Does Starving Yourself Work?

The Truth: does starving yourself to lose weight really work?

Many people who try to lose weight, including myself, will basically starve themselves to lose weight or eat next to nothing. 

I'll tell you through personal experience and research that it does work in theory. When you starve yourself your body will use body fat for energy, therefore making you lose weight. However, with this fat loss comes muscle loss. Muscle is one thing that is responsible for your resting metabolic rate ( or your metabolism). So when you starve yourself and you lose muscle you will naturally burn less calories each day than you did before you began to starve yourself. Therefore if, and when, you fall off starving yourself and begin eating like you used to, you will gain even more body fat than you had before you started. 

Another reason why starving yourself should never be an option is because your body needs calories and nutrients to protect itself from sickness. So, if you eat next to nothing I promise that you will end up getting sick because your immune system will be down.

Starving yourself works to lose body fat but you can't do it for the rest of your life - it’s a fact, and doing it for an extended period of time will only make you sick and most likely result in more body fat than you had before.

Don’t try to beat this by only doing it for a short period of time either -  the adverse side effects are there and they will catch up with you. Starving yourself will make you tired, groggy, sick, irritable, and even depressed. 

Take my advice and find out how many calories you need a day to maintain your weight- you can do this by reading my post a couple days ago.   Subtract 500 calories from that number and do a little exercise and lose 1-2 lbs of pure fat a week. Losing weight isn’t worth endangering your health.  Here's one on-line calculator I found that you can try.

Tony's Tip:  Write down what you eat every day for 1 week and see if you can guess how many calories you consume per week.  Then calculate it out and see how close to correct you were.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

  

Q &A - Effective At Home Workouts For Rapid Fat Loss.

QUESTION:


Do you know of any good workouts you can do around the house without
weights and machines? Also, is lifting weights just as important as cardio
during the weight loss procedure?

 ANSWER:

You can look into workouts like p90x or insanity. I believe they are based around at home routines that you can do without weights. I believe this is a type of workout that implements common weight training exercises like push ups and sit ups but at a very fast pace so it becomes a cardio workout at the same time. This burns a ton of calories and thus leading to fat loss. You can most likely find free routines by searching around the internet.

 I honestly believe that weight training is MORE important than cardio when it comes to weight loss because weight training stimulates muscle growth which will prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue while in a caloric deficit. If muscle is lost your metabolic rates goes down and therefore you burn less calories naturally which is not a good thing. However if you are eating enough protein ( see my other posts about my beliefs of protein consumption ) and stimulating muscle through physical work or at home workouts this will most likely lessen the impact of muscle loss.

 

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

Get Outside!

This week, let's try to replace soda with water this week and amp up our vegetable and fruit intake.  Plus, just because the weather is cold does not mean it's time to stay indoors.  Throw on your coat, hat and gloves and go out for a walk.  Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes.  Let's breathe some fresh air!

Tony's Tip:  Smoothie's

1 container yogurt in the flavor of your choice
1 chunked up banana
2 ice cubes
a splash of milk
any other fruit you like

Toss it all in a blender and enjoy!

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Why Counting Calories is More Effective Than Guessing

To begin, to find the amount of calories that you should eat to lose weight you can simply go to google and type in calorie calculator and follow the steps. Most websites will tell you how many calories you should eat to maintain your weight as well as lose weight. If it only tells you your maintenance, then subtract 500 from your maintenance and eat about that many calories a day to lose about 1 lb a week.

Although this is a good start to see about how many calories you should eat it is not 100% accurate. Therefore, you must experiment by eating around that number of calories for a week and checking how much weight you lost. If you did not lose any weight, drop your calories by 200-300, if you gained weight drop it by 400.  If you lost between .5-2lbs you can keep your calories the same for the time being. 

Keep in mind that the amount of weight you lose also depends highly of water retention due to carbohydrate intake so just because the scale didn’t change does not mean you didn’t lose weight.  You may want to experiment with the same calories for 2 weeks rather than 1 but this is personal preference. You will quickly learn how many calories you should eat to lose weight on a weekly basis. Every time you lose 5-10 lbs redo your numbers in the calculator and go from there so you can continually lose weight. You can also drop your calories to between 500-1000 calories below your maintenance in order to lose weight if you desire. 

I also do not recommend eating the same amount of calories every day so your body doesn't adjust to the change and stop burning fat for energy. To keep your body guessing try eating 700 calories below one day, 400 the next, and then 600, and so on and so forth for the week ( when zig zagging your calories make sure at the end of the week you ate 3500 or more caloriesbelow your maintenance level). As always I suggest eating complex carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and water to hit your calorie needs.

Tony's Tip - I think it's important to count calories so you can adjust your calories based on your weight instead of blindly guessing. I believe counting calories can lead to greater success while trying to lose weight.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

Q & A - Sports Drinks

QUESTION:


Hey Tony, I have a question that I would like your view on. It has to do with sport drinks. I know that good old water is best but, it gets a little boring and I would like to have a flavored drink every now and then. What sports drinks are best (types will do to avoid mentioning brands) or is it best to just stay away from them all together? Is there a benefit to some sport drinks? I really don't know much about them.
Thanks!


ANSWER:  I am not familiar with many sports drinks but i know that there is some science behind gatorade.  After a hard workout your body is craving carbs and nutrients in order to restore energy lost.  The only time I actually recomend sports drinks would be while playing a physically exhausting sport or after an intense workout.  However they are not necessary by any means for most people.  If you are looking for some flavor to get your water in, I suggest MIO water enhancers by Kraft.  These come in many different flavors and taste great and are 0 calories.  You can also go with the knockoff brand from walmart which taste the same, but are a dollar less per container.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

Fitness is Not a Phase - It's a Way of Life

Most people, including myself, begin diets with the idea that they are going to cut out every single bad thing in the world and go cold turkey.  

The problem with this concept is that it causes cravings which will almost always lead to falling off another diet.  ( this is how I dieted from 7th grade to the end of my junior year in high school).  In my case at least, I thought I would go cold turkey for a couple months, then after I lost weight I would be able to add those foods in again and maintain my weight.  However, I would never even get to the point of losing the weight.

This is why fitness cannot be a phase where you think you can never eat anything you want ever again or that you’ll only cut it out for a little while to lose weight.  When you make fitness a lifestyle you radically change the way you eat so that you eat healthy but you can also enjoy yourself once in a while without feeling guilty.  The key is in not falling back into your old habits.

When I lost my 85 lbs I ate extremely healthy, but I also still had cravings and fed those cravings and I believe this is the only reason I made it to the point I’m at in my life now.  At least 1-2 times a week I would eat food that I would never qualify as “healthy” because it was summer and I was out with my friends - foods like fried chicken, McDonalds, Panda Express, Philly cheese steaks, French fries.  I still lost 45 lbs in 3 months   The key to dieting is to eat healthy 90% of the time and have a cheat meal 10% of the time.  As long as your diet and exercise routine is in check you will never have to worry about gaining weight.  This is the rule I live by every day of my life.

Tip- Cheat meals can actually be beneficial for a successful diet.  Your body’s metabolism slows down during a diet and a cheat meal tricks it into speeding back up, therefore it burns more calories and produces further weight loss.  So if your diet is 90% clean this week go on and eat something like a burger, or a little ice-cream, or some fries, or a milkshake.  Don’t go crazy but just give yourself a little taste of junk food, then step on the scale later on in the week and have a taste of success.

(all photos google images)

 

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

Tips To Increase Weight Loss

Today I am going to give you some helpful dieting tips.....

Drink water all day and at every meal - Drink water, and yes, only water. Water flushes toxins out of your body which will make you feel healthier. Drinking water all day will also keep you full between meals. During meals, drink as much water as you can as it will fill up your stomach and cause you to eat less. Every time you go to the bathroom your urine should be clear. I personally drink between 2.5 and 3.5 gallons of water a day. If you need a little flavor use plain decaffeinated green tea as it is a natural fat burner.

Eat slowly- Studies have shown that it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize its full. Don’t scarf down your food unless you want to be left feeling bloated and sick. Take at least half an hour to eat.

Use sugar substitutes- As I have mentioned before, sugar is the enemy. I strongly advocate that sugar is terrible as it is a very dense source of empty calories which have no nutritional value and will not fill you up. Instead of going for sugar to put in your coffee or tea or use as a topping, use an artificial sweetener such as Splenda or Truvia (Stevia) this is an all natural sweeter derived from a plant. When I want something sweet I make cup of tea and put it in the blender with some ice and make a an icee then add a good tablespoon or two of Truvia.

Eat protein and fiber- Protein is the most filling of macro nutrients and it also burns calories as it is being digested ( WIN! ). Fiber is also a great choice because it is so filling and you absorb almost no calories from it. Eat lean meats and plenty of green veggies at your meals to fill you up.

Go easy on the salt- Salt holds onto water and can make you bloated and retain excess water weight which can add lbs onto the scale.

Eat 5-7 small meals a day- Although there is a lot of controversy on this subject I strongly believe that eating 5-7 small meals a day which all contain a good source of protein spaced 3 hours apart will burn more calories and keep you fuller throughout the day.

Eat spicy foods- Studies have shown that eating spicy foods can increase metabolic activity therefore increasing the total number of calories burned.  Give them a try if your body can tolerate spicy foods.

Hit the gym and hit it hard- Weight lifting and high intensity cardio are great for burning body fat as they burn an enormous amount of calories in a short period of time. It is also a fact that these activities raise metabolic activity for multiple hours after they are completed, therefore burning more calories.

Gradually taper down your meals- your body naturally burns more calories during the morning so go ahead and eat a big breakfast and a smaller last meal but always be sure to fill yourself up and be satisfied.

Practice will power- Tell yourself you are going to eat at a certain time and prepare your meal. After your meal is sitting in front of you don’t eat it for 5-15 minutes. This exercise has helped me with will power and controlling my urges to eat.

FIND A MOTIVE- This is what is going to decide if you lose weight or not. This motive must be strong enough for you to use it to convince yourself that the hell you are putting yourself through is worth it. Tell yourself whatever it takes. For example, my family needs me and I know that eating in an unhealthy way won't keep me around any longer, think about anyone who has ever been cruel to you about your weight, think about someone you want to be involved with and lose the weight in order to be with them. 

These may sound like terrible things to tell yourself but I know how hard it is to say no to yourself when all you want to do is eat and that is why your motive must be strong. I owe my weight loss to my girlfriend. For 4 years we were best friends and all I wanted was to date her. And year after year I watched her date jerks and I finally decided that I would never be able to date her if I didn’t lose weight and that if I did I would never have to see her cry about a bad boyfriend again.

Once again please leave a comment asking questions and giving suggestions on what you would like me to write about in future posts.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

(images taken from google images)

Nutrient and Food Timing

There’s a reason that people have always been told that breakfast is the most important meal of day. When you wake up in the morning, your body has gone hours without food and is in need of nutrients. Therefore it will happily accept a large amount of calories and it will not store them as fat. This all goes back thousands of years ago when food was obtained on a daily basis through hunting and gathering. Our bodies are programmed to use calories we consume in the beginning of the day for energy and to store calories at night, as fat, in order to survive. Let me put to rest the idea that eating late at night causes weight gain because it doesn’t. The truth is that an excess amount of calories causes weight gain reguardless of the time of day they are consumed. However, there are certain times of the day that I believe certain types of food should be consumed.

More calories are burned earlier in the day than later at night because our metabolisms are running at a higher rate in anticipation of being active all day. At the opposite end of the spectrum is night when our metabolisms have slowed down because they know we will be sleeping soon ( this is where the myth about eating at night came from.) Now this doesn’t mean we can't eat at night, but there are certain foods that I chose to stay away from to stay a little thinner.

Carbohydrates are the bodys main source of energy and any carbs ( as well as calories) that are not used for energy are stored as fat. Because the metabolism is slower at night it is harder to burn off carbs - therefore I chose to stay away from carbs after 6 pm. Foods I chose to eat after this time are vegetables, proteins, and fats. Calories form protein and fat are used for more than just energy like carbs. They are used to repair muscle and for hormone regulation which is why I chose to eat only those later at night.

Eating big meals for breakfast and lunch as well as a medium sized meal at 3-4:00 and another at 6-7:00 has kept me full throughout the day and also thin. To be exact, I eat 550 calories for breakfast ( 300 from carbs) 550-650 calories for lunch ( 300 from carbs) 450 at 3-4:00 (200 from carbs) 450 at 6-7:00 ( 80 from carbs ) and 160 at 10-11:00 ( all from protein).

In my opinion it is in most people's best interest to eat more earlier in the day because more of those calories are naturally burned.

Tip- eat a big breakfast and big lunch and follow them with 2 smaller meals or a big dinner but go light on the carbs. And feel free to have a midnight snack that’s full of protein (like cottage cheese or any meat). I'll say it again.... Eating at night doesn’t cause weight gain. Eating too many calories causes weight gain no matter the time of day.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

Q & A - My Routine

QUESTION:


I just wanted to ask you what your routine (food and workout) looked when
you started and how it has evolved over your journey.



ANSWER:

I filled my diet with alot of protein and alot of fruit primarily to lose the weight. I ate lean sources of protein like chicken, steak, turkey burgers, fish, egg whites, and non fat cottage cheese. Then whenever I wanted something to snack on I would skip the chips and go for an apple. My suggestion for what you should eat is lean protein like the ones I listed above, as well as complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat/ grain bread/pasta/tortillas.  You should also eat healthy fats like nuts, olive oil, and fats in fish like salmon. With this combination of food your body will be energized all day and ready for you to work out and burn off any amount of fat you wish.  For snacks go for fruit such as apples becuse they are relatively low in calories and they are very filling.

For post workout consume fast digesting carbs to refill muscle glycogen stores that have been depleted during the workout and also a quick digesting protein- you must do this as soon after your workout as possible, eat a banana or some rasins( about 30-40g of carbs) and eat 30-40g of protein(I suggest a whey protein isolate shake, I use dymatize elite, or a chicken breast or egg whites). this is exactly what I do.

I stay between 3-4 sets and 8-12 reps for each exercise

-biceps/triceps- barbell curls, dumbbell curls, hammer curls, preacher curls. pushdowns with rope, reverse pushdowns with bar, close grip bench, and skull crushers.
-shoulders/traps- dumbbell military press, reverse fly, dumbell side raise, dumbell front raise. upright row, barbell shrugs, dumbbell shrugs.
-back- deadlift, bent over row, t bar row, pull downs, cable row.
-legs- squat, leg press, weighted lunges, leg extension, leg curls.

-chest- bench press, flat fly, incline bench, dips. barbell decline bench.
-doing cardio for 30 mins a day 3-5 days a week will also burn a lot of fat!

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Q & A - Any Suggestions?

QUESTION:


I have a small home gym (some dumbbells, an exercise bike,...), and I do an
hour of steady bike ride (every day) some muscle training 3 times a week (I
do some exercises with dumbbells as well as crunches, elevated pushups.
squats and so on). For breakfast I usually have corn flakes (yeah, I know,
but I hate oatmeal), lunch is (canned) tuna with some cottage cheese and
dinner is beans, or some chicken, or a steak. I eat apples between these 3
meals.
Will this "plan" get me to my ideal weight?
What do I have to change?

ANSWER:
With that plan you should be well on your way to weight loss! My only suggestion is that you add a protein shake or some egg whites to your breakfast and perhaps a protein shake after your weight training sessions.

The amount of protein you are taking in is too low in my opinion. Protein will make you feel full ( even more so if you get it from whole foods like eggs, fish, beef, turkey or chicken) and will repair your muscles you have broken down with your exercise. If you do not repair your muscles you will begin to lose muscle mass which is the last thing you want to do because the more muscle you have the more calories your body burns naturally thus making your burn more fat! Keep up the great work you should definitely lose weight doing this.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Artificial Sweetners & Zero Calorie Drinks

Artificial Sweeteners and 0 Calorie Drinks- do they cause weight gain?

More and more people are trying to stay away from refined sugar and find themselves switching to artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, equal, and sweet n’ low. Although these sugar substitutes have “0” calories they can contribute to weight gain.

 First off those sweeteners do not have 0 calories they contain about 3-5 calories per packet depending on which you use. These sweeteners have calories because they also contain dextrose which is a sugar that has caloric value. Second, these sweeteners can have a effect on weight gain because they subconsciously make you hungrier. They make you hungrier either mentally because they make you want more or they make you hungrier in a more physical sense. What I mean by this is when you put an artificial sweetener in your body your body wants a bunch of calories from it but its getting very few. So now that your body is looking for energy to use but doesn’t actually have it your body will tell your brain "I need food"  therefore making you want more sweetness or more food in general.

There have been some studies that have shown that these sweeteners can also possibly raise insulin levels which contribute to cravings, but I’m not going to get into the science of that in this post. So the bottom line is that artificial sweeteners can cause you to feel hungrier after consumption.

 Most diet drinks like diet coke actually do have 0 or about 1 calorie. This is because they do not use dextrose but rather aspartame which is in fact nearly 0 calories. My philosophy is that anything with 0 calories cannot make you gain weight however it’s the hunger that they cause that leads to cravings that lead to eating that make people gain weight which is why people say diet drinks cause weight gain- they cause it indirectly.

Now for the substitute to the sugar substitute- there is an all natural sweetener called Stevia which is basically 0 calories and its derived from a plant. Since it is all natural it is much healthier than those other sweeteners which are just chemicals made in a lab. There are a few brands that I suggest like Truvia and Kal.

You are going to look at the prices of these and think “ Tony are you crazy I can't be spending this much money on a sugar substitute.”  Although they are a little pricier they are very, very sweet so you really don’t need much to get your desired sweetness.  And FYI, I just happen to like and use this product, I do not get an endorsement from them in any way.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Q & A - No Pain, No Gain?

QUESTION:


Oh, those sore muscles! The down side of exercise. Is there any truth to the saying, "no pain, no gain"?
I've just upped my miles on my running regimen (I'm training for a 10K at the end of March). I was doing 3.5 to 4 miles 3 days per week. This week on Monday I did 5 and today I'm suppose to do 4 but my legs are still sore. So, I started out slow this morning and about 1.5 miles into the run, I started to feel better. I didn't break any records but I did get my 4 miles in and I feel pretty good about that both physically and mentally. Sometimes, if you just ease your way through the pain, those endorphin's kick in and every thing seems better. 
Thanks for all your great tips and motivation!

ANSWER:


If you don't challenge yourself and push yourself some, you're not going to improve.  Soreness is an indication that you're pushing your body past its limits.  Soon enough you'll realize those 5 miles won't make you sore, but it will take like 7 miles to make you sore.    Try drinking a protein shake after your run.


Come back and let us know how you did in the race.  Good luck!

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 

Q & A - Whey Protein & Supplements

QUESTION:


I have two questions about your dieting program:

1st...  I lost about 15 kilos and I weigh 72 kg and my height is 181 cm.

do you reconmend i should start taking whey protein ?? i'm quite scared if i start taking whey protein i'll gain weight again which i really dont want.

2nd question

Have you taken other supplements in your diet ?



ANSWER:


Whey protein can be very beneficial to anyone who is trying to lose weight or not. It is a very cheap source of protein which is something we all need in our diets. In my opinion I say you could implement whey protein into your diet and try it. As far as gaining weight from it the only way this will happen is if your calorie consumption is greater than your output. If you notice you are gaining too much bad ( fat ) weight then I suggest cutting back slightly on your carbs. As far as supplements the only ones I take are whey protein, fish oil, and a multi vitamin.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Worked Out for the First Time in Weeks?

Worked out for the first time in weeks?   Are you a little sore?

Anyone who has done demanding physical exercise for the first time in weeks/years knows how painful the day after is. To be honest, a lot of people will stop working out because it hurts so bad. I even know a few people like this. 


When people exercise they are actually breaking down muscle tissue and during recovery is when the body repairs the muscle and makes it stronger. Unfortunately, if your muscles are not commonly used to such an extent they will ache for a couple days after the workout. However there is actually a secret to stop the pain from re-occurring. Its actually very simple. Do not stop exercising for an extended period of time. When your muscles are put through agony over and over again they will adapt, become stronger, and be used to being broken down. 

For pain after running- If your legs hurt the day after running, do not run the next day. Instead wait until your legs barely feel sore anymore. Then go for another run. Even though your legs will still be slightly sore, they will not hurt as badly as the day after your first run. By doing this your muscles will become accustomed to exercise and they will gradually no longer hurt the day after. This will only take 1-2 weeks in most cases. One important thing to remember is to try to eat a good amount of protein because the amino acids in protein are the building blocks of muscle and will be the thing your body will need to repair the muscle adequately.

For strength training- This is slightly more complicated. I suggest only training a muscle group once a week giving that muscle 7 full days to repair. I suggest something like this Monday- back/biceps, Tuesday-off day, Wednesday- triceps/chest/shoulder/traps, Thursday-off, Friday-legs, Saturday/Sunday- off. By training like this you would be working each muscle group directly as well as indirectly ( training back directly train biceps indirectly and vise versa and so on and so forth). This will also allow adequate recovery time. 

If you are looking to lose body fat I also suggest low or high intensity cardio on off days ( whichever ones you wish - it could be all off days or it could be 1 off day). It is also very, very, very important that you eat a meal high in protein and high in complex carbs less than an hour after getting out of the gym otherwise your muscles could break themselves down for energy because so much was used during the workout.  40-50g protein and 50g-70g of carbs. Doing this will also make soreness far less severe. This is only for weight training days or days with high intensity cardio. 

You will also notice that the day after weight lifting you will be extremely sore and it is common to still be sore the next week by the time you are supposed to hit that muscle group again. If this occurs go ahead and do the workout and by the following week you will no longer get sore after lifting. 

Protein is very important when it comes to strength training so be sure to eat a lot of it! In my honest opinion weight lifting is the best way to lose body fat because it burns an enormous amount of calories. Also, for every pound of muscle that is on your body you naturally burn 50 more calories a day. This is why body builders who are 200+ pounds can eat literally over 5000 calories a day and stay ripped.

Tip- Try eating 5-7 smaller meals a day instead of 3 big ones. I think you will find that you have more energy throughout the day as well as stay fuller and more satisfied.

Please, if anyone has any specific questions, email us and I will dedicate an entire post to your question.  I want to write about issues that will relate directly to YOU!  Remember, if you have a question, other people are probably wondering the same thing.  Let's all help each other.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

 


(all photos google images)