Maverick
10-26-2005, 09:37 AM
What and how to eat
There always seems to be a lot of confusion on how to apply all the advice given about nutrition. Important things like macronutrient and calorie timing can get lost in the mix. Here's a list things to follow and consider with your diet:
- Eliminate junk food. You know what it is, you know you do it, so stop asking why your diet isn't working when you eat pizza and drink beer every other night. Soda, chips, pizza, donuts, etc... all need to go if you plan to take your fitness level seriously. If you can't do that, then there's really no point to read any further.
- Find out what your BMR is. The best way to do it is to use one of the following calculators:
- http://www.wvda.org/calcs/mcals.htm
- http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/calories-burned.php
- http://www.chatelaine.com/health/weightloss/article.jsp?cont ent=20051107_121420_5936 (http://www.chatelaine.com/health/weightloss/article.jsp?content=20051107_121420_5936)
After geting an idea of what your intake should be, apply it. See if you weight goes up or down. If it goes up,drop another 250 calories and try again. If it goes down, add 250 calories and try again. Once you know your maintenance calorie level, you will find it much easier to create a bulking or cutting diet based on your needs.
- Eat as many (typically 5-6) small meals a day. I don't mean snacks, I mean meals. This keeps your metabolismroaring, helps keep you anabolic (food is anabolic!), and will keep your body in a positive nitrogen balance if you include protein in each meal. Just take the amount of calories you need for the day and divide it by the number of meals you plan to have. Once you get this done, a more advanced diet would have meals with a higher calorie count for breakfast and around your workouts, with less calories in other meals.
- Get your carbs in the morning and around your workouts. Carbs will cause an insulin response in your body, which is what can potentially store fat. For this reason, get the bulk of your carbs in the morning (after you have fasting during sleep) and before and after your workouts for fueling and repairing your muscles.
- For meals other than those listed above, try to make them consist of protein, essential fatty acids(EFAs), and fiber. These will slow digestion and can actually help fat loss. Thats right, fat for fat loss.
Here's a sample diet (in fact, its my current one!):
Meal 1: 1 cup of oats, 2 scoops of whey, 2 cups of water [P/C 550]
Meal 2: 1/2 cup of oats, 2 whole eggs + 4 whites [P/C/F 350]
(WORKOUT)
Meal 3: 1.5 scoops of whey, 60g dextrose/maltodextrin mix [P/C 450]
Meal 4: 2 oz. wholegrain pasta, 5 oz. lean ground beef [P/C 400]
Meal 5: Salmon filet w/ steamed and seasoned broccoli w/ olive oil[P/F 470]
Meal 6: Chicken breast w/ salad and EFA dressing [P/F 450]
Meal 7: 1/2 cup FF cottage cheese, 1/2 scoop of whey, 4 oz. low sugar yogurt, peanuts [P/F 350]
Notice that carbs are predominantly early in the day and taper off as I approach the night. EFAs and fiber are key to making that protein last you through the night. This would obviously have to change for you if your workout is at night.
- Choose clean foods for your diet. By clean foods I mean protein, EFAs, and low glycemic carbs, or commonly called "low GI" carbs. To become familiar with the term "glycemic index", check out this website: http://www.glycemicindex.com. In short, high glycemic carbs are what cause an insulin response in your body, creating the potential for fat gain (unless directly following a workout). Low glycemic carbs allow for slower digestion giving a smaller insulin response and will keep you fuller longer.
- For a great listing of the types of foods you should include in your diet, check out this Bodybuilder's grocery list: Bodybuilders's Grocery List (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/forum/showflat.php?Number=854196)
- Drink as much water as possible! You should be measuring your intake by the liter! Your body cannot run at 100% efficiency without it. Plus, dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. Drinking 12 oz. of water when "hungry" can often suppress your appetite. Don't believe me, check out this link if you need to know why:
http://www.building-muscle101.com/drinking-water-for-health. html (http://www.building-muscle101.com/drinking-water-for-health.html)
- What's the best postworkout (PWO) shake and why? whey protein and 1/2 your lean mass (1/4 if cutting) in grams of a 50/50 mix of dextrose and maltodextrin. The in-depth reasoning can be found here: http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/windowofopportunity.php
- Fat free cottage cheese or casein protein supplementation with a fiber source and/or EFAs is the BEST pre-bed meal. Muscle repair (i.e., growth) is at its peak while you sleep. Since you are going to sleep and be without a meal for a long time, you need to pack your self with slow digesting casein protein and fiber and EFAs to further slow the digestion. This way your body has sufficient resources to grow muscle throughout the night.
- Your best friend on a cut should be heaps of low calorie, filling green leafy vegetables. This will keep you full and below your calorie requirements. If you don't like them, keep trying different ones. I garauntee you'll find at least one you like!
- You best friend on a bulk should be EFAs. High calorie, non-filling things like nuts and oils will allow you to pack in those clean calories without filling you up or just putting the weight around your waist. The EFAs will slow your digestion adding to the potential of your excess calories being used for muscle growth.
- Need to know the macronutrient values and the calories in your foods? Check out these sites:
- http://www.calorieking.com
- http://www.fitday.com
- http://www.calorie-counter.net/
- Eat before all forms of exercise, include cardio. Give yourself about an hour after a meal before engaging in strenuous activity. I don't care what anyone else says, cardio on an empty stomach is muscle suicide. Yes, you will burn more fat, but at what cost?
- Everyone asks "what is the best macronutrient break down?" Here's the answer... there is no right answer! Its whatever works best for you relative to your particular goal. Common macronutrient splits are 40P/40C/20F, 40P/30C/30F, and my current is 35P/45C/20F. You need to try out a split and see how it works for you with respect to both growth and energy level. If you aren't growing, perhaps bumping of calories and protein intake would be ideal. If you energy levels are low and weights seem to heavy, perhaps your muscles don't have enough glycogen and you should up the carbs. Its all about constant tweaking and knowing your body.
- Your protein intake is also a variable factor, but to put on serious mass, you want to at LEAST be getting 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. Many suggest as high as 2 grams per pound of lean body mass. For example:
1g per lb --> 185 lbs., 10% body fat needs 185lb x (1 - .1)g/lb = 167g of protein
2g per lb --> 185 lbs., 10% body fat needs 2 x 185lb x (1 - .1)g/lb = 333g of protein
Thats it for now kids. Feel free to ask questions. Hope this helps. http://www.illpumpyouup.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif
Advanced Topics
First, know the above information up and down before venturing down here. If you can't tell me how many calories a day you need to grow, cut, or maintain, then don't bother continuing to read. These articles and notes are intended to be used by those trying to take their nutrition to the next level. Sorry to sound blunt, but overanalysis but a newcomer is a sure way to drive you mad and limit your gains.
I mentioned it in brief above, but macronutrient timing can be crucial to successful BB nutrition. It is even more so when trying to achieve the coveted newbie question "Can I gain and muscle and lose fat at the same time?" I generally tell people to focus on one or other when they start. For those ready to really dial in their nutrition, check out this article from t-nation.com. They are a little too "trendy" with a lot of their articles (best exercise this, and add and inch in a day to that BS), but this one was right on:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=7A9F75C34C2D 9D6BBFD79D955A89A88A.hydra?id=811783 (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=7A9F75C34C2D9D6BBFD79D955A 89A88A.hydra?id=811783)
In the article you are taken through the basic steps of carb cycling. Basically, depending on a number a variables detailed in the article, you determine what your carb intake should be on what days throughout the week and each day. This is in an effort to build muscle (albeit at a slower rate), lose fat, and maintain/gain strength. Sounds perfect right? Be sure to wear your hardcore committment hat if you endeavor to take this on. Half-assing it will net exactly those types of results. True dedication need only apply.Edited by: Maverick
There always seems to be a lot of confusion on how to apply all the advice given about nutrition. Important things like macronutrient and calorie timing can get lost in the mix. Here's a list things to follow and consider with your diet:
- Eliminate junk food. You know what it is, you know you do it, so stop asking why your diet isn't working when you eat pizza and drink beer every other night. Soda, chips, pizza, donuts, etc... all need to go if you plan to take your fitness level seriously. If you can't do that, then there's really no point to read any further.
- Find out what your BMR is. The best way to do it is to use one of the following calculators:
- http://www.wvda.org/calcs/mcals.htm
- http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/calories-burned.php
- http://www.chatelaine.com/health/weightloss/article.jsp?cont ent=20051107_121420_5936 (http://www.chatelaine.com/health/weightloss/article.jsp?content=20051107_121420_5936)
After geting an idea of what your intake should be, apply it. See if you weight goes up or down. If it goes up,drop another 250 calories and try again. If it goes down, add 250 calories and try again. Once you know your maintenance calorie level, you will find it much easier to create a bulking or cutting diet based on your needs.
- Eat as many (typically 5-6) small meals a day. I don't mean snacks, I mean meals. This keeps your metabolismroaring, helps keep you anabolic (food is anabolic!), and will keep your body in a positive nitrogen balance if you include protein in each meal. Just take the amount of calories you need for the day and divide it by the number of meals you plan to have. Once you get this done, a more advanced diet would have meals with a higher calorie count for breakfast and around your workouts, with less calories in other meals.
- Get your carbs in the morning and around your workouts. Carbs will cause an insulin response in your body, which is what can potentially store fat. For this reason, get the bulk of your carbs in the morning (after you have fasting during sleep) and before and after your workouts for fueling and repairing your muscles.
- For meals other than those listed above, try to make them consist of protein, essential fatty acids(EFAs), and fiber. These will slow digestion and can actually help fat loss. Thats right, fat for fat loss.
Here's a sample diet (in fact, its my current one!):
Meal 1: 1 cup of oats, 2 scoops of whey, 2 cups of water [P/C 550]
Meal 2: 1/2 cup of oats, 2 whole eggs + 4 whites [P/C/F 350]
(WORKOUT)
Meal 3: 1.5 scoops of whey, 60g dextrose/maltodextrin mix [P/C 450]
Meal 4: 2 oz. wholegrain pasta, 5 oz. lean ground beef [P/C 400]
Meal 5: Salmon filet w/ steamed and seasoned broccoli w/ olive oil[P/F 470]
Meal 6: Chicken breast w/ salad and EFA dressing [P/F 450]
Meal 7: 1/2 cup FF cottage cheese, 1/2 scoop of whey, 4 oz. low sugar yogurt, peanuts [P/F 350]
Notice that carbs are predominantly early in the day and taper off as I approach the night. EFAs and fiber are key to making that protein last you through the night. This would obviously have to change for you if your workout is at night.
- Choose clean foods for your diet. By clean foods I mean protein, EFAs, and low glycemic carbs, or commonly called "low GI" carbs. To become familiar with the term "glycemic index", check out this website: http://www.glycemicindex.com. In short, high glycemic carbs are what cause an insulin response in your body, creating the potential for fat gain (unless directly following a workout). Low glycemic carbs allow for slower digestion giving a smaller insulin response and will keep you fuller longer.
- For a great listing of the types of foods you should include in your diet, check out this Bodybuilder's grocery list: Bodybuilders's Grocery List (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/forum/showflat.php?Number=854196)
- Drink as much water as possible! You should be measuring your intake by the liter! Your body cannot run at 100% efficiency without it. Plus, dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. Drinking 12 oz. of water when "hungry" can often suppress your appetite. Don't believe me, check out this link if you need to know why:
http://www.building-muscle101.com/drinking-water-for-health. html (http://www.building-muscle101.com/drinking-water-for-health.html)
- What's the best postworkout (PWO) shake and why? whey protein and 1/2 your lean mass (1/4 if cutting) in grams of a 50/50 mix of dextrose and maltodextrin. The in-depth reasoning can be found here: http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/windowofopportunity.php
- Fat free cottage cheese or casein protein supplementation with a fiber source and/or EFAs is the BEST pre-bed meal. Muscle repair (i.e., growth) is at its peak while you sleep. Since you are going to sleep and be without a meal for a long time, you need to pack your self with slow digesting casein protein and fiber and EFAs to further slow the digestion. This way your body has sufficient resources to grow muscle throughout the night.
- Your best friend on a cut should be heaps of low calorie, filling green leafy vegetables. This will keep you full and below your calorie requirements. If you don't like them, keep trying different ones. I garauntee you'll find at least one you like!
- You best friend on a bulk should be EFAs. High calorie, non-filling things like nuts and oils will allow you to pack in those clean calories without filling you up or just putting the weight around your waist. The EFAs will slow your digestion adding to the potential of your excess calories being used for muscle growth.
- Need to know the macronutrient values and the calories in your foods? Check out these sites:
- http://www.calorieking.com
- http://www.fitday.com
- http://www.calorie-counter.net/
- Eat before all forms of exercise, include cardio. Give yourself about an hour after a meal before engaging in strenuous activity. I don't care what anyone else says, cardio on an empty stomach is muscle suicide. Yes, you will burn more fat, but at what cost?
- Everyone asks "what is the best macronutrient break down?" Here's the answer... there is no right answer! Its whatever works best for you relative to your particular goal. Common macronutrient splits are 40P/40C/20F, 40P/30C/30F, and my current is 35P/45C/20F. You need to try out a split and see how it works for you with respect to both growth and energy level. If you aren't growing, perhaps bumping of calories and protein intake would be ideal. If you energy levels are low and weights seem to heavy, perhaps your muscles don't have enough glycogen and you should up the carbs. Its all about constant tweaking and knowing your body.
- Your protein intake is also a variable factor, but to put on serious mass, you want to at LEAST be getting 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. Many suggest as high as 2 grams per pound of lean body mass. For example:
1g per lb --> 185 lbs., 10% body fat needs 185lb x (1 - .1)g/lb = 167g of protein
2g per lb --> 185 lbs., 10% body fat needs 2 x 185lb x (1 - .1)g/lb = 333g of protein
Thats it for now kids. Feel free to ask questions. Hope this helps. http://www.illpumpyouup.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif
Advanced Topics
First, know the above information up and down before venturing down here. If you can't tell me how many calories a day you need to grow, cut, or maintain, then don't bother continuing to read. These articles and notes are intended to be used by those trying to take their nutrition to the next level. Sorry to sound blunt, but overanalysis but a newcomer is a sure way to drive you mad and limit your gains.
I mentioned it in brief above, but macronutrient timing can be crucial to successful BB nutrition. It is even more so when trying to achieve the coveted newbie question "Can I gain and muscle and lose fat at the same time?" I generally tell people to focus on one or other when they start. For those ready to really dial in their nutrition, check out this article from t-nation.com. They are a little too "trendy" with a lot of their articles (best exercise this, and add and inch in a day to that BS), but this one was right on:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=7A9F75C34C2D 9D6BBFD79D955A89A88A.hydra?id=811783 (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=7A9F75C34C2D9D6BBFD79D955A 89A88A.hydra?id=811783)
In the article you are taken through the basic steps of carb cycling. Basically, depending on a number a variables detailed in the article, you determine what your carb intake should be on what days throughout the week and each day. This is in an effort to build muscle (albeit at a slower rate), lose fat, and maintain/gain strength. Sounds perfect right? Be sure to wear your hardcore committment hat if you endeavor to take this on. Half-assing it will net exactly those types of results. True dedication need only apply.Edited by: Maverick