Thursday, November 21, 2013

So about this Nutrition thing...

A big reason why I wanted to start this blog is to share with everyone how I was able to lose over 40 pounds and get lean! With the help of friends/trainers and research, I was able to incorporate fitness and a clean diet in such a way that I achieved my goal! It's something everyone can do but it takes A LOT of self-discipline. You need to be able to hold yourself accountable. If you cannot do this, you will not succeed. What really helped me along this journey is that I wrote down and tracked everything I ate in a day. I would even write down all the macro-nutrients I consumed in a day. Anyways, here's an introduction of a well thought out Nutrition Guide that I share with friends who want some help to get their fit life started. Stay tuned for future info!

Please remember that I am not a certified trainer/nutritionist. This is just knowledge I've gained through research, experience, and "broscience". I hope this benefits you like it did me!

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So, You Want To Eat Right?
                **All material contained in this publication is based on experience and personal research. I am NOT a certified dietitian or personal trainer but I do have years of experience in the gym and clean eating in the kitchen. This is merely a guide and not an instruction manual. If you see a discrepancy or something you don’t agree with do your own research or contact me and we will work through it. I am not held liable for any injury or sickness due to your own lack of proper research and understanding. ***

                Diet is 99% of either dropping or gaining weight, depending on your goals. You need to think of your body as a machine, you want to feed your body clean, natural foods so you can perform better. Think of a car and its oil; would you put some thick sludge into your car or high performance-synthetic oil? Fried food, breads, and alcohol are your new sludge, while vegetables and lean meats are your new synthetic.
With that being said, there is much to learn regarding a well-balanced diet and knowing exactly what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat.
Let’s explore the initial diet goal of calorie intake. Calories are units of energy. Everything you put into your body has some caloric value. Depending on your goals, and your current body composition, your calorie goals will be individually tailored to YOU!
So, how does one figure out how many calories they need to take in a day?
Energy requirements are based on multiple factors including training frequency, type, intensity, body composition, size, and goals. The formulas and recommendations are not set in stone. It is important to use a multitude of tools to determine if you're achieving proper energy balance such as appetite, weight, mood, body fat percentage, and overall health. (Source: Bodybuilding.com)
The human body uses about 60% of calories just to keep up with natural processes at rest. The amount of calories you burn at rest is termed your basal metabolic rate (BMR). The more lean muscle mass you have the higher your BMR. By building a leaner more muscular physique you increase your calorie burning abilities around the clock!
The human body uses about 60% of calories just to keep up with natural processes at rest.
The remainder of the energy pie is divided between activity and digestion. 30% of energy (calories) is used for physical activity while 10% is used in the process of digestion. This is why you can burn more calories by eating smaller meals more often.
A simple, fairly accurate way to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), aka how many calories your body burns at rest, use the following formula:
Formula For BMR:
W = weight in kilograms (weight (lbs)/2.2) =weight in kg
(Ex: I weight 189lbs, so 189/2.2 = 94.6kg.)
H = height in centimeters (inches x 2.54) =height in cm
(Ex: I’m 6’3, or 73 inches tall, so 73 x 2.54 = 185.42cm.)
A = age in years
Men: BMR=66.47+ (13.75 x W) + (5.0 x H) - (6.75 x A)
Women: BMR=665.09 + (9.56 x W) + (1.84 x H) - (4.67 x A)
(Ex: My BMR = 66.47 + (13.75 x 94.6) + (5.0 x 185.42) – (6.75 x 22) = 2146.09 kcal which is the European model. Multiply that by .6 to get your calorie rate, so mine is 2146.09 x .6 = 1287.654 calories)
 The most accurate way of calculating your BMR though is to get your body fat percentage and plug it into a formula known as the Serling-Pasmore Equation.

Sterling-Pasmore Equation (Reference: Bodybuilding.com)
This equation is based on your body composition. You need 13.8 calories to support 1 pound of lean muscle mass.
BMR= Lean body mass (lbs) x 13.8 calories
You can obtain your lean body mass from body fat measurements.
Calculate lean muscle mass vs. fat mass:
Body fat % x scale weight= fat mass
 (Example: My bf is 6.8% and I weigh 189lbs, so .068 x 189 = 12.85lbs fat mass. Fat mass is how much weight in fat you are carrying around on your body.)
Scale weight - fat mass= lean body mass
(Example: My scale wt. is 189 and my fat mass is 12.85, so 189 – 12.85 = 176.15 is my lean body mass, which is the weight I would be if I had 0% body fat, or being 100% lean.)
*Now that I have my lean body mass of 176.15, I now multiply that by 13.8 and I have my BMR*
**BMR=Lean Body Mass (lbs.) x 13.8 calories so 176.15 x 13.8 = 2430.87 calories. This tells me my body burns 2430.87 calories per day in order to function. Now I take that BMR and plug it into one of the formulas below to calculate how many calories you will burn in your workout**

So, once you calculate BMR, what do you do with it?! – Find your ACTIVITY BASE
Activity Base
Once you calculate your BMR factor in activity to account for calories burned during exercise.
BMR x 1.2 for low intensity activities and leisure activities (primarily sedentary)
BMR x 1.375 for light exercise (leisurely walking for 30-50 minutes 3-4 days/week, golfing, house chores)
BMR x 1.55 for moderate exercise 3-5 days per week (60-70% MHR for 30-60 minutes/session)
BMR x 1.725 for active individuals (exercising 6-7 days/week at moderate to high intensity (70-85% MHR) for 45-60 minutes/session)
BMR x 1.9 for the extremely active individuals (engaged in heavy/intense exercise like heavy manual labor, heavy lifting, endurance athletes, and competitive team sports athletes 6-7 days/week for 90 + minutes/session)
(Example: I work out 6-7 days a week at a high intensity so I would use the BMR x 1.9 to see how many calories I burn on a day I train. So for me, 2430.87 x 1.9 = 4618.56 calories are what I burn in a day when I train at an extremely intense level.)
To learn more about calorie intake or to use a generator rather than the formulas, follow this link:




How Many Calories to Build Muscle Mass and Gain Weight?
The Timing of Protein Intake May Be More Beneficial For Building Lean Muscle Mass Rather Than Quantity
Athletes should increase their total caloric intake by 250-500 calories per day to gain weight. Some experts even recommend a 1,000 caloric increase per day. Remember to consider activity level when calculating caloric intake. Athletes should aim to consume the proper ratios of nutrients.
Studies have indicated that the timing of protein intake may be more beneficial for building lean muscle mass rather than quantity since the body can only absorb about 30 grams of protein at a time. Athletes should consume protein and carbohydrates within the first 30-60 minutes post training since the body is in an ideal state to repair and build. Sufficient nutrient intake from clean food sources at multiple times throughout the day will provide the body with the fuel it needs to build lean hard muscle.
Eat 5-7 small meals daily, Consume your bigger meals in the morning
How Many Calories To Lose Weight?
Athletes should decrease their total caloric intake by 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound in 1 week. The caloric deficit can be created from additional exercise, diet, or a combination of both. Remember to consider activity level when calculating caloric intake. Athletes should aim to consume the proper ratios of nutrients.
Just cutting calories alone may reduce the number on the scale, but losing body fat while maintaining hard earned lean muscle mass is a science. When trying to lose body fat and obtain a lean healthy body it's important to maintain training intensity. Caloric intake should not drop so low that training severely suffers, metabolism slows, or the body becomes catabolic.
Remember To Consider Activity Level When Calculating Caloric Intake
Losing weight and reducing body fat is a gradual process- for lasting results aim to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week through training and diet.
Other Guidelines when figuring out Calorie Intake:
Protein guideline: 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass per day.
Fat guideline: 0.4 to 1 gram per pound of TOTAL body weight.

Carbohydrate guideline: the difference in the total daily calorie goal and the sum of your protein and fat requirements.


---MORE TO COME, STAY TUNED!---

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