Choose Your Diet, Lose Your Fat

[BABY1]

TweetIt probably comes as no surprise that everyone from avid fitness buffs to ordinary power walkers asks me for advice. And, even less surprisingly, at the top of this list of questions is how to lose fat.
Heck, even when people don't realize they're asking for fat loss advice, they really are.
I'll hear things like this:
"What do you think of Pilates?"
"How many crunches should I do?"
"Is the elliptical machine good for me?"
I know that ultimately, these people just want to lose fat; so most of these questions, admittedly, make me a little stir crazy. Why? Because they should really be asking me questions about designing a nutrition plan that's conducive to fat loss!
I guess I can't blame them. We all want to get washboard abs without ever changing how we eat. Unfortunately, unless you're an NBA player who runs up and down a basketball court for three hours each day, it's absolutely necessary to change what and how you eat.
I'll give you full disclosure and say that I'm not a trained nutritionist; although, I am a guy whose job hinges on giving people the body they want. Were it not for my nutrition plans, they would've only derived half their results. In other words, I would've been out of business ten years ago.
So, with this article, I'm going to pass on the same information I give to my paying clients.

1. To Carb or Not to Carb, That's the First Question
One of the first questions I ask new clients is whether they crave carbs or fat. A quick answer usually follows. That's because we all know what happens when hunger pangs strike.
I happen to be someone who craves salty, fatty foods such as steak, nachos, or a cheeseburger. Others crave sugar. I once worked with a woman who, when hungry, would've given up her daughter's college fund for a bowl full of Starburst.
As a trainer, knowing what a client craves is imperative for me to understand because it gives me a pretty darn good idea what type of diet is best for my client. High carb if the person craves carbs; low carb if she craves fat.
The reason is simple: You should always start with an eating plan that's easiest for you to follow.
At this point I could pontificate about the metabolic processes that take place during fat loss. And if I did, it would seem that low carb diets are the way to go — after all, excessive insulin production is usually a big culprit as bikini season approaches. Since carbs and insulin are closely connected, fewer carbs can often result in appreciable amounts of fat burning.
It can, and I'm not here to argue otherwise; but there's another side to this issue. You see, for decades, fitness buffs, bodybuilders, and movie stars have gotten absolutely ripped by following a high-carb, low-fat diet.
Sure, you could make the argument that someone like a professional bodybuilder has the genetic make-up to succeed with any type of diet, but I don't think it's that simple.
If you choose the right kinds of carbs, and if you eat those carbs with protein while minimizing food fat, your body will burn fat. In this time of carb-depleted everything, I know that's dietary heresy, but it's still true. I've seen it too many times, with too many different body types, to think otherwise.
Oatmeal and egg whites, or chicken and rice are two bodybuilding staples for a reason: they work. An omelet with spinach and cheese, or a beef filet with broccoli will work, too.
So which approach is best for you? The answer is, whichever one you can stick to!

2. Which Carbs to Choose or Avoid
Nothing is black and white; there are always exceptions to every rule. A fat loss diet is certainly no exception, but I like to make things as simple as possible.
If your goal is to lose fat, it's best to take radical measures with regard to carbs or fat. If you're someone who craves carbs, follow a high carb diet, but do your damnedest to avoid fat. If low carb eating fits your type, avoid carbs like the plague. Carbs and fat typically don't work well together.
At this point, I want to make it perfectly clear that I'm talking about extreme fat loss nutrition. This is not the type of eating you should follow for a lifetime.
You might be wondering about other successful fat loss diets, such as The Zone, which takes a moderate approach to carbs and fat in every meal. Will it work? Yes, but only if you choose the right type of carbs and fat, in the right ratios, with every meal. That's a tough thing to do!
I'm still amazed that The Zone Diet turned out to be such a blockbuster. It's great, when you follow it to the letter, but it's arguably the most difficult diet to get right. If there's one thing that I've learned about nutrition over the years, it's the importance of making things as simple as possible (simplicity is a reoccurring theme that I'll mention throughout this article).
The high carb dieter should get her carbs from fruits, whole grains, and some starches. The low carb dieter should omit any and all carbs from the diet. In essence, if you're on a low carb diet you should only eat green, fibrous vegetables with foods that only contain protein and fat.

3. The Protein Challenge
Let's get back to the people who ask me for advice. If it happens to be a rare occasion when someone does ask me how she should change her diet, I'll say: Eat protein and green vegetables, take fish oil, and drink water and green tea.
That's it. And it works.
Does this mean I think it's better than a high carb and low fat approach? Nope. But I couldn't just tell them to avoid fat and eat carbs. Hell, they'd be running to the store to buy SnackWells, Special K cereal, and Wonder Bread.
Therefore, I'd have to outline which protein sources to eat, and which to avoid. Then I'd have to mention the importance of eating carbs that result in a low glycemic load. Next, I'd have to tell them that without adequate amounts of fiber, a high carb/low fat diet will probably make them fatter, since insulin will be coming out their pores. And so on.
Now do you see why I recommend the low carb approach? It's easiest to explain, and subsequently, simplest to follow.
But some people feel like death warmed over while following a low carb diet; that's why it's necessary to have a back up plan. However, that back up plan means you're going to be very limited by the protein foods you can eat.
Basically, you're relegated to low fat protein sources like albacore tuna, egg whites, chicken breasts, non-fat cottage cheese, non-fat yogurt, and protein powder. That's not a lot to choose from.
The other problem is that women typically don't eat the recommended one gram per pound of body weight of protein to begin with. But if that list suits you and you know that it'll free up your carb intake, then go for it.

4. Fiber is What You're Missing
Regardless which type of diet you choose, you must get a healthy dose of fiber each day. At least 25 grams of fiber per day is a must, with more being even better. This will stabilize your blood sugar, help you feel full, and keep the pipes running clean. Plus, high fiber foods are typically loaded with other important nutrients.
Beans, beans, beautiful beans. That's what you need. One cup of black beans has 15 grams of fiber. The other cool thing about beans is that they're low in both fat and carbs, so they fit perfectly in either eating plan.
Other excellent sources of fiber are berries and oatmeal. Since you'll probably be eating plenty of these on your high carb diet, you'll more than likely be getting enough fiber; just don't forget to pay close attention to your fiber intake when following a low carb diet, as it's often the missing element.
So now, let's get to a sample eating plan for either diet.

Sample Diets
High Carb, Low Fat Sample Diet
7am: Oatmeal topped with blueberries, egg whites
10am: Banana
1pm: Boiled whole wheat pasta with chicken breast
4pm: Orange
7pm: Albacore tuna mixed with non-fat mayo and black beans, Rye bread,
10pm: Apple
Low Carb Sample Diet
7am: Omelet with cheese and spinach,
10am: handful mixed nuts
1pm: Salmon with spinach salad drizzled with olive oil
4pm: 2 ounces cheese with celery
7pm: Lean beef, broccoli, black beans,
10 pm: 1 scoop protein powder
These examples should give you a good idea of how to design your own plan. Make note of the meal frequency and the combination of foods.

What About Calories?
Unless you're a competitive Figure Athlete, you probably don't need to worry about counting calories. The last thing you need is the stress of math when you embark on a new eating plan.
If you're not losing at least two pounds of fat per week, or if your waist doesn't seem to be shrinking, cut down on your portions, but don't omit foods. In other words, don't drop salmon or chicken breast out of your lunch — make the portion smaller.

Final Words
As I mentioned, this plan is for losing fat as quickly as possible. Take drastic measures either by cutting carbs or by cutting fat, and you will get results.
Remember, you don't have to suffer to get a bikini body. Carbs won't make you fat, and neither will fat, as long as you can make your diet work for you.
With this information, you can!