I have been skimming through the T-Nation website, and one of the diets on there for accelerated fat loss involved purely protein shakes, with one meal per week (suggested as being porridge with berries). I thought this seemed a little drastic, and possibly dangerous, so I modified it somewhat with the inclusion of a proper meal each day, normally breakfast, and fruit throughout the day for fibre.
I am 6’2, around 80kg and I would say 12% fat. I would like to get down to maybe 6-7% fat, so I’m guessing that is 75kg ish.
It looks something like this:
Breakfast:
coffee (if there’s track training in the morning)
porridge, banana, fruit juice, coffee (if it’s weights, or no training)
Mid-morning:
protein shake and banana (after track)
creatine stack (after weights)
2 x plums and coffee (no training)
Lunch:
protein shake, apple, coffee
Mid-afternoon:
berries and milk (possibly chocolate flavoured just cos I love it!)
diet looks ok. I would get more “real food” instead of always substituting protein shakes for your protein sources. Also, besides the chocolate milk, it doesnt appear that you are getting any fat. get some fat in at all your meals if you can and i would make that mid afternoon snack slightly larger (more content). aside from that, try adding some vegies in there as well.
as for the t-nation diet you are referring to, it works, if and only if you follow it to a T and it is extreme. it is also assumed that your protein shakes are instead meal replacment shakes. modifying that diet isnt a good idea. also, the t-nation diet that you are talking about is hard to maintain for permanent fat loss. think about it, you wont go the rest of your life with protein shakes for all your meals. once you stop doing that type of diet, than you will probably gain a lot back. sometimes the best way is the hardest way, and thats consistent healthy balanced meals and patients. best of luck, and i hope i helped you.
I would rather a “real” protein food at the dinner time rather than a shake. If you get rid of the saturated fats, ie, skin off the chicken, the visible fat off the meat, there is not much fat left. Eat some fish, at least 2 times per week, and by the looks of how much fat is going into the diet (unsaturated fat), you need some more. Fish is high in good unsaturated fat, so eat plenty.
Swap the fruit for some vegies(get some vit & minerals), and perhaps a Lemon drink or two for some energy (made with real lemon).
If you cut the carbs right out, dont try intensive training at the same time, the brain will starve. The brain needs carbs for energy. Expect to feel light headed if you cut them, maybe even fainting if your not carefull?
Without the right carbs, the right fats and vit and minerals, your going to in the longer run, feel like crap!
If one has a High GI food, but has it mixed with fatty food as well, what happens to that high GI? It is slowed down in the digestive track, making it a not so high GI.
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I will take everything you say on board. If I were to substitute the dinner for say chicken or fish with vegetables then?? In terms of a slightly larger mid-afternoon snack, do you have any recommendations? I don’t know if just adding another piece of fruit, say an apple would be ok, as Bold suggesting swapping some of the fruit for veggies, rather than just adding veggies. Any suggestions as to what might be appropriate for this, I’m guessing something low GI reasonably low carb???
Where do you feel things like seeds, nuts and legumes fit in? I quite like bean salads etc, also I like yoghurt coated brazil nuts, another craving thing I get as well as chocolate milk!!! I know not the best form of nuts. I understand the legumes are an incomplete protein source, but how do they stand on the vitamins and minerals front? With the nuts I understand they provide some of the essential fats, but are there any other benfits or negative aspects they bring with them?
Doesn’t seem to be much complex Carbs, with is vital for training athletes, to restore muscle glycogen. I see allot of simple Carbs, which is great for after training, because i believe they help release a hormone called insulin’s, which helps flush more nutrients into muscles.
I would drink so much coffee, ether because its a diuretic, and being hydrated, is very important for muscle function and recovery.
Heres Jerome ‘Hollywood’ Ferguson, in his cutting up phase, just days before his bodybuilding contest. He is on a low-carb diet coming into this workout week. Look at how it is affecting his workouts. Stored, energy is low, and he hasn’t got the same energy’s levels.
I have four pieces of bread with every main meal i have, i don’t like thinking too much about diets. Weather am having rice, chicken, put the food on the bread. Until have completed the four pieces. Its Notorious in my house.
I just eat, make sure i get my protein , Carbs, on top of that take my Multi-vit, and protein/amino-acids after pumping some Iron, or in th boxing gym.