You Are What You Eat

Special Excerpt from the Lean System Success Plan

By Stephen Adele, Editor-in-Chief

To sculpt a lean, healthy, energetic body, you need to regularly fuel your body with high-quality nutrients. For many of us, though, nutrition is the most confusing part of the weight-loss process.

Fortunately, over the years, I have found many individuals know more than they think they do. However, most of us are paralyzed by the hundreds of nutritional plans, diets, and quick-fix powders and pills on the market. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who do you follow? Well, to be quite honest, there is no "right" answer for any one person (or body).

However, following the nutritional guidelines I will outline for you here will help guide you to make careful decisions when choosing the types of foods to eat.

Eating the "right" nutrient-rich foods (quality proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables) will provide your body and mind with an endless array of benefits, which may include:

• Increased metabolism (the rate your body burns bodyfat).



• Improved ability to strengthen and grow muscles, creating an environment to tone, tighten, and sculpt your body.



• Improved mental clarity and concentration by releasing natural "good" hormones, called endorphins.



• Balanced hormones and possibly improved overall mood and quality of sleep.



• Improved resistance to infections and potential protection from diseases by strengthening your immune system.



• Extended healthy life span (longevity) by fighting off potentially dangerous "free radicals."



• Improved emotional balance and well-being by controlling blood sugar levels and regulating hormones.

You see, achieving the "right" nutrition to help you lose weight is very simply defined as giving yourself the best possible intake of nutrients (through food and supplements) that will allow your body to be as healthy as possible, to work as well as it can, and to aid its ability to recover daily.

While your needs are completely unique to you and depend on a whole host of factors, from your own genetic strengths and weaknesses to the effects of your current environment, there are fortunately certain nutritional guidelines that apply to us all. And having an understanding of the "basics" of nutrition and how to use them to your advantage has produced consistently successful results for one person after another I've worked with, including myself, over the past 15 years.

NUTRITION 101—THE BASIC FOOD GROUPS FOR PLANNING YOUR HEALTHY, BALANCED MEALS

The basic constitutes of food (whether whole, natural, or scientifically engineered meal supplements) can be divided into three types: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. These are called macronutrients.

The way I see it, though, most people have a common "misconception" when it comes to the proportions of food types on their plate—especially protein—needed to lose bodyfat, build muscle tone, and keep their energy levels up.

However, there is a relatively simple practice of eating that is widely overlooked, yet over and over again, it produces consistent results. It's called balance.

A typical "bad" plate of food (by proportion)

Here is another way to look at it: think of the plate like a pie graph. (See the image to the right to look at what the typical person's plate looks like when they sit down to dinner—whether at home or while dining out.)

When I'm putting a meal together, I think of my plate as a pie graph with one-third reserved for a portion of quality protein (like chicken, fish, or lean red meat); one-third reserved for a portion of low-glycemic carbohydrates (like a yam or brown rice); and the final third reserved for fibrous vegetables (like a salad, broccoli, or asparagus).

Take a look at the next chart to see what my plate typically looks like—and this goes for when I dine out as well as when I'm at home! Take a moment to consider how your plate measures up?

What you'll find is that by following this approach, you'll easily meet your "ideal," balanced macro-nutrient ratio breakdown of 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fats—without really having to count calories. (But that doesn't mean calories don't count!)

Remember when we discussed the theory that "all calories are not created equal"?

What a "good" plate should look like (by proportion)

Well, to put our new theory into practice, whenever I prepare a meal, I base the meal on an appropriate serving of protein first. Then I balance the "right" type of nutrient-rich, low-glycemic carbohydrates. Again, I'm not overly obsessed about "counting calories" or adding up fat grams (thankfully!). Instead, I count portions—a portion (the size of my clinched fist) of carbohydrate and a portion of protein (again the size of my fist). And fat? Well, fat seems to take care of itself— as long as you are careful about trying to minimize obvious "bad," hydrogenated fats (from processed or deep-fried foods) and saturated fats (from cheeses, butter, marbled red meats, etc.), which, in my opinion, are no-brainers to avoid.

Basically, my daily eating patterns consist of consuming one portion-controlled meal every two to three hours (while I'm awake, of course), for a total of six daily meals. I alternate between a whole-food meal and a meal-replacement/protein shake.

For instance, pretty much every day, I start my day with a whole-food breakfast (like egg whites and oatmeal), and then, my three-hour clock starts ticking: it's an Eat-Smart® Nutrition Shake or Bar in the midmorning; this is followed by a whole-food lunch (something like chicken, brown rice, and a small salad from the Tokyo Joe's® healthy Japanese fast-food restaurant near my office); and then another Eat-Smart Nutrition Shake or bar in the afternoon; next, I'll have a home-cooked dinner. I love to cook healthy and delicious foods like tuna steaks, spinach, and squash. And I finish off the day with an Eat-Smart Nutrition Shake made into pudding (it's like dessert!). Although this last "meal" is clearly not a "balanced meal" but rather a source of high-quality protein to prepare my body for the night-long fast and help my muscles recover while I am sleeping.

As you can clearly see, I keep eating simple and try not to over-complicate it. So what I'd like to now share with you are which foods you should try to eat, on a regular basis, and which foods you should avoid.

Protein

Protein, which contains amino acids, is your body's primary building block to repair and maintain muscle tone. Protein is either complete or incomplete. Complete proteins contain the entire array of essential amino acids (which are responsible for your body's muscular rebuilding process). These come from chicken, steak, dairy, and fish.

Conversely, incomplete proteins (such as beans, soy, or tofu) do not contain all of the essential amino acids and thus need to be combined with other protein-rich foods that contain the missing amino acids, or you'll need to supplement to make up for the deficiency.

PROTEINS TO EAT

• Lean red meat (beef or bison/buffalo) (cuts like tenderloin, eye of round, London prime rib, broiled, filleted, or at least 90% lean ground meat)
• Chicken breast (skinless)
• Turkey breast or lean ground turkey
• Egg whites (or substitutes like Egg Beaters®)
• Salmon
• Tuna steaks or tuna canned in water
• White fish (like sea bass, orange roughy, halibut, or trout)
• Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese
• Low-fat or fat-free, sugar-free yogurt
• Lean ham

PROTEINS TO AVOID

• Fatty, heavily marbled red meat (cuts like rib eye, roast beef, and chuck)
• Dark meat chicken, such as thighs (especially with skin on)
• Duck
• Whole eggs
• Dried, smoked salmon (canned or freeze dried)
• Tuna canned in oil
• Catfish
• Full-fat cottage cheese
• Full-fat, full-sugar yogurt
• Pork chops, hot dogs, or sausage

Vegetarian PROTEINS

• Tofu
• Texturized vegetable protein
• Soy-based food
• Soy protein powder
• Veggie burgers/chicken patties
• Tempura
• Seitan

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your body's primary fuel for energy production. They are readily used for both short-term, intense bouts of exercise and long-duration activities like running and even your daily work activities. Carbohydrates are used throughout the day and can help sustain your muscles through intense workouts as well as combat daily fatigue. Unfortunately, they're also partly responsible for obesity as it's so easy to just consume too many unnecessary carbohydrates each day. Regardless, as with protein, inadequate amounts of carbohydrates can and will compromise your daily performance, mental capacity, and energy for exercise. Yet, understanding the balance between using carbohydrates for fuel and using them for pleasure is the difference between obesity and staying fit.

CARBOHYDRATES TO EAT

• Yams or sweet potatoes
• Brown rice or wild rice
• Oatmeal (old-fashioned)
• Pasta (whole-wheat or soy)
• Legumes (e.g., kidney beans or garbanzo beans)
• Pita bread or whole-wheat bread
• Squash (like acorn or spaghetti)
• Couscous
• Quinoa
• Fruits (apples, oranges, melons, strawberries, grapefruits, blueberries, etc.)

CARBOHYDRATES TO AVOID

• Mashed potatoes with whipped cream and/or butter
• White rice, instant rice, or rice cakes
• Sugared breakfast cereals
• Egg or white pasta
• White bread or rolls
• Cakes, pastries, cookies, donuts

FIBROUS VEGETABLES TO EAT

• Peas
• Broccoli
• Lettuce, salad greens (including spinach)
• Celery
• Zucchini
• Artichokes
• Corn
• Asparagus
• Cucumbers
• Cabbage
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Green beans
• Brussels sprouts

Fats

Fats, over time, have endured their share of abuse in the minds of individuals trying to manage their weight. "Fats are bad!" is a common misconception. But in fact, some fats are actually good for us and may even help fight off unwanted bodyfat.

Research has revealed that fats in the form of "good" omega-3 and omega-6 essential fats (such as flax oil, linseed, or fish) can actually help restore our energy, increase fat mobilization, produce "good" hormones, and boost the immune system, not to mention improve the cardiovascular and nervous system. These good fats essentially restore vital cells in your body, encouraging your body to perform more optimally and even increase longevity.

Essential fats are so named because they cannot be produced within your body on their own. They need to be supplied by the foods you eat or supplements you take. Thus, the term "essential." Saturated fats, on the other hand (such as butter, deep-fried foods, and whole-fat dairy products), have long been labeled as "bad." Rightfully so, as they serve little purpose. However, they come (in small amounts) with some meats we might eat.

We should ideally keep our fat intake below 20% of our daily calories… and if you eat the foods I recommend, you won't exceed this amount. But you might consider (especially if you have a fast metabolism) adding two or three servings (no more than 10% of your daily caloric intake) of the "good" essential fats to your daily nutrition program, which is quite easy to do, to keep you from becoming deficient. When trying to lose weight, your body will actually use every bit of essential fat for proper metabolic functioning and to restore energy balance.

FATS TO EAT

• Avocado
• Cold-water fish (oils)
• Low-fat cheeses
• Flaxseed oil, linseed oil, borage oil, or fish oil
• Sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds (sparingly)
• Olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil (especially for cooking or on salads)

FATS to AVOID

• Guacamole (with full-fat mayonnaise)
• Obvious strips of fat from meats (and skin)
• Regular/whole-fat cheeses
• Oils found in deep-fried foods like French fries, donuts, or even in muffins
• Salted/roasted peanuts or cashews
• Blue-cheese, ranch, Caesar, or other high-fat dressings
• Butter, margarine, mayonnaise (full fat) or whole-fat dairy products

It's Time to Take Control and Nourish Your Success

With each bite of food you take, you take a step toward or away from your goal. It's that simple. Food can add value, helping fuel your fat-loss efforts, or come at a price, adding unnecessary fats or calories, which only sets you back. I'm not suggesting you should never eat foods for pure pleasure—on the contrary, I think enjoying food is a must. But to truly appreciate the experience, it has to be a decision, not a reaction driven by being careless. Instead, by being more careful, and conscience, of the types you choose to put into your body, you are able to make a clear decision about what you want to achieve.

Carefully paying attention to and following commonsense eating habits, like the ones I've outlined for you, are the basis for a lifelong habit of health and fitness. But please, make no mistake about it, it's not easy. Practicing them does take effort, but by following them, day in and day out, you will consistently become more aware of your daily eating patterns and stay on the right path. Soon enough, you too will start to make food the stepping stone to your weight-loss goals, rather than a roadblock!

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