Fitness Friday: Eating Right is 90% of the battle

pc747

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Believe it or not your diet plays a big part in whether you lose weight or not and because of that we are going to start there. Now there are a number of different diet plans out there from IIFYM (if it fits your macros), paleo, low carb, low fat, etc and later down the line we will discuss each of those individually. But right now we want to start off with something simple so that those of us who may be trying to kick start can have something easy that can be followed. And really that is the key to living a healthy life, starting with something simple and easy and slowly building up.

The plan we are going to start with is the simple "eating in moderation".

Have you ever decided that on Monday you were going to start a new diet, but then found yourself stuffing your face with your favorite foods like it was your last meal?
Been there done that and kicked myself when 2-3 weeks later the diet crashed and I am back to doing the same old thing. I failed at that over and over and over again until I realized I was dieting wrong. I treated dieting like a chore that I had to do eliminating all of my favorite foods all together. Unfortunately that never worked because the entire time I was dieting I was thinking that once I get to my goal on the scale I would get to enjoy those same foods again.

The problem with that is if you were to reach your goal you would just create a balloon effect in that you would eventually be right back to where you started from.
We want you to succeed, so to start, the first thing is to eliminate the word diet from your vocabulary, at least from the traditional sense. The goal here is not to starve yourself and be miserable; it is to enjoy life while achieving your fitness goals. Believe it or not, you can do that while enjoying your favorite foods and here is how we are going to do it.
  1. Education: If you know what you are eating, chances are you will want to make changes anyway (after seeing how fast food and packaged food companies make and package their products my desire for those foods declined). So start by actually looking at the ingredients in your food and the calories. Now we know not all calories are the same as your body processes sugar differently than protein and we will discuss that further in detail in a future article, but for now we want to keep it simple. Get in the habit of making it your point in reading what is on the package or going online and reading the nutrition charts of your favorite restaurants. Tip: if the ingredients on the package are not something you can get on a farm then make it a goal to gradually eliminate those foods from your diet and replace them with healthier options (ie stuff you can find on a farm).
  2. Instead of elimination lets substitute or go smaller: We was discussing cravings and 94lt suggested when you have a craving try going for the healthiest option. The reason diets fail is because people try to do too much too soon and are miserable the entire time. The goal is to gradually change our lifestyle over time to something that we can sustain for a life time. So here is my challenge to you, every 2 weeks find something in your diet that you can substitute. If you drink 8 sodas a day make it your goal this week to substitute one or more of those sodas with a healthier option (ie water, tea sweetened with honey or healthy sugar substitute). Our goal is to eliminate more of the foods off the shelf in exchange for more produce, lean meats, nuts, and grains. Here are some ideas of other things you can gradually substitute over time: whole milk for 2%, 1%, and eventually something like almond milk, french fries for a baked potato, ice cream for frozen yogurt and eventually greek yogurt. And for those things you can not (or are not ready to) substitute, go with a smaller option. At one time I could devour a 16 inch pizza by myself at one sitting. It is obvious I enjoy pizza but instead of eliminating it from my diet I turned my weakness into a treat. So instead of ordering a 16 inch I would get one of those 8 inch personal pan pizzas and enjoy it with a small single serving of ice cream or frozen yogurt. I challenge you to do the same so if you normally would grab a Wendy's Triple with cheese (1090 calories) with large fries (500 calories) and a large drink (320 calories), consider going with a double stack (460 calories) and eventually a Jr. cheeseburger (290 calories), small fries (310 calories) or baked potato (320 calories), and half sweet half unsweet tea. That change alone will cut your intake in half while still allowing you to enjoy some of your favorite foods. Eventually we want to get to a point where we are eating fast foods less and less and choosing more foods like lean meats, fresh produce, and whole grain.
  3. Spices make foods better: When people say chicken breast, greens, and fruit when compare to what fast foods offer it may not sound so good. But I challenge you to visit the spices aisle at your local grocery store. Be careful to not choose a lot of sodium heavy spices. But you can find a lot of good stuff that are low in sodium and add an awesome kick to your meal. The right spices can turn your boring chicken breast into a meal you look forward to in the future. And for those limited on time, invest in a foreman grill not so much to "eliminate the fat" but because it cooks on both sides, so you are able to cook meats much faster than conventional methods while maintaining the moisture.
Hopefully those 3 suggestions will not only get you started but encourage you that eating right is not about being on a miserable diet but learning to enjoy life, enjoy food, and eventually build to a point where healthy food just plain taste better. I personally eliminated McDonald's from my diet because frankly I can do better. The thought of McDonald's now turn my stomach because after eating their food my stomach turns and 30 mins later I am still hungry and that is after waiting 5 mins at the drive thru only to get warm fries (vs hot) and a cool big mac served to me by some worker having a bad day. Instead I can throw a baked potato in the microwave, burger patties on the foreman grill, and in 7 mins enjoy it with a cold low calorie drink. Tastes better, I know what is in it because I made it, and I remain full for much longer.

FF Tip of the week: Have a sweet tooth, did you know the best time to enjoy something sweet is immediately after a workout?
Next time you must have something sweet enjoy it after an intense workout. Majority of the time I will enjoy a nice cool protein shake but every now and then ill grab a hershey bar or some m&m's staying away from the king sized options.

We look forward to hearing from you, so if you have any questions or tips involving this topic feel free to post below.
 
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kodiak799

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I don't know about 90%....a great diet will definitely make you healthier, but without exercise you won't come close to achieving your weight loss goals.

5-6 hours of vigorous exercise a week will probably burn about 1 pound. IMO, that makes it more vital than upgrading an "ok" diet to a great one.

Great point about spices and herbs. Cut down on your sodium intake and you will also enjoy healthy food much, much more.

Myself, I'm a believer in the smoothie. I get my RDA in fruits and vegetables in a couple large smoothies. Besides being super healthy, your waistline benefits from replacing some meat (even lean meat is considerably higher in calories, fat and cholesterol) with fruits and vegetables. You won't really even feel like you're on a diet. The vast majority of people don't eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables, so this is a great place to start for healthier eating.
 

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Thanks, wonderful topic! I really like the message to eat in moderation. I tend to take it literally and eat EVERYTHING (the whole spectrum) in moderation, tilting of course a bit more heavily toward the fruits and vegetables than toward the Pop Tarts, bacon, and donuts. ;)

I also really like the advice to throw out the word "diet" which has a "vacationy" feel to it. Instead I go for the word "lifestyle" which keeps fresh in my mind the idea, "Am I OK doing this every day for the long-term future?" I brush my teeth every day. I put my shoes on every day. I get up and go to work most days. Whatever I add to that routine, foodwise, needs to be a set of habits that fit comfortably into the same routine. If it's too disruptive, it'll never last!

-Matt
 

kodiak799

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Great point - don't go on a diet, make a lifestyle change. For most people, eating right is not going to be any giant sacrifice (you just have to moderate the junk by replacing it with healthier stuff).

It's amazing how many people think "dieting" means cutting out the fat. Losing weight is always and everywhere about calorie deficits. "Low carb" is overrated as well - don't overeat carbs, but too few saps energy and leads to a counter-productive reduction in metabolism.
 

94lt1

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Its 90% because you can kill yourself in the gym every day, and unless you modify your eating habits, you will show slow or no results.. Hence the term "abs are made in the kitchen"..

I did the diet thing..Lost lots og weight.. Hit my mark and went right back to my crappy habits. Gained 100 lbs back.. Easy for my body type..

But you're correct, your diet alone will not yield the results people are looking for..
The quickest way to lose fat is by changing your eating habits and gainin lean muscle mass.. That way you're always burning more calories..

Great article PC. :)
 

BHuber09

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Great article I really like the substitutions part. I try to be conscious of that whenever I'm choosing my foods.

But the problem I run into whenever I try to fix my diet is that I need to be eating about 4000-5000 with the type of strenuous activity that I do. So it is so incredibly difficult to eat that much food and eat all mostly healthy.. And on top of that eat this cafeteria food.

I've done the main things like cut out sodas, greasy foods, sweets (I allow myself one sweet a week). But I guess the main problem is that I'm not really in charge of what I can eat. I'm more at the mercy of the caf.

So I (know its not perfect idea but its the best I've got) want to find some type of supplement or pill (vitamins/minerals) that I can take so that way I know I'm getting all the nutrients I need while not having to focus on intake from my diet.

I've kinda strayed away from the topic but I think its close enough to post so here it goes. Any suggestions/help you guys can give me on things I can do/try to help? (Suggestions snacks to buy isn't out of the question, however suggesting full meals/meal replacements is (if you know what I'm saying))

Note'd
 

kodiak799

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So I (know its not perfect idea but its the best I've got) want to find some type of supplement or pill (vitamins/minerals) that I can take so that way I know I'm getting all the nutrients I need while not having to focus on intake from my diet.

With all you need to eat, the smoothie would be a perfect option for you. Pre-mix at home and take to work with you chilling in a cooler or fridge. Drink one mid-morning and another mid-afternoon.

You can get most of your RDA in fruits and vegetables and ditch the vitamins/supplements. I add Whey protein to mine (vanilla flavor helps them taste quite good). I also add seeds and nuts to get the healthy fats. Those two things up the calories (each of my smoothies is @360 calories)
 
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pc747

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Yeah as kodiak said I also would recommend a protein smoothie. I like dymatize, but there are other great options depending on your needs . Also with smoothies you can add in oatmeal and/ or fruit to make a nice breakfast.

uploadfromtaptalk1408784418654.jpg


And if you are really needing to pack on the calories check out serious mass.

uploadfromtaptalk1408784560004.jpg


Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
 

BHuber09

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Well I'm not looking to gain mass I'm just looking to maintain. But I like the smoothie idea I'll just have to go out and get a blender for my dorm haha. Thanks for the suggestions guys ill try and get on that this week when I get a chance.

Note'd
 
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pc747

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I have one that is basically one of those cup blenders. Put the ingredients in cup, put lid on it, turn upside down and attach it to blender and blend. What I like about dymatize is it tastes good, blends quick, and not loaded with sugar.
I'm sure there are other good brands out there as well.

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kodiak799

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I second Dymatize. It may be a little more expensive, but it's generally regarded as the purest and best tasting stuff out there. What turned me onto it is it's very low in sodium and has almost no cholesterol - most people get too much of that garbage in the rest of their diet, so you don't need a bunch more in 2 scoops of protein a day.
 

94lt1

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Wow.. I sound like an argumentative person here lol.. I've never used dymatize but I've heard its good.. I personally use either isopure zero carbor or warrior's, warriors blend... In any case.. Be sure to do your homework on your whey.. There are brands that nitro spike.. So they appear to be delivering more protein than they actually are..
 

liftedplane

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I don't know about 90%....a great diet will definitely make you healthier, but without exercise you won't come close to achieving your weight loss goals.

5-6 hours of vigorous exercise a week will probably burn about 1 pound. IMO, that makes it more vital than upgrading an "ok" diet to a great one.

Great point about spices and herbs. Cut down on your sodium intake and you will also enjoy healthy food much, much more.

Myself, I'm a believer in the smoothie. I get my RDA in fruits and vegetables in a couple large smoothies. Besides being super healthy, your waistline benefits from replacing some meat (even lean meat is considerably higher in calories, fat and cholesterol) with fruits and vegetables. You won't really even feel like you're on a diet. The vast majority of people don't eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables, so this is a great place to start for healthier eating.
I beg to differ, If you've never heard of slow carb of the 4 Hour Body by Timothy Ferris then go look it up.

You can most definitely reach your weight goals through diet alone, this doesn't mean you should or that it will be as fast however for the people who really don't want to exercise or simply don't have the time, eating properly can really make a huge difference.

I got tired of gaining weight and started getting to busy to go to the gym about 3 months ago... 2 weeks after I started following the 4 hour body and eating slow carb, since then I've gone from 249 to 224, that's 24lbs in 2 and a half months. The lifestyle change is super simple and just takes about 3 weeks of dedication to truly cement.

http://fourhourbody.com/

Check it out, it's absolutely amazing, I found a group on facebook dedicated to slow carb eating and it has helped immensly
 
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