There has been a few threads concerning health and fitness, with most revolving around the workouts, or the exercise. The problem is, nutrition is as much, if not more important. You can hammer weights all day and have the best planned workout possible, but without the right foods and the right nutritional supplementation, you will stunt, if not regress in your attempt to get bigger, stronger or leaner. Most people here are on one of two plans, get leaner or get Bigger (more muscular).
For starters, the basics are the same, healthy proteins are the staple of either plan. 1.5 gms (avg) of protein per pound of body weight on either plan. How come both getting more muscle and losing fat need the same requirements. It comes down to muscle. You either want to build muscle or maintain it, and that requires a large amount of amino acids (protien) to do that. How come both need 1.5 gms per pound?
Heres an example
FTR member #1 wants to lose fat. He's 220 lbs and 30 lbs too heavy and needs approximately 2500 calories a day. By taking in our protein requirements, he will be eating 1.5 x 220 lbs= 330 gms of protein a day for 1320 calories. More than half of what we eat will be protein, add in some healthy fats and vegetables and you have 6 meals of 55 gms of protein with veggies and healthy fats at every meal, no room for refined or starchy carbs. Fat loss with any exercise regimen will be fool proof.
FTR member #2 wants to gain muscle. He's 150 lbs and 15 lbs too light and needs approximately 2250 calories a day. By taking in our protein requirements, he will be eating 1.5 x 150 lbs= 225 gms of protein a day for 900 calories. Almost half of what we eat will be protein, add in some clean starchy carbs (rice, potatoes, beans or whole grains) healthy fats and vegetables and you have 6 meals of 37.5 gms of protein. When eating like this with starchy carbs and healthy fats you can be constantly feeding the metabolism with carbs and fats, all the while preserving the protein for constant feeding of muscles for repair and growth.
Pretty simple.
That information is a trade off. What do I need? I need some variety. I have been on bulking, cutting and maintenance diets for over 12 years, until this last year or two. I want to find some new foods I can eat that others may use for thier "diets" or jsut have as a favorite in the rotation.
Here is the requirements.
1) High protein.
2) Low carbs. ( No potatoes, rice, bread, flour, sugar) No carrots or corn either.
3 ) Either protein dish, vegetable side or full meal.
4) Easy to make. Everyone has a problem with making food when on a "plan". Eating 5 or 6 times a day will make you feel like you are in the kitchen more than the gym. More complicated things are able to be made once and separated, but they can't all be like that. I am looking for things that can be made before work, or bought during lunch and either assembled or nuked.
5) Not "low fat". Fats are ok when working out and avoiding carbs. Obviously there is a limit, but healthy oils and nuts are great. (egg yolks too)
Right now, I am living on beef, chicken, eggs, protein drinks, salads, spaghetti squash, cabbage, some raw carrots, celery and avacado.
