Evan's Skinny Guide To Fat Stuff by NoOneEver

Dieting is fucking hard Really, really hard. It’s hard to know if I should play good cop or bad cop when talking to people about fitness...but dieting is honestly the hardest part. Exercise is the easy part, and that sounds awful to say. But in this day and age, gyms are all over the place and it costs more to have a Netflix account than to join a gym. If weights aren’t your thing, there are plenty of articles on how to make every action “cardio”. Go for a run once a week, do some body-weight exercises in the morning, wear a weighted vest and have sex; all potential ideas. After every workout, you feel great too! You’re sweaty, your muscles are plump, you get to tell people about it and for five seconds you’re a god (before someone gets self-conscious and wants to change the subject to Game of Thrones for the 100th time.) But DIETING has no shortcuts. Dieting takes time, money, and effort: the unholy trifecta. Depending on how long you do it or how quickly you want to lose weight, you’re going to be miserable at points. Your friends are going to guilt you about having another beer or a slice of pizza. After all that, you may even lose the weight you want to lose, look at yourself and realize “Holy shit I have a lot more to lose.” But you know what? That’s ok. Everyone hits these road bumps, including me. As I write this, I’m thinking about ordering a large Pizza Hut pizza with stuffed crust, pepperoni, banana peppers, bacon, and a side of hot wings. Instead, I’m digesting two turkey-burgers that were wrapped in lettuce with two tablespoons of tzatziki. By the end of this guide, you will be too. Did...did that make you feel confident? Ok, how about this: we’ll find a good middle-ground and I promise this whole dieting thing will be much easier.

Promise.

WARNING Listen, I’m not making this to fight over petty details or assert an agenda (though, Sugar lobbyists, if you’re out there, I’ll take the work). I have no certifications or official schooling in nutrition or fitness. I’ve just been doing this for quite some time and want to help out friends, family, and loved ones trying to sift through the vast information of health and fitness. These keywords, terms, and definitions are what I’ve seen GENERALLY accepted in the fitness community. As long as you’re active and trying to better yourself, why fight over what we think works or doesn’t? Don’t send me Reddit links, personal annecdotes, or bodybuilding.com forum links from 2008; I get it, different strokes for different folks. The best you can do is stay informed and keep reading; Just like with science, we learn more about nutrition and fitness every year. Let’s all just get along and try to discuss some largely used terms. But, for the record, Paleo is dumb and just an excuse to eat bacon and drink beer while trying to be healthy.

Fitness is a combination of two things: diet and exercise. Literally, that’s it. What your goals are in your body and health will determine your diet or exercise. There are generally three objectives I hear when people come to me for advice: 1) I want to lose weight 2) I want to gain muscle 3) I want to get toned (But, you know, not huge) All of these options can be achieved by diet OR exercise but I HIGHLY recommend using both. Most goals will only be expedited or even improved by utilizing both a proper diet and some form of exercise. Speaking anecdotally, I know first hand how much dieting changed my exercises. Unfortunately, forming a diet is usually what intimidates people more than exercising. Exercising has many options for people to get into and even be considered fun: lifting, running, yoga, sports, etc. With dieting, people see friends and family counting “points”, asking for the calories on a menu, taking the bread off of sandwiches, skipping happy hours, or worst of all, passing on dessert. But it doesn’t have to be this way!...Or, well, at least not all the time. So, where do you begin? First, you pick a goal: Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Lower your blood pressure? Increase your strength? Increase your endurance? Once you’ve selected a goal, decide when you want it completed by: Trying to lose 10 pounds for a wedding next month? Trying to get toned for the summer starting January 1st? Knowing your time frame will prepare you better for the next step: choosing your whether exercise, diet, or a combination is right for you. With an objective, a time frame, and a method is chosen, you now have a framework for a routine!

Ok, so you decided you want to begin a healthier lifestyle. Great! It may seem as easy as getting up and going for a run or joining a gym, but it’s usually short-lived. Maybe you go for your run and realize you’re just not as in shape as you were in highschool. Or maybe you go to the gym and you have no clue what machines to use or why you’re even using one over the other. To help start off with confidence, I recommend picking a goal. To accurately determine a goal, you’re going to need to know your height, weight, and, if possible, your body fat percentage. Determining height and weight should be known already for most, but body fat can be a bit more complicated. It’s not necessary, but it will help you measure your progress better in the long run. The most accurate way involves buying a pair of calipers and measuring several parts of your body based on your gender. If you have a measuring tape, you can also use that to measure various points for a more general guess at your body fat. If you know your bodyfat number, you can figure out just how many pounds you have to lose in order to look the way you wish (if your goals are aesthetic). To keep things simple, we’re going to work with three broad goals:

1) Lose Weight

(Examples: If you want to show your abs, have more defined muscles, lower your blood pressure, or generally lose fat)

2) Gain Weight

(Examples: If you you’re under-weight and wish to gain more, if you want to gain strength, if you want to gain muscle faster)

3) Maintain Weight

(Examples: You like where you’re at but you want to increase endurance, strength, muscle, or other vitals)

With a goal decided, you must now set a completion date for your goal. Ideally, you’ll continue past your goal to continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but having a goal from the start gives you something to aim for. Without a completion date, you may grow bored of your routine, lose/gain weight too quickly, or not lose/gain weight as fast as you’d had expected. In losing weight, ideally, you do not want to lose more than two pounds a week. Unless you’re severely overweight, the calorie deficit will be hard to maintain and often leads to quitting the diet or weekend binge eating. Two pounds a week is usually enough for most people to consistently lose weight, still eat a decent amount of food, and visually see great progress every month. In gaining weight, it’s best not go gain more than a pound a week. Like with losing weight, unless you’re severely underweight, the calorie surpluss may be hard to maintain past two pounds a week. Eating that much food and keeping it HEALTHY will be hard to do and we want you to gain good weight, not just fat and raise your cholesterol. Even with an extremely clean diet, a calorie surplus too large will inevitably lead to fat. For maintaing weight, you’re going to want to monitor calories but not as intensely as you would in gaining or losing weight. For maintanance, you’re going to want to focus on nutrition. You like how you look, you just want to fine-tune a couple things. Making sure you’re getting healthy sources of protein, carbs, and fat may be just that.

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CARDIO ONLY Cardio only is the first thing people think when they want to lose weight. Immediately people think about taking the steps more often, going for a job, or picking up a casual sport. If you’re looking to lose weight overall, this plan is just fine. However, do you think you have the energy and commitment to run three to five times a week? Some people do, some people don’t. Also, with no weight-resistance exercise, you may find yourself looking thinner but not much more defined. Some people may like that aesthetic, and if so, objective complete! If not, this is why lifting is key as well.

CARDIO & LIFTIN

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Lifting weights have one immediate benefit over cardio: metabolism. How many more calories muscle burns than fat is debated, but overall it’s understood that muscle does burn more. Lifting weights will also change your body shape even while you lose fat, helping you look thinner as the fat comes off as well. However, Muscle weights more than fat, so lifting may throw off your goal if you have great beginner gains. Lifting will get your muscles pumped and improve your heart health, but cardio is the king of a healthy heart; that’s why it’s called CARDIO! Cardio also has the added benefit of being more convenient to execute in a busy schedule and tends to burn more calories in the same time period. Lifting for an hour versus running for an hour can be almost half the calories burned!

CARDIO ONLY Cardio only while trying to gain mass will get your very toned. Think of athletes you hear who eat 5000-6000 calories a day. Football players may be huge, but basketball players, soccer players, and Olympians generally remain pretty lean and toned. Though they do some weight lifting, this is mainly due to a high cardio lifestyle combined with a high-calorie meal plan. Depending on your goal of gaining weight, the main con in doing cardio only is the risk of burning muscle or remaining “soft” looking. Also, due to cardio usually burning more calories, you may find it hard to eat as much as you burn.

LIFTING ONLY Lifting and gaining are a match made in heaven. If you use steroids or are genetically gifted, you will be able to gain muscle while eating at a calorie deficit or maintenance. However, the average person will ABSOLUTELY need to eat more than they burn to gain as much muscle as they can. Eating at a surplus is the perfect time to start lifting as your muscles will benefit immensely from the extra nutrients. However, if you decide to not do cardio, you may find yourself out of breath on your heavier or busier lifting days. Also, you may gain more muscle, but the added weight may slow you down and make your heart work harder without cardio keeping you used to the new mass.

CARDIO & LIFTING COMBINED A combination of lifting and cardio while gaining weight will keep you healthy as you adjust to your new mass. Your body will take the extra nutrients and energy and rebuild muscle while minimizing fat gain. The main drawbacks to doing both would be the increased foods you have to eat to make up for the burned calories and the risk of burning yourself out stamina wise. Some may have the stamina to run and lift four to five days a week, but I’d recommend focusing on one of the two and doing the other only once or twice a week.

Gaining weight is just as simple as losing weight: consume more calories than you burn! Gaining weight at a max of a pound a week is what most people go for to minimize bad weight and to be able to fit their meals into one day. Doing cardio while trying to gain weight may seem counter-intuitive, but I still recommend at least one day of light cardio for this objective.

CARDIO ONLY Doing only cardio while maintaining weight is great if you already like the way you look. Cardio will become purely a heart health and endurance endeavor. As a bonus, you may also lose some fat. Neat!

LIFTING ONLY Maintaining weight seems the simplest; eat what you’re eating but get active, right? To some extent, yeah. But there are still some small hiccups to look out for.

Lifting while maintaining weight may be a little difficult depending on how strict you are. Muscle weighs more than fat and, if it’s your first time lifting, you’ll gain muscle pretty quickly. If seeing your weight increase is bad regardless of it being muscle or fat, this may be negative for you. If the number doesn’t bother you as much, the good news is this is what many people already do casually! Nothing wrong with looking relatively the same but feeling a bit stronger and more solid.

CARDIO & LIFTING COMBINED To maintain peak overall health without being too focused on looks, this is your best bet. Great heart, a little bit of muscle, good metabolism; can’t beat this. But...of all three objectives, maintaining weight is most depending on diet.

Regardless if you choose to form a cardio or lifting, a healthy, consistent diet is more important than either. Tracking your calories and macronutrients can make or break any of the three objectives. For cutting it’s unquestionable to monitor your nutrients and calories. For working, out it helps you recover faster, reduce fat development, and have more energy for your exercises. To determine how many calories and what macronutrients you need, you’ll need to spend $120 for Robbie Robowski’s “Six-Pack Shredder 6000”. or just download MyFitnessPal©. Seriously, do it right now. In fact, fuck it, here we go, step four on where to begin.

Admittedly there are several equations and online calculators you can find that determine your base calorie needs and how to adjust them for cutting, maintenance, or bulking. For the sake of convenience and accessibility, I cannot recommend MyFitnessPal© more than enough. Now, before you call me an Under Amour shill (Fuck you, Nike, their shoes are good too. UNDER ARMOUR PLEASE PAY ME), let me explain. The app puts so many things into one convenient, easy to use home. It’s got meal ideas, it’s got nutritional info, it’s got coupons, it tracks your macronutrients, it tracks your calories, it’s got tons of groceries already in it’s database for quick access, it‘s got links to Under Armour’s other apps for walking, lifting, running, bike riding, and even it’s scale. Once you’ve downloaded the app (you downloaded it...right?), we’re ready to talk nutrition.

There’s no quicker way to ruin any of your objectives than to neglect diet. Even if you manage to achieve them, if you compare your results to someone who did the same but watched their diet and macros, nine times out of ten they’ll look better than you or have completed their goals faster. The tenth time is just good genes. Constructing a diet is normally the hardest part for people because it seems the most complicated in terms of knowledge, time, and money. Hopefully, I can alleviate all of these worries and show you just how easy and cheap it can be. Before we get into the details, I’d like to just knock out some of the bullshit superstitions that people normally tell themselves so they don’t feel bad about not going on a diet.

1) Dieting is pricey, I’m made of fat, not money! Dieting can seem expensive at first; paying $1 for a cheeseburger at McDonald’s seems a lot better than paying $4 for a pound of meat you’ll have to freeze if you don’t use, $3 for buns, $3 for cheese, and $5 for vegetables. That looks like 1 $1 cheeseburger vs 1 $15 cheeseburger. But in reality, that $15 gets you around four to six burgers with more nutrition. In the past, it was harder to find healthier foods, but most stores these days offer healthy alternatives.

2) I don’t have the time to diet, ordering out is my only way! Timing is the hardest excuse I usually hear, but even then there are alternatives. As long as you have a working oven or at least one day a week to do meal prep, tracking what you eat can be very convenient! Eating reheated food may seem depressing at the end of a long workday, but it’s a trade-off you may have to make for your goals.

3) What, am I supposed to weigh every single drop of food? Most of them, yes! It’s EASY!

The best way to get into dieting is to understand why you’re eating what you eat. Plenty of people can tell you “CARBS ARE BAD” and if you ask why, they spout the some crap Dr. Oz said or from an internet post in 2003. Just like most things, your macronutrients are good in moderation, you just have to make sure to pick unprocessed and healthy versions. In this section, I’ll explain the big three (Carbs, Protein, and Fat) in what they do and what products give you the best nutrients.

Carbs typically come in three forms: sugars, starches, and fibers. Think honey, potatoes, and wheat. Starches and fibers are the healthy forms of carbohydrates known as complex carbs. Sugars offer energy as well but are typically best reserved for post-workouts for an immediate energy boost in small doses. Carbs tend to get measured based off of their glycemic index (GI), which measures how the carb raises your blood sugar. Higher GI foods aren’t automatically bad, but most tend to be. One gram of carb is around four calories and is the main source of energy for your body throughout the day. Your body does this by converting carbs into glucose which all cells run off of. Excess carbs are turned into glycogen and stored for later use by your body. If really excessive, carbs will even be stored as fat. Fiber is important because, although some forms are indigestible, it helps you digest other foods.

The GOOD 100% Stone-Ground Whole Wheat breads/pastas, pumpernickel bread, oatmeal, yams, lima beans, peas, leguemes, vegetables, and fiberous fruits.

The OK Whole wheat bread, rye bread, pita bread, qucik oats, brown rice, wild rice, couscous, berries, oranges.

The Bad

White flour/bread, corn flakes, puffed rice, white rice, sugary cereals, juices/sodas.

Everyone knows protein is important to be fit, but there are constant arguments over how much and from what sources. Protein is a molecule made up of amino acids. Some of these acids are made by your body and are supplemented by what you eat, but others come ONLY from meat and are considered essential amino acids. This is why vegetarians and vegans often have to take supplements for a rounded diet. Protein, like carbohydrates, is found in every cell of the body. It’s uses very for repairing damage to muscles, carrying oxygen to the blood, and cell creation. Protein tends to get measured by its fat content, which is tied to what kind of animal you’re eating and what part. Again, just like with carbs, protein tends to be one gram to four calories. How much protein you should consume is dependent on your size and exercise choices. For the average person, only 10-30% of the diet is considered necessary for protein. Excess protein is not stored in your body, it is literally put to waste. Still, some lifters advise eating an excessive amount of protein just to make sure they’re getting plenty to their muscles.

The GOOD BEEF

Top Sirloin, Eye of Round, Tenderloin, Bottom Round, Flank Steak, 90%+ Ground Beef

PORK

Tenderloin, Pork Loin

POULTRY

Chicken Breast, Turkey Breast, Skinless Chicken Leg, Skinless Turkey Leg

SEAFOOD*

Tuna, Salmon, Cod, Oysters, Trout, Sable *Cholesterol limits for nutrition have recently been erased as there has been no strong link between dietary cholesterol and heart health. For that reason, many seafood shellfish are back on to being “good” or, at the least, “ok” options!

The OK BEEF

85% Ground Beef, T-Bone, Pot Roast

PORK

Ham-Steak, Chops

POULTRY

Chicken Leg with Skin, Chicken Thighs without Skin

SEAFOOD*

Halibut, Large Tuna, Shark, Chilean Sea Bass

The BAD BEEF

80% or less Ground Beef, Filet Mignon, Brisket, New York Strip, Ribs, Porterhouse

PORK

Ribs, Shoulder, Butt, Bacon, Sausage, Cured Ham

POULTRY

Chicken Wings, Chicken Thighs with Skin, Duck All and all, Seafood is pretty safe, Chicken your best bet is to go with breast or a skinless cut, and with beef and pork you want to look for “loin”. Another trick for beef is to look for these three terms: Prime, which is the fattiest cut, Choice, which is a middle-ground, and Select, which tends to be the leanest cut of meat.

*These seafood items are considered “ok” for their mercury content, not their fat.

WHEY PROTEIN The most popular protein powder, whey is made as a by-product of turning milk into cheese. Whey is quickly absorbed by the body, making it ideal for pre or post-workouts. Whey comes in three forms: Regular/Concentrate, Isolate, and Hydrolyzed. Whey Isolate tends to be a bit more expensive but itâ€™s purer than basic whey protein, being 90-95% protein with less or no lactose. Hydrolized Whey is regular whey with its acidic chain shortened. This allows the whey to be absorbed even quicker.

CASEIN PROTEIN Casein is very similar to whey protein, being a dairy-based powder created by isolating liquid milk proteins. However, Casein releases slower than Whey protein, making it great for pre-workouts before a long session or taken before bed for when your body repairs during sleep.

EGG PROTEIN Egg Protein powder is made from dehydrating egg whites. With an average release time, this powder can have many applications and has the benefits of the vitamins and minerals found in egg whites. Egg Protein powder tends to be one of the more expensive options.

SOY PROTEIN Soy Protein powder gets a bad rep for raising estrogen levels if consumed in large amounts or regularly. However, Soy is a great plant protein sources and releases slowly, making it great as a bed-time shake or pre-workout.

PEA/HEMP/BROWN RICE PROTEIN Peas, Hemp, and Brown Rice can all be turned into protein powder! All three are hypoallergenic and contain similar benefits to their raw properties including their minerals and fats. As they are not animal based, they do lack essential acids and can tend to be more expensive.

Despite still fighting an infamy of negative rumors of hazards, fats and cholesterol are an essential part of a balanced diet. While often found together, fats and cholesterol are quite different and do different jobs. Fat provides energy while cholesterol is used to help promote fat digestion,vitamin D, and body chemistry like testosterone and estrogen levels. Fats and oils can be also known as triglycerides and are known for their carbon chains, also known as fatty acids. Unfortunately, while carbs and protein generally clock-in at one gram to four calories, fats are about one gram to nine calories. The four kinds are:

•Saturated Fat •Trans fat •Monounsaturated fat

•Polyunsaturated fat

Within these four fats are long-chain and short-chain versions which are known for the carbon amounts. Just like with protein, fatty acids have “essential” forms that can only be obtained through our diet. These acids are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. There are three kinds of cholesterol: HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein), and VLDL (very-low-density lipoproteins). HDL is believed to help keep your blood vessels full and flowing while LDL and VLDL are believed to narrow arteries and increase blood pressure. Your total cholesterol number found on blood tests is the sum of all the fats in your blood, HDL, LDL, and VLDL being part of it. Fat got its bad rep from major sugar-lobbied studies that tried to accuse fat of bad health and not sugar. In less infamous studies, fat was also misunderstood in terms of weight gain, as was cholesterol in terms of a healthy heart. Your liver creates cholesterol naturally. If you eat more cholesterol, the liver makes less, and if you eat less cholesterol, the liver makes more. People with heart conditions may be more sensitive to high cholesterol diets, but if your vitals are fine, cholesterol monitoring is usually unneeded.

The real demons in fats are copious amounts of saturated fats and any amount of trans fats. Saturated fats are ok in moderation and are often found in higher numbers in red meat, dairy products (milk, cheese, butter), chocolate, and in tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter). Saturated fats do provide some of the “essential” fats we need, but too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol past its acceptable limits and increase LDL cholesterol. Trans fats are fats that have been processed by hydrogenation, often being known as a “man-made” fat. The process has lost tremendous popularity and is harder to find, but some fast foods and cheap junk-foods may still use them.

The GOOD* MONO

Nuts/Nut-Butters/Nut-Oil (Almonds, Walnuts, Peanuts), Canola Oil, Olives/Olive Oil, Avocados

POLY

Corn Oil, Fish Oil, Seeds/Seed-Oils (Safflower, Sesame, Sunflower)

The OK MONO/POLY Vegetable Oil

SATURATED

(In Small Quantities) Skim/1% Dairy Products, Lean Cuts of Red Meat, Poultry Skin

The BAD SATURATED

(In Large Quantities) Red-meat, Whole-Fat Dairy Products, Butter, Coconuts

ALL. TRANS. FATS. * Many good fats actually overlap. For example, many nuts and seeds contain both Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated. The lists just highlight which I think reflected better in their content.

I was going to save this section for later, but sodium is one of the biggest questions I receive after basic nutrition, Most people know a lot of salt is bad, but not many people realize just how much salt they already consume. Sodium is in nearly all the foods and drinks we consume. It accentuates the flavors of dishes and is truly hard to get rid of, and I don’t think you should fully. But knowing what sodium does and tracking it is better for you in the long run. Sodium is an electrolyte which helps draw excess fluid from your blood stream. Sodium also helps with muscle and nerve function and can help prevent cramps. However, too much sodium can lead to elevated water retention, causing raised blood pressure and for you to be visibly puffy and weigh more than you normally would. The average adult can have around 2300 grams of sodium. About ONE teaspoon of salt gives you your entire day’s worth of sodium. Most people may even put that amount just on one meal! However, recent studies have debated much sodium Affects you. Some studies say it’s only of concern if your blood pressure is already high, in older age, or if you’re genetically sensitive to it. But if a little extra flavor isn’t worth the concern to you, it’s best to monitor your sodium intake as well when dieting.

Sugar is very similar to salt: it enhances so many foods we eat and, unfortunately, we often eat too much of it without realizing it. While some sugars are natural and some are artificial, at the end of the day, none are significantly “better” for you. Whether a donut has white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or stevia, it’s all still fast-absorbing sugar. A little bit of sugar in moderation is ok, and if you’re exercising, it can even aid in recovery and energy mid or post-workout. A sugar cube is usually about 3g of sugar. Keep this in your mind at all times when gauging the sugar in food you’re about to eat. In a 12oz can of Coke, there are 39g of sugars; that’s 13 sugar cubes in that tiny can. If you’re craving something sweet, keep this in mind, or, prepare the treat yourself so you can control the amount of sweetness in it. You’ll be surprised just how little sugar you need to make something tasty!

Now you have the basis to understand what carbs, protein, and fats are and why we need them! For a good diet, you’re going to need a balance of the three or slight prioritization of one or two. The easiest explanation I’ve heard of how the three interact comes from an article by Christian Thibaudeau at T-Nation.com. Imagine your body as a house in the process of construction. Your cells are your workers, their pay is carbs and fat, the building materials for the house are protein, and the size of the project and length is determined by your physical activity. To get them to work at their maximum potential, you have to balance pay (carbs & fats), material (protein), and work-load (how active you are). If you don’t give your workers enough material, it will take them longer to build the house and parts of the house may even begin to wear down (your muscles will grow slowly or even be used as fuel). If you give them too much material, you have less to spend on worker’s wages and they may not be able to work fast enough to build and left-over materials can’t be used for another project (protein can’t be stored, so eating too many cuts back on calories for your other nutrients and will just be wasted). If you don’t pay your workers enough money, they won’t work as hard and the project will take longer (eating too low of carbs or fats will deplete your energy). To an extreme, if you stop paying them entirely, they may go on strike or begin to wreck the house (consequences of too low of a caloric diet). However, on the opposite end, if you pay them too much, you’ll simply be spoiling them as more money doesn’t necessarily mean better work (Carbs and fats will turn to excessive weight gain). There are typically three diets: Regular, Endurance, and Strength. At the end of this section, we’ll also discuss alternative diets and fad diets like Keto, Paleo, and Veganism. NOTE These numbers are not set in stone. Fat has the lowest margin of change, generally being 25-30%. But depending on your needs and intensity, many carbs or protein may have margins of +/- 10-20%.

ENDURANCE

REGULAR

At 60% Carbs, 30% Fat, and 10% Protein, this diet has the largest difference in ratios. Carbs are VERY important for endurance because of how much energy one needs to maintain an activity for a long period of time. Carbs consumed before an activity will store glycogen in the muscles, allowing them to perform longer with less fatigue. Carbs consumed during the activity will supply glucose to the blood, giving them even more fuel and energy. Eating afterward is shown to retore glycogen levels after being depleted from the workout and may even help restore muscle. The fat is needed for further energy and help keep the heart pumping efficiently. The protein is less minimal not because itâ€™s unneeded but more-so that the calories are more important to invest in carbs. The allocated protein will help repair lean muscle damaged by the activity.

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PROTEIN

CAR

ULAR

POWER

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RBS

FAT

Protein is the essential nutrient when it comes to lifting. Similar to a regular diet but swapping carbs and protein, we have 40% Protein, 30% Carbs, and 30% Fat. Protein is used to build and repair muscle, and seeing as that is probably your goal in lifting, it must take priority. Usually, 40% will be a little over one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight which is ideal for lifting days. For non-lifting days, it can probably be dropped SLIGHTLY. Even on days where you’re not lifting, you need those acids to help recover for your next gym day. Carbs remain relatively high because of their use for energy, especially if you’re a powerlifter or are on a bulk. However, if you’re cutting, carbs are usually the first thing to go. Regardless if you’re bulking, maintaining, or cutting, fats stay the same to help keep testosterone and energy high.

KETO

VEG

A keto diet focuses on nearly eliminating all carbs in order for the body to enter ketosis, producing ketones. At 70% Fat, 25% Protein, and 5% Carbs, their main energy source comes from fats. Some sources say the added fat will â€œtrainâ€? your body to prioritize burning fat as opposed to carbs for fuel and speed up fat loss. With only 5% carbs, that can amount to literally only a piece of bread or a bowl of cereal in an ENTIRE day. Many people on a keto diet instead focus on avocados, eggs, mayo, full-fat dairy, butter, coconut oil, and nuts. The controversy in the Keto diet lies in its high saturated fat reliance and general fat percentages. Some nutritionists say that only 30-35% fats in your diet are all you need to reap the maximum benefits of fats.

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PROTEIN

CAR

GAN

PALEO

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RBS

FAT

The Paleo diet is debated in terms of its accuracy and legitimacy as a diet, but it’s macros tend to be fairly balanced of 35% Protein, 35% Fat, 30% Carbs. Paleo dieters cut out foods such as grains, oils, dairy, refined sugars, and legumes and instead focus on fresh meat, fruits, and vegetables. The Paleo diet receives negativity for some of it’s “pop” science and hypocrisy. For example, Paleo dieters may avoid legumes for their lectin content and grains for inflammation, similar to gluten-free claimers. For hypocrisy, some Paleo dieters will turn their nose up at legumes and processed foods but consume bacon and beer. While the diet is not necessarily unhealthy, there are consistent arguments against its science and necessity.

EAT POPCORN I don’t want anyone feeling entirely guilty if they snack, for this could lead to guilt-ridden cheat days. We’re all gonna snack, so the best you can do is make it healthy. If you must snack, keep a bag of light popcorn on hand. Whether you pop it yourself or buy your own, make sure at most it’s only lightly salted or popped using olive oil. Most light popcorns will be 100-140 calories for 3-4 heaping cups! A serving size that large with calories that small will hopefully hit your salty cravings and keep you full until your next meal.

CLEAN OUT KITCHEN I may recommend having popcorn on hand, but going with that is making sure you have as minimal cheat foods in your house as possible. Temptation can’t happen if they never exist, right? If you live with other people it may be a bit harder to do this, but to the best of your ability, try to keep the only snacks you can reach for healthy.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER The average person more than likely does not drink enough water. Many problems can be solved by hydration, and for some people, hunger is one of them. The sensation of thirst can actually be quite similar to hunger. Next time hunger begins to creep up and you know you’ve recently eaten, try having a big glass or two of water and seeing if that helps.

SPACE OUT MEALS & EAT THEM SLOW With restricted calories, you’re going to have to make your meals count. If you can stand the 4-6 hours between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that will be better for you in the long run. It’ll get your body used to the pattern of “fasting” between meals as opposed to eating something every 2-3 hours as most people do. However, if the 4-6 hours is soo long for you, try splitting up your three core meals into 5 or 6 smaller meals. Also, when eating them, don’t vacuum it all down in a minute! Try to eat as slow as you can, letting your body and brain know just how much you’re feeding it and appreciating it.

DON’T DIRTY BULK Many websites may tell hard-gainers to eat whatever they can get their hands on. This is an AWFUL way to gain weight, especially for your first bulk. Dirty bulking may pack on the pounds quickly, but it may also raise your cholesterol or blood pressure through saturated fats, high sodium, and high sugar content. If you’re really skinny, take advantage of that low body fat so you won’t have to cut as much later! If you bulk by eating clean foods and with the bare caloric limit needed to gain .5-1 pound a week, you’ll look much better and still get the same strength gains had you dirty bulked.

EAT RICE & BEANS Bulking can be pretty fun when you see just how many calories you’re allowed to eat. After the first week though, and if you’re doing it clean, you may find that it’s actually HARD to get that many calories in your body; specifically, that many carbs. While it may be tempting to eat bread to make up for it, even whole wheat bread can amount to a lot of sodium if you’re having a sandwich several times a day. Instead, add rice and beans to your meals! Put a sunny side egg over some black beans, have a burrito bowl for lunch, and then yes, for one of your meals maybe have a sandwich. Whole wheat pasta is a great way to get those calories as well, but most people can’t eat it on its own and need a sauce to make it tasty. Sauces are where a lot of sodium and fat can sneak up on you, so unless you have a taste for plain pasta, try brown rice or beans for your carbs.

EAT NUTS & NUT BUTTERS Just like with carbs, getting your 30% fat on a bulk can seem awesome at first, but challenging once you see the numbers. Unless you can stomach taking literal tablespoons of olive oil or sesame oil, I recommend eating whole, unbaked or salted nuts. If you want a bit more flavor, nut butters or low sodium powdered nuts are good alternatives as well. However, nut butters tend to have a decent amount of sodium in them, and, depending on the powder for your nuts, those can have sodium and sugar added as well. If you can stand it, just stick with whole, raw nuts. Leave the nut butters as a healthy treat or a smaller snack.

T A E H C

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Right off the bat, the biggest misunderstanding of a cheat day is in the word “day”. People think it’s literal and you get an entire day to eat how much you want of whatever you want. While some people do define it this way and even promote dirty bulking, they’re simply trying to get clicks. A cheat day should ideally be a day where you either disregard macronutrients but still eat within your caloric goal or, you maintain eating healthy foods but you allow yourself a bit of excess in calories. Having one, unlimited cheat day can nearly make the rest of your week moot in terms of progress. Let’s say your goal is to eat 2000 calories a day. On your cheat day, you have Chicken & Waffles for breakfast, Wendy’s for lunch, a cheesesteak for dinner, and maybe some cheesecake for dessert. That’s a bit excessive, but even if it were just two of these items, that could easily put you at 3000+ calories for ONE day. An extra 1000 calories over the week can easily take you from -1/0lbs to +0/1 pounds. That may not sound like the worst, but imagine that every week. Soon enough, your goal to lose a pound of week takes you double the time, or maybe, never even happens. Using the ideal cheat day, aka cheating on macros or calories but not both, you can release tension while still hitting all your goals.

Y A D T VSEFEED R

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A refeed is similar to a caloric cheat day but your focus is on eating more carbs this day. Refeeds are also not expected to be done weekly or even bi-weekly. Refeeds are done when a weight loss diet begins to plateau or if your energy really beings to tank. The goal of a refeed is to “refeed” your carbohydrates. Some sources say that with a low carbohydrate diet, your body may begin to burn fat for energy instead of carbs, expediting fat loss. However, as your body adapts to your restricted calories and carbs, it may begin to go back to burning carbs instead of fat. Now your body is clinging to what fat remains AND your natural energy begins to dip. With a refeed, you give your body ample complex carbs to give you energy for the day, refill your stored glycogen for later energy, and hopefully trick your body into burning carbs for fuel again. Some sources recommend refeeding once a week, specifically around heavy lifting days. While this is safer than weekly cheat days, this could also potentially stall your body from adapting to burning fats before carbs. In my opinion, refeeds should only be used when you physically need it. For me, that’s about once every month.

Once you begin to diet or exercise, your weight will begin to change toward your goal. Depending on your starting point and timeframe, these changes may begin to happen rapidly or they may take some time. For example, people with more body fat tend to initially lose it faster than people with lower body fat. For people lifting weights to lose fat, muscle gains may throw off your numbers as well since they weigh more than fat. People bulking want to make sure that their weight gain is primarily coming from muscle, not fat. Lastly, water retention and timing of your weigh-ins can set your weight off by as much as 5 pounds over or under! For these reasons, it’s important to follow these two tips for accurate progress tracking.

1. Weigh Yourself Once A Week The morning will be the best time to weigh yourself due to not having eaten or drank in 6-8 hours. If you had a salty meal the night before or did some heavy drinking, it may throw off your morning numbers slightly. In addition to always weighing yourself in the morning, try to only weigh yourself ONCE a week. Due to daily, minor fluctuations in weight, all this will do is give you anxiety or confusion. Pick the same morning once every week to weigh yourself for best results.

2. Buy Body Measuring Tape and/ or Fat Calipers If you’re unconcerned about muscle loss and simply want to drop weight, you may not be as concerned about your bodyfat percentage. However, for people looking to retain or gain muscle, knowing what weight is fat and what weight is muscle will help you gauge just how your diet is going. Body measuring tape can give you rough estimates by measuring areas like your chest, arms, and waistline. But for the most accurate results, you’re going to want to use Fat Calipers to measure your body fat maybe once a month or every two weeks. This will allow you to see just how close you are to having to begin a bulk or cut, or for those maintaining, making sure your fat is staying level as can be while your muscles grow.

Exercise is a hard topic to talk about conclusively. What works for one person may not always work for the next. Even in a simple google search, you’ll see articles telling you jogging is pointless and will melt your muscles off so HIIT is the only way to go. Minutes later you’ll see that HIIT works your muscles too much and will decrease your actual gym day. High reps build muscle, low reps are only tendons. No no no, low reps build strength which THEN builds muscle, high reps make you a lean little skeleton! With so many contradicting points, where do you begin? Wherever the hell you want....so long as it’s safe and with consistent tracking. For those looking to add cardio or weight lifting in addition to your diet or in place of one (THOUGH I STILL MAINTAIN EVERYONE SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR DIET), this section is for you. This will not be an encyclopedic reference of every exercise, what it works, how it works it, and whether or not it’s effective. However, we will go over the muscle groups, cardio types, weightlifting styles, and tips to make sure you’re enjoying your workouts and doing them safely.

While many people seem to be intimidated by the family-like bond of the biggest guys in their gym, what they don’t see are the arguments and shit-talking on different workouts and advice. One guy says you need to lift 6 days a week, no cardio, 10 reps minimum every set; another guy says lift 3 days a week, only doing 5 sets of 3 reps MAX. Worst part? Both of them are HUGE, bigger than you hope to be in years. Which one is correct? Both can be, or, neither can be.

SETS, REPS, & OTHER THINGS The main talk of weightlifting involves the sets, reps, tempo, and rests of your exercise. Besides changing exercises entirely, these numbers will be the biggest deviations from person to person depending on their experiences and goals. REPS How many times you will complete a given exercise’s entire movement. Consider this your “step”; reaching your foot out and placing it down is one step. SETS How many times you will execute your reps. If a rep is a step, consider a set a “walk”. To your mailbox takes 20 steps, but to walk to it and back takes 2 walks. So you will have walked twice, 20 steps each time. This would be labeled as 2x20. TEMPO How fast you perform your reps. When walking to the mailbox, did you damn near sprint to it? Or did you do your best impression of the Ministry of Silly Walks, raising a leg high and slow from time to time? Your tempo can change the effort of your walk drastically. RESTS How long you take at-ease at the end of one of your sets. When you reached the mailbox, did you immediately turn around and start walking back? Or did you stop for 30 seconds, then continue back? You’ll be hearing these terms often and they’ll be your marker for progress, so get familiar with them. You’ll always be aiming to increase or change one of these stats to continue making gains!

SIZE VS STRENGTH This topic alone is enough to cause a Civil War in most gyms. Dumbbells will fly, barbells will be launched like spears, chains whipped like...well, whips. When it all settles down, gennerally speaking, people will tell you these rep ranges for these goals: Endurance (14+Reps) For people training a repetitive motion, usually done for another activity such as a sport or as therapy. Size (8-12 Reps) The tried and true bodybuilding routine, many will swear this range provides the best “peak” and “size” for muscles. Size+Strength (6-10 Reps) Usually seen as the beginners range, the 3x8 scheme is a great place to start for building both size and strength Strength (1-5 Reps) Usually a more niche routine or for people who think they lost too much strength on a size routine. Can be very draining for new lifters but extremely beneficial. How many sets that takes will also vary. Some people will swear by more niche-methods like 10x10s or doing drop-sets till yor arms fall off. But for all of these schemes, most people will recommend somewhere between 2-6 sets, usually drifitn toward the higher end for compound exercises. 1 set being reserved for your strongest lift of 1 rep. Despite this generally accepted knowledge, there aren’t too many in-depth studies about the topic. While there are certainly studies about it, they often leave out the details of their participants. Are they new lifters? Experienced lifters? What was their diet? What was their frame? Did any of the methods work faster but burned out quicker?

The only consistent thing found in developing large muscles was the volume of the workouts. Extremely low reps and extremely high reps were seen as unsuited for mass, but anything in between was blurry at best. Both 3x10 or 5x6 of 100lbs are the same volume: 100lbs was lifted 30 times at the end of the exercise. So if you lift 3x10 of 50 lbs, and another person lifts 5x4 of 65, you’d think they’re stronger. But, actually, the 3x10 of 50lbs lifted 200 more pounds by the end of it! Beginning weight lifting is just like a diet, start with a goal.

SETTING A GOAL Just like with nutrition and dieting, your first step will be to set a goal. While many goals may overlap which scheme is best for them, setting a goal will help you at the least find the workouts applicable to you. Someone lifting for sports, someone lifting for strength, and someone lifting for beach-aesthetics will have some similar workouts but may have extremely different volumes and days in the gym. Starting with the list of “Size VS Strength” is a good start for most people: Focus on Endurance, Size, or Strength. My recommendation is focusing on strength first so you can get familiar with the core, compound lifts. But feel free to start anywhere if that will get you in the gym!

BE HONEST WITH YOUR SCHEDULE Nothing feels worse than spending a whole afternoon planning a workout, getting to the gym, doing it...and realizing how hard it is. Whether it takes too long and makes you rush to or from work or if it’s so intense that your last few sets make you want to quit, you need to be honest with what you can handle. If you have other hobbies that may impede on consistently getting to the gym 4 times a week, set it to 3 and don’t feel bad about it! Soon enough you’ll miss one, try to make up for it, and get caught in a vicious cycling of cramming exercises together to catch up and having fewer recovery days. With this info and tips in mind, you can now begin to choose a workout scheme! In order to understand what you’re doing in your scheme, you need to understand what muscles are being worked. Knowing this will make sure you can space your workouts to their maximum potential, giving your muscles the rest they need but also pushing them every week.

SHOULDERS/DELTS (deltoids) CHEST (pectoralis) BICEPS (biceps brachii) ABS (rectus abdominis) FOREARM (brachioradialis) QUADS (quadriceps) CALVES (gastrocnemius)

NECK TRAPS (trapezius) LATS (latissimus dorsi) MIDDLE BACK (rhomboids) LOWER BACK GLUTES (gluteus maximus & medius) HAMSTRINGS (biceps femoris)

When talking about specific exercises, you may hear the terms “Compound” Lift and “Isolation” Lift. Both have their places in a balanced workout scheme, but “Compound” lifts are both a literal and figurative core to a good scheme.

COMPOUND A compound lift is a weighted exercise that engages more than one muscle and usually isn’t focused on a single joint. These include Deadlifts, Benching, Squats, Rows, Military Presses, Pull-ups, and Dips, to name a few. They’re espescially beneficial for those pressed for time, as they allow you to hit multiple muscles at once and often engage your core as a side effect. You’ll rarely find a workout routine without 2-3 of these lifts, partially due to ritual but also due to how effective they are.

ISOLATION Isolation exercises focus around one join or muscle and are usually done with a more intense focus on tempo and form. Examples include most curls, calf raises, lateral shoulder raises, leg extensions, and chest-flies. These are typically used to assist compound exercises when you begin to realize how your body reacts to stimuli. Some people develop great arms from benching and rows or massive forearms and traps from deadlifting. Others require individual days of isolation exercises to even come close to these effects. While Compound exercises should be a priority, don’t be afraid to have a good dose of isolated exercises as well.

Even if you can only get to the gym once a week, there’s a workout scheme for everyone. Even if you can’t physically get to the gym once a week, there are many exercises that can be easily done at home. To find the perfect routine for you, browse the internet for workouts vetted by an experienced lifter or lifting source. Don’t start too intense; find one that fits your schedule, level of expertise, and your interest! While my list doesn’t encompass all types of workouts, these are some of the more common ones for different schedules:

1 Day: Full-Body For people who can only afford to get to the gym once a week, a full-body day will be your best bet. Pick whatever day you can guarantee getting into the gym and try to hit every body part within 1 to 1.5 hours. Definitely get your compound and core exercises in and then use whatever extra time you have left to focus on individual body parts, whether that be shoulders, arms, calves, etc. Your best bet to shed time will be avoiding really focused exercises like direct wrist/forearm workouts or trap workouts. If you do the right compound exercises, they should be getting hit plenty on their own.

2 Day: Upper/Lower Great as an introductory scheme, the Upper/Lower 2 day split offers similar benefits to the full-body split. This scheme potentially allows for those more focused workouts you may have missed in only having one day. Or, you can use the extra time to do variations of your compound movements, now implementing both strength-based sets and endurance or hypertrophy-based sets. If you’re willing to space it out, you can even have one week be Upper/Lower hypertrophy, and the next strength-based and switch off every other week.

3 Days: Push/Pull/Legs Perhaps the most classic and common weight-lifting scheme for new lifters, Push/Pull/Legs is a great way to start lifting. Your Push day will focus on chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull will focus on back, biceps, traps, and lats. Your last day will focus on all of your legs and lower back. This split allows for a great spread of exercises without being in the gym too long or feeling rushed. For an extra kick, throw some light cardio or core exercises in at the end of each day or do supersets to get more done. An alternative to this day is to pair chest with biceps and back with triceps. Some people prefer this as it allows them to space out the exercises they do in a particular area and instead give them a little pump all week.

4 Days: Total Body Split or Power/Hypertrophy At 4 days, you have an amazing amount of time to choose how you want to lift. A lot of people begin to do a scheme similar to what Bodybuilders use and do chest one day, back one day, arms one day, and legs one day. Sometimes the 4th day is used for even more specified work, splitting the days to chest/tri, back/bi, shoulders/ traps/lats, and lastly, legs. This scheme can be a little exhausting to start with, but for people looking to move into intermediate or advanced workouts, some find this to be the perfect amount. Another use of 4 days is to go back to the classic “Upper/Lower” split but doing the entire scheme twice a week, one day for low reps and strength, another for higher reps and focus on form and isolation. As I stated in the intro, it’s great to get a diverse range of reps and sets to see what works for you or to make sure you’re gaining strength at the same time as aesthetically looking better.

5 Days+ - ???? At 5 days or more, your workouts can become even more specified. Some people continue the Total Body Split and give an extra day to arms, their core, or repeat other exercises they feel they’re lacking in. While some people have the energy for this, this scheme will not be ideal for all, even if considering yourself “advanced”. Schemes this high in days are usually touted by professional bodybuilders or people who use performance-enhancing drugs. The average person, however, may not have enough rest between days and find themselves with a lack of energy or plateauing in progress.

How you’ll look and what it will take to get there can be largely different from person to person. Even within one person, they can often have one bicep a different shape than the other, crooked abs, or have their chest blow up easily while their arms take years of work. What works for you will take trial and error, but these simple tips can help expedite the process.

1. Watch Your Form Any exercise you pick will be that much safer if you take the time to learn proper form before getting ahead of yourself. At best, you just look funny in front of everyone and you don’t work your targeted muscle as hard as you could’ve been. At worst, you can severely injure yourself, no matter the weight. The worst injury I received lifting was simply twisting awkwardly while sitting down a 20lb dumbbell; that’s all it takes. Watch videos, read instructions, and if you’re comfortable, ask a friend or someone experience at the gym for a form check.

2. Lose the Ego Usually, the culprit behind most bad decisions in the gym, LOSE YOUR EGO. It doesn’t matter if someone half your size is curling twice what you are. It doesn’t matter if someone sprints twice as long as you. What matters is listening to your body and using a tempo and weight range that pushes you just to your limit but not enough to hurt yourself. It may be tempting to throw up the highest weight you can or push that last rep as your body screams for you to stop, but in the long-run, you’ll be safer doing what feels natural. Use the weights that feel best, not the ones that look best.

3. Consistently Improve Whether it’s an extra rep, set, less rest, or slower tempo, always look to increase your lift once a month at minimum, once a week at max. You’ll make improvements faster in the beginning, but even a year or two down the line you should be trying to progress any way you can or else your body will eventually adapt to the workload.

4. Be Diverse Unless your goal is something super specific like “work on my biceps” or “be able to bench 200lbs”, your workout should have a wide breadth of all qualities. While it may be good to occasionally try a couple months of strength training or high-speed circuit training, in general, it’s best to include all ranges of reps, sets, and weights in your exercise. This will keep you both practically in shape while maintaining the aesthetic benefits of other schemes. On the other side, don’t change schemes TOO often. If you’re bored with it, go on and switch. But otherwise give your routine enough time to judge it’s gains, roughly around a month or two.

5. Follow Your Diet As I’ve said multiple times now, FOLLOW. YOUR. DIET. Many people see their initial gains and think they’re a Superhero and all that talk about diet clearly is beneath them...and then they look the same next year. And the next year. While it’s true that first-time lifters will experience great gains usually regardless of diet, this can be enhanced even more by sticking to your nutrition and diet.

6. Recover and SLEEP Most people know stretching and protein are great ways to help your muscles grow, but most of the recovery happens while you rest. Less rest, less recovery. This will be especially true for people lifting heavier weights, for they’ll need the ample energy and time off from their last lift to recover. Just because one person lifts 5 times a week and runs twice after that doesn’t mean you have to; do what feels best.

7. Don’t Get Discouraged At some point, IT will happen...a plateau. Even with perfect, rest, a perfect diet, and perfect form, more likely than not you will find a day where you fail a lift. Maybe your head wasn’t in it, maybe your balance was off; who knows. The most important thing is not to think your ENTIRE workout is failing. Try the lift again next week, and if you’re still stubborn, try it the following week as well. But after the third time, begin to try something else. Switch workouts, switch reps, switch sets, switch tempo; do ANYTHING but give up on it. You’ll still keep making progress eventually, and until then, trust your body and the process.

Although still competitive, cardio-enthusiasts and runners seem to be much more accessible than weight-lifters. Maybe it’s the isolation of the activity or space for it to be a group activity, but there’s usually a form of cardio for everyone. It’s easy to get upand for a light walk, especially when the weather gets nice. Here’s just a couple of examples of things you can do to burn some calories:

WALK ANY start to exercise is good so long as it’s safe. Walking is often the, no pun intended, first step to a healthier lifestyle. Whether you decide to park your car further from a store so you can walk the remaining distance, skip the elevator for the steps, or decide to walk home instead of taking a taxi, it’s easy to sneak it in and burn an extra 100-200 calories.

JOG/RUN Once you’re more confident in your conditioning, the next logical step (no pun intended please I’m just trying to write) is to increase the tempo. While the number for a good mile is dependent on different stats like the incline of your track, your age, your stride, etc, a good number to start aiming for is a 10-minute mile. Once you’ve hit that, you can push for 2 miles or a faster 1 mile or something in between!

HIIT Popular in more recent year, HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. This can be performing lightweight circuits rapidly, doing sprints, or doing a series of bodyweight exercises; the goal is to get your heart pumping quickly, followed by a rest, and repeat. While the intensity may be off-putting to some, it can often be a time saver for those who cant run for 60 minutes but can do sprints for 15-20. Sex does not count, despite what your local obnoxious men’s magazine or cosmo may say.

DISTANCE RUNNING Distance running is often where very experienced runners end up. Whether it’s your first half-marathon or full marathon, this is a great way to stay in shape, have a consistent goal, and meet great people. However, this is also where your diet, nutrition, and equipment will become key to a good placement or a possible injury.

HIKING If running or jogging is a little boring to you, take a hike! (these puns will be the death of me.) Hikes can be peaceful alone or a good activity to do in a group. There are trails for multiple skill levels, so don’t be intimidated! Get out, enjoy some scenery, take some pictures, and burn some calories while you do it.

BOX Since “Rocky” came out, boxing has become a popular way to get some cardio. Not everyone can run art museum steps, but if you have space, buy a heavy bag! Do a couple rounds of light jabs and you’ll see just how hard it is to stay moving for minutes at a time. For an extra burn, jump rope in between rounds.

START A SPORT Grab a ball, a racket, or a stick and get moving! Many cities and counties now have adult leagues that will play sports year round, in teams or even alone.

1. Get A Good Shoe/Fitted For One When you first begin to walk or even jog, you may feel fine in your regular old “work” or “active” shoes. But as you begin to increase in intensity or frequency, you may find your 10-year-old New Balance’s begin to have holes, get ragged, or lose their grip. For this reason, it’s best not to only get a good shoe, but get a good shoe made for your intended activity. There are shoes for tennis, basketball, lifting, running, long-distance running; nearly every niche has a shoe that’s “best” for it. The various benefits involve midsole cushioning, arch support, ankle support, and ventilation just to name a few. Also, they decrease your risk of injury from ankle rolling, shin-splints, stress fractures, or tendonitis to name a few.

2. Stretch Dynamically Stretching has had its ups and downs in the lifting community. One year it’s the best thing to do and you’re wasting your time if you don’t, the next year it increases your risk of injury. Recently, it’s been more consistent in studies to recommend keeping your stretches dynamic. No more quick chest-pumps, arm rotations, or long lunges. Instead, do stretches that lightly imitate your activity. Leg swings, walking from Toe to Ball, and even a light jog before a run are now recommended to warm yourself up. This can help prevent cramps, shin-splints, and general soreness mid-run.

3. Monitor Your Pacing Cardio gets its name for its literal reason; it’s a cardiovascular activity. It benefits your heart! Knowing this, you also need to make sure you don’t push your heart too hard. With muscles, you risk straining or pulling someone, but overstraining your heart, especially with certain conditions and within certain ages can be life-threatening. For longer timed exercises, a good rule of thumb is to keep your breathing at a rate in which you can have a light conversation. There are equations for healthy heart rates when running or jogging, but you can also purchase a wrist monitor to help you not only keep track of steps and calories but also your heart’s activity!

4. Listen to Your Body Just like with lifting, you NEED to listen to your body. Sometimes the difference between warning your muscles up and straining them can be slim and quick. If you listen to your body and give it what it needs before, during, and after your activity, youâ€™ll decrease your odds of injury significantly. Continue to push and impress yourself, but make sure to do it with comfort and safety.

5. Follow Your Diet Again, just as with lifting, your diet will become key if becoming competitive or increase the speed or intensity of your workout. Healthy, wholesome carbs will provide ample energy for most activities. While some studies suggested running on an empty stomach to burn fat, newer studies have shown the change to be near moot. Always get a little carbs in your before going on a run!

6. Recover and SLEEP Donâ€™t be afraid to apply some ice or heat to your muscles and joints after a good cardio session. While your body may sound fine the entire time, some may find their biggest injury or soreness comes from the activities they perform after a run or a day later. Make sure to get plenty of sleep, liquids, and electrolytes to help you recover for your next session.

Even with knowledge of a proper diet, meal planning can be difficult when you first start. On a bulk or muscle gaining plan, it’s a little easier to have flexibility with calorie counting. But, with weight loss, calories matter tremendously. In order to ensure you’re losing weight consistently and giving your body the nutrients it needs for your goals, you absolutely have to plan your meals in advance. In this section, we’ll go over items you should have to make the process easy.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED • • • •

Food Scale Meaasuring Cups Even More Measuring Cups (TRUST ME) Food Containers

Your food scale will be your best friend throughout this lifestyle change. You don’t have to splurge on it either, everything on this list combined will only be $20-$30. A simple food scale with multiple measuring units will get you through both foods and liquids. Not everything you eat will come pre-measured. Countable items like bread slices, whole fruits, and some nuts are easy enough to do on your own. But what about measuring 6oz of chicken? 33g of spaghetti? This is when your food scale helps gives you an absolute amount. The measuring cups are fairly self-explanatory but will be used constantly, hence needing multiple sets. For beans, vegetables, liquids, and oils, you’ll be thankful you got multiple sets. Once you’ve measured and cooked everything...put them in the food containers! I like to plan my meals for the week every Sunday when I can. That means measuring, cooking, and packing my breakfasts and lunches for work and having a rough idea of dinner’s macros. At the least, I try to have Monday-Wednesday planned and then base Thursday-Sunday on my weekend and any events that may arise. That way, if you want to go out Friday or a parent has you over for dinner, you can adjust your meals to allow any excess or deviations.

Here are some examples of several foods you could have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you can tolerate having the same thing most days, that will really help your meal planning and prep. If you like a little diversity, no problem! Just be prepared for a little extra work.

BREAKFAST Breakfast is a great time to get your carbs in. You’re just waking up so, if you’re like most people, you’re gonna want some energy. A little bit of protein is good too, especially if you don’t have a bedtime shake. Breakfast tends to be quick or on-the-go for most people, so try and bring something small or handheld. Foods: Eggs, Egg Whites, Whole Wheat Products, Avocado, Yams, Sliced Turkey, Oats, Granola, Lean Sliced Ham, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Fruit, Spinach, Kale, Tomatoes

LUNCH If you like to exercise before you get to work, this meal would be a good time to get some protein in you. If you have a long day ahead of you, a bit more carb or fat can help you get through the rest of it until you get home. Assuming most people want to pack lunch for work, again, try to keep it simple and convenient. Foods: Chicken Breast, Ground Turkey, Lean Roast Beef, Salmon, Canned Tuna, Whole Wheat Products, Brown Rice, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato, Spinach, Beans, Peas.

DINNER Dinner is my favorite meal to get a little fancy with. If you have the time to cook, use the extra time to give yourself the bulk of your calories here. If you exercise after work, this is a good spot to fill the macros you need from your routine. I personally limit my carbs at dinner since the day will be ending soon. If you need something handsfree, try slow roasting something or doing a crock-pot on Sunday for the week. Foods: Chicken Breast/Drumstick, Lean Ground Beef, Ground Turkey, Pork Tenderloin, Salmon, Tilapia, Shrimp, Whole Wheat Products, Brown Rice, Vegetables, Yams.

If you’re standing there looking at bags of groceries filled with chicken breast, kale, oats, and popcorn, don’t worry; I’m not done with you yet. Even with knowing about dieting, macronutrients, and what food is healthy for you, I’m well aware that doesn’t make you a chef. It kills me when I see people finally eating healthy and their lunch is steamed broccoli with boiled, broiled, or baked unseasoned chicken breast. That’s a sure way to count your calories and macros, but for the average person, that will drive them to cheat early on. I want you all to like most of your meals or at least have ways to make them enjoyable. Before I begin, I must highly stress: MEASURE YOUR OILS AND SAUCES. Oils and sauces have to be the #1 reason most people fuck up their diets. 1 Tbs of olive oil is 120 calories, 1tbs of peanut butter is 95 calories, and 2tbs of barbeque sauce is 45 calories and we all damn know most people don’t use only 1/2tbs when they sauce up their food. This section will be all about meals, some of my favorite recipes, how to apply them to different diets and calorie counts, and some tricks for replacing unhealthy treats.

PROTEIN

CARBS

FAT

Spinach & Cheese Turkey Omelette • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

437 Calories

• 2 Large Eggs

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 12g Protein | 140 Cal

• 1 Cup of Spinach

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 7 Cal

2% Carb|31% Fat|43% Protein

• 1/4 Cup Part-Skin Mozzarella

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 80 Cal

• 4oz Ground Turkey

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 150 Cal

Turkey, Egg, & Yam Breakfast Burrito • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

464 Calories

45% Carb|28% Fat|34% Protein

• 3 Large Egg Whites

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 11g Protein | 51 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Fat-Free Cheddar

2g Carb | 0g Fat | 9g Protein | 45 Cal

• 3oz Ground Turkey

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 150 Cal

• 1 Whole Wheat Tortilla

24g Carb | 2g Fat | 4g Protein | 120 Cal

• 83g Yam

18g Carb | 6g Fat | 1g Protein | 75 Cal

OVERNIGHT OATS Cut up banana. Take oats, milk, yogurt, and diced banana and place inside a container. Refrigerate over night. Try other fruits or granola as well!

64% Carb|14%

Kodiak© Power Cakes • 1 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 14g Fat | 0g Protein | 120 Cal

• Cinnamon Oat Kodiak© Power Cakes 31g Carb | 1.5g Fat | 14g Protein | 190 Cal

• 1 Large Egg

0g Carb | 5g Fat | 6g Protein | 70 Cal

• 1/4 Cup 2% Milk

3g Carb | 1g Fat | 2g Protein | 33 Cal

413 Calories

37 Calo

33% Carb|46% Fat|21% Protein

70 ories

ri• 1/2 Cup 0% Plain Greek Yogurt

5g Carb | 0g Fat | 12 Protein | 65 Cal

•1/2 Cup 2% Milk

6g Carb | 2.5g Fat | 4g Protein | 65 Call

• 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

% Fat|22% Protein

27g Carb | 3g Fat | 5g Protein | 150 Cal

• 4.2oz Banana

23g Carb | 0g Fat | 9g Protein | 90 Cal

Breakfast Yam-Ham-Hash • 1 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 14g Fat | 0g Protein | 120 Cal

414 Calories

33% Carb|46% Fat|21% Protein

• 4oz Applegate Cut-Up Sliced Ham

0g Carb | 3g Fat | 20g Protein | 100 Cal

• 1 Large Egg

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 12g Protein | 70 Call

• 2 Large Egg Whites

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 7g Protein | 34 Call

• 1/4 Cup Diced Onion

4g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 16 Cal

• 100g Diced Yam

22g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 90 Cal

Greek Turkey Burger • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• Stone-Ground Whole Wheat Bun

32g Carb | 2g Fat | 9g Protein | 190 Cal

531 Calories

• 5oz Ground Turkey

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 28g Protein | 200 Cal

• 2tbs Tzatziki

2g Carb | 3g Fat | 2g Protein | 40 Cal

33% Carb|37% Fat|30% Protein

• 1/2 Cup Lettuce

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 3 Cal

• 100g Tomato

4g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 18 Cal

• 50g Onion

5g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 20 Cal

Shrimp Tacos • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• 5oz 31-40 Peeled-and-Deveined Shrimp

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 11g Protein | 51 Cal

641 Calories

• 50g Avocado

4g Carb | 7g Fat | 1g Protein | 80 Cal

• 2 Whole Wheat Tortilla

48g Carb | 4g Fat | 8g Protein | 240 Cal

• 1 Cup Lettuce

43% Carb|29% Fat|28% Protein

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 5 Cal

• 1/4 Cup 0% Greek Yogurt

3g Carb | 0g Fat | 6g Protein | 33 Cal

• 2 Tbs Chipotle-Dijon Mustard

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• 2 Tbs Mango Salsa

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 6g Protein | 25 Cal

TUNA PATTIES

Drain canned tuna. Mix tuna, egg, onion, and choice of spices. Form 2 small patties and lightly pan-fry. Serve on lettuce, bun, or as is. Try Salmon as well!

6% Carb|49% F

Burrito Bowl • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Low Sodium Black Beans 9g Carb | 0g Fat | 4g Protein | 50 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Brown Rice

9g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 43 Cal

•5oz Chicken Breast

0g Carb | 4g Fat | 30g Protein | 163 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Low Fat Mexican Cheese

2g Carb | 12g Fat | 16g Protein | 160 Cal

• 2 Tbs Guacamole

3g Carb | 5g Fat | 1g Protein | 60 Cal

536 Calories

26 Calo

17% Carb|46% Fat|37% Protein

66 ories

ri• 2 2oz Cans of Tuna

0g Carb | 3g Fat | 24 Protein | 120 Cal

•.5 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Call

• 1 Large Egg

Fat|45% Protein

0g Carb | 5g Fat | 0g Protein | 70 Cal

•1/4 Cup Onion

4g Carb | 0g Fat | 9g Protein | 16 Cal

Black Bean Spaghetti w/ Baked Turkey Meatballs • 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce

13g Carb | 2g Fat | 2g Protein | 34 Cal

576 Calories

29% Carb|34% Fat|37% Protein

• 30g Organic Black Bean Spaghetti

12g Carb | 1g Fat | 13g Protein | 108 Cal

Meatballs • 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Panko

18g Carb | 1g Fat | 2g Protein | 90 Cal

• 5oz Ground Turkey

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 28g Protein | 200 Cal

• 1 Large Egg

0g Carb | 5g Fat | 6g Protein | 70 Cal

• 2 Tbs Parmesan Cheese

0g Carb | 3g Fat | 4g Protein | 108 Cal

Chipotle Beef Stuffed Peppers • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

•5oz 93% Ground Beef

498 Calories

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 29g Protein | 213 Cal

• 186g Bell Pepper (About 2)

24g Carb | 0g Fat | 4g Protein | 100 Cal

• 2 Slices Fat-Free Pepperjack Cheese

32% Carb|32% Fat|36% Protein

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 7g Protein | 60 Cal

• 1 Cup Riced Cauliflower

8g Carb | 0g Fat | 4g Protein | 40 Cal

• 2 Tbs Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce 3g Carb | 1g Fat | 1g Protein | 25 Cal

Lemon-Pepper Encrusted Tilapia • 1 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 14g Fat | 0g Protein | 120 Cal

445 Calories

36% Carb|36% Fat|28% Protein

• 5oz Tilapia

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Panko

18g Carb |1g Fat | 2g Protein | 90 Cal

• 1 Cup Asparagus

5g Carb | 0g Fat | 3g Protein | 27 Cal

• 1/2 Cup Brown Rice

18g Carb | 1g Fat | 2g Protein | 285 Cal

• 2 Tbs Mango Salsa

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 6g Protein | 25 Cal

Mustard Dill Salmon

Pat Salmon skin dry and season. Place in pan, skin-side down, and fry till crispy. Flip and do other side. Cover with dijon mustard and place in oven 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Bake broccoli simultaneously. Mix dijon mustard, yogurt, lemon juice, and dill. Serve with Salmon.

22% Carb|51%

Crock-Pot BBQ Chicken • 4 Tbs Sugar-Free Barbecue Sauce 8g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 40 Cal

• 1/8 Apple Cider Vinegar

0g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 0 Cal

•5oz Chicken Breast

0g Carb | 4g Fat | 30g Protein | 163 Cal

• Stone-Ground Whole Wheat Bun

32g Carb | 2g Fat | 9g Protein | 190 Cal

• 2 Tbs Guacamole

3g Carb | 5g Fat | 1g Protein | 60 Cal

• 2 Slices Fat-Free Sharp Cheese

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 8g Protein | 60 Cal

453 Calories

56 Calo

43% Carb|12% Fat|45% Protein

•1 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 14g Fat | 0g Protein | 120 Calli

• 5oz Atlantic Salmon

63 ories

0g Carb | 18g Fat | 29 Protein | 275 Cal

• 1 Tbs Dijon Mustard

0g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 15 Cal

• 1/4 Cup 0% Greek Yogurt

Fat|27% Protein

3g Carb | 0g Fat | 6g Protein | 33 Cal

• 1 Cup Broccoli

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 3g Protein | 31 Cal

•100g Yams

22g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 16 Cal

Spinach Feta Stuffed Chicken • 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

•6oz Chicken Breast

477 Calories

18% Carb|39% Fat|43% Protein

0g Carb | 5g Fat | 36g Protein | 163 Cal

• 30g Organic Black Bean Spaghetti

12g Carb | 1g Fat | 13g Protein | 108 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Part-Skin Mozzarella

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 80 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Low Fat Feta Cheese

1g Carb | 3g Fat | 5g Protein | 50 Cal

• 1 Cup Spinach

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 7 Call

• 1/2 Cup Brown Rice

18g Carb | 1g Fat | 2g Protein | 185 Call

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

(Serves 10-15) Mix dry ingredients first, adding in wet ingredients after. Mix thoroughly and spread on an oiled non-stick baking pan. Bake at 350 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

197 Calories

43% Carb|47% Fat|10% Protein (Per Cookie)

â€˘ 2 (236g) Whole Bananas

54g Carb | 1g Fat | 2g Protein | 210 Cal

â€˘ 2 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 6g Carb | 2g Fat | 2 Protein | 30 Cal

24 Calo

85% Carb|9% (1 Ser

• 5 Tbs Chocolate Chips

45g Carb | 23g Fat | 5g Protein | 350 Cal

•90g Canned Pumpkin

8.3g Carb | 0g Fat | 2 Protein | 38 Cal

• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

84g Carb | 2g Fat | 16g Protein | 408 Cal

• 1/3 Cup Olive Oil

0g Carb | 71g Fat | 0g Protein | 630 Cal

•1 Scooop Pumpkin Protein Powder

3g Carb | 2g Fat | 19g Protein | 104 Calli

•1/3 Cup Truvia Brown Sugar

63g Carb | 0g Fat | 2 Protein | 158 Cal

• 1 Large Egg

0g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 90 Cal

•1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

27g Carb | 3g Fat | 5g Protein | 150 Cal

40 ories

Fat|6% Protein rving)

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Peel and slice two whole bananas and freeze over night. When ready, place banana chips and cocoa in a food processor and blend until proper consistency. Immediately consume or place in the fridge to firm. (Add chocolate chips for more chocolate!)

Vanilla Greek Yogurt Cupcakes

(Serves 12) Mix dry ingredients first, adding in wet ingredients after. Mix thoroughly and fill muffin cups or greased muffin tray. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Combine yogurt, stevia, and vanilla extra. Ice and serve immediately.

127 Calories

53% Carb|26% Fat|21% Protein (Per Iced Cupcake)

• 5 Tbs Chocolate Chips

45g Carb | 23g Fat | 5g Protein | 350 Cal

• 1 (118g) Whole Banana

27g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 105 Cal

•1 Scooop Banana Protein Powder

• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1g Carb | 2g Fat | 20g Protein | 101 Cal

0g Carb | 71g Fat | 0g Protein | 630 Cal

•1/2 Cup Walnuts

• 1 Large Egg

0g Carb | 5g Fat | 6g Protein | 70 Cal

•1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

27g Carb | 3g Fat | 5g Protein | 150 Cal

8g Carb | 40g Fat | 10 Protein | 400 Cal

The Cakes

•2 Cups Kodiak Power Cakes

The Icing

120g Carb | 8g Fat | 56g Protein | 760 Calli

•1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

•1/2 Cup 0% Greek Yogurt

1g Carb | 3g Fat | 1 Protein | 30 Cal

5g Carb | 0g Fat | 12g Protein | 65 Cali

0g Carb | 0g Fat | 7g Protein | 33 Cal

0g Carb | 2g Fat | 19g Protein | 12 Cali

12g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 30 Cal

0g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 30 Cali

• 1/4 Cup Egg Whites

• 1 Tbs Truvia Brown Sugar Mix

•1 Tbs Stevia

•1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

•1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

72g Carb | 36g Fat | 8g Protein | 560 Cal

198 Calories

40% Carb|51% Fat|9% Protein (1 Serving)

Banana Walnut Muffins

Mix dry ingredients first, adding in wet ingredients after. Mix thoroughly and spread on an oiled non-stick baking pan in large dollops or into muffin tray or cups. Bake at 350 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

171 Calo

40% Carb|29%

437 Calories

531 Calories

2% Carb|31% Fat|43% Protein

33% Carb|37% Fat|30% Protein

Spinach & Cheese Turkey Omlette

Greek Turkey Burger

• 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• 2 Large Eggs

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• Stone-Ground Whole Wheat Bun

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 12g Protein | 140 Cal

32g Carb | 2g Fat | 9g Protein | 190 Cal

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 7 Cal

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 28g Protein | 200 Cal

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 80 Cal

2g Carb | 3g Fat | 2g Protein | 40 Cal

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 150 Cal

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 3 Cal

• 1 Cup of Spinach

• 1/4 Cup Part-Skin Mozzarella • 4oz Ground Turkey

• 5oz Ground Turkey • 2tbs Tzatziki

• 1/2 Cup Lettuce • 100g Tomato

4g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 18 Cal

• 50g Onion

5g Carb | 0g Fat | 1g Protein | 20 Cal

712 ories

Fat|31% Protein

498 Calories

240 Calories

32% Carb|32% Fat|36% Protein

85% Carb|9% Fat|6% Protein (1 Serving)

Chipotle Beef Stuffed Peppers

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

• 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

•5oz 93% Ground Beef

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 29g Protein | 213 Cal

• 186g Bell Pepper (About 2)

24g Carb | 0g Fat | 4g Protein | 100 Cal

• 2 Slices Fat-Free Pepperjack Cheese 6g Carb | 0g Fat | 7g Protein | 60 Cal

• 1 Cup Riced Cauliflower

8g Carb | 0g Fat | 4g Protein | 40 Cal

• 2 Tbs Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce 3g Carb | 1g Fat | 1g Protein | 25 Cal

162 Calo

42% Carb|25%

576 Calories

464 Calories

29% Carb|34% Fat|37% Protein

45% Carb|28% Fat|34% Protein

Turkey, Egg, & Yam Breakfast Burrito

Black Bean Spaghetti w/ Baked Turkey Meatballs

• 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

• 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce

0g Carb | 7g Fat | 0g Protein | 60 Cal

• 3 Large Egg Whites

1g Carb | 0g Fat | 11g Protein | 51 Cal

• 1/4 Cup Fat-Free Cheddar

2g Carb | 0g Fat | 9g Protein | 45 Cal

• 3oz Ground Turkey

1g Carb | 6g Fat | 8g Protein | 150 Cal

• 1 Whole Wheat Tortilla

24g Carb | 2g Fat | 4g Protein | 120 Cal

• 83g Yam

18g Carb | 6g Fat | 1g Protein | 75 Cal

13g Carb | 2g Fat | 2g Protein | 34 Cal

• 30g Organic Black Bean Spaghetti

12g Carb | 1g Fat | 13g Protein | 108 Cal

Meatballs • 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Panko

18g Carb | 1g Fat | 2g Protein | 90 Cal

• 5oz Ground Turkey

0g Carb | 10g Fat | 28g Protein | 200 Cal

• 1 Large Egg

0g Carb | 5g Fat | 6g Protein | 70 Cal

• 2 Tbs Parmesan Cheese

0g Carb | 3g Fat | 4g Protein | 108 Cal

20 ories

Fat|33% Protein

127 Calories

453 Calories

43% Carb|12% Fat|45% Protein

53% Carb|26% Fat|21% Protein (Per Iced Cupcake)

Crock-Pot BBQ Chicken

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

• 4 Tbs Sugar Free Barbacue Sauce 8g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 40 Cal

• 1/8 Apple Cider Vinegar

0g Carb | 0g Fat | 0g Protein | 0 Cal

•5oz Chicken Breast

0g Carb | 4g Fat | 30g Protein | 163 Cal

• Stone-Ground Whole Wheat Bun

32g Carb | 2g Fat | 9g Protein | 190 Cal

• 2 Tbs Guacamole

3g Carb | 5g Fat | 1g Protein | 60 Cal

• 2 Slices Fat Free Sharp Cheese

6g Carb | 0g Fat | 8g Protein | 60 Cal

While these are meals that I eat, I made sure to scale them back closer to a 2000 calorie diet or even less. I find it easier to add calories than to take them away, so with my two example models, there’s plenty of room to take away 200 calories or add anywhere from 100 to 700 calories. Simply scale the portions of foods or try some of the variations suggested! Even though I find all of these meals delicious, I’m sure some of you still may be looking for a way to sneak in some of your old-favorites without fully calling it a “cheat” meal. In this last section, I’ll go over some of my favorite ways to turn unhealthy meals into something healthier and, for some, healthy enough to be completely in your macros and eaten once or twice a week with proper dieting and exercise.

Considering sauces are where a lot of people get their extra calories, Greek Yogurt helps cut a lot of calories from them and add protein and nutrients. It can replace the ingredient entirely or be used when something calls for a large amount of a sauce. For example, instead of 1/4 Cup of Honey Mustard, try 1/4 Cup of Greek Yogurt with 1 Tbs of Honey Mustard mixed in.

Examples of Greek Yogurt subsitutes include:

• • • • • • • • •

Butter Oil Sour Cream Mayo Cream Cheese Buttermilk Eggs Icing Ice Cream

My only warnings for Greek Yogurt are like with everything else: make sure to read the macronutrients before buying. 0% Greek Yogurt is still creamy enough to replace most items, but full-fat Greek Yogurt can quickly add up if consumed in the same amounts of 0%. That, and watch out for ones with flavors or fruit added. This can instantly add 10-20g of sugar to an otherwise healthy sauce. If you need it sweetened, try adding your own fruit or controllable sweeteners like honey or chocolate chips.

If you budget for it correctly and season your own flour, you can still have the occasional fried food in your diet! The issues with frying come from the amount of oil needed, the kind of oil used, and the amount of salt used in the seasoning.

CHOOSE YOUR FOOD WISELY The product you fry will help you immediately cut down on fat. Even before frying, chicken wings or poultry with skin are a fattier cut of meat. Instead, try chicken breast, skinless drumsticks, or skinless thighs. For fish, again go skinless and try lean white fish like tilapia or flounder.

BREADING While pre-made breading and flours are super convenient and delicious, they’re often loaded with salt (hence why they’re delicious). Instead of using these, buy your own whole wheat flour or bread crumbs and season them yourself. Avoid salt if possible and instead focus on low-sodium or no sodium flavors. Chipotle, Adobo, Garlic, Onion, Paprika, and Cayenne are all great flavors. To also cut down on breading, try to stick to single-dip frying as opposed to double-dip.

OIL Instead of using canola oil, corn oil, or lard, use olive oil or vegetable oil. Olive oil and vegetable oil tend to smoke at lower heats, so you’re not going to be able to fry as long. However, in order to avoid burning your breading, you need to have at least a half-inch of oil in your pan. Even in a large pan, 3 Tbs can be enough to allow you to quickly fry the outside of your food. For smaller items, you can use an even smaller pan which requires less oil to create a half-inch pool.

BAKING Once your item has been lightly fried on the outside, bake it the rest of the way through on a wire rack. The wire rack will keep the breading crispy instead of allowing it to bake on a flat surface in its own oil, creating damp breading on the bottom of your food.

Even with my provided healthy versi wonâ€™t hit your sweet tooth. Or, may just not cut out for you. Luckily, there market now that taste just as great Below are just some shoutouts to t recommend y

YASSO: Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars SERVING: 1 Bar (65g) CALORIES: 100 TOTAL FAT: 2g CHOLESTEROL: 5g SODIUM: 60g CARBS: 16g (13g Sugar) PROTEIN: 5g

HALO TOP: Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream SERVING: 1/2 Cup (69g) CALORIES: 80 TOTAL FAT: 2.5g CHOLESTEROL: 45g SODIUM: 160g CARBS: 16g (7g Sugar/5g Sugar Alcohol) PROTEIN: 5g

ions of desserts, sometimes they just ybe you’re not a baker and they’re e are many pre-made options on the t as their less healthy counterparts. these different brands that I highly you check out.

KODIAK: Blueberry Lemon Muffins SERVING: 1 Muffin (60g Prepared) CALORIES: 140 TOTAL FAT: 7g CHOLESTEROL: 33g SODIUM: 220g CARBS: 24g (12g Sugar) PROTEIN: 7g

KASHI: Chocolate Almond Butter Cookie SERVING: 1 Cookie (30g) CALORIES:130 TOTAL FAT: 5g CHOLESTEROL: 0g SODIUM: 80g CARBS: 19g (7g Sugar) PROTEIN: 3g

I hope this information is enough to begin your journey into a diet, exercise, or just general nutrition. But, I know some questions may still arise that didn’t fit perfectly into any of the past topics. This guide was mainly about nutrition, as I believe this to be the hardest subject to understand when beginning any form of exercise or diet. In this section, I’ll be going over some intro questions to weight lifting, running, trends, myths, rumors, and lies that exist in fitness and health.

FOODS Do I have to stop eating ___? As I showed in the nutrition section, rarely should any diet involve stopping to eat any of the big three. Trans fats are an absolute NO and saturated fats, sugar, and sodium should all be watched. Besides that, unless you have a medical condition or allergies, complex carbs, healthy fats, and proteins are all OK TO EAT.

Is Veggie pasta a good non-carb replacement for normal pasta? Any “alternative” pasta, whether it be vegetable, whole wheat, or “protein” pasta traditionally all have similar macros. The changes tend to be in the ingredients and nutrients, but even then it may not be a huge difference. For example, many “protein” pasta only have an extra 2-5 grams per serving. Spinach pasta may have a bit more iron too, but not a huge amount to make a significant difference. If you’re looking for a good alternative, try making your own zucchini pasta or squash pasta if you’re watching calories. If you want better macros, black bean and soy pasta exist which can actually make your pasta 1:1 ratio of carbs and protein!

Is Turkey bacon/sausage better than pork bacon/sausage? Sometimes, but usually not by much. It may have slightly less fat but just as much sodium.

What are Natural and Artificial Ingredients? While “Natural” looks a lot better than “Artificial”, there are no official guidelines for naming something “Natural”. So a product that advertises itself as “Natural” is basing that definition off of its own standards. Usually, that implies that the food has been processed minimally or is free of artificial sweeteners, dyes, flavors, or trans fats. But that implication isn’t true or consistent for all products and some may still use a mix of natural or artificial ingredients. Artificial is self-explanatory; the product you are consuming has had man-made or processed flavors, dyes, or sweeteners added. So, while “Natural” may look better than “Artificial”, some product may end up being very similar or moot in terms of health benefits. For example, I can use carrot juice to dye a product orange, but if I use high-fructose corn syrup to sweeten it, I can call it “Naturally & Artificially Made” and that immediately makes me look better than the 100% artificial product.

What’s the difference between Farm-Raised and Wild Caught Seafood? Isn’t Wild Caught better? Farm-Raised are raised in a man-made enclosure where we can control elements like their diet and size. Wild Caught fish are literally fish caught from the wild and brought to your store. Like with “Natural”, “Farm Raised” can mean many things. One company’s farming standards of fish may be completely different than another’s. The diet of the fish, the size of their enclosure, and the cleanliness of their handling can affect whether farm-raised fish are healthier or not. There’s no easy way to obtain this information without asking your local Seafood employee, but sometimes even they don’t have the information. The best you can do is make informed decisions and trust companies that have the information readily available. Wild Caught fish are usually healthier, but they too can have their issues. Wild Caught fish can have more carnivorous diets, raising their mercury levels. Also, if your concerns are based on the treatment of the fish, Wild Caught fish can also face crowding issues if they’re caught in mass-netting versus single-line fishing or harpooning. Just like with Farm-Raised fish, your best bet is to try and obtain information before purchased and make the most informed choice you can.

Ok and uh...what does Mercury do? Too much mercury can lead to mercury poisoning. While the symptoms vary in intensity, the most consistent symptom is one thing: feeling and acting fucking weird. Once their levels are returned to normal, often their personality changes back.

What’s Grass-Fed Meat? And why am I warned about added chemicals? The standard for cattle raising is usually to spend their first year in open grazing, eating grass and growing up. After that, they spend the next several months in “feedlots”, where cattle are fed grains to fatten them up for slaughter. Corn is typically cheaper to feed cows and gives the farmers fatter animals to sell. To further increase the speed of growth, antibiotics and hormones will sometimes be given to the animals as well. While unfortunate for the animal, this increases the farmers’ profits while lowering the price of meat for us, the consumer. Grass-fed cattle, however, are cattle that have been allowed to feed on grass their entire lives. The benefits to this are for the animal’s well-being and health, which gives us, the consumer, more nutritious and leaner meat. These benefits include higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, more vitamins, and lower saturated fat and cholesterol.

Which bread is the healthiest? Whole Wheat, Sprouted Grain, Sourdough, Rye, and Pumpernickel are all great choices. But be careful when purchasing these breads, for some companies still use high-fructorse corn syrup or dye to enhance their bread.

What the fuck is Sprouted Bread? Sprouted Bread is a Whole Wheat/Multi-Grain bread that’s grain has begun to sprout. These breads have a lower GI index, making them easier to digest and better for people with gluten-sensitivities or alelrgies. However, people who need to be gluten-free should still avoid sprouted bread for it’s still not entirely gluten-free. For the average consumer, it’s a good laternative to wheat bread that offers extra nutrients and easier digestion.

What the hell do all these labels mean on my eggs?! Which ones should I buy?! Most people have seen or heard how the massive poultry industry can be handled. This may all sound and look awful, but this is not what ALL poultry companies do. Some treat animals better than humans, others, not so much. Buy eggs with the most informed decision you can, but be aware of price gouging from lies and manipulated branding. Even cage-free and free-range eggs can be brutal to the chicken due to their minimal definitions. Below are the terms you’ll see on your eggs or chicken and what they truly mean. Cage-Free These hens are literally cage-free but that can be where the definition ends. While they may not be in a literal cage, they can often still be kept in cramp storage areas, just, you know, no longer in a cage. These hens are still not allowed outside. Auditing for conditions is not needed in order to label yourself “Cage-free”. Think of this as living in your parent’s cramped basement or on a friend’s couch. Free-Range/Roaming The USDA has a definition for “free-range” on chickens themselves, but eggs do not need their judgment for a label. Since the eggs have no regulation, these standards can be similar to “cage-free” but with a small outdoor space as well. Think of this as the shitty studio apartment you pay way too much for in New York City or San Francisco. Pasture Raised The USDA does not regulate this term for egg production, but the term can be used for the hens themselves. These birds are typically allowed free range of an outdoor and indoor environment for their safety from predators at night. However, even this term does not guarantee the quality of their feed, time spent outside, space allowed in either area or the quality of either space. Certified Organic Typically similar to Pasture-Raised buy given an organic, all-vegetarian diet without antibiotics, pesticides, or growth hormones regulated by the USDA. Third-party auditing is required by the USDA, but like with Pasture Raising, the quality of their environment and time in it is overlooked.

Should I buy brown or white eggs? This really doesn’t matter at ALL. Unless the company adds something to the hens themselves, the color of the egg is based on the color of the hen; that’s it. Buy whichever egg you like the quality or price of!

I thought eggs and cholesterol were bad? In 2016 the FDA changed the guidelines for dietary-cholesterol and got rid of an upper-limit for it. Still watch your cholesterol, but dietary-cholesterol in food is less to worry about. No studies could find a HARD correlation between cholesterol consumption and raised cholesterol. Your body is adapts to dietary-cholesterol naturally. Now, studies think cholesterol is hereditary or based on saturated fats and/or sugars.

White rice or brown rice? Or, should I even be having rice? Brown is traditionally a better bet. If you’re trying to cut back on servings, cauliflower makes a great rice alternative especially for dishes that are sauce based on gumbo or burrito bowls. Just grate it by hand or food processor and that’s it!

What are healthy snacks? Depends on your macro needs, but generally, it’s best to avoid foods with minimal nutritional value. Light popcorn, Edamame, nut butters, seeds, veggies, and greek yogurt or low-fat yogurt are all great snacks as well. Jerky and Trail Mix may seem convenient, but they’re high calorie snacks for long-distance cardio or exercise.

Can I eat dessert while I’m on a diet? Yes! Believe it or not, YES! Definitely not every day, but with good weekly planning you can fit in dessert once or even twice a week. But, again, this comes down to earning it via calorie pooling or exercise and/or making sure the portion size is what follows the recommendation. If you want a 500 calorie cookies on Saturday, maybe eat at a deficit of 100 calories Monday-Friday to balance it out. Just make sure to watch the serving; If brownies serve 10, cut them into 10 bars MINIMUM.

Should I stop drinking milk? Nope! Some studies fear the effects of hormones or antibiotics, but many are weak links. Milk is still a valuable part of a healthy diet. Now, you may not need a glass with every meal, but one or two glasses a day is just fine.

Should I go gluten-free? Fuck no. The Gluten-Free craze is one of the worst abuses of a real disorder. Many people cut “gluten” and claim they feel much better and are now have light celiac disease. Unless you have had a doctor say “you have celiac disease”, more than likely, you’re not gluten sensitive. In reality, you probably used to eat shitty carbs and after generally cutting carbs, you feel a lot better. It’s great that you feel better, but making friends, family, and chefs go to the extra effort to monitor your “gluten” when you’re just mimicking a fad is unfair to them.

What about a cleanse? Some people claim they feel a lot better after them, and I don’t doubt that some may help with digestion. But the majority of the “toxins” bullshit is just that; bullshit. Unless you have a disorder, your body cleanses itself of toxins naturally just fine.

Should I only buy Organic? It all depends on the product and who’s preparing it for you. In fruits or vegetables, if there’s a shell or skin to the fruit, there’s less concern about it being organic. Any germs or pesticides you may be concerned about are less likely to get to the meat of the food. However, things you eat as is like apples, berries, and lettuce, are usually safer to buy organic.

Is soy/tofu good or bad? Soy is a great alternative to meat as a protein source! It’s low in fat and cholesterol and, if cooked properly, can have a great texture to it. Soy gets a bad rap for its taste and it’s linked to increasing estrogen. But taste can be altered by its form and preparation and the relation to estrogen is complex and debated.

Is eating too close to bed bad? Some may argue otherwise, but generally, no. Some people may have a harder time sleeping to do comfort or may experience acid reflux, but it will not affect weight gain. In fact, if you need help recovering muscles, a slow releasing protein powder is best before bed!

Are certain fruits better for me? The short answer, no. The long answer...well, kind of. Most fruits, vegetables, and starches have certain benefits from their vitamins and minerals. However, how much you should have of one from another is what separates their health benefits. For example, a cup of Pineapple has roughly the same amount of sugar as two cups of strawberries. In this case, a cup of strawberries is the healthier option based on sugar. Here’s a short list of the fruits that are lower and sugar and higher in sugar: LOWER Blueberries, Watermelon, Raspberries, Grapefruit, Strawberries HIGHER Figs, Bananas, Mangos, Apples, Pineapple

What about certain vegetables? Everyone loves kale... Similar to fruit, it’s hard to go wrong with vegetables in general. However, certain vegetables and starches have more vitamins and minerals than others. However, unlike fruit, it’s less of a sugar issue and more of simply being a calorie issue or how your body responds to certain vegetables. For example, potatoes are turned into blood sugar easier than yams or squash and are high in calories. Broccoli may make some people gassy and Asparagus may make some people have potent smelling urine. But all of these have their health benefits. Just do your best to track the calories of them and you’ll be fine.

Fruits and Vegetables are expensive...can’t I just buy dried fruit or fruit cups? How about veggie straws or chips Although these forms are convenient to eat, they hardly compare to the real thing. Here’s why:

Fruit/Vegetable Juice

4oz of Orange Juice contains enough Vitamin C for your entire day, but we all know most of us drink 8-12oz with breakfast when available. While a glass of juice may look comparable to a single piece of fruit, it actually takes several of a fruit to make even a single cup of juice. The USDA does consider a cup of 100% Fruit Juice as a serving of fruit, there are much better ways to get the same serving (and it’s cheaper!). If you must purchase one, look for one with more vegetables than fruit and with minimal to no sugar added.

Smoothies

Similar to juices, Smoothies can be good for you, but it depends on what goes into it. One cup won’t look like much, but it can easily contain a whole banana, several berries, and 4oz of a fruit juice, giving you more sugars than you’d expect in a single dose.

Dried Fruits/Raisins

You’d think because they’re dried out, they’re fibrous and healthy for you, right? Some products may be, but others often add sugar in order to make the dried fruit appetizing or else it’d just be a bitter, dry husk.

Vegetable Chips

Delicious and colorful, these items can be a great way to get kids into vegetables or sneak a bit of nutrient into a cheat snack. Some of these maybe even have decent macros if they’ve been baked or the only oils used to bake or fry them were mono or polyunsaturated oils. However, just like regular chips, many of these can have high sodium or sugar contents depending on their flavoring. Your best bet is to try to make your own, often it’s quite easy and much cheaper!

Fuck it, This is too much. I’m just gonna order out...what should I order? Eating out is one of the harder scenarios when on a diet. You should do your best to have fun and live guilt free, so, if you can, try to treat eating out as your Cheat Day or Refeed. Many restaurants use wayyy too much salt, oil, and carbs...and it’s fucking delicious. Even menus with a “skinny” section or with calories listed often shy away from revealing their macros for this reason. However, if you MUST eat out, here are my recommendations for different types of food: NOTE Unless a restaurant prides itself on listing its calories or macros, it’ll be hard to gauge how much you’re eating or the macros of your meal. If you’re watching your weight, always “round up” your expectations for calories and macros. Restaurants want you to enjoy your food, and the easiest way to do that consistently is fat, sugar, and salt. Don’t beat yourself up, don’t guilt your friends, and don’t hassle your server too much; just make the decisions you can, and track and prepare for the meal as best as you can.

Breakfast

Luckily, most breakfast places list pretty specifically what your meal comes with. Whether it’s a two or three egg omelet, two extra links of sausage, or a stack of pancakes, you usually have a literal description or an easy enough visual one to gauge what you’re eating. However, the cooking process here is what will get you. All of your food can be loaded with butter or oil when cooking, but especially items like home fries and pastries. Your best bet here is to avoid fatty breakfast meats like sausage and bacon and opt for egg whites and whole wheat grains when possible. It will be hard to avoid salt and fat, so cut down where you can.

American/General

While menus may vary place to place, the issues with these menus are usually finding ANYTHING healthy. Pizza, burgers, subs, hoagies, fries, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, chicken platters, seafood platters; all are usually high in fat, salt, cheese, or fried. Your best bet is to look for grilled chicken, grilled seafood, or a wrap when you can. Be mindful of “salads” as well; though Salmon or tuna salad may look light and high in protein, their mayo content may pack on calories.

Chinese/Japanese

When ordering Chinese, try to avoid dishes heavily sauced. Whether you’re afraid of MSG or not, they’re awful heavy in a form of sodium. Fortunately, many Chinese restaurants list healthier or low-sodium options and provide Steamed variants of their dishes. When ordering Japanese, trade in the Teriyaki, which can be high in sugar and sodium, for Sushi! Sushi often has great macros for a standard diet. Just be careful of tempura, which is fried, and extra sauces which can be mayo based.

Indian

With Indian foods, you’re going to want to avoid Ghee (clarified butter), bread (unless specified as wheat), and extra-large servings of rice. Unless you’re a huge Indian fan and are familiar with the different dishes of the culture, it may be hard to tell what dishes are healthier than others. Tandoori is a great choice, for it is typically a marinade of yogurt, not butter, and grilled or baked. Kebabs can also be a great choice, though they may be heavily oiled and salted before grilling. Unfortunately, Tikka Masala is an awful choice due to it being a cream-based dish. Avoid curry as well, for many are also cream or coconut based and loaded with saturated fats. If ordering bread, go for Wheat Naan which may also be listed as “Roti”. Mexican Mexican dishes are some of my favorites to order out from. The meats and carbs of Mexican food are often quite healthy, salt aside in some seasonings. The biggest culprit you’ll find is usually in the cheese and sour cream that can accompany some dishes. Instead of extra meat nachos, opt for guacamole with your chips if you’re craving the salt still. Corn tortillas tend to be lower calorie than Flour ones, and if picking a meat, opt for chicken or seafood when possible. Watch out for certain cuts of pork or beef, for they’re often the fattier varieties made perfectly for pulling. Also avoid “wet” Burritos, called Burrito Mojados. Burritos are already fairly calorie dense, the “wet” can often be just a heap of cheese or cream on top of it. Enchiladas, Chimichangas, and the fried version of Empanadas also run similar negative traits of being fried or extra cheesy.

Italian

Italian food can often be extremely high in carbs, salt, and calories due to their generous portion sizes and accompanying sides. Bruschettas can be a great, light appetizer if they’re more authentic and less “Cheese pizza with diced tomatoes”. Caprese salad is also a great appetizer, just be mindful of the amount of oil, even healthy ones. Chicken Cacciatore can be a bit salty, but the chicken is often braised or seared, not fried, making it a great choice for protein. If opting for seafood, avoid mussels or clams in buttery sauces or wine combinations. If you can, opt for grilled calamari instead of fried. In fact, shrimp is often a great, low-fat addition to many meals if given a protein option. Pesto can be high in salt and fat, but often the fat is mono or polyunsaturated and a good option. Avoid cream-based sauces like blush, vodka, and Alfredo, for they’re often high in saturated fats. Lasagna is a great, filling meal, but it’s also loaded with cheese and fatty meats. Risotto and Polenta can be good if the right fats are used, but high amounts of butter can often be found in these dishes as well.

Are GMOs bad? GMOs are highly, highly, HIGHLY debated. The two biggest arguments are what they do and if we really need them. For example, GMOs can be used to protect crops from bugs, give crops better flavor, and change the nutrients of an item. So if we could make a tomato that no longer needs pesticides, grows quicker, and has more protein and Omega-3, is that a bad thing? Some may say yes because it’s unnatural, some may say no because it helps the average person. Studies have yet to be done long enough to find the long-term effects of GMOs and with things like cholesterol and carbs fluctuating nearly monthly on opinion, some people doubt the studies in general. It’s up to you to make an informed decision, but many products these days label if they’re GMO-free or not.

Can I get fit without changing my diet? Some people with good genes may be able to, but generally, no. This is when we enter “messy bulks” and “soft” bodies. Depending on the macros of your unreformed diet, you may end up gaining fat or developing muscle slowly. Eating poorly and lifting obviously beats eating poorly and being sedentary, but the results you’ll achieve with proper nutrition will be well worth the change.

Can I drink while I diet? Yup! But just like desserts, you’re going to have to limit the days and really plan for it. If you like to go out on Friday or Saturday, try to save calories for that one day or make sure to hit the gym or go for a run the morning before. Do NOT starve yourself all day because that can lead to you getting drunk quick and fierce with an empty stomach. Liquor is the best bang for your buck on a diet so long as it isn’t sugary like rum. Tequila, vodka, and whiskey are great choices. If you continue to drink beer, choose a light beer or beer low in alcohol; often, the lower the ABV, the lower the calories. High percentage beers tend to pack 200+ calories! Guinness is a great choice for a light beer with great taste. Wine though…

Is Wine good for you? Wine does have some benefits, but they can also be easily obtained from better sources. At the end of the day, wine is fermented fruit juice; aka, sugar. A glass every now and then is fine, but it’s not as healthy as one might think.

Eating fat makes you fat…right? No. Any excess in nutrition can be turned into fat, but both carbs and fat traditionally get made into fat when used in excess. While fat was originally put to blame, recent studies have shown it’s more-so how fats react to sugar and alcohol consumption that determines fat gain. Fat gain and loss are also based on how heavy you’ve been in your life. The reason skinny people remain skinnier than people who previously were obese is due to fat cells. Your body cannot lose fat cells, only make and fill them. Once they’re made, they can only be “emptied” by dieting. The only way to really remove fat cells from your body is surgery, hence why fat gain should be highly monitored.

LIFTING Do I need a personal trainer? Generally, no, but having one if you’re very new to fitness wouldn’t hurt. Nutrition can be hard to understand on your own and going to the gym for the first time can lead to injury if you’re a bit overzealous. A trainer can answer intricate questions for you and make sure you have good form on all of your lifts before you begin going alone. Again, it’s up to your comfort level and complexity of your routine.

How do I know if I’m pushing myself too hard? Listen to your body! It’s hard to describe, but you simply know the difference between growth and pain. Whether it’s that slight tweak, shift, or crack, you absolutely know the difference between an injury and pushing yourself. If it’s an endurance issue, push yourself within reason, but if you’re getting light-headed, nauseous, or again, just FEEL wrong, take a break!

Are machines better than body weight exercises? Depending on the exercise, they can be. For example, smith machines are great for calf raises and shrugs, the leg press without locking-out is great, and some of the curls and tricep extensions are good. Generally, machines should be done at lighter weights to avoid injury since they follow a rigid path. Machines get a bad rap, especially smith machines, but this is more from people with improper free-form getting onto rigid machines and FURTHER ruining their form.

How do I know how many days I should lift or run? That’s entirely up to your schedule. If you can’t make time for it, as long as you follow your diet, you’ll still hit weight-loss goals. If your goal is to gain muscle, I’d recommend one day at the absolute minimum. Ideally, two-to-three days is the best basic split. In one day you’d have to hit every body part and hope to get out of the gym in an hour. Splitting it to at least two allows you to do upper and lower, which is a great, classic workout split.

How can I look like this person? Comparing your body to another person is usually going to lead to guilt and anxiety. Muscle development and weight loss have so many large and small differences from person to person. Genetics, diet, and frame play a large role in how your body grows. Someone with broad shoulders, thick bones, more testosterone, and longer heads to their biceps, triceps, and calves will fill out much fuller than someone of similar height with narrow shoulders, thinner bones, short heads, and less testosterone. Speaking of height, that plays a major role in muscle development as well. There’s a reason why most competitive lifters are 6ft+. Monitor your body based off of your own progress. Are you skinnier than you were a year ago? Stronger? More muscular? Congratulate yourself! Speaking of competitors….

Steroids? What’s up with that??? I’m not too familiar with steroids. I understand the basic concept and cycling, but I’m not here to talk about how they work. If you choose to use them, please use them safely and don’t abuse them. But remember: many competitors and actors use some form of steroids or HGH. This isn’t an insult or to belittle their gains, you still have to put in a LOT of work to get big on steroids. But many of the “Superhero” builds have some sort of “help”. Look at most actors or actresses when they do movies in between Superhero sequels; they SHRINK. Their diets and routines get posted, everyone does them for several months, and yes I’m sure they work to some extent. But will they work in three months like it did for them? Nah.

What can I do to target fat? In reality, nothing much. Some exercises may burn fat a bit more than others, like long-distance running vs HIIT. But even that won’t melt the fat off of your body in and of itself. Men tend to hold their fat around their midsection while women tend to hold it there as well as their thighs and back of their arms. Fat comes off in the order it’s gained, and for both men and women, it’s usually from the outside, in. Your arms will get toned, your shoulders, your chest, and your calves until finally, it begins to reach your stomach and thighs. Cutting fat from your diet, taking fat-burners, or doing crunches won’t spot-target fat. Only general dieting can do that.

Why do so many guides differ from each other? As I said earlier, people look different when they get in shape. Also, how they did it tends to differ too. One person may say they got huge power lifting, one may say CrossFit, one may say Bodyweight Exercises, one may say high rep, low rep, once a week, everyday; all are as likely and as unlikely to work for you. People tend to write about what they know, so if Shawn Johnson got big only squatting, that’s what he’ll write about. Once endorsements, money, and drug-use enters the equation, the bias starts to drift even further. Why would I admit that that bodybuilding takes years when I can take steroids and tell people that 15 minutes of crunches a day gets them a Sixpack but only if they buy MY pre workout? Find a guide with goals that directly reflects your own and push minimal purchases on you. After you find this, cross-check it to other guides for accuracy or similarities. Those are the tips that more than likely work better than others.

Should I lift heavy? Light? Low rep? High rep? Unfortunately, there aren’t many good studies on rep range and hypertrophy. The studies are either with people who have never lifted and thus have great beginner gains or the time frame is too short to accurate gauge longitudinal results. A lot of sources agree 1-3 reps promotes strength primarily and 15+ promotes endurance. But 3-15 all have claims for muscle development. However, between the rep ranges, the most consistent key to muscle-size has been volume. For example, let’s say to get a big chest you should do 40 reps. That means you could do anywhere from 8 sets of 5 to 3 sets of 13. As long as your exercises have high volume and you’re always pushing yourself to move up either in sets, reps, or weight, your muscles WILL grow! Find which range you have the energy and time for and give it a try. Worst case scenario, if you don’t like it, switch to a different one!

What can I do to target fat? In reality, nothing much. Some exercises may burn fat a bit more than others, like long-distance running vs HIIT. But even that won’t melt the fat off of your body in and of itself. Men tend to hold their fat around their mid section while women tend to hold it there as well as their thighs and back of their arms. Fat comes off in the order it’s gained, and for both men and women it’s usually from the outside, in.Your arms will get toned, your shoulders, your chest, your calves, until finally it begins to reach your stomach and thighs. Cutting fat from your diet, taking fat-burners, or doing crunches won’t spot-target fat. Only general dieting can do that.

I should change exercises like every month, right? Or every week? “Muscle Confusion” became popular from P90x and muscle adaptation is a very real thing. However, a lot of the science behind it is embellished or “pop” science. Just like with hypertrophy studies, a lot of muscle confusion gains come from people who either never lifted before or have recently changed from a routine they had run previously. People have different recommendations for when to switch, but generally, three or four months is about the average recommendation. Me personally, I say switch when you stop making gains or when you simply get bored of it.

Why do people bulk and cut? Do I need to bulk? Do I need to cut? Bulking and cutting is mainly done because, well, that’s what the stars and competitors do. When using performance enhancers, bulking and cutting can be fast and intense if the work is put in. For natural lifters, the benefits remain the same, but with slower results and less dramatic results. Whether you should bulk and/or cut is up to your comfort and your vitals. If your vitals are healthy and you think you could use some weight, bulk! If you think you’re getting a little too thick, cut! Generally, it’s recommended to cut until you’re around 7-15% body fat and to bulk up to 20-25% body fat. If you gain too much fat, it’ll be that much harder to lose fat later on and you’ll have to spend more time cutting (and thus potentially lose strength or muscle). If you get too skinny, you potentially lose your strength from your bulk and will have a hard time getting lower than 10%.

Supplements Are protein bars healthy? Yes and no. Make sure to read the nutritional facts on anything you put in your body, but ESPECIALLY protein bars or items that advertise being “protein”. For example, Cliff Bars; at 9 grams of protein and art that features running, cycling, and climbing, this bar has to be great, right? At 45 Carbs, it definitely has the benefits of oats…but 21g of those carbs are sugars. Organic Valley Protein Milk: 16g of protein, but of its 24g of carbs, 23g issugar. Worse, some products advertise their protein total but not that it takes multiple servings to get it. For example, Lenny and Larry’s Protein Cookie is advertised as 16g of protein, but on the back that’s over TWO serving sizes. One serving size is 8g of protein and 27g of carbs with 15g being sugar.

Ok, jeez…what about meal replacers? Unless you’re very, very skinny, they’re usually unnecessary. Especially in powdered form, you’re better off getting your carbs from complex sources, not in powder form. Be careful about the bars too, because they often have high saturated fat contents and sugars. Instead, try eating more whole wheat pasta, shredded wheat, or nut butters if you’re struggling to fill your calories.

Should I take a fat burner? No. Unless you’re a competitive lifter or under 10% bodyfat, you should have no problem burning fat rapidly so long as you keep dieting or exercising at a caloric deficit. In fact, the more fat you have, usually the faster it comes off on its own.

Should I be taking a daily vitamin? Fish Oil? Probiotic? Unless you’re on a low-calorie diet or are restricting yourself to a selective diet, probably not. They’re called a “supplement” for a reason; they supplement a diet. If you’re very concerned, it’s best to talk to your doctor before adding supplements to avoid getting too much of one thing. But, generally, save your money; you’re getting most of your nutrients from your balanced diet.

Is caffeine good for you? Within a certain amount, some say it can be. The source matters as well, green tea having the most health benefits while coffee is debated but tends to have positives in small amounts. Caffeine intake should be monitored, especially if you’re pregnant or sensitive to caffeine. Many people only need one to two cups of coffee a day, about 100-200mg of caffeine. However, 400mg is the maximum recommended for the average adult. Anymore can actually DECREASE the effects of coffee and begin to make you addicted. Addiction to caffeine can lead to headaches and aggression when decaffeinated. When drinking coffee, try to drink it black or with minimal sugar or milk added. Sugars, especially in energy drinks, are what give you an extra boost but can also lead you to crash and are just that much more addicting.

Ok but..what about pre-workout…? I recommend NOT taking pre-workout. Many pre-workouts contain almost half your daily “allowed” caffeine on top of whatever else you’ll have the rest of the day. You should have plenty of energy for your lifts from your diet. If you’re still struggling on certain days, pre-workout may help you but remember to check the caffeine content of your supplement so you don’t end up doing more bad then good.

Ok, fine, fine!…How about creatine? Creatine had a bad rap up until the past couple years. Some studies said it increased blood pressure, gave cramps, and harmed your liver. However, newer studies and medical journals have found weak connections to those accusations. Creatine does increase water retention in your muscles, not your skin, so you’ll feel fuller and have a boost of energy for exercises. For that reason, make sure to drink plenty of water when taking creatine. Also, there’s no need to “load”; loading is a method for bodybuilders and is unnecessary for the average lifter.

How much protein do I really need? The FDA’s guideline of nearly 10-20% is good for the average lifestyle. Some lifting websites recommend almost up to 1.5-2g per lb of body weight. This reflects fine in anyone at 125lbs or lower, but at 150lbs or higher, 300g of protein is ridiculous. These large numbers are usually based on enhanced-lifters or simply riding a trend to sell protein products. Generally, 1-1.25g of protein per lb is the max recommended for lifting, with levels sometimes as low as .6g per lb being acceptable.

CARBS (FUEL)

EAT THIS Whole Wheat Flour, Oatmeal, Yams, Legumes, Vegetables, Fruits NOT THAT White Flour, Corn Flakes, Puffed Rice, Simple Sugars, Juice

PROTEIN

(REPAIR & GROWN) EAT THIS Lean Beef/Pork, >90% Ground Meat, Poultry Breast, Fish NOT THAT <90% Ground Meat, Ribs, Bacon, Sausage, Poultry Skin

FAT

(FUEL & CHEMISTRY) EAT THIS Nuts, Nut Butter, Seeds, Olives, Olive Oil, Avocados, Avocado Oil NOT THAT Whole Fat Dairy, Lard, Butter, Coconuts, Coconut Oil

PROTEIN (25%)

2000 Calorie Diet

FAT (30%)

CARBS (45%)

MY WEIGHT? WELL, I WANT TO... LOSE IT Eat 500--1000 less calories a day either from your carbs, protein, or by burning it via exercise.

KEEP IT Continue to eat around 2000 calories a day and in crease protein on lifting days and carbs on cardio days

GAIN IT Eat 200-500 more calories a day either in your carbs or protein.

CALORIES? WELL, I WANT TO... LIFT IT

(Weight Lifting) GOALS Gain Muscle, Gain Strength, Gain Weight, Lose Weight

MOVE IT (Cardio)

GOALS Increase Enrudance, Lower Blood Pressure, Lose Weight

LIFT IT - 3 DAY BEGINNER SPLIT

MON - PUSH Flat Bench Press

SETS 5

REPS 5

REST(SEC) 120

MUSCLE CHEST, DELTS, TRI

Standing Press

120

DELTS, ARMS

Skull Crushers Incline Flies Lateral Flies Dips Crunches

4 3 4 2 3

8 10 10 12 20

60 60 60 60 60

TRI CHEST DELTS CHEST, TRI ABS

WED - PULL Deadlift Row Standing Curls

SETS 4 4 4

REPS 3 10 10

REST(SEC) 120 60 60

MUSCLE EVERYTHING MID BACK, BI BI

Pull-Ups Hammer Curls Shrugs Hanging Leg Raise

4 4 4 3

FAILURE 8 10 10

60 60 60 60

LATS, BI BI TRAPS CORE

FRI - LEGS Squats

SETS 5

REPS 5

REST(SEC) 120

MUSCLE QUADS, CORE

Standing Calf Raise Leg Curls Back Extensions Leg Press Seated Calf Press PLANKS

4 4 4 3 4 3

12 8 10 12 12 (HOLD FOR 30s)

60 60 60 60 30 30

CALVES HAMS LOWER BACK QUADS CALVES CORE

MOVE IT - CARDIO IDEAS

• • • • • • • • • • • •

WALK JOG RUN SPRINT HIKE SWIM BIKE TENNIS BASKETBALL JUIMP ROPE ROW BOX

• Only weigh yourself once a week • Drink plenty of water, no matter your routine • If drinking, skip wine, drink light beer or liquor, and use diet soda for cocktails • Don’t plan for cheat meals, only have one if you must • If eating out, always assume your meal is heavier than you think • If trying to lose weight, slightly decrease calories every 10 pounds lost • If trying to gain weight, slightly increase calories every 10 pounds gained

Man, I hope this guide is useful to someone. Even just a little bit. Whether it taught you something new, gave you a confidence boost, or even if you just take a few of my recipes, I hope it gave you something. Everyone into fitness started at the same spot you may be, endlessly searching the internet for the secret to changing your eating habits or physique. Even now I’m usually googling a new diet, a new workout, a new supplement. The community and lifestyle can be daunting and seem unwelcoming, but really we’re all here for each other. Yeah, there are some selfish dicks and some predatory behavior from companies to make money. Once you learn to see through that stuff and are comfortable with this information, you’ll see. If you have any questions and know me personally, feel free to just text or call me! For everyone else, shoot me an email at evancowderyart@gmail.com or on Instagram @TheMalcolmXmen. Stick with it and don’t give up, it’ll be worth it.

BMI

Also known as Body mass index, a BMI is a person’s weight divided by their height and is largely used by doctors to determine “normal” weights. Age and height determine what a “healthy” BMI is, but some other factors can skew the numbers of muscle weight.

BODY Fat Percentage

The percentage of fat on a person’s body determined by diving the total mass of fat by total body mass x 100. The ideal “fat percentage” depends on height, age, and gender, but generally, men are considered healthy in the 10%-25% range while women are considered healthy in the 20%-30% range.

Bulk

A dietary plan to consume more calories than normal in order to gain weight, hopefully in the form of muscle mass. Macro profiles may vary depending on goals, but generally, the biggest source of extra calories in bulking is in extra, healthy carbohydrates.

Calories

A unit of heat used as a measure of the energy released by food as it is digested by the human body. For the U.S., the Food & Drug Administration sets the average American diet to 2000 calories a day, though caloric needs change depending on lifestyles. The reason your body needs around 2000 calories is that even the “background” functions of our bodies take energy. Breathing, blood circulation, chemical adjustments, and cell activity all “burn” calories. The big three for calories are defined below but they are Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat. All three are necessary for a healthy diet, but there are minor differences in how they are measured and the types of each. For example, each has a different calorie amount per gram. Carb: 4 calories per 1 gram Protein: 4 calories per 1 gram Fat: 9 calories per 1 gram This translation is why a slice of white bread, a quarter pound of chicken breast, and a tablespoon of olive oil are all around 120 calories but clearly have such differences in sizes.

Empty Calories Calories with no nutritional value.

Carbohydrates

A nutrient primarily turned into blood glucose (sugar) for energy.

Simple Carbs with a “simple” molecular structure that usually get absorbed into your body faster. Complex Carbs with a “complex” molecular structure that usually take a longer time than simple carbs for the body to absorb.

Cheat-Dat

A day where someone willingly breaks from their diet, ideally for a meal but sometimes for a longer period of time as well. Macronutrients and/or calories are not monitored and a person is free to eat whatever they please.

Cholesterol

Created by your body and a highly debated substance, cholesterol can also be found in animal foods like dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry, and seafood. Cholesterol is a double-edged sword in that it’s needed to carry out vital functions and control hormones but too much cholesterol can lead to heart complications and stick to your arteries in the form of plaque. Interestingly, cholesterol has recently been removed of an upper-limit for dietary consumption due to weak data connecting a high-cholesterol diet to actually having high-cholesterol.

LDL The “Cain” of cholesterol, Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered the “bad” cholesterol. A high LDL level can contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries and lead to heart complications. HDL The “Abel” o cholesterol, High-density lipoprotein is considered the “good” cholesterol. Good levels of HDL cholesterol help your body process cholesterol and may improve heart health.

Circuit

Performing multiple exercises back-to-back and counting the sequence as one set.

Compound

A lift that focuses on multiple muscles

Cut

A dietary plant to consume calories in a deficit in order to lose weight while trying to retain as much muscle/strength as possible. Depending on fitness goals, carbohydrates are usually the source first cut back.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are positively or negatively charged ions that conduct electrical activity. For humans, they maintain fluid balance, muscle contraction, and brain activity. Electrolytes help to distribute water throughout the body to keep us cool and “hydrated”. Electrolytes can be lost through multiple nutrients but are most known for being lost through sweat. Depending on the kind of electrolytes lost, the needed adjustment could come in the form of sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, or calcium.

FATS Saturated Fat Found in full-fat dairy products (butter, cheese, cream, milk), coconut oil, red meat, and fatty cuts of all meat or meat with the skin still on. Saturated fats contribute neither to HDL or LDL cholesterol but simply your overall cholesterol, which can be bad. Trans Fat Trans fat, also known as satanâ€™s blood trans fatty acid, is created through the hydrogenation of oil which allows it to solidify and extend its shelf-life. Depending on preparation, they can be found in vegetable shortenings, margarine, cookies, and some deep-fried goods. Trans fat increases your LDL, reduces HDL, and has been linked to multiple heart problems, diabetes, stroke, and other negative conditions. Luckily, they are becoming less used in mainstream diets and restaurants. Unsaturated Fat Polyunsaturated Fat Also found in seeds, nuts, and healthy oils, these fats are considered essential. Your body cannot produce polyunsaturated fats but they are required in order for you to function. Polyunsaturated fats may also help reduce overall cholesterol and LDL. (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) One of the acids that make polyunsaturated fats essential. Found in fatty fish like salmon or mackerel, flaxseeds, walnuts, and almonds. (Omega-6 Fatty Acid) Another fatty acid found in polyunsaturated fats. Commonly found in vegetable oils. Monounsaturated Fat Found in avocados, nuts, olives, seeds, and the oils of the previously listed. Monounsaturated fats may help lower cholesterol, increase HDL, and improve heart health.

FDA

A federal agency of the USA, the Food & Drug Administration sets standards for various human products like food, drugs, and vaccines.

Fiber

A wide-ranging term generally used to describe the fibrous structural part of plants or wheat. Fiber can be soluble or insoluble, aka able to be absorbed by our bodies or not. Soluble fibers are great for helping to lower cholesterol while insoluble fibers help your body digest foods in general.

HIIT

Also known as High-intensity Interval Training, HIIT is usually recognized as exercising in brief, max-level effort followed by extended rest periods. One of the more popular examples are sprints: running near full speed for 30 seconds, followed by walking for one to two minutes based on energy.

Isometric

A lift considered to focus specifically on one muscle (concentration curls, calf raises).

Keto

Short for “ketogenic” or “ketosis”, Keto can be used to refer to the Keto diet or what the Keto diet triggers, being ketosis and the formulation of ketones. “Ketosis” is what your body does when it doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to use for energy. Usually taking three to four days of very low-carb eating, the goal is to force your body to burn fats instead of carbs for energy and speed up fat-loss.

Lean Body Mass

Your body composition without body fat, traditionally used to determine body fat percentage.

Macro

Abbreviation of macronutrients, usually used to describe a dietary breakdown of carbs, protein, and fats.

Metabolism

The process by which your body converts your calories into energy.

Basal Metabolic Rate The number of calories your body uses to carry out all basic/necessary functions before considering extra activity.

Paleo

Short for “Paleolithic”, the Paleo diet tries to emulate a human’s “natural” diet. The general concept is to have a balanced diet devoid of any processed or “unnatural” foods. Vegetables, meat, seafood, nuts, and fruit are all acceptable, but foods like sugar, oils, dairy, and grains are not.

Pescetarian

A diet devoid of meat and poultry and instead focused on fish, shellfish, and mollusks.

Potassium

A mineral necessary for a healthy body and linked to lower blood pressure. Most known for being found in bananas, potassium can also be found in avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes, and kiwi.

PROTEIN

A nutrient used throughout the body but, in terms of fitness, most associated with muscle rebuilding and growth. Protein can be found in many foods, but the main difference usually comes from Animal sources vs Other sources. Animal sources have essential amino acids while the other category (grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables) miss one or more essential amino acids.

Refeed

A day where someone on a cut will eat slightly above their caloric needs in order to “reset” their metabolism. As the body adjusts to lower calories and carbs, the body may begin to lose weight at a slower weight and enter a light “survival” mode where it tries to hold onto its weight and fat. A refeed aims to increase metabolism to continue fat loss, ease mental-stress from dieting, and restore energy.

Refined

Carbs that have been processed to remove the high fiber parts (bran and germ) from their wheat, turning a complex carb into a simple carb. This process is most known in turning brown rice to white rice or turning wheat flour/bread to white flour/bread.

How

many

times

Reps

you will perform of an exercise.

movement

ResT

How long you wait for in-between sets.

Sets

How many times you will complete a set number of reps of an exercise.

Super-set Performing two or more exercises back-to-back.

Sodium

Everyoneâ€™s favorite seasoning, salt opens your flavor-receptors and we loveeeee it. There are different forms of salt, some of which benefit the body (Potassium and Iodised salt). However, too much of any salt can lead to high blood pressure and bloat in some people.

Sugar

Also known as crack glucose,is found in all living cells and produced by our body. Fructose, however ,is not produced by our body and is made by breaking down sugar, or sucrose in some instances and is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream.

VEGAN

Similar to being vegetarian but with a commitment to not using animal products in addition to not eating them.

Vegetarian:

A diet devoid of all meat, poultry, and fish, focusing instead on vegetables, nuts, fruits, and legumes.

Ovo-Lactotarian Some vegetarians may still consume Eggs (ovo) or dairy-products (lacto).

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