Nutrition

May 16, 2019

5 ways to break through weight loss plateaus

Have you reached a plateau in your weight loss? It's time to learn what you can do about it.

Just a few weeks ago, the fat was just melting away and now you're wondering if your scales are broken because no matter what you do, the hand just won't budge.

What's going on here? Why has your fat loss program suddenly stopped working and what can you do to overcome this weight loss plateau?

Understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss

A "weight loss" program is a tricky little devil because it doesn't differentiate between changes in fat, muscle and water.

The goal, of course, is to lose as much fat as possible while losing as little or no muscle mass as possible and keeping water retention to a minimum. If you step on the scale and see that you're a pound lighter than a week ago, you'll probably assume that you've lost a pound of fat - and if your weight hasn't changed or has even gone up, you'll probably assume that you haven't lost any fat or have even gained fat.

Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

For example, nothing makes your weight fluctuate as easily as water retention. If you eat a lot of sodium (salt) and carbohydrates and drink little water, you will retain a lot of water, which will give you a soft and bloated appearance. This can easily add up to 1.5 to 2.5 kilos in a single day, which can be quite disconcerting when you step on the scales in this state.

On the other hand, if you eat low sodium and carbohydrates while drinking plenty of water, your body will excrete water and you will achieve a harder, more defined look, which could lead you to think that this was a great day for your fat loss.

The unpredictability of water retention is one of the reasons I only weigh myself once a week, on the same day of the week in the morning, without clothes. Weighing yourself several times a week - or worse, several times a day - can drive you crazy and affect your confidence in your diet.

So I would recommend that you choose a "weigh-in" day that doesn't follow a day with a cheat meal, as these can often cause a pound or two of water retention, which in my experience will usually be gone by the end of the following day.

What is a true weight loss plateau?

A true weight loss plateau is a situation where you are no longer losing fat. I assume that I have reached such a plateau when my weight has not changed for two weeks.

Since I only aim for 250 to 500 grams of fat loss per week, no weight loss on the scale after a week of dieting is not necessarily a cause for concern - it could well be that I've lost a pound of fat, but also retained a bit more water at the same time - or maybe my bowel movements just weren't as regular the day before or the previous two days.

No change in weight after two weeks of dieting, however, tells me I'm probably stuck.

A few fat loss facts to keep in mind

Before I go into more detail on how you can break through these plateaus, there are a few things you should know about fat loss.

1. weight loss plateaus are to be expected

Virtually everyone experiences weight loss plateaus sooner or later. If you have no idea what I'm talking about and manage to reach a single-digit body fat percentage with complete ease, consider yourself lucky.

On their journey to a six-pack, most people reach a whole series of plateaus because the human body is simply stubborn when it comes to losing fat.

I've found for myself that I can't get below 9 to 10% body fat with diet alone (you can only reduce calories to a certain extent, otherwise you start to lose muscle mass). This means that I have to do additional cardio training if I want to continue to lose fat.

When I build muscle mass, I usually end up with a body fat percentage of around 14 to 15% and I can usually diet down the first 5% of this without major problems before I reach a plateau that I can only overcome with 2 to 3 days of HIIT cardio training per week (20 to 25 minutes per training session).

The next plateau for me comes when my body fat percentage is around 8%. If I want to reduce my body fat percentage further, then I need to increase my cardio training to 3 to 4 days a week.

Everyone I've trained or helped in other ways has experienced the same phenomenon, though the thresholds vary. I know a few people who can get to under 10% body fat without cardio training, but most people can't get to a body fat percentage under 10% without a very strict diet and regular cardio training.

2. the more you lose, the harder it gets

The leaner you get, the longer it takes to lose fat in a healthy way (which is key as you want to maintain as much strength and muscle mass while losing fat).

If you have a body fat percentage of 25%, then it is easily possible to lose 2 to 3 pounds of fat per week during the first few weeks. However, if your body fat percentage is 10% and you are trying to achieve a single-digit body fat percentage, then 2 to 3 pounds of fat per week is impossible to achieve without dangerous pharmaceuticals.

Once I've reached a body fat percentage below 12%, I'm very happy if I can achieve one pound of fat loss per week - and I have to work hard for that.

3. your body has a comfort zone

At the risk of sounding a bit broscientific, this is the best way to describe a phenomenon that I and millions of other athletes around the world have experienced.

The body seems to have a weight (and correspondingly a body fat percentage) that it feels most comfortable with. Your natural appetite tends to maintain this weight and if you eat less, you will feel hungry. If you eat more, you will feel very full.

For some, this so-called set point is relatively high, while others settle at a weight where they are quite slim. I have found for myself, for example, that my body seems to feel most comfortable at a body fat percentage of around 10% (which corresponds to a body weight of around 90 kilos). I don't have to watch my calories too much and can plan cheat meals several times a week and still stay in the 10% body fat range.

Maintaining a weight that is below this comfort zone requires monitoring calorie intake and often some additional cardio training. Getting fatter than this will require an increased calorie intake and if you continue this for too long, your body's comfort zone will continue to shift upwards.

5 ways to break through your weight loss plateaus

Now that you know the difference between a weight loss plateau and a fat loss plateau, here are some surefire ways to rev up your metabolism and keep losing fat.

1. recalculate your daily calorie target

Your metabolism will slow down as you lose weight, as your body won't need as much energy to maintain your now leaner body.

If you don't adjust your calories to take this into account, then you can reach a plateau. The easy way to avoid this is to recalculate your calories after every 7 to 8 kilos you lose. As you will see, your calorie target will continue to drop.

There are many formulas for calculating the amount of calories you should eat to lose weight. Here is a simple one, based on Ktach McArdle:

2.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
2.2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight
0.5 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight

These simple macronutrient formulas will put you in a slight calorie deficit and allow you to maintain a steady, healthy weight loss. To get the amount of calories, simply multiply protein and carbohydrates by 4 and fat by 9.

2. control the hidden calories

Most weight loss plateaus are caused by nothing more than "hidden calories", which simply means that you are eating more calories than you think you are. This, combined with a slowing metabolism, is a guaranteed recipe for plateau success.

Calories can hide in many places. Eating mindlessly in between meals, eating out at restaurants (which often use lots of butter, oil and fatty sauces) or drinking alcohol are all common ways to accumulate enough extra calories to stall your weight loss and make you feel like your diet isn't working.

The sad truth is that just 200 to 300 kcal too many per day can bring your weight loss to a complete halt. To give you an idea, this is the equivalent of just 50 grams of nuts, a few tablespoons of fatty salad dressing or a small bag of potato chips. Yes, your fat loss is that finicky. It's not very complicated, but it requires absolute precision.

To get around this problem, you just need to know exactly what you're putting into your body every day. You can keep a food diary or simply do what I do: I calculate in advance what I can eat each day, divide it up between my meals and eat the same amount of calories and the same foods at each meal every day.

I don't have the time or patience to add much variety to my diet, so I like to pick a few nutritious foods and eat them over and over again.

3. increase your cardio workload

If you know your daily calorie target is good and you're confident you're not eating any hidden calories, then you should increase your cardio.

You can add another cardio day to your training program if possible (I recommend no more than 4 days a week if you are also doing a weights workout) or do a little more cardio on each of those days (I like to add 10 minutes to each cardio session and see how my body responds).

The idea is to simply move the scale a little towards fat loss and monitor the results. If your first round of extra cardio doesn't do what you want, then add more cardio (e.g. another 10 minutes to each workout) and you will achieve what you want.

Oh yes, please do HIIT cardio training.

4. use cheat meals

Believe it or not, a cheat meal can help you lose fat.

How?

Well, first of all, it's the psychological boost (1) that will keep you happy and motivated, which will ultimately make sticking to your diet easier. But there's also a physiological boost.

Studies on overeating have shown that a higher calorie intake can increase your metabolic rate by 3 to 10% (2). While this may look good at first glance, it doesn't mean much when you consider that you would need to eat anything between a few hundred and a few thousand extra calories a day to achieve this effect.

More important are the effects of cheat meals on the hormone leptin, which regulates hunger (3), your metabolic rate, your appetite, your motivation (4) and your libido (5), as well as performing other functions in your body.

When you are in a calorie deficit and lose body fat, your leptin levels drop (6). This in turn slows down your metabolic rate and causes your appetite to increase, your motivation to lose weight and your mood to plummet.

On the other hand, if you provide your body with more energy (calories) than it needs, your leptin levels will increase, which can have positive effects on fat oxidation, thyroid activity, your mood and your sex hormone levels (7).

But what should you do if you want to increase your leptin levels?

Eating carbohydrates is the most effective way (8). This is followed by eating protein (and protein-rich meals also increase the metabolic rate (9)). Dietary fats are not particularly effective when it comes to increasing leptin levels and alcohol actually inhibits leptin secretion (10).

So if your weight loss has stalled and you're feeling irritable and demotivated, a little leptin boost might be all you need to get the scales tipping again. Treat yourself to a nice cheat meal and enjoy the leptin boost. This can support your weight loss.

5. move heavy weights

If you know me and my articles, then you know that I'm a big fan of working out with heavy weights. One of the many benefits of moving heavy weights is that it accelerates fat loss.

A study published by Greek sports scientists found that men who trained with heavy weights (80 to 85% of their maximum weight for one repetition) increased their metabolic rate for the following three days and burned several hundred kcal more than men who trained with lighter weights (45 to 65% of 1RM weight) (11).

So you should train with heavy weights if you want to increase your metabolic rate and thereby accelerate your fat loss. And if you want to earn some extra points, focus on multi-joint exercises such as squats and deadlifts, as these are the type of exercises that burn the most calories after training (12).

Summary

I hope you have found this article helpful and always remember that the road to a lean, muscular body is a marathon, not a sprint.

References:

Source: https://www.muscleforlife.com/how-to-break-through-weight-loss-plateaus/

By Michael Matthews

May 15, 2019

Will a multivitamin supplement increase my gains?

Could a multivitamin supplement be the answer to new gains? Read this article to find out which vitamins' reserves are most depleted by your training and the best way to replenish those reserves!

You've seen the headlines. One day it's not necessary for anyone to take vitamins and the next day it turns out that everyone needs extra vitamins.

How important is taking vitamins really and which ones should we use for best results?

If you are a high performance athlete, then you know that you are more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies than the average person.

Bodybuilders and other athletes push their bodies hard and often restrict their consumption of certain nutrients or foods in order to get lean. However, doing this can put a barrier between you and the muscle growth you're after.

So if you're struggling with muscle growth, replenishing your energy reserves and performing at your best, it could simply be because your micronutrient intake is inadequate.

What are micronutrients?

Micronutrients, which include vitamins, minerals and additional co-factors such as coenzymes, are essential for life. Micronutrients make a myriad of biochemical processes possible in the first place. You can eat as much protein and carbohydrates as you want - if your micronutrients are not in the right balance, you can forget about building muscle mass.

Vitamins are regularly neglected by athletes. There are at least 13 important vitamins in the human body:

4 fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) that can be stored in the human body over a long period of time.
9 water-soluble vitamins (8 B vitamins and vitamin C), which are quickly excreted from the body via the urine.

Many believe that the complete vitamin requirement can be met through a balanced diet that includes a wide range of fruit and vegetables. However, with an ever-growing list of environmental toxins robbing the body of essential nutrients, poor quality farmland, poor food preparation methods and daily stress affecting our health, it is unlikely that adequate vitamin intake can be achieved through whole foods alone.

The need for vitamins is even higher for strength athletes and bodybuilders. The collective stress of hard resistance training and nutrient restrictions (such as pre-competition) combined with environmental factors make the use of a high quality multivitamin supplement a must for muscle building.

Why should you increase your vitamin intake?

In 2009, more than 2 billion people worldwide were affected by micronutrient deficiencies (14). With 50% of the population at risk of vitamin D deficiency (2) and one in four adults with a vitamin B12 deficiency, it quickly becomes clear that achieving the right micronutrient balance can be difficult, even in well-developed Western countries (9).

People who do not suffer from symptoms of vitamin deficiency may believe that they are getting enough vitamins from a balanced diet, but such a diet is in fact often less than optimal.

Over time, a suboptimal intake of vitamins can result in a breakdown of cellular metabolism, which is necessary for proper growth and function of body tissues and organs. Diseases and other ailments can be the result. Physical performance will certainly decline as a result.

Some people have a higher risk of vitamin deficiency than others. Older people, for example, are less able to absorb important nutrients. Athletes also tend to suffer from depletion of their micronutrient reserves due to the rigors of their training.

Those who are more prone to vitamin deficiencies might simply choose to increase their consumption of whole foods. However, while a balanced diet free of processed foods is undoubtedly a solid foundation for good health, such an approach can still lead to subclinical vitamin deficiencies.

Current farming practices and pesticides can significantly reduce the mineral and vitamin content of soils (15, 16). Unripe fruits are also deficient in certain nutrients. In addition, the processing and preservation of fruit and vegetables can also deprive them of valuable vitamins.

Multivitamin products: An essential part of an intensively training athlete's diet

Athletes who train hard are known to look for an edge to optimize their results. More repetitions, longer training sessions, optimal macronutrient intake, targeted supplementation - whatever it takes to gain an edge over the competition, serious athletes will do it. An often overlooked training edge that is also a fundamental key to excellent health and wellbeing is optimal vitamin intake.

As we will see in more detail later, athletes are particularly susceptible to nutrient deficiencies. The problem here is that with the masses of food that athletes eat - especially during the off-season - they have no reason to believe that they are at risk of inadequate nutrient intake.

But by emphasizing protein- and energy-rich foods, athletes often overlook what's most important for turning training efforts into tangible results: a complete array of micronutrients.

Compared to easy to moderate training, intense training (such as training with weights and regular high-intensity cardio) produces large amounts of free radicals (10). Such an increase in free radicals can exceed the body's antioxidant defenses and cause irreparable oxidative damage (or at least severe stress to the body).

Once damaged, the affected cells produce more free radicals and cause further damage to healthy cells. According to research by scientist Harshal R. Patil, heavy and prolonged exercise generates large amounts of free radicals that are likely to exceed the buffering capacity of the responsible body systems, making affected individuals more susceptible to oxidative stress (4).

Although not obvious at first, oxidative stress resulting from intense exercise accumulates while nutrient deficiencies are exacerbated as the body attempts to compensate for this stress by drawing nutrients from other areas. Unfortunately, meanwhile, micro-damage to the tissue continues unchecked.

Such damage increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and early death (1). The normal population may not feel any noticeable effects from accumulated microdamage, but in athletes, any amount of cellular damage will immediately and significantly impair athletic performance (7,11).

Many vitamins - and the B vitamins in particular - are significantly involved in energy metabolism. Although marginal deficiencies in sedentary individuals may have minimal impact, in athletes, even minor impairments in the ability to produce energy and perform at their best can have serious consequences (7).

Combine this with the fact that depletion of vitamin reserves in athletes is greater than normal due to the intense nature of their training and intentional dietary restrictions and it becomes obvious that adequate vitamin intake is particularly important in athletes.

As we already know, vitamin deficiencies can result in cellular damage. Since vitamins are critical to ensuring systemic function of the body, it follows that those at higher risk of oxidative stress need an insurance policy in the form of a high-dose vitamin product.

Differences between vitamin products

Today, you can find many common multivitamin products on the internet, drug stores and sporting goods stores that try to lure the masses of health-conscious people with fancy labels and exaggerated claims. Many of these products do provide the recommended daily amounts of the vitamins they contain, but that's about it. Others provide a single source of a given nutrient in small amounts to keep profits high. Many of these products are inefficient for hard-training athletes.

Many multivitamin products provide a full spectrum of supplemental ingredients, while others contain only a few select co-factors. For those who are routinely exposed to significant amounts of oxidative stress and depletion of their vitamin reserves, a product with high dosages of ingredients and a full spectrum of co-factors may provide superior benefits.

To work optimally, vitamins must be taken in adequate amounts and in conjunction with complementary co-factors, as vitamins and other micronutrients work together synergistically. Many vitamins can only help to promote health and well-being if they are included in a comprehensive formula together with all the other micronutrients required.

B Vitamins

You don't need a degree in biology to know that all 8 B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12) should be taken together for maximum effect. Each B vitamin plays a specific role in the body and all B vitamins work together to ensure that the food we eat can be converted into energy.

Tissue growth - including muscle tissue - and the formation of red blood cells will only occur at optimal levels if all B vitamins are on board. However, even a product that contains the full spectrum of B vitamins may be less than optimal. One B vitamin that is considered very important for health and tissue growth is vitamin B9 - also known as folic acid or folate. Folic acid is absolutely essential for the vital biological process of methylation.

Systemic methylation - the transfer of methyl groups that modifies DNA and occurs billions of times every day - underpins all biological functions. Methylation is essential for health. Without sufficient intake and absorption of folic acid, methylation is severely impaired.

Unfortunately, folic acid must undergo several biological transformations in the body before it becomes 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), its biologically active form. This is an inefficient process that can limit the absorption of folic acid (3). Folic acid absorption is problematic for many. However, by supplementing directly with 5-MTHF, your body can benefit directly and fully from all the benefits of folic acid. (3)

Another B vitamin - vitamin B12 - is considered the most important energy nutrient of all. Vitamin B12 protects RNA and DNA, supports immune function, protects nerve and brain cells, helps with serotonin production and contributes to the formation of red blood cells.

Similar to vitamin B9, different forms of B12 found in multivitamin products must go through a multi-step conversion process before they can be converted into their naturally occurring coenzyme form called methylcobalamin. (5)

This process is metabolically costly and very inefficient. However, direct ingestion of methylcobalamin eliminates the need for this conversion. In addition, methylcobalamin is more stable and bioavailable than other forms of vitamin B12. (5)

Vitamin E

The fat-soluble vitamin E penetrates the body's fatty tissues to neutralize toxic oxidants, thereby protecting membranes susceptible to oxidation. Vitamin E is one of the most effective antioxidants, not only neutralizing oxygen-based free radicals to protect cells, but also helping to fight inflammation and protect nerve cells from overproduction of the neurotransmitter glutamate.

By neglecting most forms of vitamin E in favor of the most commonly used form in supplements called alpha-tocopherol, supplement manufacturers are taking advantage of the customer. To work synergistically and deliver all the benefits of vitamin E, eight different forms of vitamin E need to be present: 4 tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) and 4 tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta)(12).

Each form of vitamin E fulfills different functions and all of these forms are important for health and well-being. For example, if the body tends to store more alpha tocopherol, then the different tocotrienols can penetrate cell membranes more easily due to their unsaturated bonds. Gamma tocotrienol has a particularly strong protective effect.

Vitamin C: repair and detoxification

Vitamin C is of such crucial importance for health that a vitamin C deficiency can quickly lead to illness. Water-soluble and known for its strong antioxidant effects, vitamin C is also important for numerous detoxification processes in the body and is crucial for the growth of many body tissues, ranging from collagen to blood vessels and skin.

Similar to vitamin E, vitamin C works best when several forms are taken in combination (6). Sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate and ascorbic acid are the three effective forms of vitamin C that should be included in a good multivitamin product. However, most products will only contain one of these forms of vitamin C.

Nutrient absorption

Vitamin supplementation should always accompany a balanced diet. But it is still not guaranteed that all nutrients - from food and supplements - will be properly absorbed. In fact, many people are deficient in the digestive enzymes needed to properly digest and absorb the food we eat.

A good multivitamin can help with this dilemma by providing the full range of digestive enzymes. Of the 6 key enzymes (lipase, amylase, protease, bromelain, papain and serrapeptase) needed for optimal nutrient absorption, proteases are crucial for breaking down proteins into amino acids to support muscle growth, while amylase is needed to convert carbohydrates into glucose, which is needed as energy for your workouts (17).

Determining the requirements

In terms of needs for specific performance requirements, all vitamins need to be prioritized regardless of athletic goals. While antioxidants such as vitamins E and C are great for combating oxidative stress and the B vitamins are essential for energy production, each individual vitamin (including the often overlooked vitamins D, K and A) plays a specific role in health, well-being, performance and tissue growth.

General lethargy, which is not limited to exercise, can be a sign of a vitamin deficiency. Cravings for processed foods can also be the result of a lack of nutrients. Such cravings can also result from low-calorie diets.

More obvious signs of a vitamin deficiency include cracking of the skin at the corners of the mouth, a red, scaly rash on the face, hair loss, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, muscle cramps (which in most cases can be attributed to an electrolyte imbalance) and red or white bumps resembling acne on the arms, thighs, buttocks and cheeks. (8)

Rather than choosing specific vitamins to treat specific ailments, it may be better to ensure an optimal balance of all vitamins (meaning adequate amounts to promote health).

Hard-training strength athletes, including bodybuilders, need a multivitamin product specifically tailored to this target group to provide the additional nutrients required for progress in the gym.

Vitalize yourself with vitamins

A good multivitamin needs to be used all year round - even during the off-season, when people often don't pay as much attention to their diet. While you can neglect certain other supplements and foods during certain times, a good multivitamin must always be at the center of a serious exerciser's training plan.

Building muscle and immense strength is not simply a matter of maintaining a balanced macronutrient intake. The regulation of every chemical process that occurs in the human body is a combined interplay of a full spectrum of micronutrients, of which the vitamins described in this article are a large part.

So before you grab that protein shake or those high-performance carbohydrates, make sure you've got all the important aspects of nutrition covered.

References:

Ames, B., DNA damage from micronutrient deficiencies is likely to be a major cause of cancer. Mutat Res. 2001 Apr 18;475(1-2):7-20.
Ceglia L. Vitamin D and skeletal muscle tissue and function. Mole Aspects Med. 2008;29:407-414.
Debe, J., L-5-MTHF: New supplement that could save your life [Online] http://www.drdebe.com/articles/l-5-mthf-new-supplement-that-could-save-y... - retrieved on 4/15/16
Fisher-Wellman K, Bloomer RJ. Acute exercise and oxidative stress: a 30 year history. Dyn Med. 2009 Jan 13;8:1.
Kikuchi M, Kashii S, Honda Y, et al. Protective effects of methylcobalamin, a vitamin B12 analog, against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in retinal cell culture. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1997 Apr;38(5): 848-54.
Levy, T., The Many Faces of Vitamin C. [Online] http://www.peakenergy.com/health_ebytes/issue_9.php -retrieved on 14.4.16
Maughan, R., Role of micronutrients in sport and physical activity. British Medical Bulletin 1999; 55 (No. 3): 683-690
Mercola, J., How to Recognize Nutrient Deficiencies. [Online] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/11/03/nutrient-d... - retrieved on 15.4.16
Mercola, J., 11 Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies. [Online] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/10/19/most-commo... - retrieved on 15.4.16
Patil H, R., O'keefe J. H., Lavie CJ, et al. Cardiovascular damage resulting from chronic excessive endurance exercise. Mo Med. 2012 Jul-Aug;109(4):312-21
Powers et al. Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress: Cellular Mechanisms and Impact on Muscle Force Production. Physiol Rev. 2008 Oct; 88(4): 1243-1276.
Treadwell, B., Eight Faces of Vitamin E. [Online] http://www.juvenon.com/the-eight-faces-of-vitamin-e-0903/- retrieved on 15.4.16
Xionga, A., Distinct roles of different forms of vitamin E in DHA-induced apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2012 Jun;56(6):923-34
Investing in the Future: A United Call to Action of Micronutrient Deficiencies. Global Report 2006. [Online] http://www.unitedcalltoaction.org/ - retrieved on 2.9.16
Horrigan, L., Lawrence, R. S., & Walker, P. (2002). How sustainable agriculture can address the environmental and human health harms of industrial agriculture. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110 (5).
Pimentel, D. (2006). Soil erosion: A food and environmental threat. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 8(1).
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Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/taking-vitamins-to-increase-gains

Apr 30, 2019

The basics of intermittent fasting - the ultimate beginner's guide

Intermittent fasting is one of the world's most popular health and fitness trends at the moment. People are using intermittent fasting to lose weight, improve their health and simplify their lifestyle. Many studies have shown that this dietary strategy can have powerful effects on your body and brain and could even help you live longer (1, 2).

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting is a dietary pattern that alternates cyclically between periods of eating and fasting. It does not specify which foods should be eaten, but when you should eat. In this respect, intermittent fasting is not a diet in the conventional sense, but more of a nutritional scheme. Common intermittent fasting methods include daily fasting for 16 hours or two fasting periods of 24 hours per week.

Fasting has been practiced throughout human evolution. Ancient hunter-gatherer cultures did not have supermarkets and refrigerators, which meant that they did not have food available all the time. Sometimes they could not find anything to eat. As a result, humans have evolved to be able to function without food for long periods of time.

In fact, occasional fasting is more natural than always eating 3 to 4 (or more) meals a day. Fasting is often practiced for religious or spiritual reasons and is part of most religions including Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism.

Intermittent fasting methods

There are a number of different ways to practice intermittent fasting, all of which involve dividing the day or week into periods of eating and periods of fasting. During these fasting phases, you either eat very little or nothing at all.

The most popular methods are:

The 16/8 method: this method, also known as the Leangains protocol, involves abstaining from breakfast and limiting your eating phase to 8 hours per day, such as from 1pm to 9pm. Following this, you fast for 16 hours.
Eat-Stop-Eat: This method involves two weekly fasting phases lasting 24 hours. You could, for example, not eat anything from lunch on day 1 until lunch the next day.
The 5:2 method: With this method, you only consume 500 to 600 kcal on two non-consecutive days per week, while eating normally on the remaining 5 days.

By reducing your calorie intake, all of these methods should result in weight loss if you do not compensate for the reduced calorie intake during the eating periods.

Many people consider the 16/8 method to be the easiest and most sustainable method. It is therefore not the most popular intermittent fasting method for nothing.

How intermittent fasting affects your cells and your hormones

When you fast, a whole range of things happen in your body on a cellular and molecular level. For example, your body adjusts its hormone levels to make stored body fat more easily accessible. Your cells also initiate important repair processes and change the expression of your genes.

Here are some of the changes that occur in your body when you fast:

Growth hormones: your natural growth hormone levels can increase dramatically, up to fivefold. This has numerous benefits for fat loss and muscle building (3, 4, 5, 6)
Insulin: Your insulin sensitivity will improve and your insulin levels will drop dramatically. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible (7).
Cellular repair: In a fasted state, your cells initiate cellular repair processes. This includes autophagy, where cells break down and digest old and dysfunctional proteins that have accumulated in the cells. (8, 9)
Gene expression: Changes occur in the functions of genes that are associated with longevity and protection against disease. (10, 11)

These changes in hormone levels, cell function and gene expression are responsible for the health benefits of intermittent fasting.

An effective fat loss tool

Weight loss is the most common reason people try intermittent fasting (12). As you eat fewer meals, intermittent fasting can lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake. In addition to this, intermittent fasting alters hormone levels to promote weight loss.

As well as reducing insulin levels and increasing the body's natural release of growth hormone, intermittent fasting increases the release of the fat-burning hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline). As a result of these hormonal changes, short-term fasting can increase your metabolic rate by 3.6 to 14% (13, 14).

By helping you eat less and burn more calories, intermittent fasting can induce weight loss by changing both sides of the calorie equation. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting is an effective weight loss tool.

A 2014 study review concluded that this dietary regimen can cause weight loss of 3 to 8% over the course of 3 to 24 weeks, which is a significant amount compared to most other weight loss studies (15).

According to the same study, subjects also lost 4 to 7% in waist circumference, indicating a significant reduction in harmful abdominal fat that accumulates around the organs and can cause disease.

Another study showed that intermittent fasting causes less muscle loss than the standard method of continuous calorie restriction (16).

However, you should keep in mind that the main reason for the success is that you consume fewer calories overall with intermittent fasting. If you consume massive amounts of food during your eating phases, you are unlikely to lose weight.

Health benefits

Numerous studies have been conducted on humans and animals to investigate the effects of intermittent fasting. These studies have shown that intermittent fasting can have important benefits for weight management as well as body and brain health. It could even help you live longer.

Here are the main health benefits of intermittent fasting:

Weight loss: As mentioned above, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and belly fat without having to consciously restrict calories (15, 17).
Insulin resistance: Intermittent fasting can reduce existing insulin resistance, lower blood sugar by 3 to 6% and reduce fasting insulin levels by 20 to 31%, which should help protect against type 2 diabetes (15).
Inflammation: Some studies have observed reductions in markers of inflammation, which are key factors in the development of many chronic diseases (18, 19, 20).
Heart health: Intermittent fasting can reduce levels of bad LDL cholesterol, blood lipids, inflammatory markers, blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, all of which are risk factors for heart disease (15, 21, 22)
Brain health: Intermittent fasting increases the levels of the hormone BDNF in the brain and could support the growth of new nerve cells. It could also protect against Alzheimer's disease (23, 24, 25, 26)
Anti-ageing: Intermittent fasting can extend lifespan in rats. Studies have shown that fasting rats lived 36 to 83% longer (27, 28).

Keep in mind that research in this area is still in its infancy. Many studies have been small or of short duration or have been conducted with animals. Many questions remain that need to be answered in future human studies (29).

Intermittent fasting makes a healthy lifestyle easier

Eating healthy is easy, but it can be damn hard to maintain over time. One of the biggest obstacles is all the work it takes to plan and prepare healthy meals. Intermittent fasting can make things easier because you don't have to plan and prepare as many meals as before. For this reason, intermittent fasting is very popular with life hack followers as it improves your health while making your life easier.

Who should avoid intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is certainly not for everyone. If you are underweight or have a history of eating disorders, you should only do intermittent fasting with professional support, as this diet can otherwise prove harmful.

Should women fast?

There is some evidence that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for women as it is for men. For example, one study showed that it improved insulin sensitivity in men, but actually worsened blood glucose control in women (30).

Although many human studies are still lacking on this topic, studies conducted with rats concluded that intermittent fasting can make female rats emaciated, more masculine and infertile, as well as disrupt the female menstrual cycle (31, 32).

There are a number of anecdotal reports of women whose menstrual periods stopped after starting intermittent fasting and whose cycles returned to normal after resuming their previous diet.

For these reasons, women should be cautious about intermittent fasting. Women should follow other guidelines, such as transitioning to an intermittent fasting lifestyle more slowly and stopping immediately if they experience problems such as a missed period.

If you have fertility problems and/or are trying to conceive, you should consider giving up intermittent fasting. This diet is also a bad idea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Safety and side effects

Hunger is the most common side effect of intermittent fasting. You may also feel weak and your brain may not be as efficient as you are used to. This may be temporary as it can take a while for your body to adjust to the new meal pattern.

If you have an existing medical condition, you should consult your doctor before starting this diet.

You should always consult a doctor before starting intermittent fasting if you:

Suffer from diabetes
Have problems with blood sugar regulation
Suffer from low blood pressure
Are taking medication
Are underweight
Have a history of eating disorders
Are a woman who wants to get pregnant
Are a woman with a history of irregular menstruation
Are pregnant or breastfeeding

Apart from this, intermittent fasting is considered exceptionally safe and harmless. There is nothing dangerous about not eating for a period of time if you are healthy and well nourished.

Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting.

1. can I drink anything during the fasting phases?

Yes, water, coffee, tea and other calorie-free drinks are allowed. However, avoid sugar in your coffee. Small amounts of milk or cream may be okay.

Coffee can be particularly helpful during fasting as it can reduce hunger.

2. isn't it unhealthy to skip breakfast?

No. The problem is that most people who skip breakfast are living an unhealthy lifestyle. If you make sure that you eat healthy food during the rest of the day, then skipping breakfast is perfectly fine and not unhealthy in any way.

3. can I use supplements during fasting?

Yes, but you should bear in mind that some supplements, such as vitamin tablets, are better absorbed and/or work better with meals.

4. can I exercise while fasting?

Yes, fasting workouts are perfectly fine. Some people recommend taking branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) before fasting workouts.

5. will fasting result in muscle loss?

All weight loss methods can cause muscle loss, which is why it is important to train with weights and maintain a high protein intake. In this context, one study showed that intermittent fasting resulted in less muscle loss than regular calorie restriction (16).

6. will fasting slow down my metabolism?

No, studies show that short-term fasting can actually increase the metabolic rate (13, 14). However, prolonged fasting that lasts longer than 3 days can reduce the metabolic rate (33).

7 Should children fast?

Allowing children to fast is probably a bad idea.

How to get started with intermittent fasting

Chances are you've done a lot of intermittent fasting in your life. If you've ever eaten dinner and then slept late and not eaten until lunch the next day, then you've probably already fasted for 16 hours or more. Some people instinctively eat this way. They are simply not hungry in the morning.

Many people see the 16/8 method as the simplest and easiest version of intermittent fasting to stick to in the long term, which is why it can make sense to start with this variant first.

If you find this form of intermittent fasting easy and feel good during the fast, then you can try moving on to a more advanced version such as 24 hours fasting once or twice a week (Eat-Stop-Eat) or the version where you only eat 500 to 600 kcal per day on 1 or 2 days per week (5:2).

Another approach is to simply fast when it's convenient for you, which means skipping meals from time to time when you're not hungry or don't have time to cook. There is no need to follow a structured intermittent fasting plan to reap at least some of the benefits.

Experiment with the different approaches and find something that works for you and fits in with your daily routine.

Should you try intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is not something that everyone has to do. It's simply one of many nutritional strategies that can improve your health. Eating real food, exercising and getting a good night's sleep are still the most important factors to focus on.

If you don't like the idea of fasting, then you can simply ignore this article and get on with what works for you. At the end of the day, there is no universal, one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to nutrition. The best diet is the diet that you can maintain over the long term.

Intermittent fasting is great for some people and not for others. The only way to find out which group you belong to is to try this diet. If you feel good while fasting and you can imagine this diet as a longer-term nutritional approach, then intermittent fasting can be an effective tool for weight loss and improving your health.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide

Apr 16, 2019

The complete guide to mass building and definition phase nutrition periodization for bodybuilders

Are you off track?

Your training and nutrition should reflect your goals. And your workouts and your nutritional choices should work synergistically together to make it easier for you to reach your goals. This seems pretty obvious, but many people still fail to achieve this.

For example, you always see people trying to compensate for a poor diet by exercising when their goal is fat loss. Or, if they want to build muscle, they train with extremely heavy weights, low volume and avoid carbohydrates. In both cases, they will achieve sub-optimal results and waste a lot of time and energy for poor value for their efforts.

But with a little planning, you can avoid these common mistakes. Balancing your diet and training isn't that complicated. By determining your goals and what it takes to achieve them, you can put together a successful diet and know how to adjust it as you progress through the different phases of training.

The 3 phases

When it comes to body composition goals, there are three traditional phases of training:

Mass building phase
Fat loss phase (definition phase)
Maintenance phase

These phases should be combined with the right nutrition plan to maximize your results. Create a nutrition plan that works synergistically with each phase of training. Start by asking yourself the following questions:

What is my primary goal?
What type of training is best suited to this goal?
What type of nutrition plan will support this type of training?

Once you have answered these questions, everything will crystallize and a basic framework of nutrition will become apparent. From here, it's just a matter of fine-tuning the details to tailor this plan to your needs. Let's look at each of these phases in detail:

1 - Mass building phase

What is the goal? Increased muscle mass. What training is the best way to achieve this? High volume training, primarily performed in the 6 to 12 repetition range.

What type of diet best supports this goal?

A calorie surplus
Adequate protein intake to maximize muscle protein synthesis
Adequate fat intake to optimize hormone levels
A high carbohydrate intake to support high volume training

Total calories

To build muscle, you need a calorie surplus. Eat enough to gain 0.25 to 0.5% of your body weight per week. For most people, this will amount to roughly 200 to 500 kcal above your maintenance calorie intake.

A good rule of thumb to start with is to multiply your body weight in kilos by 35 to get the amount of calories. However, this is only a rough figure. Many people will need 37 to 42 times their weight in calories. If you start at 35 and don't gain any weight, then increase the calories to 38 times your weight and see what happens. Keep adjusting your calorie intake upwards until you gain the desired amount of weight.

Your body is an infinitely complex system with countless feedback loops. Your needs will change based on a number of different factors, so you will need to make adjustments to your calorie intake over the course of your mass-building phase. Continue to monitor your weight on the scales and adjust your calorie intake based on this. Not gaining weight fast enough? Increase your calorie intake by 250 to 500 kcal per day (with lighter exercisers at the lower end of the range and heavier exercisers at the higher end).

Once this has been clarified, we can move on to your macronutrient needs.

Protein

Muscle protein synthesis is undoubtedly the most important physiological factor when it comes to building muscle. Consuming protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Muscle growth can only occur if your muscle protein synthesis exceeds your protein breakdown.

For this reason, it is imperative that you eat enough protein to maximize your muscle protein synthesis throughout the day. Interestingly, scientific research suggests that there is a certain amount of protein that will allow you to achieve this and that more protein does not provide any additional muscle building benefits.

To build muscle, you should consume 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of lean muscle mass. Since not everyone has access to a DEXA machine to accurately measure their body fat percentage, we'll keep it simple and recommend a protein intake of 2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Divide this amount of protein into 4 to 6 meals per day based on your preferences and daily routine.

Fat

The consumption of fat is important for regular hormone function, particularly the production of androgenic, muscle-building male hormones. For this reason, fat should never be eliminated from the diet. It is less about optimal fat intake and more about a minimum for normal hormone function. Science tells us that fat intake should be between 20 and 30% of total calorie intake for optimal hormone production.

Once a threshold of 0.8 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight is exceeded, no further significant benefits in terms of hormone production can be observed. With an intake that exceeds what is needed for hormone function, structural and chemical processes, the body simply uses fat as an energy source. It is advisable not to exceed the 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight threshold during the mass building phase.

Carbohydrates

Once the amount of protein and fat has been determined, carbohydrates make up the rest of your total calorie intake. Just like fats, carbohydrates have a positive influence on certain hormones. They are also the dominant source of energy for the central nervous system (CNS) and high-intensity activities such as training with weights. In addition, they provide you with energy for strenuous training sessions and support your regeneration.

About 80% of the energy used for your weight training comes from your glycogen stores (carbohydrates). Low glycogen stores will affect your training and recovery. Consuming adequate amounts of carbohydrates will allow you to train at a higher intensity and volume and recover faster after training. Carbohydrates have anti-catabolic and anabolic effects and are hugely beneficial for people who train hard, especially if they want to build muscle.

Your carbohydrate requirements are based on your activity level. If you are training at a high volume during a mass-building phase, your carbohydrate requirements will be correspondingly high. A recent study review recommends a daily carbohydrate intake of 4 to 7 grams per kilogram of body weight for strength athletes. Most hard-training recreational athletes will fall into the lower end of this range. For most, 4 to 5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight is perfectly adequate. (An 80 kilogram athlete would roughly need 320 to 400 grams of carbohydrates per day).

How to monitor your progress during a mass-building phase

Aim for a weekly weight gain of 0.25 to 0.5% of your body weight. In the real world, an 80 kilo exerciser should aim for roughly 0.5 to 1 kilo every two weeks, but don't let the exact numbers drive you crazy. A lot of things can affect the weight on the scales, so these figures are just a rough guide.
If your progress is stagnating, increase your calorie intake by 250 to 500 kcal per day - lighter exercisers should aim for the lower end and heavier/slimmer exercisers should aim for the upper end of the range.
Adjust your calorie intake based on your weight on the scale, with most of the extra calories coming from carbohydrates.
Your strength in the 6 to 12 repetition range should increase consistently.

2 - Diet/definition phase

What is the goal? A reduction in body fat. Which training is best suited to achieve this? The maximum volume you can recover from. This will be less than during the mass building phase.

Being in a calorie deficit means that your recovery ability will not be as good as during the mass building phase, but you should strive to do as much as possible to give your body the strongest signal to maintain its muscle mass. A high training volume also helps to create a calorie deficit. You can also use some form of cardio training to increase the calorie deficit.

What type of diet is best suited to support this goal?

- A calorie deficit
- Adequate protein intake to maintain existing muscle mass (this may be slightly higher than during the mass gain and maintenance phases)
- Increased fat intake compared to the mass phase. The risk of hormonal imbalances is higher in a calorie deficit
- Carbohydrate intake should remain high enough to support high volume training. Keep your carbohydrate intake as high as possible while you continue to lose fat. As fat loss requires a calorie deficit, carbohydrate intake will be lower than during the mass building phase.

Protein

Protein protects lean body tissue during the diet and is the most satiating of all macronutrients. These are two good reasons to consume slightly more protein during a diet. Scientific research suggests that anything between 2 and 3.1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is effective during a fat loss phase. Most people do best with 2.2 to 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

The exact amount should be based on your dietary preferences. The key to a successful diet is your ability to stick to the plan.

Fat

The risk of hormonal imbalances is increased during a prolonged calorie-restricted diet. To mitigate this, you should increase your fat intake compared to the bulking phase. Now this doesn't mean you should go on an Atkins diet and eat avocados smothered in bacon and butter. Just be aware of the fact that even during a calorie deficit you need to eat enough fat to avoid feeling sh...eid all the time. Eat about 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight per day.

Carbohydrates

Any calories you have left over will be consumed in the form of carbohydrates. Maintain a carbohydrate intake of 2 grams per kilogram of body weight for as long as possible to allow for productive training.

How to monitor your progress during a diet/definition phase

Aim to lose about 0.5 to 1% of your body weight per week. For a 100 kilo person, this means a weight loss of 0.5 to 1 kilo per week.
Reduce your calorie intake by 250 to 500 kcal per day if your weight loss starts to stagnate (use the lower end of the scale if you are lighter and/or leaner).
Use scales, progress pictures and body composition measurements such as skinfold measurements to estimate the necessary adjustments.

3 - Maintenance, transition or preparation phase

Let's address the topic of maintenance training first. Why should you do this? Hypertrophy requires you to train hard and at high volume while progressively overloading your body. More is better, but you can't train harder and longer forever. At some point, the law of diminishing returns will kick in: the longer and more often you do something, the less it will do for you. To overcome this, you need to periodize your training. You need to train at a lower volume.

For example, you should incorporate periods of strength or maintenance training into your long-term training regimen to allow your body to fully recover and be ready for the next block of hard muscle-building training. By lowering your training volume to a maintenance level for a month or so, you can make your body receptive to a high training volume again. You then increase the volume again during your next bulking phase.

These maintenance phases allow your body to firm up, re-energize and prepare for the next muscle-building phase. After a long bulking phase, you will have accumulated a lot of fatigue and your body will have a lower insulin sensitivity. In addition, your body will get used to the high volume and you will need more and more volume and intensity to overload your body. This increases the likelihood of fat gain, overtraining and injury.

Properly timed unloading phases can help reduce these risks for a while, but they can't compensate for a month of hard training. A maintenance phase at some point is what the doctor ordered.

Another reason for maintenance phases is that they help the body to maintain and stabilize the muscle mass it has built up during the last mass-building phase. Give your body a chance to get used to its new, more muscular set point.

Use the maintenance phase at the end of your mass building phase, when calorie intake and training volume are at their highest level. During this phase you try to maintain your body weight. This allows your body to find its new normal weight. As a result, it will maintain the muscle mass you built up during the mass gain phase.

But I could bet that this whole "maintenance phase" thing still kind of bugs you, right? Who wants to train at a maintenance level. It's all about beast mode - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, right?

That's why I like to refer to the maintenance phase as the preparation phase. This phase literally prepares you for future growth. Or think of this phase as the transition phase between the mass building and definition phase - or the strength phase.

Even if this is nothing more than semantics, the vocabulary used can make a big psychological difference and improve adherence to this phase. So choose the term that suits you best and then do what is necessary: low-volume strength training with a maintenance-level diet.

Maintenance phase training and nutrition

Train for strength - lower frequency, lower volume, lower reps, but heavier weights than during the mass building and definition phase. For example, 3 sets of 5 repetitions (3x5) would be a suitable set and repetition scheme. This works because it is much easier to maintain muscle than to build muscle, so the stimulus from training can be much lower.

In terms of diet, an isocaloric diet is best - maintain your body weight and eat maintenance calories.

If you are eating for weight maintenance and training hard, then there is not much risk of muscle loss. Protein intake can remain in the same range as during the mass-building phase. Carbohydrate intake can be reduced as the training volume is lower. Fat intake can be increased slightly to compensate for the reduction in carbohydrates and to ensure hormone levels are maintained.

This phase allows you to restore your insulin sensitivity after your carbohydrate-rich mass-building phase. In addition, a maintenance phase will also give you some psychological relief. After you've done a high-carb, relatively low-fat mass-building phase, you probably won't be able to see foods like rice, oatmeal and potatoes in combination with low-fat protein sources. As a result, the opportunity to eat some higher fat foods with a few carbohydrates will help wash away any fatigue and prepare you for the next diet phase.

Nutritional guidelines for the maintenance phase

Protein: 2 grams per kilogram of body weight
Carbohydrates: 2.3 to 3 grams per kilogram of body weight (about half the maximum amount during the mass-building phase)
Fat: The rest (about 1.25 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight)

How to monitor your progress during the maintenance phase

Just maintain your weight!
If your weight fluctuates by more than plus or minus half a kilo, adjust your calorie intake up or down by 250 to 500 kcal per day (lighter people should aim at the lower end of the range and heavier people at the upper end)

Let's summarize everything

Here's a good structure that can give you an overview of how to do these phases sequentially one after the other, assuming you are relatively lean or have a body fat percentage of around 10%:

Mass building phase: weeks until April arrives
Maintenance phase: 4 weeks
Definition phase: 3-8 weeks until you reach a body fat percentage of 8 to 10%
Repeat until you are muscular and defined

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/the-complete-guide-to-bulking-and-cutting

From Tom MacCormick

Apr 05, 2019

The ultimate guide to vegan bodybuilding part 2

After taking a closer look at the problems of protein intake in a vegan bodybuilding diet in the first part of this article, in this second part I will talk about the remaining nutrients and present you with sample nutrition plans for vegan muscle building and fat loss.

The right balance of macronutrients for vegan bodybuilding

The dictionary defines the term macronutrient as follows:

"Any of the nutritional components of the diet that are required in relatively large amounts: Protein, carbohydrates, fat and minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and phosphorus"

(Most people think of macronutrients as just protein, carbohydrates and fat, but technically this term also includes macrominerals).

When it comes to nutrition and meal planning, the macronutrients you should be paying the most attention to are protein, carbohydrates and fat. And when it comes to building muscle, it's extremely important that you consume the right amounts of these macronutrients. This applies regardless of whether you eat a vegan diet or not.

The standard basic diet I recommend for bodybuilding purposes is as follows:

About 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day

This amount may be slightly lower during the maintenance and bulking phase and slightly higher during a diet.

About 0.7 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight per day

This amount may be slightly higher during the maintenance and build-up phase and slightly lower during a diet.

The rest of your calories should come from carbohydrates.

The amount of carbohydrates will vary based on your protein and fat intake, but in general, the more carbohydrates you consume, the better it will be for your weight training and body composition.

Following macronutrient guidelines such as those above is quite easy for 'omnivores', primarily due to the large amount of low-carb and low-fat protein sources available to them.

However, as a vegan, you may need to increase your fat intake and reduce your carbohydrate intake to meet your protein and calorie targets (which can be particularly difficult when dieting). (This is primarily due to the fact that most "good" vegan protein sources also contain carbohydrates and/or fats).

And that's fine, because as you know, it's crucial that you get enough calories and enough protein if you want to build muscle. A high carbohydrate diet is more conducive to muscle building than a low carbohydrate diet, but this is less important than adequate protein intake.

So if you need to sacrifice some of your carbohydrates to get enough protein without eating too many calories, then you should do so. However, I would not recommend that you reduce your carbohydrate intake more than necessary. If you are not sedentary and very overweight, then you have no reason to follow a low-carb diet.

Otherwise, balancing your macronutrients is simply a matter of familiarizing yourself with the calorie and nutrient content of the foods you eat and then using that knowledge to put together an appropriate eating plan.

I should also mention that a good vegan protein powder can be hugely helpful at this point, as it will allow you to add larger amounts of protein to your diet without consuming larger amounts of carbohydrates and fats.

As I mentioned earlier, I would opt for rice protein or ideally a rice and pea protein blend, as the amino acid profiles of these two protein sources complement each other very well and are similar to a whey protein in their combination.

What about micronutrient deficiencies?

You've probably heard that avoiding animal products can increase the risk of various nutrient deficiencies. This is true.

Studies show, for example, that many vegans have low levels of the following nutrients:

Vitamin D and B12 (24, 25)
Iron (26)
Calcium (27)
Zinc (28)
Omega 3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA (29)

(Of course, many "omnivores" also suffer from numerous nutrient deficiencies (30), which shows that an indiscriminate diet doesn't necessarily contribute to a healthier diet either). You've probably also heard that these nutrient deficiencies, which are common among vegans, can be avoided by simply adding certain foods to your diet. This is a good point, but it is often easier said than done.

For example, the calcium found in some vegetables has a lower bioavailability than the calcium found in dairy products (31) (and in any case, several servings of vegetables are needed to provide the same amount of calcium as a single serving of dairy products).

Many plant sources of iron and zinc are also inferior to animal sources (32), which means that larger amounts of these foods need to be consumed.

The omega-3 fatty acid problem is related to the fact that the primary vegan source of omega-3 fatty acids is alpha-linolenic acid, which is poorly absorbed by the body (33).

All of this means that you have two options if you want to optimize your health and performance on a vegan diet:

A meticulous planning of your diet to include generous amounts of foods rich in the above nutrients.
The use of supplements.

And in some cases, like vitamin D and EPA & DHA, supplementation is the only viable option.

I personally would use option number 2 as this is quite simple and quite cost effective, but if you refuse to use supplements then you will need to spend some extra time on your nutritional planning to ensure you are getting adequate amounts of the many vital nutrients your body needs.

Examples of vegan bodybuilding nutrition plans

At this point, you may want to see some well put together vegan bodybuilding meal plans, so I'll share two of these here as examples.

Vegan mass building meal plan:

Meal	Foods	kcal	EW	KH	F
breakfast	2 scoops vegan protein powder	200	34	6	2
	250 ml rice milk	127	1,1	26,4	2,1
	1 medium-sized banana	105	1,2	26,9	0
	1-2 scoops of a pre-workout product	5	0	5	0
Total	Meal 1	437	36,3	64,3	4,1
Workout
Post-	2 scoops vegan protein powder	200	34	6	2
Workout	250 ml rice milk	127	1,1	26,4	2,1
Shake	2 medium bananas	210	2,4	53,8	0
	100 g blueberries	57	0,8	14,6	0,3
	2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter	188	8	6,3	16,1
	5 g creatine	0	0	0	0
	Multivitamin	0	0	0	0
Total meal	Meal 2	782	46,3	107	20,5
Lunch	170 g seitan	192	36,2	0	2,2
	300 g wholemeal wheat pasta (cooked)	373	16,1	79,7	1,7
	150 ml pasta sauce	144	2,9	24,4	2,9
	½ tablespoon of olive oil with the pasta	60	0	0	7
	Dried spices (optional)	4	0	1	0
Total	Meal 3	773	55,2	105,1	13,8
Snack	2 slices of wholemeal bread	160	8	28	0,2
	2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter	188	8	6,3	16,1
	1 tablespoon of jam	56	0,1	13,8	0
Total	Meal 4	40,4	16,1	48,1	16,3
Dinner	220 g tofu	111	19,5	2,8	4,2
	200 g brown rice (cooked)	205	4,1	43,8	1,4
	200 g mixed vegetables	68	4,6	13,2	0,6
	Lemon juice, dried spices	10	0	2,5	5
Total	Meal 5	294	28,2	62,3	6,2
	Total meals	2790	182,1	386,8	60,9

Vegan meal plan for the diet

Meal	Food	kcal	EW	KH	F
breakfast	½ cup oatmeal	150	5	27	3
	½ cup strawberries or ¼ cup blueberries	25	0,5	5,9	0,3
	Cinnamon, stevia, nutmeg, vanilla extract	10	0	1,3	0
	Coffee with 3 tablespoons of soy coffee creamer	45	0	3	3
Total	Meal 1	230	5,5	37,2	6,3
Lunch	2 portions of spicy Szechuan tofu	360	40	44	8
	Lemon juice, dried spices	4	0	1	0
Total	Meal 2	364	40	45	8
Pre-	1.5 scoops vegan protein powder	195	37,5	7,5	0,4
Workout	1 cup unsweetened soy milk	80	7	3	4
	¾ cup mixed berries	60	0,8	12,8	0,4
	1-2 scoops of a pre-workout product	5	0	5	0
Total	Meal 3	340	45,3	28,3	4,8
Workout
Post-	180 gram seitan	226	39,5	7,5	3,7
Workout	3/4 cup cooked lentils or black beans	170	13,4	29	0,6
Dinner	150 grams of mixed vegetables	48	3,8	9,3	0,4
	Dried spices	4	0	1	0
Total	Meal 4	448	56,7	46,8	4,7
Snack	1 Rice cracker	35	0	7	0
	1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter	94	4	3,2	8,1
Total	Meal 5	129	4	10,2	8,1
	Total meals	1151	151,5	167,5	31,9

As you can see, a little work and creativity can go a long way.

The bottom line on vegan bodybuilding

You can build plenty of muscle and strength as a vegan...if you know what you're doing. However, if you're not willing to plan and/or control your calories and macronutrients and eat a handful of basic foods on a regular basis, then you're going to struggle.

The biggest problem is that you won't be eating enough high quality protein and this will inevitably hinder your muscle growth.

However, if you are willing to take your nutritional planning seriously, you will have no problem building muscle - and I hope this article will help you with that.

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https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/82/2/327/4862944
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15699220
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/70/3/543s/471499
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12936958
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16087975

Source: https://www.muscleforlife.com/vegan-bodybuilding/

By Michael Matthews

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5 ways to break through weight loss plateaus

Have you reached a plateau in your weight loss? It's time to learn what you can do about it.

Understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss

What is a true weight loss plateau?

A few fat loss facts to keep in mind

1. weight loss plateaus are to be expected

2. the more you lose, the harder it gets

3. your body has a comfort zone

5 ways to break through your weight loss plateaus

1. recalculate your daily calorie target

2. control the hidden calories

3. increase your cardio workload

4. use cheat meals

5. move heavy weights

Summary

References:

Will a multivitamin supplement increase my gains?

What are micronutrients?

Why should you increase your vitamin intake?

Multivitamin products: An essential part of an intensively training athlete's diet

Differences between vitamin products

B Vitamins

Vitamin E

Vitamin C: repair and detoxification

Nutrient absorption

Determining the requirements

Vitalize yourself with vitamins

References:

The basics of intermittent fasting - the ultimate beginner's guide

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting methods

How intermittent fasting affects your cells and your hormones

An effective fat loss tool

Health benefits

Intermittent fasting makes a healthy lifestyle easier

Who should avoid intermittent fasting?

Should women fast?

Safety and side effects

Frequently asked questions

1. can I drink anything during the fasting phases?

2. isn't it unhealthy to skip breakfast?

3. can I use supplements during fasting?

4. can I exercise while fasting?

5. will fasting result in muscle loss?

6. will fasting slow down my metabolism?

7 Should children fast?

How to get started with intermittent fasting

Should you try intermittent fasting?

References:

The complete guide to mass building and definition phase nutrition periodization for bodybuilders

Are you off track?

The 3 phases

1 - Mass building phase

What type of diet best supports this goal?

Total calories

Protein

Fat

Carbohydrates

How to monitor your progress during a mass-building phase

2 - Diet/definition phase

What type of diet is best suited to support this goal?

Protein

Fat

Carbohydrates

How to monitor your progress during a diet/definition phase

3 - Maintenance, transition or preparation phase

Maintenance phase training and nutrition

Nutritional guidelines for the maintenance phase

How to monitor your progress during the maintenance phase

Let's summarize everything

The ultimate guide to vegan bodybuilding part 2

The right balance of macronutrients for vegan bodybuilding

What about micronutrient deficiencies?

Vegan mass building meal plan:

Vegan meal plan for the diet

The bottom line on vegan bodybuilding

References

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