fruits and veggies. I know, this is well known, but most people don't do it. Do it! This is where you get your vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for a healthy body. You need 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day.
12) Stay away from sauces, creams, and dressings as much as possible. They tend to be very calorie dense.
13) There is one supplement that is useful, and that is a protein/carbohydrate shake after a workout. The body is hungry for nutrition right after a workout, and would better utilize food eaten then. It would increase energy levels sooner, replenish the glycogen stores in the muscle sooner, and lead to better recovery for the next workout. Most protein shakes mixed with milk or soy milk would fit the bill. We do a homemade shake that consists of soy milk, yogurt, peanut butter, chocolate, and ice. You can also have something like a turkey sandwich afterword as well.
That's basically it. Keep it simple and easy to follow. I've been eating this way for 15 years and Sharon for over 2 years. We have both seen great results, we don't feel deprived and we have high energy levels. Most importantly, it is easy to follow.
COOKING TIPS FOR HEALTHY EATING
1)Use vinegars such as white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for flavoring. No calories and a lot of flavor.
2)Ginger, cilantro, peppercorns, garlic, rosemary, and coriander are great seasonings to use.
3)Cilantro, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and mango among others are good herbs and veggies to use for flavor.
Two good cook books I recommend: Cooking Light, Five Star recipes. 1996 by Oxmoor House, Inc., and 20 minute Menus. Written by Marion Burros, 1989 Rockefeller Center. 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
Getting a handle on the calorie in/calorie out aspect of a diet is absolutely necessary for long term success with fat loss and long term leanness. In all my years as a trainer, this has been the hardest point for my clients to integrate into their lives. With that in mind, I found a free online journal and calorie counter program.
Here is the online calorie counter.
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