Top/Down dieting made easy.

**FallenWyvern** · 03-22-2009, 10:02 PM

I keep hearing, "I eat healthy" and then people rattle off the foods that they eat. The question that is more important is, how much do you eat every day? I don't care if you only eat chicken, broccoli and oats for 9 meals a day, every single meal, if you are 150 lbs and you are eating 4000 calories you will get fat. If you are 250lbs and you are eating 1500 calories you will lose muscle.

Four step easy process.

1. How much do you want to eat every day?

2. How many meals are you going to eat?

3. What percent of protein, carbohydrates and fats do you want to eat?

4. What kind of foods am I gonna eat?

The first three are the most important and they are often overlooked. Here are the first 3 in easy steps! This is meant to be a stripped down, easy version for starting a plan.

1. How much do want to eat every day?

You need to calculate the most important number in your diet. It is the number of calories you need to eat every day to keep your weight the same or your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. How can you plan anything without this number? If you are cutting you want to eat 400 calories less than your TDEE. If you are bulking you want to eat 400 calories more than your TDEE. The goal is to gain/lose no more than 2lbs a week. Keep in mind that this number is a starting point that may need to be adjusted up or down 400 calories after testing it for 4 weeks.

Calculate your Basil Metabolic Rate and then use the activity multiplier to come up with your Total Daily Energy Expenditure.

BMR calculator.
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Then take the number that it gives you and plug it into the activity multiplier.
http://www.bestdallaspersonaltrainer...alculator.html

Take that number and add or subtract 400 depending whether you are cutting or bulking. You now have a daily target for calories.

2. How many meals are you going to eat?

You need to eat about every 3 hours. This will accelerate your metabolism. 5-7 meals a day is fine. Divide your target calories for the day by the numbers of meals. Eat the same amount of food every meal. Now you have a target calorie goal for each meal.

3. What percent of protein carbohydrates and fats do you want to eat?

You will have to decide this for yourself. My recommendation is to start with 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% fat. These numbers have worked very well for many people. This makes my life easier because I just know that I need to eat the same amount of protein and carbohydrates every meal. Take the target calorie goal for each meal and multiply it by the percent for each macros. It is 4 calories per gram of protein and carbohydrate and 9 calories per gram of fat. Now you should have a target amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats for every meal.

4. What kind of foods am I gonna eat?

This is up to you. Take one lean protein, one low glycemic carbohydrate, a healthy fat (essential fatty acid/EFA) and a fibrous vegetable. Eat the correct amounts and you are good to go!

Any diet plan where you don't know your how much calories you want to eat, or a diet plan where the calories are lumped up and erratic is pretty much useless, even if you are only eating "healthy" foods. Two sites I recommend for looking up nutrition facts is fitday.com and calorieking.com. Happy dieting!

**Narkissos** · 03-22-2009, 10:12 PM

Nice.

You follow my diet advice thread don't you?

Good job mate.

-CNS

**FallenWyvern** · 03-22-2009, 10:14 PM

It's kinda a cliff notes of your thread. I learned everything from you!

***FireGuy*** · 03-22-2009, 10:47 PM

Great Post Fallen, since you asked. If I had to add anything I would suggest anyone dieting should get frequent body comps (same method, same person everytime) to gauge how things are working. It is a great tool to use when figuring out what adjustments to make.

**Narkissos** · 03-22-2009, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by FallenWyvern

It's kinda a cliff notes of your thread. I learned everything from you!

That being said, you should continue writing mate... Make this a series for dieters.

Maybe a sample diet approach etc.

**FallenWyvern** · 03-22-2009, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

That being said, you should continue writing mate... Make this a series for dieters.

Maybe a sample diet approach etc.

I will edit tomorrow, with a sample diet.

**kalspic** · 03-23-2009, 10:28 AM

good stuff guys keep it comming its very helpful

**Narkissos** · 03-23-2009, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by FallenWyvern

I will edit tomorrow, with a sample diet.

Good stuff...

Bump!

**J-Roc** · 03-23-2009, 11:46 PM

For bulking, why do you suggest only 400 calories above TDEE per day? To gain 2lb. per week don't I need 1000 calories more?

**jamyjamjr** · 03-24-2009, 12:01 AM

im savin this link for new threads... nice one fallen

**rickrick55** · 03-24-2009, 07:42 AM

you should make a updated version of the diet stickies..a lot of work but someones gotta do it!

**Narkissos** · 03-24-2009, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by J-Roc

For bulking, why do you suggest only 400 calories above TDEE per day? To gain 2lb. per week don't I need 1000 calories more?

Why would anyone want to gain two generic pounds per week?

Are you aware what percentage of those gains would be fat... unless of course you're on gear and nutrient partitioning agents?

Guys on these forums are way too fixated on numbers, as opposed to quality results.

**mg1228** · 03-24-2009, 10:05 AM

what are nutrient partitioning agents? and do u guys recommend using them?

**J-Roc** · 03-24-2009, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

Why would anyone want to gain two generic pounds per week?

If someone was grossly underweight and frail-looking from under eating (like I was 6 months ago), they'd be thrilled with 2lbs. per week as they got back on track. Fallen even says in his post "The goal is to gain/lose no more than 2lbs a week." So that coupled with 400 cal over TDEE confused me.

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

Are you aware what percentage of those gains would be fat... unless of course you're on gear and nutrient partitioning agents?

No Nark, I'm not. I'm new here and am doing my best to learn from more experienced members like yourself. Everything I've read up to this point (within this forum and elsewhere) has been 500 cal above TDEE to gain 1lb. a week and 1000 cal above TDEE to gain 2lb. a week. I had never heard 400 and was just questioning his reason.

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

Guys on these forums are way too fixated on numbers, as opposed to quality results.

I'm here to get quality results so please bear with me as I'm learning.

**FallenWyvern** · 03-24-2009, 03:53 PM

I think even 10lbs a year is good. If you aren't gaining adjust the calories up 400 more in the 4th week. 400 over TDEE is a good starting spot.

**Narkissos** · 03-31-2009, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by mg1228

what are nutrient partitioning agents?

Nutrient-partitioning agents are compounds which re-direct substrates, and other nutrients, to lean tissue... and/or increases insulin sensitivity (thereby making lean tissue more effective at disposing glucose etc.).

e.g. Chromium polynicotinate, vanadyl sulphate, cinnamon polyphenols, Yacon leaf, Milk thistle, Green Tea, Fenugreek, Bitter Melon, Gymnema sylvestre, lysine, metformin, avandia, Insulin, IGF-1 etc.

Originally Posted by mg1228

and do u guys recommend using them?

Hell yes.

-CNS

**Narkissos** · 03-31-2009, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by J-Roc

I'm here to get quality results so please bear with me as I'm learning.

No prob mate.

No flame intended.

-CNS

**Tigershark** · 04-01-2009, 01:42 AM

Great post FW.

**rssumme** · 05-14-2009, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

Nutrient-partitioning agents are compounds which re-direct substrates, and other nutrients, to lean tissue... and/or increases insulin sensitivity (thereby making lean tissue more effective at disposing glucose etc.).

e.g. Chromium polynicotinate, vanadyl sulphate, cinnamon polyphenols, Yacon leaf, Milk thistle, Green Tea, Fenugreek, Bitter Melon, Gymnema sylvestre, lysine, metformin, avandia, Insulin, IGF-1 etc.

Hell yes.

-CNS

Do you use all of these compounds daily? What doses? How do you afford it? lol

Seriously...which ones are must haves?

**(1*)** · 05-14-2009, 01:52 PM

:
just wanted to say that i luaghed my ars off at the avatar of the "man pooing" hair cut.

**spywizard** · 05-14-2009, 02:29 PM

found this,,, not sure why/how donating blood would make it more effective, but take what you need/want to incorporate and leave the rest

A nutritional supplement composition for modulating nutrient partitioning in a human so as to increase oxidation of fat and promote increased storage of glycogen is composed of hydroxycitric acid, carnitine, biotin, a gluconeogenic substrate, and, optionally, one or more of chromium, conjugated linoleic acid, coenzyme Q10, eicosapentaenoic acid, pyridoxine, alpha-lipoic acid, magnesium, and gymnema sylvestre. A method for modulating nutrient partitioning in a human involves orally or parenterally administering the aforementioned composition to the human, preferably on a daily basis, for a therapeutically effective period of time. Preferably, the method further involves having the human follow a specific dietary regimen wherein the glycemic index is less than 60 and the daily calorie consumption from carbohydrates is less than about 50% and the daily calorie consumption from protein is at least about 20%. Optionally, the method further involves an exercise program, a stress reduction program and/or a blood donation program