The purpose of this is to simplify the information needed to construct a good diet, although this is not a perfect diet designed for each individuals needs this will at least help lead you in the right direction.
Gather Information:
First decide what your goals are; sometimes just deciding on what it is you want to do (gain weight, lose weight, recomp, competition prep, etc.), will help you figure out how you need to eat.
After you finished figuring out what exactly you’re trying to accomplish you need to write down any special needs you have (i.e. carb sensitive, high blood pressure, body type, etc.). If you're unsure of any of this just don’t worry about it, less for you to think about later.
Again to help better suit you, you will need to right out your schedule and figure out what times you can eat. Preferably you will want to eat every 2-4 hours and roughly 6-8 times a day.
Next calculate your base Caloric intake (the amount of calories you consume every day). There are many ways to do this, but the most simple is:
Mesomorphs - bodyweight x 15
Ectomorphs - bodyweight x 16-17
Endomorphs - bodyweight x 13-14
Now that you have the total Calories you will need to consume each day to maintain you can adjust as necessary to either gain or lose weight by adding or subtracting 500 Cals to your daily intake every week.
Protein/Fat/Carbohydrates are all very dependent on your goals and the type of diet you plan to follow. (For you informational purposes: Fat contains 9 calories. Protein contains 4 calories. Carbohydrates contain 4 calories) Here are a few sample macro breakdowns (% of calories from each protein/fat/carbohydrates) for different goals *remember this is a very individual thing, no one set of numbers is going to work for everyone... adjust as you see fit*:
Bulk: 50-60% Carbs. Protein: 1g/lb Fat: whatever is left.
Cut: depends on body type
Recomp: Training days- 30/10/60 Off days- 40/40/20
From the previous information you should of acquired your goals, caloric baseline, and a few sample macro breakdowns for you to choose from. Write down everything, and make a plan. A few things to include in your plan:
Adjust your calories every week to suit your goals
Adjust amount of each macronutrient to consume each week
Adjust your training to suit your goals/diet
Make a few set points, where you make a goal to reach a certain weight or BF%. *maybe just do this every other week or every month, just make your goals realistic, so you don’t become discouraged*. Also at these points you should take progress pictures, so that you see how far you've actually come and how much your diet is paying off.
Food Timing/Restrictions:
This is a very basic outline of when to consume what foods.
Cutting/ Recomp Training days: Carbohydrates: Upon Waking consume complex carbs*complex according to the Glycemic Index*, keep the amount you consume moderate.
Pre Workout consumes complex slow digesting carbs to help you sustain energy while working out.
Post workout consume simple fast digesting carbs to spike your insulin as well as to quickly supply your body with nutrients, because this is the time where you body will utilize more of the energy you consume to become anabolic.
Post Post Workout consume slow digesting carbs as needed to reach your daily requirements. *this will depend on what time of the day you workout if its in the evening and you’re trying to cut you may not want to consume too many carbs before going to bed so if you want to limit this you can, as you see fit*
Protein:
You will want to take your daily protein intake (simple way to find this is 1.2-1.4 g/bw) and divide it out among all your meals (which should be anywhere from 6-8).
Post workout/Upon Waking , you will preferably want to consume whey protein as it is fast absorbing, but is not necessary.
Before Bed , you will want to consume a slower digesting protein (i.e. Cottage Cheese, Natural PB, Milk,
Casein Protein Powder, etc.)
Fat:
fat will be used to compliment your meals where you're not consuming carbohydrates (especially true with high GI foods because of the spike in insulin), or with meals that you're having very low GI carbs.
Recomp Non-Training Days:
Same as training days, except you will cut out the post workout and the post post workout carb consumption. and replace the carbs for those meals with some sort of essential fatty acids (EFA's).
Bulking *NOT AN EXCUSE TO GET FAT, BULK SMART*: Carbohydrates: Consume low GI carbs as you see fit, and consume high GI carbs post workout.
Protein: You will want to take your daily protein intake (simple way to find this is 1 g/lb), and divide it out among all your meals (which should be anywhere from 6-8).
Post workout/Upon Waking , you will preferably want to consume whey protein as it is fast absorbing, but is not necessary.
Before Bed, you will want to consume a slower digesting protein (i.e. Cottage Cheese, Natural PB, Milk, Casein Protein Powder, etc.)
Fat:
Fat can be manipulated as you see fit to accompany meals, just try to separate fat from simple carbs. Try to consume only essential fatty acids (EFA's) and fat from unsaturated sources..
Alcohol:
Alcohol has no place in a diet... NONE.
What you should have figured out here is when the appropriate time to consume what kinds of foods according to your goals. Learn to READ the nutritional facts on the foods you purchase, trust me its not that hard, my 12 year old brother can do it. Now go back to your plan and go to where you have scheduled times to eat and figure out what fits where appropriately.
Supplementing: dietary supplement noun
Something added to complete a diet or to make up for a dietary deficiency
Again this is going to be just the basics of basics.
The fundamentals:
Protein Powders
Carb Source (Waxy Maize Starch, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, etc.)
BCAA's (powdered or pill form)
EFA’s
Creatine Monohydrate
*Beta Alanine
*can be omitted
Just remember what a supplement is and you should be fine. Learn as much as you can about a supplement before taking it, because some may be able to help you more then others.
Conclusion:
A diet is as individual as the people who follow them, not one diet is going to fit everyone’s needs. Use the information provided as a base to build off of, it’s not all going to apply to you forever, but is rather a starting point. READ and LEARN as much as you possibly can and it will make dieting so much easier to understand and to follow.
**I'm sure many will tear this apart, but if it helps just one person start on their way to understanding dieting, then mission accomplished**
*** the views and opinions expressed here are not of BBD.com but only that of JakeVendetta***
****if anyone has anything they feel should be added on post it up****
Team Johnnie Jackson / Pretty Boys