The Best Diet
Plan – Lose Fat. Build Muscle. Be Healthy.
You know, the diet plan that will best allow you to lose fat, build muscle or just be healthy.
The diet plan that will not only let you reach those goals quickly and effectively, but also in the most convenient, enjoyable and sustainable way possible.
I’m talking about the diet plan that is tailored specifically to YOUR preferences, YOUR needs, YOUR body, YOUR schedule and YOUR lifestyle.
The kind of diet plan that avoids every unproven gimmick, unnecessary restriction, and pointless diet method in favor of scientifically proven facts, real world results and always doing what’s best for YOU!
Interested? Good, because I’m going to show you how to create that diet plan right now.
Welcome to The Best Diet Plan!
Below is a step-by-step guide to designing the best diet plan possible for your exact dietary needs and preferences, and your exact dietary goal (to lose fat, build muscle, be healthy, etc.).So, if you’re ready to begin, the guide starts now…
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this guide for?It’s for anyone who wants to create the diet plan that will work best for their exact goal and fit perfectly with their exact preferences (and do it all for free).
Men, women, young, old, fat, skinny, beginners, advanced… whatever.
Looking to lose fat, build muscle, be healthy, make your diet easier and more enjoyable, improve the way your body looks, feels or performs in any capacity, or any combination thereof.
Whoever you are and whatever your goal is… this guide is for you.
How
To Create An Effective Diet Plan For FREE
And we’re not talking about just any diet plan here. No, we’re talking about creating the most ideal and all around effective diet plan possible.
That means the one that meets all of your dietary preferences, fits your lifestyle and schedule, suits your eating habits, and most importantly of all… will allow you to reach your specific diet goal.
To do this, we’re going to walk through all of the crucial steps and components of diet plan creation and put every single aspect together as optimally as possible. Here’s how…
The 8 Steps To Creating An Effective Diet Plan
In order to create your ideal diet plan, we’re going to be taking the following steps…- Figure out the goal of
your diet.
Before we can get into any of the specifics of putting a diet together, the first thing you MUST do is figure out what your goal is. Meaning, do you want to lose fat? Do you want to build muscle? Do you just want to eat, feel and be healthier? Whatever your specific goal is, you absolutely need to know it beforehand so that everything we do from this point on is aimed directly at reaching that exact goal. - Figure out your ideal
daily calorie intake.
Once we’re ready to start putting the actual diet plan together, the first place we will always start is with calories. As you will see, there is no aspect of your diet that is more important than your total daily calorie intake. It’s the true key to an effective diet. Everything else, while still definitely important, is just secondary in comparison. - Figure out your ideal
daily protein intake.
Once your calorie intake has been set, it’s time to figure out where those calories will come from. Of the 3 major macronutrients (protein, fat and carbs), this process will begin with protein. Why? Because after calories, your daily protein intake plays the next most important role in your diet plan. - Figure out your ideal
daily fat intake.
Next up on the scale of importance is fat. After calories and protein, your daily fat intake (and the specific types of fat comprising that intake) is the next most significant diet component. - Figure out your ideal
daily carb intake.
The third, final and surprisingly least important macronutrient to figure out is carbs. With protein and fat already factored in, figuring out your ideal daily carb intake will be a piece of cake (pun definitely intended). - Organize and adjust
your diet to make it as enjoyable and sustainable for you as possible.
This is the step when we take everything we’ve figured out will work best for your specific goal and tailor it all to YOU and YOUR preferences. We’ll cover meal frequency, scheduling, nutrient timing, food choices, cheat meals, and how to make whatever diet adjustments you can (and should) make to suit your preferences. Basically, this is when we take what works best for your goal and make it work best for you. - Choose the supplements
that are beneficial for you (if any).
I will gladly tell you up front that NO supplements will be required whatsoever. Not one. However, since the majority of the population tends to treat supplements like an equally important diet component on the level of the others on this list, and since there are definitely a handful of supplements out there that are scientifically proven to be beneficial (the other 95% are crap), we will certainly cover all of it and see what (if anything) is useful for you. - Put it all together.
And finally, we’ll take everything we did in those previous steps and put it all together perfectly.
Diet Goals
– What Is The Goal Of Your Diet Plan?
When you decide
you’re going to create the best diet plan possible to reach your specific diet
goal, there is one important question that you need to ask yourself first.And that question is… just what the hell is the goal of your diet plan?
Meaning, what is it that you are looking to accomplish here? What do you want your diet to do for you?
It’s a simple question, yet there are quite a few different answers commonly given to it. For example…
- To lose weight.
- To gain weight.
- To lose fat.
- To build muscle.
- To look, feel or be healthy.
- To get toned.
- To improve a medical condition.
- To improve performance at a certain sport or activity.
- To look great naked.
- Any combination of the goals on this list.
But no matter what your personal diet goal is or how broad or specific you may have narrowed it down, the first key step in creating your ideal diet plan is making sure you know what it is from the very beginning.
So, What Is Your Diet Goal?
Based on your answer to this question, certain aspects of your diet will need to be adjusted a certain way to best accommodate that specific goal.Now, as you can imagine, there are a ton of different diet goals a person can have, and trying to cover them all in this one guide would be pretty close to impossible.
So instead, I want to break it all down into the 4 main categories that should cover virtually every common diet related goal a person typically has. They are:
- Lose & Reduce
- Build & Gain
- Maintain & Improve
- Combine
Lose & Reduce
People in this group have the primary goal of losing fat.It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to lose a little bit of fat (say 10 pounds) or a whole lot of fat (say 100 pounds). Male or female, old or young, no matter how much fat you’re looking to lose, this is the category you fall into.
This also includes anyone looking to “lose” or “reduce” anything, really. Meaning, if you came here thinking your goal was to lose weight, or lose inches, or reduce belly fat (or fat from any other specific area of your body) or anything similar, you are still a part of this category.
I personally think generic terms like “weight loss” are pretty dumb anyway, as “weight” can be a lot of different things (muscle, water, fat, etc.). In the majority of cases however, what people in this group are actually looking to lose is fat.
So, throughout this guide, whenever I give specific advice to the people who want to lose fat, I’m talking to you and everyone else in this diet goal category.
Build & Gain
People in this group have the primary goal of building muscle.It doesn’t matter if you’re only interested in building a little bit of muscle and just being “fit,” or building a whole lot of muscle and getting “big.” Male or female, old or young, no matter how much muscle you’re looking to build, this is the category you fall into.
This category also includes anyone with the general goal of just gaining weight.
In the majority of cases, the “weight” a person is looking to gain is almost always muscle (and not fat). However, there are some rarer cases of very underweight people who just need to gain weight of any kind (muscle or fat) for health reasons.
In either case, the dietary requirements are similar enough that you’d still fall into this same category.
So, throughout this guide, whenever I give specific advice to the people who want to build muscle, I’m talking to you and everyone else in this diet goal category.
Maintain & Improve
People in this group have the primary goal of just maintaining their current weight and/or improving their health or performance.Now, if your goal is to lose fat or build muscle, I’m not only going to show you the most effective way to do it, I’m also going to show you the healthiest way to do it. Why? Because that’s just how I feel it should always be done.
However, even though most of the people reading this are likely to fall into one of the above categories, there are actually some people out there who don’t really care about changing the way their body looks. Meaning, they don’t want to lose fat or build muscle.
Instead, they basically just want to maintain their current weight (not lose, not gain) while possibly also making some health or performance related improvements.
For example, maybe you just want to eat, feel and be healthier. Maybe you want a diet plan that will help prevent various diseases and disorders or just help improve a current health condition that you already have.
And beyond that, maybe you’d like to keep your body the same, but eat in a way that improves your performance at a certain sport or activity. Maybe you want to enhance recovery, have more energy, or just have a diet plan more suited for your sport, lifestyle or schedule.
Whatever it may be, you’d fall into this category.
So, throughout this guide, whenever I give specific advice to the people looking to maintain their current weight or improve their health or performance, I’m talking to you and everyone else in this diet goal category.
Combine
The people in this group have the primary goal of doing some combination of the previous 3 goals.In the majority of cases, this most often refers to people who want to both lose fat AND build muscle. If this describes you, then this is the category you fall into.
So, throughout this guide, whenever I give specific advice to the people looking to lose fat, the people looking to build muscle, and the people specifically looking to do BOTH, be sure to pay attention in all cases because I’m talking to you and everyone else in this diet goal category.
What’s Next?
Now that you have your diet goal front and center in your mind, it’s time to start building the diet plan that will best allow you to reach that goal as effectively as possible.First up, let’s figure out your ideal daily calorie intake…
Daily
Calorie Intake – Why Calories In vs Calories Out Is The Key To Your Diet
No matter what
the goal of your diet is and no matter what terrible sources of information
you’ve been exposed to, the single most important part of every single diet
plan is calories.Or, more specifically, your total daily calorie intake.
Like I’ve mentioned before, calories are everything. They are the true key to an effective diet plan regardless of any other aspect of it. No other dietary factor influences what your body does anywhere near the level that calories do.
In fact, your daily calorie intake is the only diet component that will truly differ or change based on what your goal is.
Meaning, once everything else (protein, fat, carbs, etc.) is set to an optimal percentage of your calorie intake, it can all remain set that same way and you’ll still lose fat or build muscle or do whatever else you are trying to do without any problem.
The only significant dietary difference between goals is total calories.
Like I said, calories are the key. And the reason why calories are so damn important is actually pretty simple once you understand some basic things…
Calories In
See, everything we eat and drink contains calories. With the exception of obvious stuff like water, all foods and drinks contain some amount of calories and go on to make up our daily calorie intake.Since these are the calories being consumed and therefore taken in by your body, they are commonly referred to as our “calories in.”
Calories Out
On the other hand, everything we do burns calories. They are what our bodies use for energy to do everything we need to do.From intense exercise like weight training and cardio, to simple daily tasks like standing, talking and brushing your teeth. In addition, your body actually burns a significant number of calories each day on its own just keeping you alive and functioning properly. You know, doing stuff like breathing, pumping blood, digesting food, etc.
Since these are the calories that we are using and burning, they are commonly referred to as our “calories out.”
Calories In VS Calories Out
What you just learned is the back story that serves as the basis for the most important part of your diet.Above all else diet related, the results you get depend most on your body’s battle between calories in and calories out.
And what I mean by that is, what your body will do (lose weight, gain weight, maintain weight) is decided by which side most often wins this battle.
Confused? I think this calls for a chart…
The Cause, Effect &
Result of Your Daily Calorie Intake
The Cause
|
The Effect
|
The Result
|
Calories In Beats Calories
Out
|
Caloric Surplus
|
Muscle gain, fat gain, or
both.
|
Calories Out Beats
Calories In
|
Caloric Deficit
|
Fat loss, muscle loss, or
both.
|
Calories In = Calories Out
|
Maintenance
|
Everything remains the
same.
|
What this chart basically shows is the scientifically proven law of thermodynamics and how energy balance takes place within the human body.
Of course, this is going to take a little more explaining before it becomes perfectly clear.
So, get ready. I’m about to show you how to use your daily calorie intake to make your body do exactly what you want it to do.
If Calories In Beats Calories Out = Caloric Surplus
In this scenario, there is what’s known as a caloric surplus.In plain English, this means you consumed more calories than you burned and there was a “surplus” of left over calories that never got used.
In even plainer English, you are eating more calories than your body knows what to do with. It already burned all of the calories it needed to burn and used all of the calories it needed to use, but you are still continuing to give it even more calories.
Since your body has no immediate use for these excess calories that you are consuming, there is only 1 thing it can do: store them on your body in some form.
See, your body is pretty smart. Since it uses calories for energy, it will use whatever calories you consume to perform whatever tasks it needs to perform on a daily basis.
If you then give it additional calories beyond that amount, it stores them on your body for later use.
And, there are primarily 2 ways for these excess calories to be stored on your body:
- As Fat
Now this first scenario is pretty obvious. This is, after all, how fat people get fat in the first place. They eat too much, and that results in a daily calorie intake that is too high. Meaning, they consistently consumed more calories than their body’s needed, so the excess was stored in the form of fat. So, for anyone who has ever gained any amount of fat, this is how and why it happened. You consumed more calories than your body burned, and those extra left over calories that were never used for anything were stored on your body as fat. - As Muscle
This second scenario might surprise and confuse some people. But, it really shouldn’t. You see, muscle can’t be built out of nothing. As you can probably imagine, creating new muscle tissue requires a lot of energy and therefore a lot of calories. Meaning, in order to build any amount of muscle, your body needs additional calories beyond the amount that it usually needs. In this case, those excess calories will be stored on your body in the form of muscle.
And this of course leads to a very obvious question:
What causes the excess calories to be stored as muscle instead of fat?
Quite simply: The proper muscle building signal.Meaning, an intelligently designed workout routine that effectively proves to your body that muscle needs to be built. (I’ll cover the workout specifics later in this guide.)
THAT is what sends a signal to your body to use the available excess calories to build new muscle RATHER than just store them all as fat.
And THAT is the difference between someone eating enough to support muscle growth, and someone just eating too much and getting fat.
And to a lesser but still significant degree, various other aspects of your diet will also play an important role in making your body store excess calories as muscle rather than fat. (We’ll get to them later too.)
However, the big point here is…
Daily Calorie Intake Fact #1: If your primary goal is
building muscle, there MUST be a caloric surplus. It’s the #1 requirement of a
muscle building diet plan.
If Calories Out Beats Calories In = Caloric Deficit
In this scenario, there is what’s known as a caloric deficit.In plain English, this means you burned more calories than you consumed and there was a “deficit” of calories.
In even plainer English, you are not supplying your body with all of the calories it needs. It already burned/used all of the calories you consumed, but it still needs more.
Since you are consuming less calories than your body needs, there is only 1 thing it can do: find some alternative energy source on your body.
Like I said before, your body is pretty smart. It will use whatever calories you consume as energy to perform whatever tasks it needs to perform on a daily basis.
If it still needs more calories beyond that amount, it’s going to use the calories that it previously stored on your body.
And, there are primarily 2 sources that your body will use for energy when this happens:
- Your Stored Body Fat
Now this first scenario is pretty obvious again. This is, after all, how you lose fat. You eat less, which results in a lower daily calorie intake. Meaning, you consistently consume fewer calories than your body needs, so it uses your stored body fat for energy instead. So, for anyone who has ever lost any amount of fat, this is how and why it happened. You burned more calories than you consumed, and this forced your body to dip into your fat storage and use/burn your own body fat for energy. - Your Muscle Tissue
And again, this second scenario might surprise and confuse some people. But, it really shouldn’t. Like I said, muscle is really just calories that were stored on your body. You may like it much more than fat, but your body doesn’t really care. So, when you are in a caloric deficit and your body needs to find some alternative energy source, it WON’T just completely ignore your muscle tissue and only use fat. It can (and will) use both.
And this of course leads to another very obvious question:
What causes the body to burn stored body fat for energy instead of muscle?
Quite simply: The proper muscle maintenance signal.You know how I mentioned earlier that an intelligently designed workout routine is the key factor in signaling your body to use excess calories to BUILD muscle rather than store them as fat?
Well, an intelligently designed workout routine is also the key factor that signals your body to MAINTAIN muscle and only burn fat.
In addition, just like before, there are various other aspects of your diet that will also play an important role in ensuring your body maintains muscle while you lose fat. (Again, this guide will cover all of them. Stay tuned.)
However, the big point here is…
Daily Calorie Intake Fact #2: If your primary goal is
losing fat, then there MUST be a caloric deficit. It’s the #1 requirement of a
fat loss diet plan.
If Calories In = Calories Out, Then… = Maintenance
That’s right. “Calories In” doesn’t just have to beat “Calories Out,” and “Calories Out” doesn’t just have to beat “Calories In.”They can actually be even with each other.
This scenario is what I (and many others) like to refer to as maintenance. It’s when your daily calorie intake is equal to your daily calorie output.
In plain English, it’s when you consume the same number of calories that you burn or burn the same number of calories that you consume. It’s all the same thing, really.
In even plainer English, it’s when there is no caloric surplus or caloric deficit, which means there is no excess energy that needs to be stored on your body (as muscle or fat), and there is no reason to dip into your stored energy (fat or muscle) to burn that instead.
Rather, everything will just be “maintained” as is. No weight loss, no weight gain, no fat loss, no fat gain, no muscle loss, no muscle gain. Just maintenance.
And here’s where we finally begin to get into actual numbers and amounts. Because, when “Calories In” is equal to “Calories Out,” it means you are at your calorie maintenance level.
And it’s your calorie maintenance level that is the starting point for figuring out exactly what your daily calorie intake should be in order for you to reach your goal and make your body do what you want it to do.
And once you know that, you’ll also have the key component for putting together the rest of your diet plan (protein, fat, carbs) as well.
So, let’s get to it. Let’s figure out what your daily calorie maintenance level is…
Calorie
Maintenance Level – Daily Calorie Requirements Calculator
As I’ve
explained, your daily calorie intake is by far the most
important part of your diet plan no matter what your goal is (losing fat,
building muscle, etc.).And, the starting point for figuring out exactly how many calories you need to eat per day revolves around something called your calorie maintenance level.
Your calorie maintenance level is where your body is at when you consume and burn the same number of calories.
Meaning, when Calories In = Calories Out, you’ve reached your calorie maintenance level.
Here’s an example…
Let’s say you burn 2500 calories per day from a combination of exercise (weight training, cardio, etc.), normal daily activities (getting dressed, showering, driving, etc.), and your body doing the things it needs to do to sustain itself (breathing, pumping blood, digesting food, etc.).
That means 2500 calories is your daily calorie maintenance level in this example. If you then consumed 2500 calories each day, your body would remain pretty much the same. Your weight will not go up or down. Everything will just be “maintained.”
Why? Because you ate the same number of calories that you burned, and that means all of the calories you consumed were used by your body. There was no surplus or deficit. It was even.
And, the amount of calories that makes this happen is your calorie maintenance level.
Why Your Calorie Maintenance Level Is So Important
Isn’t it obvious? No? Fine, let’s use a chart to make it obvious…
The Cause
|
The Effect
|
Required For
|
Below Maintenance Level (Caloric Deficit)
|
Stored calories (body fat, muscle tissue,
or both) will be burned.
|
Losing Fat
|
At Maintenance Level (Maintenance)
|
Maintenance
|
Maintaining Your Current Weight
|
Above Maintenance Level (Caloric Surplus)
|
Calories will be stored (as either muscle
tissue, body fat or both).
|
Building Muscle
|
- To lose fat, you need to create a caloric deficit. Meaning, you need to be BELOW your calorie maintenance level so that you end up burning more calories than you consume. When that happens, your stored body fat will be burned for energy instead.
- To maintain your current weight, you need to be AT your calorie maintenance level so that you’re consuming and burning the same number of calories.
- To build muscle, you need to create a caloric surplus. Meaning, you need to be ABOVE your calorie maintenance level so that you’re consuming more calories than you burn. When that happens, your body will have the extra calories it needs to create new muscle tissue.
The thing is, in order to do any of these things, you first need to figure out what your calorie maintenance level is so you know exactly what it is you need to be above, below or even with.
So, let’s figure out what yours is…
How To Calculate Your Calorie Maintenance Level
In case it’s not obvious enough, calorie maintenance levels are different for everyone because we all have different daily calorie requirements. It’s not like everyone with a certain goal or body type has the same maintenance level or anything like that.Instead, your calorie maintenance level is dependent on many factors that are specific to you and your exact situation.
These factors include:
- Gender
- Height
- Weight
- Age
- Activity level
- Metabolic Rate
- Thermic Effect Of Food
- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
Luckily though, there are a few quick and easy ways to get an accurate estimate of what your daily calorie maintenance level is.
Here are my favorite methods…
Method #1: Body Weight (lbs) x 14-17 = Estimated Daily Calorie Maintenance Level
Just take your current body weight in pounds and multiply it by 14 and 17. Somewhere in between those 2 amounts will usually be your daily calorie maintenance level.For example, a 180lb person would do 180 x 14 and 180 x 17 and get an estimated daily calorie maintenance level of somewhere between 2520-3060 calories.
People who are female, older, less active or feel they have a “slow metabolism” should probably stick more towards the lower end of their estimate. People who are male, younger, more active, or feel they have a “fast metabolism” should probably stick more towards the higher end of their estimate.
If you’re unsure, just pick a number somewhere in the middle. We’ll make sure it’s perfectly accurate later on. Don’t worry.
Method #2: The Daily Calorie Requirements Calculator (using the Harris-Benedict Equation)
While method #1 is usually pretty accurate for most people, it still has the potential to be off to some degree because it doesn’t account for many of those individual factors I mentioned before (like age, gender and activity level), all of which affect what our daily calorie maintenance level is.And that’s where the Harris-Benedict Equation comes into play.
The Harris-Benedict Equation is one of a handful of well accepted (and slightly complex) equations used for estimating your daily calorie requirements based on many of the factors I mentioned before, therefore increasing the potential for accuracy.
Rather than make you do any more math (math sucks, I know), I’ve included a calculator below that will do it all for you. Just fill it in and click the “Calculate!” button.
The Daily Calorie Requirements Calculator
·
Gender: MaleFemale
·
Height: feet
inches
·
Weight: pounds
·
Age: years
old
·
Activity level:
Your Estimated Daily Calorie Maintenance Level Is:
Method #3: The Experiment
While one or both of the methods described above will usually provide a fairly accurate estimate of a person’s daily calorie requirements, it’s important to remember that they are still just estimates.The only way to truly find your EXACT calorie maintenance level is by doing a simple common sense experiment…
- Basically, eat the same amount of calories each day for a couple of weeks and monitor what your weight does.
- If it stays the same, you’ve found your exact maintenance level.
- If it goes up or down, then just adjust your calorie intake in small increments, wait another couple of weeks, and see what your weight does then.
- When it stays the same, you’ll know for sure that you’ve found your exact daily calorie maintenance level.
Now, do you NEED to do this experiment? Probably not.
Method #1 and/or method #2 will usually be perfectly sufficient. Plus, in the next step, I’m going to show you how to ensure your calorie intake ends up being exactly right even if your estimate was slightly off.
Speaking of which…
Now For The Most Important Step Of All
Whether you used method #1, method #2, or a combination of both (or did the experiment described in method #3), you should now have a really good idea of what your daily calorie maintenance level is.Awesome!
Again, don’t worry about your estimate being 100% accurate now. We’ll make sure it’s perfect in the next step. But for right now, all that matters is that you have your estimated daily calorie maintenance level figured out.
Now comes the most important part of all: using that estimate to figure out exactly how many calories you need to eat per day to reach your specific goal.
So, just select your goal below and then move on to your next step…
- To Lose Fat: How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day To Lose Weight & Lose Fat?
- To Build Muscle: How Many Calories Do I Need To Eat Per Day To Build Muscle Or Gain Weight?
- To Maintain Your Weight: How Many Calories Are Needed To Maintain My Current Weight?
How Many
Calories Should I Eat Per Day To Lose Weight & Lose Fat?
If you’re here,
it means you want to lose weight (more specifically, lose fat), and you’re ready to figure out how many calories you should eat
per day to make that happen as effectively as possible. Awesome.Before we get to that, here’s a quick recap of what you’ve done so far:
- You learned that in order to lose weight or lose fat, a caloric deficit is the #1 requirement.
- You learned that a “caloric deficit” means eating fewer calories than your body needs, which means you need to be below your calorie maintenance level. (This forces your body to burn your own stored body fat for energy instead, which is a requirement for fat loss.)
- You estimated what your daily calorie maintenance level is. (If you skipped that step, now is the time to go back and do it.)
Meaning, how many calories below your maintenance level should you be each day to lose weight?
Let’s answer that…
Creating Your Ideal Caloric Deficit
Even though your #1 goal is to lose fat, there are actually 3 goals to keep in mind when creating a caloric deficit:- Maximizing fat loss.
- Minimizing muscle loss.
- Doing it all in a way that is as doable and sustainable for you as possible.
If your deficit is too small, it means you will lose weight/lose fat at the slowest possible rate. If your deficit is too large, it will be extremely hard to sustain (because you’ll be the most hungry and annoyed), workout performance will suffer, and the potential for muscle loss will be at its highest.
I actually explain all of this in more detail right here: Caloric Deficit
But for all of these reasons and more, I (and most experts) most often feel that a moderate caloric deficit is the perfect choice for the majority of the population. It’s just what works best in most cases.
Now, what exactly is a “moderate” deficit, you ask? Here’s what I recommend…
How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day To Lose Weight?
The Ideal Daily Caloric Deficit: 20% below maintenance
level per day.
What this means
is, whatever your daily calorie maintenance level is, you should be about 20%
below it each day. Here’s an example…- Let’s say some person (male or female) had a daily calorie maintenance level of 2500 calories. They’d first figure out that 20% of 2500 is 500 (2500 x 0.20 = 500). This means they should create a caloric deficit of 500 calories each day. In this example, that would mean eating 2000 calories per day.
Make sure you write it down.
Because this deficit (20% below maintenance) is neither too big nor too small, it will allow you to maximize fat loss, minimize muscle loss, and do it all in a way that is easy for you to manage and sustain both physically and mentally.
That’s pretty much as good as it gets, and that’s precisely why this is the most often recommended caloric deficit for the majority of the population looking to lose weight/lose fat.
Of course, one of the main reasons this deficit is so ideal is that it will cause you to lose weight at the ideal rate of weight loss.
What ideal rate of weight loss, you ask?
This one…
The Ideal Rate of Weight Loss
You see, if you have properly created the ideal caloric deficit and are therefore eating your ideal amount of calories per day, it will cause you to lose weight at the ideal rate.Here now is what that rate should be for the majority of the population:
The Ideal Rate Of Weight Loss: between 0.5 – 2 pounds
lost per week.
That range is a bit broad, but that’s because the
ideal rate of weight loss will (and should) vary based on how much fat a person
has to lose.
Confused? Here’s a chart that narrows that range
down a bit…
The Ideal Rate Of Weight Loss Based On How Much Fat You Need To
Lose
Amount Of Fat To Lose
|
Ideal Rate Of Weight Loss
|
Above Average
|
2lbs (or more) per week.
|
Average
|
1-2lbs per week.
|
Below Average
|
0.5-1lb per week.
|
- Someone with an above average amount of fat to lose (say 100lbs, for example) can (and probably should) lose it at a rate of 2lbs (or more) per week, at least for a certain amount of time.
- Someone with a more average amount of fat to lose (say 30lbs, for example) should lose it at a rate of 1-2lbs per week.
- Someone with a below average amount of fat to lose (say 10lbs or less, for example) would be best served to lose it at a rate of 0.5-1 pound per week.
Meaning, a person might start off with a lot of fat to lose at which point they might lose it at a rate of 2lbs or more per week for a while. They’ll then hit a point where that rate slows down a bit to 1-2lbs per week for a while. And then, when they are almost done losing all the fat they needed to lose, it may only happen at a rate of 0.5-1lb per week at that point.
Either way, creating the ideal caloric deficit (20% below maintenance) will always cause weight to be lost at the rate that’s most ideal for you.
Sounds good, right? Now let’s make sure it all works correctly.
How To Guarantee You’re Eating The Right Amount Of Calories Per Day
OK, let’s recap real fast. First, you learned what the ideal caloric deficit is. Then, you used that information to adjust your estimated calorie maintenance level and figure out exactly how many calories you should eat per day to lose weight.After that, you learned what the ideal rate of weight loss is for you and this new ideal calorie intake of yours.
All that’s left to do now is make sure everything is 100% accurate and guaranteed to work.
Remember in the previous step when I mentioned that there would be a way to double check your daily calorie intake to make sure it was 100% perfect for your goal of losing weight? Well, here it is.
All you need to do is start eating your new ideal amount of calories each day and then just weigh yourself about once per week (first thing in the morning on an empty stomach) and watch what happens.
Based on what your weight is doing from week to week, here’s what you should do:
- Are you losing weight at the ideal rate? If so, congrats! This means your daily calorie intake is indeed perfect. Keep eating this amount of calories each day and enjoy the awesome fat loss results that are guaranteed to follow.
- Are you gaining weight or just maintaining your current weight? If so, your deficit isn’t big enough (or it just doesn’t exist at all) and therefore needs to be increased. So, just reduce your current daily calorie intake by about 250 calories (so if you were just eating 2500 calories per day, you’d now eat 2250 calories per day) and then monitor what your weight does over the next couple of weeks. Based on what happens, come right back here and follow the appropriate instructions.
- Are you losing weight faster than the ideal rate? If so, and it’s been happening for a few weeks consistently, your deficit is likely a little too big and it should probably be decreased. Just add about 250 calories to your current daily calorie intake (so if you were just eating 2500 calories per day, you’d now eat 2750 calories per day) and then monitor what your weight does over the next couple of weeks. Based on what happens, come right back here and follow the appropriate instructions.
What if I reach a “plateau” and I stop losing fat?
Oh, and if you ever reach a point where you were losing weight at the ideal rate for a while but then it stops for a couple of weeks in a row, guess what you should do? Yup, just reduce your current daily calorie intake by about 250 calories and see what happens then.It honestly is that simple.
And with that, the most important part of your diet is all figured out and ready to go. Good job!
What’s Next?
Now that you know how many calories you should eat per day to lose weight/lose fat, it’s time to figure out where those calories will come from.First up is protein, which is the second most important part of every fat loss diet. Let’s find out why, and how much of it you should eat…
Daily
Protein Intake – What Does Protein Do & Why Do You Need It?
It doesn’t matter if you want to lose fat, build muscle, or just be a healthy, well-functioning human being. Your daily protein intake plays an equally crucial role in allowing all of that to happen properly.
Here’s why…
What Does Protein Do?
In terms of the overall health and function of the human body, protein is essential for building and repairing things. Your organs, muscles, skin, hair, nails, bones and certain hormones are all made up of some amount of protein. It’s an absolute requirement for sustaining life and proper function.So… basically… you kinda need enough of it on a daily basis to actually live and be healthy. Like I said, it’s important.
Of course, if you’re reading this, you’re probably less interested in protein’s role in overall health and much more interested in how protein will help you lose fat, build muscle, and generally get your body to look and perform like you want it to look and perform.
I hear ya.
So, let’s take a quick look at why it’s such an important part of reaching your diet’s goal.
How Does Protein Help With Losing Fat?
While a caloric deficit is the only absolute requirement for fat to be lost, protein still plays many extremely important roles in the fat loss process. The 3 most notable are:1. Maintaining Muscle
As I’ve previously explained, losing fat requires a caloric deficit. Why? Because when a caloric deficit is created, your body will be forced to burn your own stored body fat as an alternative source of energy.The thing is, your body could just as easily decide to burn your muscle tissue (or some combination of both fat and muscle) instead.
As you can probably guess, that would be a bad thing. Your goal is to get your body to burn nothing but fat and leave all of your pretty muscle alone.
Well, it turns out that eating a sufficient amount of protein on a daily basis is THE key dietary factor in getting your body to preserve your muscle and burn fat instead. Yes, it’s probably even more important than the size of the caloric deficit itself.
So, if your goal is to lose fat and NOT lose any muscle in the process, getting your daily protein intake right is pretty damn important.
2. Keeping You Full
A second major role protein plays in fat loss is one of satiation. Of all the macronutrients that we get our calories from (protein, fat, carbs), research clearly shows that protein is by far and away the most filling of them all.This makes it a huge key factor in controlling your hunger, curbing your appetite, and keeping you full and satisfied.
As you can imagine, these are all things you definitely want working in your favor when trying to lose fat, and a sufficient daily protein intake will help make that happen.
3. Burning Calories
A third major role protein plays in losing fat revolves around its thermogenic properties. Because, in addition to being the most filling macronutrient, protein is also the one with the largest thermic effect.Now let me explain that in English.
You see, when all foods gets digested, your body actually burns calories during that digestion process. This is referred to as the Thermic Effect Of Food, and it’s one of those factors I mentioned earlier that influence what your daily calorie maintenance level is.
The thing is, different foods have different thermic effects, which means some foods will actually cause MORE calories to be burned during digestion than others.
And, what all research shows is that protein requires the most amount of calories to digest, which means eating more protein on a daily basis will actually lead to more calories naturally being burned by your body.
Pretty sweet, huh?
Of course, just increasing your daily protein intake alone won’t create enough of an extra calorie burn to cause significant and sustained fat loss. HOWEVER, it will most definitely help.
How Does Protein Help With Building Muscle?
Unlike losing fat, where the only absolute requirement is a caloric deficit (protein is just an extremely important part of the process), building muscle actually has two dietary requirements. The first of course is a caloric surplus.The second? Eating a sufficient amount of protein on a daily basis.
The “Building Block” Of Muscle
It’s a line you come across over and over again in articles about how to build muscle, but it’s true enough to keep repeating. Protein is the “building block” of muscle. Without enough of it, your body just can NOT (and will not) build muscle.So, if your goal is to build any amount of muscle, increase strength or improve performance in virtually any capacity, a sufficient protein intake is more than just an important part of the process. It’s a flat out requirement.
So, How Much Protein Should I Eat Per Day?
Now that you fully understand what protein does and why your daily protein intake plays such an important role in losing fat, building muscle, and just being healthy, you’re probably wondering how much of it you should eat per day.That’s a good question. Let’s answer it…
How
Much Protein Per Day To Build Muscle, Lose Fat & Be Healthy?
And if you want to lose fat, build muscle, or really just improve the way your body looks or performs in virtually any capacity, protein (and how much of it you eat per day) becomes even more important.
So, now that you know why you need it, the question becomes how much of it do you need? Exactly how much protein is ideal for you, your diet, and your specific goal?
Let’s answer that…
How Much Protein Should You Eat Per Day?
Surprisingly, the most common recommendations for how much protein you should eat per day when you’re trying to improve your body don’t typically vary by too much and instead tend to fall within a similar range.For most of the people, most of the time, that recommended range is:
Ideal
Daily Protein Intake: 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight
Of course, that range is
a bit broad. So, here’s my recommendations for how to narrow it down to what’s
best for you…
Person, Situation &
Goals
|
Ideal Daily Protein
Intake
|
Average healthy sedentary
adult (male or female) that does NOT work out or have any related
goals. This is just what I consider to be a good minimum daily protein intake
for general health/function.
|
0.5-0.7 grams of protein
per pound of body weight.
|
Average healthy adult
(male or female) that IS doing some form of exercise regularly or IS trying
to improve their body (lose fat, build muscle, etc.). This is the minimum I’d
recommend in this case.
|
0.8-1 grams of protein per
pound of body weight.
|
Average healthy adult FEMALE
whose primary goal is building muscle, getting “toned,” maintaining muscle
while losing fat, increasing strength or improving performance.
|
1-1.2 grams of protein per
pound of body weight.
|
Average healthy adult MALE
whose primary goal is building muscle, getting “toned,” maintaining muscle
while losing fat, increasing strength or improving performance.
|
1-1.5 grams of protein per
pound of body weight.
|
(When in doubt, the old standby recommendation of “1 gram of
protein per pound of body weight” which has been around the fitness world for
decades is a fine middle-of-the-road protein intake for most people.)
So, in order to figure out how much protein you should eat per day,
you just need to multiply your current body weight (in pounds) by the amount
recommended on the chart above.
Confused? Here’s 2 examples of how it would be done…
- Let’s say a 130lb woman has the goal of building some muscle, or getting “toned,” or losing fat (while maintaining muscle). She’d simply multiply 130 by 1-1.2 and get a daily protein intake of between 130-156 grams per day.
- Now let’s say a 180lb man wanted to build muscle, or maintain muscle while losing fat, or improve strength/performance. He’d do 180 x 1-1.5 and get a daily protein intake of between 180-270 grams per day.
Basically, just multiply your current body weight in pounds by your
recommended ideal protein intake. The answer you get is the ideal range for how
many grams of protein you should eat per day.
Did you do it? Awesome! Your daily protein intake is now all
figured out.
(*NOTE* In the case of people of are VERY overweight, your ideal protein intake
will be overestimated if you use your current body weight due to the
excessive amount of fat on your body. So, for true obese individuals, your target body weight should be used instead.
For example, a 300lb man looking to get down to 200lbs would use 200lbs as
their weight when calculating how much protein they should eat per day.)
As long as you are somewhere within that ideal range, your protein
intake is absolutely perfect and it will produce the best results/benefits
possible.
The next thing you probably want to know is which foods you should
get that protein from each day. I got you covered…
Examples Of High Protein Foods
Below is a quick, simple and basic list of the most common high
protein foods.
- Chicken (skinless)
- Turkey (skinless)
- Fish (all kinds)
- Beef (leaner cuts)
- Pork (leaner cuts)
- Whole Eggs
- Egg Whites
- Protein Supplements (whey protein powder, casein protein powder, protein bars, etc.)
- Beans (all kinds)
- Nuts (all kinds)
- Milk
- Cheese
This is by no means the definitive list of every food that contains
protein, but it is a list of the ones that will provide the majority of your
daily protein intake.
Pick your favorites (more about how to do that later).
How To Factor Protein Into Your Total Daily Calorie Intake
Now that you know how much protein you should eat per day and have
a good idea of which foods will be providing that protein, there’s one final
step to complete.
We need to factor your daily protein intake into the ideal daily
calorie intake you figured out before. Don’t worry… it’s easy.
You just need to know that 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories.
So, all you need to do is multiply the grams of protein you’re
going to eat each day by 4 to figure out exactly how many calories your protein
intake will account for. Here’s 2 examples…
- Using the same 130lb woman from the example before, let’s say she decided to go with an even 130 grams of protein per day. She would do 130 x 4 = 520. In this example, 520 calories out of her total daily calorie intake will come from protein each day.
- Using the same 180lb man from the example before, let’s say he decided to go with an even 220 grams of protein per day. He’d do 220 x 4 = 880. In this example, 880 calories out of his total daily calorie intake will come from protein each day.
Now it’s your turn. Multiply the ideal protein intake you
calculated a minute ago by 4. That’s how many calories protein will account for
in your diet each day.
This step might seem pointless or confusing (or both) right now,
but don’t worry. It will make perfect sense as we continue putting the rest of
your diet plan together. You’ll see… I promise.
Speaking of the rest of your diet plan…
What’s next?
Well, since you’ve now figured out how much protein you should eat per day, it’s time to move on to the next most important aspect of your diet… fat.
Daily
Fat Intake – How Dietary Fat Affects Your Diet Plan & Body
And here’s where things start to get a little interesting.
You see, there is a lot of confusion out there about how dietary fat affects your body, your diet, and your specific goal (losing fat, building muscle, etc.).
Why? Well, it appears to mostly be due to the presence of various myths and some all around bad information.
So, before we can get into the specifics of what your daily fat intake should be and what foods that fat should come from, we first need to go over a few basics and clear up some fat-related confusion along the way.
Here we go…
Does Eating Fat Make You Fat?
The answer here is “sometimes,” but probably not in the way that you might think.In the literal sense, NO, eating fat does NOT make you fat. Not even a little. This whole concept is just a silly (more like stupid) myth that should be ignored completely.
Unless of course you are eating too many excess calories, and those excess calories just so happen to come from fat.
In that case, sure, fat will make you fat.
However, it’s NOT the dietary fat itself that would be the cause of your fat gain. It’s the excess calories it provided, and those excess calories could have come from any other macronutrient (protein or carbs) or type of food (healthy or unhealthy) and it would have caused you to gain fat just the same.
Why? Because excess calories are excess calories, and THAT is the one and only true cause of fat gain.
As you learned earlier, when you consume more calories than your body needs (a “caloric surplus”), your body will store those unused excess calories for later use, primarily in the form of body fat (or, if you are providing the proper muscle building signal, at least partially in the form of muscle tissue).
Which means the only thing that actually causes a person to gain fat is consistently eating too many calories. Whether those “too many calories” come from protein, fat or carbs doesn’t really matter. Nor does whether they come from super healthy foods or unhealthy junk. All that matters in this case is calories.
Quite simply, eat too many calories OF ANY KIND and it will all cause you to gain fat.
So no, dietary fat in and of itself does NOT make you fat, at least not in any way different than protein or carbs would when eaten in excess. In the end, fat gain comes down to calories, not the source of those calories.
In fact, getting a sufficient amount of your daily fat intake from certain types of fat may actually HELP with fat loss and various other things you’d like your body to do. I kid you not.
And this of course leads to another related question.
Is Fat Bad And Unhealthy?
Once again, the answer is “sometimes.” Here’s why.Unlike protein where there are essentially just foods that are either “high” or “low” in it, there are actually 4 different types of fat that a food can be “high” or “low” in.
What makes this extra interesting is that certain types of fat are absolutely horrible for your health. I’m talking worst-thing-you-can-possibly-eat.
On the other hand, certain other types of fat may very well be the closest thing we have to a real life miracle food in terms of the amazingly positive effects it has on the human body.
So sure, if you’re eating the “bad” types of fat, it is definitely bad and unhealthy and should be limited (and in one case even avoided completely).
However, if you are eating the “good” types of fat, it’s the complete opposite, and you should do everything you can to ensure you’re getting a sufficient amount of it in your diet.
All you need to know now is how to tell them apart.
The Different Types of Fat
Like I said, there are 4 different types of fat. They are:- Trans Fat
- Saturated Fat
- Monounsaturated Fat
- Polyunsaturated Fat
Others on the other hand are quite “good and healthy” and should purposely be eaten and comprise the majority of your daily fat intake.
Let’s now figure out which is which…
What Is
Saturated Fat & Trans Fat? – The Unhealthy, Bad Fats
You know all of
the negative stuff you’ve heard about fat over the years? About how bad,
unhealthy and flat out evil is can be?Well, in nearly 100% of those cases, it’s trans fat or saturated fat that are the specific types of fat being referred to as the cause (or supposed cause) of all of those bad/unhealthy things.
This of course brings up some important questions. For example…
- Is it all true? Are they both really that bad and unhealthy?
- What effects do they each have on the human body?
- What foods are high in trans fat? What foods are high in saturated fat?
- How much of each should you eat per day, if any at all?
What Is Trans Fat?
Trans fat has been shown to raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels, cause heart disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes. There is also at least some research showing that trans fat may cause, increase the risk of or worsen everything from Alzheimer’s Disease, to cancer, to infertility.Remember in the previous post when I used the phrase “worst-thing-you-can-possibly-eat?” Well, it was in reference to trans fat.
It has absolutely no positive benefit to the human body in any way, yet it has been scientifically proven to harm the body in a variety of ways.
It’s literally as bad and unhealthy as it gets, and this fact may be the only thing unanimously agreed upon by everyone in the nutrition field.
For all of these reasons, trans fat shouldn’t just be kept to a minimum in your diet. It should pretty much be avoided completely.
Foods High In Trans Fat
Common sources of trans fat include:- Fried foods.
- Fast food.
- Typical snack foods (chips, cookies, etc.).
- Doughnuts.
- Various pastries.
- Many other obviously crappy foods you already know you shouldn’t be eating too often.
The Big Trans Fat Lie
Another important trans fat fact (more like a hidden secret, really) that you must know is that even if your food label says “trans fat: 0 grams,” it may still contain trans fat.Yeah… seriously.
This is because, due to some extremely idiotic labeling rules, food companies only need to list trans fat content if the food contains 0.5 grams or more per serving.
So, if a food contains 0.4999 grams of trans fat in one serving, it will say “Trans Fat: 0 grams” on the label. Yes, it’s super crazy dumb.
Even worse is the fact that many of the foods that do this then go the extra mile to print “0g Trans Fat” in big bold letters somewhere on the front of the package to really entice you to buy it.
Pretty scummy, isn’t it? And then all you need to do is eat a few servings of a food like this and you will have unknowingly eaten a couple of grams of trans fat all while thinking you haven’t eaten any at all.
Luckily, there is a way to spot the foods that do this (and there are MANY of them). Check the ingredients for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated.”
If those words show up somewhere in the ingredients (typically followed by an oil of some sort), then you know that food contains some amount of trans fat no matter what lies the label tells you.
Just another reason to always read the ingredients before buying/eating an item.
What Is Saturated Fat?
Next up on our list of so called “bad” and “unhealthy” fats is saturated fat.While it’s definitely not as bad as trans fat (nothing is), it still appears as though saturated fat is probably pretty bad for most people in high amounts.
Did that sentence come across a bit unsure sounding? If so, it’s because I honestly am a bit unsure as to exactly how bad saturated fat truly is these days.
Unlike trans fat where literally 100% of the research shows nothing but negatives, saturated fat is a bit more complicated than just calling it “good” or “bad.”
On one hand, saturated fat has been referred to as the biggest dietary cause of high blood cholesterol for decades now, with it increasing our risk factor for heart disease and stroke. And yes, there is research that supports this.
On the other hand, research in recent years has called this into question a bit. For example, there are actually different types of saturated fatty acids, and it appears that not all of them cause negative effects.
Plus, while saturated fat may be pretty bad for the average person who isn’t very active and eats too much junk (and just eats too much in general) or already has some health or medical issue, it may actually not be too harmful at all (in sane amounts) for fit and healthy people who eat right and exercise regularly.
So what does this all mean, other than that it’s pretty complicated? Well, it’s tough for me to say for sure without turning this into an entire guide to saturated fat.
What I will say though is that saturated fat intake should still certainly be limited to some degree, the exact extent of which depends on factors specific to you and your health and your lifestyle.
In general though, it definitely shouldn’t be avoided completely like trans fat should (unless you have some specific reasoning or doctors orders to), but at the same time, you also shouldn’t run out and start eating bacon on a regular basis either.
Speaking of which…
Foods High In Saturated Fat
Common sources of saturated fat include:- Beef
- Veal
- Lamb
- Pork
- Dairy products made from whole milk (milk, cheese, butter).
- Poultry skin.
- Coconut oil and Palm oil (which are often found in the typical junky snack foods you already know you shouldn’t be eating too often).
Summing Up The “Bad” And Introducing The “Good”
So, trans fat and saturated fat are the types of fat that get all of the negative press. They are your so called “bad” and unhealthy fats.With trans fat, this is 100% true in every single case. Aim for a legit 0 grams per day. It’s borderline poison.
Saturated fat on the other hand isn’t as black and white. Yes, it should probably be limited to some degree in most diets, but it doesn’t need the same level of fear or avoidance (unless your doctor has told you otherwise) as trans fat, especially among the healthy and active.
Even still, saturated fat should always only make up the minority of your fat intake, with the majority coming from the types of fats I’m going to tell you about right now…
What
Is Monounsaturated Fat & Polyunsaturated Fat? – The Healthy, Good Fats
You know all of those beneficial things you’ve heard (or certainly should have heard) about fat, especially in recent years? Well, in 100% of those cases, it’s the 2 unsaturated fats that are being referred to.
I’m talking of course about monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
And once again, a new set of questions are in need of answering…
- How true are all of those benefits you may have heard about?
- What are those benefits anyway?
- What foods are high in monounsaturated fat? What foods are high in polyunsaturated fat?
- Is it really just as simple as a type of fat being 100% “good?”
What Is Monounsaturated Fat?
Monounsaturated fat, which is most abundant in foods like nuts and various plant oils (olive oil, canola oil, etc.), will most often end up comprising the majority of your total fat intake.For the most part, this is a good thing. You know how research shows that the “bad fats” increase your risk of heart disease and stroke?
Well, research also shows that monounsaturated fats may help lower your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, which means a diet containing a sufficient amount of monounsaturated fat may actually help REDUCE your risk of heart disease and stroke.
What Is Polyunsaturated Fat?
With monounsaturated fats comprising the majority of your fat intake, the next largest portion of your daily fat intake should come from polyunsaturated fats. And once again, there is a very good reason for this.Ever hear the term “essential fatty acids?” Sounds pretty important, right? They are, after all, fatty acids that are “essential” to your body.
Well, those essential fatty acids are all polyunsaturated fats. Maybe you’ve heard of them, too…
- Omega-6
- Omega-3
They are your essential fatty acids, and that means your body REQUIRES them in order to keep you alive and functioning properly. The same cannot be said for any of the other types of fat, including monounsaturated.
And, since your body is incapable of producing them on its own, it’s up to your diet to supply a sufficient amount of it on a regular basis.
Omega-6
Specifically, the omega-6 fatty acid is most commonly found in most vegetable oils (and most other food oils) as well as various types of nuts. For this reason, it is rarely ever lacking in the typical diet and, if anything, is usually a bit too high as it is (more on that in a second).Omega-3
On the other hand, if there is one thing the typical person’s diet is lacking, it’s the omega-3 fatty acid. And that’s not good at all.Why? Well, remember when I referred to a type of fat as being “the closest thing we have to a real life miracle food” in my little intro to dietary fat?
Well, I was referring to the omega-3 fatty acid.
The omega-3 fatty acid, which is most abundant in fish (and fish oil supplements), basically improves your body’s ability to do damn near EVERYTHING (build muscle, lose fat, live, function, prevent diseases, etc.).
Research has shown that it lowers your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, raises your good (HDL) cholesterol levels, reduces inflammation (and so on and so on) as well as helps prevent or improve a list of diseases and disorders so big you’re going to have to wait till later when I give it its own separate article.
Also worth mentioning now is that it may also help with calorie partitioning.
Meaning, when in a caloric surplus, calories will be more likely to go towards building muscle rather than being stored as fat. And when in a caloric deficit, your body will be more likely to burn fat instead of muscle.
In addition to all of these wonderful benefits (plus the many others I’ll be mentioning later), another reason that the omega-3 fatty acid is such an important part of your diet is that, while the omega-6 fatty acid is definitely also an important, healthy and required part of your diet, it’s the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 that might be most important.
Omega-6 vs Omega 3: The Ratio Is Key!
In a perfect world, this ratio should be about 2:1 for optimal health and function. In reality however, it’s more like 10:1 or possibly even 20:1 or 30:1 in some cases.The reason this ratio is so far off from what it should be is due to a combination of the fact that the omega-6 fatty acid is extremely prevalent in the typical diet while the omega-3 fatty acid is usually always greatly lacking.
The big problem with this common unevenness is that it’s been shown to cause its own set of problems by increasing our risk for a variety of diseases and health issues.
So, while polyunsaturated fats are definitely “good” and “healthy” and a key part of your fat intake and overall diet, it’s the essential fatty acids (and their ratio in your diet) that makes it so “good” and “healthy” in the first place.
How Much Fat Should I Eat Per Day & Where Should It Come From?
Alright, so you’re now armed with a good basic understanding of the 4 different types of fat and how each affects your body, your diet and your goal.You know which to avoid completely (trans fat), which to limit to a certain extent (saturated fat), and which to get the majority of your daily fat intake from (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, with an extra emphasis on getting a sufficient amount of the omega-3 fatty acid).
All you need to know now is how much total fat you should actually be eating per day and what foods it should primarily come from.
Let’s figure that out right now…
How
Much Fat Per Day – How Many Grams Of Fat Should You Eat?
You also learned that:
- Trans fat is garbage and should be avoided completely.
- Saturated fat isn’t as bad as people have always made it out to be and definitely shouldn’t be avoided completely.
- Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat (which includes the essential fatty acids) should comprise the majority of your daily fat intake.
- An added emphasis should be placed on getting a sufficient amount the omega-3 fatty acid.
Let the fun begin…
How Much Fat Should You Eat Per Day?
For the majority of the population, the recommendations for fat intake per day almost always fall within the same general range. That range is…
Ideal
Daily Fat Intake: 20-30% of your total
calorie intake
In order for
this recommendation to truly make sense, the first thing you are going to need
to know is that 1 gram
of fat contains 9 calories.From there, you just need to do some basic math using the ideal daily calorie intake you calculated earlier and (hopefully) remembered to write down.
(If you forgot yours or somehow skipped that step, go back and calculate your maintenance level and then follow the appropriate instructions for creating your ideal caloric deficit or surplus depending on which one is required for your goal.)
Now, with your ideal daily calorie intake in mind, all you need to do is figure out what 20-30% of it is. (Just multiply your calorie intake by 0.20 and 0.30.)
Then, since 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories, just divide both of your answers by 9.
The amount you get now is the ideal range for how many grams of fat you should eat each day.
Confused? Here’s an example…
- Let’s say an example person figured out that the ideal calorie intake for their body and goals is 2500 calories per day. (Again, this is just an example.)
- Next, they’d figure out that 20-30% of 2500 calories is between 500-750 calories.
- They’d then divide 500 and 750 by 9 (because there’s 9 calories per gram of fat) and get a range of 55-83.
- So, in this example, this person would eat between 55-83 grams of fat per day.
Did you do it? Awesome! Your daily fat intake is now all figured out.
Should You Use The High or Low End Of Your Range?
Now, you may be wondering if you should stay more towards the higher or lower end of your ideal daily fat intake range. It really mostly depends on you and your own dietary preferences (I’ll explain this in detail later).However, for most of the people, most of the time, an even 25% would probably be pretty close to perfect in most cases. (So in the example above, this person would consume about 69 grams of fat per day.)
Now that you know how much fat to eat per day, the next thing you probably want to know is what foods to get that fat from.
Examples Of Foods High In “Good” Fat
Below is a quick, simple and basic list of the most common foods high in the types of fats you should be eating:- Fish
- Fish Oil Supplements (I’ll be explaining these in detail later.)
- Nuts
- Nut Butters
- Seeds
- Olive Oil (and most other plant oils)
- Avocados
Pick your favorites (more about how to do that later).
How To Factor Fat Into Your Total Daily Calorie Intake
Just like we did previously with protein, the final thing you need to do after figuring out how much fat you should eat per day is factor that daily fat intake into your total daily calorie intake.The funny thing is though… we kinda already did it.
You see, with protein, we had to first figure out our ideal amount in grams and THEN factor it into our daily calorie intake. With fat, we actually did this in reverse.
Meaning, we did the “factoring in” part first in order to figure out what our ideal amount in grams should be.
So what I’m saying here is, this part is already done. Assuming you followed the instructions above, you should already know how much of your total daily calorie intake fat will account for.
Using the same example person we used above, somewhere between 500-750 calories from this example person’s total 2500 daily calorie intake will come from fat (625 calories exactly if they went with an even 25% of their total calorie intake).
So, whatever YOUR total daily calorie intake is, 20-30% of that (or 25% exactly if you want to be right smack in the middle) is how many calories fat will account for in your diet each day.
And once again, if you are slightly confused by this step or still don’t see the point, don’t worry. It’s going to make perfect sense in this next step. Speaking of which…
What’s Next?
Well, since you’ve now figured out exactly how much fat you should eat per day, it’s time to move on to our third and final macronutrient.I’m of course referring to the always scary, always confusing, always entertaining… carbs.
This should be fun…
Daily
Carb Intake – How Carbs Affect Your Body, Health & Diet
Carbs (which, by the way, is short for carbohydrates) tend to be the macronutrient that confuses and scares people the most these days.
As usual, this confusion and fear is mostly unwarranted.
Once you understand some simple facts and we clear up some of the common myths (and general bad information) that surround how carbs truly affect your body, your health and your diet, you’ll see just how unwarranted it is.
So, before we get into what your daily carb intake should actually be, let’s cover the basics first…
Carbs Are Extremely Useful, But Not Essential
A funny thing about carbs is that, even though they will almost always account for the majority of your total calorie intake (you’ll see why in a few minutes) and they tend to confuse/scare people more than any other dietary factor, they are actually the least important part of your diet.No, seriously. It’s true.
Quite simply, protein and fat (specifically the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) are essential to your body. Carbs on the other hand are not.
Yes, your brain and other tissues do require a small amount, but the human body is actually capable of producing that small amount on its own.
The same cannot be said for protein or the essential fatty acids (all of which must be supplied through your diet).
Now, I’m definitely NOT recommending a no carb diet here or anything remotely close to that (the human body may not truly require them for survival, but it sure as hell runs a lot better with them for a variety of reasons).
In fact, I would hardly ever even recommend anything close to a typical low carb diet.
The point I’m trying to make here is that the most important parts of your diet are total calories, protein and essential fatty acids. After that, we have carbs.
So, while they definitely DO play an important role in your diet for various reasons and for various goals (especially building muscle, increasing strength or improving performance), and they WILL still usually make up the majority of your diet, they are the least important of the macronutrients.
For this reason, once an ideal protein and fat intake have been figured out, the majority of the changes that need to be made to your calorie intake (assuming changes ever need to be made) will most often come from a reduction or increase in your daily carb intake.
Meaning, carbs will usually be the macronutrient we adjust when (and if) we ever need to make adjustments to our total calorie intake.
If that sounds a little confusing now, don’t worry. It will make perfect sense later on. You’ll see.
Does Eating Carbs Make You Fat?
As you may remember, we previously answered this same question regarding fat (Does Eating Fat Make You Fat?). And surprise-surprise, the answer now is exactly the same as it was then.While the “low carb” craze has put some crazy ideas into people’s heads, the truth still remains that the one and only thing that makes people fat is eating too many calories.
If those excess calories happen to come from carbs, then sure, carbs will seemingly make you fat. However, it’s not the carbs themselves that cause the fat gain in this scenario. It’s the excess calories those carbs provided.
In the end, excess calories of any kind (protein, fat, carbs, healthy foods, unhealthy foods, etc.) will cause fat gain. It’s not the source of those calories that does it. It’s the excess calories themselves.
Are we clear on that now? Good.
And if you’re wondering then how various “low carb diets” end up being effective if it’s all about calories and not carbs, don’t worry… that’s a topic I will definitely cover in detail in the near future.
Until then, the quick and simple answer is this: guess what happens when you end up eliminating a ton of high carb foods from your diet? You just so happen to end up eliminating a ton of calories from your diet as well.
And as we all know by now, a reduction in calories = the one and only true key to fat loss. Magic!
Unfortunately, most low carb fanatics are too brainwashed (or just plain stupid) to understand that.
This will definitely be a highly entertaining topic for another day.
Are Carbs Bad And Unhealthy?
The next big carb-related question that often needs answering is actually one that came up before regarding fat (Is Fat Bad And Unhealthy?), and the answer was… sometimes.With carbs, the answer is once again… sometimes.
Reason being, all carbs are not created equal. Certain high carb foods are associated with all of the bad/evil things you’ve probably heard about carbs, while other high carb foods are really not bad at all (even legitimately good in some cases) and should comprise the majority of your daily carb intake.
You just need to know how to tell them apart. Here’s how…
Carbs
– Simple vs Complex, High Glycemic vs Low Glycemic, Good vs Bad
For example…
- Good vs bad.
- Healthy vs unhealthy.
- Slow vs fast.
- Simple vs complex.
- High glycemic vs low glycemic.
So, to help clear up this confusion once and for all, let’s take a quick look at the various different “types” of carbs and find out the real truth behind them.
Simple Carbs vs Complex Carbs
High carb foods are defined as simple or complex based on their chemical structure.The “simpler” that structure is, the faster your body will digest and absorb that food (think sugar, candy, soda, etc.).
The more “complex” that structure is, the slower the digestion and absorption process will be (think vegetables, beans, grains, etc.).
And this digestion/absorption rate stuff is important because, the faster this process takes place within your body, the more it spikes your blood insulin levels.
For this reason, diets high in simple carbs have been shown to increase our risk of diabetes and heart disease, while diets high in complex carbs have actually been shown to help do the opposite.
Simple carbs also tend to be highly processed junk that lacks any nutritional value of any kind, while complex carbs are typically unprocessed, high in fiber, and high in various other important nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
And overall health and nutrition aside, simple carbs are also less filling, which means you’ll be hungrier sooner after eating them. Not to mention, that large spike in blood sugar will result in a crash soon after, and that crash signals hunger and food cravings.
So, as you can clearly see here for many obvious reasons:
- Simple carbs should typically be greatly limited/avoided.
- Complex carbs should comprise the majority of your daily carb intake.
HOWEVER…
There’s just one tiny problem with all of the above. The classification of “simple” and “complex” doesn’t tell the whole story.It turns out that certain foods that technically fit the “complex carb” label can actually end up causing a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. Similarly, there are some foods fitting the “simple carb” label that really don’t have much of an effect on blood sugar at all.
Confusing, right? Well, to un-confuse this whole carb situation, a little something called the Glycemic Index was created.
The Glycemic Index: High GI vs Low GI
The glycemic index classifies carbs based on how quickly and how high they raise blood sugar levels when compared to pure glucose (sugar), although white bread is now used as the reference food in its place.And despite the fact that the glycemic index was originally created for diabetics as a way of figuring out which foods would be best for them, it quickly became used by bodybuilders, athletes, and regular people who just want to look good and be healthy.
Why? Because the glycemic index allows us to maintain steady blood glucose levels throughout the day by choosing the right types of high carb foods.
This of course is useful for many reasons, the most important of which are controlling hunger, maintaining energy levels, improving the way our bodies look/perform and preventing a variety of health/medical issues associated with frequent and sustained spikes in blood sugar levels (like type 2 diabetes and heart disease).
How exactly? Quite simply:
A carbohydrate with a high glycemic index (high GI) breaks down quickly during digestion and therefore releases glucose into the bloodstream rapidly. Some common foods with a high GI rating include white bread, white rice, corn flakes, crackers and most sugary and/or highly processed snack foods.
A carbohydrate with a low glycemic index (low GI) breaks down more slowly therefore causing a much slower and more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. Some common foods with a low GI rating include most fruits, vegetables, and beans.
What this all loosely translates into in plain English is:
- High glycemic foods typically = bad for a variety of reasons.
- Low glycemic foods typically = good for a variety of reasons.
HOWEVER…
Of course, even though the glycemic index is much more useful than the basic “simple vs complex” classification for figuring out which high carb foods are best for us, it still has its flaws.For example, the glycemic index does not take normal serving sizes into account.
Meaning, 25 grams of a high glycemic food doesn’t create the same blood sugar spike that 50 grams of that same food would. For this reason, a measure called Glycemic Load was created to account for the amount of carbs present in a serving of a food and help counter this flaw.
Even still, another big issue the glycemic index has is that it only measures foods when eaten in isolation. You know, like if you sat down for a meal that contained nothing but white bread or nothing but corn flakes.
The problem here is that people just aren’t always eating these high carb foods in isolation, and that changes things dramatically. For example, there’s usually something on that bread (turkey, cheese, chicken, etc.), and milk with those corn flakes.
As it turns out, protein, fat and various other nutrients contained in the other foods being eaten at the same time can greatly affect the true glycemic index of a high carb food and the overall digestion/absorption of the meal that food is a part of.
Still, despite not being perfect, the glycemic index is a useful tool for helping us to figure out which high carb foods, in general, are best (and healthiest) for us.
For most of the people, most of the time, low (or possibly moderate) glycemic foods should be your carb of choice. High glycemic foods should be limited to some degree.
Also worth noting now is that if there is one true exception to the above recommendation, it’s your post workout meal (the meal immediately following your workout).
While complex/low glycemic foods should comprise the majority of your carb intake, your post workout meal is the one time of the day when simple/high glycemic foods may actually be the better choice. (More about that later.)
How Do I Find The Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load Of A Food?
As far as I’m aware, this is probably the best resource available: http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htmDoes The “Type” Of Carbs Matter For Losing Fat or Building Muscle?
There are actually 2 answers to this question. The first is “nope, not really“ and the second is “yes it does.”Let me explain…
See, a lot of people (usually of the crazy/obsessed variety) like to think that the answer here is a huge definite yes.
As in, let’s say you cloned yourself and there were now 2 identical versions of you. Both of you worked out the same way and ate the same number of calories each day as well as the same amount of protein and fat (all from identical sources, too).
Now let’s say the only difference between the 2 diets was that one of you ate mostly low glycemic foods, and the other ate mostly high glycemic foods.
A lot of carb-obsessed people like to think that the version of you who ate the so called “bad carbs” would end up gaining more fat and/or building less muscle than the version of you who ate mostly “good carbs.”
Truth is, research shows that with all else being equal, there is little to no DIRECT significant difference in terms of fat gained/lost or muscle gained/lost.
Now, this is definitely NOT me saying that “bad” carbs are good and should be eaten all the time. I’m NOT saying that at all and do NOT recommend that you do.
What I am saying though is that, in terms of body composition with all else being equal, there is no need to kill yourself with guilt or obsess like a crazy person if you enjoy eating white potatoes or white bread or some other similar food not typically considered a “good” carb every once in a while.
Hell, I eat a white potato on an almost daily basis.
Truth is, as long as the rest of your diet is what it’s supposed to be (most importantly your total daily calorie intake), the type of carbs you eat won’t magically cause you to gain fat. Nor will it cause you to magically lose muscle or just build less of it.
Speaking strictly in terms of the direct effect different types of carbs will have on your body’s ability to lose and gain fat, or gain and lose muscle… there is no significant difference whatsoever.
Simple or complex. High glycemic or low glycemic. It just doesn’t matter.
HOWEVER…
You may have noticed my use of the word “direct” earlier (as in “no direct significant difference”), and that brings us to the “yes it does” portion of my 2 sided answer.Research does in fact show that there is a significant INDIRECT difference between how different types of carbs affect body composition.
And that is, so called “bad” carbs digest faster and spike blood insulin levels higher, and as I mentioned before, this means you will A) not stay full for long, B) get hungrier sooner, and C) be hungry more often.
And as various studies prove, all of this almost always leads to eating more than you should be eating.
And that right there is how “bad” carbs indirectly affect body composition in a negative way. They cause you to eat more, and eating more is what will cause your body to change in ways you do not want it to.
Plus, body composition aside… let’s not forget about health in general.
All research shows that there is indeed a very significant difference between different types of carbs in terms of your overall health. Diets high in “bad” carbs have been shown to cause a variety of health/medical issues, while diets high in “good” carbs have been shown to help prevent those very same issues.
Putting All Of This Carb Stuff Together
So, here’s what it all comes down to.Simple carbs vs complex carbs and high glycemic foods vs low glycemic foods doesn’t appear to make any real direct significant difference in terms of fat gain, fat loss, building muscle, etc. as long as everything else (especially total calorie intake) is what it’s supposed to be.
That’s a fact.
However, it still definitely does play many indirect roles in reaching (and not reaching) those goals, most notably in terms of controlling hunger.
At the same time, the differences are indeed quite significant in terms of overall health, as diets high in processed simple and/or high glycemic carbs have been shown to increase our risk of diabetes and heart disease.
More natural, complex and/or low glycemic carbs have been shown to have a reverse, preventative effect.
So, for all of these reasons, here’s what I recommend:
- The majority of your daily carb intake should come from lower glycemic, higher fiber, nutrient-rich complex sources.
- Simple, processed, refined, higher glycemic sources should be greatly limited most of the time, with your post workout meal being the main exception.
How Many Grams Of Carbs Per Day and Which Foods To Eat?
With all of that covered, it’s time to move on to the specifics of exactly how many grams of carbs you should eat per day, what foods those carbs should come from, and how to factor it all into your diet plan.Let’s get to it…
How Many
Grams Of Carbs Should I Eat Per Day?
At this point
we’ve cleared up the most common myths and misconceptions about how your daily carb intake truly affects your body,
your health, and the overall goal of your diet.In addition, you learned about various different “types” of carbs (simple or complex, high or low glycemic, “good” or “bad”) and how they directly and indirectly influence your ability to lose fat or build muscle.
All we need to figure out now are the specifics. As in, exactly how many grams of carbs should you actually be eating per day and what foods should they come from?
Let’s get to it…
How Many Grams Of Carbs Should You Eat Per Day?
Ideal Daily Carb Intake: however much is needed
to meet your ideal calorie intake after an ideal protein and fat intake have been
factored in.
Meaning: Total Calorie Intake – Calories From Protein
& Fat = Calories From CarbsConfused? Don’t be.
At this point, you’ve figured out how many grams of protein and fat you will be eating each day. You then factored them both into your ideal total daily calorie intake to see exactly how many calories each will account for.
Remember how that step seemed sort of confusing and pointless at the time? Well, here comes the point.
You know all of the calories that are still not yet accounted for in your diet in order to reach your ideal total? Well, those calories will all come from carbs.
And, since 1 gram of carbs contains 4 calories, you’d just need to divide this left over amount of calories by 4 to figure out exactly how many grams of carbs you’d need to eat each day.
Here’s a step by step example…
Still confused? Here’s a simple example using completely made up amounts and figures:- Let’s say some example person figured out that they should be eating 2500 calories per day for their goal.
- Let’s also say that they then figured out that they should be eating 180 grams of protein each day. So, since they also learned that 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories, they’d now do 180 x 4 and find that 720 calories out of their 2500 total will come from protein each day.
- Next our example person learned that about 25% of their total calorie intake will come from fat. So, since 25% of 2500 is 625, they figured out that 625 calories out of their 2500 total will come from fat each day.
- At this point our example person knows that 720 of their daily calories will come from protein, and 625 will come from fat. Combined that means 1345 calories out of their 2500 total are now accounted for (in the form of protein and fat).
- That means there are still 1155 calories that have not yet been accounted for in this example person’s diet (2500 – 1345 = 1155). Well, guess what? All of those 1155 calories will come from carbs.
- And, since 1 gram of carbs contains 4 calories, all our example person would need to do now is divide 1155 by 4 and get 288.
- Which means, this example person would need to eat about 288 grams of carbs per day.
Figure out how many calories are still left over after protein and fat are factored in, and then just divide that left over amount by 4. The answer you get is how many grams of carbs you should eat per day.
Did you do it? Awesome! Your daily carb intake is now all figured out.
Now let’s figure out which foods should supply those carbs each day…
Examples Of Foods High In “Good” Carbs
Below is a quick, simple and basic list of the most common foods considered high quality sources of carbs:- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Beans
- Oats/Oatmeal
- Brown Rice
- Sweet Potatoes/Yams
- White Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Various Whole Grain Foods
Pick your favorites (more about how to do that later).
And with that, you now know exactly how many grams of carbs you should eat per day and which foods they should come from.
The question is…
What’s Next?
Well, let’s do a quick recap of what you’ve done so far:- First you figured out how many calories you need to eat per day for your specific goal (losing fat, building muscle, or maintaining your current weight).
- From there you figured out where those calories should come from each day by calculating your ideal daily intake of protein, fat and just now, carbs.
What we need to do next is figure out how to put it all together in the way that will make you most likely to stick to it and actually enjoy it!
Let’s begin by killing a whole bunch of stupid myths…
How
Many Meals A Day – When & How Often Should You Eat Daily?
You know how many calories to eat a day, how many grams of protein, fat and carbs to eat a day, and you have a good idea of which foods should (and should not) most often provide those nutrients.
So, you basically know the full details of the diet plan that will allow you to reach your specific goal (losing fat, building muscle, being healthy, etc.) as effectively as possible.
What you need to figure out now is how to actually organize your diet and structure your meals.
What I mean is…
- How many meals should you eat a day? (3 meals? 6 meals?)
- How often should you be eating? (Frequently? Infrequently? Every 3 hours exactly?)
- What size should each of your meals be? (Big? Small?)
- When and at what times should you eat those meals? (Early? Late?)
- Are there certain times you must avoid eating and certain times you must eat? (Night? Breakfast?)
The MOST Important Part Of Organizing Your Diet
Believe it or not, I can answer every single one of the questions above with one simple statement.Don’t think I can do it? Alright then, check this out…
Whatever will make you most likely to consistently eat the way you
are supposed to eat, THAT’S how you should eat. Whatever is most convenient, enjoyable and
sustainable for YOU is the exact way YOU should organize your diet.
In all honesty,
that’s the one true answer to every question you have about how many meals to
eat a day, when/how often you should eat them, and how those meals should be
set up.Why? Because the thing that matters most in your diet plan is your total calorie and nutrient (protein, fat, carb) intake each day.
Once that has all been set to ideal levels (like we’ve done throughout this guide), everything else is just a minor detail that should be set up in whatever way makes you most likely to consistently stick to it.
Confused? Skeptical? Think I’m just flat out wrong? Don’t worry, it’s cool.
It just means I’m going to need to destroy a few common diet and nutrition myths. This is going to be fun…
The Myth of Meal Frequency: How Many Meals A Day?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard that you need to eat 6 smaller meals a day. Or that you need to eat every 2-3 hours exactly. Or that eating smaller meals more frequently is better than eating larger meals less frequently.Now raise your hand if you’ve heard that the #1 reason for eating like this is because it will “speed up your metabolism” and therefore improve your ability to lose fat, build muscle, prevent fat gain, and more.
I’m going to guess that a whole lot of hands just went up.
The funny thing is… its all bullshit!
And that’s scientifically proven bullshit, I might add.Virtually every single person in the nutrition field has at some point suggested that eating 6 smaller meals a day (with a frequency of every 2-3 hours) was more beneficial than eating 3 larger meals a day (with an obviously lesser frequency).
Hell, articles I’ve written prior to 2007 may still contain such recommendations. (Updating them is on my to-do list.)
The thought was that since the process of digestion burns calories (aka the Thermic Effect Of Food), we would burn MORE calories by eating MORE often. We’d “increase our metabolism” and all sorts of wonderful things would happen as a result.
Unfortunately, NONE of it turned out to be true.
Numerous studies have been done over the last few years looking specifically at meal frequency and its effects on metabolic rate, weight loss, and other similar areas.In every case, the conclusion is always the same: there is no significant difference whatsoever in terms of “speeding up your metabolism” or any similar meal frequency voodoo.
Whether you eat 6 smaller meals a day, 3 bigger meals a day, every 3 hours exactly, more frequently, less frequently… none of it makes any difference in the end.
As long as your total daily calorie and nutrient intake remains what it needs to be, the manner in which you consume those calories/nutrients just doesn’t matter.
Want proof? Alright…
One study took 2 groups of overweight people and had each person create the same sized caloric deficit and then consume that same calorie intake every day for 8 weeks.HOWEVER, they had one group eat 3 meals a day, and the other group eat 6 meals a day.
The result? They all lost the exact same amount of weight in the end.
In fact, the study showed that there was no difference at all in fat loss, appetite control, or anything similar. Metabolisms didn’t speed up or slow down. Meal frequency just didn’t matter.
The only thing that does matter is eating the right total amount of calories each day and getting those calories from an ideal amount of protein, fat and carbs.
How many meals you eat a day, how frequently you eat them, and how big or small they are just doesn’t matter. It’s what you eat, not how you eat it.
So, how many meals should I eat a day?
Now that you know there are no magical benefits to eating 6 smaller, more frequent meals a day, you’re probably wondering how many meals you should actually eat.Well, the general answer is that anywhere between 3-6 meals a day (hell, even 2-7) is a fine workable option for most people.
But the more specific answer is exactly what I told you at the beginning of this article: whatever will make you most likely to consistently stick to your diet… THAT’S how you should eat!
Meaning:
- If you’re someone who enjoys eating 5-7 smaller meals a day, or prefers eating every 2-3 hours, and likes eating more frequently… then by all means… eat like this! It won’t “speed up your metabolism,” but if it’s the type of diet organization that you personally like best, then eating this way is what will make you most likely to stick to your diet. And really, that’s ALL that matters here.
- But if you’re someone who finds it inconvenient having to eat so frequently, or finds it annoying eating 6 small meals that leave you constantly unsatisfied and hungry, or feel like you’re being forced to eat in a way that you don’t enjoy… then this is NOT how you should be eating. Instead, 3 (or 4) bigger meals per day is probably more ideal.
Another factor to consider when choosing your ideal meal frequency is your specific calorie intake. For example…
- Someone with a lower daily calorie intake will end up having to eat a bunch of tiny unsatisfying snack-sized meals if they try to spread their daily calories out over 6 meals a day.
- Someone with a higher daily calorie intake might feel like they are about to explode if they try to cram all of their daily calories into 3 huge meals a day.
Because when you do that, the chances of you eating like you are supposed to be eating will increase big time, and that’s the only benefit worth caring about.
The Myth of Meal Timing Part 1: Eating Late At Night
Have you ever heard that it’s bad to eat later in the day? That you should stop eating at 6pm, or 7pm, or 8pm, or 9pm? Or maybe that you should just stop specifically eating carbs (or maybe fat) at these times?Yeah… that’s all bullshit too.
Calories, protein, fat, and carbs at 9am are still the same calories, protein, fat and carbs at 9pm. Your body doesn’t care or know the difference.There’s no magical fat-storing switch that flips on at a specific time and converts everything you eat into fat from that point on. It’s pure nonsense.
This whole “don’t eat after whenever-o’clock” concept is just a stupid myth that exists because many of the people who eat more calories than they’re supposed to tend to do a lot of that excess eating at night.
Does that mean eating at night makes you fat? No, it means eating too much makes you fat, and it just so happens that night time is when a lot of people end up consuming their excess calories.
If you consume those same excess calories at 7am, you’d still gain fat just the same. The time of day you overeat isn’t the cause… it’s the overeating itself.
So, should I eat late at night?
As long as your total calorie and nutrient intake remains what it needs to be for the day, feel free to eat as late as you want. It won’t make any difference whatsoever in terms of fat loss or fat gain, muscle growth or muscle loss, or anything similar.However, if you prefer eating earlier, or if eating later at night tends to cause you to overeat, then by all means avoid eating late at night.
Whatever is most convenient, enjoyable and sustainable for you… THAT’S what you should do.
The Myth Of Meal Timing Part 2: “Special” Required Eating Times
Have you ever heard that there are certain “special” times of the day when you absolutely MUST eat a meal? Specifically, how you MUST eat breakfast? How it’s the most important meal of the day? How you will never lose fat or build muscle if you don’t?Guess what… that’s bullshit too.
Now, I personally eat breakfast every single day because it fits my schedule and preferences. Maybe it fits yours too. However, this doesn’t change the fact that you don’t have to if you don’t want to, and that there’s absolutely nothing magical about doing so.The myth of breakfast being a borderline requirement for losing fat or preventing fat gain once again exists as a result of misunderstood research.
You see, studies do show that many fatter people do indeed skip breakfast. So, based on this, people like to come out and definitively say “skipping breakfast makes you fat!”
However, the actual truth is that people who skip breakfast tend to be people with poorer overall eating habits in general. They eat more junk, less healthy stuff, and of course… more total calories.
Skipping breakfast is just one of the many common dietary occurrences among people with crappy eating habits.
They aren’t fat because they skip breakfast and “their metabolisms weren’t jump started” or any similar nonsense. They’re fat because they eat in an uncontrolled fashion that leads to too many calories being eaten.
Another huge flaw in the research is that overweight people tend to skip breakfast as a way of eating less so they CAN lose weight. Meaning, they skip breakfast because they’re overweight, not the other way around.
So, should I eat breakfast?
As long as your total daily calorie and nutrient intake ends up being what it needs to be, it really doesn’t matter. So, do whatever is best for you…- If you’re like me and you prefer to eat breakfast, then you should definitely eat breakfast. Maybe you wake up hungry. Maybe it helps you come to yourself and get moving. Maybe it helps control the way you eat for the rest of the day (meaning you may overeat later if you don’t eat now). Whatever the reason, if you like eating breakfast… do it!
- If you’re someone who’s super busy in the morning and don’t have the time, or just aren’t particularly hungry that early in the day, or just feel inconvenienced by having to stop and eat breakfast every morning, then feel free to skip it and have your first meal of the day a few hours later when it IS convenient for you. As long as you still eat the right total amount of calories/nutrients for day, it’s perfectly fine.
As long as you get your totals right for the day, all that matters is doing whatever is most convenient, enjoyable and sustainable for you.
The Myth Of Meal Timing Part 3: PRE & POST Workout Nutrition
Have you ever heard that it’s beneficial to eat a proper PRE and/or POST workout meal? That what you eat in the meals before and after your workout can play a positive role in the recovery process and your overall ability to build or maintain muscle, increase strength or improve performance?Well… that’s actually not a myth at all. IT’S TRUE!
Now that I’ve disproved the most common myths related to diet organization, I figured I should mention the one aspect of meal scheduling that actually does have real benefits.I’m of course talking about the meals directly surrounding your workouts.
I’ll explain this aspect of your diet in detail a bit later, but for now all you need to know is that if there are any times of the day that are truly worthy of getting any special attention in your diet, it’s your PRE and POST workout meals.
They definitely won’t make or break your diet’s success (only failing to hit your ideal calorie/nutrient totals for the day will do that), but getting these meals right will most definitely help. More about this later.
Other times of the day though? It just doesn’t matter.
Summing It All Up: When and How Often Should You Eat?
Well, just like I said way back at the beginning of this article, everything you need to know about diet organization and meal structure can be summed up in one simple statement:
Whatever will make you most likely to consistently eat the way you
are supposed to eat, THAT’S how you should eat. Whatever is most convenient, enjoyable and
sustainable for YOU is the exact way YOU should organize your diet.
Whether that
means eating 3 big meals or 6 small meals a day, frequently or infrequently,
early or late, breakfast or no breakfast, or anything in between… that’s up to
your own personal preferences.There’s nothing magical or special about doing it one way or the other.
All that truly matters is that you eat the right total amount of calories, protein, fat and carbs each day and get those nutrients from mostly higher quality sources.
Whatever way you need to organize your diet and structure your meals to consistently make that happen… THAT’S how you should do it.
What’s Next?
Now it’s time to get even deeper into the specifics your diet plan.I’m talking about exactly what foods you should and shouldn’t eat and exactly what adjustments you can (and in some cases, SHOULD) make to your diet.
Basically, how to make sure everything in your diet fits your exact preferences perfectly. Let’s do it…
How
To Choose The Best Foods For Your Diet & Adjust Everything To Fit Your
Preferences
You also just learned that the overall structure of your diet doesn’t matter as long as you hit those totals each day, so you should always just do whatever is most conducive to making that happen consistently.
The next step requires getting even deeper into the details and specifics of your diet plan by figuring out how to make the best food choices and most ideal diet adjustments for YOU.
To do that, we’ll need to answer the following questions:
- Exactly what foods should you eat?
- Exactly what foods shouldn’t you eat?
- Exactly how should you adjust various aspects of your diet to fit your specific preferences?
- Exactly when and why would you need to make these adjustments in the first place?
- Exactly how do you make your diet as perfect for you as possible?
Oh well… let the fun begin!
The MOST Important Part Of Selecting Foods & Adjusting Your Diet
Remember how I was able to answer all of those questions about diet organization and meal structure before with one simple statement?Well, guess what? I’m going to do it again with this new set of questions…
Choose foods and adjust your diet in whatever way is most
enjoyable, sustainable and all around preferable for you. Whatever you need to
do to ensure you consistently eat the right total amount of calories and
nutrients each day (and get those nutrients primarily from higher quality
sources)… THAT’S what you should do.
In all honesty,
that’s the true best answer to any question you ever have about which foods you
should and shouldn’t eat and what diet adjustments you should and shouldn’t
make.What’s funny (or just sad) about this is that while virtually all of the smartest people in the nutrition field will usually agree with this statement 100%, it’s a stance that is definitely part of the minority.
How could that be, you ask? Well, brace yourself, it’s about to get scary in here…
Welcome To The Cult-Like World Of Diets & Food Choices
If there’s one thing I’ve noticed over the last 10+ years, it’s that the diet world is a strange, religiously fanatical, cult-like place.Every single nutrition related concept has its own group of “followers” who all share the same opinions, beliefs and preferences that surround that way of eating.
And, every single one of those groups feels that THEIR way is the BEST way for EVERYONE.
It doesn’t just fit their preferences. It’s not just ideal for their needs. It’s not just what’s right for them. No… it’s what’s universally right for everyone!
These people gather in groups via forums and blogs to praise and promote their ways and piss on everyone else’s. It’s their way or the highway… period.
Most groups have some type of a leader (or leaders)… usually some fitness guru, author, doctor, trainer, strength coach, big name blogger or something similar who is usually the person (or persons) most responsible for putting those methods out there in the first place for all of these cult-like groups to form around.
Coincidentally, that’s also usually the person making the most money from the use of those methods. But, that’s a fun topic for another day. Back to the diet cults themselves…
I’m Right, You’re Wrong! Na Na Na Na Na Na!
Most of these kinds of people don’t get along at all with those who are outside of their little diet circle. It’s kind of like a stereotypical high school movie where the nerds all sit at one table and the jocks all sit at another and generally hate each other.Now just replace “nerds” and “jocks” with “low carb fanatics” or “anti-grain people” or “paleo dieters” or “vegans/vegetarians” or “raw foodists” or “gluten-free people” or “100% clean eaters” or any of the other seemingly infinite number of groups who feel that their dietary preferences are far superior to everyone else’s.
(Before you send your angry email, please note that I’m not saying that everyone who eats a certain way is like this. I’m just talking specifically about the ones that are.)
Every group has a specific set of foods that are allowed and another set of foods that are restricted. Compare one group’s list with another’s and you’ll see that the foods one group tells you NOT to eat are the very same foods the other group says you SHOULD eat.
Crazy, right? Trust me, it’s crazier than you can even imagine.
And so the low carb people fight and argue with the moderate/high carb people, the grain eaters fight and argue with the anti-grain eaters, sane people fight and argue with the anti-fruit people, and so on and so on and so on.
In the end, no one ever gets anywhere. Each diet cult is set in its ways to the point where they can never become unconvinced that the way they choose to eat may not be the ideal way for EVERYONE to choose to eat.
What Causes These Fanatical Diet Groups To Exist?
There’s a ton of different reasons each diet group allows, restricts, or places other specific guidelines on certain foods or food groups.In most cases however, here’s what I’ve found to be the most common causes:
- Misunderstanding (and/or cherry picking) of research. Studies are done all the time, and I spend A LOT of time reading and sorting through them all on an almost daily basis. The thing is, many of these studies are just crap, and their conclusions are hardly ever truly conclusive. However, if you take some inconclusive research and put it in front of a crazy diet fanatic, they will often (and gladly) spin it however it needs to be spun (or just misunderstand it altogether) to help prove that their way of eating is superior. These are the same people who will then usually ignore all of the other research showing that their way of eating may not be so superior after all.
- It’s problematic for certain people. You see, certain foods are indeed problematic for certain people. There legitimately are food allergies, intolerances, and other digestive issues that do affect SOME people. Many crazy diet cults are built around this very fact. However, rather than just say “if you have a problem with Food X, don’t eat Food X,” they instead like to say “No one should EVER eat Food X EVER!!! It’s the devil!!! It’s killing us all!!!! Run and hide!!!!” Why do they do this? Because crazy people do and say crazy things… and these people are all definitely crazy. I personally have issues digesting diary, but you’ll never hear me say “don’t eat dairy.” You’ll only hear me say “don’t eat dairy IF you have a problem digesting dairy.” Why? Because I prefer common sense over insanity.
- Personal beliefs. Some people, for whatever reason, feel that certain foods just aren’t supposed to be eaten. For example, vegans/vegetarians, paleo dieters, and even certain religions. Honestly, that’s all fine by me. However, often times it’s not good enough for them to follow through with their own personal beliefs. They feel you should too. Who cares what you do and do not believe or feel is right or wrong… this is how they feel, so you should feel that way too.
- Personal requirements. Some people need to “eat clean” and avoid “dirty foods,” never touch a white potato or white bread, never drink alcohol, never have a cheat meal, never eat after 7pm, never eat less than 6 small meals per day, and so on. Why? Because it’s what helps them stick to their diet. Some people will stray too far from the way they are supposed to be eating if they do (or avoid doing) certain things. Basically, it’s what they’ve found works best for THEM. So, do they say “hey everyone, here’s what works best for me!” No. They say “this is what works best… period.” They automatically feel their dietary requirements should be EVERYONE’S dietary requirements.
- Personal preferences. Some people just like/dislike eating a certain way more than other ways. It’s just their personal preference. Sometimes it’s specific foods, and sometimes it’s entire food groups. For example, carbs. Some people feel tired and sluggish if they eat a higher carb diet. Others feel perfectly normal. Some people prefer to lose weight with a lower carb diet. Others lose weight just fine with a moderate-higher carb diet, and prefer it that way. Of course, that doesn’t matter to the low carb fanatics. To them, low carb is the ONLY way for EVERYONE to eat. Screw your preferences and adopt theirs instead.
The question is…
Who’s REALLY Right and Who’s REALLY Wrong?
Um… everyone. Everyone is both right and wrong at the exact same time. Here’s why…If you’ve found a way of eating that you feel is best for you for whatever reason, then you’re right. Even if the research supporting it is inconclusive (or nonexistent), whatever you feel is right for you IS in fact right for you.
If it meets your personal preferences, beliefs, and requirements, and keeps you happy, healthy, satisfied and most importantly of all… eating the right total amount of calories/nutrients per day for your goal… then I fully support whatever method of eating you’ve discovered.
But, that’s just you… not everyone. And by failing to realize that, you’re wrong.
Seriously. Who the hell are you (other than a brainwashed, obsessed, cult member nut-job) to go around and tell everyone how they should eat and what’s best for them?
Unless there is conclusive research that clearly shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that your way is in fact the BEST way for everyone (which there isn’t and likely never will be), then you’re just trying to pass off what’s right for you on everyone else.
Unfortunately for your crazy point of view, we all have different preferences and needs. We all like and dislike different foods. We don’t all have problems digesting the foods you happen to have a problem digesting. We don’t all believe or require the same things you do.
I have no problem at all with you being “proud” of your method of eating and wanting to tell people about it. Feel free. But, let them decide if that’s what’s right for them. If it is, then great. If it isn’t, be fine and understanding of the fact that not everyone should eat like you do.
A Major Difference Between This Diet Plan & All The Others
And that brings us to why I named this guide The Best Diet Plan… because it’s all about doing what’s best for YOU.I mean, sure, there are certain caloric and nutritional guidelines that must be met in order to reach your specific goal (losing fat, building muscle, etc.) as effectively as possible, and really just for optimal health and function in general.
But beyond that, I never once tell you what you should and shouldn’t do like every single one of these cult-like diet groups do.
Instead, I tell you to just do whatever you feel is best for you. Once the most important stuff is all set up, fill in the smaller details in whatever way is most ideal for you.
I personally don’t give a crap what that way is or isn’t. I have no emotional interest, I won’t make or lose money either way, and I’m not a brainwashed diet fanatic that feels my specific way of eating is ALWAYS RIGHT FOR EVERYONE like most of these people do.
I won’t get all angry when someone disagrees with the way I prefer to eat, I won’t cherry pick research to prove my way is better than yours (and then cover my ears when you do the same), and I won’t cry or argue every time someone recommends doing something different from the way I choose to do it.
Why? Because I think all of the above is pure insanity, and because I just don’t have a “way” of eating. My “way” is that everyone should do it their preferred “way,” whatever that “way” may be.
In fact, if I were to ever be a part of any cult-like diet group, it would be one based around the concept of “doing what’s best for you.” That’s the only diet cult that I’d be a proud member and supporter of.
And that brings us to the action portion of this recommendation. How do you actually do what’s best for you?
How Should YOU Choose Foods & Adjust Your Diet?
Well, I’ve said it 100 times already and I’ll say it again… the most important part of your diet plan is eating the right total amount of calories each day, getting those calories from an ideal amount of protein, fat and carbs, and getting those nutrients from mostly higher quality food sources as opposed to processed, useless, junk.Beyond that, here’s what it all comes down too:
Choose foods you actually enjoy eating.
There is no specific food that you must eat. If you don’t like the taste of it, you don’t have to force yourself to eat it… even if it’s on some diet cult’s list of “foods you must eat!”Trying to make yourself regularly eat foods you don’t truly enjoy is a fantastic way to end up hating your diet and eventually straying off it. However, if you fill your daily diet with foods you actually like, the odds of you sticking to it long term are pretty damn high.
So, while Food X might generally be considered a healthy, nutrient-rich, super amazing food, if you don’t like it.. don’t eat it! The same goes for Food Y, Food Z, and every other food on the planet.
It’s not rocket science, folks. If you don’t like it, don’t make it a part of your diet.
Choose foods you don’t have physical problems eating.
Like I said before, food allergies, intolerances and other problems with digestion do exist. So, if there is a food that fits this description for you… don’t eat it!Do you have a nut allergy? Don’t eat nuts. Have a problem with gluten? Eat gluten-free. Does dairy or grains cause digestive issues for you? Avoid dairy or grains.
On the other hand, if you are one of the MANY people who have no problems eating these (or any other) foods, then by all means, eat them! Anyone who tells you not to is either an idiot, a member of some diet cult, or most commonly of all… both.
Choose foods you don’t have emotional problems eating.
For example, Paleo dieters feel that humans were meant to eat the way cavemen ate back during the Paleolithic period. Vegans/Vegetarians feel that we shouldn’t ever eat animals or animal products.If you agree with these or any other styles of eating that are based around a certain set of beliefs, then by all means… eat that way!
You honestly have my full support.
Seriously, who is anyone to tell you what is or isn’t right for you? If you want to meet your ideal daily calorie and nutrient intake each day by following a vegetarian diet, a Paleolithic diet, or anything similar… go for it!
However, if you’re one of the MANY people who likes eating meat, then a vegetarian diet is NOT for you. And if you really couldn’t care less about how cavemen used to eat and/or just enjoy eating the types of foods a Paleo diet would restrict, then a Paleo diet is definitely NOT for you.
The same goes for any other diet that restricts foods/food groups that you would personally prefer to eat.
Once again, it’s not rocket science. Do what’s right for you, and don’t make yourself do what isn’t.
Choose foods that are convenient and “doable” for you and your life.
On paper, it’s really easy to say “these are the foods I should eat.” But in real life, sometimes it just doesn’t work out so well.For example, certain foods are less common in certain parts of the world. Some foods are in or out of season depending on where you live. Some foods cost a lot more than others. Some foods take a lot more time to prepare. Some people don’t have easy access to farmer’s markets or organic grocery stores.
Not to mention, some people aren’t just cooking/shopping for themselves. They have wives or husbands or children that may need to end up eating that same meal for dinner that they are, and that’s a whole other set of preferences that might need to be taken into account.
So, while a food can seem “right” for you, you might find that it’s not so right after all when you actually try to make it a regular part of your diet and your life.
Should you keep trying to make it work despite how inconvenienced you become as a result? No!
Long term diet adherence is all about doing what IS convenient and ideally doable for you. Doing what isn’t is a recipe for failure.
· Make the adjustments that truly suit your preferences and requirements.
Of the 3 macronutrients that will supply your daily calorie intake (protein, fat, carbs), would you prefer eating more or less of one than the others?I don’t even care what your reasoning is. Maybe you feel better eating a lower or higher carb, fat or protein diet, or maybe you just enjoy the taste of high carb, high protein, or high fat foods more or less than anything else.
Whatever your reason is, you should adjust your diet to fit that preference. Here’s an example of how you’d do that using carbs.
Earlier in this guide, you may have noticed that I gave a range for what your ideal protein and fat intake should be each day.
So, if you wanted to eat a lower carb diet (or just wanted to eat a higher protein and/or higher fat diet), all you’d need to do is eat at the higher end of your ideal protein and fat intake range and then just lower carb intake to compensate calorie-wise.
On the other hand, if you wanted to eat a higher carb diet instead, you’d just do this in reverse. Eat at the lower end of your ideal protein and fat intake range, and then increase carb intake to compensate.
Your calorie intake still remains what it needs to be for your goal, your protein and fat intake both still remain within their ideal ranges, and carbs are adjusted up or down to fit the way you prefer to eat.
And if you’d rather just have a nice balance of everything (this tends to be my default recommendation), then just set protein and fat in the middle of their respective ranges, and carbs will end up being in a moderate (neither high nor low) range as a result.
As long as your calorie intake still remains what it should be and everything else still falls within their ideal ranges, you’re welcome to adjust your diet how ever the hell you want to (or need to) to keep you happy and consistent.
This is just one example of how to make that happen.
Do Only What’s Right For You… Not Someone Else
Like I said before, this isn’t rocket science. All that really matters is this:
Choose foods and adjust your diet in whatever way is most
enjoyable, sustainable and all around preferable for you. Whatever you need to
do to ensure you consistently eat the right total amount of calories and
nutrients each day (and get those nutrients primarily from higher quality
sources)… THAT’S what you should do.
Every person’s
diet should be put together based solely on their own personal needs and
preferences, not anyone else’s. Ignore the diet cults and focus on doing what’s
right for you and only you.What about you? What’s right for you? How do you prefer to eat?
In my case, I don’t adhere to ANY specific style of eating or method of food selection.I’m basically a big fan of balance, and getting that balance from a variety of healthy foods that I truly enjoy eating. Simple as that.
There are absolutely no special restrictions placed on my diet beyond limiting typical junky/processed garbage, avoiding foods that I personally have issues digesting (in my case, dairy), and avoiding foods that I just don’t like the taste of (for example, sweet potatoes).
I get the majority of my protein intake from foods like chicken, turkey, fish and eggs. The majority of my carb intake often comes from brown rice, white potatoes and plenty of fruits and vegetables. The majority of my fat intake comes from nuts (usually almonds, peanuts & walnuts), olive oil, and fish oil supplements (more on those later).
I never force myself to eat foods I don’t like, and I never avoid foods I have no legitimate reason to avoid. I do what’s best for me 100% of the time.
Doing so not only allows me to meet my daily requirements for calories, protein, fat and carbs without any problems whatsoever (which is always goal #1), but it also makes my diet as enjoyable, sustainable and all around preferable for me as possible.
And that right there is the true definition of the BEST diet plan.
Your job is to figure out what’s right or wrong for you and do it just the same.
What’s Next?
Now that you know how to select the foods that will comprise the majority of your diet and make the adjustments (if any) that are right for your preferences, there’s one other “food group” that still needs to be addressed.I’m talking about all of those amazingly tasty but nutritionally useless foods that we know we shouldn’t be eating too often.
And this of course brings us to a subject a lot of people love to hear about… cheat meals!
The
Cheat Meal – How To Use Cheat Meals To Stick To Your Diet
What about all of those foods that you SHOULDN’T be eating?
You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?
All of those wonderfully tasty and amazingly delicious foods that are some combination of junky, unhealthy, or just nutritionally useless.
The foods that you are supposed to avoid or at least greatly limit from your daily diet but probably wish you could just sit around eating all day long.
Sound familiar? I bet you even have a couple of them in mind right now, don’t you?
Well, that would make you pretty normal, because the thing most people hate about eating right is that they have to limit or completely avoid many of the foods they love.
And this brings up some very interesting questions. Specifically:
- Do you ever get to eat those kinds of foods again?
- If so, when?
- How often?
- How much of them can you eat?
- Will doing this screw up your diet?
- Will it prevent or hinder you from reaching your goal?
The Cheat Meal
I’ve personally seen this concept referred to in a variety of ways, most often:- Cheat Meals
- Reward Meals
- Free Meals
You know, like the types of foods I described a minute ago. The ones you know you shouldn’t be eating, but still want to eat anyway.
Sounds like a pretty awesome diet concept, doesn’t it?
The reason it goes by (at least) 3 different names is because some people like to think of it 3 different ways…
- The “cheat meal” people view this as them cheating on their diet. Most of the smarter people in the nutrition field hate this term, because it implies you’re doing something really bad, and that type of thinking leads to guilt… which is the complete opposite of how a cheat meal should make you feel (you’ll understand why in a minute).
- The “reward meal” people view this as a reward for properly sticking to their diet for some predetermined amount of time. I personally think that’s kinda silly, because the positive changes to your body (and health) are the real reward for sticking to your diet consistently… not a cookie or a slice of pizza.
- And the “free meal” people view this as a chance to just be temporarily free from any real dietary restraints or guidelines. In terms of the actual wording, free meal probably makes the most sense of all.
And while “free meal” is my preferred choice for what to call it, I’m actually going to use cheat meal from this point on. That’s just what most people know it as, so I might as well go with it and avoid confusion.
Now, where was I? Oh right, explaining whether you CAN or SHOULD eat the foods you love.
Let’s start with the most obvious question of all…
What’s The Purpose Of Cheat Meals?
Cheat meals are all about helping you stick to your diet. The most common reason people fail to reach their goal (or fail to maintain it afterward) is because they stop eating the way they need to be eating.Why does that happen, you ask? Well, because losing fat, preventing fat gain, or just being healthy in general requires a certain amount of restriction from the “bad” foods we all love to eat, and everyone hates that.
So, what often ends up happening is that people feel deprived and generally pissed off and annoyed because they miss eating the foods they really enjoy eating. And what happens next? They go off their diet and start eating them.
You deprive someone of something they crave (and are constantly surrounded by) for a long enough amount of time, and they will eventually give in to it. And that’s why diets fail.
But, that’s exactly where cheat meals help you succeed.
What if instead of depriving yourself of your favorite foods for the rest of your life, you regularly plan out instances in advance where you will allow yourself to eat those foods guilt-free?
Instead of torturing yourself until you reach your diet’s breaking point, you allow yourself to occasionally give in to your cravings and therefore prevent that “breaking point” from ever being reached.
That’s what cheat meals are: small planned breaks in your regularly scheduled diet that serve to keep you sane and happy. And since you planned for it, there’s no guilt involved. It was supposed to happen.
By allowing yourself to eat the foods you love in this type of controlled fashion, the chances of short term and long term diet adherence increase significantly. And that right there is the purpose of cheat meals.
Now for the next most obvious question…
Will A Cheat Meal Hurt My Diet, Body or Progress?
As long as it’s done properly (more on that in a minute), the answer is NO.A properly done cheat meal will NOT directly hurt your diet, your body or your progress. Like I just finished saying, as long as it’s done right, cheat meals often only serve to HELP with long term diet adherence.
Think about it. If you’re eating the “right” way 95% of the time, do you really think that other 5% is going to make any real direct significant difference in the grand scheme of things? Trust me, it won’t.
And that means eating some of those less-than-ideal junky/unhealthy/useless foods that you love from time to time will not directly hurt your ability to lose fat, build muscle, or accomplish any similar goal in any significant way whatsoever… as long as it’s done right.
So far so good, right? Now on to the question that’s probably right on the tip of your tongue at this point…
What’s The Proper Way To Use Cheat Meals?
This is the part where you are probably expecting a bunch of specific guidelines, aren’t you? Something about how a cheat meal can only contain X amount of this or X amount of that or only this type of food but none of that type of food and blah blah blah.Well, the thing is, if I set a bunch of specific guidelines like that, it really wouldn’t be a cheat meal anymore, would it?
So, for that reason, there are no specific guidelines for cheat meals.
And that’s really why “free meal” is the true better term for it… it’s literally meant as a chance for you to be free.
The primary purpose is to give you a mental and dietary break and remove your usual guidelines and restrictions so that you are allowed to eat something you love without feeling guilty about it.
What I do recommend however, are two general guidelines:
- Don’t go too crazy.
- Don’t do it too often.
Don’t go too crazy.
A properly done cheat meal is always done with some amount of moderation and control still intact.Yes, it’s your chance to eat something you wouldn’t normally eat. But, that doesn’t mean it’s your chance to go completely insane and try to set some kind of eating record. Some amount of sanity should still exist to some degree.
What I mean is, have a few cookies, not the entire box. Have a slice or two of pizza, not the whole pie. Have a bowl of ice cream, not the whole container.
This is where people go wrong with cheat meals. They throw all sanity out the window and just go crazy.
That can’t happen.
Remember before when I said a properly done cheat meal wouldn’t directly hurt your diet or your progress? That’s because a properly done cheat meal isn’t so insanely large that it has that direct negative impact.
So, while you definitely do not need to measure exact servings or precisely count calories or anything like that, you still need to use some common sense and judgment to not go completely overboard.
Basically, don’t turn your cheat meal into a crazy meal. And also…
Don’t do it too often.
The exact frequency a cheat meal should occur doesn’t really exist. It you want to really get technical about it, it would vary based on the person and the exact type of cheat meal being eaten.However, for most of the people, most of the time, 1 or 2 cheat meals per week is the maximum I (and most others) would recommend.
Now, for some people, that may seem absolutely perfect. That’s good.
For other people, this may actually seem like too much. Some people only want to have a cheat meal on special occasions like holidays or parties or family gatherings or something similar. That’s perfectly fine.
And for other people, this may not seem like enough. Well, too bad.
Remember before when I said a properly done cheat meal wouldn’t directly hurt your diet or your progress? That’s because a properly done cheat meal doesn’t happen often enough for it to have that direct negative impact.
That’s what makes it “properly done.” And that’s why it can’t happen TOO often.
Are Cheat Meals Right For Me?
You now have a pretty good understanding of what cheat meals are and how to properly use them.The next question is… should you?
The answer seems like an obvious yes for everyone, doesn’t it?
Well, before you jump to that conclusion, you may have noticed my use of the word “directly” numerous times in the last bunch of paragraphs.
As in… “properly done cheat meals will not directly hurt your diet, your body or your progress.”
Now that you know what “properly done” entails, that statement should make sense. In the overall big picture of your diet, the occasional cheat meal really isn’t even a blip on the radar.
Like I said before, if you’re eating properly 95% of the time, do you honestly think that other 5% is going to do a damn thing? Nope, and that’s why as long as cheat meals are used properly and truly do only account for that small percentage of your overall diet, there will be no direct negative effect of any kind.
There will of course be a bunch of positive mental effects, which is the whole point and purpose of cheat meals in the first place.
But, back to my use of the words “direct” and “directly.”
The reason why I keep using them is because IT IS possible for properly used cheat meals to have an indirect negative impact on the diet, body and progress of certain people.
What I mean is, the answer to the “are cheat meals right for me” question depends solely on how YOUR answer will impact YOUR ability to stick to YOUR diet.
Because, when it comes to cheat meals or anything similar, I find that there are 3 types of people:
1. People whose diets will be ruined by it.
These are the people who lack some amount of control, will power, or whatever it is that allows a person to follow the 2 cheat meal guidelines I mentioned before.You know… not going too crazy and not doing it too often.
These are the people that won’t be able to do it in the semi-controlled/infrequent way that it’s meant to be done.
For these people, a cheat meal turns into a cheat day. And a cheat day turns into a cheat week. For these people, getting a chance to eat the foods they love only sparks their desire for them to the point where they stray too far from their proper diet and eventually off it altogether.
In this case, cheat meals do more harm than good as it will definitely hurt that person’s diet, body and progress to the point where it can (and usually will) be ruined altogether.
These are the people who should NOT use cheat meals. If they can’t eat these kinds of foods in moderation, the best thing they can do is just not eat them at all.
2. People whose diets will be saved by it.
On the other hand, there are people who CAN follow those guidelines and use cheat meals properly.And, in many cases, these are the people who will never stick to their diet consistently if it means they have to completely give up eating some of the foods they love.
These are the people who NEED to be allowed to indulge from time to time in order for their diet to work long term.
These are the people who NEED to know they CAN and WILL regularly get a chance to eat something that wouldn’t normally be a part of their diet.
If they couldn’t, it would drive them nuts and most likely force them to go off their diet too much and too often until it eventually ends up being the downfall of their proper diet.
In this case, their diet is saved by the use of cheat meals.
Being able to schedule in cheat meals from time to time helps to keep their cravings for those foods at bay just enough so that their diet can be sustained.
These are the people who SHOULD use cheat meals.
3. People who it really doesn’t matter for either way.
While they may be the rarest of all, there is another group of people who it just don’t matter much for either way.I probably wouldn’t even think such a group actually exists, but I just so happen to be one of these kinds of people.
Cheat meals wouldn’t ruin my diet, and cheat meals wouldn’t save my diet. I am perfectly happy sticking to my proper diet the majority of the time with or without the use of cheat meals. It doesn’t really help or hurt me.
In fact, for a long time I would say I just never used cheat meals at all… EVER. Everything went perfectly fine with my diet and I didn’t feel deprived or tortured or unhappy in any way. I’m just weird like that, and I can only assume there are others out there just like me.
But then, a couple of years ago, I realized that awesome and tasty food is… well… awesome and tasty. I don’t know if I just forgot for the years before that or if I just didn’t care. But, now I kinda do.
I don’t regularly schedule cheat meals, but I do allow for them during pretty much any special occasion (holiday, party, eating out, etc.) and I enjoy it quite a bit.
I don’t need it, but I enjoy it, so I do it… properly.
So, Are Cheat Meals Right For Me?
Well, here’s what I recommend…- If you are in group #1, I’d say no.
- If you are in group #2, I’d say yes.
- If you are in group #3 (which really includes anyone not in group 1 or 2), then I’d say maybe. It’s really just up to your own personal preferences. Basically, do whatever seems best for you.
Whatever you end up doing as a result (using or avoiding cheat meals), it’s the right decision for you and the long term success of your diet.
What’s Next?
Well, at this point you know how to set up the majority of the diet plan that is going to be most ideal for you, your goals, and your exact preferences.Now it’s time to move on to a fairly simple subject that the nutrition world has turned into an overcomplicated mess. I’m talking about what to eat in the meals before and after your workout.
Let’s get it straight once and for all…
PRE
& POST Workout Meal – What To Eat Before & After Working Out
- Lose fat.
- Build muscle.
- Lose fat AND build muscle.
- Increase strength.
- Improve performance.
- Be healthy.
Your total daily calorie and nutrient intake (along with getting those nutrients from mostly higher quality sources) is ALWAYS the most important part of every single diet plan regardless of what your goal is.
But, that statement brings up an interesting question: What then is the second most important aspect of your diet?
Well, for people who are working out regularly, the answer is both simple and scientifically proven…
The PRE & POST Workout Meal
Your PRE and POST workout meals are the meals you eat before and after working out.Once you ensure you’re getting all of your totals right for the day, the meals directly surrounding your workouts are next in line in terms of the amount of impact and influence it has on the results you get.
The reason why should be fairly obviously. The PRE and POST workout meals happen play a key role in the effectiveness of those workouts.
In the most basic sense:
- What you eat before (and if needed, during) your workout is crucial for fueling the workout itself and maximizing your performance throughout.
- What you eat after your workout is crucial for optimizing the recovery process (which basically begins as soon as your workout ends) and ensuring that your body has all of the supplies it needs in order to recover, adapt and improve the way you want it to.
So, while your around-workout-nutrition definitely won’t make or break your success, the meals you eat before and after working out can definitely play a positive role in improving your results.
You just need to get these meals right to reap the benefits.
Not surprisingly, the diet and fitness world has overcomplicated the crap out of these meals, with various “experts” coming up with all kinds of super specific recommendations and various supplement companies coming out with supposed “superior” products.
Let’s now cut through all of that nonsense and figure out exactly what you should be eating before and after your workouts…
PRE Workout Nutrition: What Should You Eat Before Working Out?
As you’ve probably guessed, your PRE workout meal is the last meal you eat before your workout.In certain cases and in certain situations, this PRE workout meal may carry over into something of a during-workout meal (only if needed, definitely not required).
For this reason, these meals typically get lumped together into what many people commonly refer as the “Energy Phase” portion of your around-workout-nutrition.
The Purpose Of Your PRE Workout Meal
The reason these meals got this “energy phase” nickname is pretty obvious.Your PRE workout meal is the meal that plays the largest role in supplying your body with everything it will need to ensure optimal performance during your workout.
And, in the cases where a during-workout meal is being used (either in place of the PRE workout meal or in conjunction with it), its purpose is exactly the same.
Specifically, the primary goal of the PRE workout meal is to accomplish the following:
- Reduce muscle glycogen depletion.
- Reduce muscle protein breakdown.
- Reduce post workout cortisol levels.
How To Do It
To make all of the above happen successfully, your body needs 2 things:- Carbs
- Protein
That’s the key here, and as long as you are doing that, you’re doing it right.
Now, this is the point when everyone likes to take it a big overcomplicated step further and give specific recommendations for exactly how many grams of carbs and protein you should eat, exactly what foods those nutrients should come from, and exactly how many hours, minutes and seconds before your workout you should eat this meal for MAXIMUM RESULTS!
While I always find that kind of thing hilarious and mostly pointless (seriously, any differences will be insignificant at best), I won’t just leave you hanging with no guidelines at all.
A Recommended PRE Workout Meal Protocol
The true specifics here will differ slightly depending on things like your schedule, what time of the day you work out, how much time you actually have before your workout, exactly what type of workout it’s going to be, and of course… your own preferences.Rather than even attempt to cover every possible scenario, I’ll just leave you with what is likely the most popular recommendation for what to eat before working out.
The following comes courtesy of Alan Aragon, who is hands down one of the smartest and most trustworthy people in the nutrition field.
Option A: 60-90 minutes pre-workout, have a solid, balanced meal containing…
Protein = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Adding fat at this point is fine, use your discretion as long as it
fits into your macronutrient goals. Note that this meal is skipped if you train
first thing in the morning.
OR…
Option B: 30-0 minutes pre-workout – (and/or sipped throughout the
workout), have a liquid or easily digested meal containing…
Protein = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
If you were going to train for close to or more than 2 hours
continuously, it would definitely benefit you to have this extra pre-workout
meal either immediately prior to, or sipped during training. Keep the fats here
incidental and not added if you’re prone to gastric distress during training.
I think that’s
all pretty self explanatory.As for me personally, I always go with something similar to the first option shown above. Meaning…
- My PRE workout meal takes place 1-2 hours before my workout and consists of a normal solid food meal containing a good amount of protein (example foods include chicken, fish, beef, egg whites, etc.), and a good amount of carbs (example foods include brown rice, oatmeal, or any lower glycemic source).
There’s no need to get any more complicated than that, and no need to obsess about the specifics. Alan Aragon himself would be the first person to tell you that.
POST Workout Nutrition: What Should You Eat After Working Out?
Your POST workout meal is the first meal you eat after your workout.While the PRE (and/or during) workout nutrition phase is commonly referred to as the “Energy Phase,” this POST workout portion of your around-workout-nutrition is commonly referred to as the “Anabolic Phase.”
The Purpose of Post Workout Nutrition
The reason it’s nicknamed the “anabolic phase” is again pretty obvious, as anabolism refers to the “building” (or even “rebuilding”) of something.Quite simply, your POST workout meal is the meal that plays the largest role in supplying your body with everything it will need to repair, replenish, recover and adapt to the training stimulus that you just provided during your workout.
Specifically, the goal of the POST workout meal is to accomplish the following:
- Replenish muscle glycogen that was depleted during your workout.
- Reduce muscle protein breakdown caused by exercise.
- Increase muscle protein synthesis.
- Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
- Greatly enhance overall recovery.
- Reduce cortisol levels.
How To Do It
To make all of the above happen successfully, your body once again needs 2 things:- Carbs
- Protein
So, your primary goal with your POST workout meal is to consume a significant amount of both carbs and protein in some form soon after your workout.
Why soon after? Because, after your workout, your body is absolutely primed and ready to accept protein and carbs so it can immediately begin putting these nutrients to good use doing all of the awesome things you want it to be doing (such as the stuff on that list above).
Most people also feel that calorie partitioning (how calories are used once they enter your body) is at its very best at this time, so people often make this their largest meal of the day.
For all of these reasons, it’s most often recommended to consume your post workout meal as soon after your workout as you can.
I don’t mean put-down-the-weights-and-start-eating. That’s a bit insane. However, this meal should ideally be eaten within the first 60 minutes after your workout. Or better yet, within the first 30 minutes after your workout.
So, your biggest goal with your POST workout meal is to consume a nice amount of both protein and carbs sometime within the first 30 minutes after your workout.
As long as you’re doing that, you’re doing it right.
Of course, we’ve once again reached the point where everyone wants the overcomplicated specifics. Exactly how many grams of carbs and protein, exactly what foods should they come from, and so on.
While I again find those kind of specifics to be mostly pointless, I won’t just leave you hanging with no guidelines at all.
A Recommended POST Workout Meal Protocol
Just like I did earlier with your PRE workout meal, I’m going to again leave you with Alan Aragon’s popular recommendation, this time for what to eat after working out.
Within 30 minutes post-workout, have either a liquid or solid meal
containing…
Protein = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25-0.5g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25-0.5g per pound of your target body weight.
Amount of fat here doesn’t matter as long as your daily target is
hit.
Again, that’s
pretty self explanatory.As for me personally, I usually go about this meal 3 different ways.
- Option A: Sometimes I have a liquid meal consisting of whey protein powder as my protein source (whey is the “fast” digesting protein, more about it later), and dextrose (which is a type of sugar commonly used in sports drinks) as my carb source. I just throw the appropriate amounts of both into a shaker bottle, take it with me to the gym, and leave it in my car or locker. When I’ve finished working out, I just pour in a bottle of water, shake for a few seconds, and taaadaaa, I have an extremely quick and convenient POST workout shake that I drink on the ride home.
- Option B: Sometimes I skip the liquid meal described above in favor of a normal solid food meal as soon as I get home. I normally go with chicken and a big bowl of rice or white potatoes or another similar higher glycemic source. As I’ve mentioned before, this is the one time of the day when higher glycemic foods may have an advantage over lower glycemic foods. I know a lot of people who prefer to eat their favorite junkier cereals (Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, etc.) at this meal for this very reason.
- Option C: Sometimes I combine elements of the previous 2 options. Specifically, I’ll use whey protein powder as my protein source, and a higher glycemic solid food as my carb source.
Option A (the whey/dextrose shake) was once thought to be FAR superior to anything else because they both digest faster than any other source of protein or carbs (not to mention, a liquid meal digests faster than a solid food meal).
However, if you already got your PRE workout meal right, then it probably doesn’t matter anywhere near as much as some people make it seem. Don’t get me wrong, I still use this option a lot, it’s just that any supposed benefits over Option B or C are most likely insignificant at best.
The real big advantage of this shake is the convenience of it. Just mix it together and drink. That’s as quick and easy as it gets, and some people might prefer that. Not to mention, some people just aren’t that hungry after working out, so they might prefer to drink this meal rather than eat it. It’s all about personal preferences.
Option B or C (the solid/semi-solid food meals) are definitely more ideal for people who would prefer to chew their meal rather than drink it. Some people just enjoy eating and love the idea of getting to eat a nice big meal containing some of the higher glycemic foods they typically avoid the rest of the day.
These options may just be more fun and enjoyable to many people, especially those who are trying to lose fat (and are therefore eating less calories overall and wouldn’t want to “waste” a meal by drinking it), or people who just have problems controlling their appetite.
Again, as long as you get the gist of the meal right (eat a nice amount of protein and carbs soon after your workout), exactly how you do it is not likely to matter much in the end and should really come down to your own personal preferences.
There’s no need to get any more complicated than that, and no need to obsess about the specifics.
What about the POST… POST workout meal?
As for what to eat in the meal that comes after this POST workout meal (and when exactly to eat it), I’ll again leave you in the hands of Alan Aragon…
It’s simply your next scheduled meal, whether it’s 1, 2, or 3 hours
later simply doesn’t matter – especially if your immediate POST workout meal
was designed as above.
Not much more to
add to that.Summing Up Your Around-Workout-Nutrition
Honestly, it’s all pretty simple.No matter what any diet guru or supplement company claims, the most important part of your diet is always your total calorie, protein, fat and carb intake for the day, not some magical world of “nutrient timing” or any other such nonsense.
But yeah, proper PRE and POST workout nutrition will certainly play a positive role in your overall results.
Is it enough of a role to make or break your diet or your ability to lose fat, build muscle, or reach a similar goal? Nope. Is it enough of a role to make up for failing to get the real important stuff right? Definitely not.
But, assuming you’re already doing the important stuff correctly, getting your PRE and POST workout meals right is the icing on the cake.
So, surround your workouts with meals that contain a nice amount of protein and carbs, and don’t waste time or energy making it much more complicated than that.
The PRE and POST Workout FAQ
Before we leave this subject, I just want to answer a few related questions that I can imagine people having after reading this. Here we go…Can you tell me more about whey protein powder? What brand of whey and dextrose do you recommend?
The full details of whey protein powder (and protein supplements in general) are coming up next in this guide. You’ll see in a minute.As for brand recommendations, I personally use and fully recommend Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey, which I always order online right here for a lot cheaper than a dump like GNC sells it for.
For dextrose, it’s all the exact same thing, so any brand is fine. Check your local supermarket or health food store for it (it may sometimes be called corn sugar instead of dextrose). It’s pretty cheap, so buy it in bulk if you decide to use it as your POST workout carb source.
If you can’t find it in a store (many people can’t, myself included), you can order it online as well. I personally use Now Foods Dextrose which I also order from here.
My goal is to lose weight. Won’t the EXTRA calories from my PRE/POST workout meals cause me to gain weight or stop me from losing weight?
NO, not at all. The reason why is because these calories will NOT be EXTRA calories.They will be a part of your total daily diet.
What I mean is, the “extra” calories from these meals will be bad ONLY if they are indeed “extra” calories above what you are supposed to be eating.
However, what they should be are calories that are just PART of the total daily calorie intake that’s ideal for you.
So, if you need to be eating 2500 calories per day (just an example), the calories from the meals before and after your workout should be a part of those 2500 calories… NOT in addition to them.
It seems so silly and obvious, but I’ve seen it asked enough times (do I need to count these calories too?!?!?) to know that it needs to be addressed.
The same goes for protein, carbs and/or fat. The calories and nutrients in these meals all count towards your daily totals just like any other meal.
What if I do cardio right after weight training? When should I have my POST workout meal then?
You can either have your POST workout meal after you’ve finished the entire workout (so after the cardio in this example), or, if you’re using the liquid POST workout meal option (Option A, the whey/dextrose shake), you have 3 other options.You can either take a little break between weight training and cardio (which you probably end up doing anyway) and drink your POST workout shake then.
Or, you can just sip it while doing cardio.
Or, do a little of both. Start drinking it after weights/before cardio, and finish it by sipping it during cardio. You could actually even start drinking it at the end of your weight training workout if you really wanted to.
Really, as long as you’re having some kind of protein/carb meal within a sane amount of time after your workout, you’re fine. Don’t go nuts over it.
I noticed that certain supplement and sports drink companies make their own PRE or POST workout drink that contains something similar to what you outlined. Can’t I just buy those?
You can, but you’d probably be better off if you didn’t.
For one, you’d
be wasting money, because it will be WAY cheaper to just buy your own whey
protein and dextrose and then just combine them with water yourself (that is
assuming you prefer a liquid meal over a solid food meal).Plus, you’ll be able to select the exact amounts of each that are ideal for you (rather than whatever that company just happened to pick) AND you’ll also avoid paying for any excess garbage that many of these PRE/POST workout drinks often include.
So, I’d recommend either just having a solid food meal or making your own “drink” using your own ingredients.
What’s Next?
Well, that’s pretty much everything you need to know about what, when, why and how to eat before and after working out.Now it’s time to move on to a fun little topic that everyone likes to spend way too much time and money on… the always entertaining and bullshit filled world of supplements.
Dietary Supplements – Which Supplement Should You REALLY Take?
And now for one
of the most controversial, money making, overcomplicated, deceitful, and all
around entertaining diet topics of them all… dietary supplements. While this billion dollar industry built primarily on lies and deception is easily the least important part of your overall diet plan, it’s probably the area with the most questions in need of answering.
For example:
- What supplements are the best? Which are best for fat loss? Which are best for building muscle? Which are best for overall health in general?
- Which should you take?
- What are their benefits?
- What do they do?
- Do they REALLY work?
- Are they safe?
- Are there any side effects?
- What brand is the best?
- How much should I take?
- How often should I take it?
- When should I take it?
- How should I take it?
The thing is, before I can answer those questions, we need to get some important facts straight…
NO Supplements Are Truly Required
You know that goal you have? Losing fat, building muscle, increasing strength, improving performance… whatever it is. Remember it?Well, there is not one supplement that is required in order for you to reach that goal.
Truth is, everything that is truly needed in order for your goal to be reached can be provided through a combination of a proper diet and workout program.
So, before we go any further, the first thing you need to know about dietary supplements is that none are actually needed. No matter what you’ve heard or read, you don’t need to spend a cent on anything.
Whatever it is you want your body to do, it can be accomplished without using any supplements of any kind. That’s a fact.
95% Of All Supplements Are Pure Crap
It’s true, and 95% may actually be an understatement.Like I mentioned a minute ago, supplements are a billion dollar industry built on lies. The claims, the benefits, the reported results, the testimonials, the before and after pictures… it’s all lies and deception and often times just flat out bullshit.
Why? Because supplement companies want your money, and they are willing to say and do just about anything in order to trick you into buying their crappy products.
The truth is, no matter what it says on the bottle, no matter what it says in its description, no matter what it claims in the advertisement, no matter what you overheard in your gym, no matter what you may have read online somewhere, and no matter what the idiot in the supplement store tells you… 95% of all supplements are useless wastes of money.
Some are just useless, some are just unnecessary, some are just dangerous, and some are a combination of all 3. Whatever it is, this describes the majority of the dietary supplements on the market.
Are there any that actually ARE useful in some way? Sure, and I’ll tell you about them in a minute.
However, the point I’m making here and the second important fact you need to know about supplements is that most of them are complete and utter garbage that don’t do anything no matter what they claim.
NO Supplements Will Make Up For A Poor Diet Or Workout Program
Despite the infinite number of lies supplement companies are willing to tell and the amount of pure bullshit they are willing to present (as well as the hopes and dreams of many lazy people), there is no such thing as a magic pill or powder that will produce results by itself or somehow “do the work for you” or even “do some of the work for you.”There is no legal supplement that will cause fat loss. There is no legal supplement that will build muscle.
ONLY a proper diet and workout program are capable of making these things happen. Once you’ve set up both and effectively put them into action, supplements can, at best, only help at that point.
That’s help… not do.
And before that point is reached? Nope, supplements won’t help at all. Even the ones that I’m about to explain are useful. The lack of a proper diet and workout will make them useless.
Why? Because no supplement will work in the absence of a proper diet and workout, and no supplement will make up for a poor diet and workout.
The truth is, the key to losing fat, building muscle, or just improving your body or health in any way is a combination of a proper diet and workout program. The best supplements in the world won’t do a thing if you don’t get that important stuff right first.
So, the third important fact you need to know about dietary supplements is that the few that are useful won’t actually DO anything. They can only HELP once you are already doing everything else (diet/workout) correctly.
Are There Any Supplements Actually Worth Taking?
Now that you’ve learned the basics of supplements and the supplement industry in general, you’re just about ready to learn about the few supplements that can (and in some cases, should) be taken.However, before we get to those specifics, there’s just one more point I want to make perfectly clear.
And that is, any supplement I ever take or recommend MUST meet the following 2 requirements:
- They must be
scientifically proven to be useful or beneficial in some way.
I don’t fall for stupid marketing crap and bullshit claims. I only believe science, facts and real world results. You should too. - They must be safe.
I am WAY overly cautious about supplements and what I put into my body in general. So, if it’s even remotely dangerous or unsafe when used properly, then I’m not interested at all.
Here now is a list of the most commonly used dietary supplements that meet my two requirements…
- Protein Powder (Whey and Casein)
- Fish Oil
- Multivitamin
- Creatine
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids)
- Beta-Alanine
- Caffeine
- Glucosamine
Which should you use? Good question…
Which Supplements Should You Take?
The only way to answer this question would be by breaking down the full details of every supplement on that list. The problem is, doing that would quickly turn this into a whole separate supplement guide.In the future, I definitely plan on doing something like that, but for right now, I just want to tell you about my current 4 favorite supplements:
- Protein Powder
- Fish Oil
- Multivitamin
- Creatine
Which are right for you? What do they do? Why, when and how should you take them? How much should you take? Which brand is best? Are there any side effects?
Let’s find out.
First up, let’s cover everything you need to know about protein powder…
Protein Powder – Whey vs Casein, Benefits, Side Effects & Best
Brand
Ah yes, protein
powder. It’s the first supplement people typically turn to when they decide
they want to lose fat, build muscle or just improve the way their body looks or
performs in any capicity.Of course, once the decision to use protein powder has been made, a lot of basic questions commonly arise. For example:
- What does it do? What are its benefits?
- Does it really work?
- What’s the difference between whey and casein? Which is better?
- How and when should you take it?
- Are there any potential side effects?
- What brand is the best?
What Is Protein Powder?
As one of the most popular supplements on the planet, you probably know what protein powder is. And if you don’t, I’m sure you can guess.It’s just… protein… in powdered form. Surprise!
You know how foods like chicken, fish, and beef are high in protein? Well, think of protein powder as a much quicker and much more convenient version of those types of foods.
You just mix some form of protein powder (whey, casein, etc.) with some form of liquid (water, milk, etc.) and taaadaaa… you instantly have yourself a drinkable high protein meal (aka a protein shake).
What Does Protein Powder Do? What Are Its Benefits?
Technically speaking, protein powder doesn’t actually DO anything other than provide you with a quick and convenient source of protein.Where the benefits lie are with protein itself. Protein powder just so happens to provide that protein in a high quality, tasty, low calorie, convenient form.
As I’ve explained before (What Does Protein Do?), your daily protein intake is the second most important part of every single diet plan (total calories are always #1).
Why is it so important, you ask? Well, here’s a quick recap:
- In terms of the overall health and function of your body, it plays a crucial role in the growth, repair or function of organs, bones, hair, skin, blood, and… oh yeah… muscle!
- In terms of building muscle, the human body just can NOT build (or even maintain) muscle if you don’t eat a sufficient amount of protein on a daily basis.
- In terms of losing fat, consuming enough protein each day is the dietary key to ensuring the weight you lose is fat and NOT muscle.
- Protein has also proven to be the most filling of the 3 macronutrients (more than carbs or fat), which means it plays the largest role in controlling your hunger and curbing your appetite.
- It also has the largest thermic effect, which means it requires more calories to be burned during digestion than any other macronutrient (again more than carbs or fat).
Sounds pretty good, right?
Protein powder itself just serves as a super quick, convenient and easy way of ensuring you consistently eat your ideal amount of protein per day (which is the true key to actually getting the benefits listed above).
There’s no preparing or cooking. You take a scoop, pour in some type of liquid, mix for a few seconds (no blender needed) and drink.
In less than a minute you’ll have a low calorie, muscle building, muscle protecting, hunger preventing serving of protein with no real work, time or effort involved.
And besides just making it easier for you to consume the right amount of protein each day, there are certain times when protein powder may have some advantage over a normal high protein food. I’m of course referring to the PRE and/or POST workout meals.
Does It Really Work?
Yes. Protein “works” for various reasons, and protein powder supplies it. So yes, it definitely works.Honestly, it’s kind of like asking if chicken works. Pretty silly, don’t you think?
However, if you’re asking if protein powder will do anything beyond what I’ve explained, or if it has some kind of magical benefits or super powered effects like many supplement companies like to claim… then the answer is a huge NO. That’s all bullshit 100% of the time.
Protein powder doesn’t cause fat loss or muscle growth or anything similar. It literally won’t do anything other than provide a quick and convenient source of protein. Everything else is always bullshit.
Is Protein Powder Safe? Are There Any Side Effects?
For the typical healthy adult, it’s perfectly safe.Protein powder is definitely more of a food than it is a supplement. So again, it’s kind of like asking if chicken or egg whites were safe or had any side effects. They don’t and protein powder doesn’t either.
As long as you don’t greatly exceed your ideal amount of protein per day, and you have no preexisting health issues (in which case you should always check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or workout), then you really have nothing to worry about.
Protein powder is probably the safest supplement there is.
What Type Of Protein Is The Best?
There are a few different types of protein powder available, but in terms of popularity and usage, there’s really just 2:- Whey
- Casein
Whey Protein
By far the more popular of the two, whey protein powder is known as the “fast” protein. This is due to the fact that it is the fastest digesting protein there is.So, if there happened to be any times of the day when it would be ideal for protein to be digested and absorbed by your body as quickly as possible, whey protein powder would be the best possible choice.
And, as it turns out, times like this DO indeed exist. Specifically:
- Immediately before your workout (only needed if you’re consuming this meal less than 30 minutes before your workout).
- During your workout (only needed in certain situations, definitely not required).
- Immediately after your workout (the most common use of all).
Whether or not whey truly is “better” than a normal high protein food in your POST workout meal is hard to say with absolute certainty (I tend to doubt it matters that much in the end).
Either way, whey protein is definitely the protein source that is most often recommended for this meal. And more often than not, it’s what I personally use in my POST workout meal, too.
Casein Protein
Casein is known as the “slow” protein. This is due to the fact that it is the slowest digesting protein there is (significantly slower than whey), which is why casein is not recommended for the meals around your workout (we want fast/easy digestion then, and whey fits this description much better than casein).However, casein IS an ideal choice when you don’t care about digestion speed, or when you just purposely want protein to digest slowly.
For this reason, casein (or a whey/casein blend) is a perfectly fine choice for when you need a non-workout related protein source. You know, like just during the day as part of any normal meal.
Of course, whey protein combined with a normal meal containing carbs, fat and/or other nutrients will actually slow down whey’s digestion to the point where it’s likely just as suitable as casein for those meals.
Having said that, there is still one time of the day when casein universally beats whey in terms of usage and recommendations: the last meal before bed.
It has long been felt that it would be beneficial to have some protein in your system while you’re sleeping and your body is doing most of its recovering/repairing.
Since you spend those 8 or so hours in a fasted state, it became a common recommendation to consume a slow digesting source of protein in your last meal of the day.
Now, are the benefits of doing this as significant as some people think? That’s hard to say for sure. However, just in case they are, casein protein is definitely the ideal slow digesting source of protein for this meal.
When and How Should It Be Taken?
Well, protein powder can really be taken any time of the day as needed to help you reach your ideal daily protein intake.More specifically though…
- Whey protein powder is most ideal in your POST workout meal. Immediately before and/or during your workout is ideal as well if needed or preferred.
- Casein protein powder is most ideal in your last meal before bed.
- Whey combined with other foods, casein by itself, or a whey/casein blend is all pretty much equally ideal as a protein source for any of your regular meals at any other times of the day.
- Take however many scoops you need and put it into some sort of cup or bottle.
- Add in as much liquid (water, milk, Gatorade, etc.) as you want for the best possible taste.
- If needed, add in whatever other ingredients you feel like adding. (This step is completely optional.)
- Mix for a few seconds. You can either stir it with a spoon or, better yet, get a shaker bottle (more on those in a minute).
- Drink your shake.
What Brand Is The Best?
As for the best protein powder brand, it all comes down to quality, taste and price.I’ve probably tried about a dozen protein powders over the last 10 years, so I have a good idea of the differences in taste.
I’m also well aware of the differences in price. Not only between different brands, but also different stores (for example, GNC sells the same products for WAY more than most online store do).
I’ve also seen the results of 2 independent lab tests that checked various protein powders to see if they contained the right amounts of everything they should and none of what they shouldn’t. So, I also know some of the differences in quality.
My Recommendations
Based on all of this, here is what I personally use and fully recommend…- Whey: Optimum
Nutrition’s 100% Whey Gold Standard
Optimum Nutrition is one of the most highly regarded supplement companies around, and their whey protein is always the best selling protein powder of any kind on virtually every website that sells supplements. Why? Because of its quality, easy ability to mix, and above all else… it’s the best tasting whey protein powder there is. They have an amazing variety of flavors, and I’ve liked every one I’ve tried. I highly recommend it. - Casein: Optimum
Nutrition’s 100% Casein Protein
Yup, another one from Optimum Nutrition, which really shouldn’t be a surprise. This is actually the only casein powder I’ve ever tried in my life, and I just never needed to try any after it. It’s equally high quality and once again comes in an variety of flavors that taste as good as it gets.
Where To Buy It
As for where to buy them, each link above will take you to the website of a supplement store called Netrition, which is where I’ve honestly been ordering all of my supplements from for years now.Their prices and service are the best I’ve ever found. I highly recommend getting your stuff there too.
Recommended Protein Powder Accessories
I figured this would be the best time to also mention one super useful accessory you should get if you are planning on using protein powder.It’s called a shaker bottle.
A shaker bottle is just a plastic cup with a cover and some type of “blending” piece inside. You just put something in it (like protein powder), add water or any other liquid, and then shake it for about 10-20 seconds.
And just like that, you have a fully mixed/fully blended drink, shake or smoothie.
It’s super cheap, super easy, super quick and super convenient. I use it for all of my protein shakes at home as well as for carrying my POST workout shake with me to the gym.
As for which one to get, I personally use and recommend the Blender Bottle.
What’s Next?
Now that all of your protein powder questions have been answered, it’s time to move on to the next supplement that might be useful for you.In this case, it’s fish oil, and it’s probably my favorite supplement of them all. Here’s why…
Fish Oil Supplements – Omega-3 Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage &
Best Brand
In recent years,
few supplements seem to have gotten more mainstream attention and
recommendations than fish oil.The list of benefits associated with fish oil (or really the omega-3 fatty acids it contains) seem both amazing and damn near endless, while its list of potential side effects seem virtually nonexistent.
For this reason, it feels like every doctor, nutritionist, dietitian, trainer, strength coach and nutrition savvy person on the planet is recommending fish oil supplements these days.
The thing is, when a supplement becomes this popular, questions and confusion usually follow. For example:
- What is it?
- Are the benefits real and scientifically proven?
- Is it really safe? Are there any side effects at all?
- How much fish oil should I take per day?
- How much total omega-3 or EPA & DHA should I take per day?
- How many capsules do I need to reach the optimal daily dosage?
- When and how should I take them?
- What brand is the best?
- Is it a supplement that I should truly be taking?
What Is Fish Oil?
If I can exaggerate slightly for a second, it’s probably the closest thing we have to a miracle pill.It’s pretty much the only supplement that I (and most experts) recommend to everyone… no matter what your goals are (losing fat, building muscle, etc.).
Hell, it doesn’t even matter if you workout, pay attention to your diet, or care about improving the way your body looks or performs in the first place. You should still be taking it. Here’s why…
In the most basic sense, fish oil is just the oil found in fatty types of fish (like salmon, for example).
As I mentioned before, fish/fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are the essential fatty acids that the typical diet is nearly ALWAYS greatly lacking.
You know how there are so called “good fats” and “bad fats?”
Well, the EPA and DHA found in omega-3 are the great fats.
Fish oil supplements just so happen to be the most abundant and convenient source of it.
What Does It Do? What Are The Benefits Of Fish Oil?
The short version? Fish oil improves your body’s ability to do damn near everything!The long version? I don’t even know where to begin.
Alright, let’s first start with the benefits that help us build muscle, lose fat and basically improve the way our bodies look.
Building Muscle and Losing Fat
In the general sense, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil supplements play a direct or indirect role in pretty much every single one of the processes taking place inside your body when you’re trying to build muscle, lose fat, maintain muscle, recover from workouts, etc..Will fish oil actually burn fat or build muscle by itself? No. But, it most definitely will play a role in those processes and help improve your body’s ability to make them happen.
For example, two separate studies I’ve seen both reached similar conclusions: people lose more fat when they combine proper diet and exercise WITH a fish oil supplement, as opposed to people who just eat right and exercise correctly WITHOUT fish oil.
Those same omega-3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA) have also been shown to promote fat oxidation, improve insulin sensitivity, and improve calorie partitioning.
As I’ve briefly mentioned before, “calorie partitioning” refers to how your body uses (or “partitions”) calories. Meaning…
- When you create a caloric surplus (which is required for building muscle), will those excess calories be used to build muscle (GOOD), or will they just be stored as body fat (BAD)?
- When you create a caloric deficit (which is required for losing fat), will your body burn your stored body fat for energy (GOOD), or will it burn muscle tissue for energy instead (BAD)?
In addition, fish oil supplements may also increase thermogenesis (meaning you’ll naturally burn more calories per day), have an anti-catabolic effect (meaning it prevents muscle break down), have an anti-lipogenic effect (meaning it reduces fat storage), and serve as an anti-inflammatory.
And more.
If you thought those benefits impressed you, hold on. We’re just getting warmed up…
Overall Health and Function
In terms of the overall health and function of the human body, fish oil’s list of benefits is even bigger. Much, MUCH bigger.Specifically, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been shown to:
- Reduce the risk of heart attack.
- Reduce the risk of stroke.
- Lower blood triglyceride levels.
- Reduce the risk of dangerous abnormal heart rhythms.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Decrease inflammation.
- Reduce joint stiffness.
- Lower cholesterol levels.
- Slow the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques.
- And more…
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
- Depression
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Hyperactivity
- ADHD
- And more…
Fish oil may also help improve and enhance mental clarity, concentration and memory.
Some people report an improved mood and overall sense of well being when taking it.
Better skin and hair is another common effect that’s often heard.
And if you dig deep enough, you’ll find people who will tell you that taking fish oil supplements lessened their back pain, improved their vision, helped their eczema and basically had some degree of impact in fixing or improving countless other similar issues.
Like I’ve said before, no supplement is truly required. However, I’m sure you can clearly see why fish oil is the closest thing there is to a “must have” supplement.
Does It Really Work?
Definitely.The amount of actual scientific/medical studies done on fish oil is pretty huge, and the majority of its proposed benefits are legit and proven.
And the benefits that might not be 100% proven yet? Most of them still look quite promising.
So yes… more so than nearly all other supplements in existence, fish oil works.
Is It Safe? Are There Any Side Effects?
Fish oil supplements are pretty much as safe as it gets.Again, you have to realize that it’s just the oil that’s found in fish. It’s not some crazy fat burner/muscle builder type product or anything like that.
Yes, its benefits are impressive, but it’s almost more of a food than it is a supplement. I mean, do you ask what the side effects are before eating some salmon? I didn’t think so.
So, for the average healthy person, it’s virtually 100% safe as long as you’re not exceeding the optimal daily dosage (more on that in a minute).
Really, the only “side effects” I’ve ever heard of is a “fishy aftertaste” or “fishy burps.” But, as long as you are using a high quality brand (more on that later), you won’t ever have this problem.
I will also mention that if you are pregnant, allergic to fish or iodine, or already have any kind of known health issues (or are taking any medications for them), you should obviously check with your doctor first just to be sure.
The funny thing is, even in those cases, your doctor could actually be the one recommending the fish oil in the first place.
For example, most pregnant women are already taking fish oil as recommended by their doctor (it’s extremely beneficial for the brain development of the baby), and many people with (or at risk for) heart disease also have doctor’s orders to take it.
When and How Should It Be Taken?
Fish oil supplements should always be taken with a meal, not on an empty stomach.If you’re taking more than 1 capsule per day (which you would always be doing in order to reach the optimal fish oil intake), you should spread it out throughout the day.
You know, like one capsule in the morning, one in the afternoon, one at night or something like that.
How Much Fish Oil Should I Take Per Day? How Many Capsules?
Well, in order to answer that, you’d first need to know what the optimal fish oil dosage is per day to actually get all of the benefits you just heard about.Once you know that, you’d just need to figure out how many capsules of your specific brand you’d need to take to reach that optimal dosage.
So, based on all of the research and recommendations I’ve seen, here’s what appears to be best…
Optimal Daily Fish Oil Dosage: between 1-3 grams of
combined EPA and DHA per day.
Note that we’re
NOT talking about grams of “total fat” here. We’re talking about the combined
grams of “EPA” and “DHA.” (This will make more sense when you look at the back
of a bottle.)The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are the “ingredients” in fish oil supplements that provide all the benefits.
For this reason, the optimal fish oil dosage should be based specifically on them, not the total amount of fat, fish oil or omega-3 contained per serving.
An Example Of How Many Capsules Per Day
Here’s an example of what I mean using Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, which is the brand I personally use (and will highly recommend in a minute).This specific brand contains 650mg of EPA and 450mg of DHA per serving. One serving of this brand is 2 capsules.
So combined, 650mg + 450mg = 1.1 grams of combined EPA and DHA.
That means:
- 2 capsules of this specific brand gives you 1.1 grams of EPA/DHA. This is the minimum I’d recommend per day for fish oil to actually be effective.
- 3 capsules of this specific brand gives you about 1.6 grams of EPA/DHA.
- 4 capsules of this specific brand gives you 2.2 grams of EPA/DHA. This is right in the middle of the optimal recommended daily dosage. (This is also the amount that I personally take each day.)
- 5 capsules of this specific brand gives you about 2.8 grams of EPA/DHA. This is as close to that 3 gram maximum as you can get with this brand without exceeding it.
But again, as long as you are within the optimal range of 1-3 grams of combined EPA/DHA per day, you’re good. (And obviously, if your doctor recommended more or less, you should listen to them. Duh.)
Also keep in mind that the above amounts only apply to this specific brand. Other fish oil brands contain different amounts of EPA and DHA per serving (usually less), so a different number of capsules will most likely need to be taken (usually more).
This is a big reason why I consider this brand the best. I only need 4 capsules per day to reach the optimal intake. Most other brands require 6-10 capsules per day.
Speaking of this brand being the best…
What Brand Is The Best?
Well, choosing the best fish oil supplement comes down to a few common factors.- Quality. First up for me when it comes to supplements is always quality. But with fish oil, I personally feel quality is even MORE important. I not only want to avoid the silly “fishy burps” common with crappier brands, but I also want to see the highest level of purification (removes the contaminants often found in fish) and the best results on independent lab tests.
- Convenience. Like I was saying a minute ago, some brands contain higher or lower amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA than others. The less they contain per serving, the more servings you’ll need to take. The more it contains per serving, the less you’ll need to take. I’d personally much rather take 4 capsules per day instead 8.
- Price. While most generic store brands are cheaper than certain “luxury” brands, I personally don’t mind spending a little more to get the level of quality and convenience I just described.
My Recommendation For The Best Fish Oil
Taking all 3 of those factors into account, here’s what I personally use and fully recommend:- Fish Oil: Nordic
Naturals Ultimate Omega
I spent a lot of time doing a lot of research on fish oil over the years. I’ve seen various expert/doctor recommendations and I’ve seen the results of 2 independent lab tests that tested dozens of fish oil brands for purity, quality and actually containing accurate amounts of total omega-3, EPA, and DHA.
Based on all of that and the fact that it contains significantly
more EPA and DHA per capsule than most other brands, I can honestly say Nordic
Naturals Ultimate Omega is as good as fish oil supplements get. It’s the only brand I’ve
ever used.
Where To Buy It
As for where to buy it, the link above will take you to the website of a supplement store called Netrition, which is where I’ve honestly been ordering all of my supplements from for years now.Their prices and service are the best I’ve ever found. I highly recommend getting your stuff there too.
What’s Next?
Now that you know everything you need to know about fish oil, it’s time to move on to the next supplement that may be beneficial for you… the multivitamin.
Multivitamins – Benefits, Side Effects & The Best Multivitamin Brand
It’s hard to
think of a supplement on the market these days that is as simple and straight
forward as the basic multivitamin.That’s probably a big reason why multivitamins are one of, if not THE most popular supplements there are among men and women of every age (even seniors, kids and pregnant women).
The problem with this apparent simplicity is that it often leads to people either just taking them or ignoring them without ever really considering why.
I mean, with other supplements, people are obsessed with learning if they truly should take them, what their benefits and side effects are, and figuring out what brand is best for them.
But with multivitamins, it seems like those types of questions are skipped over in favor of either just taking them (because “they’re good for you”) or not taking them (because “they’re pointless”). It all just seems too obvious to give it more thought than that.
Now, while most of it really is just as obvious as it seems in this case (you’ll see), there are still certain factors that should always be considered.
Let’s cover all of them right now…
What Is A Multivitamin?
You know all of those essential vitamins and minerals that we are supposed to be supplying our bodies with on a daily basis through our diet?Well, a multivitamin supplies most of them in the form of a super convenient supplement.
What Does It Do? What Are The Benefits Of Multivitamins?
For the handful of people that can’t possibly guess what the benefits of multivitamins are, this is for you.The human body requires various vitamins and minerals on a daily basis to keep you alive, healthy and functioning at your best.
Each of those vitamins/minerals have their own benefits and play their own roles in your body. Since a multivitamin provides them, its benefits are that of pretty much every vitamin and mineral it contains.
Pretty obvious, right?
Of course, the true benefit of a multivitamin is the format itself.
Like I said before, we were meant to get all of these important nutrients each day from our regular daily diet. Problem is, the typical “regular daily diet” these days often fails to do that.
With a multivitamin, you just take a single tablet (or more depending on your brand) and you instantly get a daily serving (or close to it) of the vitamins and minerals your diet might be lacking. It doesn’t get any more convenient than that.
And that’s pretty much where the list of multivitamin benefits end.
However, since the dietary supplement industry is a deceitful world filled with lies and false claims, it’s possible that you’ve heard multivitamins provide other benefits beyond what I just described.
You know, like how they will magically help you lose fat, build muscle, increase strength, improve performance or anything similar.
Um, no.
That’s all bullshit marketing crap used to get you to overpay for a product that won’t provide any additional benefits beyond what any other multivitamin on the planet would.
Now sure, the vitamins and minerals contained in a multivitamin ARE playing a role in fat loss, muscle growth and all of those other fitness related goals.
In fact, they are playing a role in literally every other thing your body is doing to keep you alive and healthy.
However, they still won’t directly help you achieve those types of goals no matter what the supplement company claims. Only a proper diet and workout are capable of doing that.
A multivitamin is just one of the many useful indirect parts of the overall process.
Does It Really Work?
Yes, in terms of providing various essential vitamins and minerals in a very convenient form… it definitely works.In terms of doing any of the other magical things I explained a second ago that certain multivitamin brands sometimes like to claim… then no. That’s all bullshit.
Is It Safe? Are There Any Side Effects?
Assuming you’re taking a brand that provides ideal amounts of the various vitamins and minerals it contains (and not overly huge megadoses), and it contains the right vitamins/minerals for your specific needs (more on that later), then it’s definitely safe. There are no research proven side effects when used in this manner.I mean… hello… it’s a multivitamin. It contains the vitamins and minerals the human body is MEANT to consume each day for optimal health and function.
Obviously, the usual common sense warning always applies as well: If you are taking any medications or have any known health or medical issues, or are pregnant or nursing, it would be a good idea to check with your doctor first just to be sure (and always use your doctor’s recommendations over mine or anyone else’s).
But if you are just a typical healthy adult using it properly, a daily multivitamin is probably one the safest supplements there is.
When and How Should It Be Taken?
Multivitamins should always be taken with a meal to allow for maximum absorption.If taking more than 1 tablet per day (for some multivitamin brands, one “serving” is 2 or more tablets), you should take each tablet at a different time of the day. You know, like 1 in the morning and 1 at night.
Do I Truly Need To Take A Multivitamin?
Here’s how I usually answer this question…- If your diet is NOT as good as it should be: Yeah, probably. (Of course, what you should really be doing is improving your overall diet itself, because a multivitamin alone won’t magically fix it.)
- If your diet actually IS really good: No, you most likely don’t need to take one. But could you still benefit from taking one anyway? Maybe.
I’m sure you can understand why someone with a poorer overall daily diet would benefit from taking a multivitamin, but you might be confused as to why someone whose diet actually is pretty good might take one.
Well, the thinking is that it will serve as your diet’s backup plan. Like your own little nutritional insurance policy guaranteeing that your body gets everything it needs on a daily basis, even when you didn’t quite eat as well as you should have or typically do.
You know the saying “it’s better to be safe than sorry?” Well, that’s a pretty accurate way of explaining why multivitamins are often taken. It basically serves to prevent the possibility of any potential nutrient deficiencies.
In my case (and the case of most of the experts whose opinions I highly respect), that would be my primary reason for taking one.
I don’t mean to brag, but my diet is pretty damn good. It’s extremely high in foods loaded with nutritional value, and extremely low in useless processed crap.
However, I still often take a daily multivitamin (just half a serving, actually) for the added peace of mind of knowing that my body is getting sufficient amounts of every important vitamin and mineral it needs for optimal health and function, while still staying far below anything close to those toxically high megadose levels I mentioned before.
So, if your diet isn’t as good as it should be and you’re deficient in certain vitamins/minerals, a multivitamin should definitely be considered (along with just fixing what’s wrong with your diet). But if your diet IS as good as it should be, the “need” for taking one is likely eliminated, but the potential to still serve a beneficial purpose anyway may still exist.
Which Brand Is The Best?
As for the best multivitamin brand, this is usually where most of the confusion lies.There are hundreds of different multivitamins on the market, all containing different amounts of certain vitamins and minerals (often in different forms, too), and all claiming to be the best of them all.
Some are made specifically for men, some are made just for women, and some are for people over the age of 50. Others are for people who live an active lifestyle, or need more energy, or have specific health benefits in mind (heart health, colon health, etc.).
The list goes on and on, and each multivitamin is designed differently to be the best for that exact purpose.
So, how do you figure out which multivitamin truly is the best for you?
Well, there’s 5 main factors to consider:
- The amounts of vitamins and minerals. Does it provide too much, too little, or an ideal amount of the various vitamins and minerals it contains? If it contains too much of something, it’s a big waste that will literally end up going down the toilet (and could also potentially be dangerous if it’s well above what it should be). And if it contains too little of something, then you’re just not getting your money’s worth.
- The type of vitamins and minerals. For example, every multivitamin might contain calcium, but in what form? Calcium citrate or calcium carbonate? Is the vitamin A from beta carotene, retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate? I could ask dozens of these questions, and each multivitamin would have a different answer.
- The quality. As in, does the multivitamin ACTUALLY contain the claimed amounts of what it should and none of what it shouldn’t? Only independent lab testing can tell you that, and I’ve actually seen some results. In general, most pass just fine (even the generic store brands), but a few popular brands failed for containing significantly more or less of certain nutrients than they were supposed to.
- Your specific needs. The human body has slightly different vitamin and mineral requirements based on certain factors like your gender, age, diet and lifestyle, and your multivitamin should suit those needs. One of the best examples of this is iron. Younger women (who are premenopausal) almost always want a multivitamin that contains iron. On the other hand, men of any age and older women (who are postmenopausal) typically want one that contains absolutely no iron whatsoever. This is just one of many examples.
- The price. Like I mentioned earlier, there are a ton of multivitamins out there that claim to have all sorts of special benefits that others just don’t have (again, it’s all bullshit). However, doing this allows them to drive up the price. Do you want to overpay for those false claims? I don’t. At the same time, I also don’t want to underpay for quality, so while avoiding the highest priced stuff is probably the right idea, going with the absolute cheapest stuff you can find might not be.
My Recommendations For The Best Multivitamins
Now, to be perfectly honest, I’ve found that there really is no absolutely perfect multivitamin on the market that gets all 5 of these factors just right.Trust me, I’ve looked… and I continue to look often. I have yet to come across anything that I can legitimately call the best multivitamin.
What it basically comes down to then is just picking the one that gets the most stuff right and the least stuff wrong.
So, rather than give a single recommendation like I’ve done with other supplements, I’m going to instead give a list of multivitamin brands that I feel best fit the above description.
In no specific order, they are:
- New Chapter
- Rainbow Light
- Nature Made
- The generic store brands from Costco, Target and GNC (I hate GNC as a supplement store, but I like their multis).
- Centrum Silver (only for men & women over the age of 50)
But as of right now, these are the brands that I’d be most likely to use or recommend.
What’s Next?
With all of your multivitamin questions answered, it’s time to move on to the next supplement that might be beneficial to you and your specific goal… creatine.
Creatine
Supplements – Side Effects, Best Product & How/When To Take It
If your primary
goal is building muscle, increasing strength or improving performance, then you
have most likely heard of a supplement called creatine.Unlike the other supplements I use and most often recommend (protein powder, fish oil, multivitamin), creatine is the only one that isn’t really for overall health or general use (not yet, at least).
Meaning, if your primary goal isn’t building muscle, increasing strength or improving performance, you probably wouldn’t benefit from it.
But if you DO have one of those goals… then creatine is definitely a supplement you could benefit from.
And in that case, there’s a bunch of important questions we’ll need to answer:
- What is creatine?
- What does it do? What are the benefits?
- Is it safe? Are there any side effects?
- How should you take it? When should you take it?
- How much should you take per day?
- Which type of supplement is best? Creatine monohydrate? Ethyl ester? Kre-alkalyn? Something else?
- Which form of supplement is best? Powder? Pill? Micronized? Creapure?
- What is the best creatine supplement and product overall?
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is used to supply energy to your muscles.It’s produced naturally by the human body, primarily in the kidneys and liver, from the amino acids arginine, methionine and glycine.
Creatine is also obtained through your diet (in small amounts) from foods like red meat and certain types of fish.
Of course, 1 spoonful of a creatine supplement contains significantly more creatine than most people are capable of getting from their diet alone.
What Does It Do? What Are Its Benefits?
Like I mentioned earlier, creatine supplements are primarily used by people looking to build muscle (although it’s used for strength/performance as well).Does creatine itself actually build muscle? No. That’s not how it works.
During exercise that requires short bursts of energy (like weight training, sprinting, etc.), the primary source of energy is Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP).
The thing is, ATP is in limited supply and it depletes rather rapidly. This of course is where creatine comes in, as it’s used to replenish the amount of ATP available.
So, in plain English, creatine increases the energy your muscles have.
This then increases the amount of work your muscles are capable of doing, which then increases what you’re capable of doing during your workouts (meaning lifting more weight and/or doing more reps).
The process of gradually increasing the amount of weight you lift and/or the number of reps you lift it for is known as progressive overload, and it’s the #1 weight training requirement for building muscle.
What creatine does is directly assist in making this process take place. Which means, in the end, creatine supplements help build muscle.
And for people who care more about strength and performance than building muscle, those benefits should now be obvious too.
In addition, creatine will also usually cause some water retention in your muscle cells. This then causes 2 things to happen: some slight weight gain (a few pounds of “water weight”) and a slight increase in the size of your muscles (both of which are typically welcome when your goal is building muscle).
And finally, even though creatine supplementation is primarily for people looking to increase muscle, strength or performance, it is also being used medically to help treat/improve a variety of neuromuscular and cardiovascular issues, and there is growing research showing that it may provide other health benefits as well (such as improved cognitive function).
However, while the evidence for adding creatine on to the list of other general use/overall health supplements is slowly building, I’m not ready to recommend it for that purpose just yet.
If you’re looking to build muscle (or improve strength/performance), then yeah, the benefits are definitely there. But if you’re not, then you probably don’t need it.
Does It Really Work?
Yes it does. Creatine has probably been the most studied and tested supplement of the last 20 years, and research (and the real world) shows that it does indeed work.In fact, I’d even go as far as to say that creatine is the ONLY real “muscle building” supplement on the market that is scientifically proven to legitimately work.
So yes, for the majority of the people who take it, it certainly works.
Of course, there is a small minority of people who take it and notice no difference at all. They are referred to as “non-responders.”
The best explanation I’ve heard for these “non-responders” is that these are people whose bodies just naturally produce an above average amount of creatine.
Whatever it is, if you take it and give it some time and notice no benefits at all… then it’s safe to say that you’re a non-responder. In the rare case that this happens, you can stop taking it and save your money. It won’t just suddenly start working one day if it hasn’t already, so there’s no need to keep trying.
However, for the majority of the people who take it, creatine will definitely work as expected.
Is It Safe? Are There Any Side Effects?
Few supplements have been studied as much as creatine over the years (literally hundreds of studies have been done), and the results in terms of its safety are all virtually the same.And that is, creatine supplements have NOT been shown to have any significant side effects and appear to be perfectly safe for the average healthy adult.
Obviously if you already have any kind of preexisting health/medical issues (especially something kidney related), are taking any form of medication, or have anything else going on that takes you out of the “average healthy adult” category, you should always check with your doctor first.
But, in the typical healthy adult (male or female), research shows that it is indeed safe when used properly.
In fact, the only real “side effects” I’ve ever heard over the years are extremely mild. For example, an upset stomach and muscle cramps.
However, both of these issues are usually a result of improper creatine use and can VERY easily be avoided completely. The 3 most common causes here are not drinking enough water, taking too much creatine, and using a crappy/low quality product.
So, how do you avoid these mild side effects?
Simple… drink enough water each day, don’t take stupid amounts of creatine (more on that in a second), and use a high quality product (more on that later too).
Beyond that, the small amount of water weight gain I mentioned earlier can be seen as a negative side effect for athletes who need to maintain a certain weight for their sport.
But for the average person just trying to look great naked, that water weight will likely just make your muscles look slightly bigger and fuller, which is usually something you’ll be happy to see happen.
When and How Should It Be Taken?
On the days you work out, there is some debate over when the best time to take creatine is: before your workout or after your workout.In my opinion (and the opinion of most experts), it’s probably best to take it after your workout as part of your POST workout meal. That’s how I’ve always done it.
So if you’re having a shake/liquid meal of some sort then, just throw the creatine in with your protein powder and whatever else. If you’re having a solid food meal instead, just mix it with some water (or really any liquid) and drink it during this meal.
On the days you DON’T work out, it really doesn’t matter when you take it. So, feel free to take it whenever is most convenient for you on those days.
Again, just mix it with some kind of liquid (anything is fine) and drink. Don’t make it any more complicated than that.
How Much Creatine Should I Take Per Day?
You should take 3-5 grams of creatine per day. No more than that.You may have heard that you need to “load” creatine. In fact, instructions for how to do so are included on virtually all creatine supplements.
However, you don’t, and you probably shouldn’t.
The usual “loading phase” recommendations for creatine are to take about 20 grams per day for the first week or so, and then anywhere from 5-10 grams per day after that.
This is all completely unnecessary and won’t accomplish anything special other than saturating your muscles faster and causing you to run out of creatine sooner (which is terrific if you’re the creatine supplement company).
Not to mention, the high amounts of creatine taken during the typical loading phase is probably one of the #1 causes of the mild side effects (stomach discomfort) I mentioned before.
For this reason, I (and most others) do not recommend loading creatine. Instead, just skip the loading phase entirely.
Sure, the one “benefit” and overall purpose of loading creatine in the first place is to fully saturate your muscles with creatine as quickly as possible.
The thing is, your creatine stores can become fully saturated just the same without the high dose loading phase.
Meaning, if 20 grams per day will fully saturate your muscles in 5 days, taking 5 grams per day will do it just the same but in more like 20-30 days… AND without the mild side effects that often come with taking high/stupid amounts of creatine.
So, what I and many others recommend instead is this:
Ideal Creatine Dosage: Take 5 grams of creatine
per day for the first month, and then take 3-5 grams per
day after that.
Why? Because
your muscles reach the same level of saturation while avoiding the mild side
effects, and because research (and the real world) shows that 3-5g per day is
all that is required to maintain creatine levels once your muscles are fully
saturated.Your body isn’t capable of using any more than that, so any extra you take will at best just go to waste in your body.
This way is just right.
What Type and Form Of Creatine Is Best?
Alright, this part is very simple…- The only type of creatine you are looking for here is Creatine Monohydrate.
- The only form you want it in is powder.
- The only other “feature” you want to see is that the creatine powder is micronized (which just means it will mix and absorb easier).
You don’t want fancy flavored products, you don’t want it to come in pill or chewable form, you definitely don’t want a product that is creatine mixed with a million other useless supplements that just makes it more expensive, and you don’t want any other type of creatine that claims to be the best of them all.
You just want micronized creatine monohydrate powder and absolutely nothing more.
Creatine monohydrate is the only form of creatine fully supported by research. Everything else is overpriced crap that doesn’t do anything special or better in any way.
I know the supplement companies will claim differently, as will the sales guy working on commission in the supplement store, as will countless dumbasses online and in your gym who are experiencing nothing more than a placebo effect.
Ignore all of it and stick with plain old proven creatine monohydrate.
What Creatine Supplement Is Best?
As for the best creatine product, in addition to meeting the above requirements for type and form, it also comes down to quality and price.While any high quality product meeting those guidelines will probably be just fine, the product I personally use and fully recommend is:
- Creatine:
Optimum Nutrition’s Micronized Creatine Powder
It’s plain creatine monohydrate in the powdered form, it’s micronized, and it’s also made with “creapure,” which is a type of creatine widely regarded in the supplement industry as the highest quality creatine monohydrate powder around. Combine all of that with a quality brand like Optimum Nutrition, and you have the creatine product I use and highly recommend.
Where To Buy It
As for where to buy it, the link above will take you to the website of a supplement store called Netrition, which is where I’ve honestly been ordering all of my supplements from for years now.Their prices and service are the best I’ve ever found. I highly recommend getting your stuff there too.
What’s Next?
Well, if you’ve been following my guide to creating The Best Diet Plan from the very beginning, it’s now time to bring it all together.How? With sample diet plans for losing fat or building muscle. Check it out…
Sample Diet
Plans – Why Sample Diets Should Be Avoided
If you’ve been
following my guide to creating The
Best Diet Plan from the very beginning, then congrats… you just learned a ton!Seriously, think about it.
You figured out what your diet’s goal is, calculated your ideal daily calorie, protein, fat and carb intake, found out which foods should (and should not) most often provide those nutrients, learned how to organize and adjust your diet to fit your exact needs and preferences, planned what to eat before and after your workouts, and discovered which supplements (if any) are truly beneficial to you.
So at this point, the best diet plan for YOU is all set up and ready to go. Awesome!
Now, if I had to guess, I’d say that the final thing you’d like to see before putting your new diet into action is a sample diet plan that puts together everything you just finished learning.
However, I’m NOT going to do that. Sorry, but I’m drawing the line at sample diet plans.
Don’t be mad, though. I actually have 2 really good reasons why…
I Hate Writing Sample Diet Plans And I Suck At It
I’m being completely honest here. Few things make me feel like I’m back in school doing a book report on a book I have absolutely no interest in than sitting down and trying to write up a sample diet plan for someone other than myself.See, I’m personally a very simple, basic and boring eater (always have been), and this makes me terrible at trying to come up with “delicious meal plans” and “tasty recipes” and “sample diet menus” and that kind of stuff.
But even more than that, I really just hate the whole concept of “sample diet plans” in the first place.
Yes, even if I WAS really good at it. I’d still hate it.
Why? Because…
Sample Diet Plans Are Pointless And Counterproductive
Like I’ve explained throughout this guide, there’s 2 keys to a successful diet plan:- Ensuring that your total daily calorie and nutrient (protein, fat, carb) intake is what it needs to be, and that those calories and nutrients come from mostly higher quality sources as opposed to processed useless junk.
- Doing everything else in whatever way makes you most likely to consistently make #1 happen. Set up all the minor details of your diet so that it’s as convenient, enjoyable and sustainable for you as possible.
I don’t know how many calories or grams of protein, fat and carbs YOU need to eat per day. I don’t know what foods YOU like, or how many meals YOU want, or what YOUR schedule is, or what YOUR preferences are.
So, what good would it do if I put together a sample diet plan consisting of incorrect amounts of calories and nutrients that come from foods you don’t really like, combinations you don’t really enjoy, at times you don’t really want them at, with adjustments that don’t suit your needs or preferences.
It would just be completely pointless.
Like I just said, all you need to do is get your total daily calorie, protein, fat and carb intake right and follow the few other dietary guidelines I’ve explained throughout this guide.
And then, just put it all together so that it’s right for YOU and YOUR preferences.
Since only you know what that is… only you can do it properly.
Any sample diet plans I try to write would get it wrong 99% of the time, and trying to follow a diet that isn’t 100% tailored to you would be as counterproductive as can be.
Hell, this fact is one of the main reasons I wrote this guide in the first place: to show you how to do what’s best for you.
Because unless I worked with you directly, there honestly is no better way to do it.
So, because of all this…
Forget Sample Diet Plans… I Have A Better Idea
Instead of pointless sample diets, I’m going to instead provide you with a final quick and complete recap of everything we just covered.Sort of like a diet creation cheat sheet.
You can then fill in all of the details and specifics based on you and your own preferences… just like it should always be done.
Sound good? Cool. Let’s do it…
Select Your Goal
Below you will find a step-by-step walk through recapping exactly how to put your best diet plan together based on the 2 most common goals I imagine people having: losing fat or building muscle.So, just select your goal below and let the final summary begin…
- To Lose Fat: The Best Fat Loss Diet Plan
- To Build Muscle: The Best Muscle Building Diet Plan
The Best Fat Loss Diet Plan
If you’re
reading this, it means your primary goal is losing fat.I don’t care if you want to lose 10lbs of fat or 100lbs. I don’t care if you’re male or female, young or old.
If you want to know how to lose fat as effectively as possible, and put together the absolute best diet plan to make it happen… then this is for you.
The Guidelines Of The Best Fat Loss Diet Plan
Throughout the course of my guide to creating The Best Diet Plan, we’ve covered every single aspect of how to create the diet that will be most ideal for you and your specific goal.Here now is a recap of every major component that goes into creating the best fat loss diet plan possible…
Calories
- A caloric deficit is the #1 requirement for losing fat. In fact, it’s the ONLY real requirement for losing fat.
- Specifically, the ideal daily caloric deficit for both men and women is 20% below maintenance level per day.
- The ideal caloric deficit will cause you to lose weight at the ideal rate. For most people, that ideal weight loss rate is between 0.5-2 pounds per week. People with an above average amount of fat to lose can lose it at a rate of 2lbs (or more) per week. People with an average amount of fat to lose should it lose at a rate of 1-2lbs per week. People with a below average amount of fat to lose should lose it at a rate of 0.5-1lb per week.
- Weigh yourself at least once per week first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and keep track of your weight. If it’s decreasing at the ideal rate, you’re perfect. If it isn’t, adjust your daily calorie intake up or down until it is.
Protein
- The ideal daily protein intake for men with the primary goal of losing fat (and getting the various benefits protein brings to the overall fat loss process) is 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For women with the primary goal of losing fat (and getting the various benefits protein brings to the overall fat loss process), it’s 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
- This protein intake should typically come mostly from high quality whole food sources (chicken, meat, fish, etc.) and if needed or preferred, protein powder.
Fat
- The ideal daily fat intake is between 20-30% of your total calorie intake, with an even 25% probably being pretty perfect in most cases.
- This fat intake should primarily come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources (nuts, olive oil, fish/fish oil, etc.). Saturated fat should account for no more than 1/3 of your total fat intake, and trans fat should be avoided completely.
- A definite emphasis should be placed on getting a sufficient amount of your essential fatty acids, specifically the omega-3 (which is easiest to get by taking a fish oil supplement).
Carbs
- The ideal carb intake is simply whatever is left after an ideal protein and fat intake have been factored in.
- The majority of this carb intake should typically come from unprocessed nutrient-rich sources (brown rice, beans, oats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.). Highly refined junk should be limited most of the time, as should higher glycemic carbs (with a possible exception being certain parts of your PRE & POST workout meal).
Enjoyability And Sustainability
- Once you’ve set your total calorie and nutrient intake to their ideal levels, the key is putting your entire diet together in whatever way will make you most likely to stick to it consistently.
- Meal frequency and timing doesn’t matter (PRE/POST workout meals are the only exception). So if you’d rather eat 3 meals per day, go for it. If you’d rather eat 6 meals per day, go for it. If you’d rather eat early instead of late or late instead of early, do it. In the end, all that matters is what you eat and how much you eat… not when and how you eat it. Do whatever is most enjoyable, convenient and sustainable for you.
- Choose foods and adjust your diet based on your own personal preferences and needs. As long as you get your calorie and nutrient totals right for the day (and get them from mostly high quality sources as opposed to processed useless junk), everything else is just a minor detail that should be put together based on what’s best and most all around preferable for you.
- If you are the type of person who would benefit from using cheat meals and feel they will help you stick to your diet in the long term, then you should definitely make cheat meals a regularly scheduled part of your diet. Ideal use would be a maximum of 1-2 cheat meals (properly done) per week.
PRE & POST Workout Nutrition
- Surround your weight training workouts with meals that contain a good amount of protein and carbs.
- For your PRE workout meal, either consume a normal solid food meal 1-2 hours before your workout, or consume a fast, easily digested liquid meal/shake 0-30 minutes before your workout (and/or sipped throughout it).
- For your POST workout meal, either consume a normal solid food meal or a liquid meal/shake as soon after your workout as possible (ideally within the first 30 minutes).
Supplements
- NO supplement is required for losing fat. However, there are some that could definitely be beneficial and help improve some aspect of the fat loss process (and your overall health) to some degree.
- In no specific order, the main ones are: whey protein powder (and/or casein), fish oil, and a multivitamin.
Weight Training, Cardio and Exercise In General
As much as I hate to mention it, the honest truth is that exercise (weight training or cardio) is NOT required for fat loss to take place.Really, it’s true.
The one and only thing you need to do to lose fat is get your diet plan right (specifically: create a caloric deficit). That’s it.
Of course, if your goal is to build muscle, get stronger or improve performance, then working out correctly is most definitely a requirement. But for fat loss alone, it’s completely optional.
The reason I hate bringing this up is because, despite how true it is, I absolutely positively recommend that you ignore it and work out anyway.
I know, I know. That probably sounds crazy.
I mean, if working out truly is optional for fat loss (as long as your diet plan is what it needs to be), then why the hell would you ever bother working out?
Well, there’s 4 really good reasons…
It will help with fat loss.
As you are probably aware, both cardio and weight training burn calories, and burning calories is another way of creating (or just adding to) your required caloric deficit.So, some form of exercise (weight training is always my first recommendation) on top of The Best Fat Loss Diet Plan will serve to help your results come a little faster and easier.
It’s good for your overall health.
Fat loss aside, exercise of any form is quite beneficial for your overall health and function in general.I know we’re all mostly concerned with losing fat and looking great naked, but the health benefits of both cardio and weight training shouldn’t be ignored.
It will improve the way your body looks and performs.
Besides losing fat, the single most effective way to improve the way your body looks is by building some muscle. Even just a small amount in the right places can completely transform your body for the better.And honestly, there is a very big difference between losing fat and looking skinny, and losing fat and looking fit and lean. That difference maker is weight training.
Not to mention, if you want to be stronger, faster, more athletic and just in better overall shape, exercise is the best (and only) way to make that happen.
It’s an absolute requirement for maintaining muscle and strength.
I know fat loss might be everyone’s primary goal, but there is a secondary goal that you must keep in mind… maintaining muscle.Remember back when I was explaining why creating a caloric deficit was the key to fat loss? Well, it’s technically the key to weight loss in general, and that “weight” can actually be two things: body fat OR muscle tissue.
As it turns out, the single most effective way to get your body to burn your ugly fat and preserve your pretty muscle is by weight training properly.
Whereas weight training is what signals the body to build muscle when that’s your goal, weight training is also what signals your body to maintain muscle when fat loss is your goal.
So, you might not need it to actually cause fat loss to happen, but you DEFINITELY need it if you’d like to (at least) maintain your current levels of muscle and strength during that fat loss process.
Convinced yet?
Good. You certainly should be… especially about weight training.Now, the bad news is that fully explaining all of the workout information you need to know would require a whole separate guide of its own.
But the good news is… I already wrote that guide. And the great news is… it’s FREE!
Check it out here: The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine
That guide will explain every single thing you will ever need to know about creating the best weight training workout routine possible.
***NEW*** You asked for more highly effective workout routines, and now I’ve answered. My brand NEW guide to The Best Workout Routines contains all of the most successful and proven workouts you’ll need to get the best results as fast as possible. Learn all about it right here: The Best Workout Routines
What’s Next?
Well, if you’ve ended up here as a result of following my guide to creating The Best Diet Plan, then the only remaining step is to bring this guide to its conclusion and pass along some final important information. Let’s do that…
The Best Muscle Building Diet Plan
If you’re
reading this, it means your primary goal is building muscle.I don’t care if you want to build 5lbs of muscle or 50lbs. I don’t care if you’re male or female, young or old.
If you want to know how to build muscle as effectively as possible, and put together the absolute best diet plan to make it happen… then this is for you.
The Guidelines Of The Best Muscle Building Diet Plan
Throughout the course of my guide to creating The Best Diet Plan, we’ve covered every single aspect of how to create the diet that will be most ideal for you and your specific goal.Here now is a recap of every major component that goes into creating the best muscle building diet plan possible…
Calories
- A caloric surplus is the #1 dietary requirement for building muscle.
- Specifically, the ideal daily caloric surplus for men is 250-500 excess calories per day. For women, it’s 125-250 excess calories per day.
- The ideal caloric surplus will cause you to gain weight at the ideal rate. For men, that ideal weight gain rate is between 0.5-1 pound per week (2-4lbs per month). For women, it’s between 0.25-0.5 pound per week (1-2lbs per month).
- Weigh yourself at least once per week first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and keep track of your weight. If it’s increasing at the ideal rate, you’re perfect. If it isn’t, adjust your daily calorie intake up or down until it is.
Protein
- The ideal daily protein intake for men with the primary goal of building muscle is 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For women with the primary goal of building muscle, it’s 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
- This protein intake should typically come mostly from high quality whole food sources (chicken, meat, fish, etc.) and if needed or preferred, protein powder.
Fat
- The ideal daily fat intake is between 20-30% of your total calorie intake, with an even 25% probably being pretty perfect in most cases.
- This fat intake should primarily come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources (nuts, olive oil, fish/fish oil, etc.). Saturated fat should account for no more than 1/3 of your total fat intake, and trans fat should be avoided completely.
- An added emphasis should be placed on getting a sufficient amount of your essential fatty acids, specifically omega-3 (which is easiest to get by taking a fish oil supplement).
Carbs
- The ideal daily carb intake is simply whatever is left after an ideal protein and fat intake have been factored in.
- The majority of this carb intake should typically come from unprocessed nutrient-rich sources (brown rice, beans, oats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.). Highly refined junk should be limited most of the time, as should higher glycemic carbs (with a possible exception being certain parts of your PRE & POST workout meal).
Enjoyability And Sustainability
- Once you’ve set your total calorie and nutrient intake to their ideal levels, the key is putting your entire diet together in whatever way will make you most likely to stick to it consistently.
- Meal frequency and timing doesn’t matter (PRE/POST workout meals are the only exception). So if you’d rather eat 3 meals per day, go for it. If you’d rather eat 6 meals per day, go for it. If you’d rather eat early instead of late or late instead of early, do it. In the end, all that matters is what you eat and how much you eat… not when and how you eat it. Do whatever is most enjoyable, convenient and sustainable for you.
- Choose foods and adjust your diet based on your own personal preferences and needs. As long as you get your calorie and nutrient totals right for the day (and get them from mostly high quality sources as opposed to processed useless junk), everything else is just a minor detail that should be put together based on what’s best and most all around preferable for you.
PRE & POST Workout Nutrition
- Surround your weight training workouts with meals that contain a good amount of protein and carbs.
- For your PRE workout meal, either consume a normal solid food meal 1-2 hours before your workout, or consume a fast, easily digested liquid meal/shake 0-30 minutes before your workout (and/or sipped throughout it).
- For your POST workout meal, either consume a normal solid food meal or a liquid meal/shake as soon after your workout as possible (ideally within the first 30 minutes).
Supplements
- NO supplement is required for building muscle. However, there are some that could definitely be beneficial and help improve some aspect of the muscle building process (and your overall health) to some degree.
- In no specific order, the main ones are: whey protein powder (and/or casein), fish oil, a multivitamin, and creatine.
A Muscle Building Workout Routine Is REQUIRED!
Even though this entire guide has been about creating your diet plan, there’s something very important (and fairly obviously) that I need to tell you.If you don’t combine this diet with an intelligent workout routine that is designed specifically for building muscle, you will fail to build muscle. Even worse… you’ll just get fat.
Creating a caloric surplus without signaling your body to use those calories to build muscle means your body will have no use for them and therefore just store them all as body fat.
So, in order to get the results you want, you will most definitely need a proper workout routine that optimally signals muscle growth.
Now, the bad news is that explaining how to create a “proper workout routine” would require a whole separate guide.
But the good news is… I already wrote that guide. And the great news is… it’s FREE!
Check it out here: The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine
That guide will explain every single thing you will ever need to know about creating the best muscle building workout routine possible.
Plus, it even includes the 2 workout routines that I most often recommend:
- For beginners: The Beginner Weight Training Workout Routine
- For intermediates or advanced: The Muscle Building Workout Routine
***NEW*** You asked for more highly effective workout routines, and now I’ve answered. My brand NEW guide to The Best Workout Routines contains all of the most successful and proven workouts you’ll need to get the best results as fast as possible. Learn all about it right here: The Best Workout Routines
What’s Next?
Well, if you’ve ended up here as a result of following my guide to creating The Best Diet Plan, then the only remaining step is to bring this guide to its conclusion and pass along some final important information. Let’s do that…
The End Of The Best Diet Plan
If you’re
reading this, then it appears that you’ve made it all the way to the end of my
free (and awesome) guide to creating The
Best Diet Plan. Sweet!At this point, I have just 4 things left to say.
1. Congrats!
First of all… congratulations are in order.You’ve now learned more about diet, nutrition, and how to get the results you want than the majority of the population will ever learn in their lifetime. Congrats!
2. Put It To Use!
I hope you liked the guide and actually use what you’ve learned to create the diet plan that will work best for you and your specific goal.Because honestly, reading and learning and understanding is great and all, but the only way it’s truly going to work is if you actually put it into action. So… do that.
3. But Wait, There’s MORE! So Much More!
Believe it or not, I still have a TON of information to share with you here at A Calorie Counter.While The Best Diet Plan was pretty damn comprehensive, there actually is a whole lot of stuff that I purposely left out, skipped over or just felt didn’t fit right as a part of this guide.
And the more I think about, the more I realize just how much additional important and useful stuff there is to say about diet, nutrition, supplements, losing fat, building muscle, and really just improving your diet, your health and the way your body looks or performs.
Luckily, I fully plan on sharing all of it right here on a regular basis. To make sure you never miss any of it, be sure to subscribe to A Calorie Counter via email using the form directly below this article or on the top right side of this page.
You can also subscribe via RSS if you prefer it.
4. Give Me Your Feedback!
And last but not least, I want to hear your feedback. In fact, I want 3 different kinds of feedback.- First, I want to know what you thought of the
guide.
I want to know what you liked best, what section was most useful, what you wish I covered in more detail or explained better, what you felt was missing (if anything), and basically your thoughts and opinions on the guide itself. - Second, I want to
answer your questions.
If you had any questions about any aspect of diet or nutrition, creating your diet plan, reaching your specific goal (losing fat, building muscle, etc.), or anything else while reading any part of this guide, just leave a comment below and ask me. I will answer. - Third, I want to hear
how well it’s working for you.
Once you start using the information contained in this guide, guess what’s going to happen? You’re going to start getting the results you want. Sounds good, huh? Trust me… it is. And when that starts happening for you, I want to hear all about it in the comments below.
The End
Well, that’s about it.
Once again I hope you liked the guide (and if you did, be sure to tell your friends about it) and I hope you actually use what you’ve learned from it.
I also hope you subscribe because I plan on writing similarly awesome and useful guides in the future.
And again, if you have any questions, comments, feedback or just want to tell me how well it’s working for you, just leave a comment below.
Enjoy your results.
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