Free Diet advice by Narkissos & Novastepp: Intro to Performance Nutrition 101

[novastepp]

I'm hoping the adage "no question is a stupid question" applies here but I was wondering what amount of daily calories and macros would be most effective in me losing BF.

I'm 34, 5'11" and around 240 lbs.

I lift 5 days a week with cardio at weekends and twice PWO during the week. Most session are no more than 90mins between 12 - 2pm.

Low natural t as a result of chemo.

Example of a normal days food:

2 x weetabix for breakfast; either fruit/ nuts and a shake mid morning; wholemeal sandwich for lunch; mid afternoon shake; sweet potato, chicken and veg for dinner.

Thanks,
M

MikeyMooooooooo thanks for posting.

Reducing BF is simply defined as consuming less calories than your body will expend, typically in the timeframe of a single day.

That being said, at your current stats, you would need to determine your lean body mass (LBM). So the question we need to answer first is, what is your LBM or your body fat percentage? You can guess if you would like, and there are threads here that help you evaluate your body fat based on pictures.

From there you would calculate your lean body mass and eat according to that number. If you want to reduce body fat, I suggest eating enough calories to fulfill your lean body mass and stick to a protein/carb diet to help reduce body fat and progress in training.

This is the start. From there we can work on your food choices and diet structure, first, we need a bit more info.

[novastepp]

Nova,

I'm 30 yo 170 lbs approx 15% bf. I've been training hard for 8 years but can't get to 10% bf without losing a significant amount of muscle. I calculated my BMR and TDEE using the KM method at 1800 and 2350. I want to see definition in my abs but I don't want to cut and drop down below 160 which I typically do every year around summer and I'm tired of this bulk/cut thing I've been doing because I never actually reach my goals for the bulk or the cut. My goal is to eventually get to 180-185 lbs at 10% bf. Any suggestions? I currently rotate calories as follows: 2600 on heavy weight training days - Monday and Friday. 2300 on weight training and cardio days - Tuesday and Thursday. 2000 on cardio only day - Wednesday and 1800 on rest days - Saturday and Sunday. As far as macro breakdown my heavy days are P/C/F - 35/45/20. The weight and cardio days are 40/40/20 and the cardio only and rest days are 40/35/25. Thanks!

Macros,

Thanks for the information. Here is my honest answer.

Start eating a steady diet that would fulfill your long term goal of being 185lbs. 2000 calories a day or protein and carbs. Simple 40/40/20 or 45/45/10 split.

Eat for the size you want, not the size you are.

If you do this and train hard you will start growing. That is what you should be be emphasizing...adding muscle. More muscle, more fat burning potential, greater musculature, no more spinning your wheels and falling down to 160lbs. Move the weight up.

Forget about the calorie roller coaster. Eat steady and do it for the long term.

Add in a little fat burning cardio if you notice too much fat gain.

If you want to post a days worth of eating for critique I can help you with that. But stop acting like your spinning your wheels and start growing them!

[MikeyMoo]

MikeyMooooooooo thanks for posting.

Reducing BF is simply defined as consuming less calories than your body will expend, typically in the timeframe of a single day.

That being said, at your current stats, you would need to determine your lean body mass (LBM). So the question we need to answer first is, what is your LBM or your body fat percentage? You can guess if you would like, and there are threads here that help you evaluate your body fat based on pictures.

From there you would calculate your lean body mass and eat according to that number. If you want to reduce body fat, I suggest eating enough calories to fulfill your lean body mass and stick to a protein/carb diet to help reduce body fat and progress in training.

This is the start. From there we can work on your food choices and diet structure, first, we need a bit more info.

Hi Nova,

Thanks for taking the time to respond mate, I really appreciate it. To be honest I sort of guessed you'd need a little more from my end - I have been reading alot of great stuff on here about LBM, different methods of calculation, TDEE etc. I also checked out the post on the 'Members pictures' thread re BF% and based on those pics, I'm in the 20-25% region. So LBM is probably around 180lbs.

That being said, I had a DEXA scan not too long ago and should have the results next week, along with full blood work.

You probably deal more with getting guys from 15 down to 10 and 10 down to 6% BF and I understand that is probably more in depth however in my case, and as a starter, if I can effectively cut to around 15% without compromising lean mass, I'm happy.

What do you reckon?

Cheers bud,
Mike

[novastepp]

Hi Nova,

Thanks for taking the time to respond mate, I really appreciate it. To be honest I sort of guessed you'd need a little more from my end - I have been reading alot of great stuff on here about LBM, different methods of calculation, TDEE etc. I also checked out the post on the 'Members pictures' thread re BF% and based on those pics, I'm in the 20-25% region. So LBM is probably around 180lbs.

That being said, I had a DEXA scan not too long ago and should have the results next week, along with full blood work.

You probably deal more with getting guys from 15 down to 10 and 10 down to 6% BF and I understand that is probably more in depth however in my case, and as a starter, if I can effectively cut to around 15% without compromising lean mass, I'm happy.

What do you reckon?

Cheers bud,
Mike

I reckon that you need to eat a solid ~2500 calorie diet for a few weeks using a 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat split. You should start to see a reduction in body fat in that time.

Keep training intensity high. 1. so you can keep and grow your lean body mass. 2. if you start to lose strength during that 3 weeks you can add in a few hundred calories so we dont reduce your LBM.

Cutting and bulking are a slow and steady process, but guys say its "hard" only when their diet isnt on point. YOU CAN DO IT!

Write down your goal. And write down steps to achieving that goal. Then DO THOSE THINGS!



What are your 4 favorite protein sources, your 4 favorite carbohydrate sources, and your favorite fat sources?

We can create a diet with those.

[MikeyMoo]

I reckon that you need to eat a solid ~2500 calorie diet for a few weeks using a 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat split. You should start to see a reduction in body fat in that time.

Keep training intensity high. 1. so you can keep and grow your lean body mass. 2. if you start to lose strength during that 3 weeks you can add in a few hundred calories so we dont reduce your LBM.

Cutting and bulking are a slow and steady process, but guys say its "hard" only when their diet isnt on point. YOU CAN DO IT!

Write down your goal. And write down steps to achieving that goal. Then DO THOSE THINGS!



What are your 4 favorite protein sources, your 4 favorite carbohydrate sources, and your favorite fat sources?

We can create a diet with those.

Ok so...

In terms of training - is my current pattern of "I lift 5 days a week with cardio at weekends and twice PWO during the week. Most session are no more than 90mins between 12 - 2pm." intense enough?

Re food - I'll eat anything (and everything) which is the root of all my problems! In terms of proteins I eat meat, fish, eggs, broccoli, and supp with ON Gold Standard. Carbs is potatoes, pasta, rice and bread (my nemesis!!) Fats: Cheeeeeeeese, milk (anything dairy tbh), processed deli meats, chocolate.

I've recently cut out alot of the carbs and chocolate.

[novastepp]

Ok so...

In terms of training - is my current pattern of "I lift 5 days a week with cardio at weekends and twice PWO during the week. Most session are no more than 90mins between 12 - 2pm." intense enough?

Re food - I'll eat anything (and everything) which is the root of all my problems! In terms of proteins I eat meat, fish, eggs, broccoli, and supp with ON Gold Standard. Carbs is potatoes, pasta, rice and bread (my nemesis!!) Fats: Cheeeeeeeese, milk (anything dairy tbh), processed deli meats, chocolate.

I've recently cut out alot of the carbs and chocolate.

What is your training like? Can you give me an example of a workout?

Make sure you are going all out and not short changing yourself in the gym. We eat and sleep to repair the damage we have done, so don't do half-assed damaging.

Okay so now for the diet. Set up a plan where you are eating 5-6 meals throughout the day, preferably 2-4 hours apart. Keep protein as a staple in each meal, and incorporate a pro/fat meal either first thing in the morning, before bed, or not at all.

If you're going to run something ~2500 cals, then shoot for ~400 cals in 6 meals or ~500 cals in 5 meals.

Create a meal plan. I want you to pick the foods that you want and the timing that works for you, but please include it here when you are done and we can discuss it.

[MikeyMoo]

What is your training like? Can you give me an example of a workout?

Make sure you are going all out and not short changing yourself in the gym. We eat and sleep to repair the damage we have done, so don't do half-assed damaging.

Okay so now for the diet. Set up a plan where you are eating 5-6 meals throughout the day, preferably 2-4 hours apart. Keep protein as a staple in each meal, and incorporate a pro/fat meal either first thing in the morning, before bed, or not at all.

If you're going to run something ~2500 cals, then shoot for ~400 cals in 6 meals or ~500 cals in 5 meals.

Create a meal plan. I want you to pick the foods that you want and the timing that works for you, but please include it here when you are done and we can discuss it.

Cant post my reply - it's being blocked because of spam??? No mention of any words on the list that they suggest...

[MikeyMoo]

What is your training like? Can you give me an example of a workout?

Make sure you are going all out and not short changing yourself in the gym. We eat and sleep to repair the damage we have done, so don't do half-assed damaging.

Okay so now for the diet. Set up a plan where you are eating 5-6 meals throughout the day, preferably 2-4 hours apart. Keep protein as a staple in each meal, and incorporate a pro/fat meal either first thing in the morning, before bed, or not at all.

If you're going to run something ~2500 cals, then shoot for ~400 cals in 6 meals or ~500 cals in 5 meals.

Create a meal plan. I want you to pick the foods that you want and the timing that works for you, but please include it here when you are done and we can discuss it.

Typical Monday is Chest (not at the minute with shoulder surgery recovery and rehab): flat bench, incline and decline press; DB flys, DB pullover, machine / cable flys. Workout time approx 45 - 60 mins. Normally empty afterwards.

As I'm injured, it's been all ROM exercises, core and cardio lately. Today for example was 20 mins of stretching, ROM and scapula setting with the shoulder. Cardio after which was 20 mins @ 5 mph full incline on the treadmill followed by 20 mins HIIT on the bike medium level. 160 -170 bpm and really good sweat on.

In terms of a meal plan, how much would I need to adapt my example daily intake mentioned earlier in this thread...

"2 x weetabix for breakfast; either fruit/ nuts and a shake mid morning; wholemeal sandwich for lunch; mid afternoon shake; sweet potato, chicken and veg for dinner."

[Macros]

Nova,

Thank you very much for your time. That might just be the spark I needed to get out of bro limbo. I've been doing the cut/bulk routine for way too long without ever getting to my target weight of 180. Here is a sample day of food:
M1-630am (pre-WO): 2 slices Ezekiel bread; 1 scoop whey protein
M2-830am (post-WO): 1 scoop whey protein; 1 scoop now carbo gain
M3-930am: 5oz chicken; 1cup brown rice
M4-1230pm: 5oz chicken; 5oz sweet potato; 1cup broccoli
M5-330pm: quest bar; 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
M6-630pm: 5oz chicken; 1/2 avocado; 2 cups broccoli, green beans, or Brussels sprouts
M7-930pm: 2 whole eggs; 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

Totals: calories-2475; protein-220g; carbs-230g; fat-75g

(On off days I drop calories to 200 and up protein as high as 250g and drop carbs as low as 100g)

Currently I'm doing fst-7 style training but always starting with a heavy compound lift:
Mon-chest and tris
Tues-squats; leg press; leg ext; and
Wed-shoulders traps (cardio)
Thurs-back and bis
Fri-deadlifts; lunges; leg curl; abs
Off sat and sun.

Any critique or advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

[Macros]

Im a newbie on this site. How do you reply directly to a comment so that you copy the comment you are replying to in your post?

[bloodchoke]

Im a newbie on this site. How do you reply directly to a comment so that you copy the comment you are replying to in your post?

Rather than replying with "Reply," use "Reply With Quote" at the bottom of the comment you wish to quote.

[novastepp]

Typical Monday is Chest (not at the minute with shoulder surgery recovery and rehab): flat bench, incline and decline press; DB flys, DB pullover, machine / cable flys. Workout time approx 45 - 60 mins. Normally empty afterwards.

As I'm injured, it's been all ROM exercises, core and cardio lately. Today for example was 20 mins of stretching, ROM and scapula setting with the shoulder. Cardio after which was 20 mins @ 5 mph full incline on the treadmill followed by 20 mins HIIT on the bike medium level. 160 -170 bpm and really good sweat on.

In terms of a meal plan, how much would I need to adapt my example daily intake mentioned earlier in this thread...

"2 x weetabix for breakfast; either fruit/ nuts and a shake mid morning; wholemeal sandwich for lunch; mid afternoon shake; sweet potato, chicken and veg for dinner."

You are short changing yourself if you can perform that may sets on chest. I realize you are injured and that should take precedence over "usual" lifting. But if you are lifting to the point where another rep cannot be performed, I don't think you will have the ability to perform that many sets on chest. Try hitting failure on your first couple of sets and rest only between 60-90 seconds between sets and exercises. That will up the intensity and benefit of your training greatly.

If you train hard like this, you will also want to be sure you are giving yourself enough rest between workouts. SO every other day training is a good start.

As far as your diet...honestly, it stinks.

Look at the stickys or even this thread where sample diets are given and produce something with more substance.

Meal times, protein & carb & fat amounts, food choices, etc.

[novastepp]

Nova,

Thank you very much for your time. That might just be the spark I needed to get out of bro limbo. I've been doing the cut/bulk routine for way too long without ever getting to my target weight of 180. Here is a sample day of food:
M1-630am (pre-WO): 2 slices Ezekiel bread; 1 scoop whey protein
M2-830am (post-WO): 1 scoop whey protein; 1 scoop now carbo gain
M3-930am: 5oz chicken; 1cup brown rice
M4-1230pm: 5oz chicken; 5oz sweet potato; 1cup broccoli
M5-330pm: quest bar; 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
M6-630pm: 5oz chicken; 1/2 avocado; 2 cups broccoli, green beans, or Brussels sprouts
M7-930pm: 2 whole eggs; 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

Totals: calories-2475; protein-220g; carbs-230g; fat-75g

(On off days I drop calories to 200 and up protein as high as 250g and drop carbs as low as 100g)

Currently I'm doing fst-7 style training but always starting with a heavy compound lift:
Mon-chest and tris
Tues-squats; leg press; leg ext; and
Wed-shoulders traps (cardio)
Thurs-back and bis
Fri-deadlifts; lunges; leg curl; abs
Off sat and sun.

Any critique or advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

How long have you been eating that and are you seeing results? I ask because it looks solid and all I would say is to switch meals 5 & 6 around.

In regard to your overall plan, I see no reason to drop carbs on off days. Let your body recover and keep carbs high.

I would place a rest day in the middle of my week because training 5 days in a row is pretty freaking brutal on the body if you're training hard. I would rest on Wednesday.

Also, is there a reason you are splitting quads/glutes and hammys? You could benefit from deads on back day, and then finish Tuesday with lunges and supersetted extensions and curls. That will also give you another rest day to use. Resting is when growth occurs, and you have to build that muscle all the way up before you can knock it all down. Eat big and rest big.

Don't short change yourself in training either. Go all out and leave knowing you didn't have a rep left in you. Guys in the gym hit a number and stop lifting, even if it was hard, dont be afraid to struggle, dont be afraid to fail on that rep; it does more good than quitting!

[Macros]

How long have you been eating that and are you seeing results? I ask because it looks solid and all I would say is to switch meals 5 & 6 around.

In regard to your overall plan, I see no reason to drop carbs on off days. Let your body recover and keep carbs high.

I would place a rest day in the middle of my week because training 5 days in a row is pretty freaking brutal on the body if you're training hard. I would rest on Wednesday.

Also, is there a reason you are splitting quads/glutes and hammys? You could benefit from deads on back day, and then finish Tuesday with lunges and supersetted extensions and curls. That will also give you another rest day to use. Resting is when growth occurs, and you have to build that muscle all the way up before you can knock it all down. Eat big and rest big.

Don't short change yourself in training either. Go all out and leave knowing you didn't have a rep left in you. Guys in the gym hit a number and stop lifting, even if it was hard, dont be afraid to struggle, dont be afraid to fail on that rep; it does more good than quitting!

Nova,

Thank you again for your reply. I value your opinion from all the posts I've read and each time I posted it looked forward to your response. I have been following this plan for almost 4 months. I will try to mix up the training routine as you described and I will up the carbs/calories on off days. I am 30yo and have never cycled AAS. I'm just wondering if cycling AAS is the only way I'll reach my physique goals by the time I'm 40yo. I'd like to think its not so again I will go back to the drawing board. Thank you for your suggestions!

[MikeyMoo]

You are short changing yourself if you can perform that may sets on chest. I realize you are injured and that should take precedence over "usual" lifting. But if you are lifting to the point where another rep cannot be performed, I don't think you will have the ability to perform that many sets on chest. Try hitting failure on your first couple of sets and rest only between 60-90 seconds between sets and exercises. That will up the intensity and benefit of your training greatly.

If you train hard like this, you will also want to be sure you are giving yourself enough rest between workouts. SO every other day training is a good start.

As far as your diet...honestly, it stinks.

Look at the stickys or even this thread where sample diets are given and produce something with more substance.

Meal times, protein & carb & fat amounts, food choices, etc.

Re training - I will adopt this strategy once I'm back lifting properly again. Using this technique, how many times should I be hitting each body part per week? And, given I only have 90 mins per day, how many body parts should I try to incorporate per session?

Re diet - yes, I thought as much tbh. I'll do some reading then and see if I can put together something that's more in-line with my weight, my goals, and my training needs.

Cheers pal,
M

[novastepp]

Nova,

Thank you again for your reply. I value your opinion from all the posts I've read and each time I posted it looked forward to your response. I have been following this plan for almost 4 months. I will try to mix up the training routine as you described and I will up the carbs/calories on off days. I am 30yo and have never cycled AAS. I'm just wondering if cycling AAS is the only way I'll reach my physique goals by the time I'm 40yo. I'd like to think its not so again I will go back to the drawing board. Thank you for your suggestions!

Cycling is not the answer.

Eating is the answer.

Training with every ounce of your will and desire to fulfill your goals is the answer.

You already have the ability to see your goals through, the hard part, is actually doing it.

and YOU CAN!

[novastepp]

Re training - I will adopt this strategy once I'm back lifting properly again. Using this technique, how many times should I be hitting each body part per week? And, given I only have 90 mins per day, how many body parts should I try to incorporate per session?

Re diet - yes, I thought as much tbh. I'll do some reading then and see if I can put together something that's more in-line with my weight, my goals, and my training needs.

Cheers pal,
M

Let me know what you find regarding the diet. I'd be happy to take a look.

In regard to training. Hit each body part once a week. Keep training intense and don't be afraid to find failure in your lifts. For example, when doing DB chest presses, don't stop at a number...stop when that weight stalls and you do EVERYTHING you can to finish the lift, but you fail. Too many guys stop when its gets really hard, but don't have the balls to TRY again, who cares if they fall? Everything does eventually.

[RaginCajun]

NOVA, have you started your cut yet?

going to post in this thread?

[novastepp]

NOVA, have you started your cut yet?

going to post in this thread?

I have started doing some cardio. I haven't reduced calories at all.

In fact, I am still seeing gains in strength and some size so I have been adding cals and incorporating some fasted cardio in teh mornings and late in the evenings to help reduce fat gain.

I'm all about building and keeping my muscle. Fat is going to come along for the ride if you're talking about adding mass. I'm currently still building, so I'm hoping to abate some fat with cardio, but I have added cals to keep the builders working!

[RaginCajun]

I have started doing some cardio. I haven't reduced calories at all.

In fact, I am still seeing gains in strength and some size so I have been adding cals and incorporating some fasted cardio in teh mornings and late in the evenings to help reduce fat gain.

I'm all about building and keeping my muscle. Fat is going to come along for the ride if you're talking about adding mass. I'm currently still building, so I'm hoping to abate some fat with cardio, but I have added cals to keep the builders working!

sounds like a plan!

[novastepp]

Also, I don't cut the way some do it. I never eat below maintenance.

I will eat at or above and keep the diet very clean and add cardio.

I don't want my body to reveal my amazing abs because it is starving. I want it to show off my midsection glory by shrinking those fat cells via cardio and strict dieting.

Those are the two ways guys do it: caloric deficits or cardio aided.

I use the latter because I don't want to waste any of my muscle, which needs to be a top priority when shrinking down those pesky fat cells. I'm not in any hurry.

[GirlyGymRat]

I'm in a hurry. Lol. Always.

[novastepp]

Calm down and have another cup of coffee.

[thall1]

Please help

I am currently doing rehab on a shoulder injury and I'm not able to hit the weights like I want to. I won't be able to get back to the weights for at least 4 weeks. My plan is to come back strong when my shoulder heals with my first cycle. In the rehab process I want to get my bf% down to prepare myself better for cycle. How can I do this and maintain the muscle I have. I would like to get my bf down around 13%.
I'm 25 yrs old 5'10 currently 195 doing hit cardio about 5 days a week. I'm currently taking in 1500-1800 cal. Carb/ protein heavy for breakfast eating protein about every 3 hours with some carbs, but slowly doing away with them through the day. Usally no carbs after lunch.i have had success cutting like this in the past, but I always lift when I do this so I don't notice to much muscle loss.im kinda worried about losing gains. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[bloodchoke]

I'm seeing results!
My actual diet is only about 75% as clean as the one I posted but I'm cool with that. My strength is still increasing and I've seen more results in the mirror than on the scale. I actually would like to see some results on the scale since I'd like to lean up and really only gain 5-10 (max) more lbs. Patience and consistency! Thanks, Nov!

[AussieJ]

Epic thread. Spent the better part of 3 hours pouring through the first 20 pages on nightshift.
Q. 30yr old male 182cm, 90kg just put 5 kgs on trying to add some size. 15% BF. 5 training sessions a week heavy compounds followed by lighter accessories. I compete in power lifting events every 3 months so strength is important and want to add lean muscle. Want to know a rough target P C F intake for my size. Will be spreading over 6 meals. Can divide macros and intake if I know an estimated total. Thanks in advance. J

[novastepp]

Please help

I am currently doing rehab on a shoulder injury and I'm not able to hit the weights like I want to. I won't be able to get back to the weights for at least 4 weeks. My plan is to come back strong when my shoulder heals with my first cycle. In the rehab process I want to get my bf% down to prepare myself better for cycle. How can I do this and maintain the muscle I have. I would like to get my bf down around 13%.
I'm 25 yrs old 5'10 currently 195 doing hit cardio about 5 days a week. I'm currently taking in 1500-1800 cal. Carb/ protein heavy for breakfast eating protein about every 3 hours with some carbs, but slowly doing away with them through the day. Usally no carbs after lunch.i have had success cutting like this in the past, but I always lift when I do this so I don't notice to much muscle loss.im kinda worried about losing gains. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Life got to me Thall,

do you have any update?

[novastepp]

Epic thread. Spent the better part of 3 hours pouring through the first 20 pages on nightshift.
Q. 30yr old male 182cm, 90kg just put 5 kgs on trying to add some size. 15% BF. 5 training sessions a week heavy compounds followed by lighter accessories. I compete in power lifting events every 3 months so strength is important and want to add lean muscle. Want to know a rough target P C F intake for my size. Will be spreading over 6 meals. Can divide macros and intake if I know an estimated total. Thanks in advance. J

How is your progress? You should be seeing results with your approach. If you would like to update me, I'd be happy to share thoughts.

[Gbeholder]

Please help a fellow in need of some advice on nutrition.

So i just finished my 2nd official aas cycle of Test and Tren unfurtonately i was training with a coach that really had too many clients on his plate to be able to advise and spend the time needed to get me on the right track. i honestly have no clue as to how to start off my nutrition or diet. my current weight last time i weighed in was 195. i workout 5 times a week and plan to run a test only cycle here in the next month or so. Work schedule is Mon-Fri 7-5 and workout after. so stimes its hard to get meals in because on weekends im usually with my son doing what he likes and with the girlfriend. please help on advise or where i should start to take my nutrition since i am no longer with this "trainer"

[NorCal13]

Running eq200 2cc & sus250 2cc per week. Also 1ml estrogen blocker daily. I am 6'4" 210lbs and 36 yrs. struggling to dial my food for optimal solid growth. Looking for serious thoughts on the macros and use of carb cycling.

[Narkissos]

o.m.a.d… supplements & optimised intermittent fasting
by Narkissos

Stardate: 13th November, 2019.
Hi.

So… Do you want to get really ripped? Do you want to improve your health, gut health, cognitive capacity, sleep quality, your glucose tolerance… and would you like those aches and pains that seem to increase from year to year, to decrease?

Naw… I’m not trying to sell you a miracle supplement. What I *would* like to introduce you to though, is optimised intermittent fasting.

As many of you would know:
I’ve spent the last decade playing with (and optimising) keto dieting and intermittent fasting. To be fair, there are a plethora of variants and ways to undertake either… and, plausibly, an equal number of ways of combining them both, for equally numerous purposes.

(And I know that this basically just sounds like blahblahblahdeblah

..lollll – but bear with me.

btw: if you’re not interested in studies etc., skip straight to the end lol. This is gonna be a long one.)

What is intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is actually a broadddd term which basically involves juxtaposing a non-eating (i.e. caloric/energy restriction) window with an eating window. That non-eating window can be 12 hours, 16 hours, 18 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours, every other day, 1-2 days out of every weekend… Like, literally: SO many plausible variations exist. And, they’re each useful, for different reasons.

Likewise, some disciples like a 4 hour feeding/eating window; whereas some like 6, or 8 hours. Some prefer to fast one day and eat ‘normally’ on the following day. Again, there are so very many ways to approach the process. Each one works for a specific population. And, importantly: no way is more right than the other.
Fasting may accelerate fat loss (via improved insulin sensitivity and other factors), improve metabolic and cardiovascular health. It may also aide in resetting the immune system, and accelerating the healing of injuries.
For me, personally, I’ve used it for all of the above purposes… But, today, I’m going to going in to detail about the variant that’s yielded the greatest success for me… for health, pain and inflammation reduction, fat-loss. You name it.
That variation? A very small eating window: Abysmally small really – one meal per day.
This practice is commonly known as OMAD ( – which literally means ‘One Meal A Day’); and, to improve the efficacy, I usually stay in ketosis for 5-6 days per week.

Yea: Keto dieting is awesome. Intermittent fasting on its own is awesome too. The two combined?
Fat-loss overload!

I’ve digressed however:
What is OMAD? Why OMAD? HOW OMAD?!
OMAD is literally the practice of eating one meal per day. As a norm, I fast for 18-22 hours on a daily basis. During the fasted window, I do steady state cardio and maybe a resistance workout, to mobilise and burn fatty acids. The workouts are secondary though: an adjuvant to the main event – autophagy.

Autophagy is the body’s way of stripping and discarding damaged cells. This process signals growth and repair (-more accurately: autophagy is the breakdown of old tissue; meanwhile the fasted state signals the release of growth hormone, which catalyses the creation of new tissue). I’d started optimising my intermittent fasts for specifically this reason: so as to accelerate the healing of some niggling injuries. For this purpose, I take in quite a few supplements during the fasted window: to assist with autophagy, as well as to decrease systemic inflammation.

And… At the end of the window, I have a meal packed with protein, and a lot of vegetables. I allow some hours to pass prior to falling asleep, so as to facilitate digestion. And then repeat the process the next day.
Supplements? This has got to be some fancyyyy Shit!
Naw.
Basic AF. (lol)
For one, I use a lot of teas:

Cerasee: “aka cer-see bush”
Cerasee, aka ‘ser-see bush’ (or any other myriad of alternate spellings), has long held a revered place in Caribbean medicinal folklore. It’s been used for everything from detoxing to diabetes. Research has shown that it may be effective in improving glucose disposal, improving blood sugar control[1]… which makes it a serious aide in addressing the metabolic damage many of us have done via the overconsumption of carbohydrates and sugar.

possible substitutions for those of you who don't have access to Caribbean stuff: Bitter melon

Coffee/Tea:
The caffeine component of coffee and tea has been shown to increase autophagy in skeletal musculature.[2] Also, caffeine and the polyphenols found in either beverage, help increase fatty acid mobilisation/release/burning… so you can burn more fat. To capitalise on this, I have my clients take walks during the fasted window. It’s a win-win!
NB: I drink cocoa as well… but sparingly, as it’s not purely non-caloric. Cocoa is rich in polyphenols which may improve heart health, lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow to the brain. It’s also much lower in caffeine than coffee or tea, so its inclusion may be better for those who are caffeine-sensitive, or sensitive to stimulants in general.

Turmeric:
Turmeric contains a natural anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin… which has been shown to be pretty effing effective, even when compared alongside pharmaceutical-grade non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.[3][4][5] Cheap. Available without prescription. Low in side effects. High in potential other effects (improved brain function, decreased heart disease risk. Why wouldn’t you want to use it?

I also use a bunch of enzymes and substrates:


Chromium Polynicotinate – Glucose sensitizing aide: Lowers blood sugar; Lowers blood lipids and cholesterol; may improve lean tissue accrual. [6] I’ve been using Chromium since my teenaged bodybuilding days. I honestly think I’ll use it for the rest of my life.

Resveratrol – This SUPER-compound has been shown to have a plethora of beneficial systemic effects.[7] [8] It’s cardio-protective (i.e. good for the heart), may have anti-cancer effects, and may aide in blood sugar control. The compound has also been shown effective against systemic inflammation. Hypothetical discussions have also been raised about it potential for increasing testosterone (or, rather, at decreasing the rate of estrogen to testosterone conversion, via the inhibition of the aromatase enzyme). Why does that matter?
Well: improved glucose tolerance + decreased systemic inflammation + increased testosterone + decreased estrogen may equate to significantly improved body composition.

Hypothetical discussions aside: Resveratrol is still SUPER-HOT. Trust me on this.

Systemic Proteolytic Enzyme Therapy:
Ok… If you’ve known/followed me for a while, you know that these enyzmes are the main supplements I use.
Bromelain, Nattokinase, Serrapeptase: These enzymes are called ‘Proteolytic’… which basically means ‘protein-digesting’. Why does this matter? Well, systemic proteolytic enzymes basically break down any rogue proteins in the body that don’t serve any purpose. We’re talking scar tissue, blockages, viral sheaths, inflammatory processes and the like. They basically strip it down… and this process greatly aides/biohacks the process of autophagy.
I won’t go any further on this topic, so as to not go too far off track. Here’s some reading material if you’re interested in learning more though.

Honourable mention:
Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid (aka TUDCA): – is a bile salt. Not exciting-sounding, I know. But, it can decrease intestinal inflammation *And* improve the absorption of fats… both of which are important factors in both keto-dieting, and intermittent fasting.

But what about supplements that supposedly stop muscle loss etc?!

I’ll be honest… Most of it is a sham. Most of the marketing plays into our insecurities, over losing the muscle we’ve struggled so hard to get. Fasting done right, will not cause you to piss away your hard-earned, metabolism-controlling muscle.

Further… some of the muscle-retention supplements people try to add, will break and negate your attempts at fasting. Glutamine, for example… is glucogenic/Gluconeogic… which is science-y speak for ‘will convert to glucose…and thereby will spike blood sugar’… thus breaking your fast.

BCAAs, an athlete mainstay, include the amino acide Leucine… which is a super-potent insulin secretagogue. What does this mean? This means it’s capable of inducing the secretion of insulin in the absence of carbohydrates. In a nutshell, it signals the release of ‘fed/feeding’ hormones, when you’re supposed to be in an unfed state…thus halting the benefits accrued from being unfed. Athletes should be cognizant of this, as many have been advised to supplement this supplement between meals to ‘keep the gains coming’… when the reality is, they’re really blunting their glucose response, and lowering subsequent insulin sensitivity. i.e. making themselves fatter, more broke, humans. [9] I’ve digressed however.

Let’s pull it all together – Here’s my typical OMAD Day:
(NB: I’m going to list some other stufff not listed in this article, for transparency)
Upon waking (4 a.m.): Water, Cerasee/Turmeric Tea, DHEA, Pregnenolone, Probiotics.

5 am.: Coffee, Aspirin, Bromelain, Serrapeptase, Nattokinase, Turmeric (or other naturaly anti-inflammatory)

7 a.m.: Water

9 a.m-12 p.m.: Water/Coffee intermittently. Sometimes I hit the gym around 10 a.m.

3 p.m. water

5 p.m. – water, tea/coffee… possibly a fat-burner (rarely)

6 p.m. – water. I may work out here, during the bootcamp class I teach thrice per week.

8 p.m. – I take in Protein (usually pork, lamb, or steak… rarely chicken or fish), Supplemental or dietary fat, Vegetables, and all other supplements at this time.

Pre-bed: Melatonin (rarely)

…And that’s OMAD in a nutshell.

Tell your abs I said hello.
Yours in fitness,
– Nark


References:
1. Bailey CJ, Day C, Turner SL, Leatherdale BA. “Cerasee, a traditional treatment for diabetes. Studies in normal and streptozotocin diabetic mice.” Diabetes Res. 1985 Mar;2(2):81-4.

2. Matthew et. al. “Caffeine promotes autophagy in skeletal muscle cells by increasing the calcium-dependent activation of AMP-activated protein kinase.” Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014 Oct 24;453(3):411-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.09.094. Epub 2014 Sep 28.
3. Jurenka. “Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a major constituent of Curcuma longa: a review of preclinical and clinical research.” Altern Med Rev. 2009 Jun;14(2):141-53.
4. Lal et. al. “Efficacy of curcumin in the management of chronic anterior uveitis.” Phytother Res. 1999 Jun;13(4):318-22.
5. Takada Y, Bhardwaj A, Potdar P, Aggarwal BB. “Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents differ in their ability to suppress NF-kappaB activation, inhibition of expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and cyclin D1, and abrogation of tumor cell proliferation.” Oncogene. 2004 Dec 9;23(57):9247-58.
6. Albarracin CA, Fuqua BC, Evans JL, Goldfine ID. “Chromium picolinate and biotin combination improves glucose metabolism in treated, uncontrolled overweight to obese patients with type 2 diabetes.” Alpha Therapy Center, 4626 Weber Road, Suite 100, Corpus Christi, TX 78411, USA.
7. Kuršvietienė et. al. “Multiplicity of effects and health benefits of resveratrol.” Medicina (Kaunas). 2016;52(3):148-55. doi: 10.1016/j.medici.2016.03.003. Epub 2016 Apr 7.
8. Mostafa Rezaei-Tavirani. “Resveratrol: A miraculous natural compound for diseases treatment,” Food Science and Nutrition, 26 October 2018.
9. Yoon. “The Emerging Role of Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Insulin Resistance and Metabolism.” Nutrients. 2016 Jul 1;8(7). pii: E405. doi: 10.3390/nu8070405.