Because you are moderating your intake of protein/carbs/fat, you should allow yourself ONE day off per week. However, don't think of this as a time to hit the Chinese buffet and eat 5 days worth of calories in a matter of hours.
When I say "day off," it means maybe twice what you may normally eat. If you eat 1,600 calories, go have 3,200-3,500. If you are eating 1,200 calories, then go eat 2,400-2,600.
This is a time for you to remind your body not to get too settled into your new diet plan. It's always good to throw a curve ball in moderation.
For example - today I went out and bought all natural granola. I'll probably eat around 4,000 calories (I have an intake of 1,900) with 3x the carbs, 2x the fat, and a little extra protein.
I would highly suggest NOT to get fast food or anything like that. Be mindful and tasteful with your day off. Mine is filled with organic peanut butter and organic toast, natural granola, organic cinnamon cereal, etc. I would not suggest a Whopper if you can stand it :X
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
So, for clarification regarding caloric intake.
The 40/40/20 diet still holds true regardless of your intention, but some people might not be trying to lose weight. Just as a quick edit, I'll throw in the caloric intake range one should be aiming for if they are trying to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight.
Lose weight: desired body weight multiplied by 10 and 12 to find the range.
Maintain weight: desired body weight multiplied by 12 and 13 to find the range.
Gain weight: desired body weight multiplied by 13 and 15 to find the range.
These numbers are pretty accurate, but still MILDLY arbitrary. As always, it's up to you to keep track of your progress and results, and determine what adjustments must be made. Look at these as starting points, and then adjust as necessary.
Good luck ;]
Lose weight: desired body weight multiplied by 10 and 12 to find the range.
Maintain weight: desired body weight multiplied by 12 and 13 to find the range.
Gain weight: desired body weight multiplied by 13 and 15 to find the range.
These numbers are pretty accurate, but still MILDLY arbitrary. As always, it's up to you to keep track of your progress and results, and determine what adjustments must be made. Look at these as starting points, and then adjust as necessary.
Good luck ;]
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I think I'll just starve myself instead.
NO.
Look, I used to eat 800 calories a day for a month straight. On top of that, I still worked out and everything. It's appealing at first, and it makes sense to people who don't understand how the body works, but I'll tell you why this is a bad idea.
1.) Your metabolism - everyone's metabolism is different. Everyone has a certain number of calories they can eat where they won't gain or lose weight. This number is your threshold of calories. Let's pretend your threshold is 2,000 calories. If you decide to eat 800 calories a day for an extended period of time, then your body will adjust to this abrupt change. It will basically say, "Oh man, I'm getting way too few calories. I'm going to adjust my metabolism so I can better process 800 calories." In order to adjust, your body lowers its threshold. What this means is your threshold has dropped from 2,000 to 1,200 (for argument's sake). So now after you lose your weight and you return to a normal diet, your body won't be able to take the sudden surge of calories it has been deprived of. The first month (or more) of eating will be serious weight gain. You know how they say calorie-depriving diets don't work? They don't.
2.) Your muscle - our bodies are tuned according to evolutionary needs. Our bodies will change its mechanisms according to different variables. If you eat food, then your body is happy. If you don't eat food, your body is sad. The problem with this is when your body is sad, it will eat muscle and NOT fat. What does this mean? It means if you starve yourself, then your body will lose dramatic weight, but it will keep all the flubbery stuff. When your body thinks it is going to go long periods of time without food, then it preserves stored fat as stored fat is more valuable for survival. So will you lose weight? Absolutely. But you're still going to have that "jelly-like" fat around your belly.
Eat correctly, exercise. No way around this. Sorry :[
Look, I used to eat 800 calories a day for a month straight. On top of that, I still worked out and everything. It's appealing at first, and it makes sense to people who don't understand how the body works, but I'll tell you why this is a bad idea.
1.) Your metabolism - everyone's metabolism is different. Everyone has a certain number of calories they can eat where they won't gain or lose weight. This number is your threshold of calories. Let's pretend your threshold is 2,000 calories. If you decide to eat 800 calories a day for an extended period of time, then your body will adjust to this abrupt change. It will basically say, "Oh man, I'm getting way too few calories. I'm going to adjust my metabolism so I can better process 800 calories." In order to adjust, your body lowers its threshold. What this means is your threshold has dropped from 2,000 to 1,200 (for argument's sake). So now after you lose your weight and you return to a normal diet, your body won't be able to take the sudden surge of calories it has been deprived of. The first month (or more) of eating will be serious weight gain. You know how they say calorie-depriving diets don't work? They don't.
2.) Your muscle - our bodies are tuned according to evolutionary needs. Our bodies will change its mechanisms according to different variables. If you eat food, then your body is happy. If you don't eat food, your body is sad. The problem with this is when your body is sad, it will eat muscle and NOT fat. What does this mean? It means if you starve yourself, then your body will lose dramatic weight, but it will keep all the flubbery stuff. When your body thinks it is going to go long periods of time without food, then it preserves stored fat as stored fat is more valuable for survival. So will you lose weight? Absolutely. But you're still going to have that "jelly-like" fat around your belly.
Eat correctly, exercise. No way around this. Sorry :[
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Not working for you? No problem.
Diets are finicky. Sometimes certain diets won't work, sometimes they will. The suggestion of 1 gram per pound of desired body weight, for instance, does not work for me. I can't get as lean as I want with that, so I have to drop 5-10 grams of protein off this count. Remember - it's always up to you to keep track, and make changes along the way. Here's a new diet I'm working on (it's nothing new, and maybe you've come across it):
40/40/20 diet. What this means is 40% of your calories comes from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from fat. Here's how you calculate it all out (it's easier than you think):
Take your desired body weight (let's say 165), and multiply that by 10 and by 12. This is your range of calories in a given day. You come up with 1,650 - 1,980 calories per day.
Now take each number, and multiply by 40% and you get 660 and 792. Now, according to nutritional guides and science, 4 calories = 1 gram of protein, and 4 calories = 1 gram of carbs. So, divide each of these numbers by 4, and you have your range for both protein and carbs. So you get 165 - 198 grams of both protein and carbs per day.
Now do the same thing, but instead you are multiplying your range caloric intake by 20% for fat, and instead 9 calories is 1 gram of fat. So after the multiplication process you get 36 - 44 grams of fat per day. If you're still confused about this process, let me quick recap with an example:
1.) Desired body weight (165 lbs.) multiplied by 10 and 12 to get your target range of caloric intake each day. This comes to 1,650-1,980.
2.) 1,650 x 40% = 660; 1,980 x 40% = 792 - This tells you how many calories will be devoted to carbs and protein for the day, but you must convert this into grams.
3.) 660 / 4 = 165; 792 / 4 = 198 - So your range of grams for carbs and protein is 165 - 198 grams.
4.) Repeat this with fat, but instead of 40% you use 20%, and instead of dividing by 4 you divide by 9.
Good luck ;]
40/40/20 diet. What this means is 40% of your calories comes from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from fat. Here's how you calculate it all out (it's easier than you think):
Take your desired body weight (let's say 165), and multiply that by 10 and by 12. This is your range of calories in a given day. You come up with 1,650 - 1,980 calories per day.
Now take each number, and multiply by 40% and you get 660 and 792. Now, according to nutritional guides and science, 4 calories = 1 gram of protein, and 4 calories = 1 gram of carbs. So, divide each of these numbers by 4, and you have your range for both protein and carbs. So you get 165 - 198 grams of both protein and carbs per day.
Now do the same thing, but instead you are multiplying your range caloric intake by 20% for fat, and instead 9 calories is 1 gram of fat. So after the multiplication process you get 36 - 44 grams of fat per day. If you're still confused about this process, let me quick recap with an example:
1.) Desired body weight (165 lbs.) multiplied by 10 and 12 to get your target range of caloric intake each day. This comes to 1,650-1,980.
2.) 1,650 x 40% = 660; 1,980 x 40% = 792 - This tells you how many calories will be devoted to carbs and protein for the day, but you must convert this into grams.
3.) 660 / 4 = 165; 792 / 4 = 198 - So your range of grams for carbs and protein is 165 - 198 grams.
4.) Repeat this with fat, but instead of 40% you use 20%, and instead of dividing by 4 you divide by 9.
Good luck ;]
Saturday, February 20, 2010
What should you eat?
Check the diet post I made before for the guidelines, as this post is dedicated solely to suggestions:
-Lean meats - tuna, lunch meats, chicken, turkey, ground beef, steak.
-Other protein sources - casein protein shake, whey protein shake.
-Cheese - cheese sticks, sandwich cheese, cottage cheese.
-Milk.
-Nuts - almonds, peanuts, pecans.
-Eggs - aim for the organic kind.
-Complex carbs - whole wheat bread, pasta.
-Vegetables.
-Fruits (in moderation).
Salads, moderation of sandwiches, chicken or beef with organic salsa, tuna with some melted cheese, a handful of almonds, a peanut butter sandwich, etc.
You can let your mind wander here. I just post this for suggestions. Ultimately, if you're within the guidelines set forth earlier, then do whatever you please!
-Lean meats - tuna, lunch meats, chicken, turkey, ground beef, steak.
-Other protein sources - casein protein shake, whey protein shake.
-Cheese - cheese sticks, sandwich cheese, cottage cheese.
-Milk.
-Nuts - almonds, peanuts, pecans.
-Eggs - aim for the organic kind.
-Complex carbs - whole wheat bread, pasta.
-Vegetables.
-Fruits (in moderation).
Salads, moderation of sandwiches, chicken or beef with organic salsa, tuna with some melted cheese, a handful of almonds, a peanut butter sandwich, etc.
You can let your mind wander here. I just post this for suggestions. Ultimately, if you're within the guidelines set forth earlier, then do whatever you please!
I bet you need help with your diet
Alright let's start with diet if you're trying to lose healthy weight. Quick version:
-1 gram of protein per pound of desired lean body weight.
-1/2 gram of fat per pound of desired lean body weight.
-Under 200 complex carbs per day.
-No sugary carbs if possible.
-Lots of water.
-Eat small meals every 2-3 hours.
-Example: wanting to weight 160 lbs. would result in about 1,600 calories, with about 150 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, and under 200 carbs. Sometimes these numbers will need a little tweaking as this is only a rule of thumb, but there's no need to deviate by more than 10-15 grams in each category. Remember you're going for lean weight rather than total weight. Lean weight = your weight minus your fat weight, and your total weight would include the weight from fat.
Here's the explanation:
Our bodies can only take so many calories each day before saying "hey, too many calories, I need to store some of this as fat." If you eat too many carbs, protein, or fat, then your body will store it. There's no way around that. The reason why carbs are bad is because it's easy to eat too many, and tough to burn that many (unless you do lots of cardio activity). Too many carbs results in what is called "glycogen storage" which is a fancy term for "stored fat." Protein and fat, however, aid nourish your muscles which are being used all day long - because of this, it is much more difficult to eat too much protein or fat.
Now you have complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbs are your standard wheat breads or pastas. Simple carbs are sugars, such as soda or candy. Complex carbs, in moderation, are good because they will be stored. Sugar carbs won't be stored in the same way. This is significant because when you exercise, the simple carbs will say "hey, before any of your stored fat gets burned, we need to get burned first." What does this mean? It means if you eat too much sugar, then it could take up to 20 minutes (or more!) before your body starts to burn any fat. Complex carbs, however, are able to be properly stored and still allow your body to burn fat. Simple carbs act as a fat-burning shield, and complex carbs do not.
Moving on - if you do not eat meals within every 3 hours, then your body will go into starvation mode. This is pretty unavoidable as it is an evolutionary aspect of our human bodies. If we are going to go a week without food, then muscle does our bodies no good, whereas stored fat will make our starving bodies very happy and able to live longer. What does this mean? It means when your body thinks it is starving, it will start to eat its own muscle and save the stored fat. Eating every few hours (even just 100 calories) will remind your body that it is not starving, and to keep that metabolism feeding on your fat.
Now the toughest part: if you want to lose weight, then you MUST eat. I know it's tempting to take in 800 calories each day, but that's very bad for two reasons. First, your body (as mentioned before) will hit starvation mode and eat its own muscle, and thus you won't be losing a lot of the "flubbery stuff." The second reason is that it lowers your long-term metabolism. Example - let's say you can eat 2,000 calories per day and you will not lose a pound or gain a pound. 2,000 calories is your baseline, and that's your limit for calorie efficiency. If you eat a significantly lower number than that for an extended period of time, then your body WILL adjust to that change, and make that limit much lower. What does this mean? It means you used to be able to eat 2,000 calories without gaining weight, but now you can only eat 1,200 calories without gaining weight. Significance? Once you're done with your weight loss and go back to eating a health 1,600 calories per day, then your body will not be able to process all these calories after having been starved for so long, and you will gain a lot of weight back. You know how they say that yo-yo dieting does not work? It's true; it does not work. Don't starve yourself short-term or you will regret it long-term.
There's the basics.
-1 gram of protein per pound of desired lean body weight.
-1/2 gram of fat per pound of desired lean body weight.
-Under 200 complex carbs per day.
-No sugary carbs if possible.
-Lots of water.
-Eat small meals every 2-3 hours.
-Example: wanting to weight 160 lbs. would result in about 1,600 calories, with about 150 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, and under 200 carbs. Sometimes these numbers will need a little tweaking as this is only a rule of thumb, but there's no need to deviate by more than 10-15 grams in each category. Remember you're going for lean weight rather than total weight. Lean weight = your weight minus your fat weight, and your total weight would include the weight from fat.
Here's the explanation:
Our bodies can only take so many calories each day before saying "hey, too many calories, I need to store some of this as fat." If you eat too many carbs, protein, or fat, then your body will store it. There's no way around that. The reason why carbs are bad is because it's easy to eat too many, and tough to burn that many (unless you do lots of cardio activity). Too many carbs results in what is called "glycogen storage" which is a fancy term for "stored fat." Protein and fat, however, aid nourish your muscles which are being used all day long - because of this, it is much more difficult to eat too much protein or fat.
Now you have complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbs are your standard wheat breads or pastas. Simple carbs are sugars, such as soda or candy. Complex carbs, in moderation, are good because they will be stored. Sugar carbs won't be stored in the same way. This is significant because when you exercise, the simple carbs will say "hey, before any of your stored fat gets burned, we need to get burned first." What does this mean? It means if you eat too much sugar, then it could take up to 20 minutes (or more!) before your body starts to burn any fat. Complex carbs, however, are able to be properly stored and still allow your body to burn fat. Simple carbs act as a fat-burning shield, and complex carbs do not.
Moving on - if you do not eat meals within every 3 hours, then your body will go into starvation mode. This is pretty unavoidable as it is an evolutionary aspect of our human bodies. If we are going to go a week without food, then muscle does our bodies no good, whereas stored fat will make our starving bodies very happy and able to live longer. What does this mean? It means when your body thinks it is starving, it will start to eat its own muscle and save the stored fat. Eating every few hours (even just 100 calories) will remind your body that it is not starving, and to keep that metabolism feeding on your fat.
Now the toughest part: if you want to lose weight, then you MUST eat. I know it's tempting to take in 800 calories each day, but that's very bad for two reasons. First, your body (as mentioned before) will hit starvation mode and eat its own muscle, and thus you won't be losing a lot of the "flubbery stuff." The second reason is that it lowers your long-term metabolism. Example - let's say you can eat 2,000 calories per day and you will not lose a pound or gain a pound. 2,000 calories is your baseline, and that's your limit for calorie efficiency. If you eat a significantly lower number than that for an extended period of time, then your body WILL adjust to that change, and make that limit much lower. What does this mean? It means you used to be able to eat 2,000 calories without gaining weight, but now you can only eat 1,200 calories without gaining weight. Significance? Once you're done with your weight loss and go back to eating a health 1,600 calories per day, then your body will not be able to process all these calories after having been starved for so long, and you will gain a lot of weight back. You know how they say that yo-yo dieting does not work? It's true; it does not work. Don't starve yourself short-term or you will regret it long-term.
There's the basics.
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