DIET PLAN :

8 Simple Nutrition Rules

How you look is largely influenced by what you eat. Lack of muscle mass, high body fat, lack of energy at work or at the gym, bad skin, digestive problems, ... All of that can be caused by unhealthy nutrition.

Since there's a lot of confusion about what to eat and why, here are 8 simple nutrition rules that will help you build muscle, lose fat & get stronger.

1. Eat Breakfast. You get energy from the first hour and you'll be less hungry the rest of the day. It also sets the trend: you'll tend to eat healthier if your day starts with a strong & healthy breakfast.
Your best bet: omelets, smoothies & cottage cheese. Read how to build the habit of eating breakfast and try these breakfast recipes.

2. Eat Every 3 Hours. The easiest way: breakfast, lunch, dinner, post workout, pre bed and 2 snacks in between. Benefits:
Less Hunger. Eating more smaller meals vs. few big meals will decrease your stomach size. You'll feel full faster and your waist will trim.Less Cravings. Not eating for long periods usually causes overeating at the next meal or ending at the candy machine.Eat at fixed times every day and your body will get hungry at those fixed times. Example: 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 6pm, 7pm & 10pm.

3. Eat Protein with Each Meal. You need protein to build and maintain muscle. Proteins also help fat loss since they have the highest thermic effect. And they satiate: proteins make you full longer than carbs.
How much protein should you eat daily? At least 1g per pound of body-weight. That's 200g/day if you weigh 200lbs. The easiest way to get this amount is to eat a whole protein source with each meal. Some include:

• Red Meat. Beef, pork, lamb, deer, buffalo, etc.

• Poultry. Chicken, turkey, duck, etc.

• Fish. Tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, etc.

• Eggs. Don't believe the cholesterol myths. Eat the yolk.

• Dairy. Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, quark, yogurt, etc.

• Whey. Not necessary but great for easy post workout shakes.

• Check also these protein sources for vegetarians & vegans.

4. Eat Fruits & Veggies with Each Meal. Most of them are low calorie: you can eat your stomach full without gaining fat or weight. Fruits & veggies are also full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber which helps digestion.
Some of my favorite fruits & veggies are: apples, berries, pineapple, oranges, bananas, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, roman lettuce, chicory, peas, etc

5. Eat Carbs Post Workout Only. While you need carbs for energy, most people eat more than they need. Limit your carb intake to post workout only.
Eat Fruits & Veggies with all Meals. These contain little carbs compared to whole grains. Exception: corn, carrots, raisins.Other Carbs Post Workout Only. This is rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, quinoa, oats, etc. Avoid white carbs and eat whole grain.Exception. If you're a skinny guy who wants to gain weight: eat carbs post workout and post post workout. More if needed.

6. Eat Healthy Fats. Healthy fats improve fat loss and health. They also satiate, digest slowly and are cheap. Eat healthy fats with every meal and avoid artificial trans -fats & margarine. Balance your fat intake.
Saturated Fats. Increase testosterone levels. Dietary cholesterol is not bound to blood cholesterol. Real butter, whole eggs, red meat.Monounsaturated Fats. Protect against heart diseases and cancers. Extra virgin olive oil, olives, mixed nuts.Polyunsaturated Fats. Increase testosterone levels, promote fat loss, decrease inflammation, … Fish oil, ground flax seeds, mixed nuts.

7. Drink Water. Strength training causes water loss through sweating which can impair muscle recovery. Drinking water prevents dehydration but also hunger since an empty stomach can make you think you're hungry.
1 US Gallon Water/Day. Drink 1 cup of water first thing on waking up, 2 cups with each meal and sip water during your workout.Get a Brita Filter. Cheaper than bottled water and tastes better than straight tap water. Try also green tea & water with squeezed lemon.Ignore Water Intoxication. Eating healthy as explained in this post will make sure you replenish your electrolytes. Unless you do crazy stuff like drinking 2 gallons water in 10mins, you'll be safe.

8. Eat Whole Foods 90% of The Time. Read 10 foods you think are healthy but aren't and 20 super foods. To really get the results you want, 90% of your food intake should consist of whole foods.
Whole Foods. Unprocessed and unrefined (or little refined) foods that come as close as possible to their natural state. Examples: fresh meat, fish, poultry, eggs, veggies, legumes, fruits, rice, oats, quinoa, …Processed Foods. Usually contain added sugars, trans-fats, nitrates, corn syrup, sodium and more chemicals. Examples: bagels, fruit bars, cereals, pizza, cookies, sausages, frozen meals, supplements, ...Eat whole foods 90% of the time. Difference in result is insignificant compared to eating 100% healthy. So if you eat 6x/day, you can eat 4 junk meals per week guilt-free. Same with alcohol & sweet drinks: 10% of the time is ok.

Example Diet. Forget about portion size and calories. Just eat your stomach full. You won't get fat eating healthy foods. Especially not if you exercise and with all the veggies. Example diet using the above 8 nutrition rules:

• Breakfast: eggs with veggies, orange, green tea

• Snack: mixed nuts, pear

• Lunch: tuna, roman lettuce, olives, olive oil

• Snack: cottage cheese with apple

• Post workout: ground round, quinoa, spinach, banana

• Dinner: chicken, spinach, baby carrots, peer

• Pre-bed snack: cottage cheese, berries, ground flax seeds, fish oil

Nobody has time to cook 6x/day. Prepare your food for the day while making breakfast or dinner. This takes about 1 hour and is key to making this work.

7 MAJOR NUTRITION RULES TO BE FOLLOWED

• Ensure that you eat 6 times a day (once every 2-3 hours): In this manner, your blood sugar remains stable, cravings are minimized, energy and metabolism are maximized, and muscle gets fed constantly. 

• Eat the right amounts and types of protein: To figure out your protein needs, multiply your total bodyweight by 1.2 and that will give you the total protein grams you need to consume per day. Divide that number by 6 and that equals the amount of protein grams per meal. Limit your protein sources to lean meats like chicken, turkey, and white fish such as tilapia. Out of the 6 meals, no more than 3 should be protein shakes. The post workout meal should be a whey protein powder mixed with the cream of rice as in this manner nutrients will reach the muscles as quickly as possible. In addition to the post workout meal, no more than 2 other meals should be liquid ones. 

• Eat the right amounts and types of carbohydrates: To figure out your carbohydrate needs, multiply your lean body mass (Fat free bodyweight) by 0.8 and that will give you the total grams of carbs you need to consume per day. Divide that number by 3 and that equals the amount of carbohydrate grams you will have for Meal 1, on your meal prior to the workout and on your meal after the workout. Since we are emphasizing fat loss, stick to low glycemic carbohydrates (such as oatmeal, brown rice, grits, and sweet potatoes), except for the post workout meal where a high glycemic carbohydrate such as cream of rice is more desirable. 

• Eat your vegetables: A diet high in fibrous carbs not only helps to suppress appetite, slow down the release of the other nutrients and increases the absorption of the protein you ingest, but also cleans your system and increases your metabolic rate (as the body has to work hard to process the vegetables). No need to count vegetable grams. As long as they are the green leafy type such as broccoli, green beans, and lettuce, you can have as much as you want at any meal (except the post workout one as at this time we do not want the vegetables to slow down the absorption of the nutrients). 

• Consume your essential fats: These fats are highly important for general health, muscle protection and for fat loss! A deficiency of these and not only energy levels will suffer but you will also encounter issues gaining muscle and losing fat. 2 Tablespoons of Flaxseed Oil with any meal or protein shake (except the post workout one as at this time we do not want the fats to slow down the absorption of the nutrients). 

• Drink your water: Properly hydrate yourself as water is needed for muscle building and fat loss to happen optimally, in addition to creating a feeling of fullness that helps when one is dieting. Shoot for a minimum goal of half of your bodyweight in ounces of water per day. 

• Increase carbs over the weekend: Increase the quantities of carbohydrates over the weekend to 1.3 times your lean body mass (fat free bodyweight) in order to prevent your metabolism from getting used to the diet. This time, divide that number by 5 and consume the carbohydrates over Meals 1-5. Try to ensure that Meal 5 is no later than 6 pm so that no starchy carbs are consumed after that time.