Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . .

Posted by: Anonymous

Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 01/04/02 12:36 PM

Well, those are my two main goals in the subject; decrease total body fat, increase my metabolic efficiency. Is there anyone out there who knows a good diet for this?

I am very active. I work out (with weights) twice weekly before karate. I do this in a circuit-training pattern. I run about 2 1/2 miles every morning before breakfast. I am 18 and male.

Thanks in advance!
Posted by: JasonV

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 08/31/03 10:33 AM

Hello,

I know a bit about nutrition needs for athletes. Hopefully this information can help you or anyone else who happens upon it. The most important part of your diet is water. When designing a diet plan try to do something you can maintain for the rest of your life. If you cut too many calories out of your daily intake (especially with that high of an activity level) you will lose muscle mass. Always try to eat clean foods like friuts, vegetables, whole grain wheats, complex carbs versus simple sugars, and cleaner sources of protein such as fish, and chicken instead of primarily red meat and pork (a definite no-no). Lastly, read up on the subject yourself, or even take a Human Nutrition class! Good Luck!
Posted by: UKfightfreak

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 08/31/03 11:07 AM

JasonV has some good points, but I will add if I may.

Cut down on the carbs, carbs make you fat. An example of a marathon runner who was on an ultra low fat diet dropped dead with a heart attack, his autopsy revealed his arteries were 98% occluded with fat.

This is because of too many carbs and not enough fat - remember fat should still be in your diet, else your body with think it is not getting enough and then take the carbs and uses them for energy stores.

The moral of this story, eat a balanced diet and try to get your fats from things such as fish, olive oil and peanut oils avoiding fats that are in margarines (hydrogynated fats) that have no biological value.

And no alcohol - very bad if you want to lose weight - I'm not that bothered so the six pack will have to wait LOL!
Posted by: ishinnick

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 08/31/03 06:39 PM

The Zone diet is supposed to be good for athletes.
Posted by: nindz

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 11/21/03 07:20 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JasonV:
Hello,

I know a bit about nutrition needs for athletes. Hopefully this information can help you or anyone else who happens upon it. The most important part of your diet is water. When designing a diet plan try to do something you can maintain for the rest of your life. If you cut too many calories out of your daily intake (especially with that high of an activity level) you will lose muscle mass. Always try to eat clean foods like friuts, vegetables, whole grain wheats, complex carbs versus simple sugars, and cleaner sources of protein such as fish, and chicken instead of primarily red meat and pork (a definite no-no). Lastly, read up on the subject yourself, or even take a Human Nutrition class! Good Luck!
[/QUOTE]

Interesting tip there about red meats and pork, out of curiousity, why not eat them?
Posted by: UKfightfreak

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 11/23/03 10:19 AM

Red meats and pork have a high fat content and are difficult to digest - As far as I know.

I still eat them!
Posted by: karate-do

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 12/16/03 12:18 PM

I have a very simular work out reigeme to you vash and i find that just eating less of what youd normally help normally does the trick or higher reps in your excersises or less carbs
Posted by: MikeMartial

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 01/28/04 10:36 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by UKfightfreak:
Red meats and pork have a high fat content and are difficult to digest - As far as I know.

I still eat them!
[/QUOTE]

Let me add, can be high in "saturated" fats. Lean red meat and pork isn't as bad as some think, and are still great sources of high quality protien. Just pick leaner cuts when at the market. Chicken and turkey are leaner, though. But never forget fish, a great source of protien and EFA's.
Posted by: Knotty D

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 02/21/04 09:21 AM

From what I have read running before breakfast as a good idea is a myth... think about the word breakfast. Break is self explanitory. FAST is in not eating.. so your breaking your fast of not eating for atleast 8 hours...even if you dont feel hungary your body is... when you work out under these conditions you may assume your burning body fat rather then calories of the food you eat... one probelm here you will burn away muscil before you will fat when your body feels like its not going to get nutritional nurishment.... eat something small an hour before you work out. a bananda, a small portion of oatmeal(not instant) even if you dont like breakfast just drink a morning meal suppliment like "carnation breakfast to go" even. rule of thumb is for a small snake wait one hour for a larger meal wait 2 hours before you work out... Another thing that will help tremendously in increasing your metabolisum is eat smaller portions and more of them. so instead of 3 meals a day eat 5 or 6 and make them smaller.. and never eat within 2 or so of going to sleep.. I am also in the same boat im only starting to get into a good healthy lifestyle but these things will help.

[This message has been edited by Knotty D (edited 02-21-2004).]
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 06/29/04 09:32 PM

Has anyone ever heard of the Lean & Fit program. Our dojo started teaching it to students and the public and the results are great. Mostly everyone lost 5-10 pounds the first 2 weeks, and some the first few days. Eat depends on your eating habits and how much you exercise. Instead of eating 3 large meals like most of us do, break your diet into 5 smaller meals. If you cut your 3 main meals portions smaller and add a small snack in between breakfast-lunch and lunch-dinner it can be beneficial. This in return speeds your metabolism fast, no joke. My girlfriend lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. No special diet is required just watch what you eat and stay active. It's really all you have to do.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 07/15/04 07:03 AM

At my dojo we were told not to go along with these fad diets, just eat sensibly. If you train enough then there wont be a problem, will there? Ive been training for 20 years (im 39) since joining the army at 19, and you should see the stuff that goes into those nato ration packs! (EVERYTHING has baked beans, and the sausages and burger(-ish) things have lumps of fat in em) Add that to the fact that im a traditional Yorkshire lad (yep, english) and eat bacon butties every morning, my cholesterol is still slap-bang in the middle of the healthy category. Fad diets are rubbish.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 07/15/04 10:04 AM

Do not eliminate carbs- they don't 'make you fat.' Unused carbohydrates and sugars get turned into fat for storage in the body. In a healthy, active body, carbs are the cleanest burning fuel available. They should constitute most of your diet, but you have to be able to burn them efficiently. So you have to be active, ie, training 1-2 times per day, cross training, runnning, whatever. Proteins should be around 20% of the overall intake. Get it from lean chicken, fish, or, even better, soy products. Don't listen to Atkins- too much protein will damage the liver and kidneys over time. Get the carbs from whole brown rice, other grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Don't eat junk food or fast food. Cut back (or out) on processed foods. Get your fats mainly from vegetable oils (olive is the best) and the occasional butter, or other dairy products. Split meals up into 4-5 smaller meals, eaten whenever you feel signifigantly hungry. It takes a little discipline at first, but it will provide you with less fat and more lean muscle, as well as better overall health endurance.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 07/26/04 08:34 PM

I have not been on the Atkins plan, except the induction portion of it, for 3 months. Meat and fats are increased, but so are my vegetables in like proportion. My weight has remained the same, and lean muscle mass is increasing with the same amount of effort as with the USDA-type diet.

No-carbs was the way I would choose to eat as a child. Maybe your natural way would be better for you.
Posted by: laf7773

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 07/27/04 01:42 AM

Don't listen to Atkins- too much protein will damage the liver and kidneys over time.

Atkins isn't meant for long term in the sense that you continue to eat the same way for ever. In the beginning your carbs are at about 20 grams per day for only 2-3 weeks. From there you move up in stages till you reach a maintenance stage. At this point you are eating a more balanced diet. You still need to work out and eat right. Atkins is a very good diet for some people but it's not for everyone.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 07/27/04 10:39 AM

Dig this month's Mens Health, see the "lose your Gut" article.

FWIW, here's a sort of quick compliation of all nutrition info I've been reading over the past year or so, just off the top of my head, making no claims to be an expert:

Lean meats are good, but don't over do it. A "serving" of meat is supposed to be about the size of your hand or a deck of cards, no 16 oz steaks. Most animal fats are saturated, which is why people tell you to avoid red meat (don't, but don't eat too much in a sitting). Keep them in moderation to avoid saturated fats, this makes Turkey and buffalo good choices, but small servings of red meat are healthful too.

Fats are ok, if they're good fats, like olive oil, or any oil with high ratio of Omega-3 fatty acids. Adding fish and flax seeds (or flax oil or flour) to your diet is a great source of omega 3's. Transfats, such as margerine are evil! "FAT FREE" is evil, as it's usually from a laboratory and carcinogenic, or so loaded with sugar and salt as to be almost poisonous.

Whole grains good, refined ones, bad.
Refined (white) Sugar is evil. Other sugars are also bad. (which totally sucks!) It's these refined carbs that you want to cut, but whole-grain carbs take a long time for your body to convert them to sugar, so they're okay (assuming your not diabetic, then ask your doctor).

Fruit is good, but a little sugary, therefore vegetables are better, though berries and apples are loaded with good nutrients and antioxidants and stuff, so eat them. 2-3 fruits a day and 3-5 vegetables sounds about right.

With Vegetables, go for a rainbow: all colors, green leafy ones like spinach (good source of iron, I believe), but also get yellow peppers and red things and lots of tomatoes. (lycopine, you see) Broccolli is good too.

Almonds and other nuts are really good for you, just don't eat a 5 lb bag in a sitting (they're rich in minerals, nutrients and "good fats" but too much of anything is no good)

Eggs are good. THe current thinking is that injested cholesterol does not increase your blood cholesterol, and the protein and nutrient rich eggs are just plain good for you, if you don't fry them in too much butter, or coar them in holendaise sauce or anything like that. Poach them to reduce the fat you add in keeping them from sticking to your pans. Or make an omlette with 1 whole egg and 2-3 egg whites.

Drink plenty of water. 8 cups yadda yadda yadda. Ideally drink nothing but water (fun, I know). For example, a bottle of snapple has like, 240 calories all of sugar. yikes! I've lost 10 lbs just by cutting out soda and sweetend iced tea.

Add a little dairy every day, something like lowfat organic yogurt, maybe in a smoothy or something. The calcium and whatever are good, but stay away from the fatty products (though fat free ones are usually full of weird chemicals you can't even pronounce... i like to stay away from those. Remember, "Fat Free" is evil).

This part will really answer your question:

Don't eat "three square"... have 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day so your blood sugar levels don't rise and fall. This will increase your metabolism effeciency too.

To get the metabolism going, excercise upon waking BEFORE eating anything. Add muscle mass, muscles burn up calories just sitting there. The excercise will boost your metabolism, and keep it going for a while, and reduce your appetite, so you'll eat less, and your body will better burn up what you eat.

For all the dietary advice above, everything should be fresh and organic if possible. Stay away from chemical processed foods and fast food.

Most importantly, one or two meals a week, totally forget the "rules" and eat whatever the hell you want. It's the best way to avoid binging! a nibble of chocolate or two (but not a whole snickers) won't kill your diet, you know?

Sorry that's so disorganized... hope it helps though!
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 09/16/04 10:48 PM

come on, you wanna see disorganized, look at this... heh heh. sorry. lots of really good advice in here. a couple of things that come to mind, though...fruits and vegetables ARE carbohydrates. just not complex carbs. think about that. also, many olympic athletes consume diets approximately 30% fat. just not the marathon runners, and who wants to look like that anyway? my advice for sensible eating is to manage your protein/fat intake. really keep an eye on it. eat just enough complex carbs to make your tastebuds happy and adjust your cardio to suit. fill up on the fruits and vegetables. they've got a lot of water so i don't tend to "feel" them for very long. 4-5 meals a day also really good advice. also, keep your cardio to less than 30 minutes (including warm-up) or less than 20 minutes (occluding warm-up). back to the marathon guys again. compare one to a sprinter. sprinters are way ripped. lots of hormonal things going on there. and we know that muscle mass increases the resting metabolic rate. eat a snack RIGHT AFTER WORKING OUT. from the weight room to the dining room. shouldn't be just protein, though. digesting carbs prompts the release of insulin into the blood stream, which encourages the absorption of nutrients into the muscles. back to the muscle mass thing. enough rambling now. i'm much better with conversation!! lol
tony
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 09/19/04 11:51 AM

Try drinking 3 cups of green tea a day, one before exercise.

or try suppliments such as Lean system 7, or xenadrine efx- with a low fat diet you will get good results.
Posted by: 1st Round KO

Re: Decrease Body Fat/Increase Metabolic Efficiency . . . - 09/22/04 07:59 PM

i would stay away from the xenadrine for sure...thats just bad news.

a simple and proven way to increase resting metabolism and consequently body fat is intense weight training and dieting along with a good cardio program.

lift heavy, eat smart and run...pretty simple and it works !!!