Principles of Burning Fat

Focus on the RIGHT Type and Amount of Protein/Carbs/Fats

1. Protein: Protein is critical for building muscle as well as an energy source. Your protein will be high with this diet. It will consist of up to 50% of your daily calories. Lean Protein Sources include: Grass Fed Lean Beef, Chicken, Fish, Eggs, Dairy (cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt), Whey Protein.

2. Carbs: Carbs are your bodies main energy source. In this plan, you will see a reduction of carbs, roughly 25%-30%, which will help you to make your body utilize body fat as energy. Complex Carbohydrates include: fibrous fruits, whole grains, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, etc but keeping these carbs to 1-2 servings per day.

3. Fat: Healthy fats are crucial for many functions of the body, including hormone balance and protein synthesis. It is crucial you get adequate healthy fats in your diet, 20%-30%. Healthy Fats include: Avocado, Nuts, Seeds, Olives, Olive Oil, Fatty Wild Fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies) , etc.

4. Total Calories and Ratios: This will differ from person to person but I aim for roughly 12 calories per pound of body weight and roughly 45-50% protein, 25-30% carbs and 20-30% fat. This works very well for me. For example 170lbs x 12 = 2040 calories.

5. Nutrition Timing: Time is important. Protein should come throughout the day. Roughly every 2-3 hours. I try to base most of my carbs around breakfast and my workout. This helps me to get the most out of my workouts, aiding in energy and recovery. As the day goes on I focus more on veggies, protein and fat.

6. Hydration: This is a very important principle that is often overlooked. You should shoot for about a gallon of water per day. You also want to watch your sodium intake. Grab a big water bottle and take it with you where you go.

7. Log Your Food! You can’t reach your goal if you don’t have a plan. Log your food to make sure you are on the right track. Don’t guess. Guessing will just lead to frustration. Check out my post about logging your food for easy ways to do it.

Sample Diet (Resistance/Strength Days)

Pre-Workout Meal (upon waking)

- Whey Protein (1 Scoop) = 120 cal, 25g protein/0 g carb/ 0g fat
- 1 Apple or Oatmeal = 100 cal, 0g protein / 24 g carbs / 0gfat
- E&E Pre-Workout (15 mins before workout) = 40 cal, 0g protein/ 6g carb / 0g fat

- L-Carnitine

-CLA

Post Workout Meal

- Whey Protein (1 Scoop) = 120 cal, 25g protein/0 g carb/ 0g fat

- R&R (Results & Recovery Drink) = 220 cal, 15 g protein / 40 g carbs / 1 g fat

BreakFast

- 2 Whole Egg, 3 Egg White Omlette = 220 cal, 27 g protein / 0 g carb / 13 g fat

- Ezekiel Sproated Whole Grain Toast = 80 cal, 4 g protein / 15 g carb / 1 g fat

- Organic Light Cheese = 60 cal, 6 g protein / 0 carb / 3 g fat

AM Snack

-Shakeology = 150 cals, 18g protein / 17 carb /1g fat

- 4 oz Organic Skim Milk + Water = 40 cal, 4 g protein / 6 g carb / 0 g fat

- Omega 3s (2-3 gram)

Lunch

- Chicken 6 oz. =220 cals / 35g protein /1 g carb/5g fat

- Avocado = 100 cals 1g protein /5 g carbs / 9 g fat

- Salad = 30 cal, 0 g protein / 3 g carbs /4 g fat

PM Snack

- Quest Bar = 170 cal, 20 g protein / 24 g carb / 7 g fat

Dinner

- 4 0z Chicken = 220 cal, 30 g protein / 0 g carbs / 5 g fat

- Broccoli (cooked) = 100 cal, 4 g protein / 14 g carbs / 5 g fat

Evening Snack

- Greek Yogurt (plain, non-fat) = 120 cal, 22 g protein / 7 g carb / 0 g fat.

- Almond Butter = 100 Cal, 4 g protein / 3 g carb / 9 g fat

OVERALL = 2200 calories / 240 g protein / 170 g carbs / 62 g fat ( approximately 45% protein, 30% carbs, 25 % fat

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Sample Diet (Cardio Days)

Pre-Workout Meal (upon waking)

- Whey Protein (1 Scoop) = 120 cal, 25g protein/0 g carb/ 0g fat

- E&E Pre-Workout (15 mins before workout) = 40 cal, 0g protein/ 6g carb / 0g fat

- L-Carnitine

-CLA

Post Workout Meal

- Whey Protein (1 Scoop) = 120 cal, 25g protein/0 g carb/ 0g fat

- R&R (Results & Recovery Drink) (1.5 scoop) = 165 cal, 7 g protein / 30 g carbs / 0 g fat

BreakFast

- 1 Whole Egg, 4 Egg White Omlette = 160 cal, 27 g protein / 0 g carb / 8 g fat

- Ezekiel Sproated Whole Grain Toast = 80 cal, 4 g protein / 15 g carb / 1 g fat

- Organic Light Cheese = 60 cal, 6 g protein / 0 carb / 3 g fat

AM Snack

-Shakeology = 150 cals, 18g protein / 17 carb /1g fat

- Omega 3s (2-3 gram)

Lunch

- Turkey 6 oz. =220 cals / 35g protein /1 g carb/5g fat

- Avocado = 100 cals 1g protein /5 g carbs / 9 g fat

- Salad = 30 cal, 0 g protein / 3 g carbs /4 g fat

PM Snack

- Quest Bar = 170 cal, 20 g protein / 24 g carb / 7 g fat

Dinner

- 6 0z Salmon = 260 cal, 44 g protein / 0 g carbs / 9 g fat

- Broccoli (cooked) = 100 cal, 4 g protein / 14 g carbs / 5 g fat

- Mixed Green Salad = 10 cal, 1 g protein / 2 g carb

Evening Snack

- Casein Protein (1 scoop) = 120 cal, 23 g protein / 4 g carbs / 1 g fat

- Walnuts (1/2 serving) = 100 Cal, 4 g protein / 3 g carb / 9 g fat

OVERALL = 2000 calories / 245 g protein / 125 g carbs / 62 g fat ( approximately 50% protein, 25% carbs, 25 % fat

One of the main questions that I get asked consistently is in regards to nutrition.  I believe that nutrition is the KEY to getting extreme results with any fitness program that you choose.  Each program (P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, PUMP, etc) comes with a great nutrition plan that you should read and follow.  But, I know that those guides don’t provide all the answers so I wanted to make sure I gave an easy, step by step guide to start you off of the right track.  If you struggle with Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat it, for your specific goals (fat loss or muscle gain) then this post will be for you!

Getting Started…

1.  Read the nutrition guide.  This may seem like an obvious starting point but most people that come to me for help skip this entirely.  The first thing that I did to get my results was read the nutrition guide that came with P90X.  This guide was my food “bible” for the full 90 days.  I read it front and back many times over to make sure that I was keeping on track and eating the right foods.

There are a few things that you should focus on while reading the P90X nutrition guide.

1. How many calories you should be consuming for your body type, height, weight and goals.
2. The percent (%) of calories that you should consume from the macro-nutrients Protein, Carbs, Fat.
3. What types of foods you should be eating.  You should be concentrating on Lean Proteins, Complex Carbs, and Healthy Fats.
4. How many grams of each macro-nutrient (Protein, Carbs, Fat) you should be eating each day based on the percent (%) that is recommended in the guide.

2.   Calculate Your Calories for your goals

I am a big fan of knowing how many calories/day you are currently eating vs how many calories a day you SHOULD be eating.  This is a very easy exercise that you can do that will show you exactly what you are doing wrong and how to fix it.  The easiest way is to log your food online!  Once you determine that you are now ready to calculate the amount of food you should be eating for your designed goal of fat loss and lean muscle gain.  This is how you do it…

1. Calculate your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR):  BODY WEIGHT (LBS) x 10 = RMR
2. Calculate your Daily Activity Burn (DAB):  RMR x 10% = DAB
3. Determine your Calories Burned from your Daily Exercise (DE) =   For P90X, Insanity and TurboFire workouts the average = 650 calories/workout
4. Determine your goal.  If you want to Lose Weight then you will run a Calorie Deficit (CD) and you will subtract -500 calories/day.  If you want to Gain Weight you will Add Calorie Surplus (CS) of +500 Calories/day
5. Determine your Daily Caloric Target (DCT):  RMR + DAB + DE +/- CS/CD = Daily Caloric Target (DCT)
6. Determine your Nutrition Level:  LEVEL A (1800 calories/day) = 1,800-2,399 DCT,  LEVEL B (2400 calories/day) = 2400-2999 DCT, LEVEL C (3000 Calories/day) = 3000+ DCT .
   
7. Example for a 180 lb male that wants to lose fat:  180 x 10 = 1800 (RMR),  1800 x 0.10 = 180 DAB,  1800 + 180 + 650 – 500 = 2130 DCT, so This person would be Level A or 1800 Calories/day

3.  Choose your Protein/Carbs/Fat Ratios (The THREE Phases)

Now that you have determined how much food you should be eating, it is now time to choose which ratios of Protein/Carbs/Fat is best for you.  The P90X nutrition guide is divided into a 3 phase plan that is built to help maximize your fat loss and muscle building results.  These ratios are meant to be a guide, not an exact science.  Use this as a guide for how much of these macro-nutrients you should be eating per day.  These 3 phases are:

1. Fat Shredder  50% Protein / 30 % Carbs / 20 % Fat:   This high-protein phase is designed to teach you about your body’s relationship with carbohydrates.  The lack of carbs in your diet will cause your body to look for other resources energy…primarily body fat.  If you have a lot of fat to burn then you can be on the fat shredder phase for a longer period of time.  If you have little body fat to burn then you should feel the effects more quickly and move onto phase 2.  I recommend not being on the fat shredder diet longer than 6 weeks or if your workouts start to suffer from lack of energy.
2. Energy Booster  40% Protein / 40% Carbs / 20% Fat:  This is the diet that seems to work the best for me and the one that is considered the “middle of the road”.  My body responded very well to the balance of carbs and protein.  Using this ratio will still give you plenty of protein for building muscle while at the same time give you more carbs to help with energy and performance.
3. Endurance Maximizer 20% Protein / 60% Carbs / 20 % Fat or 25% Protein / 50% Carbs / 25% Fat:  This phase is for those who have now gotten in great shape and are looking for extra fuel for performance.  I would only recommend this phase to those who have gone through at least 60 days of P90X, Insanity or TurboFire.  This is more of an athletic diet that will utilize carbohydrates as fuel.

Tips:  If you are very thin then you can go right to 40/40/20.  If you are ultra fit, then you can use 40/40/20 or 25/50/25.  If you are looking to burn belly fat then try 50/30/20 for at least 2-4 weeks.

How to determine the amount of Protein/ Carbs / Fat in grams for the appropriate Ratios

I will use 2,000 calories/day as an example

2,000 cals x 50% protein = 1,000 cals protein.  Protein is 4 cal per gram, so 1,000 cals / 4 cal per gram =  250 g protein

2,000 cals x 30% carbs = 600 cals carbs.  Carbs are 4 cal per gram, so 600 cals / 4 cal per gram = 150 g carbs

2,000 cals x 20% fat = 400 cals fat.  Fats are 9 cals per gram, so 400 cals / 9 cal per gram =  45 g fat

4.  What To Eat

Protein:  Protein is made up of amino acids, which are primary building blocks for muscle, skin and bones.  You should focus on LEAN Proteins.  Staying away from protein that is high in saturated fat like Fatty Cuts of Steak.

• Chicken breast, turkey breast, white fish, shellfish, lean red meat (example: top round, fillet minion), lean game meats (examples: bison, venison, etc), egg whites and whole eggs, whey protein.  If you are trying to get lean and build lean muscle then you want to focus on the leanest proteins possible (egg whites, chicken breast and white fish), in order to control calories. There are also some vegan options like Tempeh and Seitan.

Carbohydrates (Carbs):  Are the body’s primary energy source.  You want to focus on Complex Carbs and stay away from Simple Carbs like White rice, White Flour, White Sugar, Pasta, White Breads, Potato Chips, etc.

• Complex Carbs you should eat are oatmeal (unsweetened old fashioned rolled or steel cut), brown rice, sweet potatoes, yams, and white potatoes, Quinoa, Whole Grains, etc.. You can also have beans, lentils, black eye peas and other legumes.  You should only have Whole Grain breads (Sprouted whole grain is best).

Fat:  Healthy fats are essential for almost every human activity.  They are used for energy, brain function, and protein synthesis.  Fat is not the enemy but should be consumed in moderation.  Stay away from TRANS Fats (hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils).  Try to limit your saturated fat intake as well.

• Healthy fats you should focus on include Avocado, Olive Oil, Olives, Nuts, Seeds, Flaxseeds, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Almonds, Walnuts, Canola Oil and Chia.

Veggies + Fruits:  You can and should be having as many veggies as possible.  Having 1-2 servings of fruit is also recommended.  My take is that since these come from the earth and are easily digested and full of phytonutrients then you should eat them with every meal.  It’s almost impossible to gain fat eating green veggies and other fibrous carbs because the caloric density is too low

• Fibrous non-starchy vegetables, green vegetables and salad vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, cauliflower, red/green peppers, onions, mushrooms, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and other leafy greens.

Tip:  Base your meals around Lean Protein and Veggies and you will see results.  Lean protein + Fibrous Carbs is the world’s most no-brainer diet to get ripped.

5.  When to Eat

This can be a blog post in of itself but I will keep it simple.  Eat Often!  I am a fan.  Try to have a meal or snack every 2-3 hours.  This has helped me to keep myself full throughout the day, even when trying to cut to lose body fat.  It helped keep my metabolism working and it also provides protein (amino acids) to the muscles through the course of the day as well.  Try to keep your meals to 5-6 per day.  An example of this can be shown below.  It is important to be consistent with your diet.  Better results come to those who eat early and often.  Meaning it is important to have Breakfast everyday as well.

• Example of how I eat:  Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Workout, Post-workout Shake, Dinner, snack.  (6 meals)

COACH ADVISE

• Make sure you are avoiding all Junk food.  This is crucial.  You need to rid your house of all fried, fatty, sugary, foods.  Stay away from those high caloric, high sugar drinks.  If you are consuming too many of these then you are not going to see results.
• Stick to your plan!  The more consistent you are with your plan the better and faster your results are going to be.  You get out what you put in.  If you are trying to gain mass and aren’t eating enough calories everyday then you will not reach your goals.   If you are trying to lose body fat yet have cheat meals every chance you get then you will not see those 6 pack abs that you have been looking for.
• Adjust the calories and ratios for your goals but no crash diets!  Nutrition is about trial and error.  Trying things, determining what is working for you and sticking with it.  But it’s also a lifestyle.  You need to approach it like that.  If you are looking to lose weight then adjust your calories to make sure you are in a caloric deficit but don’t go below 1400 (for men) and 1200 (for women).  If you are trying to gain mass then adjust your calories for a surplus.  That surplus might be 500 or it might be 1000.  Start at 500.  Studies show that in order to gain weight you need a surplus of 3,600 calories per week (1 lb gained).  That is equal to 500 calories extra.
• Plan ahead. Those who have a plan in place of what they will eat that day or meal are typically much more successful.  Bring a healthy snack with you if you know you will be away from healthy food.  I bring a protein bar with me where ever I go.  If I have to go to a restaurant for dinner with friends, I look it up online for the nutritional facts and plan what I will have.  Have a plan!
• Don’t Cheat!  Those who cheat don’t get the extreme results of those who don’t.  Having a cheat meal/treat meal once per week needs to be earned.  If you are starting your first 90 days then no cheating allowed!

There are a couple of key points to consider.  Portion control, proper food choices, and exercise are the keys to getting through this holiday season without gaining any fat.  So I wanted to share with you some of my Healthy Holiday Tips to help you get through this time of year.

1. Exercise! Seems pretty simple but it’s true.  One of the reasons why people gain weight after these food filled holidays is because they skip their workout.  You must making your workout and exercise a priority during this time of year.  For example, Thank Giving morning you should get up and workout!  That way you know that have you burned enough calories to enjoy some of your favorite foods.  Pop in that P90X, Insanity, TurboFire or Asylum dvd and get to it!  You can even do your workout close to your event so you can indulge and use the meal as a recovery meal after your intense workout.

2.  Focus on protein. If you are currently doing P90X and want to keep your results coming then you can get through these holidays by focusing on protein first.  Those of you who are currently in your 90 days will want to base your plates around the protein.  Turkey on Thanksgiving is a great protein source.  You can eat the veggies and protein and get a healthy meal.

3.  Choose your carbs wisely. If you are looking to indulge, then pick and choose your carbs based on what you really want to consume and what you can do without.  I am not a huge Mashed Potato fan so I will go after the dessert instead.  Portion control is key.  Make sure you aren’t having double portions of potatoes then having 3 slices of pie on top of your 3 holiday drinks.  Watch those carbs and use portion control.

4.  Watch out for those Liquid Calories. Alcoholic holiday drinks are notorious for being extremely high in calories…so watch out!  Think of your beverages as part of your daily carb allotment. Again, if your going to indulge in drinks then cool it on the bread, potatoes and dessert.  Are you seeing a trend here?

5.  Drink your water people! We often tend to think we are hungry when we are actually just dehydrated.  Drinking plenty of water will help you with the sodium laden foods and will also keep you feeling fairly full during the day so you don’t go crazy when you eat.

6.  Get back to it! Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean that you can skip your workouts, healthy eating and fitness program.  After you go to a holiday part or have a Thanksgiving meal then get right back to your program the next day.  Healthy food choices, exercise and consistency will take you extremely far, even if you do happen to indulge a little too much the day before.  So get right back on the horse and use those extra calories for a great workout the next day as well!

Those are a few healthy holiday tips for ya.  I hope that helps you get through this holiday season without losing your health and fitness goals.  But I also want to hear from you!  Do you have any healthy holiday tips to share?  Please comment and let me know and I will update this post with more tips!

1. Nutrition: I listed nutrition number one because I believe that it is the most important. In my opinion getting extreme results comes from 80% nutrition and 20% intense workouts. P90X supplies both. The nutrition guide that comes with the program is an incredible blueprint for getting results. It provides the amount of calories you need, A 3 phase nutrition plan, the foods you should eat, when you should eat them, recipes for meals, and the ratios of protein/carbohydrates/fats you should eat based on what your goals happen to be. Eating the right amount of calories, with the right proteins/fats/carbs/veggies/fruits/snacks at the right times is a key factor in getting the results your after. All you have to do is read and follow the guide. But you still have questions? That’s where I come in. As an Independent Beachbody coach I am here to help you, all you have to do is sign up to receive help CLICK HERE to sign up for free.

2. Having the Proper Equipement: P90X doesn’t need a lot of equipement. All you need is a Pull-up Bar , Weights and/or Resistance Bands. The most important thing is the have the right amount of Weight/Resistance! Far to often I get emails from my team members that are using 10 lb or 20lb dumbbells for the whole program. This isn’t going to be enough to get the best results. Different muscle groups require different amounts of resistance in order to get stronger. Your back is stronger than your biceps for example. P90X will get make you stronger. You will need to progress the amount of resistance you use as your strength increases in order to get the best results.

What do I use? I use both Adjustable dumbbells and resistance bands. Adjustable dumbbells are a great way to save money and space. Some of the most popular are Bowflex Select Tech and Power Blocks. If you can’t afford the free weights then Resistance bands are for you! Make sure you get at least 2 tensions. The Super and Extreme kits can be found in the “Gear” section.

3. Proper Supplements: You have gotten your nutrition down and now you need the right supplements. Fortunately P90X and Beachbody provide all the supplements that you need to get the best results. Whey Protein, P90X recovery drink (post workout), Shakeology, P90X Multivitamin, P90X protein bars, Omega 3s are all supplements to consider. They are all made specifically for P90X by nutritionist such as Mark Sisson and Steve Edwards. Optional supplements would be Creatine or a pre-workout supplement like Xpand Xtreme Pump. If you are wondering more about these see the supplement section or read “My Current Supplements“. I will be updating my supplements page very soon.

4. Consistency/Dedication: When you start P90X you are committing to a 90 day program. You must follow the schedule and be consistent with both the workouts and your nutrition to get the greatest results. A great way to do this is to set goals. Set 30, 60, and 90 day goals. Whether it be being able to do 10 pull ups, losing 30lbs, or gaining 10, setting goals will help you stay on the path to success. A great way to hold yourself accountable is to use the P90X workout sheets . As for nutrition A tool that I use is called FitDay, a food logging website which allows you to keep track of the amount of calories, as well as the % of protein/carbs/fat you take in daily. Will it be tough at first? Yes. Will there be days you don’t want to workout? Yes. But each day you do the program you take one step closer to your ultimate health and fitness goal. Remember I am here to help you through this. Make sure you reach out to me for motivation and help.

Optional equipment would also be, Heart Rate Monitor, Push Up Bars, Exercise Mat, and Yoga Block. Each can help you get even more from the program.

5. Having a P90X Coach: The P90X community is one of the greatest health and fitness communities around. When I first started P90X I found a coach that got the results I was after and signed up with him. He helped me Tremendously. Any question I had he was there to help. After I saw great results using the program I wanted to help others as well, so I signed up to be a P90X coach. As an Independent Beachbody Coach I am here to motivate, support, a help you reach your health and fitness goals. I have learned more from others than I have on my own. If you have any questions feel free to email me. SCaL11083@beachbodycoach.com or you can sign up for me as your Coach for FREE. You can also talk to others on my Private Fitness Group or come say hi to me on Facebook. www.facebook.com/seandcallahan

Looking to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle?  Sign up for ME as your Free Fitness Coach Today!

Americans tend to eat plenty of fats in their daily lives but they lack Omega 3s.  The processed foods we all eat are abundant in Omega 6 and 9s but never seem to get enough Omega 3s.  One of the reasons is food quality in our country.  Omega 3s are hard to get because we don’t get it from the proper sources and our proteins (meat and fish) are all raised in a manner that isn’t conducive to them being high in Omega 3s.  Our cows are fed corn instead of grass, our salmon is farmed raised instead of caught in the wild and our diets lack the proper nuts and seeds that give us this great Fat source.  Fat is not the enemy.  You have to eat the right type of fat to get the benefits.

So What does Omega 3s do?  Here are some examples:

• Omega 3s Boost muscle Building. Yep, I bet you didn’t know that.  New research is coming out saying that these fatty acids get incorporated into the membranes of muscle cells.  This actually helps by enhancing the integrity of muscle fibers.  Omega 3s also increase muscle mass by increasing insulin sensitivity in muscles.  Insulin is an anabolic hormone, and increasing the bodies sensitivity to it essentially increases its anabolic action.  Fats are also essential in protein synthesis.  Omega 3 supplementation is being shown to help this process as well.
• Omega 3s Help to reduce body fat. Omega 3s are readily converted to prostaglandis, hormone like substance that assist with many processes in the body, one of which is to promote fat burning (thermogenesis).  The Omega 3 fats docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are also known to turn on genes that promote fat burning while turning off genes that promote fat storage.  All because they increase insulin sensitivity, they lower insulin elvels, and less insulin means less fat gain and more fat burning.
• Omega 3s enhance joint recovery. Training with Heavy weights can take a toll on your joints.  The omega 3 fats can help your joints recover better, reducing joint pain and keeping your training on track.  They do this through their conversion into prostaglandins, which also reduce inflammation.  Less inflammation means better healing.
• Omega 3s are good for your heart. Researchers think that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish are what help the heart by improving triglycerides, blood pressure, and heart rate

These are only a few of the health benefits!  Omega-3 fatty acids are the good-for-you fats that protect your heart by reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease. Omega-3s also have anti-inflammatory properties that may help fight disease, boost your mind and mood, and reduce symptoms of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.  Omega 3s will help you build muscle and gain better health period.

How do You get Omega 3s?

I get my Omega 3s through supplementation.  Even though I eat very healthy, it is very hard to get good sources of Omega 3s into our American diets.  Our meat and food quality is poor.  It is expensive to eat wild salmon more than 1x per week.  Omega 3 fish oil can be a very easy way to get high quality Omega 3s every day.
Here’s what I take Core Omega 3s .  I take 2-3 capsules, 1x per day with my Shakeology.  Which is around 2-3 grams of Omega 3s.  I usually take them 6-7 days per week.

Foods That Have Good Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Cold-water fish tend to have the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Try these:

Salmon
Haddock
Trout
Tuna
Mackerel
Sardines
Cod

Nuts and seeds — and their oils — are also good sources for omega-3s:

Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
Pumpkin seeds
Walnuts
Canola oil
Olive oil

Well if this didn’t convince you of the benefits of Omega 3s then I don’t know what will.  Fitness is more than just looking good.  You have to make sure you’re feeling healthy too.  Omega 3s benefits can help both.  Try them out!

Do you Take Omega 3s?  Do you see the Benefit?

Basically your post workout meal should include both protein and carbs, and should not include fat.  Although Fat is NOT the enemy and should be eaten in your diet, eating fat post workout defeats of purpose of your post workout meal.  This is because fat is slow digesting.  This is not something you want to happen with your post workout shake.  The protein and carbs you eat need to be digested quickly so your body can take advantage of the “Window of Opportunity” that your body has within 1 hour post workout.  This time is when it’s the most beneficial for your body to get protein and carbs so it can help to rebuild and repair your muscles quickly.

Post Workout Protein

So, know you know you need both protein and carbs post workout.  But which type of protein is best?  There is a reason why people have shakes post workout instead of full meals.  Liquid digests more quickly.  The point of your post workout nutrition is to get those amino acids to your muscles as quickly as possible.  The best way to do this is to use a Whey protein powder.  Whey Protein is the fastest digesting protein that you can get.  This is why whey is the first choice for most people looking for a good post workout protein (Vegans tend to gravitate toward brown rice protein and pea protein). During your resistance days, you should be adding 1/2 – 1 scoop of whey protein powder to your post workout shake, depending on your goals.  If your looking to build muscle you will want to get 0.15-0.25 grams of protein per your desired body weight.  The P90X recovery drink has enough whey protein in it for your  cardio days.

Post Workout Carbs

As important as post workout protein is post workout carbs.  Typically you will hear me say to always stay away from sugar and simple carbs.  You should be eating complex carbs because they digest slowly and don’t spike your blood sugar.  They are better for weight loss and will help to regulate your energy levels throughout the whole day.  Well, this changes post workout.  Post workout you want to have Sugar in the form of Glucose (dextrose).  Let me explain…

When you workout at a high intensity you deplete Glycogen that is stored in your muscles.  Glycogen serves as energy that your muscles use to function and it’s what fuels your workouts.  Once it depletes, it needs to be restored as quickly as possible.  If it doesn’t get restored then your body realeases a hormone called Cortisol, which is your body’s stress hormone.  That creates a catabolic effect, that causes your body to eat up muscle tissue for protein and convert it to glucose.  The results is a loss of muscle tissue…kinda defeats the purpose of working out doesn’t it?  The good news is that a post workout shake consisting of dextrose, like the P90X recovery drink, helps to stop this from happening, keeping your body in an anabolic state.

Your muscles soak up the glucose sugar like a sponge, restoring the glycogen lost.  At the same time the whey protein shuttles into the muscles as well providing them with the amino acids they need to recover and repair as quickly as possible.

I Highly recommend the P90X Recovery drink for this exact purpose.  It contains both Dextrose (a rating of 96 on the glycemic index) and Maltodextrin (like dextrose, maltodextrin is absorbed directly through the gut. So it raises blood sugar and insulin levels as much as dextrose does).  The P90X recovery drink also contains whey protein.  This is why I recommend that you use the P90X recovery drink after your resistance and cardio workouts.  Beachbody made sure they put a lot of thought into improving the recovery drink so they made sure that it has everything your body needs to help recovery, repair and build new muscle.

My Post Workout Recommendations

For those trying to gain muscle than I recommend having a post workout shake consisting of 1 scoop of whey protein + 2 scoops of P90X recovery drink after all of your resistance workouts and 2 scoops of P90X recovery drink post cardio.

For those trying to lose body fat than I recommend having a post workout shake consisting of 1-2 – 1 scoop whey protein and 1 scoop P90X recovery drink for resistance workouts and 1-2 scoops P90X recovery drink post cardio.

You can also add additions like creatine and glutamine to your post workout shake.  Both are beneficial in muscle repair and growth.

Please let me know if this helps you or if you have any questions on what is right for you!  Comment below

What is a Cheat Meal?

I consider a cheat meal to be something that you normally wouldn’t find in your P90X, Insanity or TurboFire nutrition guide.  It is something that you KNOW is not good for you.  It could be something that you used to eat all the time before you discovered how to eat healthy or it could just be some sort of high caloric food that you have been craving.  For me, this is typically sweets.  Desserts are my weakness and will always be.  So most of the time I consider dessert my cheat meal. For someone else it might be a burger and fries, pizza, or fried chicken.

To Cheat or Not to Cheat?

This is a 2 part answer and each depends on the type of results you want to get.  First, I don’t recommend having a cheat meal if you are doing a fitness program like P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, etc for the first time.  If want to get the best results possible in the first 90 days then I suggest you sticking to the nutrition guide and following your plan as closely as possible. Cheat meals will only slow your progress, especially if you need to lose lots of body fat.  I didn’t cheat at at all my first 90 days and when I was getting ready for P90X2 the first thing I did was drop my cheat meal.

If you are a graduate of P90X, Insanity or TurboFire then having a cheat meal every 7-10 days is totally and completely fine.  As a matter of fact I have 1 cheat meal each week.  My cheat meal usually consists of a dessert but not always.  After you graduate a fitness program and get the results you were looking for then you have earned the cheat meal.  We have to be able to live healthy lifestyles.  Living a healthy lifestyle includes being able to eat the things we enjoy here and there.  As long you keep your cheat meal to one time per week then I see no reason not to indulge a little.  Just make sure your not overdoing it and you keep it to 1x per 7-10 otherwise you will see negatively effect your results.  The key idea here is that you should be already be finding/eat healthy foods as part of your everyday diet, so by having a cheat meal you will be able to keep on track because you will be indulging a little.

How to Cheat Meal Smart

So let’s say you have graduated from P90X, Insanity or TurboFire and you are now allowing yourself a cheat meal once per week.  What should you eat?  For me it’s all about quality and portion control.  By all means have something you typically wouldn’t have but keep 2 things in mind.  The goal of the cheat meal is to enjoy what your eating when you eat it, not to have a 3,000+ meal.  If you are craving pizza then have pizza but keep it to a couple slices, you don’t need to down a large pizza by yourself.  So keep portion control in mind.  The other is Quality.  For example, if you are craving a cheese burger and fries.  I would rather see you go to have a quality cheese burger made from great quality food, grass fed beef if you can ;), than going to McDonald’s and having a burger and fries there.  Why?…because McDonald’s quality of food is extremely poor.  That goes for most fast food restaurants.  So if your going to have a cheat meal then have a good one!

If a cheat meal is done smartly it can actually help to rev your metabolism again since your body isn’t used to it.  Especially if you are a regimented eater like i am.  It’s amazing how well our bodies work for us when we exercise and feed them correctly on a consistent basis.

What about Cheat Days?

No!  I don’t condone cheat days.  Cheat days are slippery slopes.  If your trying to maintain a high level of health and fitness then indulging in a full cheat day can completely through off your results.  The ONLY time I ever will ever have a cheat day is on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  That is all.  The reason is because I have earned it . It only happens 1x per year my body can handle it and it doesn’t take away from my level of fitness that I have worked so hard to get to.

Surprised by my answer?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  But in conclusion I want to say that it comes down to personal choice.  For me, this is how I eat and this is what has gotten me the results that I have been able to get.  This is what I recommend to those I coach because this is what I have seen work the best.  If your looking to get the most out of your fitness program then follow what this post says.  It will come down to your own choice and the level of fitness you want to keep and how your body reacts to having cheat meals.  For me, this is what works.

Do You have Cheat Meals or are you completely against it?  How often do you have a cheat meal?

Although whole foods are always best, it can be very hard to plan meals ahead that can be taken with you. This is where protein bars come in. The only problem with protein bars is that most of them are just as bad as candy bars. It is very difficult to find a good protein bar that has good quality protein with as little fillers as possible. Not all protein bars are created equal so I thought I would share with you some of the ones that I like the best.

Somethings I look for in protein bars are ones that have good quality protein. The bars you eat need to contain whey protein or milk protein. If they contain Whey protein isolate that is even better. Some bars can contain soy, which is fine as long as it’s not a ton. The next thing I look for is something that is low in sugar. There is no point in having a protein bar that is loaded with sugar, it will derail your diet and defeats the purpose of eating healthy. I try to find one that has low sugar and low sugar alcohols. Next is fiber…the more fiber the better. This will help with the bar digesting more slowly so it won’t spike your blood sugar. I also try to find a bar that contains a good fat source…usually from nuts.

Here are some of the bars that I find the best for people trying to get quality protein for their diet or when their going through P90X.

1. 2:1 Protein Bars. Most of these bars are great because they are high in protein (30 grams), low in carbs (24g – 15g) and are mostly very low in sugar and have around 5g of fiber.  Try the Peanut Butter Browie, Oatmeal, Granola Oatmeal or cookies and creme.

2.  Quest Bars: I recently discovered these and really enjoyed them.  They are very low in fillers.  Have great quality protein (20 grams) , have low carbs (20 grams) and get all their fat from nuts.  They are also very low in sugar.  Most of the carbs come from fiber soursse so you have over 17grams of fiber per bar.  They are also Gluten Free.  Very good if you heat up in a microwave for 10 secs.

3.  PowerCruch Bars. PowerCrunch bars are very inexpensive and pack a great source of protein.  They use 14grams of ProtoWhey which is a Hydrolyzed whey protein.  They also are low in sugar (5g) and low in carbs (10 gram).  They are kinda like a wafer cookie…very tasty.

4.  Jay Robb Bars. These bars are great because they are gluten, wheat, MSG, Hydrogenated Oils, TransFat, Artificial Sweetner FREE.  They have Whey protein isolate as their protein source and are sweetened by natural agave nectar.  They are based from almond butter and have a very satisfying density.  Around 14g of protein and 24 grams of carbs, they have 6 grams of fiber as well.

5.  Pure Protein Bars. Pure protein bars come in a large and small size depending on how many calories you want.  They also contain a decent amount of protein and carbs.  They are lower in sugar but a little high on the sugar alcohol side.  They taste great but are a little bit low on the “clean” scale.  Still a decent choice.

6.  P90X Protein Bars. What I like about the P90X bars is that they are great for pre and post workout because they are a little high in the sugar category.  They are reletively high in protein (20g) with most of the protein coming from Soy protein Isolate.  For those of who you who would rather get soy than whey.  They also taste awesome.  They are gluten free as well and they seem to improve them as time goes on.  This latest batch has more protein and lower sugar.
So try for yourself and see.  Hopefully you can use these tips to help determine whether a protein bar is good for you or bad.  A protein bar can help you stay on track and keep you satisfied when you need something on the go.  This will help you get better results with your fitness program like P90X and will keep your diet on track.  These are all my favorites so far but I will update this list as I find more.

Do you agree with my choices?  What are your favorite protein bars?

Before I get into how to eat healthy on the road, I want to lay a couple of ground rules. First, there is a difference between a vacation and a business trip. We vacation so we can relax, and enjoy life. We go on a business trip to work. So you are going to have different mindsets depending on the reason for the trip. What that means to me is that if your on a business trip then there is no cheating. You need to try to eat as well as possible, without sacrificing your diet. If your a vacationer, trying to enjoy some time off with the family then you are allowed to have a few cheat meals here and there. That doesn’t mean you can go and eat whatever you want because that might completely derail you but depending on how active you are (see my last post) you can have cheat meals here and there. In my opinion, I eat a super healthy and clean diet 95%, and I workout 6 days per week. This allows me to go on a vacation and enjoy life a bit. I can enjoy the activities and splurge a little on my diet without having to worry.

If your going on a business trip you are not allowed to cheat. You need to try to eat as healthy as possible while your away. If your going on a vacation, you are allowed to have 1 cheat meal meal per day as long as your active, but you need to keep it to one in order to stay healthy on the road.

Eating on the Road Tips:

Eating healthy while traveling doesn’t have to be tough if you use these tips.  There are some common sense things you can do to stay as healthy as possible while away from your home.

1.  Plan ahead. One of the easiest ways to make sure your staying with your good nutrition is to do a little planning.  One of the things you can do is buy some protein bars, bring some Shakeology packets or protein powder with you.  I always try to bring these with me so if I am ever in dire need to eat something decent, or keep to my 5-6 meals/day then I have a quick, easy snack to eat that I know is healthy.  Another thing you can do is look up restaurants around the area your going to beforehand.  I am kinda a “foodie” so I enjoy looking for local restaurants that I can make reservations at while on my vacations.  I also look for healthy restaurants that I know I can go to get healthy choices.  You can even call the hotel, or go to tripadvisor.com and ask online.  You can then look up the restaurants menu online and make sure they are offering good choices.  Chain restaurants all show their calories now so take advantage. Taking a few mins to plan can make a huge difference!

2.  Stick to the basics.  When it comes to eating healthy it is easy to make the right choice anywhere are you if you stick to the basics.  Lean Protein, Complex Carbs, Heathly Fats, and as many veggies as you want.  You know what these are, and if you don’t then look on my P90X nutrition post to see what I’m talking about.  Chicken, Fish, Turkey are all great lean proteins.  Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, black beans, yams are all good examples of complex carbs.  Olive oil, canola oil, avocoda, nuts, seeds, are all good healthy fats.  Stick to the basics.  Just because your out of town doesn’t mean you can’t find all the same foods you can find at home.  Stay away from the bread that comes to your table.  Stay away from white rice, mashed potatoes or heavy pasta dishes.  The next step is to make sure they are cooked in a healthy manner.

3.  Watch out for Fried Foods and Heavy Sauces. This is common sense.  Stick with grilled proteins.  You can even ask for it if it isn’t.  Watch out for things that fried.  Don’t eat thing that come with butter sauces or “white” creamy sauces.  The easiest way to make a meal unhealthy is to have it dipped in hot oil or covered in butter.  Again stay away from those empty calories that come in the form of white bread as well.

4.  No Soda.  Don’t waist your calories on soda.  It’s a complete waist.  Your drinking nothing but sugar water, it’s not worth it.

5.  Limit the Alcohol. I know that if your on vacation your going to drink some, but try to limit the amount.  It’s all about portion control.  And if your going to drink a lot then guess what?…that’s your cheat meal!  There are a ton of calories packed in those drinks and you will quickly turn a good eating day into a very poor one with too much alcohol.

6.  Enjoy your cheat meals. For you vacationers only (if your on a business trip  you don’t get cheat meals) you need to enjoy your vacation.  So make sure really enjoy your cheat meals.  One thing that contributes to our American cultures obesity problem is the fact we don’t take our time while we eat.  We get “fast food” and we eat very very quickly.  Enjoy your food, each bite.  Take your time.  Other countries take 2 hours in the middle of the day for lunch for peet sake…we can take an extra 20 mins to enjoy.  By taking your time you will also allow you stomach to fill up so you can get a much better idea when your full.

Staying healthy on the road doesn’t have to be a tough experience.  You can do it by planning and educating yourself a bit.  Follow these tips and make sure you stay active in order to stick with your P90X, Insanity or TurboFire programs.

Have any other tips?  Do you think this seems doable for you on your trip?  Give me some feedback!

You start second-guessing everything you’re doing:

• Maybe I’m eating too much?
• Should I work out harder?
• Do I have to live on parsley and hot water?

So you restrategize. You slash calories and step up the intensity of your workouts. Unfortunately, after another week, you’re still not losing. Now you want to give up altogether. But before you throw in the towel, ask yourself this:

Am I eating enough?

Contrary to popular belief, sometimes you have to eat more to lose weight. While that may sound counterintuitive, it often does the trick. Here’s why:

1. Metabolism is the key to weight loss. If you don’t eat enough, or often enough, your metabolism slows to a crawl and weight loss becomes more difficult, especially when you’re exercising. That’s why skipping meals isn’t a good idea if the goal is to shed pounds.Tip: Always eat breakfast to kick-start metabolism and try eating mini-meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism fired up.
2. To keep your metabolism up, you MUST eat. Conventional wisdom dictates that when you first start dieting, the less you eat, the better. While it’s true that you often should eat less, eating too little can backfire over time. As your body composition changes, your body will think it’s starving, which can make it hold on to fat. (The process actually has to do with excessive release of a hormone called cortisol, but you don’t need to know the details, so we’ll just call it fat.) To avoid this, most experts agree that over time, you shouldn’t eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day for women, 1,500 for men. If your daily diet consists of fewer calories than that, consider eating more.Tip: Keep a food diary to track calories.
3. You need more calories when you work out. If you’re exercising while following a low-calorie eating plan, you’ll need to take into account the calories you’re burning. That’s because it’s now easier to enter starvation mode. Let’s say you’re burning 400 calories and only eating 1,200 to 1,300 calories per day. This means you’re really only taking in 800 to 900 calories per day before you begin to calculate how your body composition is changing. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so as your body changes, you need to eat more to keep the weight loss coming.Tip: Drink an after-workout recovery drink like P90X Results and Recovery Formula^®. After hard workouts, its calories are utilized so quickly by your body, some people refer to them as “free calories.” They really aren’t, but those calories will ensure that your muscles (and metabolism) recover quickly.

And remember this:

Figuring out to what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat isn’t easy. That’s why people often refer to losing weight as a journey. It takes a few different paths to get there. Sometimes you have to adjust your ratio of protein, fat, and carbs to start losing again. Or adjust your calorie level, which can include eating more to lose weight.

Tip: Use the Team Beachbody^® Meal Planner. It can make figuring out your calories much, much easier. You can personalize an eating plan that takes your workouts into consideration.

Finally, if you’re still on the fence about needing to eat more to lose weight: You might be thinking, “How come I know some really skinny people who barely eat?”

The answer is this: You can eventually lose weight by not eating. It’s called starving. Reduce calories enough and your body will start breaking down its muscle tissue, and this will result in weight loss. However, it makes your body increase its emergency hormonal responses, which also causes your body to be stressed and hang onto fat, making it.very easy to gain the weight back again.

So I hope you take this thought away with you today: The idea is to keep your metabolism revving and running. This will help you get healthy and stay strong. Eat the right amount of food to help your body continuously burn calories, and you’re more likely to shed those unwanted pounds.

Source: http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/196#80867624 by Justine Holberg