Calories are a garbage system
Thats just one bit of wisdom shared at the nutritional clinic I attended at The Fitness Circuit. They wisely provided notepads which is the reason why I still have something to record here. Most of what I heard was already familiar, but a great reminder of changes that I have yet to implement. So here were the major points
Calories: A good ratio for sources of calories to keep is the zone diet’s 40 carb : 30 protein : 30 fat. Bodybuilders preach a 50 protein : 30 carb : 20 fat, which is not necessarily bad.
Composition: Its a good idea to vary food at mealtime to try to eat complete proteins. Combining an apple with almonds is an example. Rice and beans is another.
Timing: Its best to let digestion finish, between meals (3-4 hours). That way, enzymes are ready to be reused.
Toxicity: Toxins can be stored in fat as a way of elimination. The body will fight to keep the fat there until the source of the toxins is eliminated.
Exercise: Varied exercise is good. When time is limited, circuit training is ideal.
Calories: If planning to lose fat and counting calories, aim for a 500 calorie/day reduction. 500 calories * 7 days = 3500 calories = 1lb fat. A healthy diet could be about 1800 calories of good food. Its been offered that if you eat 35 grams of fiber at a sitting, you can eat what you want and maintain your weight because you will be full before eating too much of the bad stuff. Overall, calories are an imperfect system for assessing the metabolic energy of food, and shouldn’t be relied on heavily.
Diet: A caveman diet is a good idea. Nuts, veggies, fruit, occasionally meat. Cavemen didn’t bake bread, so stay away. A foods pyramid would prioritize foods in order of diminishing value Vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned), Fruit, Unprocessed starches (corn, carrot, rice, potato), Healthy grains, Raw Nuts/Seeds, Animal meets
Cholesterol: Levels are more of a feedback loop than anything else. They indicate an issue with nutrition. A secondary symptom. Acidic blood causes buffering (e.g. calcium leeching for dairy). Eating alkaline foods makes blood more basic.
Tips: Make junkfood a destination event. That way its not in the house, is more of a conscious decision, and is enjoyed more.
Cook in bulk. Some ideas are chicken, royal red [beans?] rice, sweet potatoes,
Have a free day, then go back to diet.
Mindset: put diet in the context of goals. When considering the big picture, the path is more clear. Have goals, write them down in the positive and in the past tense as if achieved (e.g. “I am glad that I can not do 100 pushups”).
