About Us | Calculators | Supplements | Music | Newsletters | Contact Us | Site Map       NUTRITION Diet Plans I can never stress it enough how crucial proper eating is. It is one of my biggest reasons why I was able to drop my body fat so that I could reveal my six pack abs. Without proper supportive eating, you are wasting your time at the gym. It is only going to be a lot tougher without the proper supportive eating. Here are my eating tips and I’ll try to keep it simple and easy to follow. If you want to lose weight and gain lean muscle, you will want your diet to consist of high protein and high fiber food. You will understand why after reading this article. Let’s Talk About Protein First: You want to make an effort to consume high quality protein and fiber in every meal. A diet rich in lean protein is very crucial for numerous reasons. Protein is essential for repairing, building, and preserving your muscle. Of course, the more muscle that you can keep and build, the higher your metabolism. In addition, protein is needed for the production of important hormones and enzymes. However, one of the biggest reasons why protein plays a big role in your diet is because protein does not spike your sugar level up. The more your blood sugar is steady, the more fat your body can release to be utilize as energy. Protein is hard for your body to break down causing up to 20% thermic effect compared to carbohydrates and fat. What does that mean? When you consume protein, 20% of the total protein calories are used just to break down the protein into small chains of amino acids. That is extremely important to help boost your metabolism. Here are the top 12 sources of high quality lean protein: 1. Egg white omelet (hard boiled eggs) 2. Lean skinless chicken and turkey (white meat) 3. Salmon 4. Lean beef 5. Tuna 6. Lean Pork 7. Sardines 8. Skim milk 9. Cottage Cheese (Fat Free) 10. Beans, nuts, legumes 11. Soy (Tofu) 12. Whey protein drinks. Let’s Talk About Foods That Are High in Fiber: Adding fiber into your meal is crucial for overall heath. Fiber (soluble) absorbs water making your feel fuller and for much longer time. For example, plain oatmeal is high in soluble fiber will attract water to keep you satisfied for hours. However, eating cereal that is high in sugar and low fiber causes you to get hungry very quickly. Insoluble fiber help move the food faster through the stomach and intestines to prevent constipation and other disease. It is recommended to consume about 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Like I said earlier, you must make an effort to consume lean protein in every meal. But you also want your diet to be rich in high fiber food. The list below are food that are high in fiber and packed in vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are essential muscle building, fat burning meal. Top 12 Foods That Are High in Fiber: 1. Broccoli 2. Spinach 3. Yellow and red peppers 4. Cauliflower 5. Kale 6. Sweet potatoes 7. Brown rice 8. Plain Oatmeal (my favorite breakfast food) 9. Tomatoes 10. Berries (extremely high in antioxidants which speed up your recovery) 11. Bananas (my simple carbohydrates after working out.) 12. Legumes, beans, nuts Let’s all put it together. Again, you want to try to consume some lean protein in every meal with foods that are high in fiber. Below are two samples of what my everyday meal looks like. *My Meal Sample #1: Meal # 1 (Breakfast) 2 egg whites 1 serving of plain oatmeal with whey protein (for flavor) ½ cup skim milk Optional Supplement: 1 teaspoon of Flax seed oil Meal # 2 (Snack) 3 Hard Boiled Eggs 1 serving of Broccoli Meal # 3 (Lunch) 31/2 ounces Chicken Breast 1 cup of mixed vegetables 1 Large Apple Meal # 4 (My post workout meal) 1 Banana 11/2 servings of whey protein powder (sipping on my whey protein during my workout and finishing it after my workout) Meal #5 (Dinner) 31/2 ounces of Salmon ½ cup spinach 1 serving of berries such as strawberries Meal #6 Optional (Before I go to bed) Cottage cheese with blueberries. Quick notes: Cottage cheese contains casein protein to help prevent muscle breakdown. Blueberries are high in antioxidants to help aid muscle repair. *My Meal Sample #2: Meal # 1 (Breakfast) 5 egg whites with broccoli ½ cup skim milk Optional Supplement: 1 teaspoon of Flax seed oil Meal # 2 (Snack) Cottage cheese with strawberries Meal # 3 (Lunch) 31/2 ounces Turkey breast ¾ cup of brown rice 1 small Apple Meal # 4 (My post workout meal) 1 Banana 11/2 serving of whey protein powder (sipping on my whey protein during my workout and finishing it after my workout) Meal #5 (Dinner) 31/2 ounces of chicken breast ½ cup yellow and red peppers. Salad with spinach, tomato, olive oil and vinegar Meal #6 Optional (Before I go to bed) Whey protein in skim milk Quick notes: Casein is the predominant protein in milk to help prevent muscle breakdown. My Nutritional Tip Before, During, and After Working Out: Based on research, consuming protein before, during, and after workouts help increase muscle mass more compared to any other time. My suggestion is to make a protein shake prior to working out, sipping it before and throughout the session, and a little bit more right after your workout session. To maximize your fat loss, drink a total of 20-40grams of whey protein before, during, and after working out. My Supplement Tip: I am also receiving a lot of questions about my recommended supplements. I do NOT recommend any fat burning pills. However, I highly recommend flax seed oil and a muti-vitamin with your breakfast. Whey protein and other meal replacements can also be very helpful as well. Let’s put it all together: I eat small meals through out the day containing one lean protein and foods that are rich in fibers. I consume an average of 400 calories per meal (5-6x per day) for a total of about 2,000-2,400 calories per day. In order for you to lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit; in other words, you must burn more calories than you consume. However, consuming too little calories (extreme dieting) can result in an even lower metabolism. Eating smaller meals through out the day will help boost your metabolism and keep your energy up all day.