Sensei’s simple dieting tricks for improving health and strength.

[Shaolin Crane]

Something I typed up for my students who frequently ask questions regarding diet and exercise. If you're not interested that is fine, but I will not tolerate negative comments towards someone who does, so lets try and keep it light, thank you.


It’s no secret that everyone has something they would like to change about themselves, physically or dietary wise. These simple things will help improve your health and fitness levels while improving your weight and increasing energy and ability. These simple steps will make your goals easier and help you avoid the “dieting demise” that so many of us fail to break through.

1. The first thing needed is to eliminate hunger: you may be thinking”great I love eating.” This does not mean stuffing your face with ring dings and doughnuts, it means supplementing your appetite differently. The three large meals a day notion we were raised with is completely wrong. When your body enters its hunger mode (where your stomach growls) it’s immediately setting itself for fat storage, this is obviously not a body quality we are looking to keep. Spread your portions throughout the day into six or seven small portion meals. This keeps your body in a “burn mode” since you are constantly providing your body nutrition.
2. Breakfast still is the most important meal of the day: This doesn’t mean that you sit down and hork a few pounds of salted meats and sugar. High fiber and grain in the morning will supplement your appetite, improve digestive functions, and provide more energy. A few bowls of low sugar cereal with low fat or non fat milk in the morning provides a great tasting start.
3. Eat as many “free calories” as possible: These are the opposite of empty calories. Which provide absolutely no nutritional benefit. “Free calories” are anything high in lean protein. 95/5 ground sirloin, chicken breasts, fish, almonds, protein shakes, etc. These are things that you may eat as much of and not deduct from your daily caloric intake. Use these foods as your snacks, while not the greatest tasting, will improve the flavor of great food when you reach your cheat meal.
4. LOTS OF PROTEIN: This is much like number 3, with more emphasis. You need to be consuming AT LEAST your body weight in protein to make an improvement. This is not hard to do as a few chicken breasts and a steak a day will easily attribute to around 200-300g of protein a day. In other words, if you weight 100lbs to need to consume 100g a day. Try consuming these grams with the purest calorie form possible.
5. No salts, pre-made food, fast food or un-natural chemicals: Sodium is a huge water retainer and increases visibility of fat cells that hold them. If these fat pustules are retaining water, they’ll retain fat as well. Flavor hope is not lost however. While this means TV dinners, fast food and candy are out (obviously) this doesn’t mean you can’t have great tasting food. Use freeze dried or fresh spices when cooking. Pressed garlic, vinegar, salt substitute, lemon, chives, onions, etc are great ways to season great tasting food as well as increase vitamin intake naturally. It’s often cheaper when buying in bulk and helps your body rid itself of chemical impurities that fight our body’s ability to gain muscle and drop fat, these same chemicals reduce your immune system and energy level. Those same chemicals are also found in your favorite energy drink. Yes it may make you feel great when you drink it but it’s very detrimental to your health. How would you like to wake up in the morning feeling like you slept all weekend? It’s possible when you’re slightly more diet conscious and your body isn’t working over time by trying to expel the junk you’ve been eating. If you do have a slow morning, a cup of coffee is far healthier and helps with digestion as well.
6. Exercise: This goes without saying, but how you exercise makes all the difference HICT(High Intensity Cardio Training) will yield more results in 30 min a day then a few hours of heavy lifting will, these are exercises such as sprints, frog hops, burpies, and any speed increasing cardio exercises. It will also naturally increase flexibility and your ever coveted energy level. Combine it with heavy lifting and body control exercises and watch your results multiply 10 fold. This includes your cardio level, strength, flexibility and coordination.
7. Stretching: This goes with out saying, you need to stretch. It will help improve blood flow and keep you from getting injured.
8. Find ANY time to squeeze in an exercise: Waiting for your copies to finish? Do some covert calf raises. Sitting in an office chair? Slide your chair back and make everyone believe you’re still sitting down for that great leg workout. On hold on the phone? Sneak in a few stretches or push ups. People may think you’re an odd duck but secretly they’ll be envious of your results.
9. Your cheat meal: While it may be a few weeks before you’ve earned it. It’s a very important step in your dieting and exercise week. Find one meal where you have the foods that you enjoy. As I mentioned earlier, if you follow my other tips the food will taste so much better since its not often and you earned it. If you feel that you didn’t work your hardest during the weak be strong enough to keep it from yourself.
10. Throw away your scale: Or don’t, use it for shipping purposes, anything but use it to compare your weekly progress. If You follow these tips you will gain weight but LOSE size. Muscle is denser then fat, so if you increase muscle in place of fat you’re going to be heavier but also thinner, stronger and better looking


The hardest thing to do is GETTING STARTED!. Don’t wait until Friday or next week. START NOW! The sooner you get on track the sooner you’ll get the results you want. Once you’ve reached the fitness level you’re happy with you can dial back on the things I’ve listed above and still maintain what you’ve achieved without going into the back slider club. Even if you don’t follow my tip to a “T” just making smarter food decisions will have a huge impact on your health. The only thing stopping you now is, well, you. “Whether you believe you’re not capable or you are capable, you’re right” Get out there and improve your life.

[xSpeedAddictX]

This is definitely useful. A couple of the points made above have debunked my current theory. Since you seem to know a thing or two on the topic, mind if I ask you a question, or two? In regards to #5, will eating baked potato's, for its potassium, have the opposite effect of sodium? Also, would you not recommend creatine for someone who is trying to lose weight? Thanks!

[Shaolin Crane]

Creatine is a water retainer, it will not help you lose weight. Typically it is taken to gain weight. Stay away from potatoes, lots of carbs and starch. If you want potassium use salt replacement (its concentrated potassium and tastes like salt) or eat your fill of bananas.

[xSpeedAddictX]

Creatine is a water retainer, it will not help you lose weight. Typically it is taken to gain weight. Stay away from potatoes, lots of carbs and starch. If you want potassium use salt replacement (its concentrated potassium and tastes like salt) or eat your fill of bananas.

Gotcha, thanks!

[Vettezuki]

Being fit improves everything in your life. It reduces stress big time and even helps brain function (makes you sharper).

I'm a bit sensitive to high starch/simple carbs. They make my energy swing all over and I can put on fat quick.

For me a sweet potato is a good alternate to white potatos. Their calorie profile is about the same, but they are more nutrient rich (lots anti-oxidants) and have a lower glycemic index (about which there is some controversy) but I can say they don't have anywhere near the same effect as a baked potato, which I don't eat at all anymore.

Other things I might add.

REST
If you're really trying to get in shape you must rest properly. If you don't the results won't be as good and you run the increased risk of injury. On the upside, excercise will dramatically improve your ability to sleep. I ONLY sleep well when I'm genuinely physically tired. Otherwise its a nightmare for me to get to sleep.

WALKING
It's not super intense, but it is a way to burn up some calories and is a fanastic stress reducer. Going for a nice walk with your loved one(s) or listening to podcass/audio books is about as cheap healthy as it gets. It's also a great way to start if you are in not so great shape to begin with. You don't want to be doing interval sprints if you're 200 pounds over weight. Start with daily walks.

NUTRIENT TIMING
This is more of a competitive thing, but *when* you eat what relative to scheduled high outputs of energy is a huge, I mean huge deal. When I did a triathlon, it was the difference between motoring through and being in agony. When your body runs out of energy to easily burn things can get fugly and miserable. It never ceases to amaze me how people fail to fuel themselves, then take off.

FAT vs CARBS
This is on the cutting edge of research and practice, but "paleo" diet based athletes are starting to be studied. These would be diets based on pre-agrarian anecestry (they way we lived for by far the majority of our genetic history). Basically, we're very well adapted for using animal fats and protein, but only moderate carbs from whole food sources (some fruits and veggies) AND NOT the basis of our modern staple foods, *especially* wheat, and super duper specifically refined wheat and sugar products which have literally only been around for about 100 years.

[Shaolin Crane]

You've raised excellent points but a little more "advanced" then what I was trying to convey. The rest thing is similarly covered in my list, follow my tips ans it will happen naturally without going out of you way to get it.

The rest are things that someone, once involved in their own fitness level can look into for more detailed and greater experience levels. Give someone the simple building blocks first, notice i didnt give a specified workout plan cause you know your body the best and what exercises are going to push your body in the ways i described. The idea is the same HITC isnt the same for everyone, 15 minute intervals in the ring to me might be equal to someones 15 minute walk, its all about getting started and gauging your current fitness needs.

Secondly, something that i admittly forgot to add was, if you're having a hard time staying motivated, doing all 10 things i listed can be complicated for some people, following only a few things on the list in the begining is still better then what you're doing before. And you'll see results no matter what. Obviously doing everything in conjunction will yield the fastest results.

But thanks for adding your piece, i just wanted to keep things simpler for people. I'm sure enkeivette and I can get super complicated and blow everyones brain matter onto their computer screens. But thats how an over zealous person might get injured thinking its the "best" way.

[Vettezuki]

:thumbs_up:

To that end I'd only highlight rest, and walking. Doesn't get much easier than that!

[Shaolin Crane]

Really doesnt :thumbs_up:

Also finding someone to do your workouts or progress with is a great way to have fun at the same time while staying accountable, either for yourself or your partner. Vanessa and I frequent the gym together a lot and she even started training with me at the dojo. Get your significant other involved and you'll likely have less chance of straying from your goals if you're eating a lightly seasoned chicken breast and she/he is eating a quadruple scoop sunday with extra chocolate and caramel sauce.

Dont have a significant other? Or one that's not willing? That's fine, some of the strongest friendships I have developed were with people i trained and grew up through the ranks with, nothing says being a homie like giving/receiving a broken cheekbone then going out for a night on the town afterward. Or you can be normal like everyone else and offer some much needed encouragement during your goals.

[enkeivette]

Wow, that's a lot to read.

Arnold's tips:

1 gram of protein for every pound that you weigh, every day.
More meals, smaller portions. (5 meals, every 3 hours~ is decent.)
Least amount of fat and carbs possible. Lots of vegetables, less bread.

Adam's tip:

Ignore calories, pay attention to grams. More protein, less fat, less carbs. (Because you're going to consume calories when you're hungry, as you should, you can't control that. Instead control what you're eating.)

Also, the 1 gram per 1 lb rule only works if you're lifting. If you're not working out the excess protein will just turn into fat.

[Shaolin Crane]

Wow, that's a lot to read.

Arnold's tips:

1 gram of protein for every pound that you weigh, every day.
More meals, smaller portions. (5 meals, every 3 hours~ is decent.)
Least amount of fat and carbs possible. Lots of vegetables, less bread.

Adam's tip:

Ignore calories, pay attention to grams. More protein, less fat, less carbs. (Because you're going to consume calories when you're hungry, as you should, you can't control that. Instead control what you're eating.)

Also, the 1 gram per 1 lb rule only works if you're lifting. If you're not working out the excess protein will just turn into fat.

that's the same thing as my list said. However I need to be as detailed as possible with my students.

However i disagree with your protein intake is only good if you're lifting. Lifting what? Weights or your legs or arms? Working out is always lifting something, workouts vary person to person. You dont need weights to get stronger your body has plenty of weight to do that. In other words, if you tear down your muscles you need protein, plain and simple.

[enkeivette]

No no, higher protein/ lower fat/ carbs is always better. What I said specifically, you don't need 1 gram of protein for every pound that you weigh, everyday, unless you're bodybuilding/ hardcore working out. Because an average person does not need that much protein, and unused protein, like anything else, turns into fat.

So if you're 200lbs, but you're not very active, 3 steaks a day won't do you much good. Haha

[Shaolin Crane]

What i was saying that's pretty much what i said, i just have to go as detailed as possible since many of my students know nothing about eating right or exercising. However i disagreed with the body building weight lifting thing. If you're working out intensly you need protein, seems we were both arguing because of incomplete information on both our parts. I have though read conflicting data about excess protein, some say it turns to fat and some say the body just shits it out. Lately i've been reading more confirming the later. However its better to have too much protein then other things in your diet, the potential for it being used is greater.

[Vettezuki]

No no, higher protein/ lower fat/ carbs is always better. What I said specifically, you don't need 1 gram of protein for every pound that you weigh, everyday, unless you're bodybuilding/ hardcore working out. Because an average person does not need that much protein, and unused protein, like anything else, turns into fat.

So if you're 200lbs, but you're not very active, 3 steaks a day won't do you much good. Haha

Fat is NOT bad for general real world health. An excessively high protein diet is not only not needed, it's problematic because it is taxing on your liver to process out excess AIR. If you keep the protein moderate, and the carbs VERY low, meaning a high fat diet you can actually enter ketosis, a state your body metabolizes fat to ketones (rather than protein and carbs to glucose).

Saying ony 1 gram of protein per pound of weight (which is not a bad rule of thumb, less for most would be fine and a little more for heavy lifting, say in the range of 0.8 - 1.5 seems to work out) and keep carbs and fat as low as possible doesn't really tell you much. Protein is about 4 calories per gram, meaning for a 200 pound person 200 x 4 = 800. Assuming you're being even vaguely active at around 200 pounds hand have a moderately fast metabolism, you'll need around 2,500 calories a day to maintain your position, meaning 1,700 hundred calories need to come from somewhere else. This is where it gets pretty fascinating. About the only thing there is broad agreement on is that these should not be mostly simple carbs, after that for ratio between fats and carbs, there is not. Traditionally it has been that these should be complex carbs and less fat, and there is some sense in it perhaps for endurance athletes who have to build up their bodies capacity for storing glycogen and who also want to be basically light as possible. However, for most people a higher (animal) fat diet with activity is perfectly fine for health and strength. Among the two enormous benefits off the bat is that you won't be nearly as hungry all the time and probably more importantly you won't be having insulin peaks and valleys either. Beyond this more are beginning to say that fats are critical for proper neurobiological function, and many other internal processes. Like it or not, our bodies are optimized for eating what was available without processing for the majority of history and that means animals, nuts, fruits and vegetables. It means no refined grains and definitely not refined simple carbs. In other words a core of the modern Western diet is at odds with nature and hey look at all the physical dysfunction . . .

NOTE: Animal fats and oils from nuts and olives are fine. Hydrogenated oils are terrible!! In practical terms this means things like butter is fine, margarine is bad.

[Shaolin Crane]

IIRC it was the kidneys that took a beating not the liver. But any person who is moderatly active will benefit from the 1g per pound. When i was fighting in order to maintain my 205 weight i was eating 1.5-2g per pound. It was like a full time job, i just couldnt keep up with it and eventually dropped back to the 170-180lb i'm likely destined to be stuck in for some time.

A word to the wise, 90% of fast food, whether its marketed "healthy" or not is mostly hydroginated oils. Buy a mccrap mcflurry and leave it out in the sun, it will hold its consistency because of the 70% hydroginated chicken oil/fat. Fun stuff.

[Vettezuki]

IIRC it was the kidneys that took a beating not the liver. But any person who is moderatly active will benefit from the 1g per pound. When i was fighting in order to maintain my 205 weight i was eating 1.5-2g per pound. It was like a full time job, i just couldnt keep up with it and eventually dropped back to the 170-180lb i'm likely destined to be stuck in for some time.

A word to the wise, 90% of fast food, whether its marketed "healthy" or not is mostly hydroginated oils. Buy a mccrap mcflurry and leave it out in the sun, it will hold its consistency because of the 70% hydroginated chicken oil/fat. Fun stuff.

Yeah I think 1g is a safe rule of thumb, 2g would be difficult. And yes, most fast food is a brew of shit. It's fine in small amounts, the human body is amazingly capable of handling bad things, but if you eat it regularly, you're in trouble, I'm probably around a couple times a month perhaps when it's the difference between eating something and going real hungry when on the road. And some is better than others. The chicken Fajita from Jack in the Box, for example, is better than what Mickey D's apparently thinks is a hamburger.

[enkeivette]

When I was at 220 grams of protein per day, lifting 6 days a week for about 2 hours every day, trying to maintain 215-220lbs, that was still too much, and I was still gaining fat.

If Arnold ate 1 gram per per pound, while on steroids even, and he makes you look like a thimble... that's enough. If you were eating more and not gaining weight its because all your slanty eyed hoo haa karate kept you super active and slim. :p

[Shaolin Crane]

That exactly it, different exercises, different needs. I have never been very large, mostly because of my very weird body proportions (ie my 80" reach) but this doesnt mean i wasnt strong. Muscle can be built in a variety of ways, body builders are buff but ask them to lift their leg above their head and hold it, or take constant repetative stikes to the bicep over and over. Regardless if you lift, or do dexterity training, you need lots and lots of protein.

I wasnt gaining size from the 2g per rule likely because of the above mention exercises, i can only image how much protein my muscle needed after hard body or dexterity training. I am also probably an exception since i'm a bottomless pit and have been thronw out of many a AYCE places. Ask leedom and John, they'll confirm as they saw it with their own eyes. And me being asked to leave :smack: