OnFitness Magazine - March/April 2022 - 30

CLEAN NUTRITION REPORT
exercise. Finally, insulin causes sodium
retention, which in turn causes water
retention, giving rise to a puffy, waterlogged
physique.
Thus, the diet contained here will not
have you counting calories, since it's the
macronutrient content of a food that
changes the physiology to elicit a lean
physique or not. Though a small donut
and a medium-sized chicken breast both
have about two hundred calories, it's
obvious which of these is a better food
choice. Nonetheless, carbohydrates are
needed for energy, especially for your
brain. Thus, they cannot be completely
eliminated from your diet. However, we
will choose very specific carbohydrate
foods that have very little effect on insulin.
Protein metabolism is completely
different than that of carbohydrates,
allowing it to be eaten more liberally in a
fat-loss plan. Upon consumption, proteins
are broken down and used by the liver to
make various protein and non-protein
components for use by your body,
including creatine for energy conservation
in your muscles, certain cellular enzymes,
antioxidant compounds,
neurotransmitters, and most impactful on
body composition - muscle mass.
Branched-chain amino acids broken
down from dietary protein are particularly
abundant in the muscle tissue, and upon
consumption are readily used for muscle
anabolism. Concerning fat storage, only as
a last resort, coupled with conditions of
high calorie and high carbohydrate
consumption, is protein converted to fat
for storage. More likely, protein (along
with fat) will be used to make
carbohydrates for energy use if dietary
carbs are insufficient.
Thus, foods high in protein are more
body-composition friendly. A review article
published in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition made the case that
higher-protein diets not only help build
muscle mass, but also create a greater
feeling of satiety after eating, and help
burn even more fat through increasing
resting metabolic rate, whereby the body
uses more energy to digest and metabolize
protein than carbohydrates or fat.
Fat content in foods is a more neutral
nutrient, even though fat is the most easily
stored nutrient in your fat cells. However,
certain types of fats play different roles.
Unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, fish,
olive oil, and avocados, are effective at
removing cholesterol from tissues, serve a
protective role in tissue health, and thus
can be eaten sparingly.
Saturated fats and trans fats, such as in
fries, pastries, and fatty meats, should be
avoided, as they are more easily
incorporated into fat cell storage. Even
though short-chain and medium-chain
saturated fats (such as in coconut milk)
can be nutritionally beneficial, the
nutrition plan contained here is designed
to get its followers extremely lean and lose
fat quickly.
For example, nuts are nutritious; but
in a fat-loss diet, they exemplify the one
caveat with consumption of any type of
fat: fat is very calorically-dense, and even
small amounts can lead to a large caloric
intake.
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A higher protein/lower carb/moderate fat
diet earns a general recommendation for
fat loss. This type of diet, however, may
not be compatible with your lifestyle.
Protein is not very mobile, convenient, or
neat. Lean protein sources don't come
ready-to-eat, nor are they conveniently
prepackaged.
Most protein sources that help burn fat
need to be prepared, cooked, refrigerated,
and eaten with a knife and fork. Fresh
meats need to be bought regularly. Cook
up a dozen chicken breasts and boil a
dozen eggs on Sunday. Put serving-sized
amounts of lean protein in containers to
take to work in a cooler.
This fat-loss plan requires eating every
two and a half to three hours throughout
each day, consuming five to six small
meals, each containing a significant protein
source, along with mostly green leafy
vegetables and a small amount of a very
specific low-glycemic carbohydrate.
Frequency of eating prevents ravenous
hunger. However, the meal timing and
contents alone cannot be held responsible
for preventing slip-ups. There is a certain
amount of self-restraint and willpower
associated with this diet. Cravings and
temptations are inevitable. It's not the end
of the world if you resist this once. Check
yourself; be conscious of food choices;
resist the temptation to just grab a brownie
without thinking. Once you say no and eat
your next clean meal, not only will you
experience a sense of accomplishment, but
most likely you'll have forgotten about the
brownie altogether.
-
Remember that weight loss is guaranteed
for ninety percent of the people who eat
this way. Consistent clean eats like those
found in the produce section and the meat
counter (except luncheon meats) are what
work. Most non-perishables found in the
middle of the grocery store are out,
including prepackaged dinners, soups,
pasta, cereal, baked goods, chips, 100calorie
snack packs, canned fruit, dried
fruit, most condiments, granola bars,
breakfast bars, trail mix, etc. Below is a
comprehensive food list that you can use
to mix and match meals.
Protein
Eat these liberally: chicken breasts,
chicken tenderloins, turkey breasts, lean
ground turkey, ground bison, pork chops,
egg whites (limit yolks to one per day),
Carbohydrates
Eat these liberally: spinach, broccoli,
kale/chard/collard greens, romaine lettuce,
asparagus, celery, bell peppers, and
cauliflower.
Have one serving of the following
with every meal before three pm: one-half
sweet potato, carrots, green beans, one-half
cup of cooked brown rice, one-half cup of
oatmeal cooked with water (real oats from
a large container, not sugary packets), onehalf
cup of oat bran cooked with water,
berries, apple, melon, squash/zucchini, and
chunky salsa variety.
Avoid white potatoes, white pasta,
white bread, cereal, soda (including diet),
juice, oatmeal packets, cookies, candy,
cakes, donuts, etc., granola/cereal bars,
pretzels, and chips.
Condiments such as mustard and salad
dressing should be kept to the two
tablespoons a serving, and vinaigrette
varieties are the best. Ketchup and
mayonnaise are out. Meats can be seasoned
with fresh herbs and spices, but avoid
sugary marinades like BBQ sauce. Natural
kinds of nut butters can be used in
moderation (two tablespoons) to help with
cravings. Coffee and unsweetened tea are
the only beverages besides water that
should be consumed and only if taken
black.
Water is essential and will maximize
the fat-burning potential of the foods; try
to consume two to three liters a day. If a
food's not on this food list, it's not part of
the plan.
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Unfortunately, there is somewhat of a
negative connotation associated with
bodybuilding in America. However, it's this
group of individuals (including fitness and
figure athletes) who have been eating like
this for decades, and can burn fat at will
and quickly. Essentially, this nutrition plan
is a bodybuilding diet.
However, for about ten percent of the
population, this diet will not work. These
individuals' hormonal environment will
respond " insulinemically " to high protein
diets, and thus must eat more vegetables,
less protein, and moderate fats. Regardless,
everyone can agree that natural, whole
foods like lean protein, fruits, and
vegetables will always promise a leaner
physique in the long run than
preservative-filled, prepackaged foods. If
you want it badly enough, that body you
desire can be yours. Z
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almonds, tuna, salmon, orange roughy,
whitefish, nonfat yogurt, low-fat cottage
cheese, and whey protein powder.
Eat these sparingly: Canadian bacon,
turkey bacon, ham, roast beef, cheese, nuts
(raw only), cream cheese (limit portion
size to two tablespoons), and skim milk.
Avoid pepperoni, salami, bacon, sausage,
bologna, and all cold cuts.
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OnFitness Magazine - March/April 2022

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