Diet and Nutrition
Diet is king
What you eat plays a far greater role in how you will look and feel than any other factor. How much you eat will determine how much you weigh. What you eat will determine how you feel. Eating the right foods will relieve a myriad of health problems from digestive, to cardiovascular, to diabetes, from the immune system to your bones and joints. It's true what they say, you are what you eat.
Problems with most diets
The first problem with most diets is that they start by taking away food. Instead try adding all the healthy foods one at a time. Few people are born or raised to appreciate all of the nutritious foods available to us. So before you take away the junk food, develop a taste for all of the healthy foods. Add one a day, every day, to breakfast lunch or dinner. You won't like all of them on the first try, and you may not like some of them by the fourth or fifth try, but if you keep attempting to add more and more healthy fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and oils, and healthy protein sources to your diet you will develop a library of foods that you can pull from to fuel your life.
What you eat plays a far greater role in how you will look and feel than any other factor. How much you eat will determine how much you weigh. What you eat will determine how you feel. Eating the right foods will relieve a myriad of health problems from digestive, to cardiovascular, to diabetes, from the immune system to your bones and joints. It's true what they say, you are what you eat.
Problems with most diets
The first problem with most diets is that they start by taking away food. Instead try adding all the healthy foods one at a time. Few people are born or raised to appreciate all of the nutritious foods available to us. So before you take away the junk food, develop a taste for all of the healthy foods. Add one a day, every day, to breakfast lunch or dinner. You won't like all of them on the first try, and you may not like some of them by the fourth or fifth try, but if you keep attempting to add more and more healthy fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and oils, and healthy protein sources to your diet you will develop a library of foods that you can pull from to fuel your life.
The next problem that most diets present is that they leave you hungry far too often. All successful diets, including this one, work through caloric restriction. The difference between fad diets and healthy diets lies in the selection of foods that will fill you up, keep you full, and avoiding foods that cause cravings.
The final problem with many diets is in sustainability. We are working towards a healthy life. Losing the weight is only the first step. Sustaining the weight loss and improving your body for the long run is the real goal. Using this method and meal plans, with minor adjustments you can go from losing unhealthy fat to maintaining your goal weight, to improving your physique.
The final problem with many diets is in sustainability. We are working towards a healthy life. Losing the weight is only the first step. Sustaining the weight loss and improving your body for the long run is the real goal. Using this method and meal plans, with minor adjustments you can go from losing unhealthy fat to maintaining your goal weight, to improving your physique.
Foods to Add
Here are a list of foods to start incorporating into your meals.
Meats
Eggs Turkey Chicken Lamb Lean cuts of Pork Turkey Bacon Dairy Greek Yogurt Unsweetened Yogurt Skim Milk Cottage Cheese Whey and Casein Protein Powders Fats Fish Oil Flax Seed Oil Coconut Oil Olive Oil Canola Oil Peanut Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Omega 3 Fats Avocados Olives Nuts Coconuts Peanut Butter |
Vegetables
Asparagus Beet Bell Pepper Black Eyed Pea Broccoli Brussels Spout Butternut Squash Cabbage Carrot Celery Chickpea Collard Greens Edamame Garlic Green Bean Kale Lettuce Mustard Greens Onion Okra Peas Pumpkin Scallion Seaweed Shallot Snap Peas Soybean Squash Spinach Tomatoes Turnips and Greens Water Chestnut Zucchini Cereal Grits Oatmeal FiberOne Cereal Flaxseed Bran Special K Ezekiel Quinoa |
Fruits
Apple Avocado Banana Blackberry Blueberry Cantaloupe Cherry Cranberries Coconut Fig Grape Lemon Lime Mango Nectarine Orange Peach Pear Pineapple Plum Rasberry Strawberry Watermelon Nuts Almonds Cashews Chestnut Hazelnut Macadamia Peanuts Pecans Pine Nuts Pistachio Walnuts |
Foods to Avoid
Here are the foods you should start to phase out once you have added a sufficient number of healthy options
Note that some of these are good to add back once you have reached your maintenance goal.
Note that some of these are good to add back once you have reached your maintenance goal.
Foods to remove while losing
Corn Potatoes Rice Beans Yams Sweet Potatoes |
Foods to avoid altogether
Sugar Brown Sugar High Fructose Corn Syrup Honey Maltose Dried Fruits Sweets Candy Candy Bars Soft Drinks Flour Pasta Bread Pastries Animal fats from fatty cuts Bacon Butter Dairy Fat Hydrogenated Oil Saturated Fats Trans Fats Fried Food Cream High Fat Cheese Mayonnaise |
Foods which may be unhealthy, but we don't know for sure yet
Beef Artificial Sweeteners Egg Yolks Artificial Additives Generally foods labeled low fat have added sugar and should be avoided Whole Eggs and Egg yolks Generally if the ingredients list more than one or two words you can't pronounce or have no idea what it is, you probably shouldn't eat it. |
A nice trick for shopping: Shop the outside edge of the store. Only buy from the produce, dairy, and meat section. Only go "inside" the store aisles for oil, canned fruit, vegetables, and meat, and for cereal like oatmeal. Stay away from all processed foods.
Assessment
Before starting down any path you should find out where you are first. There are many useful tools to assess where you are in your diet and where you should be. The most useful tool for knowing where you are is a food diary. Simply keep a list of everything that goes in your mouth and at what time. Don't change anything yet, just write down everything you eat and drink. A very useful website to assist you in keeping a food diary is MyFittnessPal. Include the portion sizes for each item as well.
Once you have a weeks diary of everything you have eaten (BE HONEST!) find out the calorie count for each day, or you can include it as you can going from the nutrition information found on the package or found online for most restaurants.
Next we will find out what your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is. This is the amount of calories you need to maintain your current weight. Our goal will be to keep your daily caloric intake less than your daily caloric output. As you lose weight your output will go down, so you may need to adjust accordingly. Another number to look for is your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your body will use at a minimum on a day. It is usually far less than your TDEE. This number represents what you would burn if you were in a coma. We don't want to go too much lower than this number of calories or you will lose a lot of muscle mass and may possibly damage your overall health and some organs if you do this for a prolonged time.
The next important factor in your overall health is your body fat percentage. There are no completely accurate methods, and the cheaper the method, usually the worse the accuracy. The Electronic Impedance (bathroom scales with metal plates, and the hand held scanners) method is usually within 5-7% accuracy. The US Navy Body Fat Calculator uses a tape measure and your weight to calculate your body fat. Calipers can also help you determine how much you have. The important thing to do is to be consistent and keep track of how your body composition is changing. Though the methods above may be inaccurate, they are usually consistently inaccurate, so you can tell that you are making progress even when you can't see it.
The next question is "What is your target weight?". To figure this out I use the BMI scale. It has a lot of problems. If you are overly muscular or have a very odd build it can be grossly inaccurate. That said, for most people it is a close guess to how much you should weigh. Find your height in inches and check the BMI table. You should aim to weigh at about 23 on the BMI Scale. From there it is up to you if you wish to add or subtract to reach your desired outcome. Usually the answer at this point is more up to exercise, but more on that in the exercise section.
The best and probably the most important indicator that we all want to see is our overall appearance. So take pictures! Take a picture every week or every month. Keep the pictures, and when you are wondering why you do this or if it is really working, just look back from beginning to end and see the progress that you have made. If you don't like what you see, keep going.
Once you have a weeks diary of everything you have eaten (BE HONEST!) find out the calorie count for each day, or you can include it as you can going from the nutrition information found on the package or found online for most restaurants.
Next we will find out what your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is. This is the amount of calories you need to maintain your current weight. Our goal will be to keep your daily caloric intake less than your daily caloric output. As you lose weight your output will go down, so you may need to adjust accordingly. Another number to look for is your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your body will use at a minimum on a day. It is usually far less than your TDEE. This number represents what you would burn if you were in a coma. We don't want to go too much lower than this number of calories or you will lose a lot of muscle mass and may possibly damage your overall health and some organs if you do this for a prolonged time.
The next important factor in your overall health is your body fat percentage. There are no completely accurate methods, and the cheaper the method, usually the worse the accuracy. The Electronic Impedance (bathroom scales with metal plates, and the hand held scanners) method is usually within 5-7% accuracy. The US Navy Body Fat Calculator uses a tape measure and your weight to calculate your body fat. Calipers can also help you determine how much you have. The important thing to do is to be consistent and keep track of how your body composition is changing. Though the methods above may be inaccurate, they are usually consistently inaccurate, so you can tell that you are making progress even when you can't see it.
The next question is "What is your target weight?". To figure this out I use the BMI scale. It has a lot of problems. If you are overly muscular or have a very odd build it can be grossly inaccurate. That said, for most people it is a close guess to how much you should weigh. Find your height in inches and check the BMI table. You should aim to weigh at about 23 on the BMI Scale. From there it is up to you if you wish to add or subtract to reach your desired outcome. Usually the answer at this point is more up to exercise, but more on that in the exercise section.
The best and probably the most important indicator that we all want to see is our overall appearance. So take pictures! Take a picture every week or every month. Keep the pictures, and when you are wondering why you do this or if it is really working, just look back from beginning to end and see the progress that you have made. If you don't like what you see, keep going.
Equipment
There are only three things you really need to spend money on for a healthy diet. A good kitchen scale, stackable containers that won't spill, and healthy food. Any scale will do, but I really like the OXO scale with detatchable faceplate. It uses regular batteries, it functions well, its large enough to put a plate on, and it works well.
For containers, buy something that is stackable, and uniform. You will want to buy enough so that you don't run out, and if they don't stack or you are using your mom's hand me downs it can really fill up a cabinet. The regular 5 cup ones at any grocery store are what I use.
For containers, buy something that is stackable, and uniform. You will want to buy enough so that you don't run out, and if they don't stack or you are using your mom's hand me downs it can really fill up a cabinet. The regular 5 cup ones at any grocery store are what I use.
Meal Plans
All meal plans listed here are for losing weight. Once you reach maintenance or if you wish to gain weight, adjust accordingly.
Breakfast
Men
1 Oz Dry Cereal 6 Oz Fruit 4 Oz Protein 1 Tablespoon Fat Example Breakfast 1 package of oatmeal 1 banana 2 eggs fried in 1 tablespoon of oil |
Women
1 Oz Dry Cereal 6 Oz Fruit 4 Oz Protein Example Breakfast 1 Pack of Grits 6 Oz of Strawberries 1 egg 2 oz of skim milk |
Lunch
Men
6 Oz Protein 12 Oz Vegetables 1 Tablespoon of Oil Example Lunch 6 Oz of Pork Roast 6 Oz Salad 1 Tablespoon of Italian Dressing 6 Oz Steamed Broccoli |
Women
4 Oz Protein 12 Oz Vegetables 1 Tablespoon of Oil Example Lunch 4 Oz of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast 6 Oz Asparagus 6 Oz Butternut Squash 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil to cook the vegetables |
Dinner
Men
6 Oz Protein 12 Oz Vegetables 1 Tablespoon of Oil 6 Oz Fruit Example Dinner 6 Oz Chicken Thighs Rosemary and Thyme to season 6 Oz Squash 6 Oz Tomatoes 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil 6 Oz Apple Slices |
Women
4 Oz Protein 12 Oz Vegetables 1 Tablespoon of Oil 6 Oz Fruit Example Dinner 6 Oz Turkey Meatballs 6 Oz Onions reduced in 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil Curry seasoning to taste 6 Oz Spinach 6 Oz Banana |
Execution, Preparation, Commitment and Predictions
Now that we know what to eat, and how much of it, the next step is the execution and preparation. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. If you wait until its meal time, and then try to figure out what you want to eat for dinner, you will probably choose a less healthy option. The tool to fight this is planning and committing. The day before, or the week before, write down what you are going to be eating for each meal. Commit to it, and follow through on your commitments.
This is also where the equipment you purchased comes into play. Our eyes like to lie to us. A scale can tell you exactly what you are about to eat. So, the night before, commit your food to your diary; pull out your Tupperware; cook your lunch for tomorrow; weigh it out to fraction of an ounce, and put it in the fridge for tomorrow. If you are having trouble remembering to grab it on the way out, leave your car keys in the bag with it, so you can't leave home without it. When you wake up, cook your breakfast (Yes you have to have breakfast, no, it is not negotiable, 90% of people who have lost weight eat breakfast every day), eat it, grab your lunch and head for work. Try to have a consistent lunch time. Your body knows when it is time to eat, and if you make it wait too long, it will crave whatever is in front of it. When you arrive home and are ready for dinner cook it, weigh and measure your dinner meal, sit down and enjoy. Then do it all over again.
You can expect to be hungry at times. Usually you will be hungry right before a meal. If you are losing weight, you are eating a lot less than your body desires, but more than it needs. If you have been eating unhealthy food in overabundance, your body is used to that level of caloric intake and it is primed for all of the sugar and starch that you consume. This leads to intense cravings around meal times. I have had to remind myself many many times that the next meal is only an hour away, and I can wait that long. Hold out and eat at your designated times.
Many programs offer cheat days. My program does not recommend them. They tend to pull you into a sense that it is okay to have unhealthy food from time to time. They also can reset your progress back by days or even a week. Our goal is a consistent healthy lifestyle, not a life of cheating and making up for it. And remember, skinny feels better than ice cream tastes!
How Long will this all take?
A pound of fat has 3500 calories.
Your body uses your TDEE in calories each day.
Your meal plan has between 1200-1500 calories each day.
So lets say you are a 5'2" woman that weighs 180 pounds and you exercise 1-3 times a week. You eat 1200 calories a day. Your output is 2080 calories a day. You have a 880 calorie deficit per day. 3500 calories per pound / 880 calories per day = 4 days. You will lose a pound every 4 days. To achieve a 23 on the BMI Scale you will need to weigh 120 pounds. So you need to lose 60 pounds. 60 pounds x 4 days per pound = 240 days to reach your goal weight.
This is also where the equipment you purchased comes into play. Our eyes like to lie to us. A scale can tell you exactly what you are about to eat. So, the night before, commit your food to your diary; pull out your Tupperware; cook your lunch for tomorrow; weigh it out to fraction of an ounce, and put it in the fridge for tomorrow. If you are having trouble remembering to grab it on the way out, leave your car keys in the bag with it, so you can't leave home without it. When you wake up, cook your breakfast (Yes you have to have breakfast, no, it is not negotiable, 90% of people who have lost weight eat breakfast every day), eat it, grab your lunch and head for work. Try to have a consistent lunch time. Your body knows when it is time to eat, and if you make it wait too long, it will crave whatever is in front of it. When you arrive home and are ready for dinner cook it, weigh and measure your dinner meal, sit down and enjoy. Then do it all over again.
You can expect to be hungry at times. Usually you will be hungry right before a meal. If you are losing weight, you are eating a lot less than your body desires, but more than it needs. If you have been eating unhealthy food in overabundance, your body is used to that level of caloric intake and it is primed for all of the sugar and starch that you consume. This leads to intense cravings around meal times. I have had to remind myself many many times that the next meal is only an hour away, and I can wait that long. Hold out and eat at your designated times.
Many programs offer cheat days. My program does not recommend them. They tend to pull you into a sense that it is okay to have unhealthy food from time to time. They also can reset your progress back by days or even a week. Our goal is a consistent healthy lifestyle, not a life of cheating and making up for it. And remember, skinny feels better than ice cream tastes!
How Long will this all take?
A pound of fat has 3500 calories.
Your body uses your TDEE in calories each day.
Your meal plan has between 1200-1500 calories each day.
So lets say you are a 5'2" woman that weighs 180 pounds and you exercise 1-3 times a week. You eat 1200 calories a day. Your output is 2080 calories a day. You have a 880 calorie deficit per day. 3500 calories per pound / 880 calories per day = 4 days. You will lose a pound every 4 days. To achieve a 23 on the BMI Scale you will need to weigh 120 pounds. So you need to lose 60 pounds. 60 pounds x 4 days per pound = 240 days to reach your goal weight.