You're confusing BMI with body fat %. BMI is body mass index and is only calculated using a person's height and weight, so no doctor is needed. The results don't correspond directly to body fat, but they are just a value you apply to a table. Body fat is usually measured with calipers, but for more precise results, one can get a dexa scan at a doctor's office.
I've noticed that once I started eating clean, I am more tempted to eat bad foods. If I'm eating bad then I'm not tempted to eat bad foods. I get so hungry when I get off work. I eat breakfast, Lunch, and a mid afternoon snack like 4ish). My stomach is growling by 6pm. Does this mean that I need to eat more during day? I do not want to overdo it and I don't count calories. I go by portion sizes. I eat mainly protein and complex carbs. At your grocery store if they have a health food aisle
What's people's take on the idea of a "cheat day"? Where you just go bonkers and eat whatever you want. I know a lot of people believe it helps keep their metabolism from adjusting to healthy eating, but I haven't studied the science behind it. Any strong opinions one way or the other?
Purely psychological. In theory helps you to keep from cheating on the other 6 days of the week by looking forward to the cheat day.
If you haven't been gaining weight, while trying to bulk and increase your strength, then you're probably not getting enough calories. If you feel low on energy, then that may also be a sign of not eating enough. when you're trying to increase muscle size, it's usually better to slightly over eat than end up under eating. By bad foods, do you mean sugary or fatty stuff? I wouldn't worry too much about giving in to fatty stuff, just keep the trans fat and sat fat low. As for sugary stuff, I'm not really crazy about having a cheat day, but do you have one? I prefer to give in a few times a week to suppress cravings. The important thing is to not over do it. I usually do it after sprinting or the tougher lifting workouts, to lessen the negative effects.
Cheat days boost your metabolism, after a while of calorie restriction your brain thinks your in starvation mode so it sends signals to stop calorie-burning metabolism and hold on to reserves. Cheat days shock the system and keep your metabolism revved for more fat-burning. It also boosts hormones like liptin (a fat burning hormone). So if your reducing your calorie intake liptin levels fall, which reduces fat loss, but if you devour more calories liptin levels are likely to rise.You'll also boost your nutrition by giving your body nutrients you could be missing out on that aren't found in whatever strict diet you may have....and of course the main reason like you said is for a mental break from your repetitive boring diet. But definitely plan your cheat days and don't just start binge eating. Try to eat clean at least 90-95% of the time and it should be fine, or adjust for slower or faster results. I personally try to have a cheat day only once a week, and currently haven't had one for about a month now. Also i recently started drinking Diet Green Tea. I consume around two bottles a day, i was getting tired of drinking nothing but water. Does anyone know if two bottles a day is ok? Since there are conflicting opinions about the risks and effects about consuming artificial sugar substitutes....
Just buy the tea bags and make your own green tea. It will be cheaper and you don't have to worry about artificial sweeteners unless you have to absolutely sweeten your tea. I prefer my tea sans sugar.
Keep telling yourself that. small glycogen refuel and most people's diets aren't even good enough to experience that on a cheat meal (much less a DAY). most competition diets don't include actual cheat meals but might have sporadic carb loading. The psychological effect is nice for people though. Not knocking them. Something to look forward too.
My guess is that green tea, Lipton i'm assuming, isn't very powerful. The idea of diet green tea is kind of silly. They're just trying to make more money and catering to what people are crazy over lately. Go for traditional green tea, if you want to really benefit from it. Or in pill form.
Ive lost about 20 lbs in the last month by drinking 2 of these each day. 0 exercise. This brand of green tea has the highest amount of EGCG which speeds up your metabolism naturally. I was 215 now I'm 195. Smallest I've been since I was like 14.
I recently started working with a personal trainer who's been working on my diet as well and he says, one of the biggest rules, is NO carbs after 6. You want your body to burn what it already has stored while you sleep at night and not carbs you put in during the evening.
Suppose a you have carbs with 400cal at 4pm and suppose you workout at 6pm that uses 600cal. So your body is at -200 cal deficit. It has to get that 200 calories of energy from somewhere? Now after 7pm you have 200cal snack. So in essence you have a net of 0cal used. Now suppose you have a 600 cal meal at 4pm do the same 600cal workout at 6pm. Now you still 0cal gained or lost. I don't really understand how the timing can change the net energy consumption.
I lost about 30 pounds, pretty much all belly through diet mainly and walking. Ready? Grilled instead of fried. Chicken and fish. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Cut fat, salt, and sugar. Go brown instead of white; brown breads, brown rice, etc. I am so used to it that I now prefer the new eating style. Fried makes me sick, can't stand greasy in any way, love salads more than ever, actually crave them. This is not hard. I have kept the weight and the belly off for over a year. Occasionally, I "sin" with a treat like cake or ice cream, but my overall pattern is so consistent it doesn't seem to make any difference to splurge every now and then.
