Flexible Eating and Macro Nutrient Based Nutrition

Over the past few months I have been very busy researching and experimenting with the Flexible Eating nutrition philosophy.  Flexible eating or IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) is not a brand new concept, it has been around for many years but recently it has gain a lot of traction in the bodybuilding space.  I am always sceptical when it comes to these fad diets and nutrition regimens which promise unrealistic results with unsustainable practices.  Refreshingly I have come to understand more about the Flexible Eating concept and it speaks to what we have already known for years about how the human body works and how we metabolize and digest our food.  So it is really not a new breakthrough science discovery but more so a methodology and philosophical approach to eating healthy but being flexible and still allowing us to reach our goals.

Flexible eating is not an excuse to eat a bunch of junk, but it does allow you to choose your foods and work the choices you make into your diet.  This approach to eating takes a lot of work so if you are looking for an easy way out this is not for you.  You must look up and record the macro nutrient make up of everything you eat and drink.  If you are unable to do this you will not be successful with Flexible eating, I will go even further to say if you can't do that you will not be successful long term with ANY individual goal based diet.

Flexible eating goes a little further than just tracking calories you must record your intake of proteins, carbs/fiber, and fats(Macro Nutrients).  All calories are not created equal and your individual goal based Macro Nutrient numbers will reflect the nutrients in the specific quantities that will get you to your goal safely, efficiently and effectively.

As I learn more and begin applying this approach to my current and new clients I will post more information. This is will be an ongoing topic for discussion at Screen Fitness so if you want more information on how you can get on a Flexible eating plan please contact me derik@screenfitness.com. You can always get more information from www.IIFYM.com

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Step by Step instructions to create a Macro nutrient diet plan for you best body ever

Whoever said that diets don't work lied!  Diets are very effective when the goal is short - mid term. Although long term dietary habits should be the ultimate goal, those of us who seek the challenge of defining our physique within a given time frame should follow a very specific diet plan.  I do believe that the practice of dieting can have a positive effect on long term nutrition behavior, in the sense that you must think about the nutritional content of your food and be consistent with the execution of the plan.  Being a health conscious shopper/cook and being persistent are key skills in healthy living.  Alternatively we must recognize that setting unrealistic goals, failure to follow through with a diet, binge eating, and yo-yo dieting can put your health at risk.

Diets are highly individual and goal oriented.  Because it impossible to meet with each of you individually I want to give you the tools you need to create a personalized diet plan.  This will require you to read, learn, and do some work but the results will be well worth the time.  If you need me to help you through this process you can always email or call me and I will create a plan for you for a small fee.

The nutrition concept I am speaking of is called 'If It Fits My Macros' or IIFYM.  I am not going to explain the science behind it because you can read about it on your own HERE, but it is very effective nutrition program.  Here are the steps you need to take:

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Is Coca Cola better than Water?

WATER  OR COKE?

We all know that water is important but I've never seen it written down like this before.

WATER

1. 5% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even Mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for many sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzz short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

And now for the properties of COKE:

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
9. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your Info:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.  Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is; would you like a coke or a glass of water?

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Daily Brown Rice Protein Benefits

Like any other protein supplement, before including brown rice protein powder in your diet, you should always consult a doctor. Once the doctor gives a go ahead, you can make it a part of your diet and enjoy the numerous benefits.

Brown Rice Protein Benefits

Source of Protein
Everyone knows that proteins are a very important part of our daily diet. Meats are the best source of proteins, however, people who do not eat non-vegetarian food, often have to look out for other sources of replenishing their diet with proteins. This is where brown rice protein powder comes in. It is a plant-based source of protein, which can be added to any food and consumed for a healthy living. A single scoop of this vegan protein powder contains approximately twenty to twenty four grams of proteins.

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Pack your lunch for 6 pack abs

Plan your meals out for the day. Get up early enough to eat a good healthy breakfast, and early enough to pack the cooler full of healthy meals and snacks. You should pack for a mid-morning snack, lunch and a mid-afternoon snack. If you don’t you’re stuck and your fate lies in the hand of the vending machine.

Drink Plenty of Water throughout the day. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. Keep a bottle at your desk at ALL Times! Also, being dehydrated can slow down the metabolic rate, and when it comes to burning calories—this isn’t good!

When starting a nutritional plan whether it’s a 10 week / 12 week / or even a 16

week plan or longer, break your diet up into different Phases—Example:

Phase I = The first 3-4 weeks cut out all sodas
Phase II = The next 3-4 weeks cut out all sis (or only a lean cut 1-3 times a week)

Phase IV = The next 2-3 weeks cut out all compmple sugars (not counting fruit)

Phase III = The next 3-4 weeks cut out all red meatlex carbohydrates at the evening meal
except on a Saturday or Sunday night. (All breads, rice, pasta, and potatoes) 

Never start a diet with all guns blazing. Work into it slowly to insure success and consistency in the program.  Happy packing!

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You can't avoid the Drive-Thru window!!

Let's face it whether it's Mickey D's or Apple Bees the service these restaurants provide is not soley responsible for making the US overweight.  It's up to you as an individual and as a parent to make an educated decision on what to eat, how much to eat, and how often you eat it.

 
Fast Food Chain Calorie List

Click to check out the nutritional info for any fast food chain you can think of.

 

In today’s society it is the general consensus that fast food is bad and everyone should stay away from it. So if this is true why are the drive-thrus still packed?? Well we all know why, going to get food from a fast food restaurant is simple, quick, and convenient. Basically they are a food trap, but here are a few ways to avoid that trap and if unavoidable a few tips to getting through it.

 

AVOIDING FAST FOOD:

1.   Try to take a different route for your daily commute or errands so that you do not get the temptation. All restaurants spend millions of dollars to make signs that unconsciously signal your brain to want food and to make you feel hungry.

2.   Keep healthy snacks (like fruits or nuts) with you so that if hunger strikes you have something to tide you over until you can get something healthy to eat.

3.   PLAN, PLAN, PLAN! Never leave home empty handed, always pack meals and snacks so that you do not leave yourself in a bind where you are forced to grab something unhealthy to eat.

Making Healthier Choices when fast food is unavoidable:

1.   Pay attention to food descriptions. Avoid anything that says crispy, fried, breaded, creamy, or basted.

              2.   Choose grilled items and once with vegetables (ex. Grilled chicken salad is excellent!)

3.   Sip water or unsweetened tea with your meal (A large soda can have over 425 calories packed into it! Not to mention all the sugars..)

4.   Stay away from sauces or fat-packed dressings. Order sandwiches without mayo and stick with fat-free dressing options. You can always ask for ketchup or mustard on the side so that you can control how much you use.

5.   NEVER SUPERSIZE, supersized meals provide much more than anyone person should consume in one meal and they often include fries and a soda which you know are very unhealthy and provide no nutritional value.

6.   Try to pick healthier sides such as fruit, a baked potato, or yogurt so that you stay away from the fries.

For some healthy fast food options check out the link below:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1193

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Protein Intake for Weight Loss in Women

Weight loss is very dependent on your diet. Your diet is key to if and when you will reach your goals in weight loss. There are many conflicting view points in the health and fitness industry about which diet produces results and which ones are fads or borderline unhealthy. You should realize that there is only one simplified way to lose weight, to produce a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories then you consume. This is the magic equation, whatever vehicle you use to get there is up to you.




No carbs?



You should definitely not stop eating carbs all together for this is a dangerous practice and very hard to do.



Vegetarian Diet



A vegetarian diet can be a great way to cleanse your digestive system and intake some quality vitamins and minerals. You will realize that you will looking for new ways to get your protein intake like tofu and beans.



How much protein should I consume?



The RDA for protein in Women 25-65 years of age is 25g per day. This is also dependent on your goals if you were trying to build muscle and lose weight after a hard workout it would be good to consume 15-25g of protein. So a daily intake of around 50g of protein will be a great way to get the muscle you need to burn those calories more efficiently without starving yourself or depriving your body of nutrients.

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