G
Glycerine
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I am asking on someone's behalf. They have difficulty keeping up a regimented routine (geared more towards J types) and were curious about other options.
Both would be great, thank you!Are we talking actual nuts and bolts of a program, or tricks to stay focused/motivated? As a fellow INF, I can relate to the difficulty of staying focused without wandering down a different path. I have a few tricks up my sleeve, if that's what you're asking about.
I understand. As an INFP, I prefer to follow a "philosophy" WRT diet, exercise, etc.I am asking on someone's behalf. They have difficulty keeping up a regimented routine (geared more towards J types) and were curious about other options.
Some dietary strategy...
My Diet is "Isometric":
~1/3 of my calories each day come from protein,
~1/3 from carbs, and
~1/3 from fat.
The reasoning behind eating this way is as follows.
Protein can be burned for fuel if you need it, or be used as the building blocks for new muscle growth. The absence of protein in your system (negative nitrogen balance) is an immediate trigger for your catabolic metabolism. So, you are better off with MORE protein than you need each day, than LESS. Especially because it is physiologically impossible for protein to get converted to fat.
Carbs can be converted to fat if you eat too much of them at one sitting and do not burn them off with exercise. Your reduction of bread is a wise move, as plenty of other foods, including some vegetables and of course fruit, contain carbohydrates. I do as you do, I cut bread, white sugar, candy, soda, etc. from my diet, so that my carbs come from oatmeal, small amounts of potato or past with meals, etc.
Fat can obviously be converted to stored body fat. Keeping your fatr content down as I mentioned is necessary simply because on the scale of caloric impact, remember:
1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
1 g of alcohol = 7 calories
Fat and alcohol are both a risk to a shredded abdomen as they are very high in calores and contain little nutritive value with regard to muscle anabolism. Just like carbs, you will get the fat your body NEEDS out of your diet, even if you try to strip out as much as you can from the foods you eat. Fat is just "in there." You can't get rid of it, nor do you need to, but it is wise to limit intake of it as much as possible due to it containing more than double the calories per gram as carbs of protein.
Other points of interest:
We have a fat metabolism AND a carb metabolism.
Carbs are burned first, at the front end of physical activity, and usually are burned out of the blood after 15 minutes of cardio. Fatty acids are used next as fuel to replenish ATP stores in ourt muscles, and are usually burned out of the blood after 30 minutes of exercise. Past 30 minutes you are burning STORED FAT. That is why doing cardio for 30 minutes is unwise, you stop the activity right at the threshold that your body is buring stored fat, when your exercise is most "profitable" for purposes of getting ripped. I do 45-60 minutes of cardio 3x per week. If I do 30 min. of cardio I immediately jump into the weight room and keep my metabolism high so I am burning fat while I lift. Efficiency!!!
The reason that the Atkins diet works is because protein can be used as fuel, and cannot be turned into stored body fat. Complete elimination of carbs forces the body into ketosis, and the body starts to use the fat metabolism exclusively. This results in large amounts of stored fat being burned for fuel and a reduction of it in the body. I personally cannot do that type of diet, I can do the "South Beach" diet as it is more forgiving of moderate carb intake and also consumption of fruit. Atkins diet cannot be healthy for a human in the long run, it's just gross.
Rules of Thumb to Follow:
(1) Eat from "The Perimeter of the Supermarket." This means the majority of your foods should be FRESH and UNPROCESSED. The only aisles you need are the (a) Produce, (b) Dairy, (c) Bakery, and (d) Meats (Lean Cuts). Anything in a BOX, in a CAN, or FROZEN is junk compared to whole fresh foods.
(2) Eat 5-6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 big ones, and make sure that at each sitting you have protein, carbs, and some fat on your plate.
(3) Eat your veggies, they are good for you and fill you up with little calories.
(4) Finally, never eat a serving of carbohydrates that is bigger than your fist. I never eat a full baked potato, I eat half one. I also eat very small amounts of pasta and instead add on more meatballs and veggies and marinara sauce onto the dish to make it more filling.
Forget to eat?