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Intermittent Fasting
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INTERMITTENT FASTING – ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN SINGLE DIGIT BODY FAT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
Ryan Reynolds – Lean & Ripped Hollywood Body – For Max Health and Sex Appeal
In order for a diet to work in the long run it must be simple and
effective.
Unfortunately most diets fail because they are too complicated, too
strict and too psychologically demanding.
However this new approach you’re about to learn is something very
simple and very effective, in fact it’s an approach anyone could sustain
for the rest of his or her life with ease.
Before we get into talking about intermittent fasting, let’s clear a few
things up.
WHY MOST DIETS FAIL
Statistically, it was shown that about 95% of diets fail in the long run.
Here are the 4 top reasons:
Psychologically challenging
Too strict- limiting favourite foods and alcohol = setting
ourselves for failure
Too complicated – counting calories etc.…
Not very effective – results come very slowly, if at all
Not sustainable – a combination of all of these is the reason
why most people don’t last more than 7 days on a diet.
6 Small Meals Per Day Never Satisfy and Keep Us Hungry All The Time
The problem with high frequency meal diets
Today it’s one of the most popular diet approaches, eat 5-6 small
meals throughout the day to ‘sustain’ metabolism and ‘prevent’ muscle
breakdown.
Both of those claims are complete nonsense, as no research has shown
that minimizing meal quantity but increasing frequency leads to
increased fat loss. And also intermittent fasting has no effect on
metabolism and muscle breakdown which will be proven later in this
article.
Why high-frequency small meal diet approach is set for failure:
Not convenient – constantly cooking meals and thinking where
your next meal will come from
Constant hunger – bird portion meals never satisfy your hunger.
Instinctively I prefer to eat a big meal that satisfies my appetite.
Your life revolves around it – people get anxious when missing
a meal, and cut corners in social life to avoid cheating. (Which is
ridiculous and totally unnecessary)
Constant cravings – focusing on eating ‘healthy’ every 2-3
hours is very hard and creates cravings for our favourite foods.
Obsessive – Basically this type of nutrition becomes
obsessiveness, which is not healthy for the mind and social life.
Reduced health and lifespan – this will be discussed in details
in the second part of the article. But keeping your digestive
system constantly at work prevents your body from activating
crucial rejuvenation processes that are activated only during
fasted state.
Conclusion: the high frequency, low quantity diet is not efficient and
not sustainable in the long run.
The best diet is the one you can sustain for the rest of your life
Even full time bodybuilders and athletes will eventually at some point
in their lives will not be able to sustain it, unlike intermittent fasting
which you can (and should) do even when 100 years old.
Intermittent fasting is not some diet you start and finish. It’s a life-long
lifestyle approach to nutrition and health. An approach that will get you
lean, healthy, young looking, and long living…
The intermittent fasting diet is:
Simple – no special rules, no calorie counting, just 16-8 eating
model.
Convenient – no need to think about food all day, you eat your
main meal in the evening.
Effective – you will see a weight loss of 150-400 grams per day.
Which sums up nicely over 4-12 weeks (depending on your
current weight)
Promotes health & longevity – will be discussed at second part
of this article
Sustainable – all of these factors make this diet sustainable and
easy to follow as long as you need.
Lean & Slightly Ripped – Streamlined, Aesthetic and Universally Appealing
BENEFITS OF HAVING A LEAN PHYSIQUE AND SINGLE DIGIT BODY
FAT:
Sex appeal – lean people with low body fat are universally sex
appealing
Confidence- feel comfortable with your shirt tucked in with no
belly or man boobs sticking out.
Functional – lean people can engage and perform well in almost
any kind of sport (including rock climbing, surfing and other stuff
bulked/pumped/fat people can’t do)
Six pack abs - the only way to have abs is to have single digit
body fat.
Easy to maintain - once you get there, life is simple and you get
to enjoy your favourite foods often.
Get ripped easily – adding ripped muscle definition on top of a
lean body is very easy and a matter of 12 weeks of proper
strength training. Unlike fat people that can train for a year and
still see no real results (I’ve been there myself)
Health & longevity – statistically, lean people live longer and
suffer less from disease, with IF (intermittent fasting) you can
enjoy quality of life even in your senior ages.
HOW INTERMITTENT FASTING WORKS
Intermittent fasting is simple. Fast for 16 hours, then eat for 8
hours.
8 hours of your fast are sleep, so it’s very simple, but very effective
strategy. This diet is basically focused about skipping BREAKFAST (we
don’t want to break (the) fast because it has dozens of fat loss and
health benefits that are necessary to achieve the lean & ripped body).
Optimally, you are recommended to eat 2 light meals during the day
and 1 big meal in the evening, for specific reasons that will be outlined
further.
Basically intermittent fasting will help you to achieve and maintain a
single digit body fat for the rest of your life, with ease.
Get ready to change your life!
BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting benefits us in many aspects:
1. Fat loss
2. Lifestyle
3. Health & longevity
#1 – Fat Loss Benefits
Raised metabolism – studies have shown that short-term
intermittent fasting (16-18 hours) actually raises your metabolism
and you burn more fat. Unlike the common belief that fasting will
put you into ‘starvation mode’ that slows down your metabolism.
Studies have shown starvation modes kicks in only after 3 days of
fasting.
Increased stubborn fat loss – during the 12-16th hour of your
fast, the blood-flow to the hard to get to areas is increased and
your body starts utilizing those areas, as there it’s main source of
energy.
Increased growth hormone – HGH (human growth hormone)
boosts fat burn and muscle tone, Hollywood celebrities pay
thousands of dollars on the black market to get a hold of it.
Studies have shown that you can increase your growth hormone
by 600% just by intermittent fasting…
Inhibited insulin – insulin is a fat storing hormone. Whenever
it’s inhibited, our body starts using fat as its main source of
energy. During the fast your insulin will be very low and your
body will almost exclusively use fat as its source of energy.
This combination of 4 factors creates maximal fat burning effect no
other diet will provide.
Intermittent Fasting Maximizes Stubborn Fat Burn
#2 – Lifestyle Benefits
Increased Energy – fasting during the day provides great
increased energy, you will be focused, energetic and have clear
mind all day long.
Increased productivity – instead of preparing meals and
thinking about food, you focus on getting things done with focus
and clear mind.
No more hungers – unlike 5 small meals per day that make you
hungry all the time, with intermittent fasting you never get
hungry.
More free time – you won’t even understand how much more
productive you will become, by not having to focus on eating
every 2-3 hours, you will be able to get much more things done
during your day without worrying about food at all.
Convenient – instead of 5-6 meals per day, you eat 2 light meals
during day, and 1 big meal in the evening where you can relax
and satisfy your appetite to the fullest without counting any
calories.
Sustainable - this is the biggest benefit, during my fat loss
journey this is the only diet I was able to effortlessly sustain all
the way to single digit body fat. I now eat enough calories to
maintain my weight, but still stick to the intermittent fasting
model.
#3 – Health Benefits
Intermittent fasting increases lifespan maintains young biological age
and preserve young skin appearance.
The health, longevity and anti-aging benefits of intermittent fasting will
be detailed at the end of the article.
EXAMPLE OF HOW AN INTERMITTENT FASTING DAY LOOKS LIKE
Here is the exact intermittent fasting meal plan I used to achieve lean
physique and single digit body fat:
12:00/13:00 – Omelette with veggies (light meal #1)
17:00 – Cottage cheese + berries/apple (light meal #2)
19:00 – 45 Minute Workout (Strength Training/Walking) – Rotate daily
20:00 – Meat/Fish + Carbs + Veggies (Main Meal Of The Day)
20:00 – 12:00/13:00 – 16 to 17 Hour Fast (Depends on your lunch time
or appetite)
Repeat until reach goal.
Light Protein Meal #1 – 3 Egg Omelette with Veggies
As you can see the day consists of skipping breakfast, eating two light
protein based meals during the day, working out almost fasted, and
then enjoying a huge satisfying meal in the evening in a relaxed
atmosphere.
Is big meal at evening a must?
No you can alter your big meal timing, it can be your lunch and then
you eat to light protein meals. Just make sure you eat those 3 meals in
your 8-hour window.
You can time them however you want, but optimally your big meal
should be saved for evening time to preserve fat loss after your fast
and achieve optimal function during the day (will be explained later).
In controlled studies, late eating patterns are superior for fat loss and
body composition.
Your fat loss is 100% managed by this diet.
No fat burning supplements, no steroids, no cardio, no calorie counting,
no strict rules.
Now, let’s get behind the scenes and see how this really works, and
why this diet is planned this way.
Carbs on training days, healthy-fats on rest days
Workout days: carb dominant day, moderate protein, low fat.
Rest day: protein dominant day, moderate fat (avocados, olives,
almonds), low carb.
THE 4 KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL INTERMITTENT FASTING
We’ll try to cover 4 important points that make this diet work:
1. Central nervous system integration
2. Insulin Management
3. Smart Carb Consumption
4. Protein Oriented Diet
Key #1 – Central Nervous System Integration
Biologically, humans are nocturnal eaters. That’s how our autonomic
nervous is built.
During the day you’re under the control of the sympathetic nervous
system (SNS), which keeps, you alert, energetic, focused and active-
but the SNS is inhibited by large meals. During the night you’re under
the control of the Para-sympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which is
also known as “rest-and-digest” mode. PSNS makes you relaxed and
promotes digestion – Hence, night is your best time for your main
meal.
On 95% of the days, I eat my big meal at the evening, this is allows me
for optimal functioning during the day: productivity, energy and focus.
And be able to enjoy a nice satisfying meal in the evening that allows
me to rest and digest. Some days I might go out to lunch with
friends/family (so I eat light protein meal at evening).
Eat your big meal whenever you want in your 8-hour window, but for
reasons outlined above, it’s recommended to eat 2 light protein meals
during day to stay energetic, focused & productive (13:00 and 17:00
are the times I have my light meals).
Our Ancestors Hunted During The Day, And Ate Big At Night
Key #2– Insulin Management
Insulin is a fat storage hormone, and whenever insulin is raised it
prevents our body from using fat as its source of energy.
Therefore you guessed right, our diet is focused around keeping insulin
low. Fasting inhibits insulin, and light protein meals hardly trigger it,
which allows us to sustain a smooth fat-burning process.
However, is insulin our enemy, and should we avoid carbs completely?
The answer is HELL NO!
Carbs are fantastic and insulin is your friend. You just need the right
timing and the right quantities so your body utilizes it properly for
energy and brain function.
Key #3 – Smart Carb Consumption
99% of people consume carbs in the wrong time and in the wrong
quantities, which is the #1 reason for obesity today.
There’s no need to get angry and blame carbs, we can only blame
ourselves for not using them properly.
There are many diet approaches today that all revolve around carbs:
no carb, low carb, slow carb…
Carb depletion = miserable, stressed, non-stop cravings and poor brain
function.
Carbs are necessary and serve as fuel for your brain and body.
Instead, be smart about carbs. You can call it the smart-carb diet
approach.
Time your carbs: we aim to eat our carbs post-workout (strength
training).
On non-training days, replace carbs with healthy fats (avocado, nuts,
dark chocolate) – consume in moderation of course.
More optimally, you want to consume carbs at evening/night and post-
workout.
Our digestive system is designed to be activated at night, and it
happily welcomes carbs (unlike during day time that gives you energy
crashes).
Conclusion: You can eat carbs guilt-free and avoid gaining an ounce of
fat.
Post-Workout Carbs:
1. Improved protein synthesis - carbs actually help the protein to
build a better muscle
(http://www.the-aps.org/press/journal/04/7.htm)
2. Replenish depleted muscle glycogen – your carbs don’t get stored
as fat but utilized exclusively as energy for the body
The quantity: 100 grams of carbs recommended per day for fat
loss. So you eat 100 grams of carbs with your big evening, post-
workout meal.
The quality: Eat healthy, complex, non-processed carbs like Brown
rice, yams, black beans. Instead of pasta/white bread. You can get a
list of healthy carbs on our foods to eat page.
Healthy Fats Will Help You Lose Fat – Improper Carb Consumption Is The Reason
Why Everyone Is Fat
Key #4 – Protein Oriented Diet
So why do we eat 2 light protein based meals during the day?
Preserve Muscle
After your 16-hour fast you want to prevent muscles from entering
breakdown state. Consume light protein sources such as eggs, cottage
and whey protein.
Control Hunger
Proteins are very effective hunger managers, 3 egg omelette or 250g
of cottage cheese can get you satiated for hours all the way to 19:00-
20:00 PM easily (where you eat your main big meal of the day).
Sustain Fat Loss
Light protein meals will increase glucagon (fat burning hormone) and
inhibit insulin (fat storing hormone). So after your 16-hour fast where
you’ve burnt fat, you continue burning fat throughout the day until
your dinner (main meal of the day).
Maintain Proper Functioning
Light protein meal doesn’t inhibit your sympathetic nervous system –
so you stay alert, focused, productive and energetic throughout the
day.
Adapting to a habitual high-protein diet is one of the most important
changes you can do for long-term body fat control.
TWO COMMON FASTING MYTHS
Myth #1: Fasting will cause you to lose muscle –
Muscle catabolism only occurs on prolonged fasting of 24+ hours.
Intermittent short-term fasting only promotes muscle preservation
through the release of HGH (human growth hormone).
So all the nonsense of eating every 2-3 hours, so you won’t lose muscle
were made up by supplement corporations that offer you shakes and
bars as a replacement for your meals. They know no normal person can
cook 5-6 meals per day.
Serge Nubret – 2nd Place Mr Olympia – Ate Just 1 Meal Per Day of 5,000 Calories
Serge was competing with Arnold at his best days, and was second to
him.
Does it look like Serge was losing muscle because of his intermittent
fasting approach?
This is clear proof that the 6 meals per day is complete B.S – and
intermittent fasting will not cause you to lose any muscle considering
that consume enough protein. Additionally intermittent fasting
maintains young biological age (will be discussed further).
Myth #2: Fasting will reduce your metabolism –
Yes, metabolism is reduced after 24-72 hours of fasting, which we don’t
do on our intermittent fasting lifestyle. In fact, studies have shown that
short-term fasting of 16 hours increases your metabolism.
Intermittent fasting is not prolonged fasting, you fast for 16 hours max
(8 of which you sleep), and so no loss of muscle or metabolism occurs,
only supercharged fat loss.
CHEAT MEALS
After a week of productive intermittent fasting, a cheat meal is
necessary for several reasons:
1. Restore metabolism (the re-feed, boosts your metabolism back to
peak levels)
2. Restore glycogen in muscles (any depletion that might be caused
during the week is now brought to balance)
3. Get psychologically satisfied, and happily continue another week
of fun & easy intermittent fasting lifestyle.
Cheat Meals – Enjoy Responsibly (Don't Overdo It)
Let’s be honest, it’s impossible to prevent ourselves from eating our
favourite foods in the long run, therefore we allow it to ourselves every
week. And every week during our diet we imagine the huge cheat meal
we’re going to have.
Avoid cheat days where you eat like madman all day long, this puts on
lots of fat on you and you will destroy a whole week of progress with
such approach.
Try to avoid drinking your calories in form of sweet drinks. I had
always-bad results with them and they destroyed 2-3 days of progress.
Chew your ‘cheat’ calories and there will be no setbacks.
THE TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL
Preventing alcohol = setting yourself for failure
Alcohol is part of a normal, healthy social life and avoiding it is
completely unnecessary.
Let’s discuss two myths regarding Alcohol.
Myth #1: Alcohol Lowers Your Testosterone
I love scientific claims. People use them without stating the exact
numbers behind those studies. If you refer to the study about
testosterone reduced by alcohol, you will see that 6 beers, will reduce
your testosterone by 6% (for 24 hours max)…
Can you live with that? I can.
I love the fitness/weight-loss industry that turns small things into big
controversy.
Social Drinking In Moderation Will Not Affect Fat Loss
Myth #2: Alcohol Makes You Fat
When consumed in moderation, and not consumed with burgers and
fries, you can maintain lean and ripped physique and still enjoy
drinking when going out.
The problem starts when you have bad diet all week, then you get
‘munchies’ feeling from alcohol and you add fries and other fattening
foods, this is where people fall in the trap of ‘beer belly’.
Other than that, moderate, social drinking is fine.
3 COMMON INTERMITTENT FASTING MISTAKES
Mistake #1: Under eating
Fasting has interesting effects, sometimes after a 16-hour fast, we
won’t feel hungry at all, but nevertheless, don’t skip your meals. Keep
it light during the day, and eat a heavy meal in the evening as supper.
I’ve done all possible variations and mistakes. I’ve tried skipping the
last meal because I wasn’t very hungry and thought I can speed my fat
loss process, which resulted in eating a whole cake at night because of
huge hunger surge. I’ve tried to eliminate carbs on my big meal on
days of not training; again I had the emotional surges of eating and
couldn’t last more than a few days.
Mistake #2: Over-carbing
Some of you might be big carb eaters, and this can slow your diet very
much as carbs are packed in calories. You should eat carbs in
moderation, just enough to recharge energy for next day, and maintain
proper brain and body function.
So please don’t go super crazy on your big evening meal, it’s
recommended that for fat loss you eat maximum 100 grams of carbs.
And for single-digit body fat maintenance about 150 grams of carbs.
Mistake #3: Consuming ‘innocent’ diet killers
These are usually small foods that seem innocent but in fact are
packed with calories and sugars.
Examples:
Syrups. Avoid at all cost. Drink water with lime/mint, green tea,
black coffee (no sugar, milk)
Honey – delicious with tea or cottage, but is packed with sugars (I
would avoid it until goal is reached, then you can enjoy every day)
Tahini – seems innocent, but contains 5 times more calories than
in brown rice (I prefer to eat the carbs)
Ketchup – delicious, because it’s packed with sugars. I suggest
consuming it only in your big evening meal (optimally post-
workout)
Sauces – like Teriyaki, contains lots of soy and sugars. Very bad
for health, I recommend avoiding soy whether you’re on a diet or
not. (Soy is high in oestrogens and causes man boobs)
There are many more silent diet killers, please watch ingredients
before adding anything to your basic meals.
Check Nutrition Value On Foods to Avoid 'Innocent' Diet Killers
TIPS FOR GETTING THROUGH THE 16-HOUR FAST
Get yourself busy – Your day is now free of thinking about food,
take advantage of it and get as productive as possible.
Don’t skip your light protein meals – and make sure you’re
getting enough protein in your light meals. They are very
effective in satiating hunger. Don’t eat half a cottage; eat a full
250g cottage cup.
Drink black coffee or green tea – Both are great appetite
suppressants (I drink black coffee at 8:00 and 16:00 every
day) Sugar & milk free of course!
Put things into perspective – People have fasted for 40 days
and still felt great (you can see videos on YouTube) Normally you
shouldn’t feel any hunger if you get enough protein on your light
protein meals.
Imagine your cheat meal – Think of the amazing, rewarding,
big, cheat meal you’re going to have in a few days. Plan out
exactly what you’re going to eat and where you’re going to get it
from and how you’re going to prepare it. This has always helped
me to get excited and motivated to keep going without cheating
during the week.
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CARDIO
Cardio can burn more calories, however it is not necessary.
If you stick to your diet, it will be more than enough for your fat loss.
The Ripped Hollywood Body system is focused on intermittent fasting +
strength training (3 workouts per week).
On days you’re not training, just take 45-minute walk before/after the
big evening meal.
Doing cardio, especially HIIT just drains your central nervous system
and eventually will interfere with your diet and training.
If for some reason you insist on cardio for conditioning reason for
example, try to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your diet.
Once you achieve your goal, you can do all the cardio you want.
Your fat loss can be 100% managed by your intermittent
fasting diet, and is a streamlined process all the way down to
6% body fat.
One Sprinting Session Per Week Is More Than Enough For Maintaining
Cardiovascular Health
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND ANTI-AGING
Longevity is NOT just about increasing lifespan. It is also about keeping
yourself biologically young. And with intermittent fasting it is possible.
In order to reach the best muscle, skin and bone composition, you want
to reduce the percentage of the dying cells in the tissues. Intermittent
fasting is a great way to do this since it triggers a process
called “recycling”.
Your body will recycle sick cells, tumours, and over-used fibres to build
new tissues. This process will not only keep you young, it will keep you
much stronger and leaner. Really lean and strong people have
excellent muscle composition that is much better than people that eat
non-stop and look bulky.
When your body is forced to break its tissues, it always prefers to
sacrifice first its damaged proteins and old or sick cells. Technically all
damaged proteins and old, sick and cancerous cells are tagged by
immune cells to be digested by the body’s ubiquitin enzymes and the
nitrogen by-products are then recycled back into new cells and tissues.
By daily triggering this rejuvenation mechanism through intermittent
fasting. You provide yourself with long-lasting anti-aging benefits.
Intermittent Fasting Preserves Young Biological Muscle Age –
Serge Nubret at 70 Years Of Age!
It’s your choice. I know that I, and many of my website members will
stick to the intermittent fasting lifestyle for the rest of their lives.
It’s just too effective, beneficial and convenient to quit on.
INTERMITTENT FASTING – MEAL PLAN
This meal plan is based around the intermittent fasting diet protocol
(16 hour fast, 8 hour feed) and focused on achieving lean body
proportions.
Here’s exactly what I ate every day to lose 33 pounds of fat (15 kg).
MY MEAL PLAN:
13:00 – Light protein meal #1: 3 egg Omelette + Tomato + Half-
Onion + Half-Avocado
17:00 – Light protein meal #2: Cottage Cheese (250gm cup) +
Apple + 10 Almonds
20:00 – Big meal: Beef/Chicken + Carbs + Broccoli + Random
Veggies
21:00-13:00 – FAST
Black coffee in the morning.
Carbs – rotate between any carbs you like.
This is a fat-melting meal plan that is well balanced and contains:
Protein, carbs, healthy-fats and antioxidants.
Just in the right quantities and the right timing.
EXPECTED WEIGHT LOSS
30 lbs. + away from goal = 2 lbs. – 4.5 lbs. of fat loss per week
6 lbs. -30 lbs. away from goal = 2.3 lbs. of fat loss per week
6 lbs. or less away from goal = 1.1 lbs. to 2.2 lbs. fat loss per week.
Metric
15kg+ away from goal – 1.5kg to 2kg of fat loss per week
3kg-15kg away from goal – 1kg of fat loss per week
1kg-3kg away from goal – 0.5kg-1kg fat loss per week
No reason to add cardio, or workout more than 3 times per week.
Your fat loss is 100% managed by diet.
I learned it the hard way by doing cardio 5 times per week with no
results.
Once you setup your diet, it is a smooth process all the way to single
digit body fat and lean body.
THE TRUTH ABOUT CARBS
Mommy, I'm Afraid… They're Going To Kill Me…
In the last 30 years, carbs have become the “bad guys on the block”.
Millions of people today are afraid of them and desperately try to lose
weight by minimizing/avoid them.
This is of course nonsense, and carbs are amazing nutrient for your
body. For superior fat loss, muscle development, optimal body and
brain function.
We’ve all had our love-hate relationships with carbs, we’ve all heard
about no-carb, low-carb diets, we’re all confused about whether carbs
are good or bad, now it’s time to set the record straight and reveal the
real truth about carbs.
Clarification: ‘carbs’ on this article are referred to grain based carbs
(bread, rice, pasta, potatoes etc.…).
There are carbs in vegetables, but super low amounts, you need to eat
trees to meet your daily carb requirements, so from now on know that
I’m referring to carbs as grain based carbs we all love to eat.
I will try to make this as short as simple to understand as possible, so
lets get started…
TWO FACTS ABOUT CARBS:
1. Grain based carbs are healthy and fantastic to our body.
2. Grain based carbs are the number #1 cause of obesity in the world
These two facts don’t really add up, but the true reason is that most
people abuse themselves with over-carbing.
IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
Joke… it is your fault.
Carbs are not the enemy; you are your own enemy.
If you’re obese/over-weight, you’re the ‘idiot’ that brought yourself
there (I know I did)
Most diet gurus and programs will tell you “It’s not your fault” or
“Carbs are bad” – This is of course B.S and they will say anything to sell
you their shitty products.
It is your fault. And carbs are awesome!
The Truth
“LOW-CARB, NO-CARB, SLOW-CARB…”
All of this is stupid B.S invented by sneaky marketers that want to sell
you their shitty products and ‘amazing new diet secrets’.
It’s about SMART CARB consumption. Eating carbs at the right time,
and the right quantity. You will enjoy all the benefits of carbs, without
gaining a single ounce of fat.
THE ROLES OF CARBS
- Brain fuel
The brain needs a mixed fuel of carbs, protein and fat to function
properly.
Take any of those away and you will feel anxious, dizzy, lethargic or
even depressed.
When there aren’t enough carbs as fuel, you will feel deprived and
develop sugar cravings…
Which inevitably lead to compulsive bingeing.
Thus the ability to destroy weeks of progress in a matter of days.
- Stress blocker
Carbs block cortisol (the stress hormone).
Carbs provide the ability to produce serotonin (a neurotransmitter that
makes us feel calm, relaxed and happy)
- Body fuel
Carbs are the cleanest fuel for energy.
The body breaks carbs into glucose as energy source without any toxic
by products. The body does it efficiently and quickly. And carbs are
cheap also. So it’s a win-win for you.
Protein and fat breakdown = there are toxic by-products such as:
Ammonia, nitrates, free radicals, oxidized fatty acids.
It’s doesn’t mean you need to avoid protein and fats; it’s just to
emphasize how efficient carbs are for the body.
HOW A CARB-LESS LIFE LOOKS LIKE
In one word, miserable.
Effects of chronic carb deprivation:
Poor sleep
Anxiety, stress, depression and mood swings
Compromised ability to relax
Lowered metabolism
Possible accelerated aging process
Inability to focus due to non-calm mind
GURUS EATING CARBS IN THE DARK
Many anti-carb gurus and websites have risen and fallen over the
years.
Eventually, they all break; they all understand they can’t keep with a
no carb diet, and they only bring harm to themselves and their
followers.
A great example is CutTheCarb.com – a major anti-carb/carpophore
community. The owner eventually broke down and admitted that he
was wrong and can’t live anymore without carbs. He added carbs to his
diet, improved body & mind, abandoned anti-carb mentality. And shut
down the site.
There are many other examples of gurus today that have stranded
themselves in the corner. They have books on Amazon that are against
carbs, and now they can’t change their position, even though more
truth is coming up the surface. They have to hide and eat their carbs
under the table.
We won’t name names here, because there are plenty. We know they
tried to make a positive effect on the world, and they get my respect,
but they were just wrong and should admit it. Everyone makes
mistakes, no shame in that…
SMART CARB CONSUMPTION
With proper timing, and quantity – you will not gain an ounce of fat
from consuming carbs.
Whoever tells you to avoid carbs or have a low carb diet probably is
emotionally miserable. Have low energy, poor brain functioning and
bad sleep.
Grains are amazing source of energy for our brain and body, and are
integral part of fat loss and muscle building.
Yes, this might be shocking to you, but this is the truth about grain-
based carbs (bread, rice, pasta etc.…)
We shouldn’t blame the carbs, we should blame ourselves!
WHEN TO CONSUME CARBS
Post workout
Evening
If you can schedule your workout during evening time, that’s great
because this is the sweet spot.
On non-training days, consume your carbs at evening time.
Carbs Quantity:
100-250gm – Post Workout
50-100gm – Rest Days (Evening time)
Why evening/night time carbs:
Relaxation
Satisfaction
Sense of pleasure
Improved sleep
Superior fat loss
Unless you’re an athlete, you can avoid eating complex-carbs during
the day and focus only on consuming at evening time.
(Fruit and veggies as carbs during day allowed to everyone)
Try to time your workout to evening time (6-7).
FOODS TO EAT
Proteins
Meat (Beef, Chicken Breast etc.…) – Grass fed if possible
Eggs
Cottage Cheese
Fish
Whey Protein - I personally prefer to chew my protein, but do drink
it post-workout (3 times per week)
Carbs
Brown Rice
Black beans – Protein, heart-healthy fiber, antioxidants.
Sweet Potato
Yams
Potato
Quinoa
Barley – Low GI, high-protein, liver cleanser.
Oats
Millet
Wheat (bread, pasta, pitta)
Etc.…
Don’t be afraid of carbs, they are important for fat loss, muscle
development, proper brain and body functioning. Eat the majority of
your carbs post-workout.
Carbs On Rest Days
Evening time
Less carbs (50-100 grams)
Carbs On Training Days
Post-workout
Lots of carbs (100-250 grams)
Vegetables
All types of vegetables!
I recommend broccoli with your meat-based meals.
Broccoli is very powerful anti-estrogenic and anti-cancer food.
The more the better…
Fruits – Should be limited as fruits usually contain lots of sugar
that interferes with fat loss.
I only eat:
Apples
Berries
I swap them every day, with my cottage cheese.
Yes, there are probably more fruits that are allowed but I like to keep it
simple and eat one of those every day.
Once you reach weight maintenance phase (6%-8% body fat), you can
enjoy a wider variety of fruits as you can eat more calories.
Healthy Fats
Avocados – estrogen reducing food, very healthy fats. (Half avocado
on non-training days max)
Nuts – estrogen reducing food, very high in calories. Almonds are
my top pick. (10 nuts per day max)
Nut butters – peanut butter, almond butter (consume in low
quantities when losing weight)
Dark chocolate – 70% or more Cocoa
Oestrogen management is important to be able to eliminate fat from
chest area.
Fluids
Water (possible with lime or mint)
Tea (no sugar added)
Black coffee (no sugar or milk added)
CONCLUSIONS
Low to no carb diets will have tremendous negative effects on your
body and mind, and most will fail in the long run.
Carbs are one of the 3 necessary nutrients for our body and brain.
You should enjoy quality carbs, guilt free.
Eat carbs in the right quantities, and timing. (Evening time, post-
workout – more carbs, rest days – less carbs)
And you will not gain an ounce of fat and will only enjoy the benefits
outlined at the beginning.