What are you eating for?
Brian May 4th, 2010
Exercise enthusiasts and dieters have been trying to trick the body for decades. Remember the diet craze where people would eat just fat and protein in an attempt to burn body fat (ala Atkins). How about a high protein diet with a smattering of fats and carbohydrates to build muscle while keeping body fat low? The myriad diets are endless, but they fail to address the key concept in weight loss/management: eating for your body’s immediate needs.
The concept is not new, with many fitness “gurus” touting the benefits of this dietary approach. As nomads and cave people we ate only when we needed to. If the tribe or group had a particularly hard day of hunting the hunters were given more meat. The only things we hunt today are grease, salt, and sugar.
The beauty of this approach, if done correctly, is that there is very little waste. Think about pressing the accelerator on your car. If the cylinders cannot handle more gasoline it gets dumped into the exhaust. The fuel going into the exhaust is analogous to your body storing excess calories as body fat. More calories are needed in the morning, and pre and post workout, while less calories are needed before bed or while watching tv.
Check back for part 2 of this series where I discuss carbohydrate and protein needs.
In Strength,
Brian