QUESTION:
Tom, I recently purchased your Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
ebook, and I have to say it is hands down the best thing I
have ever read on the subject, and I have read a lot. Some
of the information I already knew, but your ebook was the
first thing I ever read that put everything together in one
place and really explained the reasoning behind why you are
supposed to do certain things in your diet to lose the fat.
My question / problem is that I understand how important it
is to eat small frequent meals six times a day to gain muscle
or to lose fat, but I just find it completely impossible
to do that. I am very busy, I work long days, usually 9-10
hours and sometimes more, and then I have a long commute on
top of that. I have no problem with eating the type of foods
you recommend or working out 3-4 times per week, but it just
doesn't seem possible to do 6 meals a day. Do you have any
suggestions, or am I just screwed?
Sincerely,
Kyle
Long Island, NY
ANSWER:
Before I answer your question about meal frequency, it would
help you a lot if you made an important distinction:
You are confusing "impossible" with "difficult"
Yes, it is difficult to eat six or even five times a day
But it's not impossible to eat five or six times a day
Likewise, we could also say,
Yes, it is difficult to get six pack abs
But it's not impossible to get six pack abs
Everything worth having in life is difficult. Almost everything
that is common or easy to obtain has very little value.
We get bombarded every day with fat loss and fitness messages
about how we can "easily get the bodies of our dreams without
effort... no diet... no exercise... just pop this pill or
do 5 minutes a day on this machine and you've got six pack abs."
Dream on!
If you begin with the premise that a great body is going to be
difficult to obtain, but not impossible (I prefer to say,
"challenging"), but that the REWARDS will be well worth it,
you'll be a lot more likely to conjure up the motivation to do
what it takes to get the job done. If you see a task as impossible
from the get-go, how do you think that will affect your motivation?
To further boost your motivation, it will help to understand
the rewards of frequent eating, as well as the consequences of
skipping meals. This sets up a powerful motivational
"propulsion system" in two directions.
what happens when you eat small frequent meals:
1. Your metabolic rate increases
2. Your energy levels increase
3. You store less body fat due to smaller portions
4. You experience less hunger and fewer cravings
5. Your blood sugar and insulin levels stabilize
6. Your obtain more calories usable for muscle growth
7. You absorb and utlize nutrients more efficiently
What happens when you skip meals
1. your metabolism slows down
2. your body goes into starvation mode
3. You burn up your own muscle for energy
4. your blood sugar crashes and your energy takes a nose dive
Having said all this, there ARE some ways to simplify your
daily menu planning and make it a little easier to incorporate
small, frequent meals into your lifestyle. Here are 5 of them
1) Start with five small meals a day.
Although six (small) meals a day is ideal for bodybuilders,
physique athletes (fitness, figure), weight gain programs and
larger and or highly active people (especially men, who have
higher calorie requirements), five meals a day works very well
for most people. (so don't worry about trying to force yourself
to squeeze in six)
Also, you probably eat three meals a day anyway (breakfast, lunch
and dinner), right? So what we're talking about here is how to
squeeze in a small meal or a "snack" midmorning between
breakfast and lunch and mid afternoon between lunch and dinner.
Instead of thinking about the "monumental chore" of eating six
times a day, you should just ask yourself how you can squeeze in
those TWO extra meals a day (and you won't be so overwhelmed).
2) Start with between-meal snacks rather than five full meals.
One way to begin getting accustomed to the habit of eating frequently
is to start with snacks, not full "meals." Most people snack anyway,
right? Unfortunately it's usually the wrong foods: It's candy or
chips from a vending machine at work, convenience store/gas station
munchies, doughnuts or pastries from the coffee shop, or high calorie
drinks like soda.
The solution is to bring portable snack foods with you wherever
you go or keep them in your home and workplace. Fruit is ideal.
Raw veggies are great as well (carrots, cauliflower, celery, broccoli
and so on). Seeds and nuts like almonds and walnuts are excellent
snacks while providing the healthy fats we all need. Cottage cheese
and yogurt also make great snacks (preferebly the low fat variety,
so that you keep your calories in check).
Although it's ideal to eat 5-6 small meals, each containing a serving
of lean protein, the "three meals + snacks" approach is a good way
to start developing the frequent eating habit. Later, you can upgrade
your program and replace the little snacks with full meals.
3) Use meal replacement supplements or protein shakes
Some people have read my books and articles and gotten the
impression that I am "anti-supplement." I'm not against supplements,
I simply believe that whole foods are better and should be your
first choice and primary source of calories. However, in some situations,
meal replacement products used in moderation can be extremely helpful.
Instead of eating five whole food meals, you could simply eat four
whole food meals and drink one meal replacement shake, or three
whole food meals and two meal replacement shakes.
I suspect some people may not know what I'm talking about when I
say "meal replacement." I'm definitely not talking about sugar
filled junk like "slim fast." The "meal replacement products" i'm
referring to have litte or no refined sugars, are very high
in protein and moderate or low in carbs: Examples of brand
names include MET-RX, Myoplex, Labrada Lean Body, AST's
Nytro-Pro 40, Meso tech and too many more to mention.
These products generally come in packets which you simply tear
open, pour into a cup or shaker bottle, add water, and mix.
You don't even need a blender. It's the ultimate in convenience
and takes all of a few minutes to "eat" (drink) your meal.
Protein bars are also an option, although they are a distant
second to the meal replacement products because generally,
the bars contain a lot more junk ingredients. Read the labels
carefully if you choose meal replacement bars / protein bars
Keep in mind, supplements are not magic. they Do NOT burn off fat
or build muscle any more than food burns off fat and builds muscle.
I always laugh when someone asks me if a certain brand of protein
powder or meal replacement shake "works." I answer, "does
chicken breast "work?"
It would help if you simply think of protein powders and meal
replacements as "powdered food." Use these products for convenience
and use them only to supplement your food intake, not to replace it
or to provide some kind of "magical" boost to your fat loss or muscle
building efforts.
4) Plan your daily menus on paper, (including an assigned time to
eat each meal), then cook in advance every morning for the entire
day. Pack it all up in plastic containers ("Tupperware") and bring
food with you wherever you go.
Lack of planning is the cause of nearly all failures. Stamp
that phrase on your forehead!
If you simply walk out the door with no menu plan for the day and
no food prepared for the day, then how could you possibly expect
to eat in a way that is conducive to gaining muscle and losing fat?
Most likely you will end up missing meals or grabbing at whatever
happens to be available including fast food.
5) Learn how to cook "portable foods."
I have to admit I'm a complete moron in the kitchen. The other
day, someone asked me if I could cook, and I said, "sure, I make
great toast."
But seriously, although I am "culinarily challenged," I have managed
to learn how to make one thing:
When I need food that is portable and that I can just "munch on"
anywhere, anytime - car, airplane, in class, wherever - my favorite
is the "oatmeal pancake." (it's not just for breakfast). Try this:
High protein Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup Quaker quick oats (or old-fashioned oatmeal)
5 egg whites
2/3 med apple, diced
dash cinnamon
dash of Stevia, maple syrup, or honey (optional, if you use them)
Directions:
Put all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Stir until
the mixture has a thick, pankcake-batter consistency. Spray
Pam non-stick spray on a frying pan. Pour the mixture into
the pan. When one side is lightly browned and solid enough
to flip, turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook the
other side until lightly browned and firm. For higher
protein diets, add one scoop of vanilla protein powder
Wrap up your pancake in foil and take it to go, put it in
the fridge to eat later, or eat it hot! Oatmeal pancakes
will stay fresh all day long without refrigeration (great
"portable travel meal")
Yes, it's difficult to eat 5 or 6 times a day, but it's
not impossible, and it's simply a part of the price you
pay for a great body. however, with these tips I've given
you, it can become easier than you think. And besides, if
you think it's difficult to be healthy and fit, try being
fat and sick for a while!