How long will it take me to look thin, slightly muscular (for a girl), and lean if I am training for cross?

country in high school (so I will be running about 3 miles 4 days a week), if I cut the sugar/sweets/chocolate/etc, and I cut refined white flour products like biscuits and white bread buns from my diet? I probably eat about 1300 calories a day of wholesome foods, maybe having 1500 on Saturday for a splurge. I am trying to eat lots of meat, such as eggs, fish, chicken, venison, and beef because I heard protein contributes to muscle building? Oh, and I do have a gym class too for an hour 4 days a week.

Ironman Luis Álvarez talks about Triathlon training

Ironman Luis Álvarez Triathlon training, how he entered the sport, nutrition and biobuilde / Master Amino Acid Pattern (MAP)

Power of Protein

Jennifer Hutchison asks how much protein a triathlete really needs.

How much protein does a triathlete need? Is protein in a sports drink really necessary?

These two questions can spark a firestorm of debate amongst sports nutrition professionals, nutrition savvy athletes and sport nutrition manufacturers that promote products packed with a protein punch. This month I will discuss the third macronutrient that provides balance and protection in an athlete’s diet, protein.

Protein Basics
Dietary protein, like carbohydrate and fat, performs a very important job in an athlete’s diet. Protein’s primary role in the body is to support growth, maintenance and repair of muscle and other body tissues, while also being a backbone for many hormones and enzymes and supporting a healthy immune system. An athlete’s overall health and performance can be closely tied to protein balance. Protein intake that is insufficient can place the athlete at risk for illness and or injury.

Body proteins are constantly being broken down and resynthesized on a daily basis both at rest and during training. Protein, although not a preferred fuel source, can be used to sustain physical activity. Gluconeogenesis is the body process that breaks down protein (think muscle) and converts it to carbohydrate (glucose) to be used as fuel.

Dietary protein’s main purpose should be for the repair and recovery of damage muscle and cells caused by training and racing as opposed to being used as a fuel source. In order to do this athletes must ensure that they are already meeting both their daily calorie and carbohydrate needs which have been addressed in previous articles.

Building Blocks
Protein is synthesized from amino acids (the building blocks of protein). There are 20 different amino acids (AA) that, in various combinations, create the different types of protein. What makes a particular protein source unique is how these AAs are combined.

There are two major categories of AAs: Essential and Nonessential.

Essential AAs cannot be made in the body therefore they must be supplied by the diet.
The essential AAs are Histidine, Isoleucine*, Leucine*, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptphan and Valine*

Food sources that contain all of the essential AAs are commonly referred to as “complete” proteins. These foods include animal proteins such as meat, fish, dairy products and eggs.

Side note: (BCAA) Branch chain amino acids (denoted with the * above) are essential AAs of interest to many endurance athletes as they are thought to play a role in mental “strength” and delaying fatigue. BCAAs are stored in the muscle and can be used as fuel during long training days and for 70.3 to Ironman races,particularly if carbohydrate intake falls short.

In theory, BCAAs supplementation (in the form of protein containing sports drinks) seems to make sense, but there is very little solid research which confirms a performance benefit. Consuming sports drinks with protein is not harmful. The biggest subjective issue I have encountered with Ironman athletes is taste. Sports drinks containing protein do not taste so swell after a few hours roasting in the heat. If an athlete is not keen on the taste of their sports drink, they most likely will not drink enough, which can be problematic on race day!

So the burning question: is a protein containing sports drink really needed during endurance training? The answer is no. With that said, I do know of many athletes who swear by their carb/protein potion. So as they say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fuss with it”.

Nonessential amino acids are just as important as essential AAs with the difference being these AAs CAN be made by the body and do not have to come from the diet. Nonessential AAs s are Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic acid, Cysteine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine and Tyrosine.

Food sources that may be lacking in one or more of the essential AAs is referred to as “incomplete” proteins. All plant sources of protein (beans, legumes, whole grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds) with the exception of soy are considered incomplete.

Athletes that choose to follow a plant based (vegetarian) training diet should include soy products and incorporate variety in selecting beans/ legumes, whole grains and vegetables. Protein needs CAN be met following a vegetarian diet but these athletes have to ensure they compliment their grain choices with their meat alternative choices so that all the AAs are being supplied over the course of the day.

Protein Requirements
In spite of popular belief, endurance athletes can meet their protein needs without tons of dietary supplements.

The keys to meeting protein needs are 1) knowing how much protein to aim for 2) learning more about the protein content of various foods and 3) planning meals … which can be easier said than done!

Athlete protein needs are based on lean body weight (preferred over total body weight), the type of training (strength/power vs. endurance) and phase of training (base/ build/peak/race). Athletes new to physical training, in general will have a slightly higher protein need than those athletes who have more training experience.

The average athlete may only need the recommended 0.8 gm protein per kilogram body weight per day.

However the very nature of preparing for the 70.3 and Ironman distances will most certainly require a bit more to mend a body battered from 12 to 20+ weekly training hours.

The chart below can be used as a guide to estimate daily protein needs based on the daily training volume. It would be fair to say that athletes who have shorter, more intense, workouts which produce some degree of muscle damage (i.e. muscle soreness) may benefit from that next higher level of protein intake.

Daily Training	Grams per pound body weight	Grams per kilogram (kg) body weight
Up to 60 min per day	0.5	1.1
Between 1 to 2 hours	0.6	1.3
Between 2 to 3 hours	0.7	1.5
Greater than 3 hours	0.8	1.8

 

More is not better
Most athletes with a well balanced diet can easily meet their daily protein requirements. It is a common practice for some athletes to over consume protein believing this in turn will help boost lean body mass. The truth is that the body does not store excess dietary protein as muscle. Once dietary protein has fulfilled its role the excess is broken down and goes to be used as fuel, stored as body fat or excreted by the body via urine.

Protein content of various foods
Oils – none
Fruit- minimal
Grains- 3 grams per serving (1 sl bread, ½ c rice or pasta)
Nuts – 5 grams per 1 oz
Milk/Dairy/ Milk Alternative- 5 to 8 grams per serving (8 oz milk, 6 oz yogurt, 1 oz cheese) Cottage Cheese- 14 grams per ½ cup
Beans – 7 to 8 grams per ½ cup
Meat Alternative/ Soy – 16 to 20 grams per ½ c ( tofu, tempeh) 1 Egg – 7 to 9 grams
Meat – 21 to 27 grams per 3 oz cooked (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, pork)

How much is a portion? For most normal size athletes, the inside diameter of your hand and thickness of your palm is your rough guide to a meat portion appropriate for you.

Nutrition tips for meeting daily protein needs:

Include a protein containing food at every meal and every post workout snack.

To optimize the recovery process, target 10-20 grams of protein (along with the carbohydrate source) in post workout snacks.

Breakfast Ideas
· High protein cereal (ex: Kashi Go Lean), low fat dairy/soy (milk, yogurt)
· Scrambled egg white omelet w/ low fat cheese
· Add 1 scoop soy/ whey protein isolate powder to your hot cereal
· Use milk or soymilk instead of water for hot cereal.

Lunch Ideas
· Turkey/ Tuna/ Chicken Wrap, Beans & Rice, Bean Burrito
· Add part skim mozzarella cheese, crumbled tofu or chickpeas to salads
· Eating out? Request double meat on your sandwiches.

Dinner Ideas
· Tofu Stir Fry w/ Brown Rice, All Bean Chili w/ Rice
· Grilled Chicken, Lean Beef, Pork, Baked Fish with Potatoes or Pasta
· Quinoa and Black Beans served with shredded lowfat soy cheese

Snack Ideas
· Low fat Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Low fat Yogurt with fruit
· Chocolate Milk, Smoothie made w/ Soymilk
· Whole Grain Toast/ Muffin with Peanut or Almond butter

Adequate daily protein is crucial for athletes to maintain a strong, healthy and powerful body. Knowing what your daily needs are is one thing, but knowing you are consuming adequate protein on a daily basis is another. Make use of the many good online resources and lists that can be found that identify the quantity of protein contained in various foods and track your daily intake of not only protein but also carbohydrate and fat as previously discussed in the past couple Ironman.com nutrition articles. If all the numbers and calculations leave you with a headache then consider adding a sports dietitian to your personal performance enhancement team. The use of a qualified sports nutrition professional, like that of a skilled endurance coach can help you take the guess work out of your daily and weekly eating plan and allow you to focus on what most Ironman and 70.3 athletes enjoy the most……..train, eat, sleep and race.

Jennifer Hutchison, RD, CSSD is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a USA Triathlon Certified Level 3 Elite Coach. As a Registered Dietitian, Jennifer uses her academic training, certifications and “real world” experience to help fuel athletes worldwide. You can direct comments, questions or suggestions for further articles to Jennifer via email to eSportsRD@aol.com or go to www.IronCladCoaching.com . References available upon request.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots – Be Really Sure Of Your Weight Loss Diet

You will see nowadays many books, websites and programs; talk about weight loss programs or weight loss diets for obesity and slimming, even for pregnancy. There are several programs and books about how to deliver your baby in a healthy condition plus, how to lose your pregnancy weight rapidly after giving birth. One of the amazing things that they mentioned also includes getting rid of stretch marks or cellulite.

But do you really think all these stuff are true or even delivering the correct message for you? No doubt, some are good and they may suit you, but others are just fake which are playing on the tune of people’s hunger. Guaranteed, you won’t survive with them and you won’t stay on those diets for very long. Everyone of us when it comes down to food has a weakness point. It’s human nature in fact. If you can’t imagine eating that kind of food just to lose a few pounds, you will never lose weight for sure.

Ok now, what is the secret of an effective weight loss diet in general? Some people don’t really know anything about diets yet still can be in good shape and health. So why can’t the rest of us, just be like them? Well to tell you the truth, it is very easy to find out the real cause. Go take a look at your daily diet and its ingredients; does it contain every ingredient that your body needs? And does it even contain healthy food?

Yes, this is your answer. You have to know what’s your body’s needs and fulfill it. Try to learn how to listen to your body carefully instead of listening to your desires. It will tell you what you should eat and when, and if you want to drink more instead of eating. For example, a lot of us when we are thirsty, without knowing the difference sometimes think we are actually hungry and therefore eat right away. So start listening to your body much more carefully.

But first, you should learn what your essential daily ingredients are. Did you know that your body will collapse if you didn’t supply it with them? At the top of list, of course, are fibres which are essential for the digestive and colon functions. You will find them mainly in vegetables, cereals and some seeds. Secondly, you should check for vitamins and minerals, which provides the energy and suitable medium for organic processes within your body. Thirdly, you should know what’s you daily need of carbohydrates, proteins and fats so you can adjust the amount accordingly and not exceed it.

This is such a knowledge that you have to grasp and pass down to your children for them to get used to the idea of eating smart. It is not really hard to be healthier and live longer. Most importantly, enjoy your food and never treat it like it’s a mission which has to be done.

Discover the incredible FREE secrets to stripping off belly fat at this Fat Loss 4 Idiots reviews scam-free page. These secrets won’t be available forever – download the fat loss for idiots diet secrets today absolutely free and lose 9 pounds in just 11 days!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isabella_Wilson

What Ballet Dancers Need To Understand About Weight Loss And Calories

Your body doesn’t count calories the way you do. It sorts them out in order to provide you with the energy you need, and to manage your blood sugar levels efficiently. This can seem a little complicated, but just know that when you eat carbohydrates, proteins and fats, your body has a sorting system, not a counting system. Regardless of the number of calories you eat in any given meal, your body behaves in a certain way.

Whether you get a 300 calorie burger or a 1200 calorie burger, the sorting, energy burning and fat storing process is the same.

For example, if you grab a sandwich or burger for lunch, or after school on your way to ballet or some other dance class:

** insulin messages your body (liver, muscles and fat cells) to absorb those carbohydrate calories (a bun, crackers, or slice of bread),as glucose.

** and also messages your body to store any excess as fat.

** and worst of all if you do not want to gain weight, to then stop using fat as an energy source. And to store it instead.

Insulin is like a computerized track switch in a train yard. It routes the carbohydrates, and fats to specific places. You train it to do what it does, by repeatedly eating in a certain way.

The fats consumed in the same meal, healthy or otherwise, will get stored, not used as energy.

Calories from protein foods (meats, fish, eggs, dairy) send a different message to your body. Those calories tell your body "everything is okay". Why? Because your body, which cannot manufacture proteins, can manufacture many things it needs from proteins. Now your body will SWITCH TRACKS.

The BURN FAT button gets pushed! Your body starts running on the protein stores you are giving it and to be more efficient, your body starts getting rid of fat.

Growing children and young adults usually do not need to worry about any of this. But, if they are dancers, I know that they do.

If you’re grabbing fast food any day, grab a burger wrapped in lettuce. It’s a little messy to eat, and it’s way high in sodium. But the proteins and vitamins and minerals and fats will get the front seat for energy burning. Even though the sauces will probably have some high fructose corn syrup in them…. not so much as a bun, and carbs from the fries.

You will digest the proteins, fats, and tiny amount of salad/vegetable better without any carbs. Because it is two different sets of digestion processes anyway.

Thinking outside the bun does not mean add a flour or corn based wrap. Just lose it!

Bringing chopped vegetables and a couple of cubes of real cheese or a handful of walnuts with you from the house…..okay, dream on. But you could.

Click here and find out how a would-be ballerina and men in ballet get exactly the right fit in ballet shoes and pointe shoes, prevent dance injuries, get The Perfect Pointe Book, The Ballet Bible, and Deborah Vogel’s ‘dancing smart’ products on injury prevention and functional anatomy. Dianne M. Buxton trained at The National Ballet School of Canada, The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and Toronto Dance Theater. She was led by her career teaching and directing professional ballet dancers, to study dance/sports nutrition and the mind/body connection. She also writes for http://www.optimumhealthchiropractic.wordpress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dianne_M._Buxton

What Foods Are Vital To Get Taller?

While no one food is a miracle cure that will make you grow inches upon inches, there are things you can eat to help maximise your growth potential. Above all, don’t forget to eat a healthy and balanced diet. See grow taller with.

In particular, a diet that is high in low-fat protein, and rich in calcium and iron has been proved especially advantageous to growth. Make efforts to get your Vitamin D when taking calcium ( it has been added to many dairy products already ) and Vitamin C when taking iron ( some leafy green vegetables have both); these minerals have been proven to be vital to your body being able to soak up the respective minerals.

Other minerals you would like to make sure you get enough of are zinc and magnesium. If you find you aren’t getting enough thru your diet, you can get supplements to raise your levels of intake.

Fish and other kinds of seafood have also been shown to be very tasty and profitable to height. The Omega-3 trans acids found in numerous fish have been associated with exciting expansion. Just watch the amount of enormous, sea-dwelling fish like salmon and tuna you consume; because these fish are older, they have amassed more mercury in their systems that might be possible passes along to you.

Eggs can also be a good source of protein, and some have Omega-3 added to them now. Look at the packaging to see if it has been added. Naturally, if you have high cholesterol you’ll have to watch the amount of eggs that you consume.

Sometimes, it’s not the food that you consume which will make you taller, but rather the food that you do not. Whilst decisive links have not begun to be found, someone that wants to be taller would be well-advised to stay away from chemicals and processed food.

While it has not been linked immediately to height, a diet that is high in trans-fat and chemically altered and processed food does not permit the body to perform optimally. And a body that’s not performing optimally will not develop to be the best it can, i.e. Achieve the true height potential that is genetically coded in all of us. See how to grow taller in height.

For a guide on the way to maximise your bodies’ height potential, thru diet and more, check out the Grow Taller 4 Idiots. There, you will find out what diet to follow to maximise your naturally-occurring Human Growth Hormone, what exercises will lengthen you backbone and your legs, and so much more. They even offer a 60-day refund guarantee that you can grow! If you don’t increase your height, you don’t pay!

How To Keep A Doctor Away

An Apple A Day… Seniors And Nutrition

Every time you turn on the television or open a general interest magazine these days, you are bound to be confronted with a story about the startling and ever-growing worldwide problem of obesity. More and more people are unhealthily overweight, to the point where eating can actually endanger our lives. There have always been some individuals that have eaten unhealthily, mainly because naughty foods taste so good, but the population as a whole now has to consider how our diets are affecting us. We can become sluggish and lethargic if we are getting the wrong amounts of nutrients and so conscious thought about what we put into our bodies is essential, and that especially applies to seniors.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down and we can no longer burn calories at the same rate as we used to. It therefore makes it easier for us to put on weight but harder for us to shed it. However, putting on weight has a more negative affect on seniors than it does any other age group. Being overweight can put unnecessary stress on the joints and thus accelerate the affects of arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone and muscle disorders and illnesses. It can also bring about the onset of diabetes, which is more common in seniors than in any other age group as it is. Whilst any senior should enjoy a little of what he or she loves to eat every now and again, no matter how unhealthy it may be, a regular balanced nutritious diet is just what the doctor orders!

A typical senior diet should consist of:
* 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, although more of the latter than the former
* 6 to 10 servings of complex carbohydrates a day, which incorporates rice, pasta, bread and cereals
* 2 or 3 helpings of calcium-based products, which includes milk, cheese and yoghurt (although the low fat variety would work out best)
* 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry or fish a day o provide the body with protein
* A large amount of fiber throughout the day, which can also be found in the cereals, fruit and vegetables mentioned above

All of the foodstuffs in the list above are finely balanced as far as amount are concerned. This diet would fulfil every nutritional need that a senior has and would encourage good health. However, dieticians do advise that seniors stay away from saturated fats and sodium. The latter, also known as salt, is a factor of increased blood pressure. Therefore, salt should only b used sparingly. Most natural foods do contain salt, but in healthy doses, and so excess salt should be avoided. Avoid baking with it if at all possible, and try to resist that liberal sprinkle on your main meal! Saturated fat is actually resistant to the body’s nutritional process. That is to say it is not broken down and used for good within your body. It just sits there and clogs up your arteries. As a result, it is a factor in heart disease, forms of cancer and gallbladder disease, as well as the widespread obesity in society today.

A well balanced diet can boost your health, but a poor diet that does not fulfil all bodily nutritional requirements can actually cause it to deteriorate. In seniors, this is especially dangerous. After all, if you struggle to move the how are you supposed to work off the excess weight? If you are in shape you can avoid immobility. It is therefore a vicious circle that may relate directly to your diet.

All seniors should enjoy life to the fullest extent, but eating healthily on a regular basis can actively extend the amount of time you have left to enjoy it! Make the most of every opportunity because you only get one chance at life. Revolutionize your diet and reap the rewards!

How To Lose Belly Fat

 

• Spare Tire
• Love Handles
• Muffin Top
• Pot Belly

All somewhat comical terms for belly fat. Most people don’t like having that extra flab around their midsections, but we tend to just put up with it. There is much conflicting advice out there, and besides, we’ve failed in the past so there’s no guarantee we’ll succeed anyway.

Take heart, there is a truly effective strategy to lose belly fat, but you may have to loosen up some old preconceptions. Please note that in this article I am specifically talking about fat loss as opposed to overall weight loss (fat, muscle & water).

How To Lose Belly Fat – The Guide

The strategy involves both diet and exercise – nothing new there. However, it entails 2 unique ways of going about it.

The Diet – Become a Fat-Burner

Low-carbohydrate nutrition is the most-effective way of shedding pounds of fat from the body.

Why?

Basically, the body burns energy in the following order:

1. Carbohydrate (from food and stored glycogen)
2. Fat (from food and bodyfat)
3. Protein (from food and muscle tissue)

If you eat what most government guidelines recommend you eat, you are a carb-burner. It then becomes obvious that in order to become a fat-burner, you should remove the current primary energy source i.e. carbohydrate.

When you do this, your body takes a few days to flip a ‘metabolic switch’ and become a fat-burning machine. At that point, the fat you eat gets consumed first, and then you start burning away bodyfat as your primary source of energy. Obviously, you don’t therefore consume copious amounts of fat, and you don’t need to go zero carb to benefit. Anything under 100 grams of carbs a day is considered ‘low-carb’, but ideally under 60 grams would produce great results.

On low-fat diets (which by nature are high-carb diets), when your ‘food calories’ are gone, the body will burn a mixture of both fat and muscle tissue (protein). As muscle is ‘metabolically active’ — it burns calories all day long just by being there — losing it is a disaster for the dieter. Their metabolism will continually slow down over time.

This is one of the main reasons why low-fat diets very often produce temporary results: you lose weight for a while, but then it stops working (as your metabolism has crashed) and you pile it back on – and then some!

The Exercise

Loads and loads of cardio, right? Wrong.

Overdoing cardiovascular exercise will also put your body in a state where it breaks down lean muscle tissue (catabolism). So the question is, how do we complement our fat-burning nutritional strategy with fat-burning exercise.

It’s called ‘Interval Training’, or more specifically ‘High Intensity Interval Training’. The idea is to perform some sort of cardio in ‘fits and starts’ i.e. a period of lower intensity followed by a period of higher intensity.

Why?

Research shows that this type of work burns more fat than steady-state cardio, typically by about 50%. In fact, one study showed a 9 fold increase in fat loss for HIIT compared to low-medium intensity cardio.

Also, with respect to belly fat in particular, research has shown (though the reason is not clear at this time) that HIIT can produce more fat loss in this area than other parts of the body. An Australian study found that the HIIT group lost 3 times more fat and significantly more belly fat than the steady-state cardio group who actually exercised for twice as long!

The even better news is that HIIT need only be performed for 10-20 minutes at a time.

Hopefully you can see that these unique approaches to diet and nutrition will work synergistically to produce truly effective fat-loss:

1. Get your body to burn fat for energy.
2. Then add exercise that will utilize the most fat possible.

There’s obviously more to talk about on this topic, but a single post doesn’t permit me to get into it all. I hope you enjoyed it and if nothing else, you feel inspired to find any weight-loss program that you feel you can work with to bring permanent results.

How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise

 

It is possible to lose 20 lbs. of bodyfat in 30 days by optimizing any of three factors: exercise, diet, or drug/supplement regimen. I’ve seen the elite implementation of all three in working with professional athletes. In this post, we’ll explore a variation of the “slow carb” diet as used by Dean Karnazes, an ultramarathoner famed for completing 50 marathons on 50 consecutive days in 50 different states. The most impressive part of this, for me, is that he did so, not with the typical anemic marathoner build, but with a well-muscled mesomorph body.

In the last six weeks, I have cut from about 180 lbs. to 165 lbs., while adding about 10 lbs. of muscle, which means I’ve lost about 25 lbs. of fat. This is the only diet besides the rather extreme Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) that has produced veins across my abdomen, which is the last place I lose fat (damn you, Scandinavian genetics). Here are the four simple rules I followed…

Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates

Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.

Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again

The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, constructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:

Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork

Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans

Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables

Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes. Surprisingly, I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.

Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.

Some athletes eat 6-8x per day to break up caloric load and avoid fat gain. I think this is ridiculously inconvenient. I eat 4x per day:

10am – breakfast
1pm – lunch
5pm – smaller second lunch
7:30-9pm – sports training
10pm – dinner
12am – glass of wine and Discovery Channel before bed

Here are some of my meals that recur again and again:

Scrambled Eggology pourable egg whites with one whole egg, black beans, and microwaved mixed vegetables

Grass-fed organic beef, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, and extra guacamole (Mexican restaurant)

Grass-fed organic beef (from Trader Joe’s), lentils, and mixed vegetables

Post-workout pizza with extra chicken, cilantro, pineapple, garlic, sundried tomotoes, bell peppers, and red onions

Rule #3: Don’t drink calories

Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice. I’m a wine fanatic and have at least one glass of wine each evening, which I believe actually aids sports recovery and fat-loss. Recent research into resveratrol supports this.

Rule #4: Take one day off per week

I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.

How to Build Muscle and Lose Fat

 

I believe that to have long-term success, the plan must become your lifestyle. It must become a habit.

Therefore this article is not an 8-week program. It’s a list of simple ways to build muscle and lose fat. Tips that worked for me and my readers. And guess what: you will be able to build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks using these tips.

Build Muscle. The fastest way to build muscle is to get stronger. The stronger you are, the stronger you’ll look. Get into strength training. Do barbell exercises that hit several muscles at the same time: Squats, Deadlifts, Overhead Press, etc.

Start with an empty barbell. Learn the exercise technique. Increase the weight gradually. If you don’t know where to start, check out the Beginner Strength Training Program: it takes 3 times 30 minutes a week.

Nutrition. You need solid nutrition to get stronger and build muscle. Keep the nutrition healthy and you’ll lose fat. Some tips:

• Protein. 1g/lbs daily. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, etc.
• Fat. Balance omega 3, 6 & 9 intake: fish oil, saturated fat & olive oil.
• Veggies. All kinds, especially green fibrous veggies.
• Fruit. Also all kinds. Eat veggies and/or fruits with every meal.
• Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend.
• Whole grain food. Oats, rice, pasta, breads, …

Eat foods that come in their natural state. Avoid anything that comes out of a box. Avoid trans-fats. Limit junk food consumption to once a week. Quit drinking soda. These simple tips will make a big difference in a very short time.

Lose Fat. Strength training will build muscle while decreasing your body fat. Eating healthy will further decrease your body fat. If you need to lose a lot of fat or if you’re impatient, these tips are for you:

• Cardio. Do 30 minutes of cardio after your strength training. Three times a week at moderate intensity will do. The goal of cardio is to burn fat, not to exhaust yourself. You should breathe heavier than when at rest, but not gasping.
• Cut calories. Track your food intake using Fitday. Start eating 18x your current body-weight in lbs. One week later: cut 500kcal. Check the balance one week later again. Did you lose weight? If you did, keep eating the same amount of calories. If not: cut another 500kcal.

Whatever you do: don’t starve yourself. Fat is emergency storage for your body. If you don’t eat your body will hold the fat and burn muscles. That’s the opposite of what you’re after. Only cut calories if you don’t progress.

Women. Building muscle, losing fat and strength training for women is same as for men. The only difference is women have other hormonal profiles than men. Meaning women will always have less muscle mass and more body fat than men.

But the approach is the same. Follow these tips and you’ll get results. You won’t get bulky if you don’t overeat and stay away from steroids.

Vegan & Vegetarian. Leo is a vegan, and other readers of Zen Habits are also vegans or vegetarians. You’ll find plenty of examples of vegans and vegetarians who built muscle. It can be done. But you might have less results than meat-eaters.

Red meat contains saturated fat and cholesterol which raises your testosterone levels. Testosterone is needed for muscle. Ask your doctor for a blood-test. Eat red meat for 2 months. Do another blood-test. Compare testosterone levels.

Eat lots of dairy products: milk, eggs and cheese if you’re vegetarian. Don’t let the fact that you’re vegan or vegetarian serve as excuse. You can build muscle.

Motivation. The best way to keep yourself motivated is to set goals & track your progress. The classic scale is not your best tool. Here are better ways.

• Fat measurements. Measure your body fat weekly using a fat caliper.
• Pictures. Take pictures every 4 weeks.
• Blood test. Check health improvements.
• Strength stats. Keep a training journal. More strength is more muscles.
• Weigh scale. Only use it once a week. Each Friday for example.

I advise you to keep an online journal. Put it on Zen Habits Forums or on StrongLifts.com Forum. You’ll get feedback & you won’t feel alone anymore in what you’re trying to achieve.

Expectations. Don’t believe the hype in the magazines. You won’t get ripped in 8 weeks. However you can build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks.

As I wrote in the leading: 8 weeks is a start. It learns you that you can transform your body if you want to. One of my readers lost 40lbs fat & built 20lbs muscle in 10 months at age 55. You can do it. If you want to. Persist and you’ll get there.

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