Nutrition: Paleo Pancakes

Nutrition: Paleo Pancakes

Recipe Whole Ripe Banana 1/2 Cup Egg Whites *** Could be whole eggs too. 1-2 Tsp Cinnamon *** I use "Pumpkin Pie Spice". Optional: Add blueberries, chia/flax seeds, or whatever you want.

Directions Cut up banana and place into a medium bowl. Add the egg whites to the bowl. Add in the cinnamon/spice. Mash the banana and mix the entire contents of the bowl very well *** Ratio of banana to egg whites is variable. *** You could optionally use a blender instead too. Heat up a pan (w/ nonstick or oil is needed) and cook the mixture like a pancake about 1/4 cup at a time. Let one side cook until the edges are dry and then flip. Depending on the ratio of egg whites to banana used, the pancakes may be thinner than traditional ones. Enjoy!

Review I love these pancakes. They are fast to make and totally guilt-free. A fast way to get in your protein and also a good amount of potassium. It's also vegetarian friendly, low-carb and gluten-free. Try making some for your friends and loved ones to see if they can even tell the difference. Tips: *** If adding in additional fruit (or any other soft substance), you will probably need to balance it out w/ additional banana slices to maintain a thick consistency in your "batter". *** Try some finely chopped greens!

Nutrition: Meal Prep 2

This is a continuation of the previous meal preparation blog and mixes in a little bit of calorie and macro management. Here we will talk about meal timing and quantity.

Calculating Number of Meals Conventional wisdom suggests to eat 5-6 small meals a day. I generally agree with this but do also recognize that there are various types of dieting and caloric intake methods. Whether it is intermittent fasting, carb cycling, Atkins or Shakeology; as long as you are accountable to some sort of system, I believe you will have results. Beware of gimmicks or "fad dieting". Try to find something that is maintainable for you and make a lifestyle change. I dropped about 10lbs since that post last year and am going to stay lean since summer is approaching (between 180-185lbs). It's purely a personal decision on how to split your calorie count up. Everyone has different daily schedules so certain methods may or may not apply well to your lifestyle. I work a desk job with access to a refrigerator and microwave. I can also choose to workout at lunch or after work if I get busy. Due to my work situation, I can be pretty flexible with my meal count and timing. My method of calculating meal count is based on my protein macro (instead of fats or carbs). Since I'm focused on bodybuilding/aesthetics, it's one of my most important macros to hit. It also is a macro that is hard to exceed. I often find myself trying to limit fats and carbs, looking for foods that are low in these categories. For protein, if I'm being strict and counting every gram, I often have to try to make up protein at the end of the night. So I like to figure out how much protein I need daily and try to split that between 5-6 meals. For those of you trying to drop weight, your total caloric intake is likely the most important macro. Track that and split it in between your chosen number of meals.

Meal Timing Below is the timeline of a typical day of eating and a brief look into the activities between those meals.   Meal #1 8:00am *** Woke up, walked dogs. 1 pinch of Almonds (1/4 cup) 5oz Salmon fillet 2 cups steamed veggies   Meal #2 11:17am *** At work, just out of meeting. 5-6oz Ground Turkey 1-2 cups black beans   Snack #1 2:00pm *** Finished workout during lunch. Protein Shake (Whey mixed with water)     Meal #3 3:16pm *** Still at work. 5oz Salmon fillet 1-2 cups black beans Additional: Nuun tab in water   Meal #4 4:45pm *** Wrapping up at work. 5-6oz Ground Turkey 2 cups steamed veggies Additional: Green Tea in water   Meal #5 8:15pm *** At home or out and about. Bowl of Ramen w/ an egg and a can of tuna added. Example Alternate Dinners/Lunches Repeat Meal #1 or #4 (low carb meal) Meal from my girlfriends prep. Generally some type of tofu dish w/ veggies. Large Texas Tuna Sandwich Lean Lemon Turkey Chicken bowl, stock velvet w/ double veggies instead of rice   Snack #2 10:30pm *** Optional meal, before bed. Boiled Egg Pinch of almonds If short on Protein that day: Protein shake w/ Almond Milk

Considerations This style of eating is not for everybody. Depending on your fitness goals, it may not be ideal for you to use this meal timing. This is just an example of what works for me and my specific goals. I encourage people to research various styles of eating habits and explore what works best for them. Whether it is counting all macros or just carbs or "points". Once you become familiar with your chosen diet system, I believe that you can transition to "free eating" and become less strict with your bean counting. That may not be ideal for those trying to lose lots of weight however. The more you eat your meal prep, the better your results will be. Not everyone can eat steamed veggies and fish all the time so I do like having "cheat" meals. Just don't turn a cheat meal into a cheat day. On weekends if I have some drinks or dinner out, I still will have eaten at least two meals from my meal prep. It's all bout finding a sustainable balance between living life and being healthy. As long as you are eating healthy and exercising more often than you are not, you should still be moving toward a fit physique. Of course the higher percentage of meals you prepare and control yourself, the better your results will be. If you are just starting out with eating healthy, do not try to drastically change your eating habits immediately. Maybe just switch out your lunch for a healthy option initially and slowly expand from there. Read more about that in our Getting Started Blog.

Check back for additional advice and browse our posts regularly for ideas on workouts and nutrition. Good luck!

Nutrition: Popcorn

Nutrition: Popcorn

Popcorn A quick, healthy snack is popcorn. Of course not the movie theatre, butter-laden kind but plain kernels. The ideal method is to use an air popper ($20 at Target) but if you don't have one, microwave popcorn will work too. Be aware that most microwave popcorn includes some salt & oil (which contains more calories). An average bag is around 100 calories w/ 20g carbs. The popcorn is good on its own but if you want a little more zing, try some fun add-ins.

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SALTY I prefer to avoid table salt and use these alternatives to satisfy my salt craving. My favorite is to sprinkle on Mrs Dash "Garlic & Herb" flavor. Mrs Dash contains no salt, so it helps keep your sodium content low. Sometimes I use paprika or some Lawrys (Garlic Powder) too. Paprika is abnormally high in vitamin C & garlic powder contains vitamin A, vitamin C and selenium, all great antioxidants. Ensure you're using Garlic Powder and not Garlic Salt lol. Sea Salt is another good option to avoid using table salt too.

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CHEESY If you have some grated parmesan, sprinkle some on while the popcorn is hot. Avoid the cheap, canned parmesan. Freshly grate it yourself if possible. One ounce of parmesan has 11g of protein with just 1g of carbs. It's also very high in calcium and phosphorus. You can also use Braggs Premium Nutritional Yeast to mimic a cheesy flavor.

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SWEET You can make a type of trail mix by adding in dark chocolate chips and unsalted peanuts (or your favorite nut). The nuts contain healthy fats as well as protein & fiber to help keep you full. Dark chocolate has lots of good antioxidants, vitamins & minerals. It's good for your heart and brain as well. Another option is to sprinkle in cinnamon.

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Like with anything, portions should be monitored to prevent yourself from gorging. Bag these up & carry them with you for a quick snack that doesn't need refrigeration or re-heating. Great "on-the-go".

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Optional Tip: If you don't have an air popper, you still can make your own popcorn using a microwave. Just put kernels in a brown paper bag, fold the top over (making sure there's enough room in the bag for the popped corn) and staple it closed. Microwave until the popping sound stops. Be careful taking the bag out that you don't touch the staples, they will be hot!

Nutrition: Meal Prep 1

Another popular question I receive is about how to eat healthy. This is an attempt to jot down a simple process to prepare meals.

Basic Steps 1 - Plan Ingredients 2 - Shopping 3 - Prep 4 - Cook 5 - Plate

Advanced Steps

1 - Plan Ingredients I usually start out by planning what ingredients I need to acquire to prepare meals. I prep meals 1-2 times a week so I start by checking the fridge to see if there are any leftover ingredients from my last prep. This prevents me from overstocking ingredients and helps keep the fridge clean! My prep is broken down into three basic sections: protein, veggies and carbs. Protein My usual protein options include: chicken, turkey, fish and egg whites. Although I don't eat them, lean beef and cottage cheese can be throw in this category too. For vegetarians, protein sources can include: tofu/tempeh, quinoa, beans and meat substitute products (i.e. seitan, veggie burgers, etc). Some of the vegetarian protein options could technically be considered a carb too. Be mindful of that if you are carb conscious. Veggies The vegetables options are almost endless. I like to always include leafy greens but it is best to "eat the rainbow". My usual leafy greens include: spinach, kale, bok choy and collard/mustard greens. I also mix in: broccoli, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, carrots and various peppers. Carbs Carbohydrate options are similarly numerous but I like to be healthy with my carbs. You don't want to go around eating a bunch of bad carbs (i.e. french fries). Quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole-grain breads are acceptable. Most beans or legumes can be used. Oats, sweet potatoes and yams work too. My favorites are: black beans (unsalted), sweet potatoes (boiled/baked), whole wheat pasta and brown rice. Snacks Snacks are not necessarily included in my prep but since you are headed to the store anyway, you might as well try to set yourself up for success by keeping healthy snacks around. I put fruit into this category. Usually with my breakfast or a protein shake, I like to include fruit. Yogurt, boiled eggs, canned tuna, snack packs of lightly salted popcorn and oatmeal are frequent purchases of mine. Nuts like almonds, cashews, etc are good snacks as well. Sliced cucumbers or similar veggies can even be quick, healthy snacks. The best method to measure your portions is to use an actual food scale. This is a little hardcore so for times when I'm just free-eating, I just eyeball my portions. I "guesstimate" my portions by comparing it to the size of my palm. For men, it's about 6-8 ounces. For women, it's around 3-4 ounces. Depending on your eating schedule, you want to add one "palm" of protein and then either one "palm" of veggies or carbs. I go "either/or" with my veggies and carbs, eating carbs only around my workouts and not too late in the evening. That's just my regimen, it's ok to mix in the carbs w/ veggies but I suggest to not go too crazy on the carbs. Veggies are fairly safe to eat in excess. I write down what I might need and then proceed to go shopping for the ingredients.

2 - Shopping Eating healthy may seem expensive but it actually is way cheaper than eating out. You don't necessarily need to go non-GMO, all organic with your purchases either. Organics are worth looking into though but I won't go into that here (google "Monsanto"). You want to primarily stick to the edges of the grocery store. Not saying you don't need to visit any of the inner aisles but the outer aisles usually contain all the fresh produce. Anything fresh needs refrigeration and thus the outer edge of most grocers keep their coolers there. It's just easier to run them there. I do visit the inner aisles for things like my condiments (Mrs Dash!), canned beans/tuna, brown rice or whole wheat pasta. All my proteins, veggies and eggs are around the outer edge of my local grocery store. To make cooking easier, you could go with pre-cut or bagged ingredients. They're sometimes not as "fresh" as raw ingredients but it does save a bunch of time. Pre-cut meats and fish are usually also available in the meat or seafood department. Here is an example of what I bought for my most recent meal prep: Two 1lb packages of boneless, skinless chicken breasts Two packages w/ 2 salmon fillets each Two cod fillets Two ground salmon jalapeno burgers Container of pre-cut melon A dozen brown eggs Two heads of broccoli One bunch of collard greens One package of pre-cut matchstick carrots One package pre-marinated asparagus One medium sweet potato One 14oz can of unsalted black beans

3 - Prep My prep is fairly simple. I usually don't marinate anything, I just season as I cook. If you want better tasting meals, you can cut your meats (tenderize if needed), season them in a ziplock bag and refridgerate them. This helps the meat turn out more juicy and flavorful. It does require a little more foresight and time however. I like to use low sodium options to season my meals. Lower sodium diets help prevent cardiovascualar disease, high cholesterol and obesity. Sodium is important for fluid regulation and other bodily functions. So you want to still keep sodium in your diet. My low sodium seasonings are any flavor of Mrs Dash and Braggs Liquid Aminos. Mrs Dash can be found almost anywhere but I can only find Liquid Aminos are more "natural" grocers like Whole Foods or Sprouts. I just cut my meats and sprinkle Mrs Dash all over them before baking/pan-frying them. I don't add anything to my veggies except maybe some minced garlic while steaming. For the carbs, I add cinnamon to my oats or sweet potatoes. Everything else is pretty plain. If you are just starting out with meal prep, I find it totally acceptable to sneak in some more conventional condiments with your food. Not everyone can just eat a bunch of steamed broccoli plain. I suggest trying to see if you can just use the Liquid Aminos or Mrs Dash with them. Test it out with a single serving before prepping a bunch of meals that you don't like and won't eat. If it still isn't enough, try to add a light amount of butter or ranch or whatever you need. In my opinion, it's still better than eating a side of french fries. Gradually try to wean yourself away from the unhealthy condiments though.

4 - Cook Cooking is the fun part! Cleaning dishes is the not-so-fun part lol. I generally grab everything out of the fridge and stack it on some counter space. I am not a Cordon Bleu graduate line chef. I'm just you're average guy so the order that I do things may not be the most efficient but it seems to work. A - Bake: Baking things usually take the longest so I like to pre-heat the oven while I'm pulling ingredients out of the fridge. I like fish a lot and the easiest way to cook it is to bake it. Sometimes I bake chicken or sweet potatoes too. In this example, I had plenty of fish. I placed foil on a flat pan, greased it will non-stick and then placed my fish down on it. For salmon there's no need to remove the skin, it comes off easier when cooked. Sprinkle whatever seasoning you need on it & place in the oven. I cook it at about 350 degrees, which is low. But I will be busy doing other things so I don't need the fish done right away.

B - Skillet/Grill: Stuff that is pan-fried usually requires a little bit of cutting. After I get the baked stuff started in the oven, I go to prep stuff for the pan. Things that I normally pan fry are any type of burger, chunked meat, tofu or ground meat. In this example, I had some salmon jalapeno burgers and chicken to cook. So I opened the package of chicken, cut away a bit of the excess fat and sliced it into chunks. In place of using a skillet, I could use a few "Foreman grills". I used to do that but cleaning the ones I have is a nightmare. Usually the meat I buy is really lean anyway, so I'm not too worried about fat drippings. A good replacement for pan frying is grilling. Right now I lack a grill but a propane grill is easy to get going fast (although I do like charcoal better, sorry Hank Hill). Once cut, I fired up two burners & greased two skillets. I placed the salmon burgers in one & the chunked chicken in another. The burgers already had seasoning so I only threw Mrs Dash onto the chicken. I cook them on medium since again, I will be doing other things and not exclusively watching them.

C - Steam: Vegetables don't take long to steam so I save them for last. Plus they are low maintenance since they just sit in a pot. This allows me to check on the baked items and stir/flip the skillet/grill items simultaneously. I'm not super particular about my food touching so I use a large stock pot with a colander to steam all my veggies at once. I place the colander at the bottom of the pot. Fill it with water up to just below the colander. Place on the stove with the lid on and heat high. In this case I had collards, asparagus, broccoli and carrots. I threw the carrots in first since they were pre-cut. I washed and ripped the collards into smaller pieces and placed into the pot (w/out the stalk). Cut the asparagus and broccoli into small chunks and place into pot too. Leave covered. Once the water gets boiling, I like to drop the heat down to medium. I like my veggies slightly crunchy so I leave them in for about 10 minutes. Adjust time based on your needs.

D - Boil: This step usually includes whatever random stuff I may need to prep. Snacks and other odd bits that would be be convenient to have already cooked get done here. In this example I cracked open my can of black beans and cooked that. After that was done, I boiled about six eggs to keep in the fridge. I had some already baked sweet potato left over from last weeks meal prep so I pulled that out here. During this step I usually have the fish done, finish up any grilling and start looking for my tupperware containers.

5 - Plate A cheap tupperware set costs only a few bucks from almost anywhere. I like to get a few sets that all use the same top so it's easy to match them. I use a set of medium size bowls so I can fit an entire meal into one. While everything is finishing and/or cooling off, I lay out a number of empty containers.

Once I have everything laid out, I grab my various protein sources and start "plating" them into different containers. I try to switch it up and not place 4 containers of fish right next to one another. Spread it out so you get a variety of different food. This also helps prevent you from getting too "tired" of eating the same thing all the time.

After plating my protein sources, I move into plating my carb sources. Due to my diet, I have way fewer carb sources than veggies so I like to spread those out before handling the vegetables. I have carbs in 2-3 meals per day so I plate that first and space them off. The veggie steam pot gets moved over and then I add veggies to the remaining containers that do not contain carbs.

Once plated, I like to let the food cool a bit before placing the tops on them and moving to the fridge. Anything that is leftover, I place into other tupperware and use that for dinner or my next meal prep.

Tips / Advice Start slow. Do not attempt to prep an entire weeks worth of meals off the bat. Try to monitor your existing meals or eating out while introducing your prepped meals slowly. Maybe prep lunch or breakfast for a few days to start out. Once you have the routine down and have figured out what you like, step it up and prep more meals. Get comfortable with the process. Meal Prep does take some time but as you get more familiar with doing it, you become faster. I can knock out about 12-14 meals w/ leftovers in under an hour now. Find a balance that includes speed, efficiency and taste. Protein, veggies, and carbs are the three basic things I need. Often times I just "wing it" and head to the store after work and pickup my raw ingredients. Make sure you switch it up often and try other combinations of food so you don't get tired of meal prep. I introduce 1-2 "cheat" meals or semi-cheat meals into my meal prep. For this example it was the salmon jalapeno burgers. There is salt and cheese packed in the burger patty so it's not totally "healthy". It's really tasty and I like it though. It gives me something to look forward to. Save fridge space! Prepped meals take up a bit of space, so clear out the fridge. Be mindful of roommates or significant others. Look for inspirations on social media or blogs (like this one!) for ideas and techniques.

Check back for additional advice and browse our posts regularly for ideas on workouts and nutrition. Good luck!

Nutrition: Black Bean Pancakes

Nutrition: Black Bean Pancakes

Recipe 1-2 scoop of vanilla/chocolate protein powder * 1/3 cup of drained, unsalted black beans ** 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder 1 tablespoon of dark cocoa powder 1 egg white 1/3 cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk ***

Substitution Items * I suggest sticking with vanilla/chocolate protein because flavors like "Tropical Punch" taste weird in a pancake. ** If you don't like beans, replace with Whole Wheat Flour *** You can use soy/dairy milk if you wish

Directions Add 1-2 scoops of Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Powder to a mixing bowl. *** I use Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey - Extreme Milk Chocolate flavor. Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder Add a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder Add 1/3 cup of drained, unsalted black beans Add 1 egg white Add a 1/3 cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk ***Optional: Unsweetened coconut flakes ***Optional: A couple pinches of Stevia ***Optional: Ground psyllium powder for extra fiber Blend all ingredients well Heat a pan coated in olive oil or non-stick spray Cook pancakes using your normal method Makes about 3 large, thin pancakes Enjoy.

Review Black beans are high in fiber, protein, vitamin B6 and antioxidants. When eaten with brown rice, its a complete protein and extremely useful for vegetarians. The pancakes hold together well and taste like normal flour pancakes. If you like your pancakes sweet be sure to add Stevia. You can also alternately play with your black bean to flour ratio.

Nutrition: Veggie Quiche

Nutrition: Veggie Quiche

Recipe 2 Pre-Made Pie Crust 1 cup chopped Faux Chicken * 1/2 head of broccoli (chopped) 2 handfuls of spinach 1 handful of green onions (chopped) 2 carrot (grated) 2 tbsp minced garlic About 9 eggs 1 cup Soy Cheese ** 1 cup Goat Cheese *** Optional: 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond, etc) Optional: 1 tbsp Flour

Substitution Items * Can substitute in cooked firm tofu or even real meat (ground beef/turkey, cubed/shredded chicken, etc.) We use stuff like this ** Can use real cheese here but we use this. *** Can leave this out but the quiche seems to hold together better leaving it in

Directions Look at the pie-crust instructions and pre-heat oven to that temperature. Pre-cook crust for 12 minutes. Cook your faux meat, tofu or real meat until its done. Chop/cube it into smaller pieces. *** Can season to your liking with Mrs Dash, Creole seasoning, salt, etc. We just sautee with garlic & little Mrs Dash. Heat a large skillet with some olive oil. Add the green onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes. Now add your chopped broccoli and grated carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies go a little soft. Stir often. During the last minute of cooking, stir in some spinach. Continue cooking until the spinach wilts. Remove the skillet from heat. Add in your chopped faux meat, soy cheese and goat cheese. Stir the mixture. Scoop spoonfuls of the mixture into your pie crusts until they are full (you may have leftover, just eat it). Crack open your eggs into a bowl and whisk. *** Can season to your liking with Mrs Dash, Creole seasoning, salt, etc. We leave it plain though. Slowly pour the eggs into each pie crust until the mixture within the crust is saturated with eggs (careful not to spill). Bake at about 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until you see the quiche is set. Once finished, set the quiche out for about 5 mintues to cool before diving in. Enjoy.

Review The recipe is very simple and tastes great. It also requires very little prep time and can be done in a hurry if you have pre-cut veggies. It reheats well but is also good as cold leftovers. Since it has a pie crust, you can eat a slice on-the-go with no utensils (watch out for crumbs though).

Nutrition: ShopWell App

Nutrition: ShopWell App

The ShopWell iPhone App is free and helps optimize your grocery shopping. It has you enter generic targets for your dietary needs and tailors food suggestions based on that information. You can also specify certain allergies or foods to avoid (i.e. Gluten-Free, Shellfish allergy, etc). You can configure your account through the website (ShopWell.com) or the mobile application. I like the mobile app because you can scan a barcode and receive a "score" for a specific food item. It will even highlight what's good and bad about the scanned item. The app will also suggest alternatives for any poorly scored items. To test out the app, I devised a "Snack Bar Challenge" to try and figure out which brand is best for me. I currently eat Clif Mojo Bars because they lack any processed sugar, are 70% organic and also pretty tasty. I was surprised when I scanned the barcode of my morning Mojo bar and it came back as a "Weak Match". It scored only a 38 out of a possible 100. So apparently Im eating the wrong bar! I went to my local grocery store and bought a couple different bars within the same section to see which one will score better for me.

CRITERIA Below is a screenshot of my selected nutritional goals. The app has you select from a list of "Wants" and "Don't Wants":

CLIF MOJO BAR I started with my daily snack bar and was horrified to find it scored an abysmal 38% match for my nutritional goals (weak match). I believe this is due to the fact that the bar has added sugar (on my "Don't Want" criteria) and only one of my "Wanted" criteria (protein). Mojo Nutrition Info

LUNA BAR I see these bars all over the place but didn't know it was targeting women. Their slogan is "Created By Women for Women". Since I already bought it I figured I would run it through the app for fun. It actually performed better than my usual Mojo bar & scored a 48% match (medium match). Maybe I need to check my estrogen levels? (haha) Luna Nutrition Info

ODWALLA BAR I wound up with two of these bars in my cart so I scanned both. Despite being two different types of bars, they scored an identical 60% match (medium match). This is moving in the right direction however. The addition of more vitamins and calcium helps this score better than previous bars. Odwalla Protein Nutrition Info Odwalla Berries GoMega Nutrition Info

KIND BAR This brand of bar looks and tastes the closest to a few flavors of Mojo bars I usually eat. This particular one is Gluten Free and scored the highest among the bars tested here with a 74% match (strong match). This bar hits most all my nutrition criteria plus other unchecked criteria. This is why is scores so high. The only negative is the added sugar but every bar I tried so far had that drawback. Looks like I may need to start buying a different brand of bar! Kind Protein Nutrition Info

CONCLUSION The ShopWell app is easy to use and kind of fun. It was funny to discover that the snack bar I thought was the best for me actually wasn't. If you want to plan an entire shopping list, the website is the best place to set that up. The app is best used to quickly spot check items when you're on the go using the barcode reader. It's totally free and has a huge database of preloaded items that are regularly updated. The suggestions are always on point and I would recommend this app to anyone. So far the mobile version is only for the iPhone but the website is accessible to all. Check it out and audit your food purchases today. Cheers...

Nutrition: Cutting Results

This is an update post w/ results of a four week "cutting" (weight loss) cycle in which I dropped down to my summer maintenance weight and also helped me test out a supplement called "Animal Cuts". I've used that product the past two summers to help add some extra definition right before a vacation. The above picture of that nerdy black dude (me) is a before and after. The left side "before" pic shows when I weighed-in between 196-198lbs during the week of May 21-25. That pic was taken May 23rd. I had more mass from "bulking" (gaining weight) through the winter/spring but looked "softer" overall, especially around my midsection. During the winter I upped my calorie intake and cut out cardio completely. I'm a hard-gainer so running 5k's three times a week made it too hard to stay in a calorie excess. I also hate doing cardio so that dropping that was easy. During this period I did gain mass and strength but it came along with extra fat. I think if I try to bulk again this winter, I will actually track my calories and try to not to bulk "blind" by just eating based on how I felt. The right side "after" pic displays me currently and I weighed-in between 190-191lbs during June 18-20. The pic was taken June 20th. I feel I was able to shred my midsection and still maintain some of my mass up top. There is no way to target a specific area (i.e. abs) and just lose weight there unfortunately. You have to try to drop your overall body fat pecentage and if the muscle is present underneath, it will shine through. So my cutting strategy is to still lift heavy and try to maintain muscle mass but intake less calories and incorporate cardio to drop weight.

NUTRITION CHANGES

Basic biology dictates that if you eat less and move more you will lose weight. I outline in a previous post how to calculate a rough estimate of your maintenance calories (Macros Post). I used that method to estimate my "cutting" (weight loss) calories at 195lbs was about 2975 on training days and 2700 on rest days. This is down 500 cals from my maintenance calorie calculation. It was hard at first since I had become accustomed to my "bulking" (weight gain) diet of never being hungry and eating anything that wasn't nailed down. My stomach was used to having any urge satisfied immediately. I would still eat clean but I ate all the time with my calorie and carb intake insanely high. The key for me to control my nutrition was to track it (also detailed in the previous macro post). It was really surprising to see how easily you can exceed 1k cals with only a few food items. I had to space my meals back out and have short times where I was slightly hungry. As you drop weight however, those urges tend to go away since you don't need as many calories at a lower weight. In my case, using the formula from the macro post, my maintenance calories are roughly 2964 at 190lbs. This is lower than my "cutting" calories at 195lbs (2975). So as I dropped weight, I was slowly sliding into the calorie range I needed to maintain a lower weight and my hunger adjusted with it. I would have never been able to gauge whether or not my hunger was legitimate if I wasn't tracking my calories. The last remaining challenge was to manage the timing of my meals and still hit my macros. I needed to start spacing out my meals again instead of just eating all the time. I also had to make sure I was still maintaining a good amount of protein with the lower calorie count. I needed to start eating high protein meals for breakfast and dinner since I was reaching my calorie cap much sooner than I was used to.

WORKOUT CHANGES

The primary change to my routine is that I incorporated cardio back into my routine. Cardio makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, which helps drop weight. I do cardio three times a week now. Another difference was to change one of my workouts to a high-intensity, high-rep workout. A group of my friends started doing circuit work at a park in town on Sundays, so I join in every week. My rest day is Saturday and I hit the gym Mon-Fri. The circuit work is a lot of body weight and high-rep work. It also is outside and helps generate a lot of sweat! It includes some sprints and agility work that helps me meet my weekly cardio requirement ( Example Workout Here). As far as gym work goes, I kept my routine pretty much the same as far as reps and muscle groups.

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ANIMAL CUT: Shred Supplement

This supplement is used to help create more definition in your physique. It combines a mixture of several different elements that promote fat loss. A serving is a packet of about eight pills. I placed some brief bullet points on the components of the supplement below. Some people optionally remove either the thermogenic (red pill) or the diuretic (blue pills) if it causes weird reactions for you. The instructions state to take two packs a day for three weeks in a row but I only took it Mon-Fri and skipped the weekend. Since I skip the weekends I wound up with enough servings for an entire month and change. The caffeine in the supplement (red pill) is extreme but my body got used to it after a few days. Due to the diuretic (blue pill), you want to make sure that you ingest a higher than normal amount of water a day. As with any supplement, this will not single-handedly bring you to your goal on its own. If I continued to eat and workout as I did while bulking, I wouldn't see any results from this. Since I already had a plan to cut calories and adjust my workout, the pills helped "supplement" my work toward weight loss. I do admit the appetite suppresors helped control urges when I first started cutting. Once I got closer to my goal weight, it wasn't needed however. Overall I like the supplement but wouldn't recommend it for sustained use. Even the manufacturer states that you should take a week off between cycles. I think it is best as either a jump-start or finishing touch to a cutting cycle. If your body fat percentage is already pretty low you will see results. More detail and purchase info here: Animal Cuts on Bodybuilding.com

Components

1 - Thermogenic *** Red capsule The ingredients in this complex help boost the bodys natural ability to burn stored body fat.

2 - Metabolic Helps raise your body's core metabolism which increases the rate at which your body converts food into energy. A quicker metabolism will ensure that less food is being stored as body fat.

3 - Thyroid Helps support healthy thyroid gland function and avoid a catabolic state

4 - Diuretic *** Two blue capsules Sheds excess water weight by promoting an increase in the excretion of sodium & water from the body. It also helps lower the blood pressure.

5 - Nootropic Provides increased oxygen supply to the brain to promote better focus and increased alertness.

6 - Cortisol Inhibiting Helps regulate the hormone cortisol (aka the "stress" hormone). This hormone is said to break down muscle mass and help cause weight gain if present in execessive levels. Inhibitors should decrease stress levels and help maintain muscle mass.

7 - CCK Inhibiting Appetite suppressors, such as hoodia, joboba seed and cha-de-bugre, which help curb sugar and carb cravings.

8 - Proprietary Bioavailability This is Universals proprietary blend of random stuff.

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Submitted by Bars

Nutrition: Calories and Macros

1 - CALORIE CALCULATION

I don't usually track my nutrition year-round but when "cutting" (or trying to drop weight in general), it is by far the most effective way to manage your diet. The are many methods out there to calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) which is basically just a minimum amount of calories your body needs to run. Too many factors go into each method to discuss at length but the system I use is just "guess-timate" at my daily calorie requirements. The way I confirm my estimates are by tracking my nutrition for a couple weeks and seeing how my weight fluctuates. If your weight falls, then you are burning more than you ingested (deficit). If you make gains, then you are in a calorie excess. Cals Per Pound Base calorie per weight calculation. 12-14 kcal/pound - Healthy adult w/ little extra activity 14-16 kcal/pound - Healthy adult w/ moderate activity 16-18 kcal/pound - Healthy adult w/ high activity 18+ kcal/pound - Athlete level Activity Modifier Activity outside of your workouts. x1.2 - Sedentary, no exercise x1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active, light exercise x1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active, regular exercise (3-5 days/week) x1.7-1.8 = Very active, demanding daily routine x1.9-2.2 = Athlete level Weight Direction *** To GAIN weight (bulk): Add 10-20% calories to your total *** To LOSE weight (cut): Subtract 10-20% calories from your total My Maintenance Calculation My weight average is 195lbs. I workout 4-6 days a week (moderate activity). I'm employed as a web developer who sits at a desk all day (sedentary job). BASE CALC: 14-16kcal x 195lbs = 2730-3120 calories MODIFIER CALC: 2730-3120 x 1.2 = 3276-3744 calories Use your judgement to take into account other factors that may modify your calorie estimate (i.e. age, current health, body fat%, etc). As for myself, i'm in my thirties but I still have a somewhat high metabolism so I use a middle ground estimate on my calorie count of 3500cals. Thats about the total amount of calories it takes to maintain my current weight. I generally like just maintaining a healthy, lean weight year-round but the past two winters I did "bulk" on purpose to make some quick size gains. I still ate clean a majority of the time but I didn't allow myself to get hungry at all. I was eating 7-8 meals a day. I calculated my calories for a typical day and it would regularly exceed 4.1k calories. Eating like this during the winter, I put on about 10 lbs of size (peaking at 197lbs). This made sense because I was eating well over my maintenance calorie count. I also cut out cardio during this time. Unfortunately some slop came along with that size too. Since it's summer now and time for the pool, I figured I would try to drop weight as best I can while trying to maintain a little size. I'm at a higher weight and accustomed to eating everything in sight. My first action was to try and break that habit & space out my meals. Moving from about 8 meals a day down to 5-6 meals. I also had to modify the type of nutrition I was consuming. I was eating clean while bulking but I was ingesting a lot of carbs. While dropping weight, I am more carb conscious and tend to go low (or no) carbs from my later meals. I eat a majority of my carbs pre and post workout. And I also aim at a lower overall calorie count of course. My Cutting Calculation I use a median between 10-20% for losing weight to allow myself some wiggle room. 3500 (total) x 15% (cut percent) = 525 calories 3500 - 525 = 2975 calories So for now my target total calories are 3k cals. For my off days (sat/sun) I ingest 90% of my training target (~2.7k).

2 - MACRO CALCULATION

Protein I generally use a standard of 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per pound. To gain muscle, you want to ingest at least 1g/lb or higher. MY PROTEIN CALC (standard based): 195lbs x 0.8-1.5g/lb = 156-292g protein There is also an alternate standard of using a percentage of your total calorie goal to figure out protein. Somewhere between 15-30% of your total calories should be protein. 1g of protein is 4 cals so divide the percentage by four. MY PROTEIN CALC (percentage based): (3200 x 15-30%) / 4 = 120-240g protein I personally aim for about 255g protein per training day (about 1.3g/lb) and try to make sure to eat my current body weight at the very least. Fats I use a standard of 0.4-1.0 grams of fat per pound. While most people try to avoid fat at all costs, your body does need fat to survive. You just don't want an excess of it so I place my ceiling at a gram per pound. Just make sure to not exceed it. MY FAT CALC: 195lbs x 0.4-1.0g/lb = 78-195g fats Carbs This is a really controversial subject for everyone trying to manage their weight. There are many different systems and gimmicks but like with anything you have to ultimately discover what works for you. I use an estimate of 2-3g per pound for carbs. This is for someone that is moderately active. If you are an athlete or someone with an extremely physically taxing job I would go 3+ grams. For people that are not as active you would want to use 2g/lb as a ceiling. MY CARB CALC: 195lbs x 2-3g/lb = 390-585g carbs Since i'm currently cutting, I use 2g/lb as a ceiling and try not to approach 390g of carbs per day. When i'm bulking, it's usually no problem to hit the higher end of this as i'm cramming pasta and rice in my mouth all day.

3 - TRACKING The hardest part of calorie and macro maintenance is tracking your food intake. Some companies (i.e. Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem) make a lot of money by simply making it easier to track your intake or doing it for you. I admit that it sucks. Until you get to your goal weight and fall into a routine of eating that you can upkeep unconsciously, I recommend tracking your nutrition. I personally only do it while cutting and during the summer months just to maintain my abs. While bulking I just eat like crazy. Although I bet that if I tracked my diet while bulking I would likely make cleaner gains instead of having so much slop. I use an iPhone App called: My Macros+ (by Jason Loewy). It's a couple dollars and has a pretty clean interface. The first couple weeks of using any app are a little difficult as you have to enter in the nutritional data for foods that you commonly eat. Once you have most of your regular food items in, it's fairly easy to track each meal. Some apps have large amounts of pre-loaded data for popular foods and restaurants. My goal is to always "eat boring", meaning that I consume a lot of the same foods most of the time during training days. On my off days (weekends) I do open it up a bit and have a cheat meal or two and allow myself to drink alcohol. Whether you use technology or a paper and pen, try to make your best attempt to accurately track your nutrition. Most store or restaurant bought items have nutrition info readily available but home-cooking can be tricky. For home cooked meals I just google search the item and use the nutritional info for the closest recipe. It will give a best guess as to what's in your meal. So it's not an exact science but an educated guess is better than not tracking it at all.

I will post again when I reach my goal in a month or so and also review the workout and supplement changes that occur while cutting. As with anything, this is just advice and it's up to everyone to find out what works for them. Good luck!

Submitted by Bars

Nutrition: Basic Supplements

The best way to nourish your body is through a wide variety of healthy foods. Nutrients from food are more natural, more easily digestible and best absorbing. That being said, not everyone has the time or ability to prepare and eat a complete diet. Whether you're extremely active athletically or just worried about your general health and well-being, vitamins and supplements are beneficial for filling in the gaps within your diet. Your body is a temple but it's only as strong as the building blocks used to construct it. Fill in the cracks of your foundation with supplement support. Supplements come in a wide variety of strengths and types. They don't necessarily have to be expensive or hard to find either. Below we will go over some basic and easy to find supplements that will benefit both casual and hardcore fitness fans. I visited my local grocery store to comparison shop against my usual online source of supplements (Bodybuilding.com). While the online store was generally cheaper per bottle of supplement, the shipping charge equalizes the cost in most cases. I suggest to choose large quantities and bundle your supplements into one order to reap the benefit of savings from purchasing online. Otherwise the local grocer had comparable prices and the convenience of immediate consumption.

MULTIVITAMIN A good, all-around supplement as it covers a wide range of basic nutrients essential for peak performance. This is beneficial because those that are more active than normal may require a greater amount of base vitamins and minerals. Also as we age, our bodies ability to naturally produce certain nutrients slows so a good supplement can help us recover and repair quicker. Cost-wise, multivitamins can range from cheap to very expensive. For the average person, any off the shelf multi will work. They are relatively cheap at your local grocer or pharmacist. If you are a serious runner or lift weights regularly, you may want to try out a vitamin stack that is more tailored toward your needs. I personally use Universal Animal Pak but I lift weights several days a week. There are also multi's that are gender specific to treat the individual needs of women as opposed to men. For you vegetarians out there, a multi like the one pictured here lacks the animal-based gelatin caps. On average a multivitamin may contain around 60-90 capsules for about $10-15 locally. A typical dosage is only 1 or 2 per day so they tend to last about 1 to 2 months depending on container size. Not a terribly expensive investment in your health. My Universal vitamin pack comes in a container w/ 44 servings for about $30. So the special vitamins are a tad bit more expensive but only recommended for those with more extreme regimens.

GLUCOSAMINE / CHONDROTIN The fluid in our joints and body cushioning contains Glucosamine. Often times you will see a glucosamine supplements paired with Chondroitin because it retains water & encourages nutrient flow within our joints. Whether it's lifting weights, zumba or running, joints are integral pieces of each exercise. Adding joint support supplements helps maintain healthy cartilage tissue, lowers your risk of stress fracture and lubricates joints. Generally a supplement with both combined is more pricey than just glucosamine alone. Chondroitin has anti-inflammatory properties so those with joint issues already should definitely include this. I personally just take glucosamine alone since there are other supplements I take that have joint support components. About 60-90 capsules of a Glucosamine/Chondroitin combo will run around $15 a container locally but may last less than your multi as the recommended dosage is often 2-3 times a day. Larger containers give you more bang for your buck and generally fun cheaper when bought online.

FLAX, FISH, AND OMEGA-3's Not all fat is bad! In fact certain types of fat derivatives are good for your body and required to keep it running smoothly. An example of a beneficial fatty acid are omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids are generally found in marine and plant oils. Our body does not produce omega-3s naturally so we must ingest it via our diet. Unless your diet is super high in cold water fish, you are probably deficient in omega-3s. Fortunately this is where supplements come in handy. Fish contain a natural source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Thus fish oil supplements help raise your omega-3 counts. If you're not into seafood, you can alternately take Flaxseed Oil supplements. Flaxseed has an additional benefit of boosting your fiber intake (feel less hungry and maintain regularity). There are several combination vitamins which contain a range of fatty acids as well (omega 3,6 and 9). Supplements are, as the name implies, designed to supplement your diet. There are several natural sources from which you can consume essential fatty acids. In addition to certain fish, most dark, leafy greens contain omega-3s. Example: kale, spinach, collard/mustard greens, etc (See Kale Shake recipe). Grapeseed oil and almonds are good sources of omega-6s. Almonds also overlap into omega-9s along with avocadoes. The complete list of omega sources is too large to list here. The omega products tend to be slightly cheaper than the other supplements named above. Generally 100 capsules is going to range from $10-12 locally. The recommended dosage is the standard 2-3 times per day in which for this supplement group, I usually follow. At least with Fish Oil, I take 2-3 per day. Since the capsules per container size is larger with this group, they will last just as long as your multi.

CONCLUSION

The most basic "stack" (group of supplements) for aerobic exercise or weightlifting that I would recommend is to use at least a multivitamin along with protein powder. Protein helps your muscles repair, which burns calories as they repair and works as an excellent meal replacement or snack. You can find it in all flavors and configurations based on if you're looking to gain mass, tone up or cut carbs. In a later post we will go more in-depth into protein. I would add glucosamine and fish oil (or one other omega supplement) to the stack next. This covers your joints and cardiovascular health. When getting into heavier or more serious exercise we are moving towards adding creatine, glutamine, amino acids and other supplements. Again that will be for a later blog post. Until then, if you haven't looked into supplementing your diet, you should! Read up, educate yourself and get out there and try to figure out what works for you and your dietary needs. Good luck...

Submitted by Bars

Sweet Potato Soup

Nutrition: Sweet Potato Soup

Recipe 2 large sweet potatoes 2 lbs diced chicken * 1 cup chopped sweet onion 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup carrots 2 tbsp chopped garlic 1 cup Enchilada Sauce ** 7-8 cups Chicken Broth *** Creole Seasoning ****

Substitution Items * Substitute w/ 1 cup fried hard tofu or 1 additional sweet potato for vegetarian version ** Double this for the vegetarian version (veggie broth is a lil bland). *** Substitute Vegetable Broth for a vegetarian version **** You can substitute sea salt and pepper w/ maybe some paprika

Directions Wash and cut up the chicken into small chunks, place in a bowl, season and put in fridge while you cube potatoes *** Obviously skip this step for the veggie version Scrub the sweet potatoes (or peel them) and cut into cube chunks Heat a large soup pot w/ some extra virgin olive oil Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook for five minutes. Now add the garlic, enchilada sauce and a couple tbsp of your seasoning to the pot and stir well. Let cook for a minute or so. Add the Broth now, stir and raise the heat to high. Cover the pot. Once boiling, remove the cover and add in your chicken and sweet potatoes. Lower the heat to a mild simmer and leave the cover off. Stir the soup every 5-10 minutes and season to taste. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked thoroughly. (It was approx 15-20 minutes for me) Enjoy.

Review Sweet potatoes contain a good amount of fiber, complex carbs, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. They're only about 100 calories per cup. The soup came out spicy due to the fact that I used Creole seasoning and a spicier enchilada sauce. For a mild soup, use salt and pepper along with a green enchilada sauce. The recipe as stands fills a large crock-pot and serves about 5 people.

Kale Shake

Nutrition: Kale Shake

Recipe A bunch of Kale *** Or any greens of your choice, the darker the better (i.e. mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, etc) Apple Juice *** Also can use any 100% juice of your choice Almond Milk (unsweetened, plain) *** This can be left out or replaced w/ any non-dairy milk of your choice (i.e. soy, rice, coconut, coconut water, etc) Fruit *** I use honeydew, cantaloupe or mango chunks A good blender Optional: Add honey or peeled ginger Optional: Add Ground flaxseed, protein, etc

Directions Grab a stalk of Kale. While washing it, pull the leaves of the stem. Drop into the blender. *** These directions are based on a 7-8 cup blender. Repeat previous step until the blender is about full. Do not press the kale down, let it sit loosely. Drop in 3-4 large chunks of the fruit of your choice. *** About 1/2 to 1 full cup of your fav fruit. Place about 1 cup of Apple Juice into the blender. *** Double this and skip step# 5 if you choose to not use any type of non-dairy milk. Place about 1 cup of Almond Milk into the blender. Cover blender top & start blending slowly. Gradually increase speed every 5-10 seconds until you are using your highest, most powerful setting. We want to completely break down the kale into a smooth mixture. *** If your mixture is still grainy on its highest setting, you need a better blender. Pop open the blender & pour. Enjoy!

Review This is a great way to get your greens, especially if you're not big into vegetables in general. You can tweak the balance of the recipe to make the shake as sweet as you need it. Dark greens are good for your immune system, they contain anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory properties and lots of other good stuff. Optional ingredients can allow you to get your protein or omega-3s into this shake as well. My blender is good but not strong enough to totally blend my leafy greens into a smooth mix but I don't mind a bit of grit. It's kind of like the difference between no pulp & some pulp orange juice. I like pear juice & almond milk but others usually do not use milk & go with straight juice. Tips: *** If you have animals, they may like the stems if you don't want to waste them. *** If you make a large amount, you may want to do a small blend upon refill as the shake will settle a bit. *** The shake may have a semi-strong vegetable smell when you crack open the blender but generally the drink itself in a glass smells good.

Veggie Jambalaya

Nutrition: Veggie Jambalaya

Recipe 12oz pack of LightLife Smart Ground Veggie Crumbles 14oz pack of LightLife Smart Dogs Veggie Links *** NOT RECOMMENDED. I would double up on the Veggie Crumbles above. These dogs taste like sand. Going to find a better tasting veggie dog. 28oz can of diced tomatoes 32oz of Vegetable Broth 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped bell peppers 1 cup diced white onion 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 2 tbsp Tapatio (Hot Sauce) 2 tbsp Creole Seasoning (or to taste) 2 cups Cooked brown rice *** Instead of the Veggie crumbles & Links, you can use your ground meat & sausage of choice

Directions Cut up hot dog links into chunks, add to pot. Break up crumbles into small chunks, add to pot. Add the celery, bell peppers &onions to the pot. Add the vegetable broth & diced tomatoes (w/ tomato juice) to pot. Mix the pot contents & then add your Worcestershire, Hot Sauce & Creole seasoning. Stir & season to taste. (Be careful if using the vegetarian meat as they are generally already salty). Start crock pot & stir occasionally. Should cook in about 5-7hrs on low & 2-3hrs on high. In the meanwhile, cook the rice however you normally would & set aside. Once the crockpot is done, serve the mixture on a bed of rice. Enjoy.

Review Good substitute recipe for Fat Tuesday. Just add beads & a Zydeco band to complete. I used the Smart Dogs Veggie Links to try and replace the Andouille sausage but I am not a fan of that brand. If I had to make it again now, I would just double or triple the amount of Veggie Crumbles instead. I will update this blog post once I find a Veggie Sausage I like. Also the Veggie version doesnt need to cook as long the regular meat version. You can use ground beef/turkey/chicken or chicken chunks instead of the Veggie crumbles. Also replace the Veggie Links with regular hot links.