EAT

Going through college, I had delusions of grandeur of becoming a registered dietitian (RD) as well as a strength coach.

Unfortunately, I realized this about a year too late – at that point in time if I wanted to get my RD that would require at least another 2 years of schooling, declaring a second major, and taking on an unpaid 6-month dietetic internship.

My first passion was strength and conditioning, so instead of diluting myself, I decided to jump into that realm full bore.

Nutrition has always been a passion of mine, though.  And if you’re serious about your training, nutrition is a critical component of getting results.

Strength and performance athletes need solid nutrition to fuel their training and recovery.

If you want to shed body fat and/or scale weight, I could argue that dialing in your nutrition is even MORE important than the training program you follow. As the saying goes, “You can’t out-train a bad diet!”

If you’re new to fitness or just want to learn more about where you’re starting at, follow the steps below.  It may not be as refined or dialed in as what you’d find from someone who specializes in this stuff, but it’s a safe and effective way to get your diet and nutrition on the right path!

#1 – Improve food quality

Regardless of whether your goal is to add muscle and size, shed body fat or body weight, or simply to maintain your current weight, improving food quality is rule #1.

Too often, people want to obsess over whether they should eat organic versus more traditional food sources, the exact ratio of fatty acids they should be taking in, etc.

All this while they’re eating McDonald’s twice a day, drinking absolutely no water, etc.

At the very least, start with making better whole food selections, as this really is the starting point when overhauling your nutritional program.

#2 – Figure out where you’re starting from.

Too often, people have no clue how many calories per day they’re burning, let alone how many they should be taking in.

The calculators below will give you a starting point of how many calories you’re burning on a daily basis.

Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator (BMR) – Determines how many calories you burn regardless of activity.

Harris Benedict Equation – Helps determine how many calories you should eat per day based upon your BMR and daily activity levels.

#3 – Figure out what you’re REALLY eating on a day-to-day basis

So know you know about how many calories you should be taking in on a daily basis.  But how much are you really taking in?

This is a critical step – go to one of the following websites and track your dietary intake for the next 3-7 days. Both are free and fairly easy to use.

Calorie King

Fit Day

Daily Burn

Live Strong

The key here is to note not only your total calorie levels, but also the ratio/amount of carbohydrates, protein and fat you’re taking in per day.

#4 – Determine and Set Your Goals

Once you’ve determined your daily calorie levels, it’s time to figure out what your end goal is.

Do you want to shed body fat?

Do you want to add muscle?

Do you want to stay at about the same weight, but shift your body composition (trade body fat for muscle)?

A great starting point is to take the results from your Harris Benedict Equation and perform the following:

-       Add 500 calories per day if you’re looking to add muscle mass

-       Subtract 500 calories per day if you’re looking to shed body fat/scale weight

Keep in mind this is a somewhat watered down explanation, but it gives us a starting point.  You’ll take these updated numbers into the final step of our program.

You can find a diet out there to support almost any macronutrient split these days – high carb/low fat, high fat/low carb, protein power, and everything in between. Hell, there are even diets out there that espouse eating baby food or cookies for all your meals!

For the lay person, it’s not only misleading, but overwhelming as well.

Instead of finding a trendy diet to follow, use the calculators above to figure out your total calorie intake, and then start with a very moderate approach to carbohydrates, protein and fat.

For many people, the following breakdowns are a good starting point:

40% carbohydrate, 30% fat, 30% protein

50% carbohydrate, 25% fat, 25% protein

This is also variable depending on your athletic endeavors.  For example, a high-level endurance athlete is going to need to ingest a lot more carbohydrates than the average individual to help support their training demands.  Just remember – these are GENERAL recommendations!

#5 – Execute the Plan

So now you know what your goal is, how many calories you should be taking in, and how many carbohydrates, protein and fats you need to do all this.  What’s next?

Once the game plan is place, it’s time to execute the plan.  Start by forming diet/meal plans to help you achieve your goal.  You can use the Fit Day and/or Calorie Counter programs listed above to start.

If you’re having issues coming up with meal ideas, or want something to help you out a bit, I would highly recommend either Body by Eats or Gourmet Nutrition, both of which are featured below.

#6 – Sticking with the Program

To help you stick with your diet/nutritional program, I’ve created a compliance grid that you can print out weekly to help ensure that you’re sticking with the program.

Simply download the form below, print it off and put it up on your refrigerator every week.  Every time you eat one of your specified meals for the week, put a check in the box for that specific meal.

If you skip a meal, or eat a meal that doesn’t comply with your current goals, leave the square blank.

For most of us, shoot for 90% compliance each and every week.

Nutritional Compliance Grid

#7 Monitor Weekly and Long-Term Goals

After you’re 3-4 weeks into the program, take a step back to see if you’re achieving your goals.

If you’re not losing weight, determine why.  Is it your workout?  Your diet program?

Often times if the goal is weight loss, people aren’t serious about weighing and measuring their foods.  Watch this informative video below to see how a few extra grams here and there can thwart your weight/fat loss efforts!

#8 – Recalibrate and DOMINATE!

You’re finally seeing success – great!

But remember, as your body weight goes up or down, you’ll need to adjust your calorie levels accordingly.

And if you’re not seeing success, chances are you need a bit more help in this regard. The resources below can help you with everything from meal planning to determining calorie needs, so be sure to check them out!

Body by Eats

Body by Eats is a hybrid nutrition book.

Unlike Precision Nutrition or the Naked Nutrition Guide, Leigh’s BBE program gives you the following:

• An overview of diet, food and the culture of eating.
• Examines many of the current fads revolving around food such as organics, whether carbs make you fat, if meat is bad for you, etc.
• How to determine calorie intake based off your goals (fat loss, muscle gain, weight maintenance, etc.)
• Meal plans and recipes that break down total calories, as well as macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fat.
• Specialized meal plans and recipes for vegans, those who want to bulk up and add muscle, as well as everyone’s favorite, desserts!

Click here to get the full details on Leigh’s book.

Naked Nutrition Guide
Mike Roussell’s Naked Nutrition Guide is a fantastic starting resource for someone looking to learn more about diet and nutrition.

This manual covers all of the following:

• The Naked Nutrition Fundamentals – Basic dietary principles to follow
• An overview of nutrient timing and nutrition prescription
• Determining how many calories you need to consume, and how to convert this into servings! (This is a key component of the program – learning about serving sizes versus counting calories)
• How to adjust your meal plans according to your goals (fat loss, muscle gain, etc.)
• An overview of supplements, and how they should fit into your nutritional program.

Click here to get the full details on the Naked Nutrition Guide.

Precision Nutrition

Precision Nutrition may be the most comprehensive diet and nutrition product on the market today.

In these manuals, you’ll get all of the following:

• 10 “guides” which outline everything from quick meals and individualization to dieting and plant-based eating.  There’s really something here for everyone!
• Step-by-step instructions to hep you determine where you’re starting at, and determining the best course of attack depending on where you want to go.
• Specific nutrition recommendations for various populations such as physique athletes, sporting athletes, diabetics, etc.
• Finally, when you purchase the manual you get a copy of Gourmet Nutrition (see below) as well as one year of access to the Precision Nutrition member zone.

Click here to learn more about Precision Nutrition.

Gourmet Nutrition

Gourmet Nutrition is a fantastic resource,  as it arms you with not only great-tasting recipes, but specific strategies to shift your entire mindset regarding foot and eating.

Here’s a brief recap of the manual:

• 7 steps to improve your entire lifestyle when it comes to eating. It’s more than just deciding you’re going to get healthy!
• Delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, side dishes, and even nutritious bars and shakes!
• Calorie content and macro-nutrient breakdowns for all of the foods covered in the manual.
• More than 20 random tips and tricks to get more out of your food and really take your performance and physique to the next level!

To learn more about Gourmet Nutrition, click here.