Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait
Eating out isn’t necessarily a problem, but can be a fuss to those around me. I start by scanning the restaurant’s menu for a lean source of protein, followed by a good source of carbs and a great source of fat. Usually, I pick a great option, a good option and a decent option; the waiter that’s about to approach me is bound to shut me down with words like fried, breaded and sauteed, so might as well make due with other sources since I’m already at my 3 hour mark and my muscles are aching for some food.
Me: “I’ll have the Cajun Chicken Platter with no Monterey jack cheese, crisps, refried black beans and mashed potatoes.”
Waiter: “You mean you want the Cajun Chicken Platter with absolutely nothing on it?”
Me: “Yes, but I’m not done yet. Do you serve sweet potato?”
Waiter: “No sir, we only serve mashed potatoes.”
Me: “Do you mash it in with butter?”
Waiter: “I’m not sure sir.”
Me: “Would you ask someone that knows please.”
Accompanying Friend: “Dude, are you serious? No he’s not doing that.”
Me: “Ok, may I have a baked potato please.”
Waiter: “I’m sorry sir, we serve only mashed potatoes.”
Me: “Are they mashed before or after they arrived in the kitchen?”
Waiter: “After sir.”
Me: “Ok, so take one unmashed medium sized potato and bake or boil it.”
Waiter: “I’m sorry sir, we cannot do that.”
Annoying Fat Friend: “FHAID! Cut that crap out! I want to order!”
Me: “Ok Ok. I’ll have the Cajun Chicken Platter with nothing on it, and only broccoli on the side. Is the broccoli sauteed or steamed?”
Friend: “F*ck you.”
I am literally a waiter’s worst nightmare and I don’t care. I even question a restaurant’s supposedly healthier options, and after a thorough investigation (i.e. annoying the hell out of the restaurant’s staff) it doesn’t seem healthy at all. I persuade any health conscious individual to do the same.
The Awesome Subject at Hand
I was contacted by a 248am subscriber in order to help him out with a diet plan. His routine was simple and average, and could easily relate to anyone who decides to pursue the healthy lifestyle, so I used him as an example in order to explain the ins and outs of nutrition calculation and timing. Hopefully, I’ll be able to simplify things as much as possible.
Hi, my name is Amgad.
Amgad’s a 15 year old middle school student. Details below:
Height: 186cm
Weight: 107kg
Favorite Food: KFC and Italian.
Worst Food: Spinach
1) Before posting up his diet, I’ll need to calculate his BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)referenced from my carb post (Part 1.5: The Letter P, C and F). Amgad is 20kg over his optimal weight, and since he doesn’t lift any weights, I’m willing to assume those 20kg are composed of fat and a little bit of water retention. The calculations below will be based on 87kg of lean body mass.
66 + ( 13.7 x 87 ) + ( 5 x 186 ) – ( 6.8 x 15 ) = 2,085.9 <–BMR
2) Activity Level: Amgad has just started jogging 5 times a week for 30-45 minutes in order to improve his cardiovascular health. In this regard, his body is not yet primed for fat-burning so I’ll be sticking to no activity level.
3) Goal:Fat-loss. Amgad wants to lose significant fat by April, which is realistic but not necessarily healthy. He will lose weight, but 20kg is an impossibility unless he decides to jog for 5 hours a day.
I’ll be deducting 500 calories from his calorie intake above, which will bring the total down to 1,503.08 or 1,500 calories for the sake of simplicity.
4) Ratios:
Protein: 0.5g x 191lbs = 95 of protein (I usually give a larger ratio of protein, but Amgad’s young and his stress levels won’t be taxed too much)
Carbohydrates: 20% of total calorie intake = 400 calories divided by 4 (4 calories per gram of carbs) which equals to 100g of carbs
Fat: As per my recommendations on “The Fatty Truth”, 70g of fat to deal with the stress of dieting should suffice.
Protein Calories: 380
Carb Calories: 400
Fat Calories: 630
Total Calories: 1,410 (actual diet will differ from this amount. This will only serve as a base for me to follow).
Things to consider: Protein & fat will be included in all Amgad’s meals and carbohydrates will be excluded after 3 pm. Water consumption is included. Below is his diet based on his daily timings:
6:30 am: Upon Waking:
500ml of Water to kick start his metabolism and lubricate his digestive tract.
6:45 am: Breakfast
3 scrambled eggs + 1 Glass of Fresh Orange Juice
- 375 calories, 27g of protein, 25g of carbs, 15g of fat
10:00 am: Mid Morning Snack
1 KFC Chicken Sandwich (Zinger or Twister Wrap) + 500ml of water
- 420 calories, 30g of protein, 32g of carbs, 21g of fat
1:00 pm: Mid Day Snack:
15 pieces of Raw Cashews + 500ml
- 168 calories, 8g of protein, 8g of carbs, 13g of fat
3:00 – 500ml of water
3:30 pm: Lunch
Half a chicken (skinless, steamed or grilled), red meat or fish. The protein portions will be equivalent of Amgad’s hand closed + 1/2 Cup of cooked or steamed white rice or white pasta + Salad: every veggie excluding carrots, corn and red beats + 2 tbsp of lemon & 2 tbsp of white, balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- 350 calories, 25g of protein, 30g of carbs, 5g of fat
6:30 – 1 Cup of plain Green Tea
Immediately After: Interval Cardio for 30 – 45 minutes + 500ml of water
Jog for 2 minutes, sprint for 1 minute, repeat.
7:30 – Early Dinner (Last Meal):
Repeat lunch, excluding the carb source. Include 1 tbsp of Olive Oil to the salad.
- 320 calories, 25g of protein, 10g of carbs, 20g of fat
9:30 – 500ml of water
Totals: 1,633 calories, 115g of protein, 105g of carbs, 74g of fat
Feel free to ask any questions in regards to his diet and I’ll be happy to answer. Further explanations would only prolong this post.
What About US!
There are rules and timings for each macro-nutrient. Ultimately, not all calories are equal; you can’t expect to go on 1,500 calories per day without knowing how to properly place your nutrients. I’ve talked to individuals who have lost massive amounts of fat, but plateaued after a few months. In order not to plateau both early and late into the fitness game, you need to maximize your nutrition timing in accordance to these rules:
1) Eat a moderate to high calorie breakfast, high in healthy fats, proteins and moderate in carbohydrates. Research has proven that a breakfast high in both fats and proteins provide the much needed fat-burning boost our bodies need in the morning.
2) Eat every 3 hours. If you have unstoppable sugar cravings that you can’t control, or cannot live with a certain entree’, then feel free to eat it 3 hours after you consume breakfast. By this time, you’ll feel super hungry, which is a clear sign that your metabolism is working on full blast. Do your body a favor and give it another challenge; just don’t over do it.
3) Cancel starchy carbs after lunch. You need carbs in the morning to fuel your body for energy; the carb load from the first 3 meals will last you 8-12 hours after consumption, enough to sustain a fast metabolism and strong insulin sensitivity in the morning. As mentioned in my earlier post, the pancreas secretes insulin to metabolize sugars that are broken down from the consumption of carbs. These insulin spikes block fat-burning momentarily (1-3 hours), but not to the point where you won’t be burning calories. By the inclusion of carbs in the morning and the exclusion of carbs after 3 pm, we create a double-edged sword that provides a metabolic boost (calorie burning) in the morning and a fat-burning boost (self explanatory) in the evening. The end result? YOU’RE BURNING CALORIES AND FAT 24/7!
4) Graze on protein all day. If any of you knew how many calories it takes to burn a few grams of protein you’d be eating an entire cow right now or chasing down a live chicken. Nothing gives your metabolism a kick more than protein. Moreover, fat-burning is not blocked; it’s actually enhanced. This means that you’ll burn more fat consuming a mere 15-30g of protein per meal.
5) Fat burns stubborn fat. Without the inclusion of starchy carbs, the combination of protein and fat is extraordinary. The inclusion of fat to a very low carb meal further enhances fat-burning by the means of “ketosis”. The body has no carbs for energy, so it uses up stubborn fat as an energy source. This can be achieved with the consumption of protein only, but for a very short period of time due to health-related reasons. Including fats into the mix achieves a greater ketogenic response; it’s like sneaking in enemy territory (stubborn fat) with the help of a traitor (extra virgin olive oil).
6) The more meals, the better. Assuming you eat 3 meals a day, adding 2 more meals (1 in between breakfast & lunch, the other in between lunch and dinner) would help minimize your hunger cravings significantly. The longer you wait between meals, the lower your blood sugar levels drop. The lower your blood sugar levels, the greater your hunger and cravings.
7) For all of the above processes to work efficiently, you’ll need a source of transportation: WATER. Nothing will go as planned if water is not included into the equation. I’ve seen individuals diet harder than I do and still struggle to lose a kilogram, simply because they don’t feel like drinking any water.
What About ME! I’m not FAT! I WANT TO GAIN MUSCLE!
The rules below are more or less the same from the ones above, but differ in terms of timing due to a factor called weight-lifting. The rules:
1) Eat a high protein, high carb, moderate fat breakfast. Cortisol is a muscle-wasting hormone that releases in the case of stress or the lack of food. After a 6-8 hour sleep/fast, cortisol is at its highest in the morning and has to be lowered in order to spare muscle and start the reconstruction of new muscle which was achieved by yesterday’s workout.
2) Eat every 3 hours. Why is it so hard to build muscle and so easy to gain fat? Our bodies hate lean muscle mass since it consumes every calorie that gets into our system and saves nothing for the rest; our bodies will try as they can to counteract this by increasing the fat-t0-muscle ratio. In order to avoid this, we need to consume calories every 3 hours to boost our metabolism and feed our muscle. Constant eating will promote a better state of muscle growth, otherwise known as anabolism (the promotion of muscle growth).
3) Carbs are necessary for muscle growth. The consumption of carbohydrates throughout the day will prove beneficial by shuttling nutrients (protein, fat, vitamins and minerals) into the muscle and provide energy to go through an intense workout. However, if not timed and proportioned correctly, carbs can also be the enemy. Assuming your total carb intake is 200g, 30% of that amount is to be consumed after training and 70% throughout the day.
4) Fat is the true muscle builder. Weight-lifting induces inflammations, and the only way to reduce these inflammations is by the consumption of a nutrient that can reduce this output. The inclusion of healthy fats does just that. Moreover, when combined with carbohydrates, fats reduce the amount of insulin secreted to minimize fat-blocking and fat-retention.
5) Nitrogen Balance/Retention. Why do athletes consume a lot of protein? In order to build an adequate amount of muscle, our bodies have to be at an anabolic state 24/7; this can only happen with proper nitrogen retention/balance. Nitrogen is a main body component required for both tissue protein synthesis and the production of several nitrogenous compounds involved in the production of hormones, immune mediators, and antioxidant defense. When nitrogen is at a balance, the body maintains a perfect state of muscle reconstruction and repair. Nitrogen imbalance can occur if there is too little or too much protein consumption.
6) Water, water and MORE WATER. Our muscles are composed of 78% water and 22% protein. Weight-lifting or exercising in general without the consumption of water is similar to running a car without oil; it’ll rust, clank, squeak, smoke and eventually breakdown. More so, anyone and everyone needs a minimum of (get ready for this) 3.7 liters (1 gallon) of water PER DAY!
The above rules are an introductory to a muscle-building post I will be dedicating for next time.
Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait
Picutre by Piccolina Photography
