NUTRITION
PHOTO CREDIT : PIXABAY . COM month one we have discovered your total daily calorie target . This total calorie intake is made up of your protein intake , fat intake and carbohydrate intake . Month two we established a target for your protein intake . Now this month , with the information above , you can now decide on your total fat intake , remembering there are 9kcal per gram of fat .
For example ; If you discovered in month one that you required 2000kcal , then the normal guidelines of 15-30 % of total calorie intake would look like this : 15 % option 2000 x 0.15 = 300 calories . 300 / 9 = 33 grams up to 30 % option 2000 x 0.30 = 600 calories . 600 / 9 = 67 grams
So , a range between 33 grams and 67grams should satisfy all of the functions required in the body so long as the figure doesn ’ t fall below 0.5 gram of fat per kg of bodyweight .
At this stage , you do not even need to know your carbohydrate intake as
reaching your total daily calories and hitting both your protein intake and fat intake would mean the calories from carbohydrates would fill in what is left .
Adherence is key when it comes to the success of any diet and something which I find myself talking about more than anything when asked questions on nutrition . With that in mind , it is up to you to choose the approach which best suits your lifestyle , food preferences and activity types .
You may find that your initial value is too low and you are struggling with food choices . If that is the case then of course you can then raise your intake . However , it is important to note that in doing this , one of the other macronutrients will have to lower in order to still remain at your total daily calories ( remember the diet cake , calorie balance is the most important aspect ). The likelihood is that carbohydrates will need to be lowered to make room for the added calories from fat . Essentially at this stage you are playing a balancing act between fat and carbohydrates , if one goes up , the other must come down .
I thought I would insert a few of the more common questions I get asked regarding fat intake
Does eating fat make you fat ? NO if you are in a calorie deficit .
Do I have to have the same amount every day ? NO – you can alter your amounts based on food preference as long as you make adjustments elsewhere to ensure you hit your calorie target
Should I cook with olive oil ? Ideally NO , it has a much higher smoke point and potential for rancidity than other sources such as coconut oil or sunflower oil . A better use would be used cold as a dressing or drizzled over foods . Is a low-fat diet best for fat loss ? IT DEPENDS – considerations include adherence ( what you can stick to ), your palate and your lifestyle . Both
100 MUSCLE & FITNESS / APRIL 2018