Basic Rules for Diet?

Diet and Nutrition
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Hi. I’m 24 years old, an athlete, around 190 lbs @ 11-12 % bf at 5’9". I’ve been very serious about my nutrition for muscle growth and equally fat loss during my bulking/cutting cycles, experimenting with carb cycling, ketogenic diets, etc.

But anyway, have been serious with my nutrition for the past 5 years as an athlete: eating everything from boring/bland chicken breast & veggies to trying to work with some spices, marinades, etc. I want to try hand at cooking with ethnic cuisine (Thai/Indian/Mediterrnean) and other related fusion/contemporary cuisine.

I know in the culinary world, nutrition is important, but not so much from an athlete perspective.

Anyway I’m looked to form a set of basic rules, even more try to find a diet protocol to follow, where I can work/cook guilt free with these ethnic cuisines, but at the same time, not gain any unwanted fat.

So far I have the following

  1. Avoid HI GI Carbs at Night
  2. Focus on fruits & veggies & lean proteins & nuts & low GI carbs
  3. Eat Less, Work More

I don’t know if carb cycling would be a appropriate thing (having a couple of high, medium, and low carb days)

Anyway I’m asking this because in the past I’ve totally focused on nutrition, etc.

Thanks,

loh208

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the one rule that i strictly never break, and i mean NEVER, is that peri-wo is the only time i can only have drinks that have any calories. for me, it’s just too easy to sip down a few thousand kcals of juice, milk, or soda.

after further investigation of hg thrower’s link, the rule i just described is #6.

1 Like
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I like that one E99_Curt, and of course you look no farther than JB for great info.

or course carb cycling has a lot of support.

also CT’s no carbs for 60 minutes post training thing has growing support (the best info on it to my knowledge has been put together by me at this thread here: Forums - T Nation - The World's Trusted Community for Elite Fitness not that I want to take credit for it, but there is no specific thread designated to just that one topic, at least not to my knowledge. There are several links that I provided in this thread), as well as the Anaconda protocol supplements.

Uh, besides consistency, and sticking with the 7 habits, “tweak away.”

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One basic rule that i have picked up from reading a lot of work around the site, especially Chris Shugart is:
Get MORE VEGGIES so start off any recipe with good veggies, like Spinach, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Sugar-Snap peas, Mushrooms, Bell Peppers, ect…

Then add a complete source of protein.

Then add your spices and healthy fats and boom! Voluminous healthy meals are easy if you start with the basics.

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[quote]BulletproofTiger wrote:

…carb cycling has a lot of support.

also CT’s no carbs for 60 minutes post training thing has growing support…[/quote]

i don’t think of these as basic food rules.

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[quote]thruxton45 wrote:

[quote]BulletproofTiger wrote:

…carb cycling has a lot of support.

also CT’s no carbs for 60 minutes post training thing has growing support…[/quote]

i don’t think of these as basic food rules. [/quote]

Good

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You didn’t really even ask a question. You should have utilized the search function before starting this thread.

If you want something simple that is guilt free, switch to the Paleo Diet. Period.

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[quote]SteaL7h wrote:
Some cool things I have picked up and made notes of;

-Coconut Oil cooking essential, anything else is toxic when cooked.
-Coconut Oil speeds up metabolism, easily burned fat.
-Coconut Oil supports immune system, improves insulin sesnitivity, power antioxidant.
-Drinking water speeds up metabolism, each litre burns rougly 25 calories extra.
-Drinking more water with high fiber in diet is essential.
-“Eat Breakfast like a king, , lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”
-CoQ10 increases change from slow-twitch fibres to fast-twitch.
-CoQ10 increases aerobic power, anarobic threshold, and time to exhaustion.
-Dr. Johnny Bowden calls Vitamin D the most underrated “vitamin” on the planet.
-Vitamin D can increase protein synthesis.
-Vitamin D form D3 is the best form.
-Avacado has been shown to lower bad cholersterol by up to 22%.
-Avacado is full of fiber and lutien, good for eyes and skin.
-Quinoa is a high protein seed that contains all nine essential amino acids.
-Quinoa has a lower GI and tons of fiber.
-Fish oil increase your “feel good” neurotransmitters.
-Grass-fed Beef is bona fide health food. Corn-fed beed is not real beed, it’s just poision that looks like beef.
-Large breakfast helps regulate blood sugar, energy balance, and control late night cravings.
-Broccoli prevents tumor developement by up to 60%.
-Flax Seeds are the best source of plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids.
-Flax Seeds contains fiber, protien, and magnesium.
-Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussel Sprouts are good at combatting cancer risks.
-Everytime you eat conventionally grown beef, there is chance your eating weight-gain hormones.
-Nonorganic chicken has higher fat to protien ratio than organic.
-Carrots are loaded with Vitamin A, helps balance pH on your skin’s surface, less likely to develope skin cancer.[/quote]

After reading this, I immediately grabbed a big glass of water, 2000mg D3, and half an avocado. That’s what I love abut T-Nation, always reminding me the importance of nutrition.

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All a bit much imo. I’m simple. Just eat single ingredient foods at a 60/25/15 ratio and only drink water.

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Nice 14 years later reply there.

I’m even simpler, I track calories with nuritious food I digest well, and I aim for 150g protein. Never tracked any sort of ratio - just try to eat more carbs around my workout especially if I’m cutting.

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I’m actually starting to enjoy this. It’s like the old random article button.

On that note, here is my 10-step diet advice for basic diet rules. I’d have clients do one per week, or until they adapted to it.

1.) Cut out all obvious crap. You already know what junk food is, so no candy, Doritos, ice cream - eat what you have but don’t buy any more to keep in your house.

2.) Everything you drink should be zero calorie. Water is delicious, but you don’t need Gatorade, or sodas. Shit, when I was cooking for gay days in California, you know what the best looking ripped guys drank? Diet tonic and vodka. Also black coffee is your friend.

3.) Every meal should have a protein, vegetable/fruit/slow carb, and a healthy fat.

4.) Get your protein high enough. Shakes or whole foods both work.

5.) Get comfortable getting hungry. This helps with both dieting and gaining. Pay attention to your appetite.

6.) Meal timing. Whether you want to do IM, 6 meals a day, whatever, look at the clock.

7.) Supplementation - Protein powder is food, so that doesn’t count. But for the other ones, determine which ones will move you closer to your goals, and align them with the previous point. As a rule of thumb, I think an empty stomach is 2 hours after your last food, and waiting 30 minutes after.

8.) It’s time to get a food scale and start counting calories.

9.) Peri, post, and intra-workout nutrition.

10.) Take what you learned from from this so you can relax while not going overboard, enjoy special occasions, refeeds, whatever you want to define it as. Food and psychology are linked. Hell, I budget 600 calories a day just to taste the food I cook (butter, wine, sugar,) and because half of what we taste is actually from nasal exhalation, I don’t spit, I swallow.

Umm, have fun with that T-Nation.

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Lol.