but do not despair! with a little planning, you can eat well during the day and keep your energy levels high and your weight stable.

first, the goal of a proper eating regimen (macronutrients, meal times, portion size) is several fold: maintenance of proper weight, immune system and overall energy levels.

fat burning

if you do everything right, your body will burn fat efficiently. mess it up, and it won't, which leads to weight gain and poor energy levels. to burn fat, your body needs to get fat in the diet, have a steady supply of carbohydrates to keep it going and not have sugars to distract it! the major goal of the following bits of advice are to keep that fat burning machine running properly.

meal times/sizes

to prevent peaks and valleys in my daily energy levels, i like to eat often. i try to apportion my meals to about every 2.5-3 hours. to do this, i manage the size of my meal to be enough to make me comfortable but not full. i want to be hungry but not too hungry. happy medium.

snacks

these are the killers. they're frequently high glycemic index or fat laden. the first messes with your insulin levels, causing your body to shift from burning fat to burning sugars. when those sugars are all used up, you will suffer low energy while your body returns to fat as the primary energy source. frequently, you will go back for more snacks. it is a nasty cycle! both are problems because they're typically the source of extra calories that cause weight gain or stymie weight loss. if you are hungry between meals, then check the content or size of those meals to avoid snacking.

meal content

the recommended macronutrient profile is best to be followed when considering a diet for a whole day. during the day, each meal will have somewhat different content, based on the body's primary needs at that point.

breakfast

eat breakfast. i like to make this the biggest meal of my day. this meal will set the tone for your eating for the rest of the day. make it too small or of the wrong make-up and you will be "chasing" your appetite all day. because the role of breakfast is to resupply your glycogen stores and get yourself fueled for the day, it can be higher in carbohydrates than your overall goals, but should still have quality fat and protein to keep it satisfying.

lunch

because of my three hour meal plan, i eat two lunches. two smallish lunches (or large, if i rode a lot the day before). i start adding a bit more fat and protein to my lunches to keep them from being too high on the glycemic index. i typically have left overs and a sandwich. i avoid the one big lunch plan because it makes me tired afterward.

if you are planning a workout after work, make sure your last meal is about 2-3 hours before hand and easily digested. i usually follow my pre-race meal regime. also, keep some gel laying around. this stuff works wonders for getting you that boost you need if your meals were suboptimal through the day.

dinner

if i don't ride in the evening after work, i have two dinners. one is small to bridge the gap between my second lunch and last dinner. the last dinner is the highest protein and fat meal of the day. portion size is small to keep the overall calorie consumption inline. the reason is that the body does not need the carbohydrates to energize it going forward. the body needs the protein to rebuild muscles (20% of the day's protein should be in that period shortly after a workout, which is in the evening for me). the fat brings the day's total fat content up to the 25-30% that we're targeting. this is key for overall health!

if you've eaten properly through the day, your energy levels should be strong and you shouldn't be craving a huge dinnertime meal. and go ahead and eat a little desert. you've earned it! focus on quality, not quantity!

i suggest cubing your squash into 1 inch squares and dropping into a stew or curry (cook about 20-25 minutes) or baking before dropping into a broth for a soup. squash makes a great base for soups as it adds body and creaminess without the typical fat that accompanies cream. baked pieces of squash can also be mashed and whipped with spices to make an alternative to mashed potatoes.

• 2 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 5 cups water (5.5 if you are going to use yogurt instead of coconut milk)
• 4 or so chopped fresh tomatoes (or a can of diced)
• 1 can lite coconut milk
• 1 chopped onion
• two bay leaves

about an hour or so before serving, add spices. consider green or red thai curry (with fish sauce as a salt source) or any other curry powder that you pick up.

twenty minutes before serving, add: 1 C white rice.

other great additions include bamboo shoots, baby corn, cauliflower, okra (briefly sautee before adding it at the very end, available frozen) or spinach, wilted in right at the end (consider that this will contribute liquid).

makes six 369 calorie servings:

• fat: 9g, 20%
• net carbs: 76g, 63%
• fiber: 14g
• protein: 17g, 17%

with yogurt, makes six 420 calorie servings:

• fat: 9g, 19%
• net carbs: 79g, 62%
• fiber: 14g
• protein: 20g, 19%

• Increased absorption of the important energy-producing substrates CoQ10 and idebenone
• Prolonged endurance from increased fat utilization and enhanced oxygen utilization
• Cardiovascular system protection from reduced blood pressure and lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Support for body fat regulation
• Aid in improving brain function
• Anti-inflammatory properties to reduce post-workout soreness

• 8 cups water
• 1lb boneless chicken breast
• 1 large onion, cut into large pieces
• 2 bay leaves

• 3 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
• 3 large carrots, cut into large pieces
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• seasonings: 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 300g pasta (i used veggie spirals). this will suck up all the remaining liquid. serve once pasta is finished cooking.

without additional oil, this is a dish to be included in a larger dinner or a super low fat option (double the serving sizes). with the additional oils this dish could stand alone. might consider another vegetable. thinly sliced kale could be mixed in with pasta, for example.

makes eight 189 calorie servings (w/o additional oil):

• fat: 2g, 9%
• net carbs: 33g, 68%
• fiber: 1g
• protein: 11g, 23%

makes four 440 calorie servings (with additional oil):

• fat: 11g, 22%
• net carbs: 67, 58%
• fiber: 3g
• protein: 22g, 20%

bottomline: eat a balanced diet of 20-25% (good) fat, 60% (good) carbohydrate and 15-20% protein (depending on your activity levels, 15% for normal daily activity); expend more than you eat; and don't try to lose more than a pound a week.

since weight loss is about caloric deficits at the most fundamental level you need to consider a diet that will allow you to run caloric deficits while also maintaining energy levels. consider lower fat (but not less than 15% total calories) but don't just replace those fat calories with carbohydrate or protein.

endurance athletes need to consider the point in the season at which they're trying to lose weight; during the season it is very difficult. i usually let my weight loss come naturally at that point. the problem is that your body needs adequate nutrition to recover. start taking away calories and you really risk compromising your recovery and therefore your performance. one huge mistake riders make is trying to lose weight on the bike. don't hold back on eating on the bike (or run) for two reasons:

1. you will reduce the calories available to your body when it needs them most. your exercise intensity and therefore caloric burn will suffer and you will burn fewer calories.
2. you will likely be very hungry after your exercise session and be highly prone to overeating.

check out these articles to for tricks and tips. it gets redundant but you'll start to see how you can incorporate the ideas into your life and get good results. check the bottom for my top 5 tips, gleaned from the articles.

articles

Boost Your Metabolism

Weight Management Lifestyle Improves Health & Fitness - January 2006 (pdf)

What 24 "Helpful Hints" increase lean muscle mass and lose extra body fat weight?

my tips

1. eat often, for a variety of reasons. eat every three hours, just enough to be full and hungry again in three hours but not so much that you're overfull or not ready to eat in three hours
2. eat a good balance. don't cut out fat entirely and don't cut out carbs. focus on good fats and good carbs.
3. avoid sugars between meals! this changes your metabolism and can defeat your balanced diet
4. exercise more. exercise twice a day if you can. this elevates your metabolism for several hours post exercise. doing it twice a day keeps that metabolism high all the time.
5. don't cut down on calories during exercise but rather in other meals.
]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.163 2006-03-31T18:38:24Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
we all know that sleep is essential. who knew that nutrition had such an important role to play in sleep. these guidelines could be a bit difficult to follow strictly, but if you're having difficulty sleeping, try them out. Certain...
pleasure thatantonguy.com we all know that sleep is essential. who knew that nutrition had such an important role to play in sleep. these guidelines could be a bit difficult to follow strictly, but if you're having difficulty sleeping, try them out.

Certain foods may not only reverse the replenishing effects of a good night's sleep, but they may create an undesired loss of muscle mass gains. Any food high in the amino acid, tyrosine, or its derivative, tyramine, will trigger the release of norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, which induces an alert waking state. Tyrosine- and tyramine-rich foods to be avoided at the evening meal include cheeses, beer, wine, broad bean pods, chicken liver, sauerkraut, chocolate, bacon, ham, sausage, eggplant, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes.

]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.155 2006-03-25T06:13:28Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
pizza can be both easy and healthy. this recipe in fact, comes in so low in fat, i simply had to add a cheese. lots of options, so experiment. get a fresh pizza dough. i got mine from trader joe's....
pleasure thatantonguy.com pizza can be both easy and healthy. this recipe in fact, comes in so low in fat, i simply had to add a cheese. lots of options, so experiment.

get a fresh pizza dough. i got mine from trader joe's. whole foods has a good one too, but not hte one near my house. not sure about our local coop. top with:

• 3/4 C pasta sauce simmered with 1.5 Ts tomato paste (available in tubes rather than cans, how handy!) and minced garlic
• 3 slices of turkey bacon, minced and then cooked
• thinly sliced red onion (100g)
• thinly sliced red bell pepper (130g)

when the pizza is nearly done (about 10 minutes or so, according to the package), top with:


• a nice fist full of spinach, chopped (or you may prefer to have a spinach salad on the side)
• 50g (2oz) of goat cheese in small dollops (or wait and sprinkle some parmasean)
]]> makes three 438 calorie servings:
• fat: 10g, 20%
• net carbs: 78g, 61%
• fiber: 11g
• protein: 21g, 19%

variations: skip the bacon to lose 5g of protein and make it 17% and up the net carb calories to 64%; add vegetables by making a salad with more spinach;

other topping suggestions:

• sundried tomatoes (perhaps replacing the fat in the cheese)
• artichoke hearts (replacing the fat in the cheese)
• mushrooms (100g portabello or crimini has 3g protein and no fat, so a good replacement for the bacon)
• chopped kalamata olives (cheese replacement)
]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.154 2006-03-25T05:50:15Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
check out this turkey bacon as a great option to regular pig bacon. tastes good, low fat and stores well. peppered and regular. available at your local coop or corporate store....
pleasure thatantonguy.com check out this turkey bacon as a great option to regular pig bacon. tastes good, low fat and stores well. peppered and regular. available at your local coop or corporate store.
]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.153 2006-03-24T22:57:48Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
growing up, both my parents cooked tofu. we thought it was very strange and we hated it, although i'm not sure we ever actually ate it. now, i love it. tofu is great for the busy endurance athlete because it...
pleasure thatantonguy.com growing up, both my parents cooked tofu. we thought it was very strange and we hated it, although i'm not sure we ever actually ate it. now, i love it. tofu is great for the busy endurance athlete because it is cheap, keeps well (several weeks in the fridge) and packs a complete protein that meat sources don't.
]]> it isn't always a lean protein, per se, but the fats it packs are "good" fats, coming from soy beans.

on its own tofu is rather bland, which is probably why it get a bad rap. use it in flavorful dishes and it will pick up those flavors. you can also marinate it. the key to marinating tofu is to press the water out of it. it is essentially a sponge so after you do that, it will suck up any liquids you marinate it will. to press it i take the block and put it on a plate and invert another plate over it. find something good wide and heavy and set it on top for 20 or more minutes. drain the water and add your marinate. experiment with methods and let me know what you find.

some folks don't like the tofu texture so try the different kinds. they're all good for different things.

]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.151 2006-03-23T20:26:00Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
stirfries are a great way to get vegetables in your diet. easy to cook relatively inexpensive and oh so tasty. just about anything can go in a stir fry. can't really give a recipe for stir fry, but rather only...
pleasure thatantonguy.com stirfries are a great way to get vegetables in your diet. easy to cook relatively inexpensive and oh so tasty. just about anything can go in a stir fry.

can't really give a recipe for stir fry, but rather only suggestions.

]]> first off, use sesame oil or peanut oil. the high heat of stirfrying will burn most fats (which i guess causes them to become potentially carcinogenic). a wok (use coupon code C98835 for $10 off $75) works best but any big pan will work reasonably well for smaller amounts. cook over high med-heat and don't over cook your vegetables. the whole process should take less than 10-20 minutes. the key to this is to have everything chopped before hand and then to add them in the correct order. onions first, then garlic. broccoli next and then cabbage, snow peas, etc. the veggies should still be crisp. it can take a while to get the timing figured out.

consider rice, rice noodles, stir fry noodles or even sweet potatoes as your major carbohydrate source. stir fry noodles come prepackaged and ready to go. they can be a little on the fatty side, so pay attention. they're convenient though. i like plain old rice noodles as well. quick and easy to prepare.

chicken, pork, beef or tofu all work great as proteins but pay attention cause you can easily make a stif fry and get all your protein from the vegetables and noodles! it probably won't be complete but just be mindful over the next day or so to complete it. plug your vegetables into the recipe analysis at nutritiondata.com to see how it stacks up.

ingredient suggestions (comment with your own):

• cabbage
• broccoli
• waterchestnuts (from a can)
• baby corn (from a can)
• bamboo shoots (from a can)
• garbanzo beans
• black beans
• edamame
• carrots
• mushrooms (especially shitake, which you can find dried)

consider soy sauce and rice wine vinegar as flavorings in addition to the sesame oil. those make good marinades for your meat as well.

]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.146 2006-03-20T16:41:36Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
oh fat. maligned fat. fat isn't soooo bad for you. in fact, it's essential. fat is the primary energy source for most of your activities, so if you start eliminating it, your body will fight you. in fact your body...
pleasure thatantonguy.com oh fat. maligned fat.

fat isn't soooo bad for you. in fact, it's essential. fat is the primary energy source for most of your activities, so if you start eliminating it, your body will fight you. in fact your body will often defeat you and "hoard" fat and you'll not lose any fat weight although your calories are restricted. amazing evolution. the result will be lower levels of lean body mass resulting in lower performance levels and general unhealth.

]]> how much fat does one need? i think at a minimum, 15% of calories. as a maximum i've seen 20% (hammer nutrition) 25% (a dietician) and 30% (american heart association diet). i do not know how to know.

the problem with that is that per unit mass, it packs twice as many calories as carbohydrate and protein. but also, it is denser so per unit volume it is packing more mass and more calories. you see what i'm saying. one great way to make your recipes lower fat is to cook larger amounts. it takes about a half to one tablespoon of oil to saute any amount of onion. divide that between two servings and you're pressed to have any other fats. divide that among six or more and there's room.

fat sources

as far as fat sources, consider nuts and vegetables in favor of animal fats. this means use non-fat daries. for cooking, canola, olive and coconut oils (lots of medium chain fats, available at your local coop or corporate chain) are good choices. i typically bake with canola with little complaints. try it. egg yolks remain a mystery to me. i've read that some yolks are ok but not all the time. i've also seen that yolks should be avoided totally but i think the former is the better view. about half the protein of an egg is in the yolk (and i've heard that the yolks make the proteins more "bioavailable"). the yolk also contains all the vitamins, including choline, which is critical.

margarine will kill you. don't eat it.

omega

gotta get those omegas. i take fish oil supplements but ground flax is a great source as well. must be ground. you can buy it ground or you can do it with a coffee grinder. i use flax in my oatmeal. flax can be added to any baked item as well.

more reading:

hammer's fatty acid article

]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.145 2006-03-20T14:58:58Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
i'd always thought that i ate a good, well balanced diet. i was short on vegetables, but otherwise i was ok. but after a year of hard training and racing i didn't lose a whole lot of weight and i...
pleasure thatantonguy.com i'd always thought that i ate a good, well balanced diet. i was short on vegetables, but otherwise i was ok. but after a year of hard training and racing i didn't lose a whole lot of weight and i thought that was strange. so i decided to start quantifying what i was eating. balance is not the word to describe what i was eating. my instincts gave me far too much protein and also a bit too much fat. my carb intake as a percentage was then too low to spark the fire to burn that excessive fat and the extra protein was probably wreaking havoc on key systems.

so, i started researching and rebuilding my recipes. the results of that effort are here. the recipes focus on being easy for working athletes, balanced (according to what i have learned) and tasty.

since changing my diet my girlfriend and i have more energy and are losing moderate amounts of fat.

the entries are broken down into categories. start off by hitting up the basic information to get an idea of where this is all based. after that, look at some of the links i've provided. next, hit up the recipes. there's an excel spreadsheet that i use. download it and see if it helps you. if you have comments or improvements, feel free to leave them as comments.

enjoy!

disclaimer: before changing your diet or embarking on a weightloss program, it is recommended that you consult your physician.

]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.141 2006-03-16T20:34:44Z 2006-04-04T19:23:04Z
ah yeah, a pleasure cooking classic. quick, easy all from cans!
pleasure thatantonguy.com ah yeah, a pleasure cooking classic. quick, easy all from cans!
• in a large pot, heat 2 Ts oil of your choice
• chop a good sized onion and saute in oil for 10 or so minutes, until becoming soft and transparent
• add 250g 7% fat ground beef or ground turkey breast and stir around, browning
• add crushed or minced garlic, 1 Ts ground cumin and 1 Ts chilli powder
• after spices become fragrant, add 2 14 oz cans (drained) black or red kidney beans and 2 14 oz (or one 28 oz) cans of dice or stewed tomatoes
• mix it all up and let it simmer, salt to taste
• cook 2 cups rice
• mix it all up when its all done and eat, saving some for left overs
]]> makes six 467 calorie servings.
• fat: 8g, 16%
• net carbs: 85g, 64%
• fiber: 10g
• protein: 24g, 20%

leaves room for a little fat in the desert. gotta like that.

]]> tag:www.thatantonguy.com,2006:/cooking//3.138 2006-03-15T18:41:52Z 2006-04-04T19:23:05Z
man, i love cereal. fast and easy. my favorite. kashi nuggets: basically like grape nuts. good stuff. lots of whole grain goodness and all that. kashi go lean: packed with soy protein. only $2.50 at whole foods. 8 solid servings...
pleasure thatantonguy.com man, i love cereal. fast and easy. my favorite.

kashi nuggets: basically like grape nuts. good stuff. lots of whole grain goodness and all that.

kashi go lean: packed with soy protein. only $2.50 at whole foods. 8 solid servings for that price. ah yeah. throw a banana or some raisins in with milk and toast and you have a good solid breakfast. perfect for hotel rooms...

muesli: i have a recipe to make it at home at a fraction the cost (see the extended entry). basically an alternative to oatmeal. an acquired taste.

]]> kashi nuggets: 1/2 C kashi nuggets and 1/4 C nonfat milk, 222 calories, 6% fat, 78% net carbs, 16% protein (9g). add 1 english muffin, 1 banana and 1 Ts peanut butter: 493 calories, 18% fat, 65% net carbs, 16% protein (20g).

kashi go lean: 3/4 C kashi go lean, 1/3 C nonfat milk: 130 calories: 5% fat, 57% net carbs, 37% (12g) protein; add 1 english muffin, 2 bananas and 1 Ts peanut butter: 460 calories: 18% fat, 61% net carbs, 21% (24g) protein.

homemade muesli: 1.5 parts four or seven grain cereal (find it in your bulk foods section) 1 parts slivered almonds (toast them when you get home) and 1 parts date pieces. mix it up.

1 C with 1 C milk: 488 calories, 19% fat, 63% net carbs 18% (22g) protein. add 1 piece of toast with 1 egg white and one whole egg for 674 calories: 22% fat, 57% net carbs 21% (35g) protein.


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