Basic Diet Info Recap

[G4R]

I believe this is all just a summary of the great diet advice given by some of our most knowledgeable diet mentors on here. This is in no way adding to, or taking away from the wealth of knowledge already posted in the stickies at the top of the page, but merely a reiteration of what would be considered by most as ‘common knowledge’.

While I hope many will look at this thread and learn from it, I also ask that everyone in here please look over carefully the great threads started by Nark, muriloninja, MIKE_XXL, Kärnfysikern and all the rest.

I know most of this is pretty common knowledge, but I figured I would save someone some time by throwing this out there.

Ideally a good diet should include food items that contain all categories of nutrients. It is essential to consume all the nutrients, be it proteins, carbohydrates or fats. Some of the various items that you should consume for the intake of proteins are: lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts etc. For carbohydrates, brown rice, potatoes, whole meal bread, fresh fruits and vegetables can be the best bet. However, indulging in white flour products can rebound your efforts.

The foremost thing you need to do is follow the basic rules of diet. Go for small and regular feedings, instead of binging on irregular and large ones. The best option would be to eat six meals a day, spaces out at 2 ½ hours intervals. The proportion of carbohydrates, fats and protein intake should usually be in the ratio of 4:2:4. This ratio ideally helps in reducing weight and building an impressive muscular body. However, make sure you do not consume carbohydrates three to four hours before going off to sleep. Remember, your body switches into a catabolic state after about three hours of no food. A catabolic state is making you lose muscle and gain fat, your body starts feeding itself and stores calories as fat.

An important rule would be to cycle calories intake. This would help your body avoid the metabolism from getting used to a certain caloric level. For those, who want to increase the muscle mass, go for two days of lower calorie and five days of high calorie diet. However, those of you, who want to lose fat, you need to follow five days of lower caloric intake and two days of high calories. Remember, you diet should provide you with support to indulge in the higher level of physical activity.

Instead of frying food items, begin roasting and steaming. Go for skinless chicken or turkey, instead of high fat meats. Processed foods and junk foods are strict no-no. The next step would be to eliminate refined sugars from the diet. High sugar content foods like fruit juices and carbonated drinks should pave way for diet sodas, but, in due course of time, the best bet would be to settle down to water. Make it your main beverage and increase its consumption level.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI provides a pretty reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

While using calipers is a more accurate way to determine your BF%, a simple way to check your BMI is by using the formula below....

If you are American (or just don't like using the Metric system) then use this formula:
BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches ) ) x 703

If you use the Metric system, use this formula:
BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters ) x ( Height in Meters ) )

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) uses the variables of height, weight, age and gender to calculate the Basal Metabolic Rate. This is more accurate than calculating calorie needs based on body weight alone. The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will underestimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).

Again, if you don't like the Metric system, use this formula:
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

Metric system formula:
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 9.6 x weight in kilos ) + ( 1.8 x height in cm ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

Once you have your BMR figured out, you are ready to move on....

TDEE or, The Harris Benedict Equation is a formula that uses your BMR and then applies an activity factor to determine your total daily energy expenditure (calories). The only factor omitted by the TDEE is lean body mass. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will under-estimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).

You will multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

-Calorie needs to gain weight:
If you want to gain body weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn. One pound of body weight is roughly equivalent to 3500 calories, so eating an extra 500 calories per day will cause you to gain one pound a week.

-Calorie needs to lose weight:
There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. (On average 75% of this is fat, 25% lean tissue) If you create a 7000 calorie deficit you will lose two pounds and so on. The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.

With all of this being said, anyone who has dealt with me over in the Q & A section knows I stress diet, and I prefer that when diets are posted, in order to better help that person, I have you lay out your diet in a specific form, like this:

Meal 1:
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

Meal 2:
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

Meal 3:
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

Meal 4:
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

Meal 5:
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

Meal 6:
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)
Xxxxxx (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

Total: (fat xxg, cals xxg, protein xxg, carbs xxg)

^^^ With a layout like this, the guys on here are quickly able to point out exactly where your problems lay in your diet.

Again, the main point of this thread is to help those who have yet to find the stickies (yes, the big bold threads at the top of the page that never go anywhere).

[Damienm05]

Thank you sir. You just made my helping people with diets exponentially easier. Let's keep this bumped.

[G4R]

If it only helps but one person, I am happy.

[G4R]

Bump for those who need the help.....

[Times Roman]

Coincidence. I was just rereading this yesterday. I did a recalc on my target caloric intake and a few other things. Good stuff.

[BJJ]

There are many people who will need it.
Good call

[G4R]

Glad its helping

[G4R]

Back up for the new guys