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What To Eat
To Lose Weight?
Although a
vegetarian diet is much healthier than a diet based on animal products,
many vegetarians make the mistake of over consuming low quality
carbohydrates and starches. Low quality carbohydrates such as any
overly refined product will drastically impede the progress of your
fat loss program. They send your blood sugar levels through the
roof, which causes your body to produce large amounts of insulin
to stabilize your blood sugar levels. The end result is a great
deal of stored bodyfat. Starches such as bread, rice, and potatoes
are fine in moderation. However, many people have a tendency to
eat several servings of pasta or rice in one sitting which will
result in rapid fat gain. For optimal results, the bulk of your
carbohydrates should be derived from low glycemic vegetables and
fruits such as broccoli, tomatoes, squash, spinach, and berries.
These carbohydrates do not affect our blood sugar levels negatively
and thus do not result in fat storage. Thus, cut out the junk food
and increase your consumption of fruits and veggies for health and
rapid fat loss.
 Next
get over your fat phobia. We need healthy fats in our diet and although
it does not sound logical, healthy fats help our bodies use fat
for energy and thus support fat loss. Also, healthy fats such as
Avocadoes, nuts, and seeds contain an enzyme called lipase that
assists in breaking down and digesting fats. Furthermore, nuts and
seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds are full of omega 3 and
omega 6 fatty acids that keep our immune systems and skin healthy.
Finally, although
we do not need as much protein as some of the bodybuilding magazines
state, we do need ample amounts of protein for several reasons.
One, protein helps us recover from strenuous exercise. Two, protein
contains the amino acid tyrosine that gives our brain a boost and
elevates mood. Third, protein helps give us a sense of satisfaction
from our meals. When was the last time that you got stuffed off
a high carbohydrate meal and were ready to hit another meal an hour
later? This used to happen to me all the time. However, it will
not happen when you balance your meals with protein and fat.
Vegans can easily
get enough protein from sources such as tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas,
navy beans, nuts, and seeds. If you have any doubt, by all means
add a few soy and rice protein shakes to your diet. (See www.proteinfactory.com
for great deals on rice and soy protein) I am not a big believer
in calorie counting as I feel that it results in stress and a poor
mental attitude. Instead, just cut out all the junk food for six
days a weak and have one cheat day in which you eat whatever you
want as a reward. The other six days have a serving of protein,
carbs, and healthy fats with each meal and have as many raw salads
as you desire. If you do not think that you can go the entire week
without junk food then at least wait until the end of your evening
meal. Keep your diet clean during the day and reward yourself at
night a few times a weak. Also, be sure to drink at least ten glasses
of water a day. Failure to drink enough water will result in poor
fat loss results.
Another product
that will help speed of the fat burning process is green tea. In
addition, to enhancing the immune system, green tea helps us use
more calories and aids in digestion as well. It is inexpensive,
so have a three servings of green tea a day. You will find that
green tea gives you a nice lift, but does not stimulate you too
much like Coffee or black tea. Finally make sure to exercise on
an empty stomach and wait one hour after exercising before consuming
any calories.
What to eat
to Gain weight?
One of the biggest
problems that people tell me about on a vegan diet is the difficulty
in gaining muscle. They usually state that they could not find enough
high calorie sources to consume to put on weight rapidly and got
discouraged. The bottom line is that they were not consuming enough
protein and fat. To gain weight rapidly, eat 1-1.5 grams of protein
for each lb of lean bodyweight. Thus, if you weigh 200lbs and have
10% bodyfat, eat 190 to 285 grams of protein per day, every day.
Start off on the lower end of the scale and work your way up.
Next, get an
ample supply of quality fats in your diet. Almonds, sunflower seeds,
walnuts, and pistachios, are all high quality sources and are loaded
with both protein and fat. Also, add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil
to your salads and protein shakes. Next, unlike the weight loss
advice, eat several servings of rice, potatoes, and bread. The key
to gaining weight rapidly is an abundance of calories. Thus, do
not hold back and have 6-7 high quality meals a day. Also consider
having a protein shake before and after workout as well as before
bedtime. When you go shopping load up on tofu, tempeh, lentils,
avocadoes, nuts and seeds, and high calorie fruits such as bananas,
tropical fruits, and try adding some coconut milk to your routine
as well.
What I do?
I
have tried many diets in the past that have all worked to some degree.
For example, to lose weight, I once tried substituting a few meals
with protein shakes and then having a few moderate meals throughout
the day. Combined with an effective exercise regimen, this worked
pretty well. However, I was not fond of the calorie counting and
feeling like I needed to eat something every 2-3 hours. Also, to
gain weight I have tried eating several moderate meals during the
day, with protein shakes and bars in between meals and then a large
meal at night. This worked very well for putting on size. However,
again it was not convenient and I did not like having my whole day
revolving around eating food.
Two years ago,
I came across an interview at www.testosterone.net with Ori Hofmekler.
Ori stated that he had been having great success with a concept
that he called "The Warrior Diet." (For more information
on the "warrior diet", go to www.dragondoor.com). The
basic premise of the "warrior diet" revolves around putting
your body through a period of undereating during the day and overeating
at night. During the day you can have fresh veggie and fruit juices
and at night you have your main meal. The main meal starts with
a raw salad with low glycemic vegetables, followed by a high protein
and fat meal, followed by a carbohydrate meal. After that, if you
are still hungry you can basically eat whatever you want. At first,
I was very skeptical. However, I decided to give the diet a shot
and adapted after a few days. The first thing that I noticed was
that my energy went through the roof. I loved the freedom of waking
up and going through the entire day without having to worry about
food. Furthermore, when I did eat at night the food tasted better
than ever. In the beginning, I lost weight rapidly. However, my
weight stabilized after a few weeks and I quickly got back up to
a lean 195lbs. Now this diet is definitely not for everyone, especially
for those of you that want to gain a lot of weight. However, it
is an alternative weight loss program for busy people and it is
also very effective at maintaining a certain weight. Moreover, it
is great for getting rid of stubborn fat. Here is what a typical
day looks like for me:
8:30am wake
up and have two cups of water with 1 gram of vitamin C, and 1 Antioxidant
Supreme tablet (For more information of quality supplements for
vegans, visit www.healthforce.net)
1 tablespoon
of Healthforce's Vitamineral Greeen with 16 ounces of water
11am
green tea
1pm Ginseng
tea
3pm Green
tea
5pm Ginseng
tea
I make sure
to have at least 10 glasses of filtered water.
An hour before
working out 15 grams of BCAA with 15grams of glutamine peptides
(see www.proteincreations.com) This combination is great for recovery.
After working
out have another 15 grams of BCAA, 15 grams of glutamine peptides,
and 5 grams of creatine.
- Read Part
One of Vegan Weight training (Mike describes his workout)
Mike Mahler
has been a strength athlete for over ten years and is available
for phone consultations. If you would like more information on a
personalized strength training and nutrition program to address
your needs or to set up a one time "free phone consultation",
please email Mike at mahler25@yahoo.com
or call him at 703-259-4471.
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