Download Matt Nevling, RD TOTW 163 What Is A Good Diet And Supplementation

Matt Nevling, RD
TOTW 163 What Is A Good Diet And Supplementation To Help Get Cut?
First we need to define what exactly getting “cut” means. In the bodybuilding and figure world, “getting
cut” refers to minimizing overall body fat to become more muscularly defined. But our mission is not
just one of weight loss like some reality television show or fad diets picked up by soccer moms. Our
eating patterns need to be designed to minimize the loss of muscle mass, which occurs with most
weight loss. This way, we will be burning more fat and moving towards our goal of being more defined.
As with any nutrition program, the basics are a good place to start. Since we are looking to lose fat,
calories are going to need to be restricted to force the body to utilize fat as a fuel source. This occurs
when the body is using more calories than are being taken in. Just like a truck, if we don’t put enough
gas in the tank to go a certain distance, then stored fuel or reserve tanks are used. Fat calls are the extra
gas tanks our body stores for times like this. But at the same time, if enough protein is not taken in,
then the body looks to its protein storage, which is our precious muscle that we’ve worked so hard for.
So using these basic nutrition principles, we can see our nutrition program begin to take shape:
Fat:
During this diet, we want to minimize fat as much as possible. Being the highest calorie-containing
nutrient, we want to avoid it at all costs. This will make creating our calorie deficit much easier.
However, certain essential fats are needed by the body to make cell walls and other vital structures to
live. So a minimal amount of fat will need to either be planned in our diet or supplemented to ensure
our bodies can function properly. Some examples of common foods with essential fatty acids include:
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Fish
Canola Oil
Walnuts
Sunflower Seeds
Flax Seeds
And many others
Carbohydrate:
Many popular bodybuilding “cutting” programs include a diet which cuts out carbohydrates altogether.
While this will force the body to turn to alternative fuel sources, it also can result in a dangerous medical
state known as metabolic ketoacidosis (sounds scary huh?). This is how many diabetics end up
hospitalized when they don’t know they have the disease. Instead, our diet will reduce carbohydrates to
help create a calorie deficit, while still maintaining proper amounts to fuel our workouts and provide
glucose to the brain to avoid becoming zombies. However, since our carbohydrate foods are going to
be reduced from our normal amount, we need to be smarter on the types of carbohydrate sources we
choose. Before a workout, carbohydrate choices should be more complex and provide a longer source
of energy. This would include whole grains ,orange sweet potatoes, and legumes/vegetables. These
carbohydrate sources are high in fiber, which slows down digestion and provides a longer burning fuel
source. Fiber also contains no calories, but takes up space in the stomach to help your body feel full.
Hunger pains will be reduced, helping to keep on track more easily.
After a workout, quicker carbohydrate sources are needed for a few reasons. First, carbohydrate fuel
stores need to be refilled from all the hard work you’ve put in. Secondly, simpler carbohydrate sources
increase the amount of insulin released into the blood stream. Only carbohydrates can have this effect
on insulin. This hormone, insulin, is the most anabolic hormone in the body. It is the key which unlocks
cells (including muscle cells) to allow nutrients such as protein into the cell to begin to repair it. Some
sources of simple carbohydrates include bakes potatoes, white breads, and sports beverages. While it is
true that most candies also fit in this category, candies also contain a large amount of fat, which does
not fit into our diet.
Protein:
Now we will get to everyone’s favorite part, protein. This is the heart of most old-school cutting
programs. Since those old diets cut out carbohydrates, calories had to come from protein to support
the body. Since our diet will allow some carbohydrates to keep the body functioning properly, we are
able to live life without wearing tuna cologne, protein shake mustaches, and bitter-egg-white-faces.
However, an increase in protein is needed here to prevent muscle mass from being broken down for its
amino acids. This increase can be either large or small depending on what your current intake is. For
my clients, I usually put a cap on protein intake to 1.7g per kg of body weight, and even this is only
reserved for elite athletes who are working out several hours per day. I hear what you are saying,
“What’s that? The guy at my local supplement store told me I need 1,000,000g of protein per day” While
this is a common thought in the athletic world, science tells us differently. Too much protein, just like
fat and carbohydrates is stored as fat in the body, which is the opposite of what we are trying to
accomplish. Once again though, our protein sources must be chosen wisely. The fat content of our
protein sources must be minimum. Any fatty proteins that we do eat need to contain the essential fatty
acids discussed before such as fish. Saturated fat should be cut as much as possible (goodbye beef and
whole eggs). The proteins should also be complete proteins, meaning they contain all the amino acids
our bodies cannot create. Some good examples of these proteins include:
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Skinless chicken breast
Fish
Fat free cottage cheese
Egg whites
Fat free Yogurt
Skinless turkey
Vegans can consume soy or combine incomplete protein sources to make them complete (such
as beans and rice)
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Skim milk
Various:
While the above nutrients are the big players in our game, many other dietary factors play a role in our
diet. The first one we will discuss is alcohol. Alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat.
In our bodies, alcohol is a toxin and is treated as one. Alcohol is processed by the liver before all the
other nutrients discussed above. This is a survival measure taken by our bodies to rid the toxin ASAP.
So this means that alcohol slows down the digestion and absorption of nutrients such as protein and
carbohydrates. Many mixed drinks have high sugar mixers added to them. Once again, this increases
the calorie content of the drink. For all these reasons, alcohol needs to be cut from our diet to help our
cause.
Since our diet is a sensible one that does not exclude any food groups or nutrients, all vitamins and
minerals essential to life should be available. Fruits and vegetables are great vitamin sources and are
perfect for our meal plan since they are low in fat and calories while being high in fiber.
What are some good supplements to help get cut?
Here’s a horrible secret that I have learned when I was studying nutrition: Bodybuilding supplements
are made of people!!!............Ok well that’s not exactly true. Actually supplements are food products.
“Whey” is a protein in milk. “Creatine” is found in many protein sources. Any other jug or bottle taken
off a supplements shelf comes from food. Am I saying that supplements are not needed? Absolutely
not. With our busy schedules and very specific nutrient needs, many people do need supplements to
help shape their diet. However, we need to remember the basic idea of “supplementing” rather than
having powders and pills take over our lives. Also, in the weightlifting world, carrying around a shaker
cup full of protein has become almost a right of passage that makes you feel like you belong to some
sort of underground society (which is partly true). So I have no problems with people using
supplements, as long as they know what they are doing.
So I will now take some of the most popular supplements and give you my opinion on how they can fit
into a cutting diet and how to use them if you choose to. Just remember that the same thing you are
taking in supplement form can also be obtained from foods that would probably give you more
satisfaction.
Protein Supplements:
As stated before, protein is vital in this diet, so protein powders do have a place in our plan. Powders
are easy to pack, can be taken to the office or class, and don’t require refridgeration. On average, a
regular scoop of protein powder contains as much protein as 3-4oz of chicken. I know that after a hard
workout, I’d rather lay on the locker room floor in pain with a protein shake than try to eat some
chicken or open a can of tuna. Another bonus is that since most powders contain no fat and are liquid
form, they are digested by the body much more quickly to help recover faster after a workout.
Choosing a protein powder can be tricky however. All protein powders (Whey, Casein, Egg, Soy) are
complete protein sources. The nutrition facts label does need to be checked however to ensure that
there is a minimal amount of fat (zero is best) and we aren’t just buying a big jug of sugar. A good
amount of protein I like to see is at least 20-25g per scoop. Carbohydrate content of protein powders
should be looked at. I don’t like to see a large amount of carbohydrates in my protein powder. I can
add my own carbohydrates with gatorade and be more accurate with my amounts and it costs next to
nothing.
Creatine:
Creatine is the most popular, and by concequence, most scientifically studied supplement out there. For
those who don’t know, creatine helps to resupply the muscle with energy during anaerobic exercise
(such as weight lifting) to allow athletes to work harder and longer. This may sound like a perfect
supplement for cutting since we will need to work harder to burn more calories. And while this can be
beneficial to our cause, it also can come at a price. Numerous scientific studies have shown that
supplemental creatine’s only side effect is a gain in mass from what appears to be water retention. This
can be counter-productive since water retention results in a bloated feeling and look in the muscles,
which is not a “cut” look. So weight and appearance should be monitored if creatine is used in your
supplement cocktail.
Arginine:
“Arginine? I don’t take arginine. I don’t even know what that is” says the reader to themselves. Well I
would be willing to bet that you have taken an arginine supplement before. Although you might know it
by its other category name, “NO” or “Nitrous Oxide” supplements. Now you are shaking your head in
agreement. Almost all of my new clients are taking these products but really don’t know how to take
them or what they are actually supposed to do. I have one client who takes it when he is tired and he
says it helps him stay up. I have another client who swears he can flip a car after he takes it. So what’s
the deal, how does this stuff work? Well arginine or NO products work on the principle that they will
make the blood vessels of your muscles expand, allowing more blood to come to the muscle during a
workout. This results in a higher capacity for exercise and ability to work harder and longer. Other
possible explanations are that the arginine acts as a buffer in the muscle, once again allowing for a
longer workout. I think that these supplements can be very appropriate for a diet in which someone is
trying to get cut. They should be taken on an empty stomach 30 minutes to an hour before the
workout.
Fat Burners:
I am not a big fat of weight loss pills, including fat burners. Many of which just contain large amounts of
caffeine and unproven herbs. However, if you truly believe that the Fat-Killer 2000 pills or whatever you
take helps you, then by all means go for it. The placebo effect is still an effect and a pretty good one at
that.
Diuretics:
As stated before, water retention can cause a bloated look in the muscle. Some people use diuretics to
help rid their bodies of excess water to give them a more defined look. While this does work, these
supplements should be used with caution. Hydration in the human body is a delicate balance which can
result in serious health problems and risks if the water scales are tipped too far one way or another.
Diuretic use should only be short term and never overdone. I usually do not recommend them to
clients.
Vitamins/Minerals/Oils:
As mentioned before, our diet should allow us to get all the vitamins and minerals we need in our body.
However, if you don’t feel confident that you are getting what you need, a multivitamin is a good
insurance policy. Flax seed oil can also be used to obtain essential fatty acids if we are not getting them
through food sources.
BONUS QUESTION: How could one work on creating a beach body if they don?t
have access to a gym?
Believe it or not, gyms have not been around since the dawn of man. Look at early greek statues, most
of these statues are of individuals who are actually pretty ripped. Someone had to have modeled for
these scuptures, meaning that these individuals achieved a beach body without ever touching a flat
bench. This means we can too, we just have to work a little harder at it.
If the above nutrition plan is followed, then the only thing left for us to do is burn some excess calories
to shed the fat and show off our inner beauty. Nothing burns calories like aerobic exercise. Lucky for us
that aerobic exercise is free. Start running, swimming, walking, biking, etc. These activities all burn
huge amounts of calories while costing absolutely nothing. Also, there are many programs here on
bodybuilding.com that do not require the use of a gym. One of the better programs I have seen is the
Marine corps training program, which can actually now be bought in book stores or found online. I
remember using that program in high school and feeling pretty beat after doing it.