Reducing Body Fat

"Several factors modify the level of body fat and body composition, including gender, age, level of physical activity, and hormonal status. "(Bray, 1998). However, nutrition is by far one of the most important factors contributing to the success or failure for the body builder.  It is very often responsible for either success or failure for those trying to succeed at bodybuilding and most fitness programs.  If you are just interested in losing weight, a reduced calorie, low fat diet plan tailored to your needs along with a practical regimen of exercise is likely the recommended course of action. But if you want to lose fat and keep that hard earned muscle at the same time it requires a little more diet planning in conjunction with your fitness plan.

Energy and Daily Caloric Intake-
The four nutrients that provide the sources of energy (Alcohol, Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat) have very different energy values and storage capacities in the body.  This means that as you eat foods containing these energy sources they are used up by your body at far different rates (fat has a very large storage capacity and is therefore used up very slowly).  It is wise therefore to consume a balance of these energy sources and in a combination that leads both to optimal nutritional intake while simultaneously minimizing the storage of fat.

There are many viewpoints regarding the optimal diet and even how best to calculate caloric intake.  Many different diets have been marketed and go in and out of style… (low fat versus high fat, etc).  Since most of you already have a good idea of how many calories you should be eating, this article will be directed to how your calories should be distributed.  You should have a diet that distributes your calories into effective percentages of protein, carbohydrates, and fat for optimal nutrition.  A diet plan should typically consist of 18-20 % Protein, 50% Carbohydrate and 25-30% Fat (These percentages work for most people, but vary somewhat depending upon health status, and as previously stated- are custom designed for you in my PersonalDiets™ plans). 

Protein-
What is protein and why is it important? 
Protein contains nitrogen and provides amino acids that are essential for building body proteins. Protein is used to build muscle and maintain/repair lean tissue, including muscle and body organs.

There are nine essential amino acids: histidine (essential for children), isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These amino acids must be supplied by food; the body cannot make them. There are also 12 nonessential amino acids, which are important, but called nonessential because the body can make them from the essential amino acids.

Proteins come from plant and animal sources. Animal proteins more closely match the amino acid composition of human proteins, however people who do not consume animal foods can get all of the protein needs from plant sources, (they just need a larger amount of plant protein versus animal protein to fulfill the body's requirement for protein).

According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council (who establish dietary recommendations for the population), the body's need for protein is met when protein intake is at .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. (Divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2 to get the equivalent in kilogram weight). This meets the needs of about 90% of the population of adults. In general this translates to about 63 grams of protein per day for men, and about 50 grams of protein per day for women. But there are factors that will increase the need for protein, two of them being very strenuous physical activity, and reduced caloric intake. 

 

Protein needs increase for severally injured or seriously ill people, and athletes.
Athletes need to pay special attention to their protein intake. However, the typical diet consumed in industrialized countries already contains more than enough protein to cover the needs of most athletes and any additional protein above the body's needs is either used for energy or converted to body fat. A typical diet should contain between 10-20% of calories as protein. What athletes and others expending great amounts of physical energy need are additional calories, (in the proper balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrate, not just protein).

Why then are high protein diets popular right now? In the past few years, there has been a swing towards a fear/avoidance of carbohydrates, and carbohydrates are being blamed for the obesity problem. The option on low-carbohydrate diets is to increase fat and/or protein in the diet to make up for a low-carbohydrate intake. What's wrong with this is that high protein, high fat diets may severely limit sources of carbohydrates that provide essential vitamins, minerals and other protective factors against serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. And, at very low levels of carbohydrate intake, the body produces ketones, which is a potentially dangerous condition. Beside the dangers of a very low carbohydrate intake, a high protein intake produces waste products containing nitrogen that require a lot of water to flush out of the body. Excess protein taxes the liver and kidneys, and does nothing to increase muscle mass because the excess that is not used for energy is converted to fat.

The fact is, the body needs all of the nutrients that supply energy: fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Each have a unique purpose and are essential in the right amounts, and taxing to the body in the wrong amounts. Too much of any of these nutrients will lead to an increase in body fat!

Carbohydrates-
Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy, and are quickly and easily converted to blood glucose, the body cells' preferred source of fuel. In particular, the brain must have glucose as a source of energy. The brain will not use other sources of energy except in the extreme case of starvation, in which ketone bodies (from the breakdown of body fat) are used by the brain. The body cannot store a large amount of carbohydrate; there is only a short supply available as glycogen in the liver and muscle. Therefore, carbohydrates must be supplied on a regular basis.  

So, we need a certain amount of carbohydrate to prevent ketosis, but where does it come from? Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, and fiber. Foods that contain mostly carbohydrate are grains, cereals, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Sugar and flour are forms of carbohydrate, so any food made with sugar (like soda pop) or flour (breads, pasta, bakery goods, cookies, crackers, etc.) are sources of carbohydrate as well.

Certainly, it is very easy to eat too much carbohydrate: it is in so many foods, and so available! An excess of calories from any source (fat, protein, carbohydrate, or alcohol) will lead to weight gain if you do not increase your activity to match the excess food intake. For most people, the recommended amount of carbohydrate in the diet is that at least one-half of your total calories should be in the form of carbohydrate. Certain people, such as those with high triglyceride levels or diabetes have special concerns with carbohydrates and fats and should follow a diet that addresses those needs in particular upon the advice of their physician. Choosing carbohydrates that also provide important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients (such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains), and limiting the "junk" carbohydrates to special occasions will help with keeping carbohydrate intake in proper perspective. Choosing carbohydrates that digest more slowly or eating quickly digesting carbohydrates with other foods is another consideration and has to do with the glycemic index, which is addressed as a separate topic.

Fats-
Fats, also called by their chemical name triglycerides, are an essential part of the human diet. Beside being the most concentrated source of energy, fats carry vitamins A,D, E, and K. They are made of a combination of various fatty acids, which give our foods their flavor.  One of them, called linoleic acid, is essential to ensure the synthesis of major hormone-like substances, the normal growth of cells, and the functioning of the nervous system.


Different Forms
Fats come in different forms according to the fatty acids they contain.
They are:

• Saturated (or hydrogenated, partially or totally): these are hard at room temperature and primarily from animal sources with the exception of palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter, vegetable fats, which are also highly saturated.

• Polyunsaturated (non-hydrogenated): these are liquid at room temperature or when refrigerated. They are primarily from vegetable sources, although fish and marine fats are polyunsaturated also.
  

• Monounsaturated: these are a particular class of unsaturated fats. Liquid at room temperature, they become cloudy if refrigerated. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat.

Although people talk about fat sources as being one of the above, the fats we eat are a mixture of all three types, and they are categorized according to the greatest percentage of fatty acids that fall into one of these categories. So, for example, olive oil may be mostly monounsaturated fat, but it contains a little saturated and polyunsaturated fat as well. 

Too Much of a Good Thing
The fat needed in your diet is dependent upon your specific goals but should, as a general statement, be limited to 25-30 percent of your daily intake.  Americans consumed 32% of their calories as fat in 1910. They now consume 42% of their calories as fat. About half of that fat is "visible," (the stuff added to food like margarine and salad dressings). Unfortunately the rest comes "hidden" in many foods, often more difficult to control. Different fats have been associated with public health problems:

Too much fat, whether saturated or unsaturated, has been associated with the development of cancers of the breast, uterus and prostate.

Too much saturated fat and fat raise the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood. These are risk factor for heart disease.

Too many calories as a result of too much fat leads to obesity, a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, joint problems, etc.

Polyunsaturated fat lowers the level of blood cholesterol and triglyceride.
 

In Summary

As you gain an increased understanding regarding the relationship between the complexities involved between nutrition and athletic performance, recovery and your nutritional needs, you will no doubt find experts who disagree about the most effective diet that should be followed.  However, while there are disagreements between experts regarding the details, there is basic agreement regarding a number of areas and the serious body builder should follow these if they are to succeed at their goals.  Weight management through reduction of excess body fat plays an important role in maintaining good health and fighting disease.  Going too low or too high in carbohydrate, fat, or protein for any extended period of time will compromise your health and your fitness goals. There are definite minimums of carbohydrate, fat, and protein that the human body needs in relation to body size, age and physical stress, and the short term results from some extreme diets can really compromise your long term health status and fitness goals.  Putting these concepts into a "real" food diet, so that you're eating the right foods, in the right amounts for your particular needs is what PersonalDiets™ can help you do. 

 

Part 2 - Reducing Body Fat (Con't )

 

 Should an expert carefully consider the diet that's right for you?

Success Stories!

" I haven't been using my Right-On-Tracker recently but am satisfied with my results and was wondering what kind of maintenance diet I should now be on to maintain a weight of 120 pounds? Thank you for all your help."  Sincerely, K.T.  read more