For those of you who scoff at the idea, or think eating correctly is "too expensive," chew on this:
If you owned the car below, would you use the cheapest gasoline you could find?
The answer, of course, is "no." You would use a highly specialized formula designed to meet the needs of your performance machine. Well.... your body is your ultimate performance machine, so you similarly need to fine tune your "fuel" if you want your engine to produce.
Now, there are a few basic guidelines that even the busiest of Steel Dads can follow. It will take a bit of work, but soon it will become second nature to you. (I also recommend looking at the Steel Dad library for references.)
Fat is good for you! That is, the right kind of fats in the right amount. In addition to helping your body absorb fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, fat helps your body lubricate itself. Think of fat as your body's oil. You need it to perform, but you never want too little or too much of it.
Protein is king. Among many other functions, your body uses protein as building blocks to repair the micro-tears we rip into our muscles during a workout. So, you need a lot of it. Period. Depending on your fitness goals, you should shoot for half a gram to one full gram of protein per pound of body weight.
Carbohydrates are not as bad as some fad diets want you to believe. Yes, low carb diets will help you lose weight. But, you don't want to cut carbs down too much. Carbs are your body's fuel.
Now, nobody is perfect... and up until now I have been "eyeballing" my food to keep things simple. I have been controlling portion sizes, timing, and the types of food I eat. However, I have not been following a rigid diet, and I have had a couple of cheat days. (Have I mentioned I have a sweet tooth like Gustav from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... ok maybe not quite that bad... but I like to snack...) However, I am taking my next progress photos a week from today --hope you have your sunglasses handy-- and I haven't changed quite as much as I was hoping over the last four weeks. Now I could say, "yes but I was sick for almost a whole week," or give other excuses, but what good would that do? A Steel Dad defines his goals, assesses his weak points, and does his best to fix them. So, I need a plan.
...one second, my oldest child is talking back to his momma...
Ok, took care of that, now where was I? Ah yes, a plan. First, a word of caution, I am not a certified nutritionist. So, if you want to follow my plan, you should check with your health care professional to make sure it is a good fit for you and your personal situation.
Here is my plan for the next few weeks:
Overall daily calories: 2000
Protein: 200 grams (.86 grams per lb of bodyweight)
Fat: 44.5 grams (strictly keeping saturated fats between 6-12 grams!)
Carbohydrates: 200 grams (looking for complex carbohydrates and keeping the majority on the low glycemic index. Here is a great shortlist from Harvard about common foods and how they rank on the glycemic index. You'll notice that fruits, veggies, and beans/lentils rate excellently!)
This is my specialized formula. Daily calories are 20% from fats, 40% from protein, and 40% from carbohydrates. This should ensure I have all of the right fuel my body requires without adding unwanted fat. Obviously I may need to adjust after a few weeks once I know how my body responds. (Here is a WebMD article that talks a little more about a similar diet approach using 30% from protein, but I find that to be slightly too little protein for my activity level in the gym.)
Please remember that supplements should not replace whole food. Whole foods contain so many additional nutrients that supplements can't keep up with. However, supplements are good to ensure you are getting what you need, especially regarding protein.
