There was a time when I could eat anything and everything on the table or in the fridge without a worry of adding a pound. One of the reasons why I started to work out, was so that I could never feel guilty about indulging in tasty food. I ate everything in moderation and didn’t pay attention to the types of food I was eating and how they were affecting me. I was content with that, because my workouts were intense and I stayed in shape. But I didn’t have big shoulders like that werewolf kid in Twilight or shredded obliques and v-shape of lower abs like Bratt Pitt in Troy. But I was strong. My endurance was excellent and every time I’d hit the gym, I’d be getting faster and stronger. Clothed, I had a great body silhouette. Take the shirt off and you could see a nice layer of hibernating fat.
20-30% of my fitness success was covered by the workouts alone, 70-80% was neglected. That was my diet. Through my studies and fitness training I knew well enough that 70-80% of your fitness results depend on your diet. Although I preached it to my clients, but I never practiced it myself. I have enough training and background to understand the impact nutrition has on one’s health and fitness. But as the old saying, the shoemaker’s kids always go barefoot. I neglected to take my own advice and failed to apply my expertise to my personal health.
Recently, however, I was prompted to change my ways for a number of reasons. First, my wife has our baby due in mid-Fall, and I couldn’t be any more excited and happier. And for some reason I am very motivated to cut my BF% by a third, at least. Second, I saw a very unflattering picture of myself. I thought I was in a decent shape, even with 16% BF but I was embarrassed with by the emergence of the spare tire. Lastly, one of the fellow trainers at the Studio Fitness recommended I check a book called Eat Right for Your Type, after I asked about how he got ripped. In ‘Eat Right for Your Type,’ author Dr. Peter D’Adamo argues that everyone should eat foods based on their blood type. This perfect storm, a triple threat if you will, sparked my motivation
So, here’s where I’m at right now.
I cleaned up my diet and eat only foods recommended by Dr. Peter D’Adamo. I use the text as guide to help design my nutritional needs, as my nutrition plan is also based on a few other texts that have contributed to my knowledge. These include: Good Calories, Bad Calories, Why We Get Fat, Wheat Belly, Hormone Diet, Nutrient Timing, GI Diet and The Primal Blueprint.
I’ve eliminated all wheat products, grains, sugars, starchy vegetables and alcohol. Even removed coffee. But my nutrient caloric ratios are still off, as I am consuming a lot more fresh fruit which contributes to higher carb and sugar content. But for the most part, my meals consist of all kinds of meat, fish, dark greens and nuts.
This is just a start, but the results are favorable. I’m lighter, BF% dropped, no more bloating, have more energy and sleep better. Most of these things started happening within days and it just keeps on getting better. This just shows how much of an impact a good diet can have on your body.