Guest guest Posted August 4, 2002 Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 Something that might help newbies that I didn't find out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is OK to share the info) is that you should be striving for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight. This article said per pound of present bodyweight. Some people choose to use per pound of desired bodyweight and some people choose per pound of lean bodyweight. I've always used per pound of present bodyweight (because by the time I read it, I was at my desired bodyweight). Anyway - I am 120 lbs and I eat 6 times per day. That means I need about 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs at each meal. If I were to eat popcorn with 6 grams of carbs, I would eat 3 cups of it to come up with 18 grams of carbs. I got confused with the fist/palm portion quite a few times for food such as these so knowing the numbers was a BIG help to me. Otherwise, the palm/fist method was fine. Sara So use your judgement on things not listed... and on popcorn, one air-popped cup is 31 cals and 6 grams of carb. You decide what's appropriate in the context of balancing carbs, proteins, and fats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2002 Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 Something that might help newbies that I didn't find out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is OK to share the info) is that you should be striving for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight. This article said per pound of present bodyweight. Some people choose to use per pound of desired bodyweight and some people choose per pound of lean bodyweight. I've always used per pound of present bodyweight (because by the time I read it, I was at my desired bodyweight). Anyway - I am 120 lbs and I eat 6 times per day. That means I need about 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs at each meal. If I were to eat popcorn with 6 grams of carbs, I would eat 3 cups of it to come up with 18 grams of carbs. I got confused with the fist/palm portion quite a few times for food such as these so knowing the numbers was a BIG help to me. Otherwise, the palm/fist method was fine. Sara So use your judgement on things not listed... and on popcorn, one air-popped cup is 31 cals and 6 grams of carb. You decide what's appropriate in the context of balancing carbs, proteins, and fats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2002 Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 Hey, thanks Sara - that was very helpful! «¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤» Amy Austin, TX http://www.elderberries.com <http://www.elderberries.com/> Re: Re: Popcorn HOW MUCH TO EAT Something that might help newbies that I didn't find out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is OK to share the info) is that you should be striving for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight. This article said per pound of present bodyweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2002 Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 Hey, thanks Sara - that was very helpful! «¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤» Amy Austin, TX http://www.elderberries.com <http://www.elderberries.com/> Re: Re: Popcorn HOW MUCH TO EAT Something that might help newbies that I didn't find out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is OK to share the info) is that you should be striving for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight. This article said per pound of present bodyweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2002 Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 I've seen these types of formulas before, and I think it can be a good idea in some cases, but not all. For example, I am a 5'10 " , 155 pound man. I am considered thin. If I were to eat 155 grams of protein, 155 grams of carbohydrates, and some added healthy fat, I believe my calorie intake would be way too low. To work the numbers, if I were to add 35 grams of fat to that diet, I would have the following: Protein: 155 grams x 4 calories per gram = 620 calories Carbs: 155 grams x 4 calories per gram = 620 calories Fat: 35 grams x 9 calories per grams = 315 calories My daily total would be 1555 calories, approximately 40% protein, 40% carb, 20% fat. I consider that to be a healthy diet composition, however at 10 calories per pound of body weight, I think that is way too low for a man, but it may be appropriate for a woman. I have looked at my actual calorie intake on BFL, and it is actually about 2100 calories. I posted a note recently ( " I'm hungry! " ), when I was using smaller portions, and very hungry, with decreased energy levels. At the time, I was below 2100 calories, and not feeling good at all. I think 1550 calories would leave me feeling very lethargic. BTW, I have a sedentary job, and my physical activity is limited to the 6 days/week BFL workouts. Other opinions on these types of formulas? I'd especially like to hear about other peoples' experiences, and what their calorie intakes (relative to bodyweight) are. --- Sara Altmyer wrote: > Something that might help newbies that I didn't find > out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article > in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is > OK to share the info) is that you should be striving > for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound > of bodyweight. This article said per pound of > present bodyweight. Some people choose to use per > pound of desired bodyweight and some people choose > per pound of lean bodyweight. I've always used per > pound of present bodyweight (because by the time I > read it, I was at my desired bodyweight). > > Anyway - I am 120 lbs and I eat 6 times per day. > That means I need about 20 grams of protein and 20 > grams of carbs at each meal. If I were to eat > popcorn with 6 grams of carbs, I would eat 3 cups of > it to come up with 18 grams of carbs. > > I got confused with the fist/palm portion quite a > few times for food such as these so knowing the > numbers was a BIG help to me. Otherwise, the > palm/fist method was fine. > > Sara > > So use your judgement on things not listed... and > on popcorn, one > air-popped cup is 31 cals and 6 grams of carb. You > decide what's > appropriate in the context of balancing carbs, > proteins, and fats. > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 In a message dated 8/5/02 9:08:31 AM Pacific Standard Time, gary_y2k_boston@... writes: > I consider that to be > a healthy diet composition, however at 10 calories per > pound of body weight, I think that is way too low for > a man, but it may be appropriate for a woman. > I remember years ago I got a book from Rodale Press that outlined a weight loss program based on the number of calories it would take to support your ideal body weight. I recall they used 14 calories a pound for a sedentary person's calorie requirements. So, if your ideal body weight is 150, your calorie requirement would be 2100. If you eat 2100 calories a day, then eventually you will end up weighing 150 pounds, and remain at that weight because you would not suddenly change your eating patterns. I've seen variations on the number 14 over the years, and of course it depends on your activity level. Any thoughts? The question keeps popping up in my mind how BFL can work ... there isn't one diet for weight loss, and another diet for weight gain, there is just the one diet. But I guess this is the answer (in addition to variations in hand sizes). You eat a " normal " diet and end up weighing a " normal " weight, regardless of your starting point. Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 I agree with you 100%. Those formulas are way off base. They are a good starting point - it's much better than pulling a magic number out of the air - but no formula can help everyone. Many formulas are loosely based on the basal metabolic rate formulas, and even those are prone to error. For example, when I'm low body fat and 178 pounds, my metabolism is remarkably different than someone else who's the same weight with a " fast " metabolism - despite having the same computed metabolism, our food intakes are greatly different. Body-for-LIFE doesn't bog itself down in numbers, using the fist- and palm- sized portions is a great starting point. I always got frustrated when people tried to say it was a 40-40-20 plan or you should eat x grams of protein/carbs (yes, I know this is what the web site recommends) because following the fist method, it just doesn't work out that way. One day you might have a fist of baked potato, another it is a fist of apple, and I can guarantee your calories will work out differently. I still think they're good guidelines for starting out, but people just need to be aware of their bodies. For example, if you started with that guideline, you'd quickly find you were dropping too much weight or not gaining muscle, etc. Then you could adjust. BFL even has a recommendation to adjust - try doubling a carb portion - etc. The idea is that you make easy adjustments over time and finally reach the intake that is right for YOU. This is the key. As Bill himself says, if you keep doing the same things, expect the same results. So many people lock into a formula and stay there no matter what. Again, as a starting point, a formula might be better than a wild guess, but you have to be ready to adapt. If you're not losing the fat, then what you're doing isn't working! Eat less or move more. If you aren't gaining the muscle, eat more ... possibly reduce cardio. It's a constant process of learning your body, monitoring the feedback, and adjusting! A perfect example for myself is with carb intake. My body makes it very easy to find my ideal levels of carb intake. If I take in too few carbs, my eyes burn. It's a weird sensation, but I get this kind of " fatigue " and my eyes literally burn like I've been in the pool. On the other hand, when I eat too many carbs, I get bloating in my stomach and even (pardon the reference) flatulence. So by being aware of these things, I can adjust my carb intake and find out that for me, at 200 pounds, I need between 25 - 35 grams of carb per meal or 150 - 210 grams per day. It's a wide range but I tend towards the lower end when dropping fat and the upper end when bulking or trying to gain muscle. Anything more or less and I either lose energy or gain too much fat! In health, Likness > > Something that might help newbies that I didn't find > > out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article > > in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is > > OK to share the info) is that you should be striving > > for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound > > of bodyweight. This article said per pound of > > present bodyweight. Some people choose to use per > > pound of desired bodyweight and some people choose > > per pound of lean bodyweight. I've always used per > > pound of present bodyweight (because by the time I > > read it, I was at my desired bodyweight). > > > > Anyway - I am 120 lbs and I eat 6 times per day. > > That means I need about 20 grams of protein and 20 > > grams of carbs at each meal. If I were to eat > > popcorn with 6 grams of carbs, I would eat 3 cups of > > it to come up with 18 grams of carbs. > > > > I got confused with the fist/palm portion quite a > > few times for food such as these so knowing the > > numbers was a BIG help to me. Otherwise, the > > palm/fist method was fine. > > > > Sara > > > > So use your judgement on things not listed... and > > on popcorn, one > > air-popped cup is 31 cals and 6 grams of carb. You > > decide what's > > appropriate in the context of balancing carbs, > > proteins, and fats. > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 Sharon, I've seen numbers such as 12-15 calories per pound of body weight for a man, and 10-12 calories per pound of body weight for a woman, depending on activity level. I don't believe there is one " true " number. For a reference point, when I was bodybuilding, I counted calories, and ate 17 calories per pound of bodyweight. I adjusted this number every time I had gained 10 pounds. I gained an average of 10 pounds per year for five years. The calorie intake was obviously effective, but in hindsight, I think it was a bit too high. Having started out at 135 pounds (remember, I'm a 5'10 " man), I was very lean to start with. Also, not only was I doing cardio for 30 minutes, 3 times per week, I was also physically active in other activities, averaging 30-60 minutes per day. Had those factors not been in place, I likely would have had higher bodyfat. I think BFL works for many reasons. As pointed out, the fist/palm method introduces variety. It's a natural way to not let your body get stuck and prepare for what's happening. The free day also has that effect. Another reason is that the majority of people doing BFL have a long way to go to being fit, and their bodies are just waiting for something to happen. When doing BFL, for many of them, it is likely the hardest they have ever worked out in their lives. In hindsight, what I believe worked for me when I was bodybuilding was the following: hard work, good diet, good guidance, good attitude. With those factors in place, I believe most any program will work. The light went on for me during my bodybuilding days one morning when I was training in the gym. One of the other members at the gym had purchased whatever workout/supplementation/diet program was in vogue at the time, that was promising fantastic results, with the photos to back it up. This gym member asked me to spot him on the seated cable row. When he finished his set, for a " spot " , he wanted me to immediately move the pin for him, so he would not even have to hesitate the few seconds to do his next set. When I walked away, I asked a friend of mine who worked at the gym (now a big famous WWF wrestler) if that program really worked. His comment was, " If he didn't pay that $150, do you think he'd be working that hard? " Most importantly, believe in yourself, and believe in your program, all the rest is gravy (nonfat, of course). . --- winterskyo1231@... wrote: > In a message dated 8/5/02 9:08:31 AM Pacific > Standard Time, > gary_y2k_boston@... writes: > > > > I consider that to be > > a healthy diet composition, however at 10 calories > per > > pound of body weight, I think that is way too low > for > > a man, but it may be appropriate for a woman. > > > > I remember years ago I got a book from Rodale Press > that outlined a weight > loss program based on the number of calories it > would take to support your > ideal body weight. I recall they used 14 calories a > pound for a sedentary > person's calorie requirements. So, if your ideal > body weight is 150, your > calorie requirement would be 2100. If you eat 2100 > calories a day, then > eventually you will end up weighing 150 pounds, and > remain at that weight > because you would not suddenly change your eating > patterns. I've seen > variations on the number 14 over the years, and of > course it depends on your > activity level. Any thoughts? > > The question keeps popping up in my mind how BFL can > work ... there isn't one > diet for weight loss, and another diet for weight > gain, there is just the one > diet. But I guess this is the answer (in addition > to variations in hand > sizes). You eat a " normal " diet and end up weighing > a " normal " weight, > regardless of your starting point. > > Sharon > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 1550 sounds more like your BMR, the number of calories your body needs to support the ongoing, unconscious work of your body (e.g., your heart beating, breathing, maintaining body temperature). An estimate of BMR can be your body weight x 10 calories. Many different factors may influence your BMR, such as age, gender, size and body composition. Also, this simple equation may not be accurate if you are extremely over- or under-weight. It sounds to me like you are trying to gain weight so I would shoot for at least 3000 calories per day. If you are trying to gain weight with BFL, you can have an extra portion of carb during the first 3 meals. I'm currently 162 lbs at 5'11 " (yes, I lost some weight after gaining some for those following my progress)and consuming almost 3000 calories per day. I'd like to consume more, but it is difficult. I started BFL at 177 lbs, got down to 155 lbs losing fat, and am now working my way back up gaining muscle. My job is sedentary too. Andy > > Something that might help newbies that I didn't find > > out until my 2nd challenge (and it was in an article > > in Muscle Media about Body for Life so I hope it is > > OK to share the info) is that you should be striving > > for 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs per pound > > of bodyweight. This article said per pound of > > present bodyweight. Some people choose to use per > > pound of desired bodyweight and some people choose > > per pound of lean bodyweight. I've always used per > > pound of present bodyweight (because by the time I > > read it, I was at my desired bodyweight). > > > > Anyway - I am 120 lbs and I eat 6 times per day. > > That means I need about 20 grams of protein and 20 > > grams of carbs at each meal. If I were to eat > > popcorn with 6 grams of carbs, I would eat 3 cups of > > it to come up with 18 grams of carbs. > > > > I got confused with the fist/palm portion quite a > > few times for food such as these so knowing the > > numbers was a BIG help to me. Otherwise, the > > palm/fist method was fine. > > > > Sara > > > > So use your judgement on things not listed... and > > on popcorn, one > > air-popped cup is 31 cals and 6 grams of carb. You > > decide what's > > appropriate in the context of balancing carbs, > > proteins, and fats. > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2002 Report Share Posted August 6, 2002 In a message dated 8/6/02 6:10:48 AM Pacific Daylight Time, gary_y2k_boston@... writes: > Most importantly, believe in yourself, and believe in > your program, all the rest is gravy (nonfat, of > course). > > Thanks, . That's the bottom line, isn't it? Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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