Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait
Eating out isn’t necessarily a problem, but can be a fuss to those around me. I start by scanning the restaurant’s menu for a lean source of protein, followed by a good source of carbs and a great source of fat. Usually, I pick a great option, a good option and a decent option; the waiter that’s about to approach me is bound to shut me down with words like fried, breaded and sauteed, so might as well make due with other sources since I’m already at my 3 hour mark and my muscles are aching for some food.
Me: “I’ll have the Cajun Chicken Platter with no Monterey jack cheese, crisps, refried black beans and mashed potatoes.”
Waiter: “You mean you want the Cajun Chicken Platter with absolutely nothing on it?”
Me: “Yes, but I’m not done yet. Do you serve sweet potato?”
Waiter: “No sir, we only serve mashed potatoes.”
Me: “Do you mash it in with butter?”
Waiter: “I’m not sure sir.”
Me: “Would you ask someone that knows please.”
Accompanying Friend: “Dude, are you serious? No he’s not doing that.”
Me: “Ok, may I have a baked potato please.”
Waiter: “I’m sorry sir, we serve only mashed potatoes.”
Me: “Are they mashed before or after they arrived in the kitchen?”
Waiter: “After sir.”
Me: “Ok, so take one unmashed medium sized potato and bake or boil it.”
Waiter: “I’m sorry sir, we cannot do that.”
Annoying Fat Friend: “FHAID! Cut that crap out! I want to order!”
Me: “Ok Ok. I’ll have the Cajun Chicken Platter with nothing on it, and only broccoli on the side. Is the broccoli sauteed or steamed?”
Friend: “F*ck you.”
I am literally a waiter’s worst nightmare and I don’t care. I even question a restaurant’s supposedly healthier options, and after a thorough investigation (i.e. annoying the hell out of the restaurant’s staff) it doesn’t seem healthy at all. I persuade any health conscious individual to do the same.
The Awesome Subject at Hand
I was contacted by a 248am subscriber in order to help him out with a diet plan. His routine was simple and average, and could easily relate to anyone who decides to pursue the healthy lifestyle, so I used him as an example in order to explain the ins and outs of nutrition calculation and timing. Hopefully, I’ll be able to simplify things as much as possible.
Hi, my name is Amgad.
Amgad’s a 15 year old middle school student. Details below:
Height: 186cm
Weight: 107kg
Favorite Food: KFC and Italian.
Worst Food: Spinach
1) Before posting up his diet, I’ll need to calculate his BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)referenced from my carb post (Part 1.5: The Letter P, C and F). Amgad is 20kg over his optimal weight, and since he doesn’t lift any weights, I’m willing to assume those 20kg are composed of fat and a little bit of water retention. The calculations below will be based on 87kg of lean body mass.
66 + ( 13.7 x 87 ) + ( 5 x 186 ) – ( 6.8 x 15 ) = 2,085.9 <–BMR
2) Activity Level: Amgad has just started jogging 5 times a week for 30-45 minutes in order to improve his cardiovascular health. In this regard, his body is not yet primed for fat-burning so I’ll be sticking to no activity level.
3) Goal:Fat-loss. Amgad wants to lose significant fat by April, which is realistic but not necessarily healthy. He will lose weight, but 20kg is an impossibility unless he decides to jog for 5 hours a day.
I’ll be deducting 500 calories from his calorie intake above, which will bring the total down to 1,503.08 or 1,500 calories for the sake of simplicity.
4) Ratios:
Protein: 0.5g x 191lbs = 95 of protein (I usually give a larger ratio of protein, but Amgad’s young and his stress levels won’t be taxed too much)
Carbohydrates: 20% of total calorie intake = 400 calories divided by 4 (4 calories per gram of carbs) which equals to 100g of carbs
Fat: As per my recommendations on “The Fatty Truth”, 70g of fat to deal with the stress of dieting should suffice.
Protein Calories: 380
Carb Calories: 400
Fat Calories: 630
Total Calories: 1,410 (actual diet will differ from this amount. This will only serve as a base for me to follow).
Things to consider: Protein & fat will be included in all Amgad’s meals and carbohydrates will be excluded after 3 pm. Water consumption is included. Below is his diet based on his daily timings:
6:30 am: Upon Waking:
500ml of Water to kick start his metabolism and lubricate his digestive tract.
6:45 am: Breakfast
3 scrambled eggs + 1 Glass of Fresh Orange Juice
– 375 calories, 27g of protein, 25g of carbs, 15g of fat
10:00 am: Mid Morning Snack
1 KFC Chicken Sandwich (Zinger or Twister Wrap) + 500ml of water
– 420 calories, 30g of protein, 32g of carbs, 21g of fat
1:00 pm: Mid Day Snack:
15 pieces of Raw Cashews + 500ml
– 168 calories, 8g of protein, 8g of carbs, 13g of fat
3:00 – 500ml of water
3:30 pm: Lunch
Half a chicken (skinless, steamed or grilled), red meat or fish. The protein portions will be equivalent of Amgad’s hand closed + 1/2 Cup of cooked or steamed white rice or white pasta + Salad: every veggie excluding carrots, corn and red beats + 2 tbsp of lemon & 2 tbsp of white, balsamic or apple cider vinegar
– 350 calories, 25g of protein, 30g of carbs, 5g of fat
6:30 – 1 Cup of plain Green Tea
Immediately After: Interval Cardio for 30 – 45 minutes + 500ml of water
Jog for 2 minutes, sprint for 1 minute, repeat.
7:30 – Early Dinner (Last Meal):
Repeat lunch, excluding the carb source. Include 1 tbsp of Olive Oil to the salad.
– 320 calories, 25g of protein, 10g of carbs, 20g of fat
9:30 – 500ml of water
Totals: 1,633 calories, 115g of protein, 105g of carbs, 74g of fat
Feel free to ask any questions in regards to his diet and I’ll be happy to answer. Further explanations would only prolong this post.
What About US!
There are rules and timings for each macro-nutrient. Ultimately, not all calories are equal; you can’t expect to go on 1,500 calories per day without knowing how to properly place your nutrients. I’ve talked to individuals who have lost massive amounts of fat, but plateaued after a few months. In order not to plateau both early and late into the fitness game, you need to maximize your nutrition timing in accordance to these rules:
1) Eat a moderate to high calorie breakfast, high in healthy fats, proteins and moderate in carbohydrates. Research has proven that a breakfast high in both fats and proteins provide the much needed fat-burning boost our bodies need in the morning.
2) Eat every 3 hours. If you have unstoppable sugar cravings that you can’t control, or cannot live with a certain entree’, then feel free to eat it 3 hours after you consume breakfast. By this time, you’ll feel super hungry, which is a clear sign that your metabolism is working on full blast. Do your body a favor and give it another challenge; just don’t over do it.
3) Cancel starchy carbs after lunch. You need carbs in the morning to fuel your body for energy; the carb load from the first 3 meals will last you 8-12 hours after consumption, enough to sustain a fast metabolism and strong insulin sensitivity in the morning. As mentioned in my earlier post, the pancreas secretes insulin to metabolize sugars that are broken down from the consumption of carbs. These insulin spikes block fat-burning momentarily (1-3 hours), but not to the point where you won’t be burning calories. By the inclusion of carbs in the morning and the exclusion of carbs after 3 pm, we create a double-edged sword that provides a metabolic boost (calorie burning) in the morning and a fat-burning boost (self explanatory) in the evening. The end result? YOU’RE BURNING CALORIES AND FAT 24/7!
4) Graze on protein all day. If any of you knew how many calories it takes to burn a few grams of protein you’d be eating an entire cow right now or chasing down a live chicken. Nothing gives your metabolism a kick more than protein. Moreover, fat-burning is not blocked; it’s actually enhanced. This means that you’ll burn more fat consuming a mere 15-30g of protein per meal.
5) Fat burns stubborn fat. Without the inclusion of starchy carbs, the combination of protein and fat is extraordinary. The inclusion of fat to a very low carb meal further enhances fat-burning by the means of “ketosis”. The body has no carbs for energy, so it uses up stubborn fat as an energy source. This can be achieved with the consumption of protein only, but for a very short period of time due to health-related reasons. Including fats into the mix achieves a greater ketogenic response; it’s like sneaking in enemy territory (stubborn fat) with the help of a traitor (extra virgin olive oil).
6) The more meals, the better. Assuming you eat 3 meals a day, adding 2 more meals (1 in between breakfast & lunch, the other in between lunch and dinner) would help minimize your hunger cravings significantly. The longer you wait between meals, the lower your blood sugar levels drop. The lower your blood sugar levels, the greater your hunger and cravings.
7) For all of the above processes to work efficiently, you’ll need a source of transportation: WATER. Nothing will go as planned if water is not included into the equation. I’ve seen individuals diet harder than I do and still struggle to lose a kilogram, simply because they don’t feel like drinking any water.
What About ME! I’m not FAT! I WANT TO GAIN MUSCLE!
The rules below are more or less the same from the ones above, but differ in terms of timing due to a factor called weight-lifting. The rules:
1) Eat a high protein, high carb, moderate fat breakfast. Cortisol is a muscle-wasting hormone that releases in the case of stress or the lack of food. After a 6-8 hour sleep/fast, cortisol is at its highest in the morning and has to be lowered in order to spare muscle and start the reconstruction of new muscle which was achieved by yesterday’s workout.
2) Eat every 3 hours. Why is it so hard to build muscle and so easy to gain fat? Our bodies hate lean muscle mass since it consumes every calorie that gets into our system and saves nothing for the rest; our bodies will try as they can to counteract this by increasing the fat-t0-muscle ratio. In order to avoid this, we need to consume calories every 3 hours to boost our metabolism and feed our muscle. Constant eating will promote a better state of muscle growth, otherwise known as anabolism (the promotion of muscle growth).
3) Carbs are necessary for muscle growth. The consumption of carbohydrates throughout the day will prove beneficial by shuttling nutrients (protein, fat, vitamins and minerals) into the muscle and provide energy to go through an intense workout. However, if not timed and proportioned correctly, carbs can also be the enemy. Assuming your total carb intake is 200g, 30% of that amount is to be consumed after training and 70% throughout the day.
4) Fat is the true muscle builder. Weight-lifting induces inflammations, and the only way to reduce these inflammations is by the consumption of a nutrient that can reduce this output. The inclusion of healthy fats does just that. Moreover, when combined with carbohydrates, fats reduce the amount of insulin secreted to minimize fat-blocking and fat-retention.
5) Nitrogen Balance/Retention. Why do athletes consume a lot of protein? In order to build an adequate amount of muscle, our bodies have to be at an anabolic state 24/7; this can only happen with proper nitrogen retention/balance. Nitrogen is a main body component required for both tissue protein synthesis and the production of several nitrogenous compounds involved in the production of hormones, immune mediators, and antioxidant defense. When nitrogen is at a balance, the body maintains a perfect state of muscle reconstruction and repair. Nitrogen imbalance can occur if there is too little or too much protein consumption.
6) Water, water and MORE WATER. Our muscles are composed of 78% water and 22% protein. Weight-lifting or exercising in general without the consumption of water is similar to running a car without oil; it’ll rust, clank, squeak, smoke and eventually breakdown. More so, anyone and everyone needs a minimum of (get ready for this) 3.7 liters (1 gallon) of water PER DAY!
The above rules are an introductory to a muscle-building post I will be dedicating for next time.
Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait
Picutre by Piccolina Photography
37 replies on “The Letters P, C and F: The Finale”
2 Things
1) Why did u not include carrots in the salad?
2) In the light dinner, you said to not include the carbs and add a tablespoon of olive oil. The nutrition did not significantly change except for lower carbs and higher fat. Does 1 tablespoon of olive oil really add 15g of fat??
Ahmed,
1) Carrots are very high in sugar. I’ve seen people “break” more than “make” with the inclusion of carrots. Excluding them proved beneficial.
2) 1 tablespoon of any liquid oil will equal 13-15g of fat. Carbs are used to fuel our bodies for energy, so why would he need a readily absorbed energy source at night when activity levels are low and insulin sensitivity is weak?
I’d would like to know whhhhhy its so erratic, complex and specific.
Like why can he only have olive oil in his salad dressing for dinner, not lunch? Why cant he have 1/2 a cup of pasta with dinner? 1/2 a cup isn’t that much, how much of a difference can it make? If its glucose spiking you’re worried about, what about low GI carbs then?
So I mainly calorie count, about 1500 a day. Lean protein, brown carbs, low sugar fruit/veg, healthy fats; avocado, nuts etc… Isn’t that healthy enough?
Great post Fahad, thanks for all the info.
Carrots are high in sugar?
You mean more Cotton Candy? LOL
Thanks for your post Fahad. I’m one of those people that are losing weight but are on a plateau right now. I found my answer to my problem in your post and hopefully a solution will be apparent in the next coming weeks. I was just wondering if you’re going to continue posting other subjects about fitness, etc.. later on? I for one am very curious to know about weight lifting, muscle building, whey protein shakes, and etc.
Thanks for all your help!
Zaid
Fahad,
Great post as usual.
With the KFC sandwich, what r the rules regarding cheese and mayo? i’m guessing neither is allowed
Dear Fahad,
I have been following your posts very closely for the past few weeks so I could finally ask you for some specific health advice for me. Is possible that we can email each other?? Hope you don’t mind.
Regards,
Scott
Hi,
Your posts are pretty interesting. i’m looking to gain muscle and i’ve been working out for a while. Your posts were easy to follow, but one problem i face is finding different foods that carry the necessary nutrients.
Can you help out by providing examples of foods rich in carbs, fat, & protein?
With limited access to healthy food, and 8-9 hours in the office, i need to get creative with snacks that help my out!
Thanks!
What about whey protien shakes, any recommendation ?The ones I tried taste really bad and I was wondering how I could consume protein in the most efficient way.
Thanks alot Fahad, really appreciate it!
Ill definatly be sticking to that till april
@ Realist
Watch Rocky part 1, dude!
@Fahad- ive mailed you..pls check it out
Great post. I laughed at the first part.
I think your friend was right to say “f*ck you”. Restaurants are not really geared towards such specific requests and will end up messing up your order anyway – increasing the frustration levels on both sides (you – because you did not get what you wanted, and for the waiters because you are acting like a prick as far as they are concerned). I do hope that restaurants do figure out that a selection of clients are serious about their fitness and cater for their needs.
Fahad, I have a question regarding water. A trainer recently advised me to reduce my water intake because he claims the water in Kuwait (both municipal & bottled) have a high sodium content which will result in fat. I researched and did not find any evidence to corroborate this. All I found is that sodium will cause water retention; not weight gain. What’s you take on this? BTW, I did not take his advice and maintained my water intake to around 8-10 glasses a day.
Fahad … i have a question? I am not a very disciplined person, unfortunately (or not) … I’ve started working out and losing weight and am happy with the way things are going at the moment …. but i really have no routine and no food plan … i was able to cut all the really bad stuff (fried&co.) ….but i still lack an understanding of what’s good and bad … and am losing weight mostly becoz my food intake now is much lower than it used to be .. is there a diet plan for someone who doesn’t want a plan?! just and understanding of what’s good and wats a No No … ( thats my revenge for all the waiters out there!)
Thanx
lmao that’s EXACTLY what happens when I go out to dine with friends too. So nit-picky, calculated and precise. And why shouldn’t I be? I didn’t take any easy fix to get into shape. Hi Fahad. Another great post. Ever since I started getting healthy I researched and began eating a lot more good carbs. Whole wheat, slow acting, complex carbs etc. One of my faves is this mix of plain hummus and mashed foul beans. Qudsiya I think it’s called. Sampled a LOT of restaurants but canary, imo, is the best. I eat it for lunch once every 2 weeks. Have you ever tried it? If yes what’s your take on it? And regarding protein shakes. I used to drink ON’s vanilla WP w/skimmed milk on weight training days. Stopped in december though due to fear of addiction (was close to it). I make my own shakes now. S.milk, oats, pb (organic), banana, eggs etc. Always experimenting and hunting for recipes. What’s your viewpoint on eggs? How many a week is considered healthy to you? In your opinion do you think they’re more beneficial consumed raw (cue the rocky related replies), lightly boiled or fried? I have 5 a week with my breakfast on weight lifting days only. 2 scrambled whites on sundays, 2 boiled (1 hard 1 soft) on tuesdays and 1 raw which goes into my shake thursdays. Would my making it 6 eggs a week (2 raw w/1 yolk in my thursday shake) be harmful in anyway?
100 grams of raw carrots contains 5 grams of sugar.
Nothing to worry about. Do you know what 100 grams of raw carrots looks like?
If somebody trains in evening does that mean they must avoid carbohydrates in the evening too?
Too much voodoo!
I have heard that tomatoes will make your muscles fall off, but lycopene is anabolic!
I snack on beetroots and carrots :S
Sara,
To you it might seem erratic, complex and specific. To me it’s more similar to breathing.
1) Why does he need a nutrient that fuels his body for energy at night? It’s like lighting a rocket in a small room with a low ceiling; not very sensible. He needs the carbs at lunch to fuel his cardiovascular activity after 3 hours.
2) 1/2 cup of rice or pasta isn’t much at all, but a carb’s a carb, be it low or high-GI, it’ll eventually breakdown to glucose which’ll cause a small insulin spike. Lastly, insulin sensitivity is very weak at night and I’m willing to put my money on the fact that Amgad has a problem with consuming too many carbs at night, which resulted in his weight gain at a young age.
3) The above diet is specifically for Amgad. If you’re currently physically fit and healthy, then stick to your current diet. However, too much of a good thing can be bad for you, which is why people order more calories at Subway than McDonald’s.
_________________________________
nomaddia,
Thank you! It was my pleasure writing it :). I’m glad you enjoyed it.
_________________________________
Bu Yousef,
Whatever floats your boat 😛
_________________________________
Zaid
You’re welcome! Appreciate your kind words!
I’ll be posting exclusively about weight-lifting and muscle-building soon ensha’Allah. The reason I started out with nutrition is because people need to understand that exercise is only 20-30% of the health process. The rest is dedicated to proper nutrition, which is why people struggle with fat-loss and muscle-gain.
_________________________________
anony,
Thank you 🙂
Yes, both cheese and mayo are excluded (are you listening Amgad?). Fast-food sauces and toppings are very dense in calories. Adding those two things to any sandwich can result in a 200-300 calorie increase of mostly fat, then sugar.
_________________________________
Scott S P,
I’ll be more than happy to help you out :). Click on my username in pink and it’ll lead you to my blogger profile. Once there, you’ll know what to do. Drop me an email and I’ll reply as soon as I can.
_________________________________
feras,
Thank you :).
Your question is very general and I need to know details like what’s available to you and around you in regards to food.
If you go back to my posts, you’ll know exactly what foods you need to eat. As a temporary tip, here’s a small list of muscle-building foods, in their appropriate portions:
Protein:
4 whole eggs (protein & fat)
8 oz. Lean Red Meat
8 oz. Skinless Grilled Chicken
2 cans of Tuna w/ water
2 scoops of Whey Protein powder
Carbohydrates:
1-cup of uncooked Oatmeal
1-cup of brown or white rice (plus veggies)
1-cup of brown or white pasta
1 Banana or 1 Red Apple (at breakfast or before training)
50g of Sugar (immediately after your workout w/ 30g of whey protein powder)
Medium sized Sweet Potato
Medium sized Baked Potato
Fats:
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 oz. of Raw Nuts
Most Importantly:
Minimum of 3.7 liters of water per day
Minimum of 2 grams of Sea Salt per day and no more than 4 grams
I’ll be tackling these issues soon. I’ve been through the same experience
_________________________________
Realist,
Weight-lifters drink protein powders for muscle-building and not for delicacy. Protein powders taste like crap; you need to find one that tastes the least crappiest. Moreover, you’ll be downing that shake in less than 2 minutes, so taste isn’t an issue.
You need to worry more about protein bioavailability, which is whether or not those 40g you just ingested will get delivered as 40g and not 20g. Focus on bioavailability, instant mixability and digestive enzymes.
Go for Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey Protein Double Rich Chocolate. It has proven digestive enzymes, amino acid processing enzymes, instant mixability and tastes like lightly sweetened chocolate. And I absolutely have no shares in that company, nor do I get any commission for this :P.
_________________________________
Louka,
Anytime :D. You need to stick to this diet longer, preferably 3 months. I need time to understand how your body works; the diet above is supposed to test how your body reacts to certain nutrients. You need to contact me on a weekly basis and update me on everything.
_________________________________
nahin123,
Hey buddy, I saw your email. I’ve got a pile of emails and I’m currently replying to all of them in order, so bare with me until I get to yours :).
_________________________________
cajie,
Thanks :). Negotiating with waiters can be a hassle; I’d rather negotiate with terrorists. The level of persistence to say “NO” is beyond unbelievable and sometimes I’d have to flirt my way to a meal :P. I’m not ruining my plan just because some guy refuses to use olive oil instead of butter on my chicken liver platter! (I need to take it easy).
Restaurants do cater to our healthy lifestyles, but they tend to “half-ass” the whole health experience by adding calorie-dense ingredients. For example, Nino are VERY liberal with their olive oil servings; they’ll pile their dishes with it. Chili’s has a healthy menu, which is supposedly low-fat, and whenever you see those 2 words on something, it usually means “high in sugar”. After research, I’ve discovered that Chili’s healthy choices aren’t really diabetic-friendly.
With all due respect to your trainer, a decrease in water intake is the worst advise I have ever heard; it’s actually counterproductive.
I’m assuming he read an article somewhere and translated it the wrong way. A high intake of sodium (over 4g) is associated with a decrease in fat-loss, but does not lead to fat-gain. High sodium causes weight-gain (water retention).
If anything, you need to increase your water intake by a lot. You’ll need a minimum of 3.7 liters of water per day (1 gallon) in order to burn fat and build muscle efficiently. Ever wonder how fat exits your body? Through numbers 1 & 2; 1’s composed of water and toxins, which include liquid fat. #2 looks like that because of your high water intake, as it leads the foods you eat to your body’s organs for processing, then pushing all the left-overs (including oxidized circulating fat that you’ve burned from yesterday’s workout) and delivers it to Mr. Toilet.
Try decreasing water intake significantly and go #2, and I’ll guarantee that you’ll love the experience. Yes I’m being very sarcastic.
_________________________________
q8travelbud,
Yes, there is a diet plan for someone without a plan. If you read my post above, I talked about important factors in fat-loss. If your main goal is health and the ability to look good then you’re on the right track. Just make sure that:
1) You eat breakfast upon waking
2) You snack on small meals every 3 hours
3) Exercise 3-6 times a week.
You don’t have to have a plan in order to implement the above; however, if you plan on packing some muscle size then yes, you do need something specific. Once you get used to the above 3 rules, you’ll get used to the lifestyle and you’ll eventually develop a plan that suits you. Drop me an email if you need any help.
_________________________________
Reno H.,
Always a pleasure hearing from you bro and I appreciate your compliments :).
1) Never heard of “qudsiya”, but plain hummus and mashed foul beans are great! They’re high in protein (al bight incomplete) and fiber; however, they’re not very carby if you’re considering them as a carb source. If I’m consuming a carb source low in fiber (such as white rice) I add in about 100-150g of beans to the mix to increase the fiber intake. My take on it is go ahead and eat it, just make sure you add a serving of chicken or lean red meat on the side.
2) Protein powders are as natural as long-life milk that we get from the supermarket. Both are processed at exactly the same refineries using the same equipment. The only different is that protein powders gets filtered more (which is very good) to filter out the fat and lactose (milk sugar). Personally, I hate dairy once I knew I was very allergic to it. I used to drink 2 liters a day of milk, but had to give it up.
3) Your shake sounds pretty good and if it works for you then by all means go ahead and drink up.
4) If you haven’t already noticed, I love eggs. I eat 3 whole eggs everyday of the week. Whole eggs are the ULTIMATE bodybuilding food, as it exceeds every food out there. Credit goes to the yellow yolk that people are avoiding thinking that their cholesterol levels are high because of that, while in reality their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels have risen due to high sugar intake. Reno: EAT 3 WHOLE EGGS PER DAY, including non-workout days. Egg whites are incomplete and a waste of time; they have only protein and nothing else.
5) Raw egg consumption is OK, but I wouldn’t depend on full absorption. Only 70% of that raw egg will be absorbed and you don’t want to risk getting salmonella. Boil or lightly fry your eggs w/ a touch of olive oil. Personally, I boil because I don’t want to lose any nutrient content from frying.
Suleiman,
Yes, I’m pretty sure I know what 100g of raw carrots look like, and I still stick to my opinion in regards to what I said.
Insulin sensitivity is very high after a hard workout, so assuming someone trains in the evening they do need the carbs immediately after and it won’t be readily stored as fat.
Voodoo? You need to understand that almost every nutrient out there is a double edged sword, and a true nutritionist will know how to work himself around.
So yes, I know my voodoo.
“a true nutritionist” what is that?
Fair enough, you have an ‘opinion’. Maybe you don’t like carrots, maybe you justify your opinion because of the high GI (what about the insulin index? not the same as GI). Also remember the carrots are part of a mixed meal. That too will alter the GI.
Also this frequent feeding may work for some but it is getting a bit outdated.
And please, “fat exits your body? Through numbers 1 & 2”. (By 1 & 2 do you mean urine and feces?). You need to read a basic physiology text book.
@Fahad
3 months it is 😀 And yeah, ill try (i say try because i might forget:P) contacting you on my progress weekly, so keep checking your inbox!
and ‘Yes, both cheese and mayo are excluded (are you listening Amgad?). ‘
I hate mayo, and i can live without cheese, so its all good:P
Thanks for the helpful answer Fahad. I know what I have to do now.
Fahad,
When you replied to Sara saying “a carb is a carb”, do you imply that a low GI carb has the SAME effect as a high GI carb on blood glucose levels?
Also, 20% carb intake is a bit too drastic. The recommended for a 15 year old, regardless of being overweight or not, is 45-65% of his total calorie intake. In this case, maybe Amgad could do with a 45% of carbohydrates, even a 40% would be ok. Moreover, by decreasing his carbohydrate intake to 20% as opposed to, lets say, 70% which was probably what he was consuming before, is just too drastic AND can possibly lead to ketosis.
Also, 0.5 g/kg for protein is just too little! Why would you choose that? I personally would have used 0.7-0.8g/kg.
As always, it’s my opinion. Would like to hear your opinion thou and how you decided on those specific numbers to use.
Thanks
hahahahahahahahahaha this story is hilarious and typical, and i thought i was a waiter’s worst nightmare….you and I come to a close score
Lol you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been told to eat whole eggs ALL THE TIME. It’s just my fear of upping the bad cholesterol that keeps me from following through. What’s funny is that my sugar, cholesterol (Ldl & H) etc. are all at perfect levels. I’m going to start come tuesday though 😉 but will keep the raw eggs once a week in my shake. I buy fresh, quality eggs and do as much as I can to minimize risk before consuming (refrigerate, float smell & eye test). Plus the taste has grown on me but I toot a lot after lol. 21 eggs a week!!! Baby steps bro lol. Will start with 2 WHOLE EGGS everyday and move up from there. I need to build up fear & guilt resistance rofl. I always have the ‘hummus wa fool’ with kubus irani and grilled chicken. Never tried it with meat though. Hmmm… Thanks for all the advice and info Fahad. Keep up the great work, godspeed & God bless!
Fahad,
Thanks for the useful post. I hate the fact that most restaurants lack healthy food options, or have healthy food options that aren’t really healthy at all! Why does the gastronomy industry in Kuwait lack a sense of responsibility when it comes to providing their customers with healthy food in appropriate portions?
Suleiman,
1) My exclusion of carrots does not have to do with the GI Index. I simply don’t add carrots to a low-carb meal; adding it to a complex-carb meal is OK.
2)The GI Index measures how rapidly the carbohydrates are absorbed, which result in blood glucose and insulin elevations. The insulin index measures the amount of insulin the body produces in response to carbohydrate load in a particular food.
What about the insulin index? Show me a convenient way to measure insulin secretion buddy.
3)Frequent feeding is outdated? Your criticism is only as good as your solution to prove me wrong, which you haven’t provided.
4)Lastly, and in regards to numbers 1&2: Physiology Books are boring; get me a children’s book with a lot of pictures and minimal words.
______________________
Louka,
Looking forward for your updates buddy 🙂
______________________
cajie,
Your welcome 🙂
______________________
Dana,
1)A carb is a carb: I wasn’t implying that low-gi and high-gi carbs have the same effect on blood glucose levels; I meant that all carbs turn into glucose once they have been consumed and digested. The reason Amgad has no complex carbs in the evening is because I want him to go into a state of ketosis (don’t crucify me) at night; he’ll burn fat during cardio, after cardio and while sleeping.
2)20% carb intake is drastic, but after analyzing Amgad’s food intake that got him up to 107kg at the young age of 15, the majority of calories ingested were from high-gi carbohydrate sources.
3)Amgad will not go into full ketosis, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with short-term ketosis.
4)Amgad’s protein intake was half of what it is now. I’ll be increasing his intake accordingly.
Lastly, nothing is written in stone. The diet above is simply a draft in order for me to properly learn how his body metabolizes nutrients.
______________________
melicieuse,
You are not alone 😉
______________________
Reno H.,
Trust me, 3 eggs per day will do all good and no harm. 2 are a great start.
Glad you enjoy my posts 🙂
______________________
Ahmad,
Appreciate your great comments :).
Restaurants do provide healthy options, but they tend to lack any value; low-fat, low-carb, low-sugar and fat-free do not mean that a certain product or entree is healthy. Moreover, they have no social obligation to provide Kuwait’s society with healthy food in appropriate portions.
Fahad,
1. OK. Carrots. Nothing to do with GI you say. Even if you added 100g of carrots (that’s a lot of carrots) to a low-carb meal, that would still only be 7g of carbs. Still low carb.
2. Are you telling me YOU measure the rise in blood sugar following meals? Yes, diabetics should. No it’s not convenient. ELISA measures insulin levels in the lab.
3. “Solution to prove you wrong”….doesn’t really make sense. An alternative however would be to eat less meals. If somebody is only eating 1500 kcal a day then 6 meals is only 250kcal a meal. 2 meals a day would mean they could eat 750 kcal a meal. That may be more satisfying.
4. OK stick with your kids books, but you shouldn’t be allowed to give people nutritional advice if that is your source of information.
Yes, let’s do that. Gorge yourself 2 times a day. You should notice a change on the scale.
Suleiman,
1) It is low-carb, and I’ll still exclude them due to experience.
2) I said show me a “convenient” way to measure insulin secretion. Going to a lab isn’t convenient.
3) The point of frequent feeding (apart from metabolic boosting and maintaining blood-glucose levels) is to snack on small portions of food in order to shrink the stomach. Yes, our stomachs will adapt to the small snacks and eventually shrink.
4) My mistake: I prefer baby books with the pictures that pop up once you open them. I’ll also have sugar-free lollipops and fat-free baby milk.
Fahad,
1. You still don’t make sense.
2. You didn’t say that you measure blood glucose, so how do you know what the GI of a meal is!
3. If metabolic boosting worked this way then the more you ate the more weight you would loose.
Bellisle F et. al. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. (1997) 77 (Suppl 1):S57-70.
4. Have your lollipops etc, but you are missing out on the good stuff AND SO ARE YOUR CLIENTS!
Bodie,
Weight is lost when you burn more energy than you consume.
Simple.
Not easy.
It doesn’t matter if you eat 6 small meals or 2 large meals, whichever you find easier to stick, so as long as you maintain an energy deficit.
(see. Bellisle F et. al. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. (1997) 77 (Suppl 1):S57-70.)
Suleiman,
1)It’s all good, you may take it or leave it; it is a free country and we’re all entitled to our opinions, but this is my opinion. People can use all or some of the information, so that they may use it as they see fit.
2)The first part doesn’t make sense. The GI of a meal is determined by the sources in that meal, which you can find all over the internet. You can simply blunt a carbohydrate source’s insulin response by adding a source of fat for example.
3)It does work that way. I believe in small frequent meals to maintain muscle-mass and further boost fat-loss.
4)You obviously don’t know when someone’s joking.
In reference to what you said to Bodie, two meals per day timed correctly will make you lose “weight”. My methods are based on fat-loss and muscle maintainence; losing weight is easy, while losing fat and maintaining muscle isn’t.
Read the paper.
You don’t have to ‘believe’ in small frequent meals to maintain muscle-mass and further boost fat-loss. You read the evidence.
My point was that you if are looking up GI on the internet why not look up II? You are not taking the measurements (blood glucose or insulin) so it doesn’t matter if the test is convenient or not.
You were joking when you said ‘fat exits the body through no. 1 & 2’?
I sincerely hope so.
Thanks Fahad, for all the info. I’ve been reading your posts and replies to all the questions…
I must say, you have a lot of patience.
Keep up the great work!
First of All, thank you for this informative post. I never though i’d enjoy reading posts about nutrition and food. so WELL DONE 😉
Secondly, Fahad, i would really like to congratulate you for this patience. It amazes me how you manage to stay calm. thats another WELL DONE.
Lastly, i’m embarrassed for “some people” who either have the worst communication skills ever or they’re just attacking for the sake of attacking and either way its pointless.
Latifa,
I am sorry you are having a hard time understanding “some people”.
I don’t think anyone is attacking anyone. As to whether it is pointless or not;
Nobody is going to argue with advice like “eat healthily and exercise more” are they?
However the field of diet and nutrition are highly unregulated. Anybody can call themselves a nutritionist (someone registered his dead cat as a nutritionist, nobody checked) unlike a medical doctor or a lawyer (although ‘alternative’ medicine is equally unregulated).
For example Gillian Mckeith is a TV ‘nutritionist’ who was telling viewers to eat green vegetables.
Nothing wrong with that, good advice. The problem was she told viewers that the reason was because the chlorophyll helped oxygenate the blood. If you don’t know why that demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of biology you need to look at some text books.
So what’s the point?
Do you just take advice? Or do you try an understand the rational?
The choice is yours.
Suleiman,
You are absolutely right, field of diet and nutrition are highly unregulated. Hence, I choose to believe someone who tried on themselves such as Fahad (Yes Fahad, i’ve done my home work and asked about how reliable you could be, and MASHALLAH! Enough said) rather than believing someone who just “read” some text books.
Having said that, you have all the right to question and ask rather than have a pointless long argument that gives a bad impression.
Again, my opinion, my choice. 🙂