Real Life Fitness – Getting Fit With Brent

I’m going to write something that may be a bit controversial.  In fact, it may seem contradictory to my association with Beachbody, considering they sell supplements.  But it’s the truth, and everyone knows it whether they want to admit it or not (and most times, they will not admit it due to the financial gain they lose…more on that later).

So here it is:

It is NOT the supplement you are taking, drinking, whatever that is causing you to lose weight!

No, it’s not.

Supplements are named “supplements” for that very reason:  They are there to supplement some other change you are making in order to reach the desired effect.

To make my point:  If you started taking a supplement that promises weight loss, but you continue to eat like a pig, you may lose a couple of pounds (depending on what the supplement does), but you will not have any real long term success.

However, if you “supplement” a good diet, healthy habits like exercise, rest, etc, then the supplement MAY help.

No supplement is a miracle, though.  You will not magically lose weight unless you have already made drastic changes away from the standard American diet (SAD) and are eating how your body needs to be fed for the results you are wanting to do.

Yes, Shakeology is a supplement.  It is also usable as a meal replacement.  It is a GREAT product, but it is not a miracle product.  If you want long term results, use it to supplement a otherwise healthy diet.  You cannot drink a shake each day and then eat tons of other calories, sugars, bad fats, junk food, etc, and expect to look like Tony Horton or Shaun T.  It’s not happening.

So what brings this rant on?

There are so many companies out there in the direct sales industry that believe their supplements are miracles.  They truly believe that by just adding that supplement to their life that they have magically lost all of this weight.  And for a majority of them, that is simply NOT true.

The real truth is this:  They were approached by a product that could help them lose weight (so they were told), and they were given a plan to take the product, change how they eat to a cleaner, more wholesome diet, do some exercise, and they lost weight.  They made a lifestyle change that was supplemented with a supplement.

Who knew that eating healthy foods and exercise would help you lose weight?  (no sarcasm at all, I know)

But these people will never, ever admit that is the case.  Doing so would hurt their paycheck.  It would hurt their credibility.

When I first started P90X in 2009, I took no supplements.  I ate according to the guide.  I did my workouts every day.  I lost a LOT of fat.  Eating well, exercising, getting results…a novel concept, I know!

I did not add Shakeology until sometime in 2010 after my second round of P90X.  At that point I was taking the P90X multivitamin.  But again, it was there to support my lifestyle change I had already made.

You’re probably asking yourself, just as I have asked myself:  Why do you still use Shakeology then, Brent?

Because Shakeology to me has nothing to do with weight loss and everything to do with solid nutrition.  I’m not taking it as a miracle drink to help me shed pounds.  I am taking it, though, to make good nutrition convenient.  I credit the shake with helping me eat healthy, not lose weight (although by adding it in as a lower calorie meal option, with all natural products, toxin flushing ingredients, etc, it may aide in weight loss).

So please…quit trying to convince me that your product made you lose weight.  No….making the decision to change your life by eating better, exercising, and then supplementing your lifestyle with your supplement is what caused you to lose weight, plain and simple.

Brent Nutrition And Diet, Shakeology diet, exercise, nutrition, Shakeology, supplements

The biggest thing I have learned from my weight loss journey is the more prepared I am, the better I do. I am starting to use part of my Sundays to get setup for my entire week.

Trust me, when I am unprepared, then junk comes. And it usually comes in the form of fast food.

So here is what I am doiing this week:

Breakfast: Paleo muffins. See picture above.

1 pound breakfast sausage
onion
bell pepper
baby spinach
eggs
coconut oil

Coat silicone muffin cups with coconut oil. Brown sausage. Fill cups with sausage, leaving grease in pan. Cut onion, bell pepper, and baby spinach into small pieces and sauté in rest of grease. Spoon into cups. Then whisk as many eggs as needed to fill all the cups.

Makes approx 20

Lunch: Roasted chicken and veggies in coconut oil

All of these are prepped and ready to go for the entire week. This will take all of the guesswork out.

After this week I will start adding back in Shakeology. I want to spend this week riding my body of excess carbs. But even then I will use no additional fruit, just coconut milk and almond butter….because it is yum.

2 days in, almost 4 pounds down.

Brent Nutrition And Diet, Primal/Paleo Eating diet, food prep, nutrition, paleo, primal

Let’s face it:  We all need to exercise.  My dad and I were talking the other day about a new “study” that came out that linked NOT exercising to an increase risk of cancer.  While I never really buy into these studies, it does bring up a great question:

What can I expect from eating clean and regular exercise?

Let’s take weight loss/fat loss out of the equation.  We all know these are the biggest reasons why people start a diet and begin to exercise.  I don’t want to discount weight/fat loss (everyone who reads this blog knows my story or can read more about it), but there are more benefits to it than just getting skinny.

I’m going to outline benefits I’ve noticed as well as others I’ve read about:

1.  More Energy

This one is the most obvious to me.  I work an office job.  I sit in front of a computer every day.  It is easy to want to eat junk, but when I did, I felt tired, lethargic, not as sharp, etc.  But when I’m really focused on nutrition and regular exercise (like my Insanity + Shakeology routine I’m on now), I feel steady energy all day.  I never feel like I’m crashing.  I can focus better.

Outside of work, I have more energy to play with my kids and do things with them.  I can exercise more than once a day a few extra times a week, burn some more calories, and not feel out of it.

2.  Better Sleep

True story:  During the fall, I get on a sugar kick.  Usually the sugar kick starts around 8:30-9pm at night and last until I go to bed.  When I do this, my stomach does not feel as good and I do not sleep as well.  During this past fall, due to the shoulder issue being a bit of a bummer, I quit exercising outside of physical therapy.  And I didn’t rest as well, had a hard time wanting to wake up each morning, etc.

Just a few days into what I’m doing now and I’m resting better than ever before.  I’m going to sleep faster, waking up refreshed, even if I only get 6-7 hours of sleep.  And getting better sleep leads back to my first point:  More energy!

3.  Improved Self-Confidence and Image

I’m proving to myself that I CAN do something with I eat clean and exercise daily.  I show myself that I can focus, be consistent, and accomplish goals.  Combining that with the fat loss (that yes, after one week, I can notice a bit of), makes me feel better about myself.

4.  Less Irritable

I’m a lot nicer person to be around after an Insanity workout.  Just ask my wife.

5.  Increased Libido

I’m neither going to confirm/deny this (I don’t “kiss and tell”), but I get emails from Men’s Health magazine and have read some various diet books that boast this.  And it make sense.  For a male, eating certain foods and exercising seems to give a boost in natural testosterone.  And it produces sweat, which they say is a pheromone.  And pheromones seems to turn women on.  Or something like that…

For women, there’s actually been ladies reporting climaxing while exercising!  If that isn’t libido increasing I do not know what is!  Along with that, though, having better self image (#3) and a less irritable husband (#4) seem to help this happen a lot…umm…..easier (that’s a good word for it).

Don’t believe me?  Google it.

6.  Stronger Bones

I’ll admit I don’t know the science behind this, but it has been reported that strength and resistance works actually helps with bone density.  My mom is living proof of this:  Combined with some calcium treatments, she has moved her bone density away from a dangerously low level by lifting weights.

7.  Better Health/Quality of Life

This is probably the most important, although many people simply overlook it.

Sure, do all of the above, but the best thing is what happens on the inside.  The better you eat, and the more you keep toxic foods and fat off and out of your body, the better your health is.  Eating foods that prevent chronic inflammation and producing mild exercise-induced inflammation is good for you.  People can move away from being diabetic by doing these things.  They can reduce their chances of stroke and heart attack.  They can reduce their cancer risks and other things simply by eating clean and working out.

So from these reasons, which ones do you want to have happen to you?  To your spouse?  Let’s discuss this in the comments section!

Brent Fitness Tips, Nutrition And Diet diet, exercise, health, insanity, libido, nutrition, Shakeology, sleep

I’m just three days into my Insanity + Paleo + Shakeology 8 week plan.  Man, I feel AMAZING!  Who knew that eating 100% clean and paleo, drinking my shake, and exercising would provide this much energy.

First, my routine:  I wake up, take some Beachbody Energy and Endurance, and wait 15-20 minutes, and then get my butt kicked by Insanity.

Then after I shower (and continue to sweat for a while), fix my breakfast (2-3 eggs scrambled in coconut oil, Shakeology with coconut milk and almond butter), put together my lunch, go to work, eat lunch, eat an afternoon snack, come home (or to PT then home), and then eat supper.

My proteins have been over 100g (tonight was close to 130g), my carbs have been around 100g, and fats have been around 100g.  All of these are within the ranges I’m aiming for.

Here’s what I’ve noticed:

1.  No crashes.  I have sustained energy throughout the day.

2.  Cravings are decreasing.

3.  I wake up energized.

Over the next few days, I’m expecting to have better sleep.  Some things take some time to adjust, especially coming off of a sinus infection.  I’m aiming for 7-8 hours a night and have been successful in hitting that.  I just feel incredible!

Who knew that eating well and exercising could do this?

Brent Fitness Tips, Nutrition And Diet energy, exercise, nutrition, paleo

I’m ranting a bit here, so hang with me…

Believe it or not, there are some people that get frustrated hearing me talk about fitness, nutrition, etc, or reading my blog or Facebook statuses about it.  They don’t like the talk about exercise.  They think it’s “obsessive.”

And they are probably some of the ones who need it the most!

Listen, I’ll be honest:  If I had to choose between exercise and not exercise and still get to where I want to go, I’d choose no exercise.  It takes time.  It takes sweat.  It’s not always easy.  It’s hard waking up at 5:15 or 5:30 or earlier every morning to make sure I do what I need to do.  And it’s even harder when I’m injured or slightly sick and having to modify or work through things.

Do you think I want to give up things that taste awesome?  I MISS CHEESECAKE!

I love all of that stuff.  I love sleeping until just enough time to get ready for work, getting my job done, and then sitting on my butt watching TV snacking.  I love all of that.

But….I hate how I feel.  I hate looking fat and bloated.  I hate feeling like I’m not building any strength.  I hate not having the same level of energy I have when I exercise.  I hate feeling less accomplished.

More than that, I hate the horrible example I set for my kids if I do not take care of myself.

You see, talking about exercise is more than just me trying to run my Beachbody business.  It is something I’m ingraining in myself.  It’s something that I constantly have to motivate myself to do, and being accountable and talking about it online is just one way of going about it.  I know by doing this, I’ll do the work.  I’ll set the example.  My kids will learn good eating habits, the importance of exercise, etc.

They won’t grow up lazy and obese.  They’ll want to play.  They’ll want to be active.  Why?  Because they see their mom and dad being active.

I’m sorry I want to be around a long time for my kids.  I want to be there to walk all three of my girls down the alter.  I want to avoid type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and all the other nasty stuff that comes with being overweight and obese.

Sure, I want to look good, but this goes way beyond that.

So I don’t apologize for my lifestyle, or talking about it online.  If you don’t like it, feel free to not follow my statuses.  But do me one favor first:  Put on a bathing suit and look at yourself in the mirror.  Go ahead….do it.  Do you like what you see?  Do you want to change?  I’m not saying you have to be a muscled out male model, or a Victoria Secret Angel….but do you REALLY like what you see?

You see, I didn’t.  I still don’t.  I want to look better.  But more than the aesthetics, I know that living this lifestyle is something I need to do for my family as much as it is for me.

No, I don’t apologize for my lifestyle, or posting it.  Why?  Because if keeping me accountable helps just one person change their life, then I’ve done my job.  If doing this keeps my kids healthy, then I’ve done my job.

What example are you setting for your kids?

So no, I don’t apologize.  Don’t like it?  Don’t read it.  But don’t complain about the way you look and feel, either.

Brent Fitness Tips, Nutrition And Diet exercise motivation, nutrition, workout motivation

If you’ve paid attention to the world of nutrition and fitness, in particular people like Tony Horton, you will hear the phrase “eating clean” a lot.  It sounds a bit odd and refers nothing to whether your food is dirty or not!

So I’m going to give you my “eating clean” definition, and people can jump in with what they think as well.

Eating clean simply refers to eating whole foods, healthy foods, and staying away from processed or refined foods.  One way to think of it is this:  The less the food has been touched by machines, the cleaner it is.  Or, if the food was produced by nature and not in a laboratory, then it can be considered clean.

So let’s break down a few of the food groups and discuss “clean eating.”

1.  Proteins

This is an area that is hard to go wrong with clean eating.  I’m sure there are synthesized proteins out there, but most people get their proteins from animal sources or certain plants.  The problem with protein isn’t in the clean/unclean debate but the amount of saturated fats that get included in certain cuts of meat.

For example, most poultry is fairly good.  Chicken and turkey are very good for you, in particular the white meat areas.

Pork and beef is where things start breaking down a bit.  Both animals store high amounts of fat on their bodies.  And depending on where you get your cut of meat, you may be taking in too many fats, in particular, saturated fats.  For pork, I stick to “loin” based cuts, in particular, tenderloin.  It is juicy and tender and has a lower fat content than most of the rest of the animal.  With beef, you have a few more options.  I prefer sirloin or tenderloin (again, sticking with the “loin” category on the animal) but certain other cuts are not too bad, such as top round.

If you get ground beef, you can get leaner cuts.  I prefer going with something around 96/4 lean.

2.  Dairy

Dairy is always a huge debate.  Some argue that any milk source other than human milk was not meant to be ingested.  And it appears that some science agrees.  However, it is hard to deny milk’s ability to deliver quality calories.

The big issue with dairy is that it is almost all processed to a point.  Milk is pasteurized which may break down some of the healthier qualities of it.  We all know cheeses are processed.  And all alternate sources of dairy also involve some processing (i.e. almond and soy milk).

So choose wisely when it comes to dairy.  My personal feeling is I have nothing wrong with consuming it in moderates amount as long as it is lowered fat or fat free.  The bigger problem from dairy again comes from high saturated fat contents.

The bottom line:  Dairy can be a tripping point when it comes to eating clean, but moderate amounts are not too bad.

3.  Carbohydrates

Carbs can be broken down into four main sources:  Vegetable, fruit, grains, and sugars.

Veggies are a lot like meats:  It’s hard to go wrong when eating clean.  The less cooked the veggies are the more they retain their natural nutrients.  Of course, do not take the liberty of frying these in butters and fat-heavy oils and think you can still consider yourself eating well.  Veggies are healthy because the have no fat, good fiber, and a lot of vitamins and minerals.  Frying takes these foods from healthy to (over time) deadly.

Fruits are like veggies:  It is hard to go wrong.  Of course, with fruits, you do have larger amounts of fructose, a naturally occurring sugar.  Fructose in moderation is good.  To much fructose is not.  While juices from 100% fruit source are not bad for you, they have to be consumed even less.  The juices consist of water and fructose.  When you actually eat a piece of fruit, you are also getting fiber, which will help regulate the insulin spike that comes with taking in sugars.

Grains are where the breakdown between clean and not-clean really occur in the carbohydrates section.

The most popular grain is wheat (with potato being a close second).  This grain is often times overly processed and broken down into nothing more than a simple sugar.  White bread is a great example of an unclean grain.  During the process for enriching the flour, the grain is stripped of all of the healthy qualities.  When your body digest this, it digest it just like it does a sugar:  It spikes your insulin.

Bread is one of the most heavily processed foods around, regardless of the type it is.  However, whole wheat bread is, in my opinion, clean enough for consumption.  Beware of things that say they use “wheat flour.”  This is typically just a marketing term for white flour (i.e. sugar).

Finally, let’s talk sugar.  Unless you get it from a fruit or some veggies (or a handful of other natural sources), I would avoid these.  Most sugars are refined.  Most sugars do not contain fiber.  Therefore, all sugars case your insulin to spike.  And why is this bad (since I’ve mentioned it a few times now)?  If your insulin spikes and you do not burn those calories, they store as fat.

4.  Oils And Fats

I’ll keep this one simple:  Derive your fats from these sources:  Olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts, flax, and other natural and less-processed sources.  Avoid heavily process oils and fats like butter (that spans both dairy and fats categories), vegetable oil, etc.

Natural fats are good for you, in particular monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

—————————————————–

So, there’s my rough outline to eating clean.  Just remember, unprocessed and natural is good, processed, not so good.

Brent Nutrition And Diet eating clean, nutrition

This will be a short post, but I hope it helps some of you keep your eyes on the big prize in health and fitness.

Today, I ate a bacon cheeseburger.  And some onion rings.  And it was good.  REALLY good, actually.  No, it was nowhere near what I’m supposed to eat on my diet.  No, I did not concern myself with healthy fats, whole grain carbs, lean meats, or low fat cheeses.  I simply ordered and consumed.  I enjoyed every bite of that (oh yeah, did I mention a couple of sips of my wife’s chocolate milkshake?).

Before I’m labeled a nutritional hypocrite, let me explain:  I believe in the cheat meal.  I believe in a reasonable cheat meal.

Nutrition isn’t about eating 100% perfect all the time.  It’s about eating near perfect a large majority of the time.  I strive for 6 days of near perfect eating, and I eat clean around the cheat meal.  But as long as I don’t consume a Turbacon Epic (you’ll love it, or be grossed out by it, one of the two), there is nothing wrong from eating off of your strict nutrition plan.

Now, a few warnings about the cheat meal:

1.  Eat what you want, not what you think you need.  Today, I opted for a cheeseburger.

2.  Never overeat purposely just because it’s your cheat meal.  It’s not an excuse to eat 2 days worth of calories.

3.  Get ready to feel like crap afterwards.  If you are used to eating clean, there’s a good chance you won’t feel great after eating something greasy, loaded with fats, or real sweet with refined sugars.

Now, if you are just starting out on something like P90X, and you have a lot of weight to lose, avoiding the cheat meal may not be a bad idea.  My first round of P90X, I limited myself to a cheat every 2 weeks (and generally, that cheat was pizza).  But that’s for you to decide.

So don’t think you have to completely give up on all the foods you love(d).  Enjoy them once a week, within reason, and eat well the rest of the time.

Brent Nutrition And Diet cheat meal, diet, healthy eating, nutrition, P90X

There’s no one nutrition plan for all people.  And there’s no one nutrition plan for whatever type of exercising you are doing, depending on your goals.  So to say this is what I’m going to do and stick with it no matter what could be affecting your results.  In fact, I can almost guarantee that it will.

Let’s look at some examples:

This is me.  I’m working hard to burn fat as best I can.  I started out at around 1800 calories this year and have been increasing up to 2,400.  I’m going to hang out at 2,400 for a bit longer and see if results kick in on the second month of Insanity.

But, I’ve had to adjust how I eat.  At first it was eating on The Abs Diet, and it produced good results at first.  But as my body composition changed, I had to adjust a few things.  Nothing wrong with that, just knew that I had to make some changes.

Now, I’m making even more changes.  I’m cutting out dairy and getting calcium from other sources.  I’m decreasing the amount of processed starches (i.e. breads, pastas, etc) and working towards more whole food sources for my main meals.  And I’m reducing my carbs at night with the goal of cutting them out completely when I hit the Insanity – Asylum nutrition plan.

And this may not be the ultimate answer.  I may have to eat more.  I may have to eat less (which I’ll be a bit under when I do Asylum).

Now, later this year, I plan on working on adding muscle size, which means more calories.  I’ll go from 2,400 where I am now to around 3,000 or so, depending on how well I burn.  I’ll work on more carb and proteins for most of this.

When I get back into playing tennis, I’ll increase more carbs than I will protein sources.

It all depends on what my goal is at that time.  For now, with the goal being a good fat burn, I have to focus on a healthy deficit with the goal to slowly close that up.

So what am I saying through all of this?  Don’t be afraid to tinker with your nutrition.  Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  Do what you think is the right thing for you.  And if it is wrong, adjust.

Brent Nutrition And Diet adjustin calories, diet, nutrition

I was inspired to write this after a friend of mine and fellow Team Beachbody coach poured out her heart in a recent experience with our team.  She talked about how she was going well with P90X and her nutrition, and then started slipping.  She started eating out at Fast Food places, then slowed her exercises due to some physical discomfort, and started medicated with food.

To which, I replied…we’ve all been there.

In fact I was there most of last fall/winter.  By the way, when fall rolls around, I want to eat different.  I love eating clean, but I also enjoyed pizza and a movie night with the kids, usually watching “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” which is an October favorite in our house.  I want to eat hot dogs, grill burgers, watch football, and just have fun.

And that is what I did last fall.

Yes….I fell off the wagon.  And I stayed off of it until January 2nd.  It happens.

Here’s the great thing:  You can always catch up, get back on the wagon, and return to doing the thing:  Clean eating, exercising, being focused on goals, and making progress.

And that is also what I did.  And in less than 4 months, I’m leaner than what I was at my smallest point last year.  I’m in better shape.  I’m having a lot more fun, even on days I’m completely exhausted.

Too many times, people have life get in their way.  This causes them to derail from doing the right thing when it comes to their health.  And that’s okay as long as they pick themselves back up and get back to it.

Don’t let a little life distraction, a few days of bad eating, a few days from exercise, or whatever deter you from making progress.  Here are a few simple steps to get you back on target:

• Realize that you are off the wagon
• Immediately jump back on it
• Don’t beat yourself up, you cannot control the past, only the future
• Commit to a minimum of 7 days without a cheat
• Allow yourself one cheat meal at the end of those 7 days, but keep it reasonable

This simple steps will keep you on target with your goals, keep you from getting discouraged, and keep you on the road to a successful nutritional regiment.

Got questions?   Ask away!

Brent Nutrition And Diet motivation, nutrition, support

Just an FYI, I’ve written a small piece for a presentation tonight for a group on “practical” nutrition.  The goal here isn’t to convert everyone to the way I eat but rather a very basic, very high level breakdown of things people can do to eat better, be healthier, etc.

Hope you enjoy!

Practical Nutrition

“Diet” is not a 4 letter word.  It’s a lifestyle.  It’s not something you do for a small period of time to achieve a goal but rather something you change your habits to in order to live a healthier life.

Calories, Deficits, and Surpluses

Everyone has a “metabolic rate” – The rate of which your body burns calories.  Your “daily burn” is a combination of your metabolic rate and the calories burned from all daily activities.

A rough calculation:  Body weight X 10 + 20% is a high level estimate of daily burn.  Some are higher, some are lower.

A calorie deficit is needed to burn fat.  A deficit of 3,500 calories is needed to burn 1 pound of fat.  A max daily deficit that is safe is 1,000 calories/day, presuming that this does not put women under 1,200 calories and men under 1,800 calories (with exercise, these numbers can be increased to 1,400 and 2,000 calories/day needed).  This will create the 2 pound/week fat burn.

As your body gains more muscle and loses more fat, you may need to decrease your calorie deficit.  In other words, eat more.  Example:  I started out at 800/day deficit, now have moved to a 500/day deficit, and moving towards a 200-300 day deficit to reach goals.  The trimmer you are, the more you must rely on small deficits and intensity of exercise to burn the last bit of fat you want to lose.

Macronutrients, Ratios, and More

Macronutritions are Carbs, Proteins, and Fats.

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs – Fiber is king of good carbs.  Fiber is shown to help make you feel full longer as well as aid in the fat loss process.  Higher fiber foods are good for diets of all types.

Good Carb Sources:  Vegetables, fruits, whole grains.  Vegetables should be colorful and in variety for best nutritional needs.  Fruits contain fructose, which is a healthy carb/sugar, but be careful not to overconsume.  Sugar is sugar, will cause insulin spike and may make it harder to burn the calories before turning into fat.  Whole grains:  For process foods, look for “whole wheat” not “whole grain.”  Other sources are better, such as non-white potatoes, some white potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, etc.

Bad Carbs – Glucose.  Processed carbs.  White bread.  White Rice.  All serve no nutritional purpose other than to be calorie fillers.  Most “white” carbs get processed into sugars immediately, causing insulin spike.

Proteins – Help in promoting muscle growth, help in filling full, and provide certain amino acids that carbs do not.  Best sources of proteins are:  Fish, Turkey, Chicken, Lean Red Meat, lean cuts of pork.

Fats – Like carbs, there are good fats and bad fats.  Good fats are heavy in unsaturated fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.  Monounsaturated fats help promote insulin resistance and are said to reduce bad cholesterol and raise good good cholesterol, although research is still ongoing.  Polyunsaturated fats are sometimes referred to as Omega-3’s, which promote heart health.

Bad Fats are saturated fats (found in meat and dairy as well as a lot of processed foods) and trans fats.  Some saturated fat is okay.  Avoid trans fat if at all possible.

Ratios:  40% carb/ 30% protein/ 30% fat is a good ratio, easy to maintain.  50% protein / 30% carb / 20% fat can be done for a short period to help ramp up metabolism.  40/40/20 is a good healthy ratio for increased fat burn, athletic performance.

Clean Eating

Clean eating refers to eating as little processed foods as possible, as much natural whole food sources, and healthy overall eating.

Practical Tips

Note:  Your diet should consist of things that are good for you and affordable for your budget.  You can still lose weight on a less than optimal diet, but you have to be a bit more cautious in how you approach what you eat and how much you eat.

Don’t under-eat!  This will slow down your metabolism.

Eat at least 5 times a day.  This will keep you full, keep you from over-eating, and keep your body and metabolism used to processing food/energy.

Other tips:

1. You don’t have to go to a super “clean” right away.  Start with a goal of 50% clean, 50% not.  Move up to 80/20, then up to 90/10 if so desire.  90/10 is optimal for non-perfect nutrition.
2. Don’t change what you eat.  Change what you put into what you eat.  Learn to read labels, switch out healthier alternatives.
3. Eat as natural as possible.  Fresh/Frozen veggies beat canned veggies, whole food items are best.
4. Eat out less – This will save you a LOT of calories as well as money.
5. I’m anti-soft drink, but some are not.  So instead of cutting them out completely, limit.  Set a goal of 2-3 8oz servings at a time.  This includes diet drinks as well.
6. Avoid sugary drinks too.  Kool-aid, sweet tea, etc, all taste really good but are not that good for your calorie intake.
7. Cheat meals are okay.  Cheat days, sometimes reasonable.  Cheat weekends are bad.  I’m as guilty of this as anyone. Weekends can make/break your progress.
8. Avoid frying meat.  If you cannot grill outdoors, invest in a Foreman grill or a grill pan.
9. Finally, learn to make healthy food taste good.

Brent Nutrition And Diet nutrition, practial nutrition