boyscouT's Beginners Guide to Dieting/Training/Supplementation
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? FEEL FREE TO ADD YOUR INPUT, JUST CLICK.
Q: What are calories?
A: A calorie is a unit of measurement for energy. All foods are measured in calories.
Q: How many calories do I need per day?
A: Two-step process. First, you need to calculate your
basal metabolic rate. Second, multiply your BMR with the appropriate
activity modifier. The end result will yield an ESTIMATE of your daily caloric needs.
Q: What are macronutrients?
A: A category of nutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, that are present in foods in large quantities.
Q: What should my macronutrients look like?
A: I recommend at least: 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight, 15% of your total caloric intake to come from fat, and the rest coming from carbohydrates.
Q: Why do we need to eat carbohydrates?
A: We need carbohydrates for:
- Carbohydrates are the body?s main source of fuel
- Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy
- All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy
- Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly
- Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy
- Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination [1]
Q: Why do we need to eat proteins?
A: We need proteins for:
- Growth (especially important for children, teens, and pregnant women)
- Tissue repair
- Immune function
- Making essential hormones and enzymes
- Energy when carbohydrate is not available
- Preserving lean muscle mass [1]
Q: Why do we need to eat fat?
A: We need fats for:
- Normal growth and development
- Maintaining the functioning of hormones which are needed in fat burning, muscle building, sperm production, etc
- Energy (fat is the most concentrated source of energy)
- Absorbing certain vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids)
- Providing cushioning for the organs
- Maintaining cell membranes
- Providing taste, consistency, and stability to foods [1]
Q: What are some healthy proteins, carbohydrates, and fats?
A: Proteins:- Egg Whites
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Pork
- Tuna / Salmon / Seafood
- Tofu
- Whey protein powder
- Casein protein powder
- Essentially most any other source of protein
Complex Carbohydrates:- Oats (ALL KINDS), oat bran, oat bran cereal (I.E. CHEERIOS)
- Potatoes (ALL KINDS)
- Rice (ALL KINDS)
- Pasta (ALL KINDS)
- Bread (ALL KINDS EXCEPT WHITE BREAD)
- Beans (ALL KINDS)
Veggies:- Green Leafy Lettuce (ALL KINDS)
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Green Beans
- Spinach
- Bell Peppers
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Green or Red Pepper
- Onions
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
Fruits:- Bananas
- Apples
- Grapefruit
- Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
- Lemons/Limes
Fats: DO NOT FEAR FAT!Dairy:- Milk (ALL KINDS)
- Cottage Cheese (LOW-FAT or FAT FREE)
- Yogurt (LOW-FAT or FAT FREE)
Q: Which foods should I avoid?
A: Man-made trans fatty acids, non-diet soda, obvious junk, and high fructose corn syrup (in excess).
Q: My food doesn't have any nutritional labeling. Where can I get its nutrition info?
A: www.nutritiondata.com
Q: How many meals should I eat daily?
A: There is no set # of meals. Just keep in mind that smaller and more frequent meals are better than larger, less frequent meals.
Q: I've got my calories. I've got my macros. I know WHAT to eat, but I don't know WHEN. Can you help?
A: Yes I can, keep reading.
Q: What should my first meal look like?
A: At the very least, you want a complete protein and complex carbohydrate. Fat is optional here.
Q: What do I eat before/during/after a workout?
A: PRE, DURING, & POSTWORKOUT NUTRITION
Q: I heard that anything you eat before bed will automatically turn into fat. Is this true? If not, what do I eat before bed?
A: Absolutely not true. Allocating enough calories for a bedtime meal is crucial! You want a slow digesting protein and a healthy fat here. This will keep your metabolism running and your body in an anabolic state during sleep.
Q: What should the rest of my meals look like?
A: Use common sense. Every meal should be high in protein. Your job is to decide if you want carbohydrates and/or fat, along with that protein. If you are still confused, scroll down for a sample meal plan.
Q: What is cutting? What is bulking? What is maintaining?
A: Cutting is dieting with a calorie deficit and training with the goal of maximum fat loss with minimal muscle loss. Bulking is dieting with a calorie surplus and training with the goal of maximum muscle gain with minimal fat gain. Maintaining is dieting and training with the goal of sustaining your levels of lean mass and fat.
Q: How do I know if I have to cut? Bulk?
A: Post a picture and we will assist you.
Q: When cutting, how big should my calorie deficit be?
A: For most, the smaller the deficit, the better. There are exceptions to this, however. Simply put, the more body fat you have, the bigger your deficit can be. A good starting point is -200 calories.
Q: When bulking, how big should my calorie surplus be?- For males:
- A: No more than 500 calories.
- For females:
- A: No more than 300 calories.
Q: I've read your entire guide but I still don't know how to make a meal plan. Can you make me one?
A: Meal Plan Template:
Reminder/Important tips:
- At least 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight
- At least 15% of your calories should come from healthy fats (40% POLYUNSATURATED, 30% MONOUNSATURATED, & 30% SATURATED)
- Carbs are up to you (I PREFER TO KEEP COMPLEX CARBS AT BREAKFAST, PREWORKOUT, AND POSTWORKOUT)
Other important tips:
- Meal size & frequency are not set in stone. (SMALLER/MORE FREQUENT MEALS YIELDS FOR OPTIMAL ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS & STABLE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS)
- Eat your fruits & veggies!
- Drink at least 1 gallon of pure water a day
Q: What training program should I start with? How many days a week? What exercises? How many sets/reps?
A: You will find plenty of beginners routines in the
Workout Programs section. I recommend starting with this routine:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224.
Q: I'm bulking, so I don't have to do any cardio, right?
A: Wrong! Cardio isn't just for burning calories. It has a plethora of health benefits. Do your cardio year round!
Q: What's a refeed? How do they compare to a cheat?
A: A refeed is one day a week where you have a calorie surplus. Meaning you eat a little bit more then you would normally eat for the day. This does not mean to go out and eat fast food or junk food. It means eating the same foods you would eat on a day to day basis but in larger amounts. Refeeds help in a number of ways including balancing hormone levels out, restoring glycogen to your muscles and it may even help bring your metabolism back up to par. Cheat refeeds are different and involve eating junk food all day and is not recommended.
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