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© 2013 Fat Loss Troubleshoot by Leigh Peele
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Disclaimer
Before starting any new diet and exercise program please check with your doctor and clear any exercise and/or diet changes with them before beginning. Read the full disclaimer for all health and medical information. This material is for educational and entertainment purposes only. MEDICAL/HEALTH DISCLAIMER All information is intended only to help you cooperate with your doctor, in your efforts toward desirable weight levels and health. Only your doctor can determine what is right for you. In addition to regular check-ups and medical supervision, from your doctor, before starting any other weight loss program, you should consult with your personal physician. All information is generalized, presented for informational purposes only, not medical advice, and presented “as is” without warranty or guarantee of any kind. Readers are cautioned not to rely on this information as medical advice and to consult a qualified medical, dietary, fitness or other appropriate professional for their specific needs. This information has not been evaluated by the FTC, FDA or any other government agency and that this information is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) study by a panel of experts concluded the following: That proper weight loss is achieved by reducing caloric intake and/or increasing physical activity. Individuals maintaining weight losses over the long term do so by changing their diet and changing their physical activity. Although there are common characteristics among the relevant population, there is not a single cause of overweight or obesity. In some people, the cause may be more closely linked to genetic factors while in other instances, the principal causal factor may be environmental. Moreover, it should be obvious that diets, metabolic rates, and levels of physical activity vary from one individual to another and that weight loss levels will vary. Weight loss results for one individual are not to be viewed as typical for another individual. Rapid weight loss may also be associated with some medical problems. Individuals undergoing weight loss can experience physical changes in the body (dizziness, interruptions in the menstrual cycle, hair loss, for example) that may indicate more serious conditions. People noticing such changes should be advised to talk immediately to their primary care physician. Children and adolescents, pregnant or breast feeding women, and people with significant health problems such as bulimia, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes or psychiatric disorder, should not begin this program without written authorization by their primary care provider.
People under treatment for other conditions or taking medications prescribed by their health care provider should tell their providers that they have begun this diet because, in some cases, adjustments to medications or modifications to the weight loss program may be appropriate. This is not a custom weight loss program. This is merely material designed for discussion and educational and entertainment purposes. In no way should any of this material be used in place of a program from your doctor or registered dietitian. The information in this document is supported by research by various government and regulated organizations and peer reviewed studies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Use Chapter 1: A Calorie is a What? Chapter 2: The Activity of Life and Training Chapter 3: A Primer on Macronutrients Chapter 4: Calculating Caloric Intake and Measurement Methods Chapter 5: Eating for Fat Loss and Basic Traps Chapter 6: Workout Nutrition and Meal Timing Chapter 7: The Technical Section for Fat Loss: Formulas and Figures Chapter 8: A Realistic Look at Charting Progress Chapter 9: The Mental Side of Sticking to Fat Loss Chapter 10: Resistance Training for Fat Loss: A Primer on Lifting Chapter 11: Aerobic Training for Fat Loss: A Primer on Cardio Chapter 12: Recovery in Training and Nutrition Chapter 13: Mastering Maintenance Chapter 14: A Primer on Supplements Chapter 15: Myths and Tips of Training and Nutrition Chapter 16: Putting it All Together for Fat Loss Chapter 17: Closing Chapter 18: Recommendations
INTRODUCTION AND USE Seven of the top 10 advertising icons of the 20th century came from the world of food. As we begin the 21st century, that dominance doesn’t look likely to change. Sure, the Starbucks mermaid might supplant Tony the Tiger, but there’s no getting around it: Food has been at the forefront of our minds since the dawn of civilization. As the world struggles for control of resources like oil, weapons and the rights of man, it’s easy to forget that behind it all lies an age-old fight for more food and more water. Consider the existence of a vault within striking distance of the North Pole that contains millions of seeds as a precaution against environmental catastrophe. Guarded with the highest security and weapons such measures speak to our demeanor as a species. In the face of apocalypse, we’re thinking of our stomachs. As a weapon, food has countless applications. Economically, politically, and emotionally the power of food has spanned the ages, from the importance of spice in the founding of America to the malnourished soldiers that helped bring about Napoleon’s fall. Meanwhile, the agricultural industrial age saved billons from starvation but has driven millions into the ground. We have support groups for people who eat too much, volunteers for people who don’t have enough to eat, all while millions contend with psychological issues related to the basic act of eating. Food affects us all. There’s no denying it. The Time Machine Pop-culture highlights the importance of food. In particular, science fiction offers many memorable stories that rely on food as a device. As a child I adored the original film version of “The Time Machine,” and later when I read H.G. Wells’ classic novel, I was struck at how Wells defined his future with food. For the uninitiated, the titular time-traveler voyages into the distant future only to discover that the world has split into the serene Eloi, who eat fruit and are generally happy and blond, and the Morlocks, who live underground, eat flesh and are generally terrifying. While we’re on the topic of “The Time Machine,” let me admonish you to avoid the remake. Oh, the shame! This theme recurs throughout science fiction, including the underrated 1993 Sylvester Stallone vehicle “Demolition Man,” which featured an elite caste that lived on “healthy” pebbles of synthetic food while the underground hoodlums lived in the sewers and subsisted on rat burgers and beer.
Ask people what the future holds in way of food, and a lot of people think that the extremes seen in the DVD discount bin are an inevitable outcome, me, I don’t buy it. On the contrary, I believe that we’re headed for a far more segregated and niche-driven world built on smaller and more specialized sub-groups. We can see this already with movements like vegetarianism, gluten-free eating, local market shopping, and foodie elitism. We’re not headed for a future of haves and have-nots, but instead we’re destined for a future where each of us is a star in search of a constellation and a clan. That’s the good news. The better news is that as the population grows and technology keeps advancing, so will the sky and earth, thereby giving us the chance to join more and more of these sub-groups. Still, that’s all guesswork and amateur sociology. I can’t predict the social strata of the future or tell you if oranges will one day be the size of your head. What I can do, is help you lose fat. Fat Loss is in Your Hands When I wrote the first edition of this book, I didn't want to confuse or overcomplicate things. I know the best way to help a reader is to debunk, answer, relieve, and explain the dauntingly simple science of this process. The goal is you walking away with true control over fat loss. You will never again be the whipping boy of experts. This book takes out the middle man and puts the power back in your hands. The Fat Loss Troubleshoot (FLT) answers all the common and unique questions about fat loss. If you are new to fat loss, you hit the jackpot and passed "GO" collecting your prize. If you have been trying for years, I hope this is the start towards peace of mind. My two core books answer the serious questions. In this one, your basic knowledge of fat loss is laid for your devouring. I implore you to not get cocky and think you are above these things. I see so many advanced trainees fail because they thought they were too good for this material. "Really? Monitoring techniques? C'mon, I lift!" Spoiler alert – it's technically simple information. That doesn't mean it is easy or common knowledge. People always assume we need something more complicated, something with more hype. There is no hype here. You don't have to take ice cold baths or restrict all food items that have the letter "W". This book isn't a diet. This book isn't a program. Instead, it’s the guide you need to achieve fat loss in the easiest manner you can – for yourself. It will guide you towards the next step or, in most cases, correct your steps to optimize your fat loss. What Does This Book Promise? I promise you nothing except the truth. This book is filled with the most current information to date about training and nutrition, specifically towards fat loss. It totes the line between beginner friendly and advanced pleasing. It doesn't matter if you are a weekend warrior or a seasoned athlete; there is something here for everyone.
What Has Changed from the Last Edition? There have been a lot of updates from the previous edition. Thus far, this is the most altered edition since its initial carnation. The most dramatic changes are in layout and editing. If you are an owner of the previous version, you will find this to be a glowing improvement. A lot of out of date material and research has been altered or removed. There were many sections cut out due to redundancy or low significance. They have been replaced with more detailed and helpful material. All in all, there are over 20,000 new words from the original, even if the page count is similar from the last. At final edit stage, there is an increase in roughly 13-15 pages. You will be hard pressed to find a lot of similarities in the style of the message. That being said, the message itself is still largely the same. I am very proud of this edition. I can't see a future where I will need to update on any large level. If you are looking for more advanced material or specific subjects, you will find them in new books. A lot of you might have come here looking for something more like Starve Mode. But, I encourage you to not toss this one aside. You will be surprised how deep you can go with this material. How to Use This Book Each chapter is divided into various topics related to fat loss and the subjects within. I tried to provide you with a healthy combination of research and anecdotal information. The best thing you can do for yourself is not skim this book and browse the sections you only want to. You may think you know it all, but there may be one sentence I use that makes it click for you. That is all we are ever looking for in life, is the click. If you have a hard time reading or get bored, then do yourself a favor and just listen to the book. Take me with you to the grocery store or on a long drive. Listen to it over and over again if you need. I personally love to obtain information through audio or visual sources, so I understand if that appeals to you. Just be honest with yourself. Now that you understand how important I think it is to read the book, here is a brief look at what is in the book. Chapter 1: A Calorie is a What? This section goes into detail about what calories are, how we burn them, and what it takes to technically lose fat.
Chapter 2: The Activity of Life and Training This section goes into deep detail about movement and how it relates to fat loss. There are exclusive experiments and graphs showing explanations for these things. Chapter 3: A Primer on Macronutrients This section provides you with a base knowledge on macronutrients and what they do for you. Chapter 4: Calculating Caloric Intake and Measurement Methods This section provides methods (beyond calorie counting) of how to measure your intake. Chapter 5: Eating for Fat Loss and Basic Traps There can be many pitfalls and traps to fat loss, this section discusses some of them. Chapter 6: Workout Nutrition and Meal Timing This section covers the most current information on meal timing and workout nutrition. Chapter 7: The Technical Section for Fat Loss: Formulas and Figures This section provides you with all the technical data you will need from formulas to calculations. Chapter 8: A Realistic Look at Charting Progress This sections informs you on why just using the scale, may not be to your best interest. Chapter 9: The Mental Side of Sticking to Fat Loss This section covers topics from motivation to procrastination. Chapter 10: Resistance Training for Fat Loss: A Primer on Lifting This section provides you with a great starting point for how to train for fat loss in regards to resistance training. Chapter 11: Aerobic Training for Fat Loss: A Primer on Cardio This section provides you with a great starting point for how to train for fat loss in regards to aerobic training. Chapter 12: Recovery in Training and Nutrition This section explains how to break in dieting and training to keep metabolic adaptations at bay.
Chapter 13: Mastering Maintenance This section discusses the crucial role of maintenance in fat loss and body composition. Chapter 14: A Primer on Supplements This section provides simple, but important information on supplements. Chapter 15: Myths and Tips of Training and Nutrition This section packs a ton of tips and myth busting in regards to training and nutrition. Chapter 16: Putting it All Together for Fat Loss This section gives you a quick look at how to put this information together to achieve fat loss on your own. Chapter 17: Closing This section provides my closing remarks on the subject of fat loss. Chapter 18: Recommendations This section shows you my recommendation for other material, trainers, and resources.
CHAPTER ONE
A Calorie is a What? Trick Question: How many calories do you burn trying to understand what a calorie is? A calorie is a unit of energy. More specifically, it is the amount of energy or heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). It is most often used to access the energy content of food, though it can measure other amounts of energy in chemistry. Food calories are represented by a capital C and are 1000 times bigger than one physicist's calorie (spelled with a small c). On a nutrition label, it will appear as "cals" or "Kcal." Nutritionists measure the energy content of food in calories with an apparatus known as the calorimeter. It’s a device that measures the heat of chemical reactions, physical changes, and heat capacity. Basically, lab coats spend time blowing up your food in a metal container mixed with water and powder. The higher the temperature of the water and metal, the more energy (calories) is in the food. This is as basic as it gets for an explanation, but the process isn’t that complicated. You can even find easy instructions online for making your own calorimeter. All of this boiling of food provides us with how many calories are based in grams of different macronutrients. When one pound of water is raised 4 degrees Fahrenheit, the amount of heat used in that chosen unit of heat is a Calorie. How that energy burns in your body is the equivalent to this experiment. Thus, we derive the formula for how grams are burned in the body, based on their macronutrient content. 1 gram of Carbohydrates: 4 Calories 1 gram of Protein: 4 Calories 1gram of Fat: 9 Calories 1 gram of Alcohol: 7 Calories Using this formula, if all you have is the gram amount for your food items, you can figure up the caloric amount on your own. 30 grams of peanut butter has:
16 grams of Fat
6 grams of Carbohydrates
8 grams of Protein
Using the figures we derive: 16 Grams of Fat = 16 x 9 = 144 calories from Fat 6 Grams of Carbohydrates = 6 x 4 = 24 calories from Carbohydrates 8 Grams of Protein = 8 x 4 = 32 calories from Protein Add those totals together and you get 144 + 24 + 32 = 200 Calories for every 30 grams of peanut butter. 30 grams will roughly equal two tablespoons of peanut butter. What Your Body Does with Calories Professor George Benedek burned a peanut. He stood in the front of a small class of 50 students and held a peanut on a wire made from a paper clip with pliers. He then positioned the peanut under a test tube which contained ten grams of water. Beneath the peanut was a large pan filled with water. To the side of the room, a large fire extinguisher rested ready for use in case of a botched experiment. Benedek proceeded to set the peanut on fire. Soon, drops of oil dripped from the nut and into the pan of water. The water in the test tube started to boil. When the peanut finally burned out, there were only eight grams of water left. When you eat a peanut your body does the same sort of thing. It converts the energy stored in the food to energy in order to keep operating. Different calories do different things; a calorie isn't just a calorie. Your body has certain processes and demands that require different supplies of calories. It’s important that you keep this in mind, not only for fat loss, but life in general. Look at food as a means to provide you with the function of life. Sure, function and life can be tasty, but make sure it is smart energy. How Caloric Burn Works There are 5 categorized components that make up the calories you burn on a daily basis. This is also called your metabolic rate. 1. Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE) 2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) 3. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) 4. Non-Exercise Physical Activity (NEPA) 5. Thermic of Activity (TEA)
Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE) or Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Basal Energy Expenditure is also known as Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). This is the amount of energy (calories) you use while your body is at rest. This is also known as bed rest calories. This is the energy it takes for you to perform basic body functions like breathing, blood flow, and repairing. In short, this is your basic functions of life. For a coma patient, this energy rate accounts for almost 100% of their expenditure. For a sedentary office worker who doesn’t exercise, this can account as high as 75% of their energy expenditure. For an avid exerciser, it could be as low as 40% of their daily total. This would only be the case for an elite professional athlete who tops out at their days caloric expenditure possibilities. The amount of body weight you have is going to vary into this equation. Fat and muscle mass will increase basal metabolic rate. A pound of muscle burns roughly 6 calories at rest. When looking at your body fat ratio, people often want to take into account total lean body mass. The problem with that is lean body mass isn’t just muscle. It is made up of water, organs, blood and more. Of that lean mass, determining what amount of it is muscle is not a logical feat for the average person. On top of that, RMR formulas take a basic amount of healthy muscle mass into consideration. You can see how focusing on the calories your muscle burns is hardly relevant. While you may not get a large increase in burn from muscle, you do get an increase of expenditure from the training it takes to get and keep that muscle. With a day of strength training and a possible 20 pounds of extra muscle, you could easily burn 300-400 calories a day over someone at rest with the same weight. A common question is "How much does fat burn?" Generally, we see estimates close to 3 calories per pound at rest. It is safe to say muscle at rest burns roughly 2x that of fat. If you refer to the previous example of 20 pounds, if one was muscle and the other was fat, it would be 120 calories versus 60 calories at rest. Nothing dramatic, but again, look at the means it takes to get there. This is where you see the detailed importance. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) This is the amount of energy it takes to digest nutrients in our bodies. Each macronutrient has a different TEF level. There will be slight variations depending on your personal digestive system. Fat: 3-4% of 100 Calories Consumed Simple Carbohydrates: 4-7% of 100 Calories Consumed Alcohol: 15-20% of 100 Calories Consumed
Dietary Fibrous Vegetables: 15-20% of 100 Calories Consumed Protein: 20-25% of 100 Calories Consumed From this chart, you might say we should live off only meat, veg and liquor. Well, I wouldn’t recommend guiding only by TEF for two main reasons. The first being, TEF makes up an extremely small amount of your overall caloric burn. The second reason is our reactions to each macronutrient will be unique to the individual. For example, you may get a higher TEF from protein, but higher energy spurts from simple carbohydrates. The combinations of macronutrients will provide a different TEF than them in individual consumption. Your energy intake choices will lead to a variety of difference in your energy expenditure. Be smart when making decisions about macro intake and try not to get caught up in hitting the highest numbers possible. In the macronutrient section, I will discuss more how macro combinations alter metabolic rate. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogensis (NEAT) For the purpose of being meticulous, I am separating the sections of NEAT and NEPA. NEAT is the movement driven mostly by subconscious behavior. In research, we see the impact of people's natural habits directly affected by nutritional intake on a subconscious level. NEAT and NEPA are separated because you can’t really alter a subconscious behavior. You can alter habit and your continuous reactions to feeding can play a huge role that later could influence subconscious behavior. Aside from that, we understand NEAT for interest and research, but with little ability you affect it. Non-Exercise Physical Activity (NEPA) NEPA represents low grade activity you do on a day-to-day basis. These are the calories you burn when walking to the mailbox, washing the dishes, or getting ready for the day. This is the energy you expend when technically not trying to get exercise in a formal manner. This activity can heighten your caloric expenditure by a lot more than you think. The average office worker burns roughly 70 calories per hour due to NEPA activity. The average waitress burns 120 calories an hour due to NEPA activity. That is nearly double that of the average office worker. In an 8 hour shift, the waitress would burn 960 calories while the office worker would burn 560. Low levels of NEPA in a day can make creating natural caloric deficits difficult and lead to a lot of problems with extreme deficits, binging, and overtraining to compensate for low daily caloric burn. Low NEPA is a silent killer of fat loss for many and a driving force behind today's growing obesity epidemic.
Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) TEA is targeted or purposeful exercise. This expenditure category represents aerobic or anaerobic specific training. An individual may or may not have TEA output on a daily basis depending on their training program and lifestyle habits. While there isn’t a technical label of TEA is research literature, it is safe to assume TEA factors are higher than 50-55% of MHR. This doesn’t exclude the benefit of walking specifically for exercise or suggest that low grade movements can’t count as exercise specific activity. A Day of Burn As you can see, when you combine all those things, you have a day's burn. There are other factors which increase or decrease your burn. Some of those things I discuss in the book, but from injury to the menstrual cycle, it is endless. The biggest take away is this – caloric burn is not static. It changes all the time. Until the day you die, much like a snowflake, you will never burn the same energy or need the same intake. A Calorie Isn't Just a Calorie This is a section open for a lot of debate in the fitness and nutrition community. The truth is, this shouldn't be a debate. It shouldn't be an issue. However, because one side of the camp makes things way too simplistic and the other side complicates it, we are left with this mess. Calories matter, in fact they are all that matters. If you stop eating, you die. I think that is a pretty simple argument for their importance. When people say things like "Calories don't matter; it's macros!" it makes as much sense as saying, "Breathing doesn't matter; it's all about the oxygen!" I implore you to set aside any arguments you have heard on calorie theory. I want to introduce you to calorie common sense theory. A Calorie Hardly Has One Function The macros you choose are going to provide different results. Different intakes of different macros are going to affect you in different ways. For example, low carbohydrate diets are here to stay and for a good reason. For some individuals, they can provide a tremendous benefit to weight loss. A few benefits are increased satiation, less bounces in hunger pangs (placebo or not), and increased nutrient intake by way of elimination of most processed foods. In short, a low carb diet can increase daily activity, decrease caloric intake on an easier level, and help sustain a long-term lifestyle. However, there can be downfalls for a lot of individuals such as, decreased energy, negative mood enhancement and poor training recovery. So, for those other people it can decrease movement, enhance negative behavioral shifts, and make training produce less results. The difference between the two could be hundreds lost in caloric expenditure.
You can't look at macro selection in a black and white manner. The system of the body works together in harmony with one another. The end result is a balanced and complicated vision of nature. Still, Energy Counts There are 101 ways to get fat and 101 ways to stay fat in an abstract sense. By abstract, I mean there is no one direction or route to obesity. Why we overeat, are hungry, move less; are all conquests for researchers everywhere. These are abstract in that they are not directly related to intake, but they affect your intake. When someone says calories are all that matters, they are wrong and they are right. They are wrong to remove the importance of metabolic effects, emotional trauma, sleep, training, etc. They are right because energy balance, regardless of how those things affect it, is all that matters. In a direct sense, there is only one way to lose and gain fat. There are infinite methods to go about that process from paleo to lemonade diets. No matter what the methods, a deficit has to be achieved to lose fat. How you choose to go about this manner becomes a personal decision. That personal decision should be based on facts, not fear or dogma. Here are three phrases you need to become familiar with: 1. Caloric Deficit -You are in a negative amount of energy needs for your metabolic function. 2. Caloric Surplus - You are in an excess amount of energy needs for your metabolic function. 3. Caloric Maintenance - You are taking in the needed energy for your metabolic function. Here is an example that puts the above information into practice: Jesse’s body in one day burns 2,000 calories. If Jesse is taking in 1,600 calories a day, Jesse is in a caloric deficit. Jesse is taking in less than what his body is expending. The next day, Jesse’s body burns 2,000 calories. If Jesse is taking in 2,400 calories a day, Jesse is in a caloric surplus. Jesse is taking in more than what his body is expending. The third day, Jesse’s body burns 2,000 calories. If Jesse is taking in 2,000 calories a day, Jesse is at maintenance. Jesse is taking in the same amount of energy his body is expending. If you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight. If you are in a caloric surplus, you will gain weight. If you are in a caloric maintenance, you will maintain your weight. Getting an Estimation for Your Daily Caloric Burn
There are a few methods of attaining your daily caloric burn estimations. I talk about these things extensively in Starve Mode. For the purpose of brevity, I am going to keep it to my basic recommendations in this book. If you wish to see the reasoning detail and studies, feel free to read it in that book. There are two basic methods an individual can choose to use. 1. Formula 2. Activity Monitor You can also get basal metabolic measuring done to use in conjunction with these methods. Because everything is an estimate, and caloric burn isn't static, I feel the use of these two options is sufficient. Daily Caloric Burn via Calculations and Formulas Over the last few years I've been examining and try to determine through research and my own anecdotal experience which formulas are best. Again, I go into great detail about this in Starve Mode if you desire, but for here I am just going to provide my quick opinions and 3 categories. Deficit/Refeeding: Mifflin-St Jeor Formula – I feel this formula takes into account any downgrade adjustments which occur in deficits. It is the conservative formula that will likely assure you the best results. Maintenance: Harris Benedict Formula - The HB formula has shown a tendency to overestimate in deficits at times, but seems solid for calculating maintenance intake. What this suggests is it could be a great formula for those who are feeding, but maybe too high for those in a deficit. Above Average Lean Body Mass: Harris Benedict or Katch-McArdle – Both of these formulas assume a higher caloric burn either due to feeding status or lean body mass. If you are someone who carries extra muscle compared to the average population, you may want to consider these. Here are all the formulas and links to online calculator usage. I have made them available on my site. Mifflin-St Jeor: Men 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (y) + 5 Women 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (y) - 161.
Link of Online Calculator for Mifflin-St Jeor Harris Benedict: Men 66.5 + (13.75 X weight in kg) + (5.003 X height in cm) - (6.775 X age in years) Women 655.1 + (9.563 X weight in kg) + (1.85 X height in cm) - (4.676 X age in years) Link of Online Calculator for Harris Benedict Katch-McArdle: Men & Women (21.6 x Fat Free Mass*) + 370 *Fat Free Mass is in KG Link of Online Calculator for Katch-McArdle Example BMR Using Mifflin-St Jeor I wanted to provide you with an example of getting your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula. I am electing to use this one because most of you are aiming for fat loss. This is about to get quite math heavy. If you don’t want to bother with it, just use the calculators supplied. I am only showing you how to do this so you understand how the formulas work. Again, I apologize for the math ahead. 1. If you are American, you will need to convert your weight and height. You can use this formula or this online calculator. Pounds to Kilograms = lbs / 2.2 = kilograms Inches to Centimeters = in x 2.54 = cm For this example, we are going to use Jenna. Jenna is a 40 year old, 5’6 female and weighs 145 pounds. Her conversions look like this: Jenna = 65.7 kg and 167.6 cm 2. Fill in your stats with the formula. Make sure you select the right gender. 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (y) - 161.
Jenna’s formula would look like this. (10 x 65.7) + (6.25 x 167.6) - (5 x 40) - 161 = BMR 3. Do the math based on order of operations. 657 + 1047.5 - 200 - 161 = 1343 Jenna’s BMR = 1343 4. Now that you have your BMR, you will add your activity factor to the BMR to achieve your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). Remember, the BMR number is energy at rest. If you add any other activity it increases your metabolic rate. Activity Factor: The Make or Break of Accuracy It is vital you understand the importance of correctly determining your activity factor. This multiplier can be the make or break you your success. It is also necessary to assume variations in activity factor (if needed). Typical Activity Factor Multipliers BMR x 1.2
If you are sedentary-you do little or no exercise in a day
BMR x 1.375 If you are lightly active-light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week BMR x 1.55
If you are moderately active-moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week
BMR x 1.725 If you are very active-hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week BMR x 1.9
If you are extra active-very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training
There is nothing wrong with these factors, but the explanation leave many confused. If you are a desk worker, it doesn’t matter if you train 6-7 days a week, you could still have an activity factor of 1.2 if the rest of your day is sedentary. This deserves repeating. It doesn’t matter if you train 6-7 days a week, you could still have an activity factor of 1.2 if the rest of your day you don’t move. I have seen many people make this mistake. It is encouraged by outlandish formulas and calculators released by various professionals. The truth is, in modern societies people are becoming very sedentary. Lifestyle matters just as much as training. Remember the sections
about the factors that determine burn? NEAT, NEPA and TEF? These are equally as valuable as exercise. The following quiz will help you determine your activity level based on your lifestyle. This is hardly scientific, but it is common sense and based on solid data. Remember these final numbers are not for a deficit; these numbers are for maintenance. Tips for getting an accurate result:
Be honest with yourself.
If you’re a mom running around with your kids, that is a job.
Keep in mind exercise intensity levels and frequency. 1. I start my day with…
a. Hitting the snooze button. b. Quick coffee and clothes. c. Long-time getting ready and homemade breakfast. d. Morning jog or run. e. Resistance work and aerobic training. 2. I get to work by… a. I work at home. b. I take my car and use elevators. c. I take my car and try to park further away/take stairs. d. My job is close enough for me to walk. e. My job is farther away, but I walk, run or bike there.
3. My day of work is… a. I work at home and sit at a computer all day. b. I sit at a desk/computer all day. c. I am up and down most of the day and sit periodically (includes kids).
d. I am moving most the time at a steady pace. e. I am moving most of the time at an aggressive pace. My job is very physical. 4. Physically my job is rated… a. 1-2 level of intensity b. 3-4 level of intensity c. 5-6 level of intensity d. 7-8 level of intensity e. 9-10 level of intensity 5. After work I… a. Am already home. b. Drive straight home or stop to get food and a drink. c. Run errands for extended periods of time. d. Hit the gym or work out at home. e. Go to second job/train for more than an hour. 6. I workout… a. Never. b. 1-3 times a week lightly. c. 3-5 times a week moderately. d. 3-5 times a week with moderate/high intensity. e. 5-7 times a week with high intensity. 7. At night I… a. Lay or sit still watching TV. b. Watch TV, but hand cook my meals. c. Go out with friends/socialize. d. Exercise and cook dinner.
e. Am still working. 8. I sleep … a.10+ hours a night. b. 8-10 hours a night. c. 6-8 hours a night. d. 4-6 hours a night. e. Less than 4 hours a night. 9. When I exercise I … a. Keep it to light walking and activity. b. Walk a lot/power-walk and maybe do a few resistance movements. c. Light aerobic work and some resistance training. d. Participate intensely in organized aerobic and resistance work. e. Train for hours on end. I’m an athlete.
10. On the weekends I … a. Catch up on TV, computer, video games and rest. b. Mostly sit around, run some errands, cook dinner. c. Do movement based socializing or play sports with friends. d. Participate in organized aerobic and resistance training. e. Train for hours on end. I’m an athlete.
A: 1 point B: 2 points C: 3 points D: 4 points
E: 5 points
10-15 points: Activity Level 1.1 to 1.2 16-25 points: Activity Level 1.3 to 1.4 26-33 points: Activity Level 1.45 to 1.55 34-42 points: Activity Level 1.6 to 1.8 43-50 points: Activity Level 1.85+
Using the Activity Factor to Determine Daily Caloric Burn with BMR Now that you have your activity factor, let’s continue with our previous example of Jenna. Her lifestyle is as follows: She works a desk job, runs basic errands, watches a lot of TV and gets no real exercise. Her activity factor would appear to be a 1.2. If we multiply her BMR (1343) by the number 1.2, we get 1,611.6. This means in a day she burns roughly 1,600 calories by estimation. This might be a surprising number given the standard numbers we see, like 2000kcal, for daily intake. Let’s say Jenna changes up her daily routine and starts to get more. She increases activities like stair climbing or parking further away at work. She also add's 40 minutes of formal exercise 5-6 days a week. Jenna will see her activity factor change from 1.2 to 1.45. This brings Jenna maintenance caloric need to 1947.3 calories. This number is much closer to the "2000" level we are often told, but with more effort than you may have previously thought. Remember, your activity factor is critical. Make sure to take into account all factors when determining a starting point. Daily Caloric Burn via Activity Monitors Recent technology has given us the gift of moving away from caloric formulas, and into the age of actual movement tracking. While you should avoid taking these devices as absolute truth, there is no denying how they advance our knowledge in free-living conditions. Previously, all we had was being lab rats in a ward to understand daily movement. Now, we can get a vague estimation of what we are doing in our daily lives. It should be a game changer, but I'm seeing the response is still low. That doesn't mean it can't change your world.
What Are Activity Monitors? Simply put, activity monitors are electronic devices that monitor your daily movement and caloric expenditure. For this book, I am only going to discuss two popular brands. In a year, this could be outdated and new ones have hit the market. However, the basic premise and technology is not likely to change on a large level. The two brands I am going to focus on are: 1. Sensewear/Bodymedia 2. Fitbit These two brands are very different in their technology and services, but the end result isn't dramatically different. Sensewear/Bodymedia Bodymedia produces armband devices that track your daily caloric expenditure. It has an online tracking system for food, weight, and activity additions. It monitors your expenditure through 4 primary methods of measure.
Triaxial Accelerometer - This measures motion and movement through multiple points.
Heat Flux - How much heat your body gives off.
Galvanic Skin Response - How much stress your body gives off.
Skin Temperature - The temperature your bodies skin is.
In short, you wear it around you arm and it monitors movement, body heat, and skin response. Fitbit The Fitbit is a small clip device used to measure movement intensity and angle of motion. It can be clipped to various places on the body (shirt pocket, bra, pants waist). It has an online tracking system for food, activities, and weight changes. It collects its data through 2 primary measures.
Barometric Pressure Sensor - It measures the weight of air and your movement through it.
Triaxial Accelerometer - This measures motion and movement through multiple points.
In non-scientific terms, the fitbit is a fancy barometer pedometer. Because of the addition of the Barometric Pressure Sensor, it adds an additional factor not seen in most pedometers, which is what makes it more sensitive.
Why Get an Activity Monitor? The real question is, "Why not get an activity monitor?" This is an energy game. This is a movement game. If you are reading this book, more than likely the game didn't come effortlessly to you. More than likely "eating less and moving more" or "eating a clean diet and exercising 56 times a week" didn't do it for you. In my experience, most people who I consult end up getting hit in the face by their activity level. The Negatives of an Activity Monitor I don't want to paint a picture of rainbows and unicorns flying through the sky wearing activity monitors. There can be downfalls to activity monitors that I want to make clear. 1. They aren't the final answer or even the right answer. Activity monitors are filled with errors and problems. The truth is: no device can show you what you burn in a free-living experiment. They are good guesses at best. At their worst, they paint a ghastly view of the situation. These devices should be taken with a grain of salt and used with a collection of factors (e.g. formulas, results, consultation with an expert) to determine a good caloric range. 2. They can encourage negative activity compulsions. For some rare individuals, they can inspire or trigger obsessive compulsive behavior with movement. It can increase your desire to challenge your pace of movement on an unhealthy level. Activity is good. Not resting and being aggressive with your body is bad. More is not remotely better. I talk about this more in Starve Mode if you think this has been an issue. 3. They aren't free. The formulas are free. Seeing what happens when you restrict based on guess or using a set caloric number is free. Portions are free. No one has to purchase any device to lose fat. Which One Should I Get? If you do end up getting a model, I personally like the Fitbit. That doesn't mean they are more accurate or more researched. In fact, I believe in certain settings the Sensewear models are more accurate. They are also more researched. The Fitbits are simply easier to wear, they come with a one-time fee, and provide a legitimate estimation for activity level. From anecdotal experiences, I have found they also have a tendency to slightly underestimate on many occasions. My take home point is, if they aren't perfect anyway, then choose the ones closest to perfect that make sense for most people's lifestyle.
Exercise Activity vs. Lifestyle Activity in Activity Monitors I have found activity monitors have a tendency to overestimate rigorous training. When the monitors are rating day-to-day activity like cooking, walking, housework, or light movement, I have found they land very close to accurate. When the monitors are rating intensive exercise like running, strength training, and anaerobic drills, I have found they land higher than realistic numbers. A good technique you can try is to log your lifestyle activity close to what states and then subtract 5-10% of any intensive training activity. This may land you in a more realistic zone. There are also exceptions to the rule or places where logging is poor in certain exercise machines. Forums and support centers for both monitors cover a lot of this information. Lastly, you could also use heart monitors during training to gauge your level of intensity and burn during actual training.
CHAPTER TWO
The Activity of Life and Training During my experiments to monitor the number of calories people burned in a typical workout, I encountered some surprises, including the revelation that high-intensity workouts aren't always the calorie consumers they are claimed to be. Even more surprising was the discovery that average, everyday activities burn way more calories than some gym workouts. Here are some of my findings: MEN Subject weighed 198lbs and had 15 percent body fat Base calorie burn (60 minutes sitting): 60 calories 45-minute weightlifting session: 225 calories 25-minute interval workout: 196 calories 50-minute dog walk around hilly park: 305 calories 34-minute gardening session: 210 calories
WOMEN Subject weighed 180lbs and had 39 percent body fat Base calorie burn (60 minutes sitting): 61 calories 40-minute weightlifting session: 255 calories 25 minute interval workout: 167 calories 59-minute grocery shopping and cooking session: 255 calories 45-minute bathroom cleanup: 201 calories Can you see what I’m getting at? You can burn calories anywhere, and more often than not, you burn more calories running errands than you do on the treadmill. But I can hear the protests from exercise enthusiasts now: What about the afterburn? Can’t a high-intensity workout give me a better long-term burn than everyday activities? Maybe, but there can be drawbacks. A Look at EPOC (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) EPOC, or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption is a measure of increased oxygen consumption after exercise or strenuous activity. It’s also been called been called “oxygen
deficit” or “afterburn,” but it’s pretty much just a fancy term for how long it takes your body to return to a basal homeostasis. When it comes to this subject, I can only offer some basic evidence from my own experiences with my clients. I haven’t conducted a peer-reviewed study, and you should scrutinize my work and my statement with vigor. But based on my experiences with clients who consumed fewer calories before working out, as well as clients who simply consumed fewer calories, I found most people were less likely to move after a hard workout of lifting or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Most of them just flopped on the couch for the rest of the day. Understand, I stated most. There are outliers who not only achieved a higher burn, but maintain these energy burst and movements through the day. For some, EPOC was a very real factor. For a lot of those same individuals, high-intensity workouts made clients more likely to cheat on their diets because they felt like they deserved to eat more food after working out. There were also issues with severe hunger pangs. This was highest with those who were also restricting carbohydrates. A Few More Fun Activity Experiments: The NEPA Test My next experiment pitted two groups against each other: Group 1: Clients who knew about NEPA and the importance of movement. Group 2: A control group left unaware of NEPA. Note: I gave both groups general training and dietary guidelines. I gave the first group a series of assignments and daily rituals to carry out to increase their NEPA, and the results were dramatic. The group that was aware of the calorie-burning possibilities in everyday life whooped the tails off of the other group, and it was easy to see why. They simply moved more and ate less. When you are made aware of activity being a factor through your whole day, not just exercise, it changes how you choose to live your day. With Group 1, they felt they had the keys to their fat loss and composition in a different way. The result? More results. "What's Cooking in the Kitchen?" Test I think any healthy, active person should get used to cooking their own meals so they can control exactly what they eat, but keep this in mind: Cooking can help you get in shape. It can certainly help you burn calories, not just eat them.
I compared the calorie counts of two groups of people. Both groups cooked meals, but one group cooked a meal in 5 minutes (the “quick” group), while the other group took closer to 30 minutes (the “cooking” group). Weight
Quick Meal Calories
Cooking Meal Calories
125lbs
11
75
145lbs
13
82
180lbs
20
93
195lbs
19
101
215lbs
25
111
260lbs
23
134
310lbs
29
163
Average time for quick meals and consumption: 23 mins Average time for prepared meals and consumption: 66 mins In every case, the groups who took more time to cook wound up burning more calories. Post meals, the other individuals are just sitting. Obviously, you can make arguments for individuals who need more time to train, so faster meals would make more sense. However, if you are having a hard time getting general activity in or need distraction, cooking is a great way to satisfy taste buds and burn. Using these numbers, let’s speculate how many more calories you could be burning every week if you took time to cook your meals. 125lbs – 399 calories Extra Calories Per Week 145lbs – 448 calories Extra Calories Per Week 180lbs – 462 calories Extra Calories Per Week 195lbs – 469 calories Extra Calories Per Week 215lbs – 476 calories Extra Calories Per Week 260lbs – 630 calories Extra Calories Per Week 310lbs – 840 calories Extra Calories Per Week For those of you who weigh 310 pounds, keep in mind that if you did just this alone you’d lose 12 pounds a year. That beats most weight loss studies that follow subjects who don’t burn a lot of calories.
In addition to cooking, the great American pastime of mall-walking can also be productive. Even general socializing can burn calories. Dancing, hanging out with your friends, and a walk after dinner can be a game changer. Who knew? Am I saying these things are going to extremely alter your body composition or add pounds of muscle? No. But, can they be part of what helps you lean out to reveal the muscle you have built? You bet it can! The little things do add up. The Hunting Test I assembled a crack team to participate in a real-life study of ancient hunter-gatherer eating practices. Here is how the day laid out and level of experience of training involved. Participants: • 2 Female • 2 Male All four subjects were in good shape and passed a beginner level of training. All had extensive experience in advanced aerobic activities like anaerobic conditioning and long distance steady cardio. All were experienced weightlifters and had endured a form of training known as general physical preparedness, or GPP. Here are their individual stats: Female 1 Age: 27 Height: 5’5” Weight: 137lbs Body fat: 20 percent Resting heart rate: 51 Female 2 Age: 26 Height: 5’4” Weight: 129lbs Body fat: 19 percent Resting heart rate: 54 Male 1
Age: 31 Height: 5’10” Weight: 185lbs Body fat: 10 percent Resting heart rate: 59 Male 2 Age: 29 Height: 6’0” Weight: 181lbs Body fat: 9 percent Resting heart rate: 52 Assignment: The four of us had to track animals and collect food from the wild until we met roughly the caloric amount we needed for the day. I estimated 2,500 calories for the females and 3,000 calories for the males. No one had to catch or kill any animals, though we tried to simulate the practice by asking our subject to get within range of them. Subjects did pretend fish using baskets. Intent was the noted importance. Food intake: All subjects were provided with a base amount of food. Females were given a supply of 1,100 calories in trail mix made up of jerky, nuts, and dried fruit. Males were given 1,500 calories. They had to pretend capture the rest of their food. Water: No restrictions. Monitoring: All subjects wore heart monitors and GoWearFit devices. Our "Catch": 8 Trout 1 Deer 3 Rabbits 2 Baskets with mushrooms, berries, and nuts. Overall Estimate of Caloric Content for Food: Roughly 125,000 calories, assuming we tried to eat as much of the deer possible. In real life, most of the deer would go bad unless shared. Time Spent Hunting and Collecting Food: 8 hours Calories Burned during the course of those 8 hours: Female 1: 1,801 calories Female 2: 1,743 calories
Male 1: 2,810 calories Male 2: 2,440 calories Caloric Burn for the 4 hours of walking back to camp and cooking food, cleaning, and eating: Female 1: 531 Female 2: 491 Male 1: 1,069 Male 2: 989 Caloric Burn for Rest of night until Morning after sleep: Female 1: 741 Female 2: 690 Male 1: 1,304 Male 2: 1,129 Grand Total of the Full Day Female 1: 3,073 Female 2: 2,924 Male 1: 5,183 Male 2: 4,558 These are pretty high caloric burns. The only people who normally attain these kinds of numbers in their daily lives are athletes. I’ve seen those in the Amish community who have been studied have shown huge numbers of calories because of their lifestyle. For the rest of us, we’ll have to content ourselves with being more active. On this note, I have to sound off about these athletes who say they eat 10,000 calories a day. It’s just not possible. Such a person would have to be extremely large and would have to burn seven calories a minute for 24 hours straight. That’s like running a nonstop marathon all day and all night. The important thing to think about is once we made these catches, the next few days would be spent enjoying them. Either the meat and foods would rot, or we would eat until time to hunt again. There would be bits of high activity days and longer periods of sedentary days. This goes along with a lot of archeology research of ancestor hunters and gathers. Bottom Line: None of that was targeted or formal exercise, yet see the numbers? The Rat Race Test
We have to take a step back into the real world because the reality is modern first world culture doesn't have to worry about hunting for food. They just tip the barista. This next experiment looks at the plight of office workers. Participants: • 2 Female • 2 Male All had passed a beginner level of training. All were experienced in doing advanced aerobic activities such as HIIT and long-distance steady-state cardio. All experienced in lifting weights and in GPP conditioning. Female 1 Age: 27 Height: 5’5” Weight: 137lbs Body fat: 20 percent Resting heart rate: 51 Female 2 Age: 26 Height: 5’4” Weight: 129lbs Body fat: 19 percent Resting heart rate: 54 Male 1 Age: 31 Height: 5’10” Weight: 185lbs Body fat: 10 percent Resting heart rate: 59 Male 2 Age: 29 Height: 6’0” Weight: 181lbs Body fat: 9 percent Resting heart rate: 52
In short, all the subjects were trainers or gym rats. I thought this was important so we could see the effect of this kind of inactivity on people who are normally so active. Monitoring: All subjects wore heart monitors and GoWearFit devices. Food intake: Females were given a supply of 1,100 calories in trail mix made up of jerky, nuts, and dried fruit. Males were given 1,500 calories. Side note: I opted to provide a similar amount of food so I could compare the results to the hunter-gatherer experiment. Water: No restrictions. Assignment: The four of us had to wake up and prepare for an office workday. The men wore suits and the women dress suits. I also kept track of how many calories everyone burned while getting ready in the morning, because a high-energy morning routine can contribute to calorieburning, too. We meet at a faux office setup. Over the course of a full shift, we worked on our laptops and pretended to get up and perform basic tasks around the office. We took a lunch break at the park. We did this for two days. I monitored calorie-burn after work, too. The rule was, on day one, the subjects didn’t train after work, instead just engaging in typical nocturnal activities. On day two, everyone trained. Time spent preparing for work and working: 9 ½ hours Calories Burned during those 9 1/2 hours: Female 1: 593 calories Female 2: 562 calories Male 1: 954 calories Male 2: 1,002 calories Day 1: No training. Calories burned: I tried to make this evening as lazy as possible. I only allowed the subjects to eat quick-grab meals, watch TV and get up to go to the bathroom. Female 1: 261 Female 2: 231 Male 1: 410 Male 2: 402
Calories burned until the following morning during rest: Female 1: 687 Female 2: 633 Male 1: 918 Male 2: 850 Day 1: Total calories burned: Female 1: 1,541 Female 2: 1,462 Male 1: 2,282 Male 2: 2,254 Day 2: Training Included The working caloric intake was practically identical. The big difference was in calories burned after work. The second evening included 45 minutes of weightlifting and aerobic conditioning, but I also asked my subjects to go shopping for fresh food and prepare a meal. I may have let ‘em watch a little TV. Here’s how the calories broke down: Calories burned after work w/training and cooking Female 1: 660 Female 2: 690 Male 1: 990 Male 2: 973 Calories burned until the following morning: Female 1: 752 Female 2: 705 Male 1: 1,099 Male 2: 959 Day 2: Total calories burned: Female 1: 2,005 Female 2: 1,957 Male 1: 3,043 Male 2: 2,934
Observations Did you notice how the active day sparked a higher calorie burn for the rest of the day? Momentum is a key player here. It’s easier to keep walking once you’ve started walking. The starting is the hardest part. How Much Do We Deserve? I have a hypothesis: Sedentary jobs make you feel entitled. Desk jobs are boring, stressful and low on distractions. When you’re stuck at a desk all day, your mind starts to wander, invariably toward how frustrated you are, and that often leads you to think about food. What’s worse is when you get into that pattern, you start to think you deserve more food than you actually need. I also think that people with desk jobs convince themselves that they’re burning a lot more calories than they actually are. Look back at my numbers, and you’ll see that one of the women only burned 1,462 calories for her entire sedentary day. Let me underline that point: This is a fit, normally active woman, and over an entire day of activity, she burned less than 1,500 calories. That wasn’t her base metabolic rate — that was for her entire day. She wasn't metabolically damaged, she was activity deprived. Sedentary lives are deadly to fat loss and even general health. It’s an easy bad guy to overlook. A Deeper Look at NEPA/NEAT During Fat Loss This section is going to take a deeper look at determining your activity level and how making subtle lifestyle changes can take your fat loss from nonexistent to roaring. To recap, NEPA and NEAT are the calories you burn through the day that aren't exercise specific activities. From shaking your leg during a conversation to walking to the mailbox, caloric burn adds up everywhere. Genetically Gifted or Just Understanding Caloric Expenditure As some of you might know, I made my name in the industry by helping those who had or believe they had metabolic weakness or dysfunction. However, what the majority of them had
was a problem with understanding their daily activity. Even more so, understanding how their daily activity adjusted during a deficit state. The average person has poor understanding of what their daily caloric burn is and less understanding of caloric intake relevant to that fact. An argument of mine is that to some degree the genetically-gifted in terms of body composition really comes down to two things:
Their level of unforced/natural NEPA and NEAT. Their relative understanding of whether or not they are in a positive or negative energy flow.
To me the differences in those who are genetically-gifted boil down to their signals, hormones, and caloric sixth sense. Basically, they are more in-tune with running off of their energy storage. A prime example of this is the muscled six-pack ab guy that kills of a whole pizza by himself. I have known that guy. What you don't see is the pizza can be their only meal for the day, maybe a beer or two later and a snack. Just because he is killing off a pizza in front of you now, doesn't mean he has been eating like that all day. It doesn't mean he eats like that all the time, but I have seen where it can. The jealous, non-genetically-gifted person usually misunderstands hunger signals in relation to expenditure. For the record, I was once the later. So, I feel your frustration. The Effect of Dieting Down on NEAT If understanding caloric burn and intake on a daily basis wasn't hard enough, it is even more of a challenge when you move into a deficit state. Dieting down leads to crossed signals, even more physical and emotional need for food, and natural slowed down physical states to make up for decreased food intake. Remember, caloric burn comes from twiddling your thumbs to getting something out of your car. What I lay out in front of you is an example of how dieting down can lower your NEAT/NEPA effect. It can become pointless killing yourself in the gym, if in turn you lower your overall activity. Below I am going to list out 4 charts based on one client. The client was not made aware of activity or movement changes during certain portion of the monitoring. All uploads were done by myself and data was only seen by me. These charts are excluding sleep time.
Chart 1 This first chart is the caloric burn level of a client before they started their diet program on a normal day. Their day revolves around getting up, walking the dog, going to work, and working in an office environment. Their night is filled with various errands and general home life.
Overall, this client has a moderate caloric burn. Their lifestyle is low in intensity, but moderate on NEAT/NEPA. There caloric burn per minute peaks at 3.5. This suggests the client doesn't hit heart rates higher than 55% on a regular basis. Chart 2 This second chart is the same client after they have started formal training for 5 days a week. Their days involved all other activities, but now with the additional gym work. This client has just begun a caloric deficit intake of 35% less than their daily needs.
You can see there is a spiked increase in intensity from training. Overall, their caloric burn has increased significantly. They peak now slightly above 10 calories per min. 3x higher than their previous peak. Chart 3 This chart shows the same client 4 weeks into the training program. You can see a small drop in caloric expenditure during workouts, but also in daily activity. Their general activity spike has dropped from 3.5 to 2.5. Basically, they are slowing more at the gym and during the day, meaning less overall burn.
This is where NEAT/NEPA show their teeth. Because the client started using their fat stores for energy, their body’s natural reaction is to slow exerting that energy. Less food will equal less bouts of movement. The client’s dog walks get shorter and less active in movement. Instead of wandering in the grocery store, they move in and out. Their training at the gym isn't much less in intensity, but when they come home they are so worn out they crash. They look for shorter meals and cutting corners. Social behavior with their family and animals alter. Priority goes to relaxing and sleeping where it can. That is the subtle effects of dieting down. The deficit makes these micro changes in behavior that result in stalls to your previous fat loss pattern. Aside from changes in NEPA/NEAT there are underlined hormone changes taking place. I talk in great detail about metabolic adaptation and long-term dieting down effects in Starve Mode. It isn't 100% necessary to know, but explains the reasons behind the actions. Chart 4 This last chart is when the client is made aware of how much their NEAT/NEPA activity affects their burn. If you are conscious of the physical slowing of your activity, this is something you can alter. When given the power of activity monitoring, the client not only increases activity, but surpasses previous high days.
Because of being aware of their activity level, fat loss soars to new levels and plateaus are avoided.
How NEPA Can Backfire There are two core problems that can occur from being aware of your caloric burn. 1. Overdoing Activity Some individuals can take increase NEPA based activity too far and push it into constant training. The end result is multiple bouts of exercising on a daily basis. Working out 4-5 times a day isn't going to fix your problem. The only thing that will do is buy you a one-way ticket to overtraining, excess stress hormones, and more. Avoid burning out and keep general activity to walking and low grade lifestyle changes. It is okay to split up sessions or have intermittent bouts of low grade activity. It is not okay to walk on a treadmill for 4 hours a day try to top out your previous days burn. 2. Increased Hunger Pangs With extra caloric burn usually comes extra hunger. The hungrier you are, the more problems with binging or getting off track with your goals. Be aware of this and register how much movement helps and how much movement hinders. Take Home Point Increasing your low level activity is fine, but don't take it too far to where you are ravenous with hunger or causing yourself injury.
CHAPTER THREE
A Primer on Macronutrients When prepared right, food becomes an explosion of sense-tingling happiness. I don't care what anyone says, I live to eat. I am not going to tell you to not enjoy food. I would just like to remind you that the real purpose of food should be to nourish your body, allowing you to breathe, sleep, run, walk, work, and live. You can’t do any of those things without the aid of food. It’s important for you to understand this, because diet, not “a diet,” is the most important aspect of fat loss. You can train 3 hours a day, but if you aren’t eating the way that you should be to expend that much energy, you aren’t going to get anywhere. The only way you are going to make a dent into your fat loss goals is to eat the right amount of food and the right kinds of food. Is there some mystical and magical nutrition to fat loss? Well, that depends on how you look at it. If to you, something other than fast food is mystical, then you may have to prepare yourself for a journey into a brave new world. Most of the time when people eat, they have no idea what it is they are eating. Can you tell me if your lunch was mainly protein, carbs, or fat? Can you tell me what those things really mean? Does it bother you that you have lived this long, and don’t really understand what you consume on a daily basis, or what your body uses it for? This section is not for the purpose of going into deep detail about different macronutrients. These sections serve as a primer to give you the base knowledge you need for future work and information you are going to read. My work is never to demonize food and my philosophy is one to embrace what food can do for you. This can be true in both repair of the body or celebration of life. While I am trying to teach you the value of making healthy and intelligent food choices, most of what I am trying to do is teach nutritional and training common sense. If you maintain that belief in your life, you might just find your holy grail of the healthy diet. Carbohydrate Basics Carbohydrates represent our chief source of energy. They play a major role in the working process of the immune system, fertilization, pathogenesis (factors causing disease), blood clotting, and development (growth). Made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen – carbohydrates provide the body with many functions and operations. Types
There are different types of carbohydrates. They include a wide category of sugars, starches, fibers, and starchy vegetables that the body eventually converts to glucose (the body's primary source of energy). To keep it simple, they are usually classified into two different categories:
Simple Example-Honey, syrups, powered sugars, most fruits Energy Output-Quick and short lived
Complex Example-Starches, veggies, breads, rice Energy Output-Ranges from quick to slow building, it also ranges from long lasting energy to short lived (the more simple the chain of sugars, the shorter the process)
These titles are basically derived from the makeup of the carbohydrate in question. A simple carbohydrate has one or two sugars within its makeup, while a complex carbohydrate has three or more. For example, white table sugar is just sucrose. However, carbohydrates, like brown rice, have many sugars and starches that come together to form a bond. The more complex a carbohydrate, the longer it takes to break down. The same is true for the reverse. To provide you with a visual, think of sugar in a hot bowl of water. The sugar dissolves quickly and practically disappears before your eyes. This is much like how it would act in your digestion. Bread on the other hand would break up overtime at a slower pace. The more fiber there is the longer the process takes. Being that complex carbohydrates usually have the presence of fiber and protein sources, this will increase breakdown time. Veggies Are Carbohydrates Too Often you will hear people saying they "don't eat carbs" but then they will consume vegetables. Generally, what people are really saying is they don't eat carbohydrates that aren't chiefly fibrous based or vegetable carbohydrates. Dietary Fiber Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of foods. Technically it doesn’t have to stop at that. Really, anything you eat that your body can’t break down is a fiber. I don’t recommend chewing on plastic anytime soon though. Fibers general purpose is to move through your digestive system, pick up general waste, and absorb water leading to a bowel movement. No fiber waste, no poo. Fiber plays a few notable roles in the body. The two key roles are with laxation (poop) and satiety (fullness).
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. It’s important to understand the difference between the two. In a race to get more fiber in their diet people frequently get the wrong kinds for their needs. Take in too much of the wrong kind of fiber and your general constipation can become painful cramps and you made things worse. Insoluble Fiber - This fiber softens your stool and increases its bulk. It cannot be dissolved by water. This is usually the outer layer of your food. Think peels, skins, and shells. Soluble Fiber - This is the fiber that dissolves in water and turns to gel during digestion. It slows digestion rate and helps give more softness to your movement. Soluble fiber is found in oatmeal, oat bran, fruit (insides) and has been shown to do more than just help with bowel movements. When at all possible, combining both types of fibers is best as it will lead to feeling fuller and better bowel function. Intake of Fiber A high fiber intake is considered by most experts to be 20-30g. Surpassing that could cause problems if you have to sacrifice other nutrients in order to achieve intake (excluding supplementation). If you use supplements, it should be only when you are in a deficit of need. If you are eating at maintenance, hopefully your diet provides your basic needs. Supplementation should be done with a blend of fiber to mimic what you should be getting in food. Fiber supplements like psyllium husks (insoluble fiber) alone may irritate your system. This is the same as having too much of a fiber like glucomanan (soluble fiber). Think of it as one is a sandpaper (insoluble) and the other is a spackle (soluble). The right combination fixes an incomplete wall. Too much sanding and you get a hole in the wall. Too much spackle and you get a clumpy mess to the area. With an excess amount of fiber we can also hinder the absorption of vitamins and nutrients. If in a deficit you need a bang for your buck in nutrients. Loading yourself down with fiber is the worst thing to do especially if already sensitive to digestive issues. This is why sticking to the recommended amounts and trying to keep to whole foods is the way to go. Good Carbs, Bad Carbs? How Many Carbs? What constitutes good and bad when it comes to carbohydrates leaves some room for debate. As I stated, I think it is unhealthy practice to label foods as "bad" or "good." I believe this practice leads to an unhealthy mindset with food. The better practice is to figure out what food can do for you and utilize a strategy for your choices. When it comes to carbohydrate choices or quantity, you need to be logical about your needs and rewards. You need to take into account the variables and parameters to your decisions.
Rate of Digestion The rate of digestion in carbohydrates is often the first criteria analyzed when selecting your carbohydrate source. By now most of the world has heard of the Glycemic Index. This index is a system or table of ranking foods containing equal amounts of carbohydrates according to how fast they raise blood glucose levels. The faster it breaks down and enters your blood flow, the higher a number it gets. Can a Fast Rate of Digestion be a Good Thing? If talking about training in a post-workout situation, then the answer may be good for certain individuals. Studies have shown an uptake in protein and carbohydrates post workout can lead to quicker protein syntheses (important process in muscle repair) and stopping the effects of catabolism (muscle breakdown). It can also blunt the effect of cortisol. But, is this necessary with pre-fed training? Likely not. But it will depend on pre-workout nutrition. We are seeing that aggressive sugar loads post-workout are not remotely black or white. I will talk about this more in the workout nutrition section. In the meantime, the likelihood of needing 'fast acting carbs' is only going to be relevant in training or recovery situations. Slower Digestion is Better for Pretty Much Everyone Endless studies show that fast digesting sugars lead to issues with controlling your eating habits. Sugars may not themselves be bad, but the reaction you have to them can be. If low on self control or if you have a body that is resistant to high spikes due to medical problems, fast digesting sugar may not be for you. It is safe to say that for most people, the slower you digest food the better. This would mean choosing a macronutrient combination that gives way to a slower digestion rate. A diet like this would be comprised mostly of fibrous vegetables, fruits and limited starch or simple based carbohydrates. Nutrient Content When I say nutrient content we are talking about judging an item based on the nutrients that it holds. Does this item have a lot of vitamins? Does it provide not only caloric value, but mineral properties as well? Even though you need calories to live and thrive on, you also need vitamins and minerals for that life and movement to be worth something. There is no point to buying a “fully loaded for looks" sports car to only let it sit with mud caked on it. Your body is the same way. The next thing you know that beautifully complicated piece of machinery looks like a dirty hippy’s pinto.
With that being said, there are foods loaded with nutrient value, that are being demonized by various health and fitness professionals. How a potato or tomato ends up on someone's hit list is beyond my comprehension. How Many Carbohydrates? Should I Eat Low Carb? I could write a few books on the war between the carbs. It isn't going to end in my lifetime or yours. I certainly have unfavorable opinions about those who wish to scare people with poor science cloaked as your saving grace. Still, that is for a different book. This is about the simple details and some of you could care less about keyboard or summit warriors. So, what is low carb? What is Keto? What makes the difference? Technically, what I believe to be low carb and what others or the government believe to be low carb are different things. To the government, currently anything below an intake of 50% carbohydrates a day is considered to be a low carbohydrate diet. For the purposes of this discussion, we are going to break down the sections of carb intake into five categories. Note that these categories are for discussion purposes and not technical classifications. Technical classifications change all the time as to what constitutes a high/low carbohydrate diet. While this runs pretty equal to what most sources and studies will claim, you may find some opposing views, but on a small scale difference (roughly 5%).
High Carbohydrate - A diet consisting of more than 70% intake being Carbohydrates. Moderate Carbohydrate - A diet consisting of 50-70% intake being Carbohydrates. Low Carbohydrate - A diet consisting of 30-50% intake being Carbohydrates. Very Low Carbohydrate Diet - A diet consisting of 15-30% intake being Carbohydrates. Keto - A diet consisting of 15% or less intake being Carbohydrates..
In general, I feel staying in a range of 30% to 50% of your daily intake fits for almost everyone. Lower than 30% on a constant basis and you may, especially in women, run into some hormonal and general physiological repercussions. If you’re doing cycling diet programs or taking part of re-feeds, carb loading, etc., this can be different. If doing carbohydrate cycling, you bounce low days with high days for carb intake. Overall, your ratio of intake will lead to a balance and provides a very stable intake environment. In refeeds, you provide a long enough period of high carbohydrate intake to help reset various hormones in the body. The key is to make sure to keep a certain presence of carbohydrates on some level. You will find much arguing on timing of carbohydrates, loading, and so forth. I assure you, the research is not there to support most of the claims you will come across. Protein
Like carbohydrates it contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but the extra kick comes from nitrogen and sometimes sulfur. While this next section won’t be tremendously long, don’t think that it doesn’t mean protein isn’t as important or complicated. I am merely keeping it to the basics for now. Amino Acids Amino acids are the nitrogen containing units from which proteins are formed. There are 20 amino acids. These are broken up into two categories:
8 Essential Amino Acids - The body cannot make them at all or make sufficient quantities certain amino acids to meet the its needs. Essential amino acids must be supplied in the diet.
12 Non-Essential Amino Acids - The body can make all of these acids or can make them if supplied with adequate nitrogen. Nonessential amino acids do not need to be supplied in the diet.
8 ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS
12 NON-ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS
Isoleucine*
Alanine
Leucine*
Arginine
Lysine
Asparagine
Methionine
Aspartic Acid
Phenylalanine
Cysteine
Threonine
Glutamic Acid
Tryptophan
Glutamine
Valine*
Glycine
*= BCAA, Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Histidine
Which is highly important for muscle repair
Proline Serine Tyrosine
Each of these amino acids provides different functions. For example, the BCAA’s work largely in repairing your muscle tissue and cell damage, and Methionine is largely responsible for hair and skin cell re-growth. Protein as an Energy Source Protein is last on the list when it comes to the bodies preferred energy source. If going low carb, the switchover from protein to glucose or ketones can provide energy. Under normal circumstances of a moderate carb/fat diet, protein is rarely used for energy expenditure and almost solely for body repair. Quick or Slow Just as there are discussions in the importance of rate digestions for carbohydrates the same controversies surround protein. In the case of post workout nutrition, the quicker the speed usually the better. While later on we will discuss the importance or relevance of getting protein around workouts, let’s look first at the common digestion speeds of protein. Just as we discussed with carbohydrates, there are so many variables that determine the speed of your digestion. Most studies are performed in fasted states, and since typically most people are rarely in a 10-hour fast and eating protein alone, this makes the application of these studies to the real world a little unrealistic. Still it gives us a place to start. We know that taking in any nutrient with another nutrient is going to slow the digestion rate. The stomach has more to digest, meaning it will take longer until it gets the collection of nutrients to move on. Whey is commonly shown to be the fastest of digesting proteins. If you are looking for fast rate protein, it would be the winner. Casein shows a slower digestion rate, so many be better closer to bedtime or longer stints between meals. Combinations of other protein choices would lead to slower digestion or possibly a higher level of satiation. High Protein and Your Health There is a lot of discussion about the effects of too much protein on the body and your health. Some studies have shown having too much protein on the kidneys is bad, but this is offset by other studies showing that the subjects already had problems with their kidney function in general. Generally speaking, if you have healthy kidney function, there shouldn't be a problem. Protein and Training Numerous studies are being released that show intake of protein alongside carbohydrates is better for recovery and performance over just carbohydrates. Timing protein intake around
training is crucial to get the highest benefit. This is also discussed more in the workout nutrition section. Fatty Acids The main form of fat found in food is Triglycerides. Depending upon the fatty acid composition, triglycerides are classified as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated. All fats contain carbon, hydrogen, and a little oxygen to form fatty acids. If the fatty acids contain all the hydrogen possible, they are said to be saturated. If it is not completely full of hydrogen, fatty acids are termed unsaturated.
Monounsaturated - Mono (meaning one) stands for the one double carbon bond present in the fatty acid molecule (c=c). Generally this fat is liquid at room temperature. Sources-Olive, canola and peanut oils.
Polyunsaturated - Poly fat has several double bond spots present in the fatty acid molecule. (c=c=c) Generally this fat is liquid at room temperature. Sources-Safflower, sesame, soy, corn and sunflower and seed oils.
Saturated - Saturated fats contain only single carbon bonds, they are completely saturated. Generally this fat is solid at room temperature. Sources-Whole milk, cream, ice cream, cheeses, butter, lard, and meats.
Trans Fatty Acids Trans fatty acids result from adding hydrogen to vegetable oils used in commercial baked goods and for cooking in most restaurants and fast-food chains. Usually this is done through the process of hydrogenation where unsaturated fatty acids are hydrogenated, double bonds convert to trans double bonds, and the fatty acids become saturated. Basically, it’s a tricky way of turning a saturated fat into a liquid. Its properties preserve longer and it's cheaper to produce. This is why cheaper food production and fast food industries jumped on the bandwagon. Studies show that use of trans-fat can lead to health problems and should not be consumed. Due to pressure and the results of this research, most restaurants and companies are slowly removing them from use. Energy Source Fat is what your body uses as an energy source during low grade or life activity. Meaning the lighter you move, the more you are burning off fat as a fuel. During sleep, the body is burning almost chiefly on fat stores if energy is not circulating in the body.
Fat Storage There are a few places to store fat. The place most of us think of is subcutaneous fat. This fat lives underneath the skin, and is a soft tissue made up of fat cells. A fat cell is the storage center for fat molecules. When you eat in an excess of calories, you increase triggers of the lipase enzymes that are located in fat tissues. Basically, they see these tasty drops of oil floating in the body and decide that they want their holes filled with them. A conversion takes place and turns the fat molecules into a hard tissue for storage. When you gain fat, you are not usually gaining in fat cells, just storage within your existing cells. However, if you overfill the capacity enough the body will make more room for it and you can develop more cells. Mostly our fat cells are made during our youth, which is why childhood obesity is such a dangerous thing. It sets a child up for harder work as they become an adult. Once the fat cells are made, they are always there. They never go away. This could lead to problems with maintaining weight and hormone production. In short, if you are a parent reading this, step in and help your children as soon as possible. When the body uses stored fat for energy, it breaks down the contents of the fat cell via enzymes, and it enters the bloodstream. If energy is required suddenly, the body first uses up its glycogen reserves. After this, it converts the body fat in the adipose cells into energy by a catabolic process called lipolysis. All that being said, eating fat does not make you fat, and any food can be converted and stored into a fat cell if in excess. Essential Fatty Acids As I spoke of essential amino acids, the same rings true for Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). These are fats your body needs which it can't produce on its own. If EFAs are not supplied through diet or supplementation, it may cause nutritional deficiency. EFAs are long-chain polyunsaturated acids of the omega-6 and omega-3 families. EFAs are usually found in animal tissue, especially fatty fish. Usually in supplements you see omega-9 thrown in, but technically it is not an essential fatty acid. Balance of Fats Saturated and unsaturated fats have their place and purpose in your diet. Yes, I said saturated fats have a place in your diet. You might still hear that saturated fats are bad, but intake of them is very important for health and hormone regulation. You can look everywhere and hear about the benefits of omega fatty acids. Did you know that elongated omega-3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated
fats? Also, for calcium to be taken into our skeletal muscle, it requires a certain percentage of saturated fat in the diet? On the flip side, what happens if you neglect your unsaturated fats? Say hello to brittle hair, decreased hormones, joint pain and more. One of the best things you can do in your diet is split the balance of fats, getting at least 30% of each fat in your nutritional program will assure your safety from illness and improve your fat loss performance.
CHAPTER FOUR
Calculating Caloric Intake and Measurement Methods I can hear it now. "Leigh, come on! This is so simple, so basic! I don't need this information." This is the section that can bring you to your knees if you embrace it. This is where the battle is usually lost. We either do not understand the process or think the process is too much work. Yes, I am talking about the process of measuring the intake of your food. All diets get you to achieve this, it's just some are sneakier about it. I take out the manipulations and give it to you straight up. Are there more methods of measurement then this? Sure. But, I find if you can't do one of these methods, you might not be in a place to diet down at all. And hey, that is fine. With all that being said, I do feel there are better methods when it comes to accuracy and achieving results with more consistency. Call me crazy, but I don't understand why being less rigid should be celebrated if it means you never get anywhere and are frustrated 24/7. The beauty is to understand the perks and pitfalls of your methods. Ultimately, if you are finding yourself stuck, I implore you to rethink your method. 1: Weighing Your Food with a Scale This is your best chance of accuracy. Remember when we discussed this formula: 1 gram of Carbohydrates: 4 Calories 1 gram of Protein: 4 Calories 1 gram of Fat: 9 calories 1 gram of Alcohol: 7 Calories Weighing your food in grams or ounces will land you in closest to an accurate caloric intake level. The method may seem picky and overly complex, but it’s quite simple and an accurate way of measuring caloric intake. Let me put it to you like this, in ward studies where participants always lose weight no matter what the macronutrient combination, they are using weight scales to measure intake.
A Star of Frustration is Born I had a client who came to me after three years of eating almost the same four meals every day. She was trying to achieve fat loss of 20-30 more pounds. She didn’t have a tremendous amount of time to devote to working out, but she did work out and varied those workouts. Still, the fat was not coming off. She had moderate composition changes, but it wasn't anything amazing considering how hard she was working. She was a creature of habit in her diet. Every day, with a few exceptions, she ate the following meal plan. MEAL 1
MEAL 2
MEAL 3
MEAL 4
½ CUP OATMEAL
1 MEDIUM BANANA
½ CUP BROWN RICE
1 MEDIUM APPLE
½ SCOOP WHEY
1 CUP STRAWBERRIES
4 OZ CHICKEN
1.5 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER
2 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER
2 CUPS COTTAGE CHEESE
1 CUP FRESH SPINACH
½ CUP COTTAGE CHEESE
She thought she was getting 1,435 calories a day. She was using a software program to track her food. She had calculated via an online formula that she burned roughly 2,000 calories a day. She wanted to lose at a healthy rate and not "do a starvation diet." She took a few days off here or there and maybe missed a workout once every few weeks, but overall she was consistent. Why no change? I suggested she start measuring her servings by weight instead of cup/tbsp. The result was instantaneous change in results. Frustrated, but happy, she moved along nicely towards her goals. For curiosity's sake, she calculated what she was previously consuming. Here are the results. 1 serving of her oatmeal should be ½ a cup (40 grams) and equal 150 calories. When she measured her previous amount, it weighed 58 grams. She was doing the "whatever I can fit in the cup" method. When converted to calories, she was consuming 225 calories instead of the 150 she assumed. That is a difference of 75 extra calories. If this was only one incident, it would hardly be a show stopper. What happens when we look at the rest of her day? Every day she thought she was getting 3.5 tbsp (60 grams) of natural peanut butter. That is 350 calories in peanut butter daily. When she measured it, she was getting 94 grams of peanut butter.
That is 550 calories of peanut butter, daily. This is 200 calories more than she thought she was getting. We are up to 275 calories she didn’t know she was getting. This is something to start to be concerned about, especially if targeting a smaller deficit. I want to cut away for a moment and speak to those who these small calories are nothing. You have to stay reminded of the stats of the individual we are speaking about. When she looked at the other things in detail, her rice added on another 75 calories. The medium bananas and apples where technically "large." The difference resulted in 50 more calories than she thought. When the tally was done, she was off by roughly 425-460 calories every day. This doesn't include the occasional small nibble she didn't count of a veggie here or there. When you combine this with a slight excess from 'free' days here or there, where does that leave her? Dead even. No change. Other than slight alterations in her body composition, nothing has changed. She was barely eating enough for recovery and repair to make any large changes in muscle composition. It is hard enough being a woman as it is. It wasn't a stunted metabolism or evil fats or carbohydrates. It was the little things that added up on her. It was the little things killing her spirit. Needless to say, she was kicking herself. Regardless, she started weighing food and put more variety in her diet. In the end, she lost a fantastic amount of fat. She thanked me for being the best trainer ever, but she didn't need me, she just needed a food scale. I am the first to admit that I usually help people who have been struggling for years with these simple things. People pay me hundreds or thousands of dollars when they just could have measured their food. Don't make such a simple mistake, especially by being stubborn. How to Use and Read a Measuring Scale Reading your measurements is pretty simple. Using a software program like http://www.fitday.com or checking the Nutrient Database of Food, get the gram and calorie amount for the food item you need. You can even pre-plan your meals like this:
200 grams of Sweet potato 400 grams of Chicken 10 grams of olive oil 150 grams of broccoli
Dial Scales or Digital Scales?
The choice is yours. What it boils down to is just personal preference. I will say there is a higher a level of accountability with seeing those digital numbers pop up on the screen and less risk for denial of what the scale says. Isn't a Food Scale Draining Me of My Life and Obsessive? How are you doing with being stuck and frustrated? How is that working out for you? Don't get me wrong, I am not remotely suggesting you use it for life, or even the duration of your fat loss. But, there is no reason you can't test a few items out and later use one of the other methods. To suggest there is something wrong because people don't want to shoot themselves in the foot, is a poor manner of thinking. It's flawed logic. Not everyone's problem is going to be this, but I will tell you, it is a lot of people's problem. Instead of crying on the weight scale, take a few minutes to try the food scale. 2: Measuring With Cups and Spoons We just got done discussing the value of weighing, but there is a middle ground. When it comes to veggies in general the difference is small from cup to gram. Basically, if the item you are measuring isn’t very calorie dense you have more breathing room. There is plenty of room in your kitchen prep for spoons and cups. I will say, the hungry will find the need to feed and tomatoes and broccoli have calories too. If your results are slowing, become pickier and eat only what you measure. How to Read the Measure? You might be thinking, “How tricky can this really be?” Usually if measuring cups and spoons are used properly the difference in caloric amount and weight does not have much discrepancy. It’s the spilling over effect most people have a problem with. There are lines and a fill point for a reason. With a measuring cup, the line is your stopping point. Not above the line or what can pile into the container – at the line. Truth be told, I have found just below the line seems to be the most accurate when compared to weight. 3: Portion Control Techniques These are visual measuring tips and tricks to achieve serving size. Here’s a tip list of visuals to help.
PORTION CONTROL TECHNIQUES 3 ounces meat
Equals
A deck of playing cards
A medium apple
Equals
A tennis ball
1 ounce of cheese
Equals
4 stacked dice
½ cup ice cream
Equals
A tennis ball
1 cup mashed potatoes
Equals
The size of your fist
1 ounce nuts or small candy
Equals
The palm of your hand
1 serving fish
Equals
The size of your checkbook
2 Tablespoons butter
Equals
The size of a thumb (from joint to tip)
For a lot of people, these portion charts can be a staggering eye-opener. In a culture of big plates and large orders, your checkbook can look tiny. Obviously, there is no guarantee for accuracy, but this is where you can turn to results. Are you getting them? That is all that matters with any estimation. 4: Clean Eating and Removing a Macronutrient Many diets preach this lifestyle. The majority of them these days choose to remove carbohydrates. There are still some that remove fat. While the intent in vegetarian or vegan diets isn't to remove protein as a whole, it certainly attacks animal protein intake. There is technically no such thing as clean eating. You aren't going to find it in research literature or a code of foods that fit into a neat and safe box. Generally speaking, all these diets restrict any processed food item and most avoid starch based carbohydrates. Because starch based carbs are easy to overeat, it can be a method of success. But, what one usually robs from one macro, they will take up in another. You see this frequently in low carb diets. The dieters will start to overeat in fatty acids to replace energy sources. Picking at almonds or an overuse of olive oil easily fills up energy deficits. In short, clean eating or aggressive macronutrient restriction does not mean you will be in a deficit of energy. You will still need to exercise restriction if this is your method. 5: Eyeballing/Guesstimating
Soul food cooking is truly the spirit of how I cook. I was born to pinch and dash my way to a meal. Baking for me is obviously a challenge of the details. What can I say? It's the best way to cook! Sadly, it can be the worst way to diet unless you grasp how much food you need. This is a risky way of eating while trying to lose fat. That doesn’t mean people haven’t achieved great fat loss doing it. If nothing starts to change, you might want to rethink things and move to other methods. Dear Diary, Journaling Opened My Eyes! I believe in journaling. I believe in writing things down to have a reference. Still, I believe it can be hard to practice. It also doesn't have to be for life. Fat loss should be a short journey, remember? Journaling is more than putting down the calories of what you ate, or it should be. When you start keeping track of your nutrient intake, it would be a ideal to use these 4 categories of logging. Category 1: Caloric and Macronutrient Intake Track your caloric intake and your macronutrients (carbs/pro/fat). You will get a detailed look at what you are eating. In doing this, it could bring to light if how you are eating is affecting how you feel. You might see an energy or recovery trend based on your macronutrient intake. It can be enlightening. Category 2: Energy/Sleep Are you tired? Are you sleeping well? How long did you sleep last night? Nutrition is connected with our energy and our ability to sleep. This isn’t just about fat loss; it’s about finding a way of eating for life. Knowing your patterns can help with compliance or self-talk. For example, when you lack sleep, you increase in hunger. If you find you are binging on those days, you might need to buy a better bed. Category 3: Digestion Are you bloated? Did a meal give you heartburn? Are your bowel movements regular? Did you buy the book “What does your poo say about you?” Digestion function is important to achieving better fat loss. It gives us signs to where our body is strong or weak. Category 4: Satiety Do you feel full after eating? Are you hungry before you put the fork down? What fills you? What keeps you from gnawing off your arm?
If you aren't full or happy with your diet intake, you will not be able to survive many days. Compliance is 100% of results. Nailing down all four of these categories, even for a few weeks, will give you dramatic insight into how food reacts with your body. This is one of the easiest ways to figure out what works for your body and what doesn't. Guesstimating: Your Worst Nightmare? As we discussed, fat loss is about negative energy. So winging it with your food and eyeballing may not always be to your benefit. There are too many variables. You could be undereating or overeating by accident. Troubleshooting Jane Doe Jane Doe needs 2,500 calories to stay at her weight on her current work/exercise program. To lose fat, she needs to eat roughly 2,000 calories to achieve roughly a loss of 1lb a week. She starts eating more healthy meals. Salads, vegetables, lean meats, and rice. She cooks for herself and guesses the calories for what she thinks they are. Every day, she reaches a goal in her mind of 2,000 calories. How can being off affect her? At the end of week one, she thinks she has hit 2,000 calories every day. In reality, she hit 2,250 calories every day. The goal was to deduct 500 calories daily in order to achieve roughly a pound lost a week. If we do the numbers for what she ate, she reached 1,910 negative calories. This is barely half a pound. At the end of that whole week, she sees no results and starts to get frustrated. After all, even with hitting higher numbers of a deficit, there can be cloaking of results. With these small deficits, it could take months to see change Where did she go wrong? Well, she didn’t measure her light mayo with the actual tablespoon. She just scooped it out with a knife. Every day she was off by 45 calories of fat. 45x7 equals 315 calories. She had a cheat meal every week, but she counted it as being 800 calories. In reality it was 1,300 calories. 1,300 - 800 = 500 calories. Before bed, she nibbled on a light treat. She didn’t feel the need to account for such a small amount. This ended up being 25 calories each time. 25x7 equals 175 calories.
With some of her meals, it may have been off here and there, but only by 40-50 calories at the most. At the end of the week, she was off by 600 calories with all of her meals combined. At the end of just this one week, she meant to have a deficit of 3,500 calories. The harsh reality is we have to deduct the 1,590 calories from that, and we reach 1,910 calories. With that small of a deficit, she is more than likely to give up on herself before she reaches a goal. Who could blame her? No one wants to work so hard to achieve nothing. If she would have taken the time to precisely measure, she would have achieved results. She wouldn't be in this position. Does this mean you are stuck counting calories for the rest of your life? No. However, until you have a grasp on intake, it is helpful to be diligent in the beginning. If you quit counting calories and you are achieving results, great. If you find you hit a stall and aren’t counting your intake, then you know where to look. Hints and Tips on Food Counts These are a few things you can keep in your arsenal to makes things easier when tracking. 1. Plan Meals In Advance Mistakes and slip-ups are hard to come by when you know what is coming. Even if it is the night before, layout your plan. 2. Keep Variety Low Until You Get the Hang of Things In the beginning, it might not be the best idea to have 5 complicated meals with 10 ingredients each. Keep it simple and variety low in the beginning. You can feed yourself for a full day on one batch of rice, mixed veggies, and chicken. This also helps with logging. Once you have logged something and really understand its content, you don't have to be so diligent with counting. 3. Get a Program Sometimes it’s easier to pay a person or buy software that will design meal plans for you. If something makes your life easier, it could make achieving your goal easier. A short-term fee is well worth fat loss results if it leads to compliance. Check with a local dietitian in your area for this type of service. 4. One Meal-A-Day
A while back I did a challenge where I had people design their diet plans around one prepared meal. That doesn't mean people had to eat only once a day. It meant they made one huge meal a day. They then separated it over the course of the day where needed. You could have 2 meals or 5 meals, the choice is yours. Final Tally The points of this chapter are pretty simple: don’t guess, keep track and hold yourself accountable for your actions. This is not about babying yourself or blaming your misfortunes. This is a bit of a big britches moment. This is about being real with yourself and your eating. If you can get there through another method, great! There are plenty of methods, but if you are looking to troubleshoot your problems – start here. If you are saying to yourself “I don’t want to go through the trouble” then you are might be saying to yourself “I am not worth the effort.” Everyone finds the time to do the things they truly want to do. You find time for tv shows and youtube videos of dancing cats. Find the time to know the food you are eating. Remember, this is war. Extra energy is the enemy to your results. Every little bit counts. It’s the difference between doing this for the rest of your life or getting it done. So get it done!
CHAPTER FIVE
Eating for Fat Loss and Basic Traps I wasn’t always the giant of variety of eating you see before you. I didn’t try my first strawberry until I was 18. I was 24 before I had tried most whole foods. Today I’ll eat almost anything. I’m proud of my wide palette. Not only will I try a lot of foods, but I also like a lot of foods. I used to be only ketchup and hot dogs. Now I’m all about variety — proteins, vegetables, you name it. Why didn’t I try a strawberry until I was 18? Why don’t most people eat vegetables? Why are people everywhere suffering from a case of dead taste buds? Let’s Take a Look ... Cultural eating is a fascinating topic. It examines how people eat and view food across cultural and economic boundaries. A simple survey of the subject reveals that food indeed rules the world, as it should, but in America, we’ve become such an extreme culture that food may very well cause our demise. Economics and cultural background both have huge influences on how you view food. In my family, the combination between a finicky father and a low income meant we ate a lot of peanut butter, crackers, instant potatoes, canned ravioli, and Mac and Cheese. I'm not talking about that fancy Velveeta stuff. We only got the blue box kind with the powdered cheese. That was eating! In my family we ate like crap, but we never stopped moving. My mom exercised and took us to the park. I loved to play sports and my dad worked a labor-intensive job. My family’s commitment to movement helped me early in life, but my lousy diet soon outstripped my exercise regimen. Let’s take a look at what I didn’t eat.
Fruit Vegetables Fresh meats (My meats were hot dogs and frozen breaded chicken) Water (Unless you count melted ice cubes underneath my iced tea or bourbon)
It is safe to say I needed to develop a taste for a higher variety of food. What are Taste Buds?
Taste buds are small receptors on your tongue that sense what you’ve tasted and relay that information to your brain. Most of the buds sit on the front raised part of your tongue. Buds are divided into multiple sections that handle different taste sensations, including sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory. The tongue works in conjunction with the olfactory senses to assemble a full taste sensation. The least sensitive area is the flat part located at the back of the tongue. Here is a brief breakdown of the five types of taste buds. Sweetness: Ah, the sweet buds, tempter of all and wrecker of diets everywhere. Keep in mind that “sweet” doesn’t always guarantee the presence of sugar or carbs, though it usually does. Salty: The salty taste buds stay very busy in this day and age. They’re on permanent sensory overload, so be sure to watch your salt intake. It may taste good, but you’ll wind up pickling your insides and raising your blood pressure. Sour: The sour receptors sit right behind their salty brethren and shouldn’t be confused with the bitter taste buds, which we’ll soon get to. Sour taste buds can detect acidic foods, which are generally cleansing. Think sour and think removal. Foods like lemons and limes are palettecleansers. Bitter: The bitter taste buds are instrumental in the detection of poisons. To be sure, if you taste something bitter, you should probably spit it out, but as always: Use your head. One of the best antioxidant foods available is bitter unsweetened chocolate, and herbal teas often have bitter flavors. I wouldn’t go chewing on any nickels or rat poison, but don’t be afraid of a good chocolate. Umami (Savory): The newest taste sensation to join the team, umami buds are your “protein tooth.” When you think savory, think of Kobe beef steak. Your umami taste buds are dedicated to recognizing the presence of amino acids and other important building blocks for life. Some studies even suggest that a simple taste can even trigger a repair protocol inside your body, all before digestion even begins. Change the Shape of Buds to Come One of the great things about taste buds is their willingness to adapt. You can change the course and shape of your eating life in just a few weeks. Some studies suggest that 3-4 weeks of eating different foods is enough time to adjust your taste buds. Other studies say it only takes two weeks. I can vouch for that technique. When I was younger, I slowly started to try new foods. I wasn’t closed-minded in other parts of my life, so why was I being so ungrateful in the face of the wide variety of foods before me? I started to try new things and realized that even if you don’t like
something right away, you can learn to. I started putting down the hot dogs and picking up the filets. “Acquired taste?” You can teach yourself to acquire any taste. I don’t want you to think for a moment that I deprive myself. I don’t. The difference is that no matter what I eat, the ingredients are good and the food is prepared well. I also opened up myself up to a whole new world of food, and it’s fascinating. I cook, I create, and I enjoy every bit of eating, and you want to know the best part? You can do it, too, and still keep that dream body. Who wants to eat food they hate? You’re stacking the cards against yourself. A life-choice of eating well? Anyone can do that. That doesn't have to mean you sacrifice taste. I am not an eating dictator. I am a tasty eating promoter. Diet is Everything My biggest pet peeve is the phrase “diet is 80 percent.” Diet is not 80 percent, diet is everything. If diet were a pie graph, it would be the whole graph. Most readers should have figured out by now what I believe you should and shouldn’t eat. You may have also figured out that I don’t believe in the idea of bad foods so much as I’m just not interested in them. Go ahead and have the occasional doughnut. It won’t kill you, but if you eat nothing but doughnuts, then you might run into some problems. When it comes to so-called bad foods and bad calories, it’s not so much about what they do have (fat, calories, weird chemicals) as what they don’t have (nutrients), and even if someone were to pump a bunch of vitamins into a doughnut, they likely wouldn't survive being processed. Even fortified cereals typically rank lower then they claim in nutrient value. Again: Don’t be afraid of foods that can hurt you, but instead seek out foods that can help you. Feeling daunted? Never fear! I’ve assembled a list of good foods, and I’ve even gone so far as to organize them based on how good they taste. You might be surprised that I list things like grains or heavy starch based foods. Well, that is because I don't believe they are on the bad list, just the limited list.
Good for You, and Generally Tasty? Chicken breasts Lean beef Eggs Cheese Milk Lean pork Shrimp Rice Whole grains Potatoes Tortillas
Grits Beans Lettuce Cucumbers Carrots Onions Peppers Garlic Yogurt Peanut butter Almond butter
Almonds Pecans Real butter Oils for cooking (olive, walnut, sesame) Oranges Strawberries Apples Bananas
Good for You, and Acquired Taste? Cottage cheese Tuna Flounder Bison Ground turkey Salmon Crab Cream of rice Oatmeal Multi-grain breads Rice cake
Quinoa Asparagus Broccoli Tomatoes Spinach Squash Kale Mushrooms Avocados Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds Flax seeds Blueberries Raspberries Pears Grapefruit Pineapple
No Real Nutrient Value? You know what they are. No one ever complains about the taste. We are talking about doughnuts, hot dogs, and deep fried pickles. If you love these foods and can’t imagine trying anything else, I sympathize. Need I remind you of my past? If you grew up on canned meatballs and Shake ‘n’ Bake, it can take effort to leave those foods behind and expand your palette. But think of it like this: If you eat nothing but junk, your taste buds will lie dormant. If you make the effort to expand your culinary horizons, then your tongue will spring back to life. Don’t you want to taste what you’ve been missing out on? A Few Closing Points on Taste Buds
If you don't love what you are eating, you aren't going to keep eating it. If you don't know what is going in your food, you don't really know what you are eating. Take charge and become the boss of your food, or it will boss you. No one is saying not to enjoy sugar, fat, or meats. But, you need to understand how much and where they come from.
I like food with flavor. I like butter, I like oil and I like carbs, and I eat all of them. Again, I’m not telling you to eat nothing but egg whites. I’d be fat as a whale if I that was the only way to stay thin. And don’t even get me started on those reality shows where the health “gurus” invade someone’s home and replace all their food with tofu and wheat germ. That’s no way to live, and it’s certainly no way to build a healthy, enjoyable life. A Very Simple Way of Eating – One Ingredient Makes a Meal An apple is an apple. It doesn't contain flour, added sugar or food dye #46. It’s a single ingredient item. Raw meat is just meat. Eggs are eggs. A walnut is a walnut. The majority of your meals should be by your creation and you should touch all the ingredients yourself. You would be surprised the power this gives you in controlling your fat mass destiny. Can you lose fat eating processed items? Yes. I am not going to lie and say you can't lose weight eating frozen food meals or snack packs, because you can. I am not going to tell you that you are less of a person to do so. All I am going to say is that limiting your exposure to pre-made meals in general will mean for a healthier life and a better looking body. Ingredients That Make a Meal Just because you have one ingredient doesn't mean you can't combine those ingredients to make an amazing meal. If your hands touch it, it's likely a good decision. 1 Chicken breast 1 Cup Sliced Onion
1 Cup Diced Bell Peppers 1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms Garlic Olive Oil Spices (salt, pepper, paprika) There you go, a meal made up of delicious whole foods. It doesn't have to get much more complicated than this. What does something like a sub sandwich look like? 1 Chicken Breast 1-Bread Sub Roll (Tone Ground Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Brown Sugar, Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Contains 2% or less or each of the following: Salt, Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil or Canola Oil), Dough Conditioners (Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium, Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Monoglycerides, Calcium Iodate, Ethoxylated Mono and Diglycerides, Calcium Peroxide, Datem), Cultured Whey (Milk), Vinegar, Calcium Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Yeast Food (Ammonium Sulfate) Lettuce 2 Tomato Slices 1 Serving Light Mayonnaise (Water, Soybean Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Modified Food Starch, Vinegar, Contains less than 2% of each of the following: Eggs, Salt, Egg Yolks, Sugar, Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Disodium Edta as Preservatives, Mustard Flour, Phosphoric Acid, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Xanthan Gum, Dried Garlic, Dried Onions, Paprika, Vitamin E Acetate, Spice, Natural Flavor, Beta Carotene (Color). 1 Small Bag of Light Chips (Ingredients: Potatoes, Partially Hydrogenated Oils, Dried Onions, Paprika, Acetate, Spice, Natural Flavor, Dried Cheese, Whey, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sodium.) That's a lot of stuff. Now, I am not trying to say these items are going to harm you, but what are they going to do for you? You can even make your own mayonnaise that tastes better and out of whole items. That's my point. Nutritional Packaging 101 Nutrition packaging was not made to be easily understood. Do not feel you lack intelligence because you are not aware of the meaning behind those labels. I'd like to take a brief moment to
break it down for those of you who find them mystifying. Here is a sample from a popular peanut butter company.
Serving Size: The amount you take in for the stats listed. 2 TBSP/32g: The size of the serving is 2 tablespoons or 32 grams. If you can guide by the gram amount, it will lead to more accuracy. Serving per Container: The total amount of servings in the whole container. Meaning there are 14 times you can have 2 tbsp or 32g of peanut butter. Calories: Amount of energy per serving. Calories from Fat: In this product, of 200 calories per serving, 150 of them come from fat. 150/9 = 16.6 grams of fat per serving size. Total Fat: Total amount of fat per serving. Saturated Fat: Amount of saturated fats per serving. Trans Fat: Amount of trans fats per serving.
Polyunsaturated Fat: Amount of polyunsaturated fats per serving. Monounsaturated Fat: Amount of monounsaturated fats per serving. Cholesterol: Amount of cholesterol per serving. Sodium: Amount of sodium per serving. Potassium: Amount of potassium per serving. Total Carbohydrate: Total amount of carbohydrates per serving. Dietary Fiber: Amount of fiber per serving. Sugar: Amount of sugar per serving. Protein: Amount of protein. Ingredients: Items used to make up the contents of the product. The order of ingredients is the order from highest to lowest in the product. For example, peanuts are the highest quantity and presence in this item. Remember that formula we spoke of earlier for figuring out the calories per gram? 1 gram of Carbohydrates burned: 4 Calories 1 gram of Protein burned: 4 Calories 1 gram of Fat burned: 9 calories If you take a look at the amounts listed in each section, you can figure out the caloric totals. 7 grams of protein (7x4) = 28 calories per serving from protein. 6 grams of carbohydrates (6x4) = 24 calories per serving from carbohydrates. 17 grams of fat (17x9) = 153 calories per serving from fat. Total for all calories = 205 Most of the times companies round or compensate for dietary fiber. There are times they don’t tell the whole truth. Most of the time this occurs locally or with smaller food distribution. However, if you find something you want to report you can contact the FDA at: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/problem.html Ranking Your Food
Once you understand how to read labels, you can rank the quality of the food items. This can be helpful for those who are busy, but still concerned about nutritional quality. The main things we want to look at are:
Protein - How much and what kind? Carbohydrates - How much and what kind? Fat - How much and what kind? Ingredients - What are they and what order? Sodium Content - How much? (for those who have health concerns)
Foods That are Calorie Free? Amy came to me while I was doing a study for one of my previous releases. She was a classic case of not being able to lose fat, despite harsh caloric cuts. She lived in a "deficit" in order to maintain her weight and was beyond frustrated. By her estimates, she was consuming 1100 calories daily. She wasn't an aggressive trainee, but took part in circuit training 4-5 days out of the week. She worked in an office, had high stress and low results. In short, the average woman I have come to know and love. Her Journal of Food Intake
Meal 1: 4 egg whites w/oatmeal, raisins and cinnamon Meal 2: Cottage cheese packet and pineapple Meal 3: Spinach salad w/chicken Meal 4: Salmon w/asparagus and potatoes. Meal 5: Spoon of peanut butter 6-8 cups of hot tea w/calorie free sweetener
My first question to her was, "Are you weighing and measuring your food?" She said, "Yes, every bit!" We talked more and it appeared she was being truthful. Later, I was writing an article when her menu hit me. I literally left my coffee behind and went to my email. I sent her the following questions. "Are you counting the calories in your sweeteners and butter/cooking sprays?" She sent back, "They don't have any calories." I replied, “Please give me a breakdown of how much you use in a day, exactly" She responded, "Hmm, I don't know. I will log it tomorrow." When she gave her tally, this was her results.
“100 grams of Splenda (Large yellow bag version) 15 1-sec sprays of cooking spray 100 sprays of I can't believe it's not butter spray” I quickly counted up the results and sent this back to her. “400 calories a day in Splenda (1 gram = 4 calories) 100 calories in cooking spray (1 sec = 7 calories) 100 calories in butter spray (1 spray =1 calorie) 600 calories a day not accounted for. Congratulations, you just solved the problem.” After The Realization Needless to say, she had a bit of emotional breakdown. There was some online ranting and I think the president of Splenda may be receiving death threats. It didn't start out this way for her. It was just a little here, a little there. Then she acquired a taste for these items. Her buds grew to favor the substance and she piled it on where she could. After all, it was free calories. She didn't foresee these additions being the downfall of her body composition and sanity. How Can the Companies Get Away with This? There are a lot of loopholes and guidelines for companies. As I update this, I just read about a company getting sued for this, and the client winning. This may no longer be a problem for people. But, assuming guidelines don't change yet, this is how it works. I will use Splenda as my main example. Every gram of Splenda has 4 calories. The guidelines states that it can list Splenda as caloriefree if the product contains no amount of, or only trivial or "physiologically inconsequential" amounts of, one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and calories. For example, "calorie-free" means fewer than 5 calories per serving, and "sugar-free" and "fat-free" both mean less than 0.5 g per serving. Basically, the way a company manipulates what it lists as serving sizes, can dictate the caloric amount they put on the package. Most cooking sprays state the serving size is 1/4 th of a sec for lubrication. I don't know about you, but I think the average person does more than a 1/4 th of a second spray. For a full second of spray you can get 5 to 10 calories. This adds up. There is No Such Thing as Free Veggies or "As Much As You Want!"
Another common practice is "free vegetables." Many popular diets and weight loss programs tell you that as long as you restrict carbohydrates, you can have as many vegetables as you want. As long as you restrict fat, you can have as much fruit as you want. This is extremely poor advice. All vegetables, even a water filled cucumber, have calories. Some have quite a few calories. You might say, "Leigh, there is no way broccoli is keeping me fat!" If you are a 5'11 guy who weighs 200 pounds, you are likely correct. But, if you are a woman that is 5'2 and works in an office, you might be wrong. Those calories will add up. You can find a way to eat enough tomatoes and broccoli to erase your deficit or slow it to a seeming halt. Eating Out During a Deficit I am not a huge fan of eating out during a deficit unless you have a firm grasp over the role the meal can play. It isn't as if as I think you can't lose weight and eat out, you absolutely can. In fact, I helped a client tailor her whole program around Subway and Wendy's. The trick is to understand how many calories are in your meals and do your best to make good choices. Stick to things that are easy to decipher. Avoid sauces, dressings, and fried foods. It may seem simple, but meat heavy salads, veggies on the side, and no caloric drinks really do help. Oddly enough, I find fast food places and chain restaurants to be much more accommodating and predictable in the aspect of calories. It is the nice restaurants that make no apologies for layering your food in more oil than you could ever imagine it being. Free Meals (or Cheat Meals) Are Not So Free This isn't to discourage you from taking a psychological break from dieting down, but it is about keeping you realistic. Sadly, you can erase a whole week's worth of work in a day. Most people end up erasing their week of hard work during their weekend of playtime. A meal or meals don't become calorie-free just because you were in a deficit for days or weeks before. Eating and breaking from a deficit has many physical and psychological benefits that I will discuss later. But for now, I want to drive home the point that cheat meals have calories, refeeds have calories, and the food you aren't counting when you should be counting calories, have calories. The Body Will Find the Feed This is what the body does. It wants food and it will get it one way or another. Your mind may not think that these items have calories, but this doesn't matter. If your bodies want nourishment or energy, it will find it. It will either conserve energy or it will force you to feed.
One of the most frustrating points for Amy was she felt as if she really was in a deficit. She felt deprived. And really, how good could she feel surviving on butter spray and Splenda? But it shows what you perceive as punishment, deprivation, and starvation is completely in your control. She felt miserable because she was starving and seeing poor results. You have to remember you want things to be your fault, because then you can control and fix them. You want it to be a stupid mistake like this.
CHAPTER SIX
Workout Nutrition and Meal Timing Today’s conventional wisdom in the health industry holds that it’s better to eat lots of small meals throughout the day than the traditional three big ones. I don't agree. At least, not for everyone. Mostly, I don't agree with "one size fits all" strategies to meal timing and training nutrition. It depends. Yes, yes, yes — I know. As a society, we hate the following phrases: Maybe Depends Possibly Likely Unclear Without certainty Could be As people, we like certainty, we like steadiness, and we like black-and-white answers. Well, I hate to annoy anyone, but when it comes to health, nothing is black and white, and that goes for how often you eat. Eating is a deeply personal activity. Even if you always eat with someone else, you still do the actual eating alone, and those habits vary depending on lifestyle. A retired great-grandpa living in Florida might eat more meals a day because they’re provided for him. A lower-income person might not know where their next meal is coming from, and might only eat one meal a day. Personally, I tend to learn toward eating more meals a day when I am at maintenance. If I am in a deficit, I eat fewer meals. For me, I have slow emptying of my digestive system. As the years have gone by, I need to eat and chew slower. I digest slowly. Trying to eat my maintenance calories in two meals isn't going to cut it. I will usually break things up in 3-4 spans or snacking. Be it 5 meals or intermittent fasting, there are limitless options for everyone. Again, it depends. Food Pairing Before diving into the timing of meals, it is important to understand macronutrient pairing in meals and the reasons for that. The pairing of foods is important for many reasons. Some nutrients complement each other and some seem to encourage negative reactions or behavior.
Right off the bat, eating any nutrient with another nutrient will not make you fat. Forget those myths if you have heard them. Food pairing is about trying to optimize control of hunger, energy, feeling of satiety, repair, etc. You can lose weight eating a waffle covered in peanut butter, but for some it may trigger a sugar crash. Smart nutrient-pairing can work with the average person or the person with insulin issues. Slowing of Digestive Emptying The rate your blood sugar raises, or your digestive systems empties, can contribute to everything from energy levels, hunger, blood sugar drops, etc. Pairing any nutrient with another will slow this process. Here is a rating scale with food combinations and speed of digestion. Fastest
Liquid simple sugar (soft drinks, juice, or syrups) Solid simple sugars (cookies, cakes, and ice creams) Whey shake with simple sugar (workout drinks)
Moderate
Protein with complex carbohydrates (chicken and rice) Protein with fat and complex carbohydrates (chicken and rice w/oil)
Slowest
Protein with a fat source (salmon w/oil) Protein with fat and fibrous veggie source (salmon w/oil and broccoli) Slow digesting protein with fat and fibrous source (cottage cheese w/peanut butter and ground flax seeds)
Looking at this, you can make simple nutritional decisions. For example, at nighttime you might want to take in the slowest digesting food possible so you can sleep and aren't hungry. If you have a stressful job, you might allot carbohydrates around aggressive work time because carbohydrates have been shown to decrease mental stress. Things like that can change your compliance success rate dramatically. You can use these strategies to give yourself the best shot you have at succeeding at fat loss. Using Digestion Rates to Optimize Your Training Program For the most part, you can benefit from basing your diet program around moderate or slow digestion pairings. The simplest reason? It helps the majority of people with the issues they face while in a deficit.
There are times where you may benefit from a faster digestion rate and nutrient uptake around your workouts. Workout Nutrition There is a lot of controversy and research surrounding workout nutrition, even as I am writing this, new information is being released. This book’s information is based upon current research regarding workout nutrition. As discussed earlier you do not have to train to lose fat. However, proper training mixed with a deficit will increase the rate at of which you drop fat and increase health. A better functioning internal system means a faster rate of fat loss. Training sessions can lead to an increase of fat oxidation, enzyme function, increase in the natural detox of the liver and kidneys, and an increase in oxygen uptake. Really the list goes on. But there are a few things that don't get talked about which are noted below. Exercise and training can lead to injury, fatigue, dehydration, prolonged joint problems, etc. The difference is that the first section is unavoidable. The good will occur regardless of the bad. The bad generally only occurs if you don't pay attention to nutrient intake for activity or perform activity poorly. Nutrient intake can be more responsible for injury and dysfunction than you might think. Most studies on training nutrition are done on endurance athletes during weight stable times. Meaning, not a lot of research is done on those taking part in fat loss. Still if something can help aid in performance and recovery in people not in a deficit, it gives us an idea of what would help in a deficit. Pre-Workout In training for fat loss, we are looking for two things: increase or maintaining of muscle or creating a deficit so we can pull fat stores from the body. Ideally, when you are stepping up to a training session, you want to be fueled during it. Don't get me wrong you can train in a fasted state, it has its benefits and there are those who choose it. I even train in a fasted-state myself on occasion. As I talk about in the supplement section, if you are going to take part in fasted training, you might want to include the use of BCAA's during those times. Fasted training can be easier due to convenience. Also, some people don't like training with food on their stomach. If these are your reasons, I don't see much of a problem. If your reason is to increase fat loss because you will 'burn more fat' during training, I have my arguments against that logic. First, should we focus on fat usage during a training session at all?
During a resistance training session, fat loss it isn't likely to happen. You will learn about lifting for fat loss later on, but lifting uses a different type of fuel than aerobics. Basically, the only time you will be accessing fat storage for fuel is the rest time after training. So no, you shouldn't really worry about fat burning during a resistance session, and you certainly want to take advantage of increased protein synthesis that follows post-workout. That leads us to aerobic training. In aerobic training, depending on the length of time and intensity, there is a chance to increase the burn of fat during the actual exercise. But, the real focus should be the overall calories burned throughout the day. The workout should be used as a means to help expend energy. The more energy you have prior to a workout, the more intensity and energy you are likely to give during that workout. Meaning, if you aren't fueled before training, your training session is likely to be decreased. There are exceptions of course. As I always say, it depends. But generally a fed body trains harder than a depleted one. In the graphs below, I will show you the difference of activity between not consuming and not consuming a pre-workout shake. The individual doing this performed the same routine and was in a caloric deficit for 4 weeks. The graph below shows you the activity level of not consuming a pre-workout drink 15 minutes prior to training.
The graph below shows you the activity level of consuming a workout drink 15 minutes prior to training.
The overall caloric intake for the day was the same, but more energy was burned during the workout due pre-workout nutrition. I did this with many test subjects multiple times and tried to keep the variables as low as possible. I am not saying this is a peer study review, but it should inspire one. More often than not, those who took in pre-workout nutrition burned more calories overall in the day. Would you rather try to take a chance at burning more fat during the workout or would you rather burn more overall calories by supplying yourself with energy pre-workout? The lighter your intensity of activity, the more you are going to burn fuel from fat storage. Well, why not use your workout to help put you in a deficit so that you are more likely to experience a deficit easier at more fat-burning times? Why not burn the fat in your sleep? I talk about this more later. Pre-Workout Recommendations in Regards to Deficit Training Ideally eating any meal within a 3-4 hour span before your training session helps aid you during that training session. A true safe bet is pointing to an intake of 20 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. You would do this (roughly) 10 to 15 minutes before your workout. It works best if intake is in liquid form. This is merely so that you don't spend your workout being sick from stuffing your face. A small meal of bar is fine as well. Fast digestion isn't the goal, but easy digestion can be helpful. Pick your battles.
Some carbohydrate presence is desired, but if having to shuffle nutrient placement, there isn't a problem to have pre-training nutrition made up of fat and protein. These are not hard-fast guidelines, but merely a good strategy. There is a big difference between the two. Part research, part experience. Workout Nutrition in Regards to Deficit Training If this was a book about endurance training, this section would be much larger. However, this is a fat loss book and mostly I want to discuss training for fat loss. While some people do take part in deficits during endurance training, (e.g marathons) it isn't something I recommend for the average trainee. People are going to do it anyway. To that I say, please bone up on endurance specific workout nutrition. When training, you are putting yourself in a stressed state. You are breaking down the body to essentially build it back up again. This needs to happen, so it isn't a bad thing. However, there can be instances or individuals who need extra aid during training situations. If you have no pre-existing conditions, unless you desire to for personal reasons, you can simply take part in post-training nutrition only or a combination of pre- and post. If you have a history of diabetes, menstrual disturbances, or hypoglycemia, there are various recommendations that may aid you based on current research. There is general agreement on using some form of liquid nutrition during training or on stand-by. Make sure to check with your RD or doctor for specifics based on your issues. Post-Workout Nutrition in Regards to Deficit Training With pre-workout, we are worried about persevering muscle and maintaining energy levels. It should be noted that what you eat through the day plays a role in recovery. In post-workout nutrition, we want to focus on recovery and repair of those muscles and the restoration of glycogen. This is running under the assumption that you are utilizing a balanced nutritional approach and not a special diet (e.g PSMF, Keto). Protein Type Protein and its purpose during post-workout are pretty simple. Protein holds amino acids, and amino acids are responsible for the repair and recovery of muscle tissue. However, the rate at which it gets there, how much it needs to get there, and how it gets there is going to be dependent on digestion. I am going to keep this really simple. If you are looking to 100% optimize your program and bring on 100% intensive repair then a mixture of casein and whey post-workout is a good way to go. In short, you get the best of both worlds. This doesn't mean you're post-workout nutrition is bad sans casein and whey. Whole food is also an excellent choice. My recommendation comes more from a place of general ease, versus selecting an option out of fear your muscle to atrophy.
Recommendations and How Much Your job is to account for your intensity of dieting down variables. It’s these variables that make a difference between you needing to guzzle down liquid nutrition or you needing to just eat normal meals. For example:
Are you in a surplus or are you in a deficit? Are you a bodybuilder or weekend warrior? Are you an active athlete? Are you eating low carb? Are you male of female? Is your level of lean body mass high or low?
To keep it as simple as possible, pick your category and choose your post-workout (PWO) nutrition. There is also room for common sense and honesty. Be honest with how hard you train. Be honest with how much you are eating in a day. This isn't a definitive diagnosis, it is a q&a; nothing more. Ideally you would want to get with a sports nutritionist or get evaluated in person. From a research standpoint, I would like to quote Brad Schonfield and Alan Aragon in their recent review of post-workout nutrition when they stated, "Therefore, in the case where training is initiated more than ~3-4 hours after the preceding meal, the classical recommendation to consume protein (at least 25 g) as soon as possible seems warranted in order to reverse the catabolic state, which in turn could expedite muscular recovery and growth. However, as illustrated previously, minor pre-exercise nutritional interventions can be undertaken if a significant delay in the post-exercise meal is anticipated." Basically, there is a lot of "depends" and variables to pre- and post-workout nutrition. Try to use the following to help determine a starting point for yourself. Category 1: Light Workout Low to moderate aerobic activity Caloric deficit of less than 15% Low to moderate resistance training Training time 60 minutes or less Pre-workout nutrition less than 3-4 hours from training Your potential PWO nutrition - A solid meal within 60 minutes of training. Focus on protein and carbs. Example - Chicken with rice and vegetables Translation - Just eat some food. Category 2: Focused Trainee
Moderate to aggressive aerobic activity level Caloric maintenance or deficit no greater than 25% Moderate to aggressive resistance training Training time 60 minutes or less Pre-workout nutrition 3-4 hours from training Your PWO nutrition - A solid meal within 30 minutes of training, whole foods and a macro breakdown of pro/carb with heavier focus on simple/complex sugars and lower fats/fibers. Example - Turkey w/sweet potatoes and baked apples Translation - You should eat soon after working out and put focus on PWO nutrition. That being said, don't freak out and buy dextrose and whey just yet. Category 3: All-Star Athlete Aggressive to vigorous aerobic activity Caloric deficit greater than 25% Aggressive to vigorous resistance training Training time of 40 minutes or more (if training longer than 60 minutes then re-feed on simple/complex carbohydrates in intervals at least every 30 minutes after 60 minutes.) Pre-workout nutrition greater than 3-4 hours from training Your PWO nutrition – You would benefit from a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio of carb to protein breakdown. Ideally, protein would be a powder high quality protein with complete amino acids. Carbs could be a mix of 2/3 glucose with 1/3 fructose. Ideally the meal should be liquid. Example Liquid Meal - Milk or Whey, simple sugar, and a ripe banana. Example Solid Meal – Cottage cheese and brown sugared bananas. Translation - You wore your body down and pushed your training. You are running on empty as is it. Recover with focus. Obviously, there is room for a middle ground between those. Do the best you can to make a call. Also, you don't have to always do one kind. On a cardio day, you can just have a whole meal. On a lifting day with finishers, you could have Cat: 3. More on Meal Timing When Not Training Now that you understand the basic workings of food, it's time to figure out your strategy for eating on a regular basis. This goes back to thinking of eating first for function and second for pleasure. I promise function and pleasure can go hand in hand. We’re millions of years past the
days when we ate merely to survive. There are thousands of reasons to eat — some good, some bad. Let’s look at a few from both sides of the divide: Bad reasons for eating: Stress Depression Boredom Anxiety Fear Guilt Loneliness Good reasons for eating: Hunger Change in Body Composition Experience Socializing Celebration We’ve all eaten for any number of the bad reasons listed above, and the results were probably the same: We felt momentary relief followed by instant regret. Our self-esteem took a hit, as did our health. When we eat for the good reasons listed above, we feel relief, excitement or happiness. Although it’s possible to overeat for a good reason, I submit that it’s not as common as when we eat for a bad reason. The key to avoiding excess calories is to understand the reasoning behind your eating patterns. Some people with weight problems say that they enjoy food too much, and that’s why they’re fat. That argument is seductive, but it’s also poor. It’s like an alcoholic arguing that they enjoy booze too much, and that’s why they’re a drunk. I’d like to add that no one tries to get fat. With the exception of porn foodies anyway. For most, extra weight sneaks onto your body one pound at a time. It’s easy to miss, but the trick is to catch it before it gets out of control and learn to control what you eat, even if that means feeling a little hungry sometimes. It’s OK to feel hungry sometimes. Wear your occasional hunger like a badge of honor and remember that it’s a symbol of your self-control. A Life of Dieting, Isn't a Life at All
If you’ve bought this book, then chances are you’ve tried other diets without luck. If you’re willing to read more, I will challenge you to embrace food and to embrace occasional hunger. If the “occasional hunger” part of this deal makes you nervous, just remember that eating deficits are temporary. Deprivation shouldn't define your life. Life shouldn't be a deficit. Your diet shouldn't only be about a deficit. There should be a moment where you split from the world of losing fat and enter into maintenance. Getting there is impossible though, if you never get the fat loss done. Determine Your Meal Timing: From Intermittent Fasting To 5-6 Meals Meal timing has always been a hot topic. It can also get blown out of proportion by both sides. You will find extremes of people trying to eat every hour and others stretching out fasts for ridiculous amounts of time. As with most things, there is a middle ground. But, there is a lot of room for individualism in these grounds. It can also vary based on deficit eating and maintenance eating. Some take part in Intermittent Fasting (IF'ing) during a deficit and smaller spaced meals during bulking. Don't get caught up in the black and white of meal timing rules. Only eating in a certain window or having to eat every 3 hours can both have its problems. Neither is right or wrong, they are only options. I came up with a quiz to help you determine a meal style that might work for you. These are not iron clad rules, but it may help you see a starting point to test with. 1. When younger you ate (
) meals a day?
a) 1 big meal/maybe a snack b) 2 meals/maybe a snack c) 3 meals/maybe a snack d) 4 or more meals/snacks 2. When younger your parents ate ( a) 1 big meal/maybe a snack b) 2 meals/maybe a snack c) 3 meals/maybe a snack d) 4 or more meals/snacks 3. In the morning you’re hungry…
) meals a day?
a) never b) rarely c) often d) always 4. You naturally/intuitively will or would start eating… a) many hours after awake, maybe 7-8. b) awhile after I am awake, maybe 4-5 c) a little while after awake, maybe 2-3 d) I need to eat as soon as I wake up 5. You seem to train best… a) at night b) in the late afternoon c) few hours after I am awake d) first thing in the morning 6. You feel hunger the most at… a) at night b) in the late afternoon c) few hours after I am awake d) first thing in the morning 7. When you exercise you could eat… a) a house filled with oatmeal pies b) just the house c) hungry, but not starving d) not hungry at all, and sometimes I even lose my appetite 8. When stressed out you could eat…
a) a house filled with oatmeal pies b) just the house c) hungry, but not starving d) not hungry at all, and sometimes I even lose my appetite 9. You sleep best on a… a) Thanksgiving-full stomach b) full but not stuffed c) maybe light hunger or fullness d) hungry 10. You personally like eating... a) 1 big meal/snack b) 2 meals/snack c) 3 meals/2snacks d) 5 or more meals/snack 11. You are currently involved in a bulking program... a) If you count getting fat! b) Not meaning to if I am c) No d) Yes 12. Previously you had the best luck losing weight when... a) Fasting b) It seemed to just happen c) Portion control and exercise d) Weight isn’t my problem, looking like crap is 13. How would you describe your lifestyle?
a) I don’t get to move much b) It varies, mostly not much movement c) It varies, more movement than not d) Pretty constant in movement 14. You find it hard to get full... a) Often b) Sometimes c) Rarely d) Never 15. You have ongoing digestion issues (irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis)... a) Often b) Sometimes c) Rarely 4) Never Finished? Let’s talk about your results. This quiz isn’t scored in a traditional way. Instead of assigning numbers to different letters, I wanted to look for a general pattern in your life. So count up your answers and find the letter you chose the most. Mostly A's: MT1-Meal Type 1 You’re a “feels so good but it’s so wrong” type of eater. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. If you’re a hardcore trainee, then likely you have one of the best bodies of everyone you know because you naturally load your body at its highest point of stress, recover with sleep, and start all over again. But if you’re not an aggressive trainee, then you probably have some health problems. You load up on calories, don’t do anything with them, and then just store them away when you sleep. You might suffer from insomnia or irregular sleep patterns and be susceptible to blood-sugar spikes and highs and lows brought on by how much you eat. Likely, you could go without breakfast and could care less about anything but coffee in the morning. When nighttime comes, it's a different story. You want eat and you want comfort.
What to do? Even though you might make a prime candidate for multiple small meals in a digestive sense, you probably wouldn’t be able to handle it mentally. Instead, try for 2-3 meals or eating in a feeding window and allotting your meals only in a 6-8 hour span of time with IF'ing. Mostly Bs: MT2-Meal Type 2 You eat for pleasure. You enjoy eating at restaurants, eating big meals at night along with a small lunch and multiple snacks. You're likely not obese, just overweight. If you work out, you’re probably stacked, but in either case the weight snuck onto your body without you realizing it. Just like A's, you like your big meals in the evening. You just may not benefit from only eating in a short window. What to do? Here’s the good news: You don’t have to give up those big meals at night! You will likely find that eating very small amounts early in the day or snacking on low calories will get you through to your bigger meal in the evening. Just remember to count, you are a grazer. Mostly Cs: MT3-Meal Type 3 Generally you fall in the middle. You feel average. You probably don’t get big hunger spikes. You’re not that likely to crash and binge, either. You never overeat. So what’s the problem? You’re a nibbler. You do nothing but snack all day, which prevents you from ever getting into a caloric deficit, and that prevents you from ever losing weight and really getting into shape. You likely don't plan your training or really anything. You just get through. What to do? You need disciple, but to keep it simple. Nothing too complicated for you. Take away the grazing temptations and switch it to 3 meals a day and maybe a training shake. No matter what, it gets logged in the beginning. Mostly Ds: MT4-Meal Type 4 You’re “skinny fat” or a “hardgainer.” You probably have a hard time losing fat or putting on muscle because you need body recomposition. You’re probably fairly lean, but you’re afraid of getting fat, and you don’t eat when depressed. You also don’t eat much, period, but that’s not a good thing. People should get hunger pangs, and when you don’t, that might mean your brain has simply stopped sending certain signals. What to do? Eat! Just spread those meals and snacks throughout the day. Aim for 4-5 meals a day, along with plenty of snacks. Keep high-calorie foods around you at all times. Don't worry so much about it always being clean and instead make it easier.
But remember... The outcomes of these tests should be taken as seriously as a magazine quiz. The point is to gain perspective and re-think your mindset with eating patterns. You can take ideas from all 4 categories and make yourself something truly for you. In the end with meal timing, the goal is just to ask yourself one simple question, "What makes getting through this easy as possible?" Is it having a day of snacks here and there? Is it logging, but with no rules? Is it 5 salads a day? What is it? Figure it out! Don't be stressed by what you think you are supposed to do and try some new things. Just understand you need to make a decision and not get stuck by paralysis.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Technical Section for Fat Loss: Formulas and Figures This section holds all the technical data you can use for determining your fat loss. If you recall in chapter one, I discussed the various formulas for fat loss. Since then we have discussed macronutrients, workout nutrition, and meal timing. Now, you can put it all together to determine a fat loss path for yourself. Below are examples of how this can look. Note: All discussion for macronutrient recommendations are under guidelines and research of the RDA and USDA. Please consult with your doctor or registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet or macronutrient composition. This is for educational purposes only. Quick Start – Fat Loss Step 1: Use the BMR formula to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate. Step 2: Use the activity quiz to figure out your estimated activity level. Step 3: Use those two numbers to determine the average number of calories you burn every day. You can also use an activity monitor to come up with these numbers. I’d use a week’s worth of numbers to get a reliable average. For example, let’s say that Monday through Thursday you burn 2,200 calories per day, while Friday through Sunday, you burn 2,500 calories per day. The math looks like this: 2,200x4 days + 2,500x3 days = 16,300/7 = 2,328 Step 4: Take your average number (2,328) and decide how large of a caloric deficit you want. That’ll determine how much weight you’ll lose. It is important that if your days vary greatly from one another, that you apply individual day focus instead of an average or only do an average for the set time. Meaning, if on weekends you burn significantly more calories, have a weekday/weekend plan that differs. Step 5: Choose a percentage of deficit that you want to work in to lose fat.
NOTE: The more extreme the deficit you choose, the more complicated things can get. If you want to lose weight faster, you’ll need to have a strict regimen of working out and eating. Get all the information you can before starting out. Your percentage of deficit should be based on need of fat loss results in relation to physical health and emotional compliance. Meaning, at what rate can you lose at a healthy manner, while also being motivated? Here are common deficit percentages and their ratings. 1. 10-15% - Low intensity fat loss Best for those very concerned with preserving lean body mass. Perhaps taking part in a cyclic or recomposition program. Individuals would experience little to no scale movement for many weeks at a time. 2. 20-25% - Low/moderate intensity fat loss This can still be a good ratio to work at for recomposition. There would still be little scale change on a regular basis. 3. 30-35% -Moderate/high intensity fat loss At this percentage, fat loss would be the main goal. This percentage will allow for roughly a pound a week in fat loss. Scale change will not be dramatic, but pace of movement should be seen easily. 4. 40-45% - High intensity fat loss The higher your rate of deficit percentage, the harder compliance will be. At this rate, results will be much easier to see, but compliance will start to be a challenge. You will also have to be stricter with nutrition quality to protect muscle and health. 5. 50+ - Very high intensity fat loss Anything above a 50% deficit rating is going to be harder to comply to. It doesn't mean it isn't possible or that loss of muscle would take place. But generally speaking, you would only want to enter the realm above 50% if you are an individual higher than 30% body fat for a male or 40% body fat for a female. More About Rate of Loss and Body Fat Percentage A lot of estimations try to achieve a safe rate of loss using a weight x number formula ( e.g. 15xbw =) to determine safety level of fat loss rating. This is assuming for a lot of average activity and behavior among dieters.
It is a much better practice to achieve activity separate of LBM to fat mass ratio. Once activity factor is determined, then determine body fat content for your deficit severity. A general rule of thumb would look like this: Male 50%+ Body Fat - Ranges less than or greater than 50+ deficits are possible with little loss to LBM. 30-50% Body Fat - Ranges of a 50% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. 20-30% Body Fat - Ranges of a 45% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. 15-20% Body Fat - Ranges of a 35% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. 10-15% Body Fat - Ranges of a 25% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. -10% Body Fat - Ranges of a 20% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. Female 50%+ Body Fat - Ranges less than or greater than 50+ deficits are possible with little loss to LBM. 40-50% Body Fat - Ranges of a 50% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. 30-40% Body Fat - Ranges of a 45% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. 25-30% Body Fat - Ranges of a 35% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. 18-25% Body Fat - Ranges of a 25% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. -18% Body Fat - Ranges of a 20% deficit or less than are possible with little loss to LBM. Note: This is not utilizing specialty diets like PSMF or Ketogenic. These estimations assume daily carb intake exceeding that of 100g per day. Example of Use To provide an example, here is Liam. Liam has a BMR and activity factor of 2900 calories a day. Liam is 20% body fat and wants to get down to 10% body fat. He figures he has roughly 40 pounds of fat to lose total and is hoping to gain some lean mass along the way being he is new to training. The rate Liam wants to attempt to lose fat will dictate deficit percentage. When analyzing his fat loss goals and compliance ability, Liam determines he could navigate a deficit percentage of 30%. He is concerned his compliance rating will fail if he attempts a larger deficit than this. He also wants to conserve LBM as much as possible. Here is how it would look. 2900 x .30 = 870 2900 – 870 = 2030
Total average caloric intake for Liam would be 2030 calories. Step 6: Figure out how many meals and what proportions of protein, carbohydrates and fat you need. I offered some guidance in the last section about calculating the number of meals you should eat, but again, that’s a very personal decision. Remember how you calculated the number of overall calories you need to eat every day? Well, now we can break down that number based on how many calories of protein, carbs and fat you can eat. Minimum Macronutrient Intake For Fat Loss – General Population All discussion for macronutrient recommendations are under guidelines and research of the RDA and USDA. Please consult with your doctor or registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet or macronutrient composition. This is for educational purposes only. When going into a deficit, there are nutrients we need in order to ensure we get the needed essential nutrients. These numbers will allow you to still get your amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals with whole foods. In some instances, supplements may be needed to aid to get your full profile, but this is a good base point. This is a perfect example of why static caloric numbers like "1200 calories-a-day" or "not eating below BMR" are poor generalizations. For some it could be correct, for others it isn't. Protein: 0.6g to 0.8g x your weight in pounds Note: Protein requirements can alter depending on training. For example, athletes may need more protein intake. The more you train, the more you require. Still, some protein intakes requirements have become ridiculous, even for the bodybuilding population. Carbohydrates: 0.2g to 0.3g x your weight in pounds Note: Carbohydrates may not be an essential nutrient, but you still need them. That was discussed previously. Fat: 0.25g to 0.35g x your weight in pounds Note: Remember, you need fat, especially fatty acids. If you eat less fat, then you need to make sure it’s all quality fat. Let’s do the math Keep in mind that all of these numbers are based on your body weight. This is not based on BMR. You will work it into your caloric allotment later. Let’s take an example:
For a 170-pound man, here’s how the math breaks down: Protein: 102g of protein = 408 calories of protein Carbohydrates: 34g of carbohydrates = 136 calories of carbohydrates Fats: 42.5g of fat = 382 calories in fat Total: 926 essential calories OK, now things get interesting. Go back and get your numbers for BMR and activity level, then subtract your caloric deficit. Let’s say that this 170-pound man calculates those numbers and determines that he has to eat 1,650 calories per day to meet his goals. Of those 1,650 calories, 926 of them are essential. In other words, his body likely requires 408 calories of protein, 136 calories of carbs and 382 calories of fat to maintain a basic level of nutrients. Now he has 724 calories to play around with. Think of these as “elective” calories, like elective classes in college, only now these electives can really come in handy. What you do with this caloric intake should be dictated by your training and compliance needs. A simple way of doing things is making an even split among all the macros. 724/3 = 241 calories to each macronutrient 60g extra of protein 60g extra of carbs 26g extra of fat If you spend a lot of time doing aerobic activity or need a lot of training recover, you could play with carbs being higher, especially around training. A 50/25/25 split of remaining macros would look something like this. 45g extra of protein 90g extra of carbs 20g extra of fat Last tips: • When starting out, carefully weigh and measure your portions. Most people ignore this step and more often than not, this is where the failures in results come. • Take deficit breaks to avoid getting rundown or achieving metabolic adaptations. I speak about this more in the nutrition and training recovery section. • Don’t overestimate your activity level. People rarely move as much as they think or deserve as much food as they believe.
• Don’t go overboard with training. You’ll just get burned out. Instead, try to increase your activity levels throughout the day. Remember, NEAT beats TEA any time. • Don’t overthink this. It really is this simple. Quick Start – Muscle Gain Nutrition All discussion for macronutrient recommendations are under guidelines and research of the RDA and USDA. Please consult with your doctor or registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet or macronutrient composition. This is for educational purposes only. Nutrition plays a role in muscle gain, but serious weightlifting will always be the key component. In any case, putting on muscle is tough. We all get about 5-7 freebie pounds of muscle when we start working out, but after that, it takes years of dedication. While this is a book about fat loss, some of you may be interested in cycling or recomping. Having these stats will provide good knowledge for those events. Step 1: Use the BMR formula to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate Step 2: Use the activity quiz to figure out your estimated activity level Step 3: Use those two numbers to determine the average number of calories you burn every day. As before, I’d use a week’s worth of numbers to get a reliable average. For example, let’s say that Monday through Thursday you burn 2,200 calories per day, while Friday through Sunday, you burn 2,500 calories per day. The math looks like this: 2,200x4 days + 2,500x3 days = 16,300/7 = 2,328 Step 4: Here’s the trick: In order to gain muscle mass, you’ll need to eat more, not less. As before, you’re going to take a percentage of your average calories consumed per day, but now you’ll add that number to your overall caloric consumption. Also, as before, I’m providing percentages that will help you gain modest amounts of muscle. I wouldn’t increase your caloric intake too much, or else you’ll gain fat as quickly as you gain muscle. Percentage of surplus to gain mass 8 percent: Roughly 0.2 – 0.3 pounds mass per week 10 percent: Roughly 0.4 -0.5 pounds of mass per week 15 percent: Roughly 0.75 pounds of mass per week 20 percent: Roughly 1 pound of mass per week
Technically surplus numbers can be a semantics argument. What you really need is to eat enough to maintain recovery. As you increase caloric consumption, with training, you will increase burn. Some of that will not be assumed with BMR + activity calculations. So eating in a "surplus" will assure you are landing in the zone you need. In reality, it may not be much of a surplus at all. You’ll also gain muscle faster if you’re starting out, versus someone who’s been lifting for years. Here’s how it breaks down: Men Newbie: 1-2 Years of serious lifting: Roughly 1.5 pounds a month in muscle Intermediate: 2-4 years of lifting: 0.5 pounds a month in muscle Advanced: 4-plus years of lifting: 0.25 pounds a month in muscle (until peak point) Women Newbie: 1-6 months of serious lifting: Roughly .75 to 1 pounds a month in muscle Newbie: 6-12 months: .5 pounds a month in muscle Intermediate: 1-2 years of lifting: 0.3-0.4 pounds a month in muscle Advanced: 4-plus years of lifting: 0.1- 0.2 pounds a month in muscle (until peak point) Note 1: Since females gain at a slower rate than men, your excess intake should be at a smaller percentage to decrease excess fat storage Note 2: Peak Point is an muscle gain adaptation range all trainees will face at some point in their training. Step 5: Figure out how many meals and what proportions of protein, carbohydrates and fat you need. Minimum Macronutrient Intake for Mass Gain All discussion for macronutrient recommendations are under guidelines and research of the RDA and USDA. Please consult with your doctor or registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet or macronutrient composition. This is for educational purposes only. Protein: 0.8g to 1.0g x your weight in pounds Note: For mass gain, I’ve increased the protein requirement. This is still conservative based on a lot of models, but I fill it fits best with general population guideline research. Carbohydrates- 0.4g to 0.5g x your weight in pounds Note: I’ve also increased the amount of carbs you need to eat because of their key role in musclebuilding and protein-delivery. Fat- 0.3g to 0.4g x your weight in pounds
Note: For weightlifters, you still need to include fat in your diet, no matter what the bodybuilding magazines say. Let’s do the math (again) Once again, we’ll use a 170-pound man as an example. Protein: 136g of protein = 544 calories of protein Carbohydrates: 68g of carbohydrates = 272 calories of carbohydrates Fats: 51g of fat = 459 calories of fat Total: 1,275 essential calories In this case, let’s say you need 2,500 calories per day. That leaves you with 1,225 elective calories (remember those?), and because you’re trying to gain muscle mass, I’d suggest you direct those elective calories more generously toward carbs and protein. Last tips: • If you eat more, make sure you train more. Adjust your caloric intake to get it right. Adjust upward in 5 percent increments. • When starting out, carefully weigh and measure your portions. Just because you are bulking doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself carelessly. Quick Start – Maintenance Just as I have supplied you with fat loss and muscle gain, this is minimum nutrients for maintenance. Step 1: Use the BMR formula to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate Step 2: Use the activity quiz to figure out your estimated activity level Step 3: Use those two numbers to determine the average number of calories you burn every day. As before, I’d use a week’s worth of numbers to get a reliable average. For example, let’s say that Monday through Thursday you burn 2,200 calories per day, while Friday through Sunday, you burn 2,500 calories per day. The math looks like this: 2,200x4 days + 2,500x3 days = 16,300/7 = 2,328 Step 4: There’s no need to add or subtract calories. You’re going for maintenance. These are the average calories you need every day.
Step 5: Figure out how many meals and what proportions of protein, carbohydrates and fat you need. I offered some guidance in the last section about calculating the number of meals you should eat, but again, that’s a very personal decision. But when it comes to protein, carbs and fat, I can provide some specific numbers. Remember how you calculated the number of overall calories you need to eat every day? Well, now we can break down that number based on how many calories of protein, carbs and fat you should eat. Quick Start - Macronutrient Intake For Maintenance All discussion for macronutrient recommendations are under guidelines and research of the RDA and USDA. Please consult with your doctor or registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet or macronutrient composition. This is for educational purposes only. Protein: 0.6g to 0.8g x your weight in pounds Note: If you go back and look at the Letter to the Protein Obsessed section you can see my reasoning for my minimum protein requirements. Carbohydrates- 0.2g to 0.3g x your weight in pounds Note: Carbohydrates may not be an essential nutrient, but you still need them. Fat- 0.25g to 0.35g x your weight in pounds Note: Remember, you need fat, especially fatty acids. If you eat less fat, then you need to make sure it’s all quality fat. Let’s do the math Keep in mind that all of these numbers are based on your body weight. You don’t need to employ the BMR number here. Let’s take an example: For a 170-pound man, here’s how the math breaks down: Protein: 102g of protein = 408 calories of protein Carbohydrates: 34g of carbohydrates = 136 calories of carbohydrates Fats: 42.5g of fat = 382 calories in fat Total: 926 essential calories Let’s say that this 170-pound man calculates those numbers and determines that he has to eat 2,328 calories per day to meet his goals. Of those 2,328 calories, 926 of them are essential.
If you are thinking this looks a lot like fat loss, it is. The difference is mostly in elective calories. When it comes to maintenance, what helps keep you in control when eating a maintenance caloric intake may be different than in fat loss. For example, from a recovery or to keep adaptation away, focusing on carbohydrates is going to be key. In maintenance diet, too high of carbohydrates with higher caloric intake may be harder to control in a dietary sense – at least on a daily basis. Play around with varying your macro intakes across the board. Do you stick to your days need better with higher fat? Moderate carbs? After you essential nutrients, the rest is there for you to see what helps you best maintain your weight. Last tips: • If you eat too much one day, eat less for a few days to make up for it. Stay ahead of the weight gain curve. • Don’t let things get out of hand. Four pounds can become 40 easily. • Don’t restrict yourself. Just practice good habits. You’ve got the body you want, now it is time to enjoy it. • When starting out, carefully weigh and measure your portions. Learn maintenance with the same focus as fat loss.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A Realistic Look at Charting Progress You may be thinking, "I can tell when I lose weight!" The truth is, a lot of people are engulfed in mental breakdowns because they can't tell when they have lost fat. The method of measurements you use to test body composition is important. If you choose the wrong method or depend on the scale for your only answers, it can really breed disappointment. With these techniques you will feel 100% secure in whether or not you are losing fat. When you know that, from there you can make educated decisions instead of panic based. Method 1: Pictures Say It All My favorite and most reliable method of charting progress is pictures. You get all sides, literally, of your fat loss tales. It’s better than looking in the mirror at your gut everyday. A gut that under the best conditions in the world, will grow, bloat, and change on a hourly basis. The body never loses fat how you think it will. It's a little tricep here and back fat there. One day you can look up and be a completely different person. Patience is where the hard work is truly rewarded. In this age where lifting for males and females is encouraged, it can make using the scale even more problematic for encouragement. Pictures are a direct line to your results. You can turn a good set of daily pictures into a visual montage of change. With a few pointers and a bottle of courage, you can have proof of change right before your eyes. But, be warned, you can screw up pictures. If you stick to my advice, you will do just fine. 1. Wear a Skimpy Outfit No one has to see these pictures but you. Clothed is better than naked because it gives you something to compare. The outfit should be revealing enough to show most of your body. Generally, boxer briefs for men; a sports bra and bottoms for women. Bathing suits work too. 2. Wear the Same Outfit Different colors and different styles can throw things off in the short term. Many people can shrink their way to a new body and the little things make a huge difference. Use the same outfit as long as you physically can. 3. Don't Choose a Tight Outfit
You might think picking an outfit that is too small means you will "see" results faster. In truth it can make things harder to see. If you are muffin toping over your shorts, you need new shorts. It will throw off the proportion of your distribution and make little changes harder to see. Your muffin top may be hindering your vision of change. 4. Take Relaxed and Flexed Shots Both have their advantages and can show a different story. They can even help you troubleshoot your energy levels. For example, if you aren't seeing a ton of difference in your relaxed pictures, but your flexed pictures are increasing nicely, it suggest your caloric deficit is likely low. If that is the goal – great. If it isn't, then you may need larger deficits. As for angles, try the following. 1 – Relax front 1 – Relax left/right side 1 – Relax back 1 – Flexed front bicep 1 – Flexed front most muscular 1 – Flexed back bicep 1 – Flexed triceps side 5. Take Pictures at the Same Time Every Day Generally speaking, morning time pictures are the best to get your most depleted state. Postworkout is going to show best your changes in muscular physic. Don't try to see a difference in your body by taking a before morning picture and an after post-dinner picture. It isn't logical. You want to compare apples to apples. 6. Use the Same Lighting Lighting can alter your image. In truth, it doesn't matter so much if there is flash or no flash. Shadows or no shadows. As long as it is consistent, you will be fine. 7. Get a Free Photo Editing Software for Side-By-Side Comparisons There are plenty of options online. Currently, Paint.net is a popular and easy to use photo editor. Once you have an editor, put your pictures together to examine the change. It is crucial you have the pictures be the same size. Have their angles and sizing be almost identical in order to not cloud the results.
8. Wait 2 Weeks Before Each Comparison In actuality, 4 weeks is a more appropriate time scale. I realize 4 weeks can be a lifetime in dieting down world. 2 weeks is a fair compromise. It is enough time to where you should see something happening, even with a moderate deficit. If you are frustrated though, allow for at least 4 weeks of no change before making any decisions on your plan. Method 2: Trending Scale Weight Generally speaking, I am not a fan of using scale weight. I think it is a poor method of measuring results, especially for those that take part in resistance training. However, if you are going to use the scale, you need to use it right. First a few tips:
Weigh at the same time
Reset your scale before each weigh-in
If you are going to weigh, weigh frequently enough to develop a trend
Tracking the Trend The best method is to track a trend or pattern in your fat loss. You are looking for an overall trend or pattern that moves down overtime. If you are going to weigh obsessively, then use it to your advantage. Below are three graphs that show different trends. You can see a long period of time can occur before any real noticeable change will show. Graph 1: Weight Gain Trend In the graph below, you will notice it bounces up and down. It is not a steady rise. Overall, this trend is moving upwards and will result in weight gain. On a positive note, this could be a trend that showed gains in muscle mass. But, unless your definition is changing towards the positive, this would be a fat gain trend.
Graph 2: Weight Maintenance Trend In the graph below, even with bounces in both directions, the overall trend is a stable weight. This is important for people to see because depending on food selections and training, the scale can go all over the place. If you watch overtime, you will see in the big picture nothing changes.
Graph 3: Weight Loss Trend In the graph below, you will notice there are bounces up and down, but the overall trend is going towards loss.
Graph 4: Weight Trends Together Red line: weight gain
Blue line: weight maintenance White line: weight loss
All weight starts off on the same trend, at days 3 to 4 you see a shift occur. This best represents the overall change in weight trend. Depending on your activities, you will trend towards one of three directions. Given this is only a month, you may not trend in an obvious pattern yet towards your direction if changes are small. A Closer Look at Trending Let's take the case of Patti. Patti starts dieting down at 190 pounds. She weighs herself every day in the morning. Her husband logs the results so Patti cannot see them. For one month, they kept a log of her weight. Patti is following a carbohydrate cycling diet where she has bouts of higher calories and higher carb intakes. This should be mentioned because every so often, she refills on carbohydrates which will replenish glycogen stores in the body and water (i.e. more physical weight). Patti's compliance hits a 90% marking. Overall, she has done great during her month.
Patti’s Month of Weigh ins Mon
Tue
wed
thu
fri
sat
sun
Weeks
190
191
192
192
188
189
190
Week 1
191
190
188
189
190
189
191
Week 2
187
188
190
186
189
189
189
Week 3
186
189
185
189
186
187
189
Week 4
185
188
186
End
Patti has been feeling good. She is seeing a difference, her pants are fitting looser, and there are small changes in her pictures. She asks to see her first weigh-in number and each end of the week number. The numbers he gives look like this: Start
190
Week 2
191
Week 3
189
End
189
1 Pound? You can pretty much say goodbye to Patti finishing this program. She is likely discouraged and disappointed. What if she had asked to see every 3rd day? Start
192
Week 2
188
Week 3
190
Week 4
185
End
186
6 pounds! Wow. Patti is a fat-burning machine. Patti is a shoe-in for being the ultimate fat loss champion. Not only is she encouraged, she is going to push forward happily. Can you see the tragedy, beauty, and pointless behavior of weighing? It only shows part of the story, all the time. She shouldn't be encouraged by the 6 pounds anymore than she should be discouraged by the 1 pound. A trend tells a story, and then only part of it. Use it as a tool and use it wisely. Method 3: Tape Measurements Tape measuring is used to measure overall changes in the girth measurements of your body. There are different kinds of devices and items you can use for tape measuring. In short, all you need is a piece of cloth or plastic material with inches and centimeters on it. If possible, have someone else help you out with the measurements. If doing it solo, I recommend using a personal body tape measurement device (Myotape). Where to Measure Technically, the sky is the limit. The key is always hitting the same spot each time. Try to have a reference point on the body to achieve accurate results. For example, if measuring the stomach always lay across your belly button. Here are the basic measuring spots:
Neck Shoulders Bicep Chest Waist Stomach Hips Thighs Calf
Measure no less than two weeks apart and at the same time during the day. When Tape Measuring Causes Panic If you are taking part in a resistance training programs or increases of aerobic activity, you will (likely) increase in water retention. If you plan on losing fat while doing training, take measurements prior to training and then 2-3 days into your training. This will allow for trend changes due to retention.
There are also times where measurements can increase, but for the better. For instance, if you are working on increasing glute strength or "perkyness," measurements may show an increase in your butt or hips. This is a positive thing! Method 4: Body Fat Measuring Body fat measuring is the process of determining your body fat to muscle ratio. Understanding body fat percentage is a complicated process and a novelty. It is impossible to determine with any method a perfect percentage. Anyone who says otherwise doesn't understand the complex nature of body fat percentage. That being said, you can chart consistency and change. Ideally, you are looking for a trend of change, not an absolute number being correct. There are pros and cons to each method. I am only going to focus on home based methods. If you desire to get a professional method done, I highly recommend choosing DEXA. Not only can you analyze an estimate of your body fat level, you can check bone density health. Skinfold Test with Calipers These are easily the cheapest method for tracking. That being said, it is very hard to get an accurate reading without a lot of practice. The details and patience matter. Equipment: Skinfold Caliper. There are a many model types. I would personally avoid electronic based readers. Instruction: Pinch an inch. The tester pinches the skin at the appropriate site to raise a double layer of skin. The goal is to get the underlying adipose tissue, but not the muscle. The calipers are then applied 1 cm below and at a right angle to the pinch. Pause for 2 seconds and then mark down the reading. The mean of two measurements should be the final tally. If the two measurements differ greatly, a third should be done for a mean value. Body Fat Caliper Measurement Sites - Men Chest - Diagonal fold, midway between upper armpit and nipple Midaxillary - Horizontal fold, directly below armpit Bicep - Vertical fold, halfway between shoulder and elbow, directly on bicep Abdominal - Vertical fold, one inch to the right of navel Suprailiac - Diagonal fold, directly above iliac crest Thigh - Vertical fold, midway between knee cap and top of thigh Calf - Vertical fold, inside of leg on largest part of calf
Subscapular - Diagonal fold, directly below shoulder blade Triceps - Vertical fold, midway between elbow and shoulder Lower Back - Horizontal fold, directly over the kidneys, and 2 inches to the right of spine
Body Fat Caliper Measurement Sites - Women
Chest - Diagonal fold, one third of the way between upper armpit and nipple Midaxillary - Horizontal fold, directly below armpit Bicep - Vertical fold, halfway between shoulder and elbow, directly on bicep Abdominal - Vertical fold, one inch to the right of navel Suprailiac - Diagonal fold, directly above iliac crest Thigh - Vertical fold, midway between knee cap and top of thigh Calf - Vertical fold, inside of leg on largest part of calf Subscapular - Diagonal fold, directly below shoulder blade Triceps - Vertical fold, midway between elbow and shoulder Lower Back - Horizontal fold, directly over the kidneys, and 2 inches to the right of spine Bioelectrical Impendence (Handheld) This testing system measures the body's ability to conduct an electrical current, from which fat content can be inferred. The devices send a very small charge through the body to measure its impedance or resistance. The underlying principle is that electricity travels differently through lean and fat mass. These devices can be good for getting consistent readings if used at the same time of day. Hydration and eating levels affect results. It appears more accurate readings can be received later in the evening. Handheld models also seem to have more reliability than scale models. Remember, with either method of measurement you are looking for consistency. Accuracy is harder to come by. Method 5: Life's Daily Trials Pay attention to the things that are taking place on a daily basis.
Are your clothes getting loose? Do you have moments of seeing results in the mirror? Have people started making comments you looking different?
All these everyday trials are important. They can help give you a boost when you are feeling low or in the middle of the grind. It’s natural to want feedback when you are putting your heart into something. Sometimes that feedback comes from others, and sometimes it comes yourself. When changes do occur, reward them. Always throw out the old clothes you can’t fit into. These are not memories you want to hold onto, so get rid of them. Don't have "in case I screw up" safety nets. Necessity is the mother of fat loss too. Using Multiple Methods to Determine Your Conclusion When it comes to tracking progress, it is best to use as many methods possible. The truth is, if you are doing everything right, you will see results. It doesn't take a scale to lose fat or tape measurements to fit into new clothes. In the mundane of fat loss it can inspire. Just be prepared for realistic expectations and give yourself enough time to judge properly. If you aren’t seeing results, it’s time to check where the problems can be and put the troubleshoot to work for you.
CHAPTER NINE
The Mental Side of Sticking to Fat Loss Knowledge is the best thing you can have for fat loss. The technical side of fat loss can break your mental barriers if you don't have the information you need. This book isn't just a book about fat loss, it is a guide on how to look at things in general. This is as "self-help" as it gets. Training, nutrition, psychology – it's all here. Here is an overview of what you get:
Why you gain fat How to lose fat How to train How to judge progress How to troubleshoot if something is wrong
How is this going to affect you mentally? How does having faith and trust into the process aid you when you are dealing with the inevitable traps you will face? I believe if you have the answers, fear wins less. I believe if you have the knowledge, you have the power. Imagine you have to cross a bridge that sits high above the ground over a ravine filled with large and pointy boulders. The bridge is four feet wide and the length a football field. On each side of the bridge, are two waist high rails. While slightly nerve racking due to the height, the rails make the bridge easier to cross. You move swiftly and carry about life on the other side. Now take away the rails. Your safety net has been taken away. The comfort of the rails are gone. Not only are you going to cross the bridge slower, you might not take the journey at all. This book is that rail. These facts are that trust. Use it to make this journey faster for you. In this section, I am going to provide you with tips, tricks, and lessons to help navigate the mental side of fat loss. Take them in, slowly if you have to, and let them resonate. Tip #1 – No More Excuses I had a case client (John) that made Rocky’s ambition look wimpy. Case clients are free clients I worked with for trade of experience or something I wanted to test. In short, they paid me no money.
Payment in this case didn't matter, because John had no money. He had no real family, massive debt, a knee injury, no workout equipment, divorced, and 75 pounds overweight. Take it all in for a moment. He carried two jobs. One job was in a factory where he received one 30-minute break every 10 hours. The other job was a graveyard shift he worked 3 days a week. Some days he got no more than 4 hours of sleep. He was a challenge to say the least. I had to work around time, money, training equipment, injuries, and more. He could only contact me intermittently at his local library. He lived six states away, so our only choice was online training. It took a little creativity and a few fails, but we got it working. Resistance Training: Bodyweight work was at the core of his programming. Where he could find poles/bars, he used them. Cardio: He acquired a used bike and started riding it to work. He started doing drills outside at a park near his house. Diet: He used condiments taken from his cafeteria at work. He purchased bulk chicken breast and tuna. There was a lot of canned food, discounted meat, and final-day fruits/veggies. He had $40 for food most weeks. He did what he could, where he could. Supplements: There were none. He couldn’t afford them. Rest: He didn’t get a lot, but he did what we could. Results: I would like to tell you he lost 75 pounds, but he didn’t. Instead he lost 54 pounds, gained muscle and was roughly 11% body fat. He is in the best shape of his life. He got hired to be a personal trainer after saving $400 to get the certification. That was quite some time ago. Since this update for this book, he is in the process of opening his own studio in a mid-sized city. He is happy. He is in love. It's amazing. Like myself, fitness saved his life. To be truthful, this didn’t have anything to do with me. I barely talked to him. I didn’t get to see his form. I didn't push him harder during a workout. I just came up with a decent plan to help someone who wanted to change. He wanted it and that was all that mattered. All I did was point him in the right direction, provide a program, and cross my fingers. I was just an education source. He taught me more than I taught him. I have a few questions for you now:
What are your excuses? What keeps you from changing? What do you allow to keep you from your goals? How much longer are you going to put this off?
Don’t get upset. This isn’t about judging you. Do you think I am perfect? Do you think I never screw up or have weak moments? Of course I do. I'm human. I procrastinate and have my physical limits and certainly my mental ones. The difference is, if I don’t do what I need to do, I know it is because I choose to. This bears repeating. I know that if I don't have what I want, it's because I didn't get it. No one else is to blame. The buck stops here. Can you honestly tell me that you had to eat at a restaurant? You had to eat multiple butter smothered rolls? No. You don't have to do anything. You choose to do it. You could have:
Eaten before you got there. Asked for a healthier selection. Taken a meal replacement bar with you in your pocket. Not eaten there at all.
You have choices. You chose to take the direction you went. There are no excuses, only choices. You choose how other people make you feel about your choices. People hire me and dislike me because I take away their excuses. Whatever you can come up with for why you couldn't do something, turn inward and be real with yourself about your alternative. Even if you make the wrong choice, at least your intent was good. That pride of intent will mean something, even in the midst of frustration. No Food? Pack it. No Time? Find it. Too Tired? Sleep more. No Equipment? Find Some. No Support? Support yourself.
3 Top Excuses That Need To Go 1. “It was in the house, so I had to eat it. I didn't want to waste food!” No, you didn’t have to eat it. I am sure all of you reading this can name multiple occasions where your vegetables died a harsh refrigerator death. I am sure a package of Oreos has never met the same fate. If it isn’t in the house, you can’t eat it. If it is in your house, you don't have to eat all of it. Personally, if I am in a deficit, I don't bother to bring things into my house that I have a hard time moderating. Again, I am human. I can't say no to cookies that are 10 feet away. I have a hard time knowing they are out there for my taking anytime I want. But, you deal. Chances are if you keep your house stocked with whole foods you have to prepare, there will be less grazing and more results. 2. “Why should I punish my family/I can’t control what they bring in!” Not having low nutrient food in the house is hardly punishment. You need to think about how you and your family relate to food. You should be experiencing them, not food. Give your kid an apple, not a ding dong. Make your wife a full meal instead of picking up pizza. Newer surveys have found that about one-third of U.S. children are overweight. We are approaching the 50% mark in obesity population. This problem can be tackled at home. 3. “I need time for me and I can’t (won't) spend my whole day packing, shopping, and cooking.” A tiny bit of planning and organizing can make things a snap. There are also a ton of restaurants, supermarkets, and pre-made meals to choose from these days. If you have time for a favorite tv show, you can figure out your meals. We find time to do the things we really want to do. If you care, you make the time. If you care, you will deal with a fight. If you care, you will demand respect. If they care, they will help you. If you care, you will commit right now to stop making excuses and live in the reality of your situation. If you slip up, it happens. Of course it doesn’t mean you don’t care. But, it does mean you selected to make that choice. It was your success or your misdirection. When you do well it just doesn’t happen, you earned it, and you picked your path. If you fail to comply, it is your choice also.
Don't care about being the stick in the mud. Don't care that your husband brought home a pizza, or your kid wanted ice cream. All excuses. Hiccups? Yes. Destroyers of your plan to dominate life? No. You can’t now anyway because I have called you out on it. You can try to convince yourself otherwise, but my words will haunt you in that moment. Remember, it is okay and normal to have weak moments. Accept them for what they are and be real with yourself. Tip #2 – Invest In Motivation Motivation is a living thing. It breathes, it eats, and it begs you everyday to drive it. The biggest mistake people is thinking motivation should be there waiting for us. It isn't, you have to work for it. Let me give you an example: Darren is 35 years old. His story is average, his pains are average, and his dreams are average. He is stuck in the world of trying to be realistic and getting by. Every day he goes to work, and every night he comes home. Perhaps 1 out of every 50 days something happens worth remembering to Darren. Sometimes that one day ends up being something bad, not good. He says to himself "If only I were motivated by something! If only there was something out there worth being excited about!" Darren doesn't work for motivation; he expects it to just be there. Like they say in business, "You need to spend money to make money." The same is true for motivation. Sometimes you have to spend motivation to make it. Motivational Currency Not too long ago, we saw via email, twitter, facebook, and TV the tail of the homely woman who stole the heart of the world while singing on Britain's talent show. Thus, Susan Boyle's star was born. A child bullied because of low oxygen birth, now sings as a full grown adult bringing tears to the eyes of millions. It went viral and in a matter of days, a no-name woman became a household name. Like her or not, you have to appreciate the story. You will never find a negative story being passed around in the same manner. You will never find a mediocre story passed around in the same manner. The value of the dollar, euro, franc and yen is dead. The stock in motivation is the highest it has ever been. We are craving it like heroin. People put their motivational hopes in others. They hope, like a virus, they will catch some small part of that magic. We hope it will go airborne and through osmosis that woman, Ms. Boyle, will be enough motivational currency to get us out of debt. 25,000 Mornings They say the average person has 25,000 mornings to a lifetime. Some more and some less, but overall that is our average. How does reading that make you feel? I don't know about you, but it
scares the hell out of me. I see that number and I think "Have I done enough? Have I made my mornings worth it?" If the answer is no, then the immediate question should be, "Why didn't I have a great and memorable morning today?" How many mornings are you in debt? Everyone has different reasons for missing the chance to change their lives. The top reasons are:
Fear
Being Uneducated
Laziness
Apathy
There is one common thread among those 4 reasons. Can you guess what it is? Laziness. Education can be gained. Apathy disappears with expenditure. Fear usually dies in the hand of education Laziness is the killer of motivation. Most people think it is the other way around. They think we are lazy because we lack motivation. This is the furthest from the truth. You have to work for motivation just as you have to work for happiness. 3 Steps to Motivating Motivation 1. Balance Negativity This might sound negative, but I see positive people screw up positivity all the time. They seem to think if you ever think a bad thought, or maintain quality control, you are welcoming negativity. It doesn't work that way and goes against balance. Then there are people who believe thinking positive is for new aged people who are naive and don't understand the real world. They think being positive means being unrealistic. This is cynicism at its worst because it hurts you most of all. Happy isn't automatic. Balancing out negativity means for ever negative thing that occurs in your life, you balance it out with a positive reaction. The catch is to make the positive stronger than the negative. Think of it as a 2:1 ratio. Here are a few examples: For every bad news you happen to cross, find two pieces of good news.
For every time you have an off diet day, eat twice as good next time. For every one workout you miss, make two. For every bad thing you say about someone, say two nice things about someone else. 2. Take This for Life Motivation shouldn't waiver unless your love for life does. The less motivated and inspired we are, the closer to death with live. I believe in that message. I believe every day is a day worth having motivation. When you pin your hopes on one goal, that hope will die when the goal is achieved. Instead of doing that; make your life a constant motivation. Have constant new goals and test grounds for those goals. When you do that, you end up living a life of motivation. 3. Like Attracts Like Here is a sad, but true statement. Most people don't have the friendships and partners they desire to have. People settle for what is there, instead of reaching for what could be. We settle in friendship, romance, jobs, etc. We do this all in fear of not being alone, or rocking the boat. You have to change this pattern as soon as possible. I assure you, good people are always looking for more good people. I also want to assure you that misery loves company. Tip # 3 – Plan Smart How you plan your attack to fat loss is going to help determine your success. Fat loss is war. You make a move and your body counters. If you can stay ahead of the enemy, you might come out the other side a winner. Hopefully, we can decrease the struggle and post-traumatic stress. Follow these tips when planning your fat loss battle. 1. If the Program is Right, Chances Are You Will Stick to It This may come as a shock, but if you want the body of an athlete, you have to train like an athlete. Most of you think you want the body of an athlete, but most women and men want the bodies of Hollywood stars. While there is nothing wrong with that, you don't train like a track star get Jessica Alba's body. The average person has no idea the body they want or how to go about getting it. I assure you, what most of you are looking to achieve is relatively simple in a technical sense. For those that have loftier goals, my next piece of advice still stands. Perform only the training you need for the goals you want to achieve. Be it Alba or bodybuilding, don't drive yourself into the ground for no reason. Don't set up extreme programming or dieting when it isn't needed.
2. Missing Results Leads to "Missing in Action" The whole point of this book is for you to keep progressing forward, so that you don't plateau. Seeing results is what keeps people on track. Granted, you have to be realistic about those results, but they should be there. This is why understanding your progress is so important. Don't depend on one method of measurement, but do work hard enough to where those methods show you something. 3. If Your Body Doesn't Breakdown, Your Mind is Less Likely to Follow Dieting down is hard. Losing fat is hard. Training while in a caloric deficit, is hard. You are more prone to injury, mood swings, and the general hating of life. Be it a pulled muscle or the breakdown of your endocrine system, there is a lot that can go wrong. It's safe to say, the more you avoid these issues, the easier this will be. Go the extra lengths to take care of you. Don't make things harder than they need to be. Tip # 4 – Consistency, Consistency, Consistency What is the first thing that pops into your mind when it comes to consistency? Be consistent with your diet and you will lose weight. Be consistent with your studies and you will graduate with honors. Be consistent with practicing your skill and you will achieve excellence in it. Malcolm Gladwell sold copy after copy of the book “Outliers” because of the section the dives into the idea that 10,000 hours is what it takes to become an expert at something. Agree or disagree, that has been the consistent quoted and discussed section. Usually when people think about the action of consistency, they think of it in a positive manner. People think that being consistent can only bring about good things. What I want to put before you is the full potential and danger of consistency and how there are patterns for everything you do, positive or negative. James Bailey James Bailey was born in 1979 on a day so cold the hospital kept losing power. He almost died due to complications. 12 hours after he was born his mother passed. There was no father and he became a child of various relatives. 13 year later, I saw James on the side of the gas station up my street. He had stolen watermelon wine coolers, Kools, and was playing on a Gameboy. I walked up and he said “Hey, do me a favor will ya? Poke your head around the corner and tell me if the tall, skinny guy is still working?”
I stuck my head around the corner and a very broad and large woman was working. She was the size of a gladiator and always had one eye closed from the cigarette she held in the corner of her mouth. I said “Nope, he isn’t working.” James shrugged, said thanks and gave me a few wine coolers for my troubles. I sat down and James started to tell me that he was going to be the next video game champion. He was going to get out of this neighborhood and get paid to play video games. This was a dream a lot of people had where I grew up. In my area, kids would carry their game stations from house to house and have playoffs. Every couple of weeks there would be a different tournament depending on the game. It's safe to say most crimes that occurred within our blocks were because of the need to buy a new video game. Since we had a lot of kids and only needing 1 or 2 of the same game, it ended up working out well for most. James was the “King” of those mini gaming tournaments. Whenever I saw him he was playing a video game or trying to steal something to buy a video game. When he was 14, he ended making it out to California for a NBA Jam Tournament. As the years went by, James spent less time gaming and more time getting into trouble. The bad in his life increased and the hope for positive change decreased. At 17, he ended up in jail for a few years because of stealing a car and running from the police. I don’t know what he is doing now. Last I heard, he has been in and out of jail a few more times. Mourn Consistency The take home point is that James let his bad habits increase. He let fade away one of the few positive things he had in his life. He became consistent on negative acts towards himself and others, and it paid off. That dedication and focus he put into becoming a full time thief and putting aside the dreams he had for his future landed him right where his 10,000 hours should have. Did you realize that is was the 10,000 hours of overeating that landed you to being overweight? Did you realize that is was the 10,000 hours you said you weren’t going to move or exercise that lead to you being out of shape? Did you realize that is was the 10,000 hours of thinking about only yourself that lead to your relationships with people crumbling? Did you realize that you could have spent 10,000 hours doing something to better your life, instead of complaining about why it wasn’t fair? Who you are over and over again is who you are.
Brief victories are only just that – brief. That doesn’t mean a moment can’t create a lifetime of better habits. But as a whole, it’s who you are everyday that counts. Consistency is Boring? Some of the worst quotes ever snagged were on the topic of Consistency. Here are two examples. Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. – Oscar Wilde Too much consistency is as bad for the mind as for the body – Aldous Huxley Can one not be consistent in adventure? Can one not be consistent in change? I propose that it is the consistent belief in yourself that gives you wings. Closed minds you have there, Wilde and Huxley. Twain said it best when he said: "What, then, is the true Gospel of consistency? Change. Who is the really consistent man? The man who changes. Since change is the law of his being, he cannot be consistent if he is stuck in a rut." Consistency isn’t boring. Being boring all the time makes you consistently boring. You can quote me on that. Say to yourself as you are living the day “What was I consistent with today?” The next morning say, “What was consistent about yesterday?” Remember the answers need to be realistic and show the good with the bad. Today I complained consistently. Today I chickened out on being who I said I was going to be. Today I tracked my food intake consistently. Today I thought of her/him constantly. Today I dreamed of my dream, consistently. Today I made the chance for tomorrow better, again. It may be 1 answer or 10 answers, but the final question for you right now is: What will your next 10,000 hours be?
CHAPTER TEN
Resistance Training for Fat Loss: A Primer on Lifting Vocabulary Here are the common words you are going to hear and see when starting any training program. Aerobic exercise - This is the physical exercise that relies on oxygen for energy production during training. Anaerobic exercise - When the exercise occurring is the absence of oxygen in the muscle. Atrophy - This is a loss of muscle fiber volume characterized by a visible decrease in muscle size. Body Part Splits - Training separate muscle groups from day to day. Example: Monday-chest, Tuesday-legs, etc. Compound Exercises - An exercise that involves two or more joint movements or muscle recruitments. A squat is a compound exercise. Concentric Muscle Contraction - A concentric contraction is when a muscle shortens while contracting. Coming towards your body in a bicep curl, by contracting the biceps, is an example of concentric muscle contraction. Deload – A training period, usually no more than 10 days, where you focus on lifting at a decreased training percentage to focus on active recovery. DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) - Muscle soreness or discomfort that appears 12 to 48 hours after exercise. It’s most likely due to microscopic tears in the muscle tissue, and it usually requires a couple of days for the repair and rebuilding process to be completed. Eccentric Muscle Movement - This is the part of a muscular contraction involving the lengthening phase of the fibers. The extension part of a bicep curl, bringing the dumbbell back down, is an example of eccentric movement. Full Body Training - Working each major muscle group in one training session.
Interval training - Repeated exercises with intervals or breaks of relatively light exercise or rest. Interval training can be any intensity level and for any duration. Isometric Exercise – Exercise (or a system of muscle building exercises) involving muscular contractions against resistance without movement. A plank is a great example of an isometric hold. Isolation Movements - This is an exercise that involves one discernible joint movement or muscle. A bicep curl is an isolation exercise/movement. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – An aggressive form of training that has quick bursts of all-out intensity followed by very low intensity movement. Hypertrophy - This is an increase in cell size (girth), usually in reference to muscle cells. Lactic Acid - This is a waste substance that builds up in the muscles, when they are not getting enough oxygen. Lactic Threshold - This is the point at which the level of lactic acid in the blood suddenly increases during exercise. Your physical response is a good indication of the highest sustainable work rate, also known as anaerobic threshold. Max VO2 - (V02 Max) Highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise. Maximal Strength - The amount of strength you can produce at your highest peak of effort. Muscular Endurance - This is the ability of a muscle to perform repetitive contractions, over a prolonged period of time. Overload Principle/Progressive Overload - This principle stated that in order to train muscles, they must work harder than they are accustomed to. The “overload” will result in increased strength or hypertrophy as the body adapts to the stress placed upon it. Percentage 1 Rep Maximum (%1RM) - The maximum amount of weight one can lift in a single repetition is your 1 rep maximum. Working within a specific range will determine what percentage of your 1 rep maximum you are working at. Percentage of Maximum Heart Rate (% MHR) - The greatest number of times per minute the heart is capable of beating safely. Working within a specific range will determine what percentage of maximum heart rate you are working at. Periodization - This is the structure of a continuous training plan.
Plyometric Training - Exercises that enables a muscle to reach maximal force production in as short a time as possible. For example, jumping exercises are generally plyometric movements. Push/Pull Training – Training that focuses on splitting your workout based on pushing and pulling movements. A push day would involve push ups, bench press, or shoulder press. A pull day would involve rows, deadlifts, and curls. Pyramid Training – Training that involves increasing the weight load you are performing while decreasing the rep amount you are using. For example, doing 12 reps at 60lbs, then 8 reps at 80lbs, and so forth. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) - A scale from 1-10 that rates how you are feeling (physically and mentally) in relation to exercise fatigue. Reps or Repetitions - The amount of times you complete a movement in a set. For example, squatting up and down 12 times would be 12 reps. Rest Time - The time you wait before starting your movement or set again. For example, after doing 12 reps of squats, you may pause for 60 seconds before you start on the next set. Reverse Pyramid Training – Training that involves decreasing the weight load you are performing while increasing the rep amount you are using. For example, doing 6 reps at 100lbs pounds, then 8 reps at 80lbs, and so forth. Sets - The amount of rounds you have to do your reps of movements. For example, if you squatted 12 reps and then rested, that would be one set. If you repeated this 2 more times, you would have done a total of 3 sets of squats. If you were writing this down in program style, it could look like this – 3x12. Some also write it "3 of 12" or 12x3. There is no one way of writing it, so be aware of programming language. Straight Sets – This is when your lifting session is performing the reps of one exercise given, resting for the given time, and then repeating the same exercise until all sets are complete. Super Sets – This is when you perform an exercise movement directly after already performing another one. This can be done in assisting or opposing muscle groups depending on design. For example, performing an incline bench press supersetted with a close grip pulldown. Tempo - How fast or slow you produce your movement is usually represented by three numbers. For example, while doing a squat you get in your stance, lower and then raise. That is one rep. The tempo for this could look like: 2-2-1. This means 2 seconds to squat down, 2 seconds to rise up and 1 sec to stand before starting again. Training to Failure - This is when you repeat an exercise movement (such as the bench press) to the point of momentary muscular failure.
Upper/Lower Training - When you work upper or lower muscle groups in a training session on different days. Example: Monday - Upper, Tues – Rest, Wednesday – Lower. Now that our vocabulary lesson is over, I want to talk about the kind of training I like during a fat loss program. Training for Fat Loss The most important thing to remember is this: Do only what you have to do to lose fat and nothing more. No matter what you have heard, you should only do the training you need to achieve the goal you have. If you are reading this book, then your goal is pretty clear. Call me a mind reader, but I think you want fat loss. So why train like a baseball player? Why train like a marathon runner? Why train for something you don't need? I feel the need to inform you of this or I am going to get another one of these emails: “Dear Leigh, I have been trying to lose these last 10 pounds for 10 years now! My training program is 5 times a week HIIT, 3x a week full body lifting, and I also do walking and climbing sometimes. Once or twice a week I attend a spin class. Why am I not losing weight!!??” I have gotten this email repeatedly. Some of you reading this could have sent it yourself. Remember, fat loss is about taking something away from your body. Wrap yourself around this concept. A solid matter is physically attached to your being. Without the aid of doctors and medical surgery, you are trying to burn that solid substance into a liquid matter. Be it running, lifting weights, swimming, or tether ball, a deficit creates more chances of injury. Does this mean we shouldn’t train in a deficit? No. It just means to train smart and do only what you have to do. It also means you need to listen to your body and read the signs. Some people can train hard while cutting fat and some can't. If you are training really hard, eating really low and not losing fat, then you should heed the signs. If you have been doing this a long time and this looks familiar, you may want to look at Starve Mode when you are done. Through the course of this section you will learn training keys and tips to training for fat loss. Do You Have To Lift Weights To Lose Fat? You could fill a stadium with the people who disagree with this statement, but I'm still right. You don’t have to train for fat loss.
Shocking information, I know. But, fat loss is about creating an energy deficit. Not body composition. That doesn't mean you shouldn't worry about muscle and you shouldn't lift for fat loss. It just that any guru who says you have to lift weights to lose fat, is not telling the whole story. Look, I don't want leagues of individuals walking around "skinny fat" or with extensive atrophy. I say it because it is fact and you should know why you are lifting weights. I see people kill themselves in the gym for fat loss and neglecting their diet because someone told them to "squat and shut up!" Training is training. Diet is diet. They should intercept, but intelligently. Lifting Weights for the Indirect and Direct Benefit of Fat Loss There are multiple benefits to adding a lifting program during fat loss.
Increased muscle to fat ratio
Stronger bones
Caloric burn elicited from resistance training
Better macronutrient partitioning
Slight increase in caloric burn in resting metabolism from muscle gains
There are more benefits than this, but you can see that weight training can be like adding a "fat burner" to your arsenal. It isn't to be neglected, just understood. Tailoring a Look Resistance training can be critical in giving you a specific look or making up for lagging genetics. For example, if you are a female trying to minimize your bottom half, pay more attention to broadening your shoulders and back. If you are a male and don't want to appear skinny in shorts, don't neglect leg day. To further this point, if you want to look like something, you’re going to have to train for it. If you want to look like a bodybuilder, train like a bodybuilder. If you want to look like a runner, train like a runner. They look like they do because that is who they are. The sooner you grasp this concept, the better. If you don't want big biceps, don't train your biceps. And so forth. Is There a Perfect Program for Fat Loss? No. There might be a perfect program for you to achieve your fat loss. There might be a perfect program that provides you just the right amount of resistance training and cardio. There might be
the perfect program where you aren't overworking yourself or binging on food because you pushed too hard. You are going to get bombarded on a daily basis with claims of "scorching fat killing" systems. That isn't what I do. I stick to common sense and training purpose. What do you need? I assure you there is a place between popping out a disc and running a marathon. How to Pick a Program With this book, I am providing you a pre-made program you can follow. It gets the job done and done well. Still, I am going to assume you will want to try new things or even change your focus from fat loss. A good program is one that utilizes safe and effective movements for your body. One that utilizes compound lifts, trains multiple muscle groups, include tempos and/or rest times, and rest days. There is a saying that even bad training can give you good results. This is true, but only for so long. Ideally, you want to maintain muscle tissue in fat loss. Ideally, you want to maintain or increase strength in fat loss. Growth of muscle tissue is a bonus benefit, but can be harder depending on nutritional setup. Ask Yourself
Is this fiscally possible?
Is this logistically possible?
Will I enjoy following this program and complete it?
Do I understand how to perform these movements?
Will this program tire me to the point of poor recovery?
Will this program cause me to be hungry to the point of binging in a deficit?
Does this program line up with the aggression level of my deficit/macronutrients?
If you don't answer yes to all these questions, you need to find another program or increase your education base. A Solid Training Program (Almost) Anyone Can Do Everyone is different. Everyone has different goals. Everyone is starting at a different baseline. Your training program needs to not only fit your fat loss pace, but your physical abilities. I can't tell you how I cringe seeing people above 30% body fat doing aggressive plyometric movements with weighted vests on popular training shows. Here is a word of advice to those trainers: just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
In your program, you need to think about joint strain, potential of injury, and ease of application with these movements. It makes no sense for someone who is obese to be putting themselves in a dangerous position. And sometimes that can be a plank or a push-up. If over 30% body fat, your number one priority is to diet down and focus more on basic lift style programs. Unless you have specific rehab issues, you should focus on full body training and increase resistance as needed to progress. The same is true if you are brand new to a formal training or haven't stuck through a real training period for a while. The program below is based on a few factors: 1. It uses external load/resistance instead of bodyweight. This is important because it is actually easier to hurt yourself with bodyweight movements that are too challenging. 2. It uses mostly dumbbells. There is nothing wrong with barbells, but when starting out it is easier to control form at lighter weights and progress overtime to barbell movements. 3. It uses grips that are more sensitive to possible issues you may have with your shoulders. 4. It focuses on large muscle groups, but not so much that you have a hard time hitting form. 5. These are movements that are harder to mess up. Meaning, they take into account newcomer mistakes with training. Here is the basic starter program:
Exercise
Sets/Reps
Tempo
Rest
Deadlifts
2-3 of 8-12
2-2-1
90 seconds
DB Step Ups
2-3 of 8-12
1-2-1
90 seconds
Seated Rows
2-3 of 8-12
1-1-0
90 seconds
Neutral Grip DB Chest Press Neutral Grip DB Shoulder Press
2-3 of 8-12
1-1-0
90 seconds
2-3 of 8-12
1-1-0
90 seconds
Swiss Ball Glute Bridges
2-3 of 8-12
1-1-0
90 seconds
In time, you can easily progress this routine by increasing weights, and sets. You can also decrease rest times. Notice there is no isolation movements. Every movement involves more than one joint. The more you work at one time, the higher increase of energy you are going to recruit. A bicep curl will not elicit the energy a step up will.
No matter what you do in training, start out easy and set your pride aside. You can’t train if you are injured. I recommend going even further and checking out the recommended selections in the final chapter, for books and material specifically on resistance training. Lastly, I attached a more detailed training program with this book. That doesn’t mean the above is boring or unworthy. A Closer Look at Different Types of Resistance Programming If you want to keep it simple and not think about this too much, you can basically move on. For those who would like a closer look at resistance training, let's keep going. I should note there are a lot of great tips in here about how different training programs can have benefits or cons for dieting down. Knowledge is power. Full Body Training Full body training is king when it comes to metabolic shift and caloric expending workouts. A full body training program utilizes multiple joints, heavy lifts, and is a taxing experience. On the flip side, because it’s so taxing and utilizes so many muscles, you have to rest as hard as you train. Generally speaking - the higher the intensity, the lower the volume. Can there be exceptions to the rule? Yes, but when a deficit is involved, you want to safeguard recovery as much as possible. 2-3 days a week is plenty for a full body lifting program. For other sessions, you can use lighter resistance circuit training, cardio or both. Split Training There are multiple ways you can implement split training. To review from earlier: Upper/Lower Training - When you work upper or lower muscle groups in a training session on different days. Example: Monday - Upper, Tues – Rest, Wednesday – Lower. Push/Pull Training – Training that focuses on splitting your workout based on pushing and pulling movements. A push day would involve push ups, bench press, or shoulder press. A pull day would involve rows, deadlifts, and curls. Body Part Splits - Training separate muscle groups from day to day. Example: Monday - chest, Tuesday - legs, etc. It’s popular right now to completely discount body part splits. I don't agree. Granted, I think it is more fitting for those trying to isolate certain problems, rehab, or those who are at advanced stages of hypertrophy. For most though, an upper/lower or push/pull system will work fine.
Split programs are great for those taking part in more intense dieting down programs. Splitting up your sessions allows you to have multiple training days and focus more intensely on form and function of movement. Superset Training Supersets – This is when you perform an exercise movement directly after already performing another one. This can be done in assisting or opposing muscle groups depending on design. For example, performing an incline bench press with a close grip pulldown. A popular form of training in the industry for fat loss is superset training. The proposed purpose of this training is to increase caloric burn through EPOC and shorten workouts, among other things. I think supersetting can have its place, but I actually like it better for other goals versus fat loss in most cases. It can show promise with recomposition programs (gaining mass/losing fat by small deficits). I find in the average population, it becomes too taxing in moderate to strong deficits. That doesn't mean it can't be done, but especially with women, I would try a less strenuous approach first. A Deeper Look at Reps and Sets Women are consistently guilty of lifting the same light weights for years. Men alternatively get overly pumped and go heavier than they should when starting out. Understanding your rep range is overlooked when people start a training program. Reps do not exist for reps sake. A rep isn't just a number listed for you to pick a weight at random. The intensity of your load is going to determine results. Different goals require different loads. Even if your goal is to "tone" there is a load level you will need to meet in order to achieve this goal. Strength and endurance also have different load levels. Determining Rep Max A good way to test your rep weight is by using your 1RM. To recap, this is the heaviest weight you can lift at one time in any given exercise. I should state there are different ways of working with a percentage of load. This section aims to keep it simple for the reader. I encourage you to further your education on this subject. It allows for more creativity in the weight room and with programs. Let's say a routine calls for you to do a squat for 3 sets of 10 reps (3×10). But, let’s say you don’t even know what your 1RM is (which a lot of people don’t). What is the best process of elimination to determine what weight you would need?
First, let's focus on what 3x10 means in a theoretical sense. Different programs mean different things. Often times, unless otherwise noted, the rep number is going to imply the amount of reps you can fulfill before failure. Meaning, you should pick a weight that you can lift no greater than 10 times, but no less than 10 times. How close you go to failure is up for debate, but rule of thumb for beginners is almost failure to stave off possible injury. For clarity, the same is true no matter what the rep level is. If it is 5 times, then you should reach near failure at lift number 5. And so forth. Your first few lifting sessions should be an assessment time. You should become familiar with your current level of strength in regards to the movements you are trying to do. To some degree, you will grab random dumbbells or barbells to see where you fit. Whatever you grab, you can use to determine where you should start off based off a percentage of that weight. Below is a 1RM formula. If you don’t want to fuss with this you can use the calculator here but I wanted you to understand the methodology behind it. For this example, I picked the squat. In this pretend assessment, you selected 100lbs as a test for your squat. In proper form, you achieved a squat 5 times before failure. Using the chart below we see that for 5 reps we will use 0.856 as our division number. Reps Coefficient 1
1.00
2
.943
3
.906
4
.881
5
.856
6
.831
7
.807
8
.786
9
.765
10
.744
11
.723
12
.703
13
.688
14
.675
15
.662
16
.650
17
.638
18
.627
19
.616
20
.606
The Formula Weight amount divided by Rep Variable OR 100 lbs/.856=116.8 This means you took the 100lbs (weight amount) and divided it by the number that rested beside the 5 on the chart about (.856). The solution to that number is 116.8 lbs. Your 1RM is 116.8lbs. For simplicity sake, I am going to round to 117lbs. From this number, you can figure out the rest of your rep ranges. Remember this isn’t exact, but it gives a range to work with. It is also better than picking random weights and testing over and over again. You will tire and results will skew. Take your 1RM number and times it by the percentage you are attempting to achieve. You do that by using the chart above to get your rep/coeffienct number. In this case, you need to perform 10 reps. That number is .744 (representing 10 reps). The formula will look like this: 117 X .744 = 87.048. 87lbs is your probable 10 rep weight. At the very least, you will know it will be somewhere in this zone. Form Form is going to be instrumental in your health and tailoring your look. It is important when determining your rep/set range that your form fit with the numbers you have selected. It is one thing if form gets a little shady towards the end. It is another if it is for most of the set.
Also, it is vital you understand muscle usage in a movement. Just as reps/sets are not random numbers, lifts aren't okay to feel just anywhere. Are you feeling a seated row in your back? It is a back movement, not an arm movement. Are you feeling a chin-up in your biceps? That isn't a good sign that your back is receiving the bulk of the load. At best, get a trainer to evaluate form. At the least, focus on online instruction or dvd training tutorials to aid you. Frequency of Resistance Training Your amount of resistance training should depend on your level of experience and load. Beginners need to ease into any training program. Below is a brief explanation of what your training experience could be. Beginner - You have never been involved in a progressive overloaded resistance program for more than one year time. This would also be true if you've never achieved an advanced level of lifting or have taken significant time off. Intermediate - You have been a part of a progressive training program for more than a year. You are currently involved in a lifting program. Advanced - You have been part of a progressive training program for multiple years/athlete. Be honest with yourself about your level of training. If you have never pushed your limits and bounce around the gym, you need to start at a beginning level. If you are a program hopper, you’re a beginner. The average trainee I meet is a beginner, even those who have been "lifting" for years. Lastly, if previously involved in nothing but aerobic activity, you are still a beginner to resistance training. Recommendations for Resistance Training Beginner: 2-3 times a week for full body training. 3-4 times a week for split training. Rest Periods: 1-2 full rest days from lifting a week. You need to rest/deload for 1 week after every 8-12 weeks. Intermediate: 3-4 times a week if full body. 4-5 times a week if split training. Rest Periods: 1-2 full rest days from lifting a week .You need to rest/deload for 1 week period every 8-12 weeks.
Advanced: Advance training allows for multiple variables depending on program design. Generally speaking if you are at this level you are following a detailed program with specifics stated. Rest Periods: Generally rest/deload for 1 week period every 8 weeks. How Not to Train for Fat Loss: Resistance Training When utilized properly, resistance training is an excellent aid to fat loss. When used improperly, it is nothing than an increase in recovery demand, hunger inducer, and injury producer. Here are tips for how not to train for fat loss with resistance training: 1. Not Resting/Rushing Rest Times Your muscles need time for repair. This is true during and after the training session. It’s in that repair we rebuild. It is in rest we reap the benefits of training. Rest from all training needs to take place once at week, at least in form of active recovery. 2. Training for Too Long in One Session Are there exceptions to the rule? Sure. The most noted is long rest times during strength programs. Because of this, your session may technically be long, but it isn't because you are pushing max the whole time. No one should be pushing their limits in a harsh caloric deficit. Get in, lift hard, lift smart, and get out. You don't need a long list of movements and reps. Keep it simple. It may not seem as sexy, but it gets the job done. 3. Doing Crazy Stunts While you are depriving your body of needed nutrients, it may not be the best time to test your ability to squat 1RM on a Bosu ball, on one leg. Injury means you are out of the game. While some things may look fun, think about putting them off until you are done with fat loss. 4. Avoiding Recovery Nutrition Training fasted without the aid of a BCAA is never a good idea. Training with no post-workout nutrition for an extended period of time is an even a worse idea. In order to rebuild, you must break down. Resistance training can become unhealthy quick if you aren't taking care of your body after breaking it down. While there are myths about how much nutrition you need and when, don't swing the pendulum in the other direction and completely ignore it. 5. Don't Train Aggressive and Not Expect the Results That Follow
This is more about mindset, but aggressive training leads to extra mass (water/muscle). It leads to swollen body parts. So don't get upset when it happens. Yes, it will mess with the scale and your head. If it is too much for you, rethink the kind of training program you have. 6. Not Everyone Needs to Squat Their Bodyweight Don't get caught up in what others are doing. Healthy programs come in all shapes and loads. Don’t think you aren't getting strong, lean, or healthy if you aren't going all the way. Remember, go for your goals. Building the Home Gym If a gym isn't for you, build your own. It doesn't have to be as expensive as you think. All you need is a few basic pieces of equipment. You can get a great workout with a bar, bench, and your body. Here are a few solid staples. 1. Adjustable Dumbbells Why buy a small set of weights, when you can get adjustable dumbbells? Unless you have the money to spend, adjustable dumbbells are a great way to cut the cost and space. I personally like plate style adjustable weights, but block systems make for faster transitions. 2. Adjustable Bench You can spend no more than $40 on a perfectly good adjustable bench. If it can lay flat, incline, and sit straight up, it's all you need. 3. Doorway Pull-Up Bar For $20 bucks, you can get one of those "ultimate" multi-grip bars that attach to your door. These can also help with suspension trainers or band use. 4. Mats/Bands/Foam Rollers Get yourself a collection of mats, rollers, and bands. In regards to the bands, make sure to have a variety of resistance grades. For less than $200 bucks, you can have a solid home equipment setup.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Cardio Training for Fat Loss: A Primer on Cardio When I think of the phrase "aerobic exercise" it conjures Jane Fonda, morning joggers, and classic Reebok Pumps. I personally never had a pair myself, but boy did I want them. In truth, I am one of those people who would wear the shirt that says, "If you see me running, call the police." While I like athletics, I have never been one who enjoyed traditional cardio. Luckily for me, none of those things are a problem. Aerobic exercise can come in any form you want it to these days. Your options of conditioning or extra burn are limited only by your imagination. Health and Benefits of Aerobic Exercise There was a time when we had no choice but to walk in order to reach our destinations. We scrounged for food, walked miles for education, and would endure weeks or months to visit a new land. Now, embarking on the dawn of the 21st century, walking is a conscious option we have to elect over the ease of transportation. The end result is less movement, more eating, and the growing obesity epidemic. Aerobic exercise is a serious arrow into the heart of that epidemic, among other health issues. The most discussed benefit of aerobic activity is it increases your capacity for oxygen. At its most basic level, performing aerobic exercise increases your ability to breath. The chain effect of more functional air flow is massive. It increases blood to the heart, brain, air to the lungs, and lowers blood pressure. It has also been shown to improve glucose and insulin efficiency. Add to that lowering of cholesterol, and raised serotonin. Did I mention it’s superior to overall energy output and vital to increasing daily activity levels in a sedentary lifestyle? Right now, depending on your circle, aerobic exercise is the red-head stepchild of fat loss. I am here to make ginger hot again. Measuring Training and Heart Rates Your heart rate is the number of “beats” your heart makes. It is usually charted within a period of a one-minute. The movement and pattern of your heart rate is going to affect training recovery, macronutrient storage, and other health markers. Understanding your heart rate is a great starting point in your journey with aerobic exercise.
Resting Heart Rate Your resting heart rate is the amount of beats you have upon waking from sleep or at still rest. Resting heart rates can vary. On average, the resting heart rate for a male is 70 beats per minute and 75 beats per minute for a female. For athletes, it can be much lower. To find your resting heart rate: 1. 2. 3.
Lightly place two fingers on the neck, just to the side of the larynx. Once the pulse is identified, count the pulses for 30 seconds and multiply by two. Record the 60-second pulse rate and average over three days.
Points to consider:
The touch should be gentle. Take when calm at the same time every morning.
Maximum Heart Rate Maximum Heart Rate is the highest amount of beats a person should achieve while engaging in physical activity. Keeping a check of your heart rate during physical activity is important when determining your rate exertion during training. Understanding your maximum heart rate can help you determine training zones and protect yourself if you have any underlying conditions. Formulas vs. Monitors Ideally, you want to utilize a device for measuring your heart rate. You don't have to get fancy or overly expensive with your choices. Practically anything that measures your heart rate is going to provide better information than a formula. That being said, you can look at the formulas listed below. Calculating Max Heart Rate – Miller Formula This is the formula provided to determine your maximum heart rate, based on age. Again, these are not final answers, but they are a good place to start. MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) =217 - (0.85 × age) You can make adjustments and subtract and add depending on current health, but for the most part this number is going to be close. If you are 43 years old, the formula would look like this.
217- (.85 x 43) =MHR 217-36.55=180.45 Your MHR is 180. Using the Karvonen Method for Target Heart Rate The Karvonen method uses your resting heart rate to calculate your target heart rate. It does so by using a range of intensity (50–85% intensity) to measure within. This becomes useful when trying to pick your training zone or an intensity level based on programming or goals. For clarity, HRmax stands for your Maximum Heart Rate. Let's look at the formula below. THR (Target Heart Rate) = ((HRmax − HRrest) × % intensity) + HRrest Example for someone with a HRmax of 180 and a HRrest of 70: 50% Intensity: ((180 − 70) × 0.50) + 70 = 125 bpm 85% Intensity: ((180 − 70) × 0.85) + 70 = 163 bpm These are the different training zones measured by heart rates. Warm up/Recovery Zone: 50% -70% of Max Heart Rate Aerobic Zone: 70% to 80% of Max Heart Rate Anaerobic Zone: 80% to 90% of Max Heart Rate VO2 Max When there is an increase in your heart rate, it directly influences your increased consumption of oxygen. The point at which oxygen consumption plateaus defines your VO2 max or maximal aerobic capacity. In theory, the closer you train to your maximum oxygen consumption, the faster you are going to increase that consumption. Much like strength training, the more aggressively you challenge strength capacity, the faster you are going to grow in strength. There are benefits to increasing the threshold of oxygen consumption beyond your top consumption level. Even after you plateau at what may be your max VO2 level, you can still increase your ability to stay at that level. In short, there is advancement towards your max point
and then a max point endurance. You can train to increase heart rate and oxygen consumption by these common methods: 1. Staying at a high intensity steady state 2. Aggressive short bursts of high intensity interval training In advanced sports training, coaches and trainers generally use a mixture of both. VO2 isn't generally a concern to the average fat loss trainee. In some instances, working too close to your V02, too frequently, can cause a negative consequence during fat loss. Steady State Cardio Essentially, there are two types of cardio. Steady and interval. The difference (basically) is steady state implies the intensity, for the most part, isn't going to alter over the duration of 20 minutes or more. Semantics can come in big time during this topic. To keep it simple, we will leave conversational definition to that. Steady state cardio can be any given heart rate zone. Sustainability is ultimately what you are looking at to define the term. For example, if you are working at 75% of your MHR, this will present more of a challenge than working at 55%. It might seem like a no-brainer moment, but the higher the intensity, the harder it is to maintain. Depending on your social fitness circle, steady state may be looked at negatively or as in the only method for fat loss. Neither is correct. When choosing your cardio, you need to select it based upon need and ability. With steady state, it can present a lot of positives towards fat loss. For one, it is easy to create low impact programs. It is also easy to get into the 'lull' of training when needing to clear your mind or lose yourself. Training isn't always about the "Go hard or go home!" philosophy. There is a lot of anecdotal and some research evidence to state that steady state training results in less aggressive hunger spikes. This can lead to better diet compliance. On the flip side, steady state cardio can be boring to many or too time consuming in order to achieve their caloric achievements for the day. Interval Training The basic principle of interval training is to pause or slow from a movement. It can be as basic as going from walking to running. With intervals, by its very definition, there must be a pause to the movement. How aggressive, prior to the "pause," or what takes place during the "pause" is up for discussion.
Generally speaking, people consider interval training to be tied to high intensity interval training. There are some who don't understand there is a difference between the two. It is the reason it is labeled 'high intensity' interval training. In reality, you can have light to moderate interval training. It can also be in any format you can imagine. In regards to fat loss, depending on the intensity level of your intervals, there are very similar reactions as steady state. A significant benefit is the passing of time or ability to fit in more working out in a shorter span of time. Towards the negative, for those utilizing intense interval training, they may find problems with increased hunger or exhaustion. This is going to be relevant to deficit intensity and it isn't a problem for everyone. There is research showing blunting of hunger for some, so depends really is true here. Interval vs. Steady State It is a never-ending war in the fitness community and a constant source of poor relayed information. Which is better? One has to be superior, right? Both are necessary in their respective roles for reaching lower levels of body fat. Both have their cons, and both have their pros. Like with any training situation, you have to fit the need with the training level and fat loss goal. For example, if in a deficit beyond 45%, you'd want to avoid doing 3-4x weekly aggressive interval training. You are likely to cause unneeded hormonal disturbance, increase injury risk, and harm chances for dietary compliance. If you are looking more into body recomposition and the deficit is small, then high intense levels of interval training may put you at an advantage. There is not a one size fits all for any training regimen. The Fat Burning Zone The type of fuel you utilize for energy is dependent upon your level of intensity during training. Fuel use in the body changes at any given moment due to variables such as eating, macronutrient choices, hormones, time of day, and intensity of heart rate. Too much time is spent arguing about the optimal diet to help induce or trick the body into a preferred zone. In general, our fuel usage is split into ratios of energy circulation and alternatively storage. If your energy expenditure is at a lower level of intensity, you are going to pull energy from circulating or stored fat. The higher your intensity level, the more you will utilize glucose or glycogen. To give you an example, when you are sleeping, sitting, or lightly walking, you are going to be using fat as a primary energy source. You still use glucose or glycogen, but the ratio is higher
towards fat. The closer you get to your V02 max and the more intense the training, (plyometric, superset resistance training, HIIT) the more you use glycogen or glucose as your energy source. You might say, "Well, heck, why not sit on my butt all day?" You certainly can, but you are not going to burn a lot of energy overall. This goes back to the more you move, the more you burn in calories. So while sitting on your butt all day may burn more calories from fat, you are burning less overall calories. Also, the act of sitting and not eating can lead to faster atrophy of the muscle. Meaning, you might be lean, but you aren't going to like what you see and health might not be optimal. The above leads to the question, "What pace should we move in order to burn off calories, but still having a higher ratio coming from fat usage over glucose/glycogen usage?" The answer comes in at roughly 60 to 65% of your max heart rate. This gives you a higher amount of calories burned while still being in a fat dominant ratio. Were they right? Is this the zone you should train for optimal fat loss? Is That Optimal for Fat Burning? Remember when I said the body is split between two energy usages? Well, what happens if you decrease presence of glycogen as an energy usage? Would you then be using mostly fat stores as energy to drive your workout, no matter what intensity? Yes, you would. When you look at the depletion of glycogen as a main fuel source, you could trigger a higher ratio of fat utilization overall. During a steady-paced workout at roughly 60% of MHR, it can take you anywhere from 15-25 minutes, to use up the circulating carbohydrate energy in your body. Not a full depletion mind you. At this pace, you have an almost even split between fat energy and glucose energy. If you utilize interval training and work at an aggressive intensity of at least 80+%, you will burn more overall energy and deplete glycogen stores faster. This would give you a higher ratio of fat burning. This is why interval training has become so popular. But, it doesn't mean that it is the right training for you to utilize. There is a difference between scientific theorized optimization, and your personalized reaction. When choosing a workout zone that is not specialized into the athletic performance, it is best to pick the zone that works from a compliance standpoint. You also need to pick relevant to your nutrition. If you are severely restricting carbohydrates, you could run into real problems and faster adaptations/plateau with your fat loss if performing very intense cardio. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Explained
HIIT is a type of interval training that is broken into 2 segments. An extreme bout of intensity work at your anaerobic threshold followed a low bout of intensity (walk). HIIT is currently a good method for increasing your VO2 Max. It appears to lower resting heart rate faster than other methods. It also has the greatest metabolic after effect post training. Lastly, it is efficient at depleting stored and circulating glycogen. With all that being said, HIIT training is not for everyone and is becoming widely used in the wrong methods and manners. It is also misunderstand in a sense of understanding proper protocol. People are using the phrase HIIT without understand its meaning. A Real HIIT Session You start with a warm-up of at least 5 minutes. A mixture of mobility and warming up is preferred. The demand you are getting ready to ask of the body is high. Do dynamic stretches to prepare your body for the impact, especially if doing the training in walk/sprint intervals. When the first interval kicks in, you work at full capacity. For conversation purposes, I am going to use a sprint. This can be done with any device or training method. Full capacity means imagining a killer with a knife running after you. This is all out, everything you have work. Unless you are an athlete, you will not (if doing it correctly) be able to do this longer than 20-30 seconds. This isn’t running, this is sprinting for your life as hard as you possibly can. I have seen people fall flat on their face. You can't talk, count, or complain. All you can do is go and maybe remember to pray. After your sprint, you will walk at a very light pace for 1 minute or longer depending on what you need for recovery time when beginning this training. After 1 minute you will then do it again for 10 to 20 seconds. You will repeat this for a maximum of 15 minutes. Most people starting out will do this for 10 minutes, tops. After you are done with your interval sessions you will then cool down your body for 5 minutes at a light walk pace. Here is how a beginner HIIT program can go down. High Intensity Interval Training Pre-Workout
Dynamic Stretches*
5 minutes
Warm up-Walk to Brisk Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
10-20 seconds
Sprint
1 minute
Walk
5 min
Cool Down-Walk to Brisk Walk
Post Workout
Stretching/Roller Work
* Walking Kicks, Side Bends, Toe Touches, Tin Mans
This workout is the highest level of intense. After a real HIIT session, you could feel lightheaded, dizzy, and even throw up. I know I have. This is not a normal aerobic session; in fact, this is about increasing anaerobic threshold. This is about breaking your lungs down and building them back up. Recovering from this is intense.
You should not do this training daily. In my personal opinion, I do not think this is proper training for 99% of fat loss. I believe a downgraded or adjusted version of this can work well in certain populations. If you are in an intense deficit you do not need to be exercising on this kind of aggressive level, it’s just asking for metabolic trouble. With regular interval aerobic training, you work at a lesser intensity. The goal is to burn up your glycogen stores quicker to reach a higher ratio of fat burning overall. If you keep the intervals on a 2:1 ratio (run to walk) then you can maximize this to the fullest. This is a much safer and smarter alternative to HIIT. In general, if you follow up those intervals with a moderate bout of steady state aerobic work in your “fat burning” zone, that is ultimately (thus far theoretically anyway) the best method of fat burning. Go hard, and then slow it down. With this your results will be:
Higher overall calorie burn. Higher depletion of glycogen. Higher overall fat oxidation.
Remember, while technically it may be optimal, it doesn't mean it is right for you. This style of training can lead to decrease metabolic performance faster, increase in hunger signaling, and cause you to "lounge" more after training. Pick your aerobic battles wisely. Frequency of Aerobic Training Basically the same principles of resistance training apply here. Mall walking for a year doesn't put you in the advanced category, though that doesn't discount the window shopping perks. Keep in mind also this is regarding fat loss training. There should be one complete rest day a week for all training. Beginner – You have never been involved in a progressive training program. Alternatively, it has been more than a year since you have been involved in a progressive training program. Intermediate - You have been part of a progressive training program for more than a year. Advanced – You have been part of a progressive training program for multiple years. Beginner - 2-4 times a week of steady-state aerobic workout or 1-3 times a week of moderate to aggressive intervals. Pair training based on involvement in resistance training. Walk as desire. Rest – 1-2 days of full rest a week. A full week break from intensive cardio every 12 weeks. Intermediate - 3-5 times a week of steady state aerobic work or 2-3 times a week of moderate to aggressive intervals. Pair training based on involvement in resistance training. Walk as desire. Rest - 1-2 days of full rest a week. A full week break from intensive cardio every 12 weeks.
Advanced - 4-6 times a week of steady state aerobic work or 3-5 times a week of moderate to aggressive intervals. Pair training based on involvement in resistance training. Walk as desire. Rest - 1-2 days of full rest a week. A full week break from intensive cardio every 8-12 weeks. Methods of Aerobic Activity This is merely to supply you with training ideas. Aerobic activity can be whatever you want it to be. Machines (Treadmills, Bikes, Elliptical) Pros:
They are the tried and true standard in the cardio world.
Allows you to do a favorite activity while doing a not-so-favorite activity. For example, you can watch tv or read while walking on the treadmill.
Generally safe and easy to use.
Easy to increase intensity beyond your pushing. Not getting the same workout anymore? Turn it up.
In the long run, it will be much cheaper than paying a gym.
Cons:
Expensive if you get quality equipment.
Because you can watch TV, people don’t always focus as they should during their workouts. This can lead to plateaus and injury.
They take up room in the home. If it’s a good piece of equipment, no matter what they say, it’s going to be an eyesore.
Suggestions: Buy Used. Hop on eBay, Craigslist, or look in the local paper to save tons of money. If you go on eBay, search near your area for local pick-up. Also, check local used sporting goods shops. Videos Pros:
Cheap. For the most part you can get a solid cardio video for less than $20.
Fun. It’s perfect for those who are easily distracted.
Challenging. Most cardio videos provide a real challenge to the user and a more focused workout.
Cons:
So many videos are not worth your money. Investigate first.
Plateaus. It’s easy for you to adjust to these workouts. Consider rotating every 4 weeks.
Suggestions: If you have a Netflix type service, you use it to test out videos. You can keep the video for a few weeks and then get another one. Random Objects (Jump Ropes, Cones, Steps, Trampolines) Pros:
Cheap. Most of these items are very cheap and easy to find.
Small. They take up little room and make it easy to work with in a small setting.
Effective. What are two of the highest caloric-burning pieces of gear? A Jump rope and trampoline.
Cons:
Some things are not always easy for beginners. Jump roping takes higher cardiovascular strength and a degree of coordination.
Can be boring and drawn out for those who have to push themselves.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Recovery in Training and Nutrition There are 2 sections I am going to cover. 1. Diet Break Recovery 2. Training Break Recovery If you are looking for detailed information on diet breaks, metabolic adaptation, "starvation mode" and more, you will need to refer to Starve Mode. If you are looking for simple information that will apply to most individuals, keep reading. Diet Break Recovery Most people have two ways of thinking when it comes to eating. 1. On a diet 2. Off a diet On a diet means a variety of things and is usually related to the latest guru email or eating fad. Off a diet, usually means what you see, is what you eat. It is important to change your way of thinking to living in maintenance and working towards a body composition goal. Meaning, look at life as trying to maintain what you have or going after what you want. Even if what you have right now isn't optimal, ask yourself if it could be worse or unhealthier? If so, at least maintain what you have and work where you can to improve it. If you are striving for fat loss, eventually you will need to take a break from your deficit. The purpose of taking a break is to restore hormone levels in the body that fall and rise. For example, even when in a small deficit, leptin and thyroid hormones can alter. The more changes in the signaling they produce, the more adaptation takes place. Physical fat loss may be working still, but managing the side effects of fat loss can become harder and harder. The best example of this is how easy it is to lose weight the first few weeks of dieting down. There is always an initial drop. Aside from a decrease in water storage, this is due to your hormone levels being productive and happy. Eating at maintenance for a period of time will reenact this if you were in a stall.
Would you rather spend 3 months dieting down and take a break or try for 6 months and the last two not budge much because your body is run down? The longer you are in a deficit, the more your body is going to want to fight it. Rest equals optimum fat loss. When to Break There is no hard fast formula for when to break on a diet. General rule of thumb is 12 weeks after the starting point of the diet. This can vary depending on body fat levels, hormonal responsiveness and psychological factors. For example, a man who is 28% body fat can ride out the whole twelve weeks in a deficit. A woman who is 19% body fat will likely have problems going that whole time. That woman would want to include cycling in her diet. If you have a sensitive menstrual cycle, PCOS, or thyroid issues, these variables can also change. Short-term based breaks could be beneficial for you. Diet breaks aren’t only relevant to body fat percentage. Several studies have shown differences in how fast the body regulates downwards when a deficit begins. The take home point is no matter what size you are, a complete diet break is needed. Just because you are in an obese category, doesn't mean you can stretch yourself to the limits. Conversely, just because you are lean, doesn't mean you can't go for longer stretches. Testing yourself is the only way to tell. The easiest thing to remember is this – if you aren't losing fat (not just dealing with cloaking) it is time for a break. Looking below, you can gain some examples of what can take place when you have been in a deficit too long. It should be noted most of these things can be general side effects of fat loss or completely separate issues all together.
Sudden inability to complete workouts at standard performing level Stalled fat loss Increase in fluid retention on a regular basis Feeling unmotivated and lacking energy Increased susceptibility to colds, sore throats and other illnesses Decrease body temperature from previous normal levels Alterations in appetite Decrease in performance Insomnia Aches or pain in the muscles and/or joints Fatigue Headaches Elevated morning pulse Disordered eating habits/thoughts
How to Break How you break, is almost as powerful as how you diet. The break depends on the deficit and the person. You can simplify it and say, “Take a deficit break. Eat at maintenance for 2 weeks and then go back to dieting if need.” This can work in theory, but it may not always be relevant to your situation. Again, I talk in great detail about this in Stave Mode. Generally speaking, you need to break 5-7 days for every 3 weeks of dieting down. Here is a chart to explain what I mean.
Obviously there is room for adjustment and these are cautious figures. But, it is a good rule of cycling thumb. Fundamentals of a Break There are a few fundamentals you want to keep in mind:
Caloric intake needs to be at present maintenance or slightly above. Current maintenance is what your caloric needs are at the time of diet break, not from the start of the diet. Caloric intake should not be excessive and it is not an excuse to be a glutton. Always assess the role training plays in your break and recovery. If you intend to diet down again after the break, do not try to make up for lost time by gaining fat back. Planning to lose it again doesn’t make it OK. Expect to gain physical weight from food, water, and retention fluctuations.
Breaking To-Do List
Eat at of your estimated daily caloric burn or slightly over to ensure full refeed.
Reject carbohydrate phobia. Research estimates a need for carbohydrates in the range of 150g (female)/200g (male) to start. Make sure to include starch based carbohydrates. Carbs are your friend. While you should lightly monitor caloric intake, you don’t need to be extremely structured unless you notice an excessive increase in weight. It is easy to sneak up. Protein and carb intake should be at the forefront of your mind. Fat intake is more important for females, especially those dealing with menstrual disturbance.
Again, this is a general look at breaking. This is not detailed or covering those dealing with longterm adaptation. If looking for that, check out Starve Mode. Most of you will not need any further information than this. Training Break Recovery A lot of people neglect proper rest and recovery. They either misunderstand its importance or simply want to defy it. If you aren’t getting good rest, you aren't getting good results. After you rest from that aggressive training session is when the results come. Without good nutrition and good rest, you just get stress only. This doesn't lead to proper recovery. Fundamentals of Training Rest Let me caveat with a reminder that this material is for the basic of weight training and not speaking to those who are deep into progressive lifting or aerobics. Rest is broken down into two sections. 1. Complete Rest – No lifting or training other than basic lifestyle activities 2. Deloads Or Active Recovery/Rest – Regressed training to focus on recovery and rest specifically Complete rest is going to be present on a regular basis with your off days. During your training week, you will have days with no training or very low grade training (light mobility/walking). It is mythical to think off days have to be completely sedentary, but some take it too far with constant aggression in training. There is a balance. There is also a case to be made for complete rest during time of injury or if overtraining/overreaching has taken place. Overreaching is the act of training too aggressively and too often with either too little nutrition, too little of rest and recovery between training, or both. This can also be true in overtraining, but the side effects are much more aggressive. A Basic Look at Rest Days During Programming
Full Body-3 Days a week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Full Body Aerobic Full Body Rest Full Body Aerobic Rest
Upper/Lower-4 Days a week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Upper Lower Aerobic Rest Upper Lower Rest or Aerobic
Push/Pull-4 Days a week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Push Pull Aerobic Rest Push Pull Rest or Aerobic
Setting up your training schedule like this allows for plenty of work and good rest at the same time. The Basics of Deloads and Active Recovery
The technical differences between deloads and active recovery is really about specifics. But, the general take home message is – lessen the load. There can be specific incidences of active recovery based on a rehab or specific injury. This is not about that type of active recovery. Your goal during a time of deloaded training is to reduce, reduce, reduce. Here are the basic guidelines.
Deload every 8-12 weeks, for one week. This can alter depending on training experience in the future.
During your deload week, reduce volume of lifts by 30-40% of normal intensity. Meaning, you can decrease from 20 reps down to 12. If you normally do 12 reps, now only do 6-7. The closer you get to 1RM, decrease by 50%.
Sometimes remove the movement all together. For example, if your hips or quads are feeling the strain, take out squats all together and replace them with a deloaded step-up.
Take a few days to focus on specified mobility enhancement. For example, if shoulders are getting worn from military presses, add in a day or two of shoulder stability or mobilizing workouts at a decreased load.
Keep aerobic intensity below a 60% heart rate. All training sessions should be light in sweat and easy to talk through.
Sleep We (should) know sleep is important for health, so why would it not be important for fat loss? When talking about fat loss, sleep is one of the best things you can do. Studies are constantly showing that hunger levels, depression, reduced recover, and injury risk is associated with poor sleep. Here are a few side effects from lack of sleep:
Less energy leads to poor workouts Longer wake times lead to more food thoughts or need Anabolic repair rate decreases Increase in appetite signals Prone to bouts of dehydration Less time in a state of fat burn
Benefits of getting 7-8 hours or power napping?
More fat burning as energy source Better muscle repair Less chance of injury due to fatigue and drowsiness Better function of hormone production Better mood and nervous function
Schedule more fitting for normal body functions
Burn While You Sleep Sleeping is the easiest way for you to lose the fat. If you go through your day and make sure by bedtime you hit a deficit, you get 3 gigantic benefits. 1. You sleep through the hardest part of dieting down. Let's face it, hunger pangs are hard and feeling run down isn't a blast. If you can get through a large chunk of your deficit while sleeping, it makes it easier. 2. You burn the most energy from fat at sleep. The lower your energy expenditure, the more you are burning from fat stores. Even a small woman burns roughly 300-400 calories a night while sleeping. Throw in extra burn during the day and you have a pound a week. 3. Hunger is easier Even a decrease in 10% of needed sleep can alter hunger levels. If you can, stay in bed longer and rest the hunger away. Mobility in Vanity and Health The average person I come in contact with has no idea what mobility means. They know all too well what knee pain, back pain, limited range of motion for the activities, and a loathing of exercise. Here are a few benefits:
Better range of motion generally means less injury
Good mobility is usually correlated with agility and strength
Good mobility means a more balanced muscle symmetry and physical appearance
Mobility Program Template Mobility is about more than foam rolling or bodyweight exercises. This also goes above the basic ability to move freely and adds the addition of strength and agility. To me, any program should consist of these elements. 1. The (Right) Movement 2. Form
3. Progressive Overload 4. Consistency Obviously, you don’t have the time to investigate this on a full level right now. My solution is to give you look at a program template for maximizing mobility training while incorporating other factors like strength and agility. Every basic program should have this template: 1. Warm-up (3-5 Mins) 2. Dynamic Stretching/ Low Grade Tissue Release (3-5 Mins) 3. Progressive Overload/Dynamic Fillers (Varies upon program, but generally 20+ Mins) 4. Static Stretching/Heavy Grade Tissue Release (4-8 Mins) This is a simplistic look at how a program structure can be laid out. I should note, this is not set in stone. Static work can come before lifts and training depending on the client. However, if you are following consistency in your training, you can utilize a safer method of placing static work at the end of the session. Warm-Ups The warm-up seemed to have died sometime back in 2002. This is my attempt to bring it back to life. The warm-up is for a very simple, but important purpose – to help you warm-up. Blood flowing, body temperature rising, and better muscle conduction are the name of the game. While warming up the body can mix with dynamic stretching or movements, the most important thing to understand is you are going from cold to warm. Movements:
Jog in place
Shadowboxing
Light Paced/Weight Free Box Squats
Punch Crossovers
Jumping Jacks
Dynamic Stretching Dynamic Stretching takes warming up to the next level. The purpose of dynamic stretching is to help increase range of motion in movement. You are not looking to press the boundaries of
comfort or get jerky with your range of movement, but it should be explosive and testing the limits of your active range of motion. Movements:
Tin Mans
Arm Claps
Hip Swings
Thoracic Rotation
Low Side Lunge
Static Stretching Static stretching consists of stretching a muscle (or group of muscles) to its farthest point and then maintaining or holding that position. Static stretching should be slow and held at an end position for up to 30 seconds. Static passive stretching uses an external force to hold the stretch in position. The goal of static stretching is to release tension and increase range of motion and flexibility over time. Movements:
Doorway Chest Stretch
Toe Touches
Quad Stretch
Placement of static stretching is best left at the end of your training program as part of your cool down. Placing it at the beginning of your program has been shown to decrease balance, power, and overall force production. But again, these rules aren't always set in stone. Maintaining flexibility and using a proper warm up and cool down in your program is going to strongly decrease your chance of injury and improve your fat loss. Don't look at it in the manner of preventative. As human beings we think we are immune to anything before it happens anyway. Look at it more as taking your fat loss further and the look of your body from basic to extraordinary.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mastering Maintenance For most people, there are two types of maintenance: 1. Short-Term Maintenance 2. Long-Term or Goal Maintenance Short-Term Maintenance As I discussed in this book, there are periods of time where you will need to take a break from your deficit. During these times, you will be eating at maintenance calories to restore optimal metabolic behavior. If you aren't done yet with your fat loss, then you will be doing it for a short period of time and then dive back into your deficit program. Long-Term Maintenance If you have achieved your goals of weight loss, then long-term maintenance is simply the act of maintaining the fat loss results you have achieved. There is also the chance you will be adding muscle or altering body composition, but caloric intake is still roughly at a maintenance level. Water Regain in Maintenance In any dieting down situation, you have to account for the water you regain in maintenance. This is called your "deficit weight regain". This is also discussed in extreme detail in Starve Mode. At any given moment, you are carrying a percentage of expendable weight. When you enter a deficit, you lose water, food volume, and glycogen. It doesn’t matter if you’re “low carbing” or not, these things happen. If you take part in a low carb/low starch diets, you will lose extra water and more glycogen. What happens when the diet is done? It comes back, as it should. Let me repeat that. All the glycogen, food volume, and normal body weight retention will return.
This is where you, the dieter, get it wrong and freak out. You can’t handle increase in actual “weight” on the scale and not realize it isn’t fat. This weight fluctuation is only water and glycogen. When you notice you are squishy and seem depleted, that depletion is glycogen, fluid volume, and more. This means fat loss is taking place, but so is water depletion. At any given time during a deficit program, you can be off by 3 to 10 pounds (woman/man) of your fed weight. Whatever weight you lose quickly in that first week – don't count it. The majority of that weight will come back. It’s the weight you lose the following weeks you should celebrate. If you go into maintenance understanding the degree of weight that will return, it should calm you emotionally. When setting your goals, take that weight regain into account. Meaning, if your goal is to like how you look at 120, you may need to go down to 117. This way when the water comes back, you still like your look. Yes, you will still have bloated days here and there, but instead of liking your body three days out of a month, you handed yourself 16+ at bare minimum. A Look is About More Than a Number It doesn’t matter how lean you get, if you don’t have the muscle, you won’t have the definition. A lot of times, especially with men, I see them fight tooth and nail for the elusive six-pack. I can take one look and see they don’t have one underneath their skin to show. Abs are often discussed in terms of a sheet. There is a sheet of skin covering your muscle. Imagine there is a bed in the middle of a room. Imagine on that bed is a pea. I want you to cover that pea with a thin sheet. Can you still see the pea? Is it hard to notice or just a tiny presence? Replace that one single pea with bags of peas on the bed and cover it with the same sheet. How easily can you see what's under the sheet? If those bags are your muscle, it is going to show easier than the lonely pea. In short, muscle is a strong definer of body composition. Depending on dietary habits and general hormones, the body will fluctuate in weight. No matter how hard you try. Learn to deal with this and your quality of life will thank you for it. That being said, you should by all accounts be happy with how you look more often than not. Watch for the combination of all these things. 1-Weight trend 2-Body fat measurement/definition changes 3-Performance maintaining or increasing 4-Mirror and clothes
The number isn't everything and it can alter. If you are lifting for muscle mass, don't expect it to go anywhere but up if already low in body fat. The key is to not over-complicate things and or freak out at life's normalcy. Nutritional Strategies During Maintenance By using this book, you should understand how to eat for your activity level and the factors of diet and training for caloric burn. Nothing changes just because you aren't in a deficit anymore. The same principles remain. The only difference is instead of subtracting calories, you are going to be eating for what you need. This can be a lot harder emotionally than people anticipate. Still, you don’t want to have to track obsessively for the rest of your life, right? Don't get me wrong, if you like tracking and it helps you, great. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about doing what you need to do, as long as it doesn't impede on your quality of life. But, if you don't want to track, you may need some help. Remember, in a deficit every little bit counts. Mostly, it counts because of our desire to end the torture as soon as possible. Afterwards, we have more breathing room. At any given day you will land on either side of the deficit or surplus line. Few can navigate this tempting world easily and with little effort. Most of us need a trick or technique on our side. I, for example, love to eat. I could eat all day long if my body would let me. I am not one of those people who eat to live – I live to eat! Because of this, I have a tendency to fall on the outside of that surplus line on a regular basis. If I don't monitor that, I will end up gaining fat again. My solution? The "Starve" Day The starve day is a simple and fairly obvious solution to maintenance eating. Pick one day out of every week to be in a significant deficit. Try to pick a day of little importance, a “throw away day” if you will. On that day, hit as low you are comfortable with hitting in your caloric deficit from your previous dieting down experience. Maybe it is a 30% or 40% deficit. The choice is yours, but it should take into account how high your regular calorie days are. That’s it. With that one day, you can start to wipe out some of that excess that may have sneaked in here or there through the week. With this approach you can eat out at restaurants more, have drinks with your friends and have freedom with your meals. However, this isn’t a ticket to be insane and start eating carelessly. It should keep you reminded of what you don't want to do again. You will find even that one day can be tough. Don't take things too extremes either and start dieting every week for 2-3 days at a time to make up for binges. That is an unhealthy habit that will decrease metabolic behavior overtime. Stopping Things Before They Get Out of Hand
Because life happens, it is always possible you put on a few pounds here or there. The key this time is to stop it from getting excessive. Remember the hardship of fat loss and care enough about yourself to not let things get out of control. Unless you are gaining mass, pregnant or focusing on a particular weight project, you shouldn't be bouncing large numbers. Select a number, like 10lbs above your maintenance weight, and don't allow yourself to go over it. If you do, start knocking things back down, learn from your mistakes and try to avoid bad habits next time.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A Primer on Supplements Supplements should be used as nothing more than additions and insurance. They should not be a replacement for whole food. In fact, multiple resources point to poor absorption and uptake in nutrients sans balanced macronutrient intake. The more you understand this concept, the better. When we diet down to lose body fat, we start to run our body through the ringer. We lose body fat because we pull from stored energy to replace the energy we are expending. This isn't just body fat, but stored minerals and vitamins. Muscle tissue, bone material, and cognitive function are all up for grabs. Supplements can help aid a failing system and make things a little easier. Below, I am highlighting popular supplements I feel most people can use to aid their lifestyle, deficit or not. Protein Powders Protein powders are the most popular fat loss supplement. They are also the most misunderstood. Protein powder is just that, protein in a powder form. Think of it no different than if you took a lean chicken breast and dehydrated it into a powder. There are different sources of protein powders. We are going to discuss a few of the most popular and their differences. Whey Protein The standard in protein powder is whey protein. It is derived from milk. It contains all essential amino acids, and is the fastest digesting protein. Because of its fast absorption, whey protein results in a higher peak amino acid concentration in the blood than other proteins. This is important because blood amino acid levels are a big regulator of muscle protein synthesis. The higher the blood amino acid is, the faster muscle protein synthesis occurs. This puts whey ahead of the pack when it comes to quick amino delivery. How important that is or is not was discussed in the workout nutrition section. Whey Isolates and Concentrates Just as there are better grades of beef, there are better grades of whey. The majority of whey protein you find is largely made up of whey concentrate with small amounts of whey isolate mixed in. Whey isolate is filtered to be 90%+ protein. This means more protein, and less fat and lactose from the milk. Concentrated whey is less yielding, roughly 75% to 85%. While isolates
are a more pure protein, they are more on the wallet. Isolates biggest benefit seems to come in digestibility ease. Casein Protein Casein is the predominant protein found in milk. It makes up about 80% of the protein in cow’s milk, while the remaining 20% of protein in milk is whey. Casein protein has an excellent amino acid profile and is a slower digesting protein. Since casein protein works slowly, it has less of an impact on protein synthesis, but more of an impact on stopping protein breakdown. Think of whey as the fast acting headache medicine that lasts for four hours and casein as the 24-hour relief. Slow digesting proteins have many advantages, and most use it at night to delay protein breakdown while sleeping or to aid in satiation. Egg Protein Egg is a little slower on the digestive side of things compared to whey. Whether that is of extreme importance is still under study. Egg protein is made through making a powder of dehydrated egg whites. The majority of people who use it are those who have a whey or lactose intolerance and need a protein powder alternative. Soy Protein Under constant controversy and misunderstanding, soy protein is derived from soy beans. Soy protein does have a technical complete amino profile, but it’s low on certain amino acids to the point that calling it "complete" has been controversial. Soy protein is used mostly by those who are vegetarians or vegans. Mixed Vegetable Protein Just in the last few years there have been vast advancements in taste and amino profile for vegetable protein sources. Generally speaking, you are going to find your best profiles and taste when using a mixture of protein sources instead of one single source. Meaning, it is better to have a pea, rice, quinoa combination versus just hemp or just pea. There can still be issues with deficiency in regards to non-animal protein intake not related to amino acids. Make sure you are balancing your vitamin and mineral intake. Fats Thankfully the hate of fat is meeting its end. This is largely due to hundreds of studies showing the benefits of not only adding polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats to your diet through food, but also supplementing your diet with essential fatty acids (EFA's). Just as we have essential protein needs, we also have essential fat needs. Omega Family
There are two types of EFA's; linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are not interchangeable, meaning we must consume both. They are responsible for growth, repair, and mental clarity. It’s vital to ensure your diet is made up of both omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-3 Diet Sources: Flax, walnuts, salmon Omega-6 Diet Sources: Pistachio nuts, sunflower seeds, olive oil, olives Supplement Sources: Cold fish oils, Fish oil capsules, oil blends, cold flax oils, algae, etc. Tips:
If you use fish oil capsules, try eccentric-coated ones. They are easier on the stomach and general eliminate fish burps or aftertaste. Fat can spoil or go rancid easy. Try to store all your fats in the fridge and freeze already shelled nuts. If vegetarian or vegan, there are great sources of algae available now. Not eating meat depletes DHA levels in the brain. It is vital you make up for this through supplementation.
Vitamins & Minerals People hardly get all nutrients they need from food. It would take quite a balancing act and a wide variety of diet. Contrary to popular culture criticism, we get more nutrients than ever before. A lot of packaged foods are now fortified with vitamins. While there are issues with uptake in that manner, it still is better than what we were doing centuries ago. At the same time, we can easily become malnourished by stuffing ourselves with nothing but junk. A fantastic way to add extra benefit to your nutritional intake is to increase daily vitamins and minerals. Avoid going overboard and filling yourself with super dosage amounts or weird extracts. You can have too much of a good thing. Keep your multivitamins simple and with your basic vitamins and minerals only. You don't need all the fat loss boosters, herbal "adrenal supporters", and apple cherry thistle additives. The Essentials Vitamins: Vitamin A, the vitamin B complex (which includes thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12 pantothenic acid, and biotin) and vitamins C, D, E, and K. Minerals: Calcium, chromium, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc. Creatine Monohydrate
Muscular contraction comes by the breakdown of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to ADP (adenosine diphosphate). When all the ATP is broken down, creatine phosphate in the muscle donates a phosphate group to ADP. Creatine monohydrate is a precursor to creatine phosphate so if you supplement with creatine monohydrate, creatine phosphate levels in muscle are raised, and more muscular work can occur due to level elevation. Supplement wise you have 3 main choices of Creatine supplementation. Creatine Monohydrate (CM) Creatine Phosphate (CP) Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) CP was thought to be the right way to go because the process of transfer for energy uses Creatine Phosphate, however that can't be directly taken up into the muscle via supplementation, so supplementing with CP is useless. CEE is supposed to be more efficient at smaller amounts and perhaps easier on the stomach, but overall hasn't been researched enough to say and its of poor taste. So the winner, by a long shot, is CM. CM is the cheapest and most researched form of Creatine supplementation and thus far nothing has been noted to provide better results. Loading Loading and how to do it is actually very simple. It only became complicated because people don't understand the difference between faster, better, and needed. First off, you don't have to load in large amounts for Creatine to work. You can take smaller dosages over a period of time and increase your saturation level. However, loading it in larger amounts could make you become saturated and have it work faster. The goal of loading is to top out your levels of Creatine storage so that when using your energy stores you tap out less quickly. There are a lot of different loading methods out there and maintenance intake suggestion. Some of it is based in research and some is based in dogma. Here is what you need to know from solid research.
Taking large doses at 1 time isn't needed and could cause you to go running for the bathroom You can hit solid saturation levels by just starting out at a normal dosage and the stores get full overtime If you are going to go slow at loading you may take longer to feel/notice any effects Effects, in general, are not crazy or drug like. That is at best a little more energy, a little
more "pump," a few more reps, and a little better recovery. It also pulls water into the muscle so that "swole" may look a little better too. Dosage and Loading Recommendations Normal: 5g per day Faster: 10g/10 days then 5g per day Fastest: 20g/5 days then 5g per day (This can be higher or lower depending on LBM and weight. For example, if female at 120lbs and 18% bf 15g/5 days and then 3g per day may be more than enough and decrease excess water retention if concerned. ) When to Take it? It is best taken around workouts, specifically pre/post-workout. Amount and what with can change based on size, training goals, and dietary program. BCAA’s (Branched Chain Amino Acids) The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Most diets provide an adequate amount of BCAAs for most people. Some studies show that athletes or those in aggressive training for body composition can benefit from faster recovery, endurance, and even aid in fat loss. Do You Need BCAA's in a Deficit? If you are taking in adequate protein, the only time you would need BCAA's is if you:
Are vegan and in a deficit. It's better safe than sorry being protein intake can already be a challenge.
Are fasting before training sessions. Optimally, you would want roughly 10g of BCAA before a fasted training session.
Extra insurance. If you are extremely paranoid of atrophy, you can add to your arsenal.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Myths and Tips of Training and Nutrition This chapter is devoted to the myths surrounding training and nutrition. There are a lot of things here that wouldn't fit neatly into one chapter. There are also some topics I wanted to highlight with greater vigor. In truth, the majority of you are going to scan the book for points of interest. If nothing else, I can entertain and inform you with some quickies. Tip: All Diets Have to Create an Energy Deficit in Order for Fat Loss to Take Place It doesn't matter if it is IF'ing, Paleo, South Beach, Atkins, Lemon Cleanse – they are all creating a deficit. The only way you will lose fat, is if a deficit is created. Maybe an author does it with points, clean foods, or no carbs. Maybe they focus on training the deficit out of you. But in the end, a deficit has to be created. Your job is to figure out the easiest way to create the deficit for yourself. Your job is to find a diet or program that will help you sustain a deficit. Your job is to also find a dietary habit that will allow you to maintain your weight. These things may not always be the same thing. For example, I may choose a different dietary approach for myself in meal timing and restriction, than I would have in a maintenance state. When you understand the purpose of all diets, you can start to see through the code of fat loss (and sometimes the BS). Myth: Hunger Makes You Eat It is very rare you ever eat because you are receiving signals of true hunger and deprivation. There are all kinds of "hunger" signals. Your goal is to decrease or read these signals the best you can so that you can avoid being at the whim of your hunger. Your goal is to feel in control of the situation. 1. Thirsty Hunger Believe it or not, thirst is a common hunger trigger. The signals of thirst and dehydration can feel and act the same as hunger. This doesn't mean to have excessive water intake, but staying hydrated is important. 2. Reactive Hunger
This is a response that comes after eating. It is caused by an increase in insulin levels, enzymes, serotonin, and more. Basically, the “Give me more!” of the body. Generally speaking, the more simple sugars you have in a meal and the faster your blood sugar spikes, the more reaction that takes place. To avoid this from increasing, try to make your meals balanced and digest at a slower level. 3. Psychological Hunger The mind is a strange place, and we don’t come close to understanding it fully. We eat food for comfort and boredom. We want what we can't have. Some even after being full, no matter what they eat, will always be thinking about food. What you have to remember is we don't deserve more food than we need. The cravings you have will pass. Cravings have a short life span and dissipate in 5-10 minutes. Try to hold it out. If desperate, nibble on very low calorie items. 4. Hunger Pangs Hunger is the experience that occurs from having an emptied stomach, characterized by dull or acute pain happening in the epigastrium and cardia. The pain is caused from the contractions occurring of gastric juices that are no longer receiving food. A similar comparison could be made to labor. Think of false contractions just like you think of false hunger. It sure as heck can feel real when happening, but really it's false alarms. In truth, you have to apply the "suck it up" approach. Some use aids such as warm teas, others use appetite suppressants. In the end, take control of your hunger and try to identify why you really want food. Tip: Education is the Answer Knowledge is power. The reason most people fail at fat loss is not because of lack of will, but because they don't understand the process. They are bombarded with wrong information for so long, they don’t know what is right. You may even feel this way about this material, but remember I am not selling you a one-size fits all agenda. I am not selling you a diet that only works with a magic supplement or the right food ratio. I don't care if you read this book and then do my "competitors" diet. As long as you understand the process, you are the fisherman, not the bait. Myth: We Need 8 Glasses of Water a Day Truthfully, general guidelines for water intake make about as much sense as general caloric guidelines. So many factors affect how much water you lose or need. These factors can vary from training, environments, and your job. For example, a man living in a heavily-populated,
pollution-filled city who trains outside running, is 25 pounds overweight, and has an affection for salsa could easily need over a gallon of water a day. Remember your water intake is going to directly be effected by intake of sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes. Balance is the most important thing, not amount. Tip: Organize Your Habits Until nutrition and training becomes a habit, it isn’t going to be easy. To make it occur in the first place, plan your life to revolve around it. Being organized is important to your success. Just as you lay out your clothes for work, you need to plan your meals and training. Leave yourself no excuses so you can make it happen. It may seem like this is too much work, but this is what people don't do. These are the sacrifices people will not make. If you can do the thing most will not do, you will get results most people don't get. If you jump in without a plan, where is that going to get you? Momentum plus a plan is almost flawless for success. Don't act impulsively. You don't have to be completely rigid, but put effort into what could be one of the most important phases of your life. Are you joining a gym? Have you selected your training program? Are you going to hire a trainer to critique your lifts or to keep you motivated for a while? A great start is to complete the Goal Sheet provided with this download. After that, take it a step further by planning your meals, workout days, or the gear you need. Be methodical but logical. Myth: Some Foods Are Negative Calories Negative calories refer to foods that supposedly take more energy to break down in the body than they can supply. For example, cucumbers are considered a negative calorie food because a serving of cucumbers only holds roughly 5 calories. The theory is it takes the body more than 5 calories of energy to break down the food. This has yet to be proven in a study and the whole concept is poor. A great example or reason of how this is flawed logic, is turning to vegetarian animals in the wild. Deer for example, eat mostly leaves, buds, and bark. On occasion they get lucky to score wild fruit. Yet, deer are abundant and not prone to dying of starvation. They are more likely to be hunted or hit by a vehicle before dying of life circumstance or hunger in most areas. In short, those veggies feed them fine. Be it 5 calories from a cucumber or 100 calories from a soda – energy is energy. Tip: Negative People Make You Negative
The company you keep while trying to achieve a goal is crucial to your success. Sometimes we don't have the luxury of support. Sometimes we are in it alone. Too many times, those that love us are insecure and afraid of what we can achieve. You need to decide if the people around you are the kind of people you need to be around. You need to figure out if these people are good influences. If they aren’t, decide the role they may or may not be playing in your life. Myth: You Can't Lose Fat While Eating Carbs Any diet in which you lose 8 pounds in a week (unless creating a serious biggest loser style deficit) means you just lost a lot of water that will come back the moment you eat normal again. That isn't a magic diet, it's a lie you are telling yourself. Sure, you may lose fat while on it, but you could end up running into problems too. Balance is more important than you think. Take the time to read the maintenance section. Learn that whatever you lose in the first two weeks, minus 2-4 pounds, you should expect to put back on. If you can handle that and use carbohydrate restriction for compliance or technique, great! Low carb diets are fine...if you live in the reality of what they provide and don't get caught up in the hype. Tip: Surround Yourself With Health and Fitness. This isn’t about only having healthy food in the home. This isn't about becoming a gym rat. This is about genuinely caring about becoming a person who cares about themselves. Add your favorite trainers on facebook. Get a subscription to a fitness magazine you like. Go to health food stores and local markets with your friends. Do daytime walking or bike riding activates with your friends instead of stuffing your face at the TV. The smallest things can make the biggest changes. Myth: Artificial Sweeteners Make You Fat Remember, nothing can make you gain fat out of nowhere. There are many different types and brands of artificial sweeteners out there. The basic purpose of an artificial sweetener is to provide a sweet flavor to a meal without adding a lot of calories or causing spikes in blood glucose, or sugar, levels. This is especially important for diabetics. Some research suggests artificial sweeteners can actually do more harm than good. In some cases, so-called zero-calorie sweeteners usually contain two grams of dextrose and maltodextrin, both of which actually have calories and carbohydrates and can cause problems for diabetics. Splenda, a popular artificial sweetener, includes both ingredients. Artificial sweeteners also seem to cause problems with digestive, or “gut,” health. They won’t make you gain weight for no reason, but they might interfere with your digestive process and cause food to pass through you without being properly absorbed, leaving you hungry. But again, that’s only a possibility with larger amounts of artificial sweetener.
For me, the jury’s still out on artificial sweeteners. But, contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that suggests they are dangerous in moderation. There is also nothing to suggest that current fad healthy "alternatives" like Stevia couldn't cause problems. Aspartame has been studied 10x more than any other. Lack of studies does not equal safety. But more important, it’s OK to eat calories, and if you’re healthy enough to do it, go ahead and use sugar in that dessert. They’re your calories — own them. Tip: Learn To Cook, It Will Change Everything When you have control over your culinary life, it gives you power on this whole new level. It doesn't mean you have to pretend you are on Top Chef. You can even buy a lot of pre-made things and put them together. But, learning about how food works, what is in it, and even cooking it on occasion, will give you amazing fat loss power. Cooking Tip #1: A Watched Pot Never Boils Over Keep an eye on your meal. When you’re cooking, try to remove all distractions from the room. Of course, something legitimate might pop up, but try to make sure you can focus on your cooking and manage your time properly. Especially in the beginning, keep a close eye on the meal. Cooking Tip #2: Follow the Instructions. Seriously. That may sound like a no-brainer, but until you’ve mastered cooking, I’d recommend you treat it like a science, not an art. To be sure, there are dishes that have flexibility built into their recipes, but when you’re starting out, they don’t. So don’t wing it, people. Cooking Tip #3: It Doesn't Take Much to Make Something Taste Good Here’s a fact: Anything tastes better when it’s fried. Here’s another fact: Anybody can add flavor to a dish by dumping a bunch of calories into it. It doesn’t take a genius to take a piece of chicken, bread it, fry it and douse it in Honey Dijon sauce. But to take that same piece of chicken, remove the skin and make it taste great using only a few spices? That’s talent. Cooking Tip #4: “In Season” and “Fresh” Are Always Better There’s a world of difference between canned tomatoes and fresh ones. We live in an era when we can grow anything during any time of year, but that doesn’t mean we necessarily should.
Foods have a natural clock built into them that makes them taste better when grown in season. Learn what those times are, and try to buy as many fresh ingredients as you can. Cooking Tip #5: Stoves Have High, Medium and Low Setting for a Reason. Don’t burn your food. Sounds easy enough, but a lot of people think they have the finesse of experienced line cooks, who know how to quickly cook a breast of chicken without burning it and while keeping it nice and juicy. Don’t get cocky, and don’t get impatient. Take the time to cook your food properly. Cooking Tip #6: Eggs Are Your Friends. Whether use you use them in frittatas, omelets, scrambles or meat loafs, you need to learn to love the egg. Not only are they one of the cheapest protein sources available, they’re the low calorie key to your culinary survival. Cooking Tip# 7: Learn Cooking Vocabulary. It doesn’t take much to learn a few basic cooking terms. Poaching, braising, rubs, blanched, grilled, sautéed, seared, marinated, roasting, frying, broiling, brines and just a few basic terms you should know (and techniques you should master). Adding even one new weapon to your cooking arsenal can have a huge impact on your eating life. Cooking Tip #8: Understand Your Food. Is a pork butt really a butt? How can you look at an orange and tell if it’s going to be tasty? What’s the difference between bread crumbs and panko? Learn your ingredients. Cooking Tip #9: Read and Then Read Again. You can never, ever have too much education when it comes to food. You can never get your hands on enough recipes. You can never learn enough about the food industry or how food gets to your grocery store. You can never learn enough about what food does to your body and how much of it you need. Myth: Aerobic Work Is Pointless Like I said before, you don't need to train aggressively to lose fat. You could lose fat lying in bed all day; sick people do it all the time. However, if you are going to utilize training into your program to achieve a faster rate of fat loss, then aerobic work can be a great portion of your program. I am personally tired of hearing the dogma and bastardizing of aerobic work for fat loss. Lifting is important and aerobics are important. Everything gives way to more caloric burn,
more glycogen usages, therefore leading to more fat utilization from storage. It’s a tool, nothing more. Tip: Keep Things Interesting While speaking about aerobics, it certainly doesn't mean losing your life on a treadmill. Your imagination is the only bridge between you and boredom. Almost anything can be made into an aerobic session or burn calories faster than simply walking. Get to trying and keep it fun. If it's fun, you will do it. Myth: Maintenance Doesn’t Exist You may not be aware of this, but you don't have to spend your life trying to lose weight. Maintenance does exist. It isn't easy, but if you understand energy balance and you lifestyle habits, it is do able. Heck, it could even be easy and enjoyable. Let go of your past experiences and start from this day one. Tip: Choose the Right Gym for Yourself Most trainers say when you choose a gym to pick one with the best equipment. I find those people usually have little problem with getting to the gym. Some of you reading this have that problem. I say, when you pick a gym, pick one you will go to. 1. Close to Home If you have a choice between the ultimate gym that is 15 minutes away or having an average gym that is 4 minutes away, go with the average gym. This only applies if getting to the gym is hard for you. Also, you can easily upgrade anytime you want. It’s almost like showing your parents you can be responsible with your chores so you can get a dog. Regardless of perfection, time can be a real pain for people. That extra 20 mins of total drive time can be enough to make you skip a session. Pick the place you almost have to drive by on your way home, and it will become a lot easier to fit it in. Even if it isn't the perfect gym. 2. The Right Crowd If you don't feel comfortable going to the gym, you will not go to the gym. You will find reasons or doubts to avoid going. There are different gyms and crowds. Maybe the gym is too small and you feel all eyes are on you. Maybe, you want to lift the free weights, but during the time you want to go there is nothing but steroid gym rats hogging the benches. It doesn't matter what they have if you don't feel at ease to use it. Make sure when going through your trial membership, to do it during the times you will be attending the gym. Do you like the crowd? Do you like the atmosphere? Is there enough equipment?
3. The Price Should Be Right Think about what you are going to use in the gym. Are you going to use the sauna? Are you going to use a rock wall? Are you going to use the aerobic classes? Are you going to get the ultimate muscle builder smoothie from the juice bar? Think about what you are going to use in a gym. A lot of gyms offer flash and high prices. Free weights, cables machines, and a mirror is really all most people ever need. Myth: Training Your Abs Everyday Will Give You a Six Pack. Wrong. While abs can take a higher amount of direct work, this isn't what works best to develop your six pack. In the end, you need two huge factors for a six pack. You need a base of muscle and low enough body fat to see that base. Doing crunches everyday isn't going to provide either of those things for you. Tip: If You Can't Control it, Get it Out Of the House Don’t hang on to food because it would be a waste to throw it out. Donate it if you can. But, if you can't give it away, I assure you that you have wasted thousands of dollars on crappy restaurant meals. Your home needs to be your safe ground. The world is going to surround you with constant temptation and things are going to be hard enough. If it isn't in your home, you can't eat it. While you are at it, don’t keep big baggy clothes that you feel comfortable in. You aren’t going to be using them anymore so chuck it. Remember you can’t return to something that isn’t there. Myth: You Are Broken A lot of people convince themselves that they are an anomaly. They think their case is different, that they are doing everything right and there is just something wrong with them. While there can be things that make fat loss harder, and I talk in great detail about this in Starve Mode, fat loss can always be had. It may be to the determent of your health, not the other way around. Tip: For Most People, Fat Loss Feels Horrible I always get a chuckle when people are talking about how great they feel when they are losing fat on commercials. There are instances where the diet was so horrible, that even a deficit of whole foods make people feel better. But, for most of us, a deficit feels horrible. The greater the deficit, the greater the side effects. You can expect anything from mood swings, depression, hunger, fatigue, insomnia, and body aches. The better you focus on your minerals and optimizing your diet, the better these things can feel. Don't let a few bad days deter you. Understand that to some degree a little discomfort is acceptable.
Myth: You Have to Starve for Fat Loss The only thing you have to do for fat loss is create a deficit. It may be that your deficit is more intense because your activity level is so low. There may come that moment where you decide between increasing activity or decrease caloric intake. But, no one says you have to lose at the fastest rate possible. As long as you don't screw up maintenance and you are creating a deficit, you will get there eventually. Tip: Accept This is an overlooked step. This can be a game changer. You have to come to terms with how you got where you are. You have to meet the grit of your reality and who you are to yourself. It isn't easy. You have to see why you are there. Was it middle school? Your father? An ex-lover? Procrastination? Figure out the course of your journey to now and then turn right around and map the course of the future. Go forth with passion and honesty. If you want a six pack, go for it. If you want to be able to do 20 pull-ups with weight, go for it. The world is waiting for you to create who you want to be in it.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Putting it All Together for Fat Loss I want to show you how you can piece together all the information to be your own captain. While I provide a program you can follow with the book, I want you to get used to knowing why or how something is happening. Just remember, above anything else, your safety is the number one issue. Never make any changes to your diet, training, or supplement habits without consulting a professional. This is one of many disclaimers you are seeing throughout, but it is because I feel it is important. Not to mention, any help you can get usually means this will be a faster journey for yourself. Step 1: Write Out Your Goals I provided a goal sheet with the book to give you a starting point. To me, goals should be eternal. If you aren't working towards something in your life, then you are probably working against your life. Be specific and write down what you want. This may change often, but that is okay. The point is to start somewhere. Don't short change your dreams. People have said to me, "I know I can't hit x pounds, but I would like to at least get to y." Don't do that! Unless your goals are really physically unhealthy or unachievable – dream big. After all, why disappoint yourself in your dreams when the reality of our world can be disappointing enough at times. Step 2: Figure out Your Caloric Needs for Maintenance and Fat Loss People spend so much time thinking about fat loss, that they neglect the importance of maintenance. Don't fall into that trap. After all, you have to keep it off too. It doesn't matter the method you use, but try to do the best you can to get a gauge of your caloric needs. You can use formulas, activity monitors, or a dietitian's evaluation. The options are vast. Remember to always take into account the variables of change in your daily lives or overtime with changes in bodyweight. Step 3: Design Your Eating Schedule One size literally does not fit all. Maybe IF'ing is your style or you like multiple meals. Will your meals be mostly small items thrown together, like yogurt w/nuts and berries? Are you going to bake large macronutrient split casseroles or protein cheesecakes?
Look back at the meal timing sections. Be realistic about what you can do. Does fast food have to play a role? Do you need professional meal plans or a food service? Don't be ashamed if you need aid and be realistic about what you need to achieve things. Step 4: Determine Your Training Program Remember, I have supplied a training program with this book. However, there is no "perfect" training program for everyone. Don't get me wrong, I think what I put together is solid. But, I am not narcissistic or naïve enough to think it is the only option. When determining your program, you need to take into account your equipment options, time, and training experience. Most importantly, if you don't know what you are doing yourself, leave it up to the people that do. I have provided resources at the end of the book if you are looking for more information. Step 5: Write a List of Everything You Need to Succeed What equipment do you need? Workout Gear? Containers? Books? What is going to make this experience as easy as possible for you? Maybe it isn't material goods, maybe it is emotional support. Whatever it is, write it down and make it a priority. We make time for the things we want. We find money for the things we need. Step 6: Throw Out Everything You Don't Need If it is going to be negative for you, get rid of it. I see so many people caught up in not wanting to get rid of things that aren't good for them, and it always bites them. Is there food in the house you are tempted to eat? Throw it out. Don't go back and forth because you don't want to be wasteful. Donate it, give it to a friend, or just send it down the garbage disposal. Even if it isn't bad food, but it is tempting food, get rid of it. Make a pack with yourself that while you are on your journey, you will keep temptation at a distance the best you can. After all, 24/7 grocery stores make it hard enough. It also doesn't stop at food. You might have some people in your life you could benefit from tossing out. If they bring you down more than they bring you up, they aren't worth it. Negative people attract negative side effects to your life. The less you surround yourself with that mentality, the better. Step 7: Welcome Change We change all the time, it is unavoidable. Being happy and conscious of change is harder. We live fast and try to ignore things in our daily lives. We escape into the fantasy, music, television,
or food. Even though our lives are short, we spend much of our time avoiding the reality of our beings. Open your heart and mind to change. It is vital to your success. It's amazing how we can fear and create disturbing thoughts for things like exercise and treating ourselves better. It's odd to say the least. When you truly accept the level of greatness you can become, and you buy into the truth that you can be, that is when greatness happens. Then and only then will you hold all the power. The power of self belief can feel magical, but it can only exist if you welcome positive changes in your life.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Closing The biggest problem we face as a society, as a world, is people are convinced fat loss is based on opinion and not fact. People are convinced fat loss has entered the realm of religious doctrine, faith, or opinion. This is a science. While there are different bodies and different means to achieve fat loss, the laws of physics dictate that no piece of matter can disappear. Matter can't disappear. This is a physical substance harden to your body. At some point, energy demand will require (due to deficit) that harden material to be melted and used for reserved energy. It is the only physical way it can occur. If there is a constant circulation of energy meeting demand in the body, fat stores will never be pulled to replace lost energy requirements. It’s a science; a fact-based act. Your method of achievement is where there is room for alteration. Perhaps you like shakes more than solid food? Perhaps you are vegetarian or vegan for ethical reasons? It doesn't change the fact that fat loss is about one thing and one thing only – energy. The constant drumbeat of panic and misinformation can beat the average person until they’re nothing but a conspiracy theorist, guided by whims and very little actual evidence. Some “truths” are so enshrined in our collective subconscious that we never think twice about how or why we know these “facts.” Take a moment to stop and think about everything you think you know to be as historical fact. • Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb. He merely made it last longer and improved it. • George Washington wasn’t the first president. It was John Hanson. There were seven presidents before Washington. • People don’t only use 10 percent of their brain. This was started by people pushing self-help guides. • Camels don’t carry water in their hump. It’s fat. • Blood is red, but only when it’s carrying oxygen. Deoxygenated blood appears to be blue. • Alexander Graham Bell didn’t invent the phone, it was Antonio Meucci. Bell just beat him to the patent office. • Al Gore never said he invented the Internet.
• The Wright Brothers weren’t the first to fly. Some of the sacred truths of health and fitness are just as false. Some myths are a case of mistaken identity; others are false information or the result of bad interpretation of data. And let’s not forget that sometimes people just lie. You have always been able to lie and get away with it, but in these times the lies spread like an infection fungus to the masses thanks to social media and the internet. You can be made to believe that matter can simply disappear and selected foods are evils. Don't fall into those traps. It is either agenda or fear and neither will give you peace of mind. Neither will give you a true education, only denial and finger pointing. Fat Loss is About You, Not an Agenda Never forget that this is an individual race. This is not a team spot. There is no "Team" in fat loss. Even if you use a team of support, doctors, and trainer – it is still a solo journey. Only you can carry the fat and only you can lose it. Only you can get stronger or weaker. Only you can live or die by your own breath. With this being the case, why would you let others dictate your personal journey with their issues? You need to make you own decisions and determine what is right for you, not what you think everyone else wants. Your diet is about you. Your training is about you. If you want to become a better person, it should be for you. If you want to be smaller in weight, it should be for you, not "them". Procrastination is the Biggest Enemy to Success I don't want to imply that you have to stop everything you are doing in your life and focus only on weight loss. I don't want to imply that you will never achieve greatness if you are not a size 8. However, if your weight or health status is making you unhappy, and weight loss is something you want, why wait any longer? Even if you just understand how to master maintenance, really master it, then any deficit you achieve will start to put you closer to your goal. As long as you just start something and are moving towards the positive line of your dreams, it will come faster. Fat loss doesn't have to be your number one thought in a day, but positive change should at the top of the list. It can come in the form of spiritual journeys, physical strength, or a leaner body. Don't put off being the ultimate version of yourself any longer. This is Where Our Journey Ends and Yours Begins You have it all now. You have the tools and tips of the trade. You have the plans and the directions. You are ready to do this in a way you have never been. Believe in yourself. “Not I, nor anyone else, can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself. It is not far. It is within reach.
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know. Perhaps it is everywhere - on water and land.” ― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Recommendations Over the years, I have amassed a collection of connections, books, and sources of information to attain my knowledge. Between helping clients and educating myself, I have developed a lot of tips to make life easier. To truly be good at anything, you need knowledge and persistence. I can't give you persistence, but I can provide you with a wealth of pre-approved knowledge. In my field, I am not always everyone's friend. I don't believe in turning a bad eye to poor information or dogmatic view. The truth is, the world would be a better place with a lot of material removed from the shelves. But, I also believe in freedom of information and speech. With the good will always come the bad. In short, I assure you that all the material or people I am listing – I believe in. Maybe I don't agree with every single thing they say. In fact, I can assure you there is something we disagree on. But, the core principles are there. I am only providing material I would give to a loved one. I am only listing things I would buy myself, for my own self enjoyment. I am lucky enough to know most of these people on some level, enough to know that their intents are noble. Some of them are even my mentors or friends. My Products Starve Mode – Starve Mode is a detailed and scientific look at metabolic activity. From metabolic adaptation (aka – starvation mode) to common metabolic myths and queries, the book goes into detail on these subjects. It also provides a protocol for optimizing metabolic behavior if you have previously been in a state of metabolic disturbance from undereating/overtraining. http://starvemode.com LeighPeele.com Membership – The membership to my site is tremendously helpful for those who are looking to take their bodies and education to the next level. Not only are there programs and extra audio downloads, there is a forum where I personally participate. If you have a question not only about products, but your personal goals, I am there to help. http://leighpeele.com/members.html Body By Eats Cookbooks – I have put together an insanely thorough collection of recipes that focus on whole foods, protein, and keeping in mind body composition goals. I also provide the complete data of macronutrients and calories. Lastly, all recipes come in gram or measurement form. http://bodybyeats.com
Trainers, Authors, and Program Resources These are people I respect in the industry. I will absolutely forget people, so don't be surprised if this is updated. That being said, I am selective with the individuals I will recommend. Alan Aragon – Alan is my favorite person to watch dissect research. He is just one of those guys that doesn’t specialty, because he is that good. He is always ready to tackle a myth or outlandish claim to help provide you with solid research instead. You can find him at alanargaon.com and I highly recommend subscribing to his research review. http://www.alanaragonblog.com/ Alwyn Cosgrove – Alwyn's motivation and charisma is contagious. While his primary work now is mostly in helping trainers get their businesses off the ground, he still offers up a healthy dose of coaching and training advice through his blog and facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AlwynCosgroveFanPage Anthony Colpo – Colpo is a straight shooter and he doesn't hold back. His research is top notch and he doesn't miss a beat or critical view. He has tackled controversial topics, like cholesterol and carbohydrate use, with a brilliant attention to detail. You can find his material here http://anthonycolpo.com/anthonys-books/ Brad Pilon – Brad Pilon is an expert on intermittent fasting and general weight composition. I like his research because he is not coming at things from a bandwagon point of view. He also has the ability to keep things simple for readers. You can find more information about him at http://www.bradpilon.com Bret Contreras – Bret is big on personality and even bigger on strength and conditioning research. He enjoys picking apart and diving into research via his blog. He often uses videos and diagrams to help even the most laymen of individuals. http://www.bretcontreras.com/ Børge A. Fagerli – Børge is a coach from Norway who has a marvelous online presence helping countless people with their goals. He released an amazing hypertrophy program called Myo-reps and Bio-Rhythm Diet both available online. http://borgefagerli.com/ Christian Finn – Finn is a trainer from the London who is at the top of his game. He doesn't get caught up in the hype of the industry and has a real level head for how training and nutrition can alter your lifestyle. He also discuses research with an ability for the lay person to understand. http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/ Dan John – Dan John is without a doubt a master in the industry. When it comes to training technique and motivation, he is in a league all his own. You will never have a dull moment reading or listening to his work. You can find his work at http://danjohn.net
Frank Addelia – Frank marches to the beat of his own drummer and is full of life. He is a top notch trainer who specializes in suspension and ring training. He defies age and the general boredom of the industry. Check out his work at http://www.frankieslab.com/ James Krieger – James has a knack for relaying deeply complicated research in a way that enthusiasts can understand. He is a top level nutritionist and researcher. http://weightology.net/ Jamie Hale – Jamie is no-nonsense to the core. He is engrossed in research and critical thinking. He has worked with Olympic athletes and pro MMA fighters. You can check out his work at http://www.maxcondition.com JC Deen – JC has quickly made a name for himself with his ability to provide simple information with little filler. With lots of enthusiasm, he is sure to make a lot of noise aiding people in their journey along the way. http://www.jcdfitness.com/ Jonathan Fass – Jon is a dear friend who I respect more than he knows. He is the private physical therapist to royalty, seriously. When I am looking for an objective view at biomechanics research, Jon is my go-to guy. https://www.facebook.com/jon.fass Judith S. Beck – Judith is an expert in cognitive therapy research and offers a promising view on behavior modification. You can find her books available on amazon.com. http://www.beckdietsolution.com/ Lou Schuler – Lou is the author of many books including the "New Rules for Lifting" series. He is witty, talented, and has an art for writing about fitness in a way that anyone can enjoy. Find out more about Lou at http://www.louschuler.com/ Marion Nestle – Marion is the author of Food Politics and, more recently, "Why Calories Count." She has an amazing scientific grasp on subjects that shouldn't be filled with controversy, but are. Find out more information about her at http://www.foodpolitics.com/ Mark Rippetoe – Mark is a strength coach and national author of the legendary book "Starting Strength." If you dare to squat or deadlift, you need to know Rippetoe's material. Find more information at http://startingstrength.com/ Matt Perryman – Matt is an amazing writer and philosophy researcher submerged into the training and conditioning community. Check out one of his many internet homes at http://mattperryman.com/ Martin Berkhan – Martin is known as the chief expert at intermittent fasting and leangains. He has inspired leagues of followers and support due to his constant objective looks at nutrition and breaking away from previous "rules." You can find more about him at http://www.leangains.com Mike Robertson – Mike knows what he is doing when it comes to implementing mobility training and improving your weaknesses. Be it bulletproofing your knees or deconstructing your
lifts, he has vast knowledge of his craft. You can find more at http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/ Robert Dos Remedios – Dos is a coach and author who specialized in strength and conditioning. He writes great programs for getting fast and strong. He also is one tough vegetarian. Check out his work at http://www.coachdos.com/ Roger Lawson – Roger is the definition of personality and motivation. He brings a fresh and unique approach to health and fitness that breaks the daily mundane. If looking to get sexified and be entertained, check him out at http://www.roglawfitness.com/ Nia Shanks – Nia wasn't the first girl to lift strong, but she certainly was part of a movement needed for women who love lifting. Her physical talents are vast and she relays those skills with ease. You can find out more about her at http://www.niashanks.com/ Nick Tumminello – Nick is really one of my favorite trainers in the industry. His approach is with detailed explanations of movement, common sense, and protecting the client at all times. His DVD's are must-haves. You can find out more from him at http://nicktumminello.com Scott Tousignant – Scott is a trainer from Ontario and excels in motivating and helping clients achieve their goals. Scott specializes in bodybuilding and composition changes. To find out more go to http://metabolicmasterpiece.com/ Steven Low – Steven has written one of my favorite books on training period when he released "Overcoming Gravity." He is an expert in gymnastics and bodyweight training. You can find more information on him at http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/ Tom Venuto – Tom is a mentor and someone who I respect immensely. I not only respect his material, but am a personal fan. You can find out more about Tom at http://www.burnthefatblog.com/ Tony Gentilcore – Tony is filled with love for training. Not many get so excited about their jobs and skills at Tony does. He also does so with great skill and technique for working with his clients and athletes. Check out his information at http://www.tonygentilcore.com/ Valerie Waters – Valerie Waters is the literal trainer to the stars. She clearly understands a female's body, which I think is lacking in the industry. You can find out more information about her at http://www.valeriewaters.com/ Training Gear Recommendations Suspension/Ring Trainers – The most popular model is TRX, but there is a wide variety of options and prices. You can see this post here for my current reviews and recommendations. http://www.leighpeele.com/which-suspensio-trainer-is-right-for-you
Tissue Release Products – These are things like foam rollers, The Stick, TheraCane or even tennis balls. A great book to understand tissue release is the Trigger Therapy Workbook. From there you can pick and choose how you implement these tools. Activity Monitors I discussed the activity monitors earlier, so I am just going to provide a link. Fitbit – http://www.fitbit.com/ Sensewear/Bodymedia – http://www.bodymedia.com/
Nutrition and Training Apps/Software If you are looking for help with accountability or tracking, these programs or apps can be a great addition. Lose It! – http://www.loseit.com/ Fitocracy – https://www.fitocracy.com/ Gain – http://gainfitness.com/ My Fitness Pal – http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
