Diet Fitness Questions and Answers
How to get rid of your overweight in short time?
Answers: I have been receiving a lot of e-mail lately about diet. In the past, I was never concerned about what I ate. I just went to the gym, trained hard, and that was the extent of my routine. Not until recently did I realize the power diet has over the way your body looks and performs. I believe that diet is at least 75% of the fitness equation. In this article, I'm going to describe in detail what I have learned about diet during my 12-week transition period.
When to Eat and How Often
This might sound strange, but you have to eat more often to lose fat and gain muscle. During my transition period, I never ate less than 6 meals a day.
• Try to eat every 2 to 3 hours.
• Do not eat complex carbohydrates after 6:00 p.m. or four to five hours before going to bed.
• Try to eat one gram of protein per pound of lean body mass on lifting days and .8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass on non-lifting days.
• Never eat more than 70 grams of protein in one meal.
Carbohydrates
When I think of carbohydrates, I think of energy. Carbohydrates supply our bodies with the energy it needs to make it through a workout. Without an adequate supply of carbohydrates, the body goes into carbohydrate deprivation. This is called a state of ketosis (meaning our body is using protein as energy). This is not a good state to be in for long because it will rob the body of muscle tissue in an effort to create energy. On the other hand, if too many carbohydrates are consumed, they convert into stored fat. The idea is to consume just enough carbohydrates to make it through our workouts with sufficient energy. I have broken down carbohydrates into these three categories:
• Simple carbs: These are sugars, or quick energy. They are absorbed very quickly into the body. Ex. Anything with sugar, also fruit
• Complex carbs: This is where you get long-term energy for the day. These are long chained carbohydrates that brake down slower, giving us energy over a prolonged period of time. Ex. Oatmeal, potatoes, pasta, rice, breads
• Fibrous carbs: These are things like vegetables. I think of them as roughage in order to stay regular. Make sure you include them in you later meals when you can't eat complex carbs. They are also a good source of vitamins. Ex. Leafy vegetables like lettuce.
Protein
Proteins are the building blocks of our muscles. Without a sufficient amount of protein in our diet, our muscles will not have the raw materials that they need to build up, or even hang on to what is already there.
Net protein utilization: Not all protein is created equal. Different foods are absorbed more than others. For example, egg white protein is absorbed at 88%. That means we get about 9 eggs to our muscles. On the other hand, chicken breast are absorbed at 68%, meaning we get about 7 breasts to our muscles. It is imported to eat a wide verity of protein foods though; no one protein source has all the amino acids we need.
• Whey protein (100%): the best source of whey protein is from protein supplements. It is also absorbed very fast by the body, so it is best to take this when your body needs amino acids quickly: like right after a workout or when you first get up in the morning.
• Egg whites (88%)
• Fish (78%)
• Chicken breast (78%)
• Soy protein: My one bit of advice would be to try and stay away from soy protein. It is not absorbed very well by the body.
Fats
We normally think of fats as being bad. The fact is certain fats are essential to building muscle and carrying out various functions of the body. There are 2 fat types we need to be concerned about:
• Saturated fats: these are the bad fats. Avoid these fats as much as possible. You will find these types of fats mostly in meats
• Unsaturated fats: these are the good fats. They are a good energy source and help us build muscle. You can find from plant oils. Peanuts are also a good source.
Water
Do not under estimate the importance of water! If you are looking to get lean, water will be your best friend. Drink as much as you can and as often as you can. Also, it is very important to drink lots of water when you're eating large amounts of protein to clean urea from the system.
Vitamins & minerals
As resistance training athletes, we have a greater need for vitamins & minerals. When we workout and bring blood to our muscles it is important that our blood is full of those essential vitamins & minerals if we want to grow.
Supplements
Supplements are just that, meaning they are used to supplement your diet, not replace it. Don't ever think of it that way.
Hierarchy of supplements:
I developed this hierarchy of supplements based on what I thought were the most important and also by price.
• 1. Proper diet: Without proper diet you are just wasting money on supplements. Start here! Do not think that supplements are going to do it for you alone.
• 2. Multi-vitamin & mineral: It is very important to have all your vitamins & minerals when resistance training. Most of us are lacking in some areas, make it a priority to make this your first supplement.
• 3. Protein powder: It is usually very hard to get all the protein you need from real foods. Powders make it much easier. Also, these powders are absorbed fast by the body making them ideal after workouts or before and after sleep.
• 4. Creatine: This is great for harder workouts. It also makes you muscles hang on to water, giving them a better environment to grow.
• 5. L-glutamine: This is an important amino acid in muscle recovery
• 6. Branch chained amino acid: These are great before and after workouts along with L-glutamine because it gives your muscles all the amino acids it needs to repair and grow.
• 7. ZMA: This helps you release more growth hormone while you sleep, increasing your size and strength.
• 8. Thermogenic: These really help in the fat loss process. They also help you hang on to more muscle while dieting due to the fact you can eat more.
• 9. Meal replacement: Although very expensive, meal replacements make it much more convenient to get some of your meals in. Also, you can get in more meals than if you were to eat only real foods.
"The golden hour"
Remember "The golden hour" because it will make things so much easier for you. "The golden hour" is a window of opportunity we have to get everything we have depleted in our body back in a short amount of time. Think of your muscles as a gas tank: When you workout, you use gas for energy or in this case glucose. After a workout, our muscles are in a unique state. They are able to fill back up very quickly leaving you full for the next workout. If you wait to long, your muscles don't fill back up as easily and the carbs you eat are more likely to be stored as fat. Doing this will also let you take advantage of insulin's muscle building effects from the simple carbs you have ingested. You want to ingest 50-75 grams of simple carbs right after a workout. Also, this is when you want to take your protein shake because it will absorb quickly and supply your muscles with the amino acids that they need.
Insulin
This is a very complicated subject, but all we need to know is that insulin can help us build muscle or can make us fat depending on the timing. Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to elevated blood sugar levels. We can achieve a high blood sugar level by ingesting simple carbs. Like "the golden hour" we have a window of opportunity to take advantage of the muscle building effects of the insulin without getting fat. We have about 4 or 5 hours after we workout to take advantage of insulin. If we take in too many simple carbs out of this window, we are very likely to store fat.
Cheat day
The theory behind the cheat days is you take one day every 2 weeks to eat anything you want and actually get leaner. It might sound crazy, but it worked for me. When you eat low carbs for a time for body begins to think it is not getting all the food it needs (because your not storing any fat) and begins to slow down your metabolism. When you bombard your body with food on that one day, it tricks your body into thinking it has all it needs and speeds your metabolism back up. I can tell you from experience, every day after a cheat day I felt leaner and looked better.
Ketosis
This is when your body uses protein for energy. This happens when we have too few carbs in the body or when we over train. I went into the state of ketosis for only the last week of my 12-week transition for a couple of reasons: (1) I wanted all of my muscles to shrink down so when I carbed back up, my skin would be tighter. (2) When you go into ketosis it seems to bring the water out from under the skin. Don't go into this state to loose fat. Without carbs your body can not burn fat effectively. You will loose weight rather quickly, but only because you don't have as much glycogen in the muscle. Also, you are simply loosing water. Remember that proteins are the building blocks for muscle and that means they are fair game for energy when in the state of ketosis. I would not recommend going into this state unless you are trying to get into a super ripped state for a short amount of time, like for a bodybuilding contest.
Okay...Here we go!
This is my theory and this is what works for me. Everyone is different so it may need to be adjusted to your own personal needs.
Energy In/Energy Out
Food Intake: 1,200 Per Day
One Pound equals 3,500 Calories
To loose one pound per day, You need to burn your food intake plus your one pound of fat
1,200 (intake) + 3,500 (Outtake) = 4,700 Calories Burn
You must burn at least 4,700 Calories everyday to loose one pound at least. It is very easy to go up and beyond 4,700 calories each day.
Best way to do this is to track your progress on a calorie counter monitor watch. If you do it by the numbers you can loose the weight. It is just a matter of changing the way you think about weight loss.
Once you start wearing your calorie counter you can see the numbers increase and you fill find yourself doing extra things in your day, like tapping your foot while waiting at the light in your car, chewing gum, singing out loud and so on onto of your workout routines. You begin to see that everything you do in your day contributes to the overall numbers needed to loose that pound.
I, myself, have done this recently. Two weeks later, I lost one pant size and 10 pounds. And that is just my current progress. I have used this method previously after childbirth and have gone from 168 to 127 pounds with in two months.
I personally burn 1,000 calories by Walking in my community for one hour in the morning and I also burn 1,000 calories by simply using a stationary bike while playing xbox. I get so involved in playing xbox that I completely forget I am pedaling or working out. Think about it..How many hours have you spent playing video games..why not burn calories while you are doing it.
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Water Intake/Less Storage
Most people do not get enough water in their system. Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 to 80 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.
Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. To determine if you are getting enough water use this simple formula.. Take your weight, for example 150 pounds and divide by 2. Take your answer which is 75 lbs and change it to ounces, in this case 75 ounces. That is how many ounces of water you need a day. Your body performs mostly on water. If you make sure you get enough water everyday your body will perform at top notch and your body will no longer have the cravings of junk food. You will have a better performing body system to help you work out and feel better thru out your day.
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Good Food
My favorite things to eat:
Avocado Wraps
Simple: Low Carb Tortilla, Half Avocado sliced, alpha sprouts, lettuce, soy bacon...Just wrap it up and eat. You can vary the things you put inside so long as you keep it to approx 4 or 5 items. You want to make sure they are fresh, low calorie and filling. Avocado and mushrooms can replace meats in your meal and still have great taste.
Special K Cereals are fantastic. They have that sweetness that one craves and is so good for you. Calories are low. Great for even just dinner.
First thing in the morning...A Glass of Chocolate Milk. Yup!! Chocolate Milk. We all crave that "got to have" item in the morning. Milk is the best thing you can have for yourself while working out. The chocolate (and you can use Carnation Instant Milk for this but I simply use Nestle dry mix) will give you that sweet "snack" that you need. If you give your body a little bit of it and its in a control way, you will not crave sweets and junk the rest of the day.
Lean Cuisines
Fantastic food! Each meal is approx 180 t0 380 calories per box. So think about your calories. 1,200...You can still have several of these meals a day and still be under your intake requirements.
It’s all about the numbers and watching what you take in and what you burn out. And you know what..If you go over your 1,200 mark for food intake...that’s okay...you simple up your total calories burned for the day by what you took it. So long as you burn off the over all calories to be more than your food intake. Just make sure you stick too it so you can reach your weight loss goals.
Fruits and Veggies
All you want on the schedule listed below.
Bananas are my favorite. They are very filling and can make a meal all on their own.
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Vitamins
My favorite is ONE A DAY WITH ENERGY...I am in love with this vitamin because I am just like everyone else who loves those quick fix energy drinks. But what people do not realize is that energy drinks can contain 120 to 440 calories in just ONE Can. If you think about it..That is HALF of your allowed calories for food intake. The best alternative I have found is One a day with energy vitamin. Easy to spot, it is packaged in a green label bottle. Just One vitamin a day will give you as much energy as approx. 1 1/2 cans of red bull...WITHOUT the calorie intake.
WoW..now your making progress already because you have made more room in your intake calories for actual healthy food.
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Soda/Carbonation
Carbonation is terrible for your system because it bloats your stomach. And when your stomach bloats, your jeans just don't fit. You can drop one pant size simply by NOT drinking any carbonated drinks all together..Take away the bloat and you have instantly just made it one pant size lower. Besides, Sodas dehydrate you and with that One a Day Vitamin, you won't need the Caffeine in the soda and it will also cut out those extra calories that you don't need.
So remove that soda and the energy drinks and just think how much calories you just instantly removed from your daily intake. I normally consume what...four sodas and two energy drinks in one day...that is a total of .... 900 calories. Of what? Nothing...Those are horrible calories and calories that can be replaced by food which will fuel your body for your day and your workouts.
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Your Body
Your body is like a computer. You must program your body to do what it is suppose to do so it won't crash and leave you with a virus. Your stomach is only the size of your fist. So think about it right now, Look at your hand and close your fist. Not very big is it. That is how much food you actually ONLY need to eat, each time you eat for every meal. If you eat anything more than that, you will stretch out your stomach which causes overeating and overweight.
What you need to do is eat every three hours, approx 5 to 7 times everyday around the same time. If you are always giving your body healthy and better food choices (the size of your fist) every three hours, your body will know you are giving it food. It will use that food properly. It will not go into starvation mode or store food away for later because it knows...it will get more in three hours. So what does your body do...it flushes everything out of your system because it doesn't need it.. Now it knows...you wont' forget about it and that food is on its way.
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Walking Buddy
This is the best thing especially for woman. Get a walking buddy. One hour everyday. Just think about how much talking, venting and laughing two woman can do together while walking and yup, you guessed it...it just burns more calories and reduces your stress. You now are more relaxed because you can talk and free yourself of whatever is frustrating you while getting into shape.
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By: My own experience/Joyceeleann
Try low carb diet. It burns fat fast and you can lose 20 pounds for 10 days if you are following a strict diet.
Be aware that when you reach your desired weight you must control yourself and continue to eat low carb food and foods with low GI index otherwise you will gain every pound you've lost again.
Hi i`m 14 and i weight 63 kilos mabye(126 pounds)i need to lose weight what do i need to do?
DIETS? WHAT KINDEXERCISE?HOW OFTEN
ANY KIND OF SCHEDUAL
Answers: if you're taller than 5'5" (1.67meters lol) then that's a fine weight... If you're an athlete then you're be good even if you're shorter than that.
eat a good breakfast every day: egg, bacon or sausage, 4 oz orange juice or what ever you like, a slice of buttered toast.
Have a cup of soup and a sandwich for lunch with a piece of fruit. Milk or milk shake to go with that.
have a nice dinner with your family. a half cup serving of whatever your mother fixes. milk or milk shake to drink.
no candy bars, no sodas, no cookies!!
start walking or biking for an hour each day!!
No you probably don't need to lose weight! You need to firm up your muscles and get some outside air into your lungs!! Eat a good balanced food plan and go bike riding with good friends.
Basically stay away from junk food.. you know what this means - no chocolate, no chips, no popcorn, no pop, no hamburgers. What does your family eat for dinner? If they are eating a lot of 'easy-made food' (like battered fish, chicken fingers, french fries, kraft dinner) try and see if you can make your own dinners. When you cook, include things like vegetables and salads. One of the best things to eat is stir fries. It takes a little while to cut up the veggies (such as carrots (which you can actually grate), celery, broccoli, cauliflour, onion, garlic, mushrooms). Make a bunch of rice at one time so that you can continue to eat it over a few days. You can find good recipes on 'allrecipes.com'. If you like meat, try to avoid eating too much red meat (hamburgers, steak..etc) (in moderation it's fine). Poultry (chicken) is good and so is fish if you like it.
as for exercise, do you live near your school? Instead of bussing to school - walk or run! Also, instead of staying inside watching tv, sitting on the computer or playing video games, get out side and move around. Why don't you try skate boarding? You could also join a community (or school) team! Do any of your friends like to be outside? I used to bike with my friends when I was your age. I used to also play a lot of backyard soccer and frisbee with my friends. I wasn't great at it but I really like to skate board too.
Staying at a reasonable weight is not hard, it's often just a lifestyle change - making sure you eat healthy and stay active. If you have fun with friends outside, then it's not a chore to 'workout'!
Hope that helps!
PS if you feel addicted to sweet, salty or fatty junk food, the longer you stay off them, the less you'll crave them!
12 Tips for Atkins Diet
1. If what you are eating has less than 1 carb, count it as 1 carb just to be sure.
2. Totally avoid caffine at least for the first two weeks on the program.
3. Drink a MINIMUM of 8 glasses of plain water or seltzer daily.
4. Don't weigh yourself more than once a week
5. Take starting measurements as well as weight - sometimes you'll lose inches before pounds
6. Avoid any type of "low carb" sweetener for the first two weeks
7. Don't compare your loss to someone else's - this is a YMMV thing (your milage may vary)
8. Stalls are common around the third week so don't panic
9. If you follow your plan to the T and don't lose, consider Candida as a possibility and avoid vinegar, cheese, mushrooms and any other fermented food
10. Have bloodwork done before starting so you have a comparison
11. Cholesterol can be elevated in the first few weeks til your body adjusts - make sure your doctor knows that you're doing low carb and when you started
12. Don't blame the diet if you don't read your plan book -- blame the diet if you don't read the labels -- Don't blame the diet if you don't follow the diet
More infomation you can check:
<--12 Tips for Atkins Diet-->
<--http://www.loseweighthappy.info/index.ph... -->
Weight lose by Merry Christmas day?
i wants to lose some weight by Merry Christmas day so is it possible to do that by using some natural herbal remedy its about 10-13 poiunds is it possible by hoodia gordonii plus as i seen on OPRAH about http://www.gordoniihoodia.netAnswers: What IF you do not lose weight BUT you shrink dress sizes? Would that make you happier than losing weight?
My husband lost 26 lbs in 5 months AND went from size 42 down to size 36.
I did NOT lose much weight BUT I went from size 14 down to size 8 in 5 months. I'm 5'3" and weigh 146 pounds BUT (MORE IMPORTANTLY - - -), I am size 8 because I lost the fat inches and GAINED muscle mass. Muscle weighs heavier than fat.
http://www.radicalpatch.com - It really WORKS!
Most hoodia pills do not contain pure hoodia. Weight loss pills are widely advertised as quick method to lose weight. These are food supplements and are not regulated by the FDA or any authority. Some weight loss pills may help you lose weight for a short time, but after a month or so, the body becomes immune to them.
I found information on weight loss pills and their side effects at http://www.toloseweight.org/weightlosspi...
I recommend you try losing the weight a safer way. If you’re really serious about it, you can do what I did and try USANA's Reset kit. It's really good because it helps you control your cravings and you still get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. I used it and lost 11 pounds in two weeks, and I’m still dropping. If you want to know more about it, you can find it by going to www.yoshie.usana.com (First click on “Products”, choose country, then click “Macro-Optimizers”, Then “Reset”). From self-experience, I can tell you it is very effective.
try this good luck it really works!!
YOU MUST DRINK 5 X 8OZ GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY.
THE DIET MUST BE FOLLOWED EXACTLY TO LOSE 10LBS IN 3 DAYS.
DAY 1
BREAKFAST
Black coffee/tea, ½ grapefruit, 1 slice toast, 2 spn of peanut butter or small tin baked beans.
LUNCH
Black coffee/tea, 4 oz tuna, 1 slice toast.
DINNER
2 Slices any cold meat, 1 cup string beans, 4oz beetroot, 1 small apple, 4oz vanilla ice cream.
DAY 2
BREAKFAST
Black coffee/tea, 1 egg, 1 slice toast, ½ banana.
LUNCH
Black coffee/tea, 4oz cottage cheese, 5 saltina crackers.
DINNER
2 Slices any cold meat, 4oz broccoli, 2oz carrots, ½ banana, 4oz vanilla ice cream.
DAY 3
BREAKFAST
Black coffee/tea, 5 saltina crackers, 1 slice cheddar cheese, 1 small apple.
LUNCH
Black coffee/tea, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 slice toast.
DINNER
4oz tuna, 4oz beetroot, 4oz cauliflower, ½ melon, 4oz vanilla ice cream.
THIS DIET WORKS ON A CHEMICAL BREAKDOWN AND IS PROVEN. DO NOT MIX OR SUBSTITUTE ANY OF THE ABOVE FOODS. SALT & PEPPER CAN BE USED BUT NO OTHER SEASONING.
THIS DIET IS TO BE USED 3 DAYS AT A TIME. IN 3 DAYS YOU WILL LOSE 10LBS. AFTER 3 DAYS OF DIETING YOU CAN EAT NORMALLY BUT REMEMBER NOT TO OVERDO IT. YOU CAN LOSE UP TO 40LBS IN A MONTH IF YOU STICK TO IT.
TOAST MUST BE DRY. NO BUTTER OR MARGE.
SALTINA CRACKERS ARE TUC OR RITZ.
How many calories does sperm have?
Answers: ewwww....I've never heard of anyone who makes it a regular enough part of their diet to care.
Ive heard 15 calories per teaspoon... tho its mostly protien
Chest excercies to get a bigger chest?
im going on holiday in 9 days and i have been doing some chest excercies but they don't seem to working that well so please recommend some excercise for the chest using dumbells and i am 15 cheersAnswers: hit the benchpress for three sets, then move down to dumbell bench for three, then down to a slight incline for three, then do three sets of push ups, they should all be a fairly difficult weight and by the time you're done with your push-ups you shouldn't be able to get 10 of them
nothing builds a bigger chest than bench press, using a barbell ie normal, and then on a incline and a decline
but use your dumbells on a bench and arms at right angles, press up bringing the dumbells so nearly touching dont bang them together and don't lock elbows
do a 4 sets with 6 reps, as you want bigger chest you want to use heavy weights with low reps as more reps = more cardio, and more lean , toned and defined muscle
don't forget diet, ie high protein etc
Hit this site and read up on exercises:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training...
The best exercise for building the chest with dumbells are butterflies. You can do the butterflies on the floor. Just lay flat on the ground and make your body look like a cross. Then with your two dumbells raise them up and then make them touch each other. Another exercise is a exercise that does not require dumbells. First make a fist and get into your push up stance. Then go all the way down and slowly come back up. This kind of push up puts a lot of stress and pressure on your chest and pectorals. Finally with your dumbells do a regular bench press. Doing a bench press with a straight bar or dumbells has the same outcome, so don't worry about getting a straight bar. Hoped all this helped u
How can i improve my running(im veryvery slow)?
Im young and I eat pretty healthy,but i've always been horrible at running.So what type of program can I follow to improve?.Answers: What kind of running? Sprinting or distance.
You need to run to get better.
Start by developing a base by running easy 3 to 5 times each week.
After 1 month you can increase the distance and days you run, so that you run 5 or 6 days.
After the next month you can begin to do specific training toward the type of runner you want to be.
You should start a weight lifting program, because it takes muscles to run, also do lots of abdominal and core muscle work.
Is fibre content of ginger is soluble fibre?
Answers: There will be some of both kinds of fiber in ginger. If you are trying to increase your soluble fiber intake, using ginger as a spice may not be much help. That is unless you really like ginger as you will have to eat a lot of it to get much soluble fiber. In fact there is only just over 2g of soluble fiber in 280g of ginger root. To give you an idea of how much that is, 1tsp is about 5grams. Ginger is reported to have a lot of benefits. Check out some of the sources if you are interested.
How many of you have tried this exercising equipment called the ab rail?
If you have tried it did it work for you.And If so what else did you do combined with it for faster results. Because I bought one. Darn those info commercialsAnswers: That thing looks like a torture rack lol. I have no experience with that machine however I can say this, I hope you didn't buy this to lose belly fat, because all it's gonna do is work out the muscle below the fat. To get a flat firm belly it's all about having a strict diet and doing cardio i.e. running.
Is it good to eat fruit instead of junk food?
WELL DUH, im not stupid, but i meen like if u feel hungary, would eating fruit not make u put on alot of callories. and wot fruit is best? and also is it gd to eat fruit instead of desert after a meal. Im not stupid just curious instad of sweets fruit :D LOLAnswers: Eating fruit is a great way to satisfy your hunger without a lot of empty calories. The cool thing is that most fruits have a high water content so they can fill you up with very few calories and have the added bonus of vitamins and minerals your body needs. Learning healthy lifestyle choices early is one of the best things you can do for yourself now and especially in the future. Annnd most fruit skin is high in fiber too so it's a win, win , win all the way around.
totemo uiishii des ne
I have been receiving a lot of e-mail lately about diet. In the past, I was never concerned about what I ate. I just went to the gym, trained hard, and that was the extent of my routine. Not until recently did I realize the power diet has over the way your body looks and performs. I believe that diet is at least 75% of the fitness equation. In this article, I'm going to describe in detail what I have learned about diet during my 12-week transition period.
When to Eat and How Often
This might sound strange, but you have to eat more often to lose fat and gain muscle. During my transition period, I never ate less than 6 meals a day.
• Try to eat every 2 to 3 hours.
• Do not eat complex carbohydrates after 6:00 p.m. or four to five hours before going to bed.
• Try to eat one gram of protein per pound of lean body mass on lifting days and .8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass on non-lifting days.
• Never eat more than 70 grams of protein in one meal.
Carbohydrates
When I think of carbohydrates, I think of energy. Carbohydrates supply our bodies with the energy it needs to make it through a workout. Without an adequate supply of carbohydrates, the body goes into carbohydrate deprivation. This is called a state of ketosis (meaning our body is using protein as energy). This is not a good state to be in for long because it will rob the body of muscle tissue in an effort to create energy. On the other hand, if too many carbohydrates are consumed, they convert into stored fat. The idea is to consume just enough carbohydrates to make it through our workouts with sufficient energy. I have broken down carbohydrates into these three categories:
• Simple carbs: These are sugars, or quick energy. They are absorbed very quickly into the body. Ex. Anything with sugar, also fruit
• Complex carbs: This is where you get long-term energy for the day. These are long chained carbohydrates that brake down slower, giving us energy over a prolonged period of time. Ex. Oatmeal, potatoes, pasta, rice, breads
• Fibrous carbs: These are things like vegetables. I think of them as roughage in order to stay regular. Make sure you include them in you later meals when you can't eat complex carbs. They are also a good source of vitamins. Ex. Leafy vegetables like lettuce.
Protein
Proteins are the building blocks of our muscles. Without a sufficient amount of protein in our diet, our muscles will not have the raw materials that they need to build up, or even hang on to what is already there.
Net protein utilization: Not all protein is created equal. Different foods are absorbed more than others. For example, egg white protein is absorbed at 88%. That means we get about 9 eggs to our muscles. On the other hand, chicken breast are absorbed at 68%, meaning we get about 7 breasts to our muscles. It is imported to eat a wide verity of protein foods though; no one protein source has all the amino acids we need.
• Whey protein (100%): the best source of whey protein is from protein supplements. It is also absorbed very fast by the body, so it is best to take this when your body needs amino acids quickly: like right after a workout or when you first get up in the morning.
• Egg whites (88%)
• Fish (78%)
• Chicken breast (78%)
• Soy protein: My one bit of advice would be to try and stay away from soy protein. It is not absorbed very well by the body.
Fats
We normally think of fats as being bad. The fact is certain fats are essential to building muscle and carrying out various functions of the body. There are 2 fat types we need to be concerned about:
• Saturated fats: these are the bad fats. Avoid these fats as much as possible. You will find these types of fats mostly in meats
• Unsaturated fats: these are the good fats. They are a good energy source and help us build muscle. You can find from plant oils. Peanuts are also a good source.
Water
Do not under estimate the importance of water! If you are looking to get lean, water will be your best friend. Drink as much as you can and as often as you can. Also, it is very important to drink lots of water when you're eating large amounts of protein to clean urea from the system.
Vitamins & minerals
As resistance training athletes, we have a greater need for vitamins & minerals. When we workout and bring blood to our muscles it is important that our blood is full of those essential vitamins & minerals if we want to grow.
Supplements
Supplements are just that, meaning they are used to supplement your diet, not replace it. Don't ever think of it that way.
Hierarchy of supplements:
I developed this hierarchy of supplements based on what I thought were the most important and also by price.
• 1. Proper diet: Without proper diet you are just wasting money on supplements. Start here! Do not think that supplements are going to do it for you alone.
• 2. Multi-vitamin & mineral: It is very important to have all your vitamins & minerals when resistance training. Most of us are lacking in some areas, make it a priority to make this your first supplement.
• 3. Protein powder: It is usually very hard to get all the protein you need from real foods. Powders make it much easier. Also, these powders are absorbed fast by the body making them ideal after workouts or before and after sleep.
• 4. Creatine: This is great for harder workouts. It also makes you muscles hang on to water, giving them a better environment to grow.
• 5. L-glutamine: This is an important amino acid in muscle recovery
• 6. Branch chained amino acid: These are great before and after workouts along with L-glutamine because it gives your muscles all the amino acids it needs to repair and grow.
• 7. ZMA: This helps you release more growth hormone while you sleep, increasing your size and strength.
• 8. Thermogenic: These really help in the fat loss process. They also help you hang on to more muscle while dieting due to the fact you can eat more.
• 9. Meal replacement: Although very expensive, meal replacements make it much more convenient to get some of your meals in. Also, you can get in more meals than if you were to eat only real foods.
"The golden hour"
Remember "The golden hour" because it will make things so much easier for you. "The golden hour" is a window of opportunity we have to get everything we have depleted in our body back in a short amount of time. Think of your muscles as a gas tank: When you workout, you use gas for energy or in this case glucose. After a workout, our muscles are in a unique state. They are able to fill back up very quickly leaving you full for the next workout. If you wait to long, your muscles don't fill back up as easily and the carbs you eat are more likely to be stored as fat. Doing this will also let you take advantage of insulin's muscle building effects from the simple carbs you have ingested. You want to ingest 50-75 grams of simple carbs right after a workout. Also, this is when you want to take your protein shake because it will absorb quickly and supply your muscles with the amino acids that they need.
Insulin
This is a very complicated subject, but all we need to know is that insulin can help us build muscle or can make us fat depending on the timing. Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to elevated blood sugar levels. We can achieve a high blood sugar level by ingesting simple carbs. Like "the golden hour" we have a window of opportunity to take advantage of the muscle building effects of the insulin without getting fat. We have about 4 or 5 hours after we workout to take advantage of insulin. If we take in too many simple carbs out of this window, we are very likely to store fat.
Cheat day
The theory behind the cheat days is you take one day every 2 weeks to eat anything you want and actually get leaner. It might sound crazy, but it worked for me. When you eat low carbs for a time for body begins to think it is not getting all the food it needs (because your not storing any fat) and begins to slow down your metabolism. When you bombard your body with food on that one day, it tricks your body into thinking it has all it needs and speeds your metabolism back up. I can tell you from experience, every day after a cheat day I felt leaner and looked better.
Ketosis
This is when your body uses protein for energy. This happens when we have too few carbs in the body or when we over train. I went into the state of ketosis for only the last week of my 12-week transition for a couple of reasons: (1) I wanted all of my muscles to shrink down so when I carbed back up, my skin would be tighter. (2) When you go into ketosis it seems to bring the water out from under the skin. Don't go into this state to loose fat. Without carbs your body can not burn fat effectively. You will loose weight rather quickly, but only because you don't have as much glycogen in the muscle. Also, you are simply loosing water. Remember that proteins are the building blocks for muscle and that means they are fair game for energy when in the state of ketosis. I would not recommend going into this state unless you are trying to get into a super ripped state for a short amount of time, like for a bodybuilding contest.
Fruit is a brilliant substitute for junk food or snack foods.
Go for apples, kiwi-fruits, peaches, pears, plums etc. they have very low calories and yet they are quite filling!
Fruit is ok alot better than junk food due to additives and high salt and sugar content
However fruit has a lot of sugar, try nuts,seeds aswell but watch the fat content.
A ricecake with cottage cheese is a satisying savory snack or try with banana on top for a sweet alternative
Eating fruit makes you put on less calories than eating junk food and eating 1 orange after a meal helps digest the food that you ate!
Usually, the best fruit to eat as a snack is an apple or a bunch of grapes.
It's much better for you, but doesn't taste as good!
It will keep you feeling fuller for longer though, instead of just giving you a sugar high like junk food will.
When did I get so fat!?
I was never a stick, but lately... eek. I have HIPS, always have, I mean theres nothing I can do about them unless I wanna shave some bone off. But lately when I look in the mirror I disgust myself! I have belly pooch, and muffin top, huge arms, and jiggly inner thighs! My jawline is disappearing. It's depressing. Out of the 40 million pairs of jeans, NONE fit. I have all size 7, and 9 pants. What I was in highschool. I had to go out and buy SIZE 13 pants. It just makes me so depressed! I don't understand how I can just wake up one day and be chubby! I'm 5'10" and 160 lbs. Not FAT just not FIT or toned. I don't EAT any different, I actually eat BETTER than I did when I was younger. I go to the gym twice a week, but mainly I just do the elliptical machine. I don't know HOW this happened, how to STOP getting BIGGER, or how to actually get back into my old size 7 (hell my size 9) pants!? Someone tell me what to do, and how fast I'll see results! This is depressing!Answers: stress could be a factor
you grab that one chocolate bar at work or on the go
and soon you've had one or two everyday without realizing it.
dont get discouraged
this could be a day around that time of the month too
i always feel really fat when i get my period.
start a food journal just for a week or two so you know exactly what you're eating (then maybe pin point the problem from there)
good luck. we all get depressed about our weight sometimes.
Look around, sweetie. 80% of the people you see or once knew, are also gaining weight. I dunno. Is life just more depressing??
I dunno, but that's what I've noticed!
This sounds like the story of my life, except that I was totally in denial for a long, long time... but I have a "success story" now, and get inspired, because I lost a lot of weight and it is possible for you to do it too. Start exercising more, its a ***** but you really can do it, step by step. Set a fitness goal, like being able to run a mile. GIVE IT TIME, I know there is nothing more frustrating than getting of the treadmill and not immediately being thinner after working so hard, so be patient ! and foodwise, NOTHING works as effectively as counting calories. You can eat anything, your favorite foods, but it forces moderation on you. And remember, this is what you want, you are doing it for YOU.
Is this fat?
I am 5'2 and I weigh 108...Is that a good weight? I want to loose more but don't want to get underweight, but don't know what underweight is...it seems I always seems that underweight is a different number no matter where I look.Answers: it depends on your body structure. i'm 5"3 and weigh at about 125 and i only have about 22% body fat (which is normal for a female at my age) if you've hit puberty you might be underweight actually because of your breast development and hips. if you're healthy then that's a good weight!
Yes. thats a perfect weight for ur height.
What is white fat?
Answers: White adipose or is commonly know as fat tissue, which provides insulation and, by storing triglyceride, serves as an energy depot. Many mammals also have brown adipose tissue, which also stores triglyceride, but has the unique ability to generate heat. Brown fat is most prominent in newborn animals.
On a cellular level: White adipocytes(fat cells) have a scant ring of cytoplasm surrounding a single large lipid droplet. Their nuclei are flattened and eccentric within the cell. Brown adipocytes are polygonal in shape, have a considerable volume of cytoplasm and contain multiple lipid droplets of varying size. Their nuclei are round and almost centrally located
Roseanne. Alabama. Poland. Yo mamma.