Nutrition - The Basics
You are what you eat. It's just that simple!
1. Post-workout Nutrition : I***8217;m a firm believer that PWO nutrition is hands down the most important aspect of dieting. It is within 30 minutes after a workout that your body is in dire need of nutrients. It is a completely anabolic state, and what you take in can be optimized to ensure maximum results. A general rule of thumb is 30-60 grams protein (at least 22g from Whey), and 60-140g carbohydrates; double the amount of protein in carbs (40-80g simple carbs, such as dextrose and the remainder in complex carbs, such as blended oats).
2. Carbohydrates : In a strict cutting diet the majority of your carbs should come in the form of PWO nutrition, and the remainder in breakfast, any additional carbs can be added into your pre-workout meal (1-1.5 hours before resistance training). Fibrous veggies are a staple, but keep in mind that they don***8217;t count towards intake, as they have negligible impacts on blood sugar levels (exceptions: carrots, peas). All high glycemic index (GI) carbs outside of PWO should be avoided. The best sources of low GI carbs can be found in oatmeal and brown rice, as well as yams.
3. Protein : You need tons. 1.5 ***8211; 2.0 grams per pound of lean bodyweight is a good general rule of thumb. You should take in a good portion of your protein in the source of real meals, avoid intaking too many shakes, as real food comes to a better benefit.
4. Fats : You need fat to lose fat. We are talking about the granddaddy of fats, the EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids). A good fat ratio would consist of 1/3 saturated fats, 1/3 polyunsaturated fats (PUSF) and 1/3 monounsaturated fats (MUFA). Saturated fats can be food in meats (especially red meats) and the yolk of eggs, while PUSF & MUFA can be found in flax oil, nuts, salmon, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
5. Separation of Carbs and Fats : This is a hotly debated issue, but in my opinion, an important aspect nonetheless. Remember that it is often when you eat items and with what you eat them that is more important than what you are eating. A mouthful, I know, but stay with me. Remember that when you take in certain carbs, you can spike your insulin levels. If you are taking in fats when your insulin has been spiked, you are allowing the basic laws of physiology to act out, and you allow for a higher propensity for fat storage. Separation is key. The sample diet will give a good example of how to separate them ***8211; a general rule of thumb is Protein/Carbs or Protein/Fats together, never consume a large portion of carbs with large portion of fat in the same meal.
6. Supplements : Proper supplementation can be invaluable in helping you reach your fitness goals. However, supplements are just that, supplements. They should never replace a properly planned whole meal. Rather, they are meant to work in conjunction with a proper meal plan to help you meet your caloric and macro/micro nutrient goals. I recommend supplementing with Whey Protein, Fish Oil and a Multivitamin as a minimum. Additionally, I recommend adding Casein Protein and CLA into your plan ***8211; if you can afford it. Whey should be consumed immediatly upon waking and immediatly following your workout, while one scoop of casein can be taken before bed (you can also mix 1/2 ***8211; 1 scoop in with your post-workout drink for an additional, slow-digesting, protein source). Follow the dosing directions on your chosen multivitamin, fish oil and CLA.
7. Cheating : The body runs on homeostasis, it likes to keep balance. After eating so well after a week or two, your body begins to adjust, and fat loss over time will not be as rapid (the healthier you are, the more frequently you should cheat). The other extremely important aspect is mental sanity. So many diets crash and fail because people don***8217;t give themselves a chance to breath. Remember, cheating is not an opportunity for you to pillage the entire mall food court. Shoot for a cheat meal, not an all out binge. A fast food value meal can be 2,000 calories. Eat that 3 times on one day, and you***8217;ve consumed 6,000 calories. And that***8217;s not good in any case.
8. Refeeding : This is the same premiss as cheating, but for those who would rather continue eating healthy while still preventing a stagnation. Rather than eating a cheat meal, you simply eat an additional healthy meal or two on a particular day every one to two weeks (most people choose to do this on their hardest training day). This produces the necessary caloric ***8220;spike***8221;, which will prevent your body from going into survival mode (holding onto every last once of fat it can).
9. Carb Loading : Once more, similar to cheating and more so to refeeding. You choose a day every one to two weeks and double the amount of carbs you consume on this day. The day chosen should optimally be your highest carb day and a resistance training day. This produces the necessary caloric ***8220;spike***8221;, which will prevent your body from going into survival mode (holding onto every last once of fat it can), and provides you with additional energy (carbs) for your training session.
Note : Cheating, refeeding and carb loading are not exclusive. They can be used interchangably to trick
the body and stave off a homeostatic state. The key is to properly plan and use what works best for you!
10. Carb Cycling : Carb cycling gets my vote as the #1 way to cut. I have used this technique multiple times, and when it comes to shedding those unwanted pounds, it is unrivalled in my opinion. There are many variations of how to carb cycle, but the premise remains the same ***8211; vary the amount of carbs you consume each day. A method I have found particularly effective when the goal is fat loss, is to follow a High/Medium/Low/No carb cycle.
Note : You must consume your meals within every 3 hours. This means eating every 2-2.5 hours, optimally. All meals, excluding your morning shake, post work-out meal and pre-sleep meal should contain a source of fiberous vegetables (at least 4oz ***8211; the size of your hand when closed into a fist). You can add in additional meals, as long as you remain within you caloric and macronutrient goals, as you must eat within every 3 hours ***8211; if you find this difficult, a simple solution is to split a meal into two smaller meals.
11. FAQ :
Q: What about dairy?
A: If you don***8217;t mind a soft look, fat free cottage cheese is an excellent caseinate source, but as for milks- way too much processed sugar. NO.
Q: Is sodium an issue?
A: Outside of the bloating issue, or if you have high cholesterol, no.
Q. How do I make my meals not taste like cardboard?
A. Be creative. Mix in some sugar free jam or splenda in your oats, some hot sauce or soy sauce on your meats, or pick up some sugar free ketchup.
Q. I don***8217;t like old fashioned oats. Can I eat the pre mixed oats with fruit?
A. No. Be a man. Those mixes have ridiculous amounts of sugar.
Q. What about fruit?
A: Fruit replenishes glycogen stores in the liver, and in my opinion, is not to be a staple of a strict cutting diet, with a few exceptions (breakfast and post workout).
Q: Can I eat steak while cutting?
A: Definitely. Make sure it***8217;s a leaner cut.
12. CALCULATING YOUR CALORIC NEEDS:
BMR Formula
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )
Harris Benedict Formula
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
Training
If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!
The following training method is modelled after the WS4SB3 program, designed by Joe DeFranco. It provides adequate recovery between lifting sessions and enough ***8220;off***8221; days to incorporate cardio. If you do not know how to perform any of these lifts, or are unsure of what they are, simply google them. Additionally, these exercises are not exclusive or comprehensive, you may add in your own exercises for each target muscle group (just avoid machines) if needed. For each day, pick an exercise under A, B, C, D, or E and perform them for 3 weeks (increasing the weight by 2.5-5lbs each week). On the fourth week, pick dumbbell only exercises and perform them for 3 sets of 12-15 reps (this is known as a ***8220;deload***8221
. The following 3 weeks, pick a new set of exercises under A, B, C, D, or E and perform them for 3 weeks (increasing the weight by 2.5-5lbs each week) and follow with yet another deload on week 4. This method can be repeated for up to a year or more if done properly and gains will continue.
DAY 1 ***8211; UPPER BODY
A. MAX-EFFORT LIFT - Work up to 2-3 max sets of 8-10 reps (do not go to failure, until the final set ***8211; leave a rep or two ***8220;in the tank***8221
.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Thick bar or regular barbell bench press
Barbell floor press
Incline barbell bench
Close-grip bench press (index finger on smooth part of bar)
Decline bench press
Weighted dips (elbows slightly flared and chin down, to emphasize pec involvement)
B. SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT - Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Flat dumbbell bench press (palms in or palms forward)
Incline dumbbell bench press
Decline dumbbell bench press
C. HORIZONTAL ROW - Perform 4 sets of 10-15 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Chest supported rows
Seated cable rows (various bars)
Bent-over dumbbell or barbell rows
D. REAR DELT/UPPER BACK - Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Seated rear delt machine
Seated dumbbell "power cleans" (google DeFranco Seated dumbbell "power cleans")
Bent-over cable flyes (single or double arm)
Standing face pulls
Rope pulls to throat
Bent-over / Seated dumbbell rear delt flyes
Cable "scarecrows"
E. WEIGHTED ABDOMINAL EXERCISE - 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Barbell Russian twists
Low-cable pull-ins
Hanging leg raises
Barbell or dumbbell side bends
Weighted Swiss ball crunches
Cable crunches
Decline bench crunches (with or without twist)
Low pulley Swiss ball crunches
DAY 2 ***8211; LOWER BODY
A. MAX-EFFORT LIFT - Work up to 2-3 max sets of 8-10 reps (do not go to failure, until the final set ***8211; leave a rep or two ***8220;in the tank***8221
.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Box squats
Rack pulls (partial deadlift)
Front squats
Olympic squats
Straight bar deadlifts (various grips)
B. UNILATERAL MOVEMENT - Perform 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Single leg squats, back leg elevated
Barbell step-ups with knee lift
Barbell reverse lunges
Barbell reverse lunges, front foot elevated
Barbell reverse lunges, front foot elevated (with knee lift)
Low-pulley split squats, front foot elevated
Walking lunges
"Speed-skater" squats (1 and a half rep single leg squats)
Barbell step-ups
C. HAMSTRING / POSTERIOR CHAIN MOVEMENT - Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Leg curls
Glute-ham raises (various resistance, iso-holds, negatives)
Romanian deadlifts
Seated or standing good mornings
Stability ball hamstring lifts
Pull-throughs
Reverse hypers
D. GRIP TRAINING - Perform 3 sets of timed sets.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Thick bar or heavy dumbbell holds
Plate pinch gripping
Wrist roller
DAY 3 ***8211; UPPER BODY
A. REPITION LIFT - Work up to 3 sets of max reps (20-25), rest 90 seconds between sets.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Barbell bench press (max reps on 95lbs., 135lbs., 185lbs. or 225lbs.)
Regular push-ups OR bar push-ups
Bodyweight dips
Dumbbell benches on Swiss ball, flat bench or incline bench
B. SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT (triceps) - Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Dumbbell triceps extensions (flat, incline or decline bench)
Dumbbell floor presses
Rolling triceps extensions
Rope pushdowns
Skull crushers (EZ bar or straight bar)
C. VERTICAL PULLING - Perform 4 sets of 8-12 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Lat pulldowns (various bars)
Chin-ups or Pull-ups
D. MEDIAL DELT or TRAP EXERCISE - Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Dumbbell side press (single arm)
Dumbbell shoulder press (seated or standing)
Lateral raises (dumbbell or cable)
Barbell or dumbbell shrugs
Bradford presses (shown below)
E. ELBOW FLEXION EXERCISE - Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Thick bar curls
Preacher curls (EZ bar or straight bar)
Regular barbell curls
Hammer curls
Alternate dumbbell curls (standing or seated incline)
F. ABDOMINAL CIRCUIT TRAINING
Just pick a variety of ab exercises and perform them in circuit fashion with no rest between exercises. Perform 1-2 sets.
Note : The above list of exercises is not comprehensive, there are many more exercises that could be added to the list. That said, the above list was designed specifically for your beginner level in terms of benefit, skill required, and relative learning curve. I would suggest sticking to the exercises from the list for at least 12 weeks, prior to adding new exercises.
