# A basic primer for proper nutrition and avoiding fad dieting



## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

*A PRIMER FOR PROPER NUTRITION, AND AVOIDING FAD DIETING
* 
***I will attempt to edit and amend this entry over time as questions or comments come in

**NOTE:* I recommend setting up a free account at a site, such as www.FitDay.com and/or www.BodyBuilder.com to track your diet and activity.

*1) CALCULATING CALORIC REQUIREMENTS*

*a) First: calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)*

BMR is the bare minimum caloric intake your body requires to function in a sedentary state...e.g., laying on the couch all day.

to estimate your BMR, visit a site like MyFitnessPal:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

**NOTE:* this is only an approximation - it is not as accurate for those who are very overweight or underweight.

*b) Next, you must determine Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)*

NEAT are the calories required for general daily activities: checking the mail, walking the dog, shopping, etc.

Use the following chart to estimate your approximate activity ratio:

-BMR x 1.1-1.2: Sedentary lifestyle [e.g., office workers who are couch potatoes]

-BMR x 1.3-1.4: Light lifestyle [social sports, or light exercise <1 hour, 1-3 days per week]

-BMR x 1.5-1.6: Moderate lifestyle [regular sports, or moderate exercise, 1 hour, 3-5 days per week]

-BMR x 1.7-1.8: High lifestyle [competitive athlete, strenuous exercise, 1.5-2 hrs, 6-7 days per week]

-BMR x 1.9-2.0: Extreme lifestyle [professional athlete, intense exercise, >2 hours per day, 6-7 days per week]

NEAT = (BMR x ratio) - BMR

*c) Next, Determine Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT)

*EAT is the caloric output used during exercise activities

Use this exercise calorie counter to estimate how many calories you burn during a particular activity:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-fitness-calorie-counter

*d) Finally, Determine the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

*TEF is how many calories your body burns to process food

On average, 15% of your caloric intake will be required to process food (as low as 5% for hi-carb diets, and as high as 25% for hi-protein diets)

*The sum of the above factors determine your Total Energy Expenditure or caloric maintenance: the quantity of calories required to maintain your body's current activity level.

TEE = BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF

*NOTE: *monitor your statistics on a weekly basis; if no changes take affect between 2-4 weeks, you have found your Maintenance level - otherwise, make adjustments as needed.
*
a) For those who wish to **lose weight**: *Reduce your TEE by 15%

*b) For those who wish to **gain weight* (yes, those people exist, whether from eating disorders, or body builders)*: *Increase your TEE by 15%

**NOTE:* Monitor your statistics on a weekly basis: healthy weight loss should be about 1-2 pounds per week; healthy weight gain should be about 0.5-1 pound per week. Make small adjustments as needed: +/- 5%

*2) CALCULATING MACRO-NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS

*Macro-nutrients, often referred to as 'Macros,' are composed of *a)* *Proteins, b) Fats, and c) Carbohydrates

*Macros should be determined based on your body's mass.

First, determine your protein requirement - second, your fat requirement; the remaining calorie balance should be comprised of a combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

**NOTE:* Pay attention to food labels to determine macros; weigh fresh and/or raw ingredients (in grams) as necessary if accurate nutritional labeling is unavailable (meat from the butcher, fresh veggies from the garden, etc.; use Fitday.com to determine to caloric and macro content of such foods)

*a) Proteins:

*1 gram protein = 4 calories
Depending on one's activity level and desired physique, use the following multiplier to determine what quantity of protein you should be consuming:

-sedentary to light activity: 0.6-0.8 grams per pound body weight
-moderate activity: 0.9-1.2 grams per pound body weight
-high activity: 1.0-1.35 grams per pound body weight (particularly for those wishing to begin strength training)

*a) Fats:

*1 gram fat = 9 calories

Fats are essential for many of the body's activities, especially mental health.

-For people with lean to average body fat %, aim for 0.4 grams per pound body weight
-For those with high body fat, 0.4 grams per pound LEAN body weight

**NOTE: *in order to determine a relatively accurate assumption of body fat percentage, you will need access to a body fat caliper - gym memberships often provide this service for free; you can purchase a caliper from sports and nutrition stores, but it is important that you follow the instructions accurately and consistently - it is easier for someone to assist you, than to attempt it by yourself.

body fat interpretation chart for reference:

http://www.fitness-and-bodybuilding...dy-Fat-Interpretation-Chart-photo-on-site.jpg

*a) Carbohydrates:

*1 gram carbohydrate = 4 calories

*Vegetables should be your primary source of carbs (yep...veggies are carbs); fruits a little less so, followed by whole grains.*

**NOTE:* Determining an appropriate intake of carbohydrates will require some experimentation - higher activity levels allow for higher carb intake; use your EAT calculations to determine appropriate quantity of carbs; also, time your intake for activity: simple carbs are available for metabolism within 30 minutes; complex carbs take approximately 1-2 hours. 

The quantity of carbs "needed" by the body is hotly debated, and I will not attempt to make a recommendation, but rather some simple guidelines to determine how to fit them into your lifestyle and diet if you choose to. Despite some opinions, carbs can and do serve a purpose: they act as a primary source of energy. Simple carbs (honey, peanut butter, etc) provide quick sources of energy, whereas complex carbs allow for slower release of energy (whole grains, vegetables).

It isn't necessarily that carbs are 'bad' for us, but rather the fact that it is so easy to consume them in excess, particularly simple carbs with no nutritional value (cookies, crackers, chips, etc.). Whereas proteins and fats provide the primary MACRO-nutrients required for rebuilding our bodies, 'good' carbs provide us with essential micro-nutrients, and fiber needed for healthy digestion. It is advisable that they be consumed in the mornings as a source of energy to start the day, and to balance out blood sugar after sleeping. Carbs are a good way to balance out your TEE after achieving your other macro quotas. Even then, it isn't absolutely necessary - you are free to fill the deficit with any combination of protein and/or fat and/or carbs so long as you keep within your TEE alotment for your goals. However, I will advise that some quantity of carbs be consumed to balance out the acid rich nature of proteins, and to add fiber to your system to maintain healthy digestion.
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Resources and References Used:

Emma-Leigh Synnott 
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
Mayo Clinic
WebMD


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## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

Corrections & clarifications & an example:

the activity multiplier in section 1b takes NEAT + EAT + TEF int account; EAT & TEF and relatively quantifiable...NEAT is more difficult to approximate with numbers, therefore all three are lumped into the one ratio.

So, BMR x (activity multiplier) = approximate caloric maintenance level.

Example: I calculate my BMR via the website linke above at 1900 kcals

I lift weights hard for 1-1.5 hours a day, 3-5 days a week, but typically sit in front of the computer for the rest of the day, so I apply the low end of the "moderate" multiplier, '1.5')

TEE = 1900 x 1.5 = 2850kcals

as a verification, I can check this with my EAT and TEF approximations:

I use the website linked above to approximate that I burn about 600 calories during a workout - therefore: 1900 + 600 = 2500

TEF = approximately 15% on top of that, so 2500 + (2500 x .15) = 2875.

As we can see, the multiplier is pretty close.

Now, I can calculate my macros:

Since I am a weightlifter, I aim for about 1.3 grams of protein per pound bodyweight = 275 grams; 1 gram = 4 cals, so protein kcals should be about 1102kcals.

I also shoot for 0.4 grams of fat per pound bodywieght = 85 grams; 1 gram of fat = 9 cals, so fat kcals = 763

the deficit = TEE - protein cals - fat cals = 635 kcals.


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## credee (Aug 17, 2013)

Read THE FOUR HOUR BODY, by timothy Ferris. he has a website by the same name, for ongoing info and video to show you things. It makes things much easier/quicker/safer to achieve.


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## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

Though I wouldn't promote his fad books, the basic diet he outlines on his blog are a good sample of the food items you should be sticking to:

lean meats, eggs, legumes, lots of green veggies, a bit of whole grains, and some dairy.

But it also depends on your goal: just burn fat? gain muscle?

You cannot just "eat as much as you want" as Ferriss says. Calories are calories, and you have to stick within the appropriate range to make an affect on your body, whether to gain muscle with a caloric surplus, or to shed fat, with a deficit.


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## credee (Aug 17, 2013)

If you read his book, you'll learn why calories are NOT 'just calories." There's a difference, one day a week, you can eat all the garbage you want, along with specific exercises, supplements, etc, to cause it to pass thru your body without increasing your average weight. Cheat day WILL jack up your weight a couple of lbs, but you'll lose it all the next day or 2. "Spiking carbs" in this manner actually helps you lose weight, and helps you maintain the diet in faithful manner, cause you KNOW that you can indulge on that "cheat day" The rest of the week, it's a boring, high protein, low carbs (no wheat, rice, potatos, no pasta, no sweets) sort of deal, with quite a bit of the RIGHT exercises, to high intensity.


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## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

yes, cheat days are important - it helps you keep mental focus, by helping you prevent cracking and binging out. But more importantly, it keeps your digestive track from hitting plateaus and becoming accustomed to particular diet, much like working out - you need a change-up.

My point is, however, his books use stereotypical lifestyle guru catchphrases that are dishonest and deceptive to reel people in, e.g., stating, "eat whatever you want, whenever you want it!" on the book description.You cannot pig out on 15,000 cals on your cheat day.

The guy has no expertise in what he's doing - he is a marketer who has lifted some general principles from experts, regurgitated them without a scientific understanding of their effects, and is looking for money, no different than someone like Tony Robbins.


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## CraterCove (Jan 24, 2011)

Well, technically you can only absorb so many calories a day. Therefore, once that threshold is reached all the calories are free!

Not that I'd recommend binging in that fashion... but technically, after a certain point it actually doesn't matter.


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