Nutrition

This is my first blog post that was originally on Facebook that I thought I would migrate here since it is a passion of mine.

There is one main thing I would like to convey to everyone:

STOP EATING TO THE POINT WHERE YOU BECOME FULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Up until recently, I was a victim of this problem. Overeating. Every meal. The result was me being overweight. I still am slightly overweight, but I can tell you when I step on that scale every week, it's less than the week before. It takes time, but in the end I will be in the best shape and the healthiest ever in my life. I am doing it the right way, too. I am not on some crazy 'diet'. I changed my lifestyle. I no longer crave Wendy's #6 spicy chicken, medium sized with a mountain dew. I think about that and cringe at how unhealthy it is... and it's the chicken which isn't even as bad as those burgers... gross.

Oh, and I am sick of marketing campaigns such as one of the Taco Bell ones where they conveyed that being full was a desirable state. "I'M FUUUUUULLL". Stupid. How about "I'M SATIATED!!!". I'd like that one better.

What you can get out of reading this is that no matter what you are doing now, I can help you get healthier. I have absorbed so much knowledge on this topic in the past few months that I should literally write a book. But since there are so many of those books out there, I thought I would just share it on here with my friends because I care about you all and your health.

Ok, on to the good stuff. If you do any of this, please just do this step: go to Calorie Count and create a free account there to track what you eat and your activities EVERY DAY! In doing this, you can utilize all their tools and guides that they have available in order to lead a healthier lifestyle. It's completely free and takes 2 minutes to set up. It's not just counting calories; it's watching your saturated and trans fats and making sure your diet is balanced the way it should be (45% carbs, 35% protein, 20% good fat).

Next, read this article: 20 super foods you need to build muscle & lose fat which has a great list of healthy foods and their benefits. All the other links on that page are fantastic reads as well.

Mainly, I think the biggest problem that people have is overeating during meals. Someone said that you should have 3 meals a day: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Whoever decided that should be shot for leading soooooo many people astray. Realistically, you should eat more like 5 meals a day. I know you're wondering, "If I am trying to lose weight or become healthier, why would I eat MORE??". Well, I will tell you: Metabolism. Your metabolism is like a fire. Eating 3 big meals throughout the day gets it burning REALLY hot right after a meal, but going so long to the next meal it dies down a whole lot, whereas, keeping it burning consistently all day by eating smaller meals more frequently, it will be much healthier and...consistent. Here is my current meal plan:

7am Breakfast (NEVER, EVER, EVER skip breakfast!!): I have 2 bowls of cereal or egg whites (high in protein). Protein is great in the morning, but it doesn't even matter what it is you eat because eating absolutely anything in the morning to jump start your metabolism after it has been dorment all night long is the best thing you can do to start your day.

While I am at work, at around 10 or 10.30, I will eat a protein bar. 16g protein and 36g of carbs. I just ordered some new protein bars that flips those numbers because I am trying to build some muscle mass while losing fat and getting more proteins than carbs is critical in doing that. Essentially, I am going for 45% proteins, 35% carbs, 20% fats in my diet (diet being what I eat, NOT that I am on a 'diet').

Lunch time, which is around noon, I go out for lunch with the guys at work and eat a normal lunch trying to keep in mind healthy food choices. Anywhere you go, even most fast food places now, will have some healthier alternatives for you to choose from. The key here is to not eat to become full, just to tied you over until you will eat again. More recently, however, I have been trying to stick to subway to shed a few extra calories so I can lose fat a little quicker. DO NOT CUT TOO MANY CALORIES! Women should get at least 1300 calories per day and men 1500 MINIMUM! Anything lower than that and your metabolism suffers.

Depending on how I am feeling from lunch, I have a Nature Valley or equivalent granola-type bar before I leave work. The key here is to never have the hunger feeling like your stomach is wanting food. I can't remember the last time I had that feeling because I eat so frequently.

After work around 5.30-6, I have dinner. Dinner should be light. I recommend a protein shake like I have or any other meal replacement type drink or food. Dinner should not be a huge production. It is to wind down your day and keep you satisfied before you go to sleep. What I usually do is take a banana, some strawberries, a little honey, flax seed or another healthy grain, whey protein, and a blender. Do the math and it produces a tasty beverage.

To finish out my day, I do something physically active such us going to the gym, going to my muay thai (martial arts) class (which kicks my ass - burn 2000 calories in 2 hours), playing soccer, playing tennis, running... any number of things that make you happy and keep your heart rate up. Try to do that for AT LEAST 30 minutes. Anything over 30 minutes and you are burning fat. Anything under 30 minutes is a waste of time (unless it's fun).

Some of these articles you read say it's better to have the protein shake AFTER a workout, which is true. Your body starts to eat at your muscles after a workout looking for nutrients to replenish itself. It is always a good idea to get some protein and carbs after a workout, so I will usually have something like a yogurt mixed with grains or flax seed.

Get plenty of rest at night as well. I try to get at least 7 hours. You'd be surprised at how hard this can be (for me at least). And I don't have any responsibilities or time constraints besides work.Oh, and don't drink your calories. This is very important. Cut out the soda and sugary drinks. Those are empty calories which means you get the calories without any benefit from them besides gross, unhealthiness.

I do this every day - day in, day out. All of this is relatively easy for me because I don't really have any outside responsibilities such as a wife or girlfriend, children, etc. I can just get home from my job and do whatever. It used to be get home and choose to play video games. Now I have decided that I would like to live a little healthier and get some benefit from my time (I do still play video games though). So for those of you who don't have the extra time to exercise but still want to live healthier and shed some pounds. You can skip the physical activity and I promise you will still lose weight and feel better overall if you follow these few guidelines.

If any of you want to talk about any of this or have any questions, just leave a comment or get in touch with me any way you know how and I will be more than happy to answer them. I still have a wealth of knowledge on the subject that has yet to be tapped by this blog.

Wow. This was long... Did anyone actually read all of that? I hope so.