In order to really be committed to this challenge I have to completely rewire my diet. They say that in order to get a six pack you have to lower you body fat % down to at least 17% so basically in order to become a body builder it is 40% Workout 60% diet...
I went through my entire kitchen today and threw out all of my temptations and bad go to foods for snacking.
These included:
- Frozen Apple Pies
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Frozen Yogurts
- Anzac Biscuits
- Sugar
- White Bread
- Quince Pasta
- Gourmet cheese selection (I know :-( it sucked throwing those out)
- Potato Crisps
- Chocolate blocks
- Tim Tams (This was the hardest to dispose of, I wanted to eat them to make them disappear)
- Full Cream Milk
- Sugar cereals
- Rice crackers
- Syrups
- Condiment dressings (tomato sauce, BBQ sauce etc)
- ALL ALCOHOL (Sorry party people)
I also gave my deep fryer away and purchased scales, microwave safe containers and measuring spoons and cups.
SO I have to follow the below rules now:
1. NO DAIRY
Cheese, Milk, Creams, yogurts etc I am sure you have heard all this before but no other animal in the world drinks milk as an adult, nor do they consume another animals milk. Humans are the only animals that do this so that should show just how unhealthy it really is. So I now drink Soy Milk and soy based yogurts.
2. EAT ONLY COMPLEX CARBS - Nothing Simple
The bad Carbs are what they call simple carbs these are: White breads, Cookies, Rice, Pastas, sodas, Candy, Cake, Fruit Juice, Con Syrup, Table sugar etc... Simple Carbs are refined carbs and these are products that cause uncontrollable sugar cravings which lead to the overconsumption of food which causes fat stores in your body. Simple Carbs are downright terrible for you, they cause weight gain, fatigue, can alter your mood, cause high blood pressure and even change your blood sugar levels to cause diabetes.
On the other hand Complex Carbs are high-fibre foods which improve your digestion and send fuel and energy to your brain so you can function. Complex carbs stabilise your blood sugar and help you suppress your appetite by keeping you full for longer... Therefore Carbohydrates are excellent for weight loss when consumed correctly.
Complex carbs are: Quiona, Vegetables, Fruits, Oats, Museli, Lentils, Brown Rice, WholeMeal breads and grains.
3. EAT 5-6 VERY SMALL MEALS A DAY
As you have grown up you have been conditioned to thinking that you eat Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and each portion should be filling in size, in order to lose weight and tone up to get your body in shape this is wrong.
If you eat 5-6 meals a day you spend less time between meals which means you are less likely to binge eat or eat a larger meal later on. It takes a while for the food to reach your large intestine so you do not know you are full until well after you actually should have stopped eating.
As a rule each meal should be the size of your hand and should be slowly... VERY VERY slowly consumed which brings me to my next point.
4. EAT SLOWLY, VERY VERY SLOWLY
A lot of people are time poor nowadays but if you know the basics of multitasking this can still be done. The reason you eat slower is so that your body has time to digest the food, by digesting the food your body is able to fill up and let you know you have fuelled it enough by telling you it is full.
Eating slow can be achieved by eating at your desk at work, or sharing company and good conversation, perhaps while reading a book or, lets be catering to our generation, googling on your smartphone. The slower you eat the more nutrients you are able to consume.
5. This is a tough one - NO ALCOHOL
I know, it is very fun and it tends to help you get laid on a weekend but there are so many negative things in alcohol which can destroy all of your training efforts and diet. If you need a stimulate find something else *Quick disclaimer - I am not supporting recreational drug taking*... There are so many more side effects and negative concerns with alcohol then any other illegal drug that is around.
6. SAY NO TO RESTAURANTS and CAFES
It might affect your social life a little but try not to eat out at restaurants or cafes with friends. The best way to control your diet is to prepare your own meal, that way you know exactly what you are putting into it. A lot of restaurant food is heavy and full of bad fats and simple carbs, this is why the meals taste so so good. Meet your friends for a coffee or a tea after they have finished eating.
7. PACKAGED FOODS ARE A BIG NO NO
Packaged foods are processed foods which are loaded up with trans fats and artificial flavours and preservatives. The whole reason we are in an obesity epidemic is because of all the processed, easy to grab, easy to eat foods that are readily available. When you go to the supermarket only buy food products from the outside aisles - that is the fresh food and vegetables. You should not need to go into the middle aisles at all (with a few exceptions being spices etc).
8. READ THE LABELS
I will post a blog on how to read food labels but for now just look at the servings per 100grams section (not the per serving size) and make sure there are zero trans fats and low KJ and Sugars. Also read and make sure there are not artificial sugars in the ingredients anything with corn before or after it is an artificial sugar. Also all products that have a number next to it is an artificial ingredient used to preserve the product, store the product, colour the product or add taste to the product, these are bad for you.
9. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF
You need to eat and eating is what your body will need in energy in order to do those intense gym workouts. Plus if you do not eat your body will go into starvation mode and store fat, which will cause bloat, bowel problems, bad breath, poor skin, poor skin elasticity and actually make you put on weight when you start eating normally again. All in all your metabolism is what is going to help you lose weight so you need to respect it and help it out by eating the right foods and eating them at the right times in the right portions.
10. DONT FORCE YOURSELF TO LIKE SOMETHING
If you cannot stand hummus or carrots don't force yourself and/or pretend to like them. Find an equally healthy alternative. If you do not like the foods you are eating there is no way you are going to stick to this diet, as soon as a negative alternative is available you are going to break your hard work and indulge. If you like sweet foods and have a massive sweet tooth eat apple sprinkled with cinnamon, if you like hamburgers make a nice lentil burger with greens, tomato, onion on a nice rye bun... (I am getting hungry now thinking of these meals nom nom nom) Basically find food that is healthy that you will enjoy eating.
11. EAT A PROTEIN SOURCE WITH EVERY MEAL
It does not have to be meat protein shakes are good, nuts, tofu, flaxseed meal, mushrooms etc... When you eat protein it helps your muscles repair and can assist you in your growth of muscle.
12. WATER IS YOUR ONLY BEVERAGE
With the exception of protein shakes and homemade healthy smoothies of course because these are technically foods.
Water helps you remove water weight by flushing your system, it also keeps your bowels hydrated, skin clear and suppresses your appetite. Many people confuse dehydration with hunger so rather than going to get a glass of water they get themselves a snack. Start drinking water, you will look amazing for it also.
So those are the basic food rules that my nutritionist gave me.. When and if I find out more I will post it here.
Watch my Youtube on my bodybuilding nutrition.
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