Manipulating Macros

Now we've already discussed the optimum macronutrient ratios for your success in getting the utltimate body. Let's say you follow it, and you're getting great results month after month, everyone notices how great you look, ESPECIALLY YOU, but now there's a problem....



You have finally hit a Plateau! You know, that thing Kurt Cobain was always singing about.




So as I've discussed the typical high carbohydrate approach (50-55% carbohydrates,
30% protein and 15-20% fat) works for most people, but a by lowering
your carbohydrates and upping your protein and fats you can easily break through that wall.



How much manipulation am I talking. How about cutting carbs from 55% to 40%, upping your protein from 30% to 40%, and increasing your 15% fat to 20% fat. Anybody with me here?



The greatest part is you're not going hungry because you're still eating the same amount of calories. All you're doing is manipulating the sources of food. And women often do well at this, being they're masters of manipulation.


But seriously though folks

By cutting down carbs and increasing your protein and fat you will undecidedly gain a metabolic and hormonal advantage over a high carb diet.

So as not to bore you I'll end it here and hope that you take these words and random photos to heart. 'Till next week.

How to Eat Perfectly

So right now I'm going to teach everyone how to eat perfectly. Not hard right?

So first you enter all your info on this site.
http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

Here's where the math comes in.

Then from there you want 50% to be from carbs, 30% to be from protein, and 20% to be from fat.

Still with me?


I'm bad at math and from Arkansas, so I already have 2 strikes against me. Which means if I can do this, then you definitely can.


It's gonna get a little tougher here, but I'll hold your hand through it.

1 gram of protein equals 4 calories.

1 gram of carbs also equals 4 calories.

And 1 gram of fat equals 9 calories.

So if I needed 2000 calories a day, that means I need half of that from carbs. I'm sure most of you won't complain about that.




Why so high? You need it for energy. But it can easily put fat on you which is the catch 22 of carbs, and is why people fear it so much they do that stupid Atkins fad diet.



But I digress, so half of 2000 is 1000 if my math serves me correct. Now, 4 calories equals 1 gram of carbs. Divide 4 into 1000 and you end up with needing 250 grams of carbs for the day.

How you feeling so far, pretty confident?  Good we're almost there. Let's do the same with protein.

Now with protein the standard rule is 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. Unless you're a huge bodybuilder who does up to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight and are usually doing more than just protein shakes(steroids). Stear clear of those guys, they usually have protein farts.




Anyways, we're going to get a little more specifice. Don't worry you don't have to break out the calculator yet. 30% of 2000 is 600, divide 4 into that and you get 150. So 150 grams of protein a day.

Now for the final part. Fat. We know to stay away from fat for the most part. It's called FAT. How can it be any more obvious that it could possibly make you fat. Now I'm not going to make you learn the difference between saturated, non-saturated, poly-saturated fat, etc. right now. I will later. But not now.

You'll also find that you'll get most of you necessary fat while trying to avoid it all together. But remember that you do need your fat, remember to keep it limited. And as you noticed fat is what we try to get the least percentage of.

So with all that said let's do some more math. 20% of 2000 is 400.  Okay, here's where we dust off the calculator. Just kidding, use your cellphone. Does anyone still cary around a TI-81 with them?


400 divided by 9 is...hang on...225...wait what the hell did I do.  Okay, sorry it's 44.44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 you get the idea.

So 44 grams of fat a day. Trust me, not hard to do. But necessary.

So we just figured out what a person on a 2000 calorie diet needs. 250 grams of carbs, 150 grams of protein, and 44 grams of fat.

And of course you want to keep your sugar and sodium low. Though if you're working out a lot and drinking lot's of water, sodium won't hurt you that much.


Now the hard part, knowing what food to throw together to meet those requirements.

I have a nutritionist that makes these plans for people for only $100. She's great at it and experienced, and I even had her do mine. I would suggest you do the same, especially for those just starting out.


Here's a link to her on my page.
http://atxfitbootcamp.com/sign-up/

Click the order a meal plan button.

But if you don't mind spending the time and effort doing it yourself, as well as making mistakes, than be my guest.

Next week we'll go over reading food labels, which will help out those poor souls trying to make their own meal plans.