10th Planet diet

06-17-2014 12:40 PM #11

Array

I would be interested in some real diet advice, especially on a budget. Hoping to drop some weight and increase cardio to tighten up my game.

The biggest problem I've found with my fighters is that they listen to guidelines set out for women and children or think low carbs is appropriate for them. We have people who train with us 5 days a week and try getting by on 1500 to 1800 calories a day (certainly not over 2000) because they base their intake on guidelines written on packets. Those who do low carbs grin in glee as they see their glycogen stores empty and lose 2-3kg in a couple of days (before they suddenly realise their glycogen stores power their muscles and they feel like crap when trying to train).

First thing you need to know: If you train BJJ / MMA / Stand Up you need to forget eating below 2500 calories on days you train. It becomes a false economy if you don't. You eat 1500 calories, turn up to training tired and only train about 50%. So, rather than going full speed and being full of energy and burning off 800 calories you half ass it and only burn off 400 calories. What you've done is not only not lose any extra weight, but you've stopped yourself training productively for whatever event is coming up.

I've maintained my weight at about 72kg and stayed fairly energetic at 5-8% bodyfat for about three years using the following diet as my base:

Breakfast: 70g Porridge & Whey (about 450 calories)
Snacks: Apples & Almonds (about 200 calories)
Lunch: Bread Roll (2 rolls or 4 pieces of bread) with Tuna or Turkey or Chicken, etc with loads of salad (about 700 calories)
Before training: 30g porridge (about 150 calories)
Tea: Meat, Pasta or potato and vetetables (aim for total of 700 calories)
Before bed: cottage cheese on rivitas (about 150 calories)
Drinks: About 1 pint of milk a day in tea & coffee or on own (370 calories)
Protein Shake: usually one, sometimes another.
Total of above: about 2800-3000 calories

To be honest, for someone who trains 5 or 6 days a week (as I do) even that is low and some days I'll get home and need something like a Pizza to recover - especially after a tough week.

For those cutting, start to cut 50 calories a day for a week off this diet (easiest way is to take this from the AM porridge or the lunchtime bread or PM pasta). Keep doing this until you get to the end of the week (so you are eating 350 calories less a day). Give it a week and see if you are maintaining or losing. If you are losing then you want to keep it at that, if you are maintaining drop 25 calories a day for another week and then repeat the process. You will find the amount of calories you can consume, lose weight and still be able to train.

PLEASE do not cut carbs. You are not a 30 something year old housewife who can afford to have no energy (target audience of The Atkins Diet)...