Dieting to Lose Bodyfat… not just weight!

You’ve probably read numerous articles on dieting for a bodybuilding competition. Too many of these articles use unconventional techniques with no scientific basis. This is a solid explanation of basic fundamentals for effectively dieting your body fat down in preparation for a contest. It’s scientifically based and it’s specific for contest preparation.
Assessing Body Composition

You need an accurate assessment of your body composition. Have your body fat percentage measured at a health club, a local university (by the exercise physiology department), or a local hospital. You should aim for a body fat percentage between 2-4% by contest time; so you must determine how much fat you have to lose. For example, a bodybuilder weighs 200 pounds with 10% body fat, so he has 20 pounds of fat (200 x .10). To get down to 2% body fat, he would need to lose 16 pounds of fat.

Basic Nutrition

You must have a basic understanding of nutrition. Here is a quick run down of the most important things you need to know in order to make a pre contest diet. A pre contest diet is very restrictive and potentially unhealthy. Therefore, the diet should be done in the shortest time possible. In fact, your off season body fat should not exceed 8-10%. If your body fat is within this range it should take 12-16 weeks to get it down to 2-4% body fat, which is usually the body fat of a bodybuilder on the day of the contest.

• There are 9 calories per gram of fat, 4 calories per gram of protein and 4
  calories per gram of carbohydrate;
  
• Complex carbohydrates should be the only carbohydrates eaten; except after a work-out when simple sugars can be eaten (a list below will show the best carbohydrate sources);
  
• Only extra lean sources of protein are to be eaten (a list below will show
  the best protein sources);
  
• A moderate consumption of fiber should be eaten at each meal;
  
• All grams should be counted for each meal to keep you on the right
  rack.

Calories Needed For Your Weight

Number of Calories Per Day

In order to find out how many calories you need in a day you must use a precise measurement. This is done by using the same method registered dietitians use, the Harris Benedict Equation. To make this equation easier:

• Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms. Take your weight in pounds
  and divide it by 2.2. For example: 190 lb / 2.2 = 86.3 kg;
  
• Convert your height from inches to centimeters. Take your height in inches
  and multiply it by 2.54. For example: 67 in. x 2.54 = 170.1 cm.

Listed below are the equations, for both men and women, in order to calculate your Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE). Your BEE is the amount of energy you need in order to maintain your weight with no activity level. Therefore, your BEE is also equal to your total calories needed when you are active and trying to lose weight.

• Males:
  
  66 + [13.7 x (weight in kg)] + [5.0 x (height in cm)] -
  [6.8 x (age in yrs)] = BEE (in calories);
  
• Females:
  
  655 + [9.6 x (weight in kg)] + [1.8 x (height in cm)]
  – [4.7 x (age in yrs)] = BEE (in calories);

Number of Calories Per Meal

After calculating your BEE (Basal Energy Expenditure, or target daily caloric intake for fat loss), you have to break up your calories into at least 6 meals a day. This is simple enough. For example, if your BEE is 1300, then 1300 calories divided by 6 meals = 216 calories per meal.

Converting Calories Into
Grams of Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat

We now have to figure out how many grams of protein, carbohydrate, and fat to eat in each meal by dividing the calories among the macro nutrients, i.e. protein, carbohydrates, and fats. The following distribution is for pre contest dieting only. These percentages should not be followed for more than 16 weeks at a time:
 

Protein	40-45%
Carbohydrates	45-50%
Fat*	10-15%

(*A minimum of 10% is required or a serious essential fatty acid deficiency can develop. Note: These percentages happen to work well for me but everybody is different and you may have to modify these percentages slightly.)

Let us assume that the person dieting needs 216 calories per meal, 40% protein, 50% carbohydrate, and 10% fat. The following formulas would be used:  

MACRO NUTRIENT	TOTAL CALORIES  PER MEAL	x	%	=	CALORIES*
Protein	216	x	.40	=	86
Carbohydrate	216	x	.50	nbsp;=	108
Fat	216	x	.10	=	22

(*Convert these calories into grams by dividing each one by its caloric content as stated earlier

MACRO NUTRIENT	CALORIES  PER GRAM
Protein	4
Carbohydrate	4
Fat	9

The final step:  

MACRO NUTRIENT	CALORIES   PER MEAL	DIVIDED  BY	CALORIES   PER GRAM	=	GRAMS
Protein	86	<div align=”center”/	4	=	21
Carbohydrate	108	/	4	=	27
Fat	22	/	9	=	2

Now you know the exact number of grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat
that should be eaten at each meal.

Preparing the Right Meal

Okay, now you know the grams for each macronutrient for each meal, but you need to know what the best foods are for losing body fat.  Listed below are the best sources of each macronutrient excluding fat because it is in lean meats and protein powders you are eating.

Combine any three, one from each column, and you have a pre-contest meal.  Portion size will depend on the amount of grams you are permitted at each meal.

PROTEIN	CARBOHYDRATE	FIBER
Turkey Breast	Oatmeal	Broccoli
Designer Protein Powder	Rice	Kale
Chicken Breast	Whole Wheat Bread	Spinach
Tuna	Baked Potato	Bell Peppers
Sole or Flounder	Rice Cake	Cauliflower
Red Snapper	Grits	Brocco-flower
Perch	Cream of Wheat	Green Leafy Lettuce
Halibut	Farina	Romaine Lettuce
Egg Whites	Pasta	Collard Greens

Fiber
Fiber has various benefits for bodybuilders:

• Fiber aids to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates which has a direct
  effect on insulin.  A bodybuilder wants stable insulin levels as insulin spiking can cause the deposition of fat into adipose (fatty) tissue;
  
• Fiber from vegetables releases medium chain triglycerides in the intestines which act as a good source of fuel without the worry of fat deposition.  This is especially good when carbohydrate and fat levels are extremely low;
  
• The kind of fiber I recommend is from cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflower, bell peppers, and green leafy vegetables) which are nutrient dense with little to no calories;
  
  
• Last but not least, fiber prevents constipation.

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Monitoring Your Progress

It is very important to monitor your progress accurately. Track your weight with a scale, your measurements with a tape measure, and your body fat percentage with skinfold calipers or another accurate body-fat measure.  Of course the most accurate measure is the mirror.  If you are looking defined you will know it. However, always get another critical opinion that will tell you the truth regardless of how cruel it is… for me it is my brother.

Even if you are doing everything right, your body doesn’t always respond like you want it to.  This is the purpose for continually monitoring your progress.  If you are not losing body-fat as quickly as you’d like add aerobic exercise to your routine doing 20 minutes per workout separate from your weight training.  Initially do the aerobic exercise 2-3 times per week; if your body-fat still has not decreased increase the aerobics to 4-5 times per week.  As a natural bodybuilder your body is prone to catabolism which can result from extended aerobic work-outs and lead to loss of hard earned muscle.

On the other hand, you may lose weight too rapidly which can accompany muscle loss.  In this case you would slightly increase your protein and carbohydrate intake.  Any alterations should be done in small increments and recorded carefully.

Every pre-contest diet is a learning experience.  In order to learn from each experience you must accurately record every detail; what you eat, how you train, your body weight, your body composition, your measurements, and how you feel.

If this process seems a little complex, it is!  Dieting is a science and each body has slightly different laws by which they function.  However, we are all alike in how we gain and lose body-fat.  It is merely a question of how much or how little we need to obtain the desired result.

Peter Marino can be contacted at: petermarino@fitness3.com
For info, calorie calculators and diet planning go to Fitness3.com and click on free health services icon for calculators page.

To see the originally formatted article (no big spaces like on this page) click here: Pre-Contest Dieting

Filed under: Nutrition , dieting, lose weight, losing body fat, pre contest diet

Whey Protein – Nature’s Amazing Muscle Builder and Immunity Enhancer

Are you concerned about taking care of your body before and after strenuous activities or workouts? Do you try to avoid supplements that contain additives and possible side effects?

If you are interested in better health and improved physical fitness you have surely heard that bodybuilders and other athletes are turning to a simple, natural supplement called whey protein.

WHY DO ATHLETES USE WHEY PROTEIN?

Protein levels are depleted through exercise. Muscles require amino acids to prevent deterioration, give endurance and build mass. Proteins supply these amino acids to the muscles which is why athletes use whey protein.

WHAT IS WHEY PROTEIN?

Commercial whey protein comes from cow’s milk. Whey is the by-product of making cheese and was usually thrown away as a waste product. Now researchers know that whey protein is high quality, natural protein that is rich with amino acids essential for good health and muscle building. It is naturally found in mother’s milk and also used in baby formula. It is being considered for use as a fortifier of grain products because of its considerable health benefits and bland flavor.
Although protein is also found in other foods such as meat, soy and vegetables, whey protein is proven to have the highest absorption (digestion) levels in comparison to all others.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER USING WHEY PROTEIN?

Whey protein has many health benefits including immune support, bone health, sports recovery, weight management and overall well-being.
Because amino acids are ‘building blocks’ for the human body it is sometimes used by patients to speed up the healing of wounds or burns especially because of its high glutamine content.
The high quality protein that comes from whey makes it a recommended choice for those who need optimal benefits from restricted diets including diabetics, those on weight management diets and even ill patients not able to consume enough protein in their diet to assist with healing.

CAN WHEY PROTEIN BE DANGEROUS?

Whey protein is a food and so it does not have the risks associated with other supplements. That said, too much of anything carries risks. Extremely high use of whey protein can overload the liver which can cause serious problems. Moderation is always recommended. Also, be wary of your total magnesium intake as many whey powders have high magnesium content and too much can cause diarrhea and/or upset stomach.
If you are lactose intolerant you might try whey protein isolate which has less than 1% lactose and should be tolerable for most users.
Whey protein is a natural and healthy way to bring protein into your diet and increase well being.

By Peter Marino

President of

Fitness3.com

Filed under: Nutrition , glutamine, immune enhancement, muscle building, Nutrition, protein, supplements, whey protein

A New Domain for the Fantastically Fit Kids Workout DVD

I have just made a new website for my kids workout video called: Fantastically Fit Kids Workout DVD. Keep coming to this new domain as I may be pricing to sell this holiday season. It’s now $15.95, but how low will it go? We’ll have to see!

Filed under: Blogroll

Why Body Fat Testing is So Important

One of the most overlooked aspects of any diet and fitness program is getting proper body fat testing assessments. This goes far beyond just looking at a weight scale and checking out how much you weigh. You want to know that all that weight you lost is from fat and taking the time to get regular body fat tests done will definitely help you make faster progress towards you goal.

If you’re on a weight loss program and have dropped some pounds, how do you know that the loss is from losing fat. The three main components of weight changes come from water, muscle and fat. So which one, or combination of the three, caused the weight loss. If you have regular body fat tests done, then you would know what kind of weight was lost.

Here is a key point. If you want to be successful in your weight management or fitness goals, then do what successful fitness people do. All the successful dieters and fitness pro’s will take measurements, track their results and adjust it accordingly to keep progressing towards their personal goal. If the results of a test show that a total of 15 pounds of body weight was lost, a few calculations will break down what component (water, muscle, or fat) had the majority of the weight change.

Here is an example to clarify how body fat testing and your weight loss goal goes hand in hand.

It’s the first week of your diet and fitness program and you want to make sure that you start it correctly. The local fitness center does physical assessments and body fat testing, so off to the gym you go to get checked and see where your levels are at. Six weeks later committing to a good diet and fitness program has resulted in a 15 pound weight loss. Now it’s time for another assessment to see the hard facts on how you’re progressing.

The results of the assessment will show how much of that 15 pounds was fat. Generally, if only 1 to 4 pounds of weight loss is water and muscle but the rest was fat, then the diet and fitness program is a success and you should continue on the program you’re on. If only 5 pounds of weight from the 15 is fat according to the body fat test, then there is a problem with the diet or fitness program you’re on. It would be wise to make some changes as this perhaps indicates that some dehydration or muscle wasting may be occurring. Continuing with the same program may cause a problem with your health if followed too long. In this case, a change in your program and another assessment 4 to 6 weeks later will determine if the new program is getting better results in fat loss instead of water or muscle loss.

If you are truly committed to lose fat and achieve good health and fitness, then you need to distinguish between just overall weight loss and true fat loss. As you continue your weight loss program, each body fat test gives you the chance to make small changes in diet or exercise routines to see if the next assessment produces better results. Not only does this get you closer to what the ideal program is for you, but it also helps keep you focused on staying with the program and not give up or quit. You will stay motivated by trying to better the last assessment.

Now that we see the importance of body fat testing, your first step is to decide if you want a professional assessment person to test you, or if you want to learn to do it yourself. There are advantages and disadvantages to each decision.

A professional body fat tester can usually be found in most fitness centers and gyms. They have the experience, knowledge and tools to make accurate tests and can suggest a course of action to improve the results of the next test. It takes on the average of about 15 to 30 minutes to complete and you will get a copy of the test to keep. The cost can range between twenty to fifty dollars per test and should be done every 4 to 6 weeks. Some disadvantages are the costs to having it done, searching out a qualified assessment professional and perhaps the slight embarrassment you may feel to have test done.

If you decide to do the test yourself, you will need to learn how to take proper body fat measurements, purchase the tools or equipment for accurate assessments and keep testing many times in order to learn how to do it correctly. An advantage to do your own test is that you can have the privacy and convenience of testing as many times and often as you want in your own home.

Most people will want someone else to do it because of the learning curve involved to take accurate assessments. Another valid reason is to have the option of some suggestions by the professional on what you can do tweak your current program and make solid improvements for the next test. Now that you know the importance of body fat testing, you should do a little research and get more details on how to incorporate it into your program. This just may be the key ingredient for you to make real progress towards your weight loss and fitness goal.

By Peter Marino

President of

Fitness3.com

Filed under: Fitness , body fat, body fat testing, fitness professional, personal trainer, weight loss

Pilates Exercise Equipment for Fun and Fitness

Step inside any health and fitness club and you will quickly notice that Pilates classes are always filled to capacity. Pilates is a favorite fitness program for strengthening and developing balance within the mid-section of the body, otherwise known as the “core”. Pilates can be performed without the need for complicated pieces of equipment. However, there are certain items that can make the exercises more comfortable and can help your body get more out of the exercises.

Pilates Mat
The Pilates mat really only helps with one thing; a hard exercise floor. Most of the Pilates exercises involve the participant stretching and performing strength exercises while laying down, kneeling or sitting. Having a non-slip Pilates mat will increase comfort and allow the time to be spent concentrating on the exercise rather than the pain that is shooting into your back as a result of the cold, hard floor. A quality Pilates mat will be durable, can be rolled for travel and storage and can be washed when needed.

Pilates Ball
A Pilates ball can also be used for comfort when performing the exercises. Certainly many of the movements can be done while sitting on the ball which seems to be much better than simply sitting on the hard gym floor. However, it should not be presumed that this will be easy as a separate benefit of the ball is it forces the participant to control their balance as they are performing the exercises. This allows your body, and particularly your core, to gain the maximum benefit from the exercise.

Pilates Machine
The reformer is a Pilates machine that, while looking extremely complicated, is actually a very elegant machine that allows the participant to work the core with basic yet precise movements. The reformer consists of a sliding platform with springs connected to a spring bar that allows the participant to vary the resistance. The sliding platform or carriage is where the participant will sit, kneel, lay or stand as they perform the exercises. The carriage moves up and back as they push on the footbar. There is a headrest and shoulder block that is used to keep the participant steady within the machine.

Pilates is an exercise program that focuses on strengthening the core muscles group. Pilates exercise equipment enhances the exercises and makes the routine more comfortable. This allows the participant to get the most out of the program and enjoy better health.

For pilates equipment and more go to: PerformBetter

By Peter Marino of Fitness3.com and GreenwichPersonalTrainer.com

Filed under: Fitness , , exercise, Fitness, fitness equipment, pilates