The Best Rules for your Fat Loss Nutrition Plan

As a future physician, I cannot tell you how important the role nutrition plays in your overall state of health and weight loss/muscle building program.  As you have probably encountered, a variety of diets have come and gone throughout the years.  Low-fat, low-carb, all fruit and vegetable, the grapefruit diet, and even the zig-zag diet!  While all of them have some truth in them, the one thing they all have in common is a decrease in caloric intake.  Here are some tips that can help you get started on a nutrition plan for a weight loss plan, not forgetting that these tips will provide you with a heart healthy and age-preventing solution. These tips are listed in order of importance. So if you have to bend the rules, try not to bend the top rules.

1.)    Portion Control-It makes sense.  To lose weight, you need to remain in a caloric deficit. Your caloric deficit should be no more than 500 calories per day, as lean muscle tissue will be metabolized if you are eating too less.  The best way to accomplish this is to eat until you are full and then stop.  No one has time to count calories.  If you get hungry, eat again.  Your caloric deficit can be created by exercising for about 45 min to 1 hr per day.  Eating after you are full puts you at risk of going over your caloric needs and gaining weight.

2.)    Protein with every meal-You need ample protein in your diet to maintain lean muscle tissue, the most metabolically active tissue in your body.  As a rule, about 1 g/lb bodyweight.  Good lean protein sources include grilled chicken, fish, tuna, turkey, egg whites, whey protein, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat milk, and fat-free cheese. Soy products such as tofu or veggie burgers are good for women.  They are not recommended for men as they can increase estrogen precursors.

3.)    Vegetables and Fruits with every meal-Use fruits in your breakfast meal and snacks.  Vegetables should be eaten with lunch and dinner every day. Vegetables should cover half your plate at lunch and dinner time.

4.)    Water-Try to drink about 10 cups of a water a day. Work your way up to this number, as it might be a lot at first.  No more than two diet drinks a day, as studies have shown that they increase your appetite. If you only like diet drinks, then you need to count your calories.

5.)    Don’t skip meals-You should eat at least 4-5 meals a day.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a pre-bedtime snack.  Skipping meals makes you more likely to overindulge at other meals.

6.)    Good Fats-Try to stick to olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and fish for health sources of fat.  I do not recommend nuts since it is very easy to overeat with them. To be heart healthy, all you need is 1 TBS of healthy oil a day.

Follow these rules, and everything else will fit in place.  Don’t worry too much about your carbohydrate to fat ratio, as if you are following these 6 steps you will be on your way to a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing physique.  As always, a lifestyle change with these rules is a necessity to help prevent illness, aging, and weight gain.

Dr. S.S.

3/4 cup frozen peaches

1/8 cup vanilla whey protein (1/2 scoop)

Two splenda packets(2 TBS)

2 TBS of Dannon Light n Fit Vanilla Yogurt

½ cup lowfat milk

Directions: Blend until peach chunks disappear. Eat with a spoon to trick your mind that you are eating ice cream and satisfy your craving.

This is not going to be an article for generating 1.21 gigawatts!! of electricity. But, this article will definitely give you a solid foundation on how to build some muscle for your back into your future. It is important to note that neglecting your back in your workout routine will definitely make you look asymmetrical and unbalanced. You might think that you don’t need to work this part of you body since 1) you cant really see your back everyday 2) all the hype is for having big arms and 3) you might have some back problems due to an injury or other health issues.

Exercising your back will not only help you with having a good posture but also provide your bones in your spine the added strength and stability. Further, training your back will help reduce back pain and reduce your chances of injury.

For those who want to start with a back routine, doing simple stretches, assisted pull ups and some light stretches with dumbbells should get you on your way to a healthier back. Keep in mind that before starting you should consult your physician before you start any type of exercises that will put stress on your lower back and spine.

For people who want to go a step further and are willing to devote the time and effort, a variety of core muscle building and sculpting exercises will get you on the way to an impressive back physique.

To start, the workouts should be very simple and pretty basic, you should focus on compound exercises, which will put the maximum stress on  your core muscle group.  To be clear by what we mean by compound exercise, compound exercises move the body through more than one joint movement, while isolation exercises only move the body through a single joint movement. In this case it will be your latissimus dorsi and the muscles that support your lumbar region. The exercises you should concentrate to build your back will be squats, dead lifts and pull-ups. These combined, will put a tremendous amount of stress on the body. The stress will force your body to compensate by gaining muscle mass on your back. These exercises will allow you to lift heavier weights and work more muscle groups at the same time than starting to build your back with exercises such as lat pull down and rows. These exercises will come later during our journey to sculpting a good back physique.

So lets get started….

Stiff-Legged Barbell Dead lift (3 sets, 2 min-break, 8-12 reps)

Step 1: Place a barbell with weights that you believe you will be able to perform the above repetitions. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.

Step 2: Bend forward and keeps your head up so that you are looking straight ahead. Keep your back straight. Grip the bar, keeping your hands about a foot apart,  your knuckles facing away and knees slightly bent.

Step 3: Come up to your starting position, keeping arms straight. Then slowly lower the weight back down, bending forward until the weight almost touches the floor.

Perform 8-12 reps with a 2 minutes break in between.

Pull-Ups (3 Sets, 2 minutes break, 8-12 reps)

Step 1: Grasp the pull-up bar with a slightly wider than shoulder width overhand grip. Bend your legs 90 degrees and cross your feet.

Step 2: Pull upward, aiming to hit the bar with the top of your chest.

Step 3: When you reach the bar, SLOWLY lower yourself to the starting position.

Note: For beginners, you can do assisted pull-ups if your body is not used to pulling your own weight. Once you build the strength you should start doing the former.

These exercises should well get you on your way to having a good muscular back physique.  In the next upcoming parts, we will discuss some back isolation exercises to give you more definition. Stay tuned!!

Is Whey Protein Right For You?
Whey protein has been around for centuries. Ask your parents, I am sure they have heard of it. Over the last 15-20 years, the whey protein market has sky-rocketed. In fact, almost anyone that works out will talk about how they need to add a whey protein shake to their nutrition after their workout. It has become a staple to sports nutrition following exercise. But the question to ask yourself is whether it works? Or is it just another marketing fad that comes and goes, just like your low carb and low fat diets. Here are some important facts and common questions answered about whey protein and things you should know before deciding if it is right for you.

What is whey protein?
Whey protein is a high quality protein powder from cow’s milk. Milk has two proteins: Casein (approximately 80%) and Whey Protein (approximately 20%). Whey protein is more soluble than casein and also has a higher quality rating. It is often referred to as the “Gold Standard” of protein as it is the most nutritious protein available.

How is whey protein made?
Have you ever made paneer at home? For those that haven’t, it is very simple. You take a huge pot of milk and boil it until solids form. Those solids(curd) float atop the liquid from the milk and is used to make paneer. The liquid portion of this boiled milk contains the protein and lactose of the milk(and some fat that didn’t curd). The water is dehydrated from this liquid and you are a left with a powder known as whey protein concentrate. Through, a process of micro filtration, the lactose and fat can be removed from this liquid and dehydrated, leaving a powder known as whey protein isolate.

Is there a difference between whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate?
Yes. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein available, as the lactose and fat have been microfiltered out. We recommend finding whey protein supplements with whey protein isolate listed as the first ingredient, rather than whey protein concentrate. Whey protein concentrate packs more junk with it (lactose and fat). Take a look at the back of your whey protein source, and you’ll see that there are some carbs and fats on the nutrition label. This is due to a mixture of whey protein concentrate in your supplement.

What are the benefits to adding whey protein to my sports nutrition?
Since whey protein is very soluble and easily digested, it becomes available in your bloodstream soon after ingestion. For this reason, bodybuilders recommend taking a post-workout whey protein shake to help stop the breakdown of muscle following strenuous exercise. In order to build muscle, you break it down by lifting weights, and you rebuild it by proper nutrition. The end result should be a stronger and bigger muscle. Whey protein following a workout has shown to minimize the breakdown of muscle with various research studies. Research studies have also shown that whey protein in combination with fast-absorbing carbohydrates(dextrose, sugar, white bread) leads to an increase in muscle synthesis following a workout. Vegetarians, like myself, benefit greatly from whey protein to help reach recommended daily protein requirements for athletes and bodybuilders. Not listed here are they potential health benefits as well.

Who should NOT take whey protein?
This is questionable, however I do not recommend whey protein for those that do not follow an intense lifting regimen(4-5 days a week, at least 30 min sessions). These will just be added calories that you could have consumed with your main meals of the day, which would probably be enjoyed more and have a higher nutritional value(chicken, eggs, turkey, low-fat dairy). Those that are lactose intolerant should be aware and those with any type of kidney disease.

How much protein should I take a day?
This varies across several sports nutritionists, however I recommend at least 0.8 to 1 g/lb body weight. For example, a 180 lb man will need to take in somewhere between 144 to 180 g of protein per day to maximize muscle growth. You can still grow muscle without protein, as carbohydrates and fats are converted to protein as well. However, you are more likely to put on excess fat with carbohydrates and fats. When dieting or cutting down fat, these protein requirements may increase. Protein becomes really important in this case, as it will help retain hard-earned muscle tissue, and keeping your metabolic rate high.

Are they are any long-term health risks to using whey protein?
At the current time, no literature shows any detrimental effects. Common side effects include gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, and bloating. These side effects usually go away after using the supplement continuously, unless you are lactose intolerant. Start out slow, and work to increase your protein intake over time. When increasing your protein intake, I recommend having a renal function panel checked every six months to a year from your primary care physician. Although studies have not shown a causation to renal insufficiency with increased dietary protein consumption, it is better stay on the safe side. As always, drink about 10 cups of water a day to help flush out the waste products created from the metabolism of protein.

Dr. S.S.