Nutrition basic intro and training
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Basic: Basic nutrition comes down to calories in and calories out, the basic law of thermodynamics is always true, energy cannot be created or destroyed, if u want to gain weight eat more calories than your body burns in a given day by any amount over a period of time (Calorie Surplus), and to lose weight eat in a {Calorie Deficit} and your body will lose weight based off being given less nutrients in a given day then it needs for daily function, this may sound grim on a deep level but it is pretty sim[ple, not easy but simple in concept and the body is unique and very adaptable, now the difference between losing and gaining “weight” and gaining muscle or losing fat or water is the training stimulus, which is weight training.
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Now depending on how serious your goals or career aspirations are, then the manner u train in would have to change. I can specifically speak for general weight training and Natural bodybuilding concepts here, but there are many ways to stimulate muscle growth or hypertrophy or stimulus in general for any sport performance.
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As u train the muscle in a gaining weight Context u will gain muscle as u eat and fuel the training, as u workout muscle breaks down and is rebuilt with proper nutrition, sleep, and hydration
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Now in a dieting context u stimulate the muscle to RETAIN muscle only, as your body is starved for nutrients it is hard to gain, only preserve muscle, as u are once again in a state of controlled starvation {which will get worse as the leaner you are and the seriousness of your dieting IE for a show or contest etc.} The only way this will differ is if u are
1.) new to training and weights all together as ur body can both build muscle and lose fat for a period of time due to a new stimulus being introduced to the body
2.) A injury has healed or u are coming back to training for a period of time, this is because as u dont train muscle (which is comprised of mostly water) the muscle will shrink and so if after and injury or prolonged period of break from training, u will be able to both build muscle and gain fat as your body is readjusting to the stimulus again and our bodies also have muscle memory, if u build muscle naturally and then stop weight training, your body is expanded and saves that memory in your body, so as it may have taken u 5 years for example to grow a specific muscle group, on return to the gym after this prolonged absence for whatever reason, u will be able to rebuild muscle then it previously took u to build it in the first place, for example 5 years of training to build said muscle and then a few months considering on your circumstances to regain that muscle back again, considering u are eating the proper nutrition (calories) again.
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For every other case, u will have to eat in a calorie surplus over time to gain weight (fat, water, and muscle) and with added training stimulus u will add more muscle, nut iu cannot ever exclude the gain of fat and water with also muscle, now as that would be cool, it is not possible, no matter how slight the calorie surplus is, u will always need to gain some ratio of fat, water ,and muscle. All u can do is try to make it a 1 to 1 ratio of gained fat and water on any sort of “bulk” or calorie surplus, no matter how small or large that surplus may be
How to train with weights and stimulate growth
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Once again it is simple but not easy, takes a while to take a long time to build proper muscle and reveal it as well on a “cut” but let's talk training stimulus to grow first, some believe u can “main-gain” or “lean Bulk” but after a period of time, energy cannot be created or destroyed as we discussed earlier, so by scientific laws of nature and matter, u need to have some surplus of calories for muscle growth, especially if you are not new to training, this could be a 50 calorie surplus or 300 starting, regardless u need A surplus of calories in general to create new tissue, if u have no extra fat to use as energy, u 100% need extra calories
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Now that we sorted that basic law out, now u can train in whatever style u like personally as long as u are getting stronger over time and gaining weight over time, if u prefer a strict old school bodybuilding training like arnold, mike mentzer, frank zane, to more modern such as ronnie coleman, kevion levrone, or current bodybuilders such as chris bumstead, ramon dino etc, u need to realize take these styles with a grain of salt, most bodybuilders, especially today are openly or hiddenly Un-natural even in the men's physique or womans divisions like “bikini”, the basics still apply nonetheless, train minimum 2 days per week with a basic program, train with intent and intensely, the programs may vary and nutrition will vary based off how many days u train, how intense, and how many rest/recovery days u chose to take. Still remain in a surplus of calories as a weekly whole as needed for growth.
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I will explain a basic split that almost everyone can do, 4 day upper lower split is very easy as u can mess around and have 4 days of week with 3 days to relax/recover, or if u have a busy schedule, take more focus on your other aspects of life like children, marriage, job/career/business etc.
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In a 4 day split, for example of this paper only not my personal recommendation, u can mix up the body parts clear as day, 2 days for upper and 2 for lower body or mix it up, train shoulders one leg/lower day and arms the other leg/lower day, or stick to the name as strictly upper 2 days, lower another, u can also mix match such as, {Upper, Lower, Arms, Upper again} or however u want to make that a combination of 4 days
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What i recommend is to train each muscle on your body with a variety of compound and isolation movements to strengthen the ligaments, joints, and each muscle group individually and as a collective unit (I will go into further detail as to why nut for right now i’ll leave it at that) Train the muscles with frequency and intensity toi grow, this means pushing yourself more than just to mild discomfort, the longer u have been training the more u will actually have to put effort into each muscles growth.
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Train each muscle feeling a squeeze, stretch to some extent and also a pump, I think all are equally important for muscle growth, strength, and hypertrophy, to grow/become stronger {As strength and size are usually correlated and one comes with the other to some extent inevitably} but to also strengthen the joint and ligaments. This is because to keep from having any injuries strong joints, ligaments and also muscles of course all protect each other as u lift heavier weights your ligaments and joints will taker a hit if not also strengthened through proper training, of course i dont think a super slow stretch and super light weight is always more efficient then heavy weight for your own strength at that current time, but sometimes making sure your stretch and form being proper is very good for preventing injury as well as lagging muscle groups.
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Now this is a more advanced tip so u can skip this for now if u are a beginner but i would recommend u dont for future purposes, but for intermediate and especially advanced lifters, {im sure most advanced lifters would know by now}, if u have improper form on certain lifts or train overly sloppy u may create future imbalances or injuries such as shoulder pain for example if u hunch forward and don't retract your scapula before u bench and many other examples, I would recommend u record yourself and see how your form looks, and adjust as needed.
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On a cut just to reiterate just try to maintain your muscle and train as heavy as u a can with proper form as in a cut your goal is to MAINTAIN as much muscle as u can, not BUILD.
Dieting Specific Information/nutrition
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Now for diet specific information alot of this will be somewhat repetitive with deep breakdowns, i want this to be as clear cut as possible so u dont need to do hours of research after reading this, like as a beginner I had to with all the info i got, so as a basic diet for cutting and bulking I would always recommend
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1 gram of protein per Lb of lean body mass or goal body weight on AVERAGE, u can eat under or above, there are many debated on the proper amount, i'd say the only way to eat too much protein is of course if your stomach can't digest it fast enough, (for example a 125 lb woman eating 250 grams of protein a day might be too much), but i've eaten 200+ grams personally everyday since i was 135Lbs, Now for proper proteins- Red meat, chicken, turkey, eggs (obviously if cutting eat the leaner meets or eat egg whites more than whole eggs for specifically protein, the nutrients in the fats are good but all depends on your goals at that time), yogurt, cheese, protein bars and powders are a good supplement but i would eat mostly whole foods for proper aminos
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Fats are pretty simple to eat when they are clean, i’d recommend 0.6 grams per Lb of lean or goal body weight for fat minimum, if u dont eat enough fats u will crash your hormones as a NATURAL athlete and feel terrible, I would recommend natural oils like olive oil, eggs, milk, butter, beef tallow, Nuts and seeds, peanut/nut butters, avocado, etc, go easy on eating fats if u don't weigh your food as fats have more calories per gram than carbs,protein, or liquor, Fat is 9 calories per gram, Alcohol is 7 calories per gram, and carbs and protein and 4 calories per gram
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Carbs are now the hardest to regulate in food and drink, first id say no sugary drinks i consume personally, Cane sugar is terrible especially in the amounts its used in foods and drinks, for foods i'd say fruit, rice, vegetables, potatoes, whole breads like sourdough, honey, organic maple syrup, milk, pasta, carbs are highly palatable but as u eat whole food carbohydrates u will feel less of an urge to overeat them.
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The last nutrient that has calories is of course alcohol, liquor such as whiskey, vodka, tequila, have a 7 calories per gram calorie count and of course are a diuretic and a poison to the body, when paired with a sugary drink is very dangerous but fun, we are all humans its ok to have fun but just weigh it to your progress, i recommend drinking alcohol straight to save calories but also weigh your risk to reward ratio.
How to cut
-To cut or to reduce body fat simply eat in a calorie deficit, train with weights to preserve Muscle, If u want to be skinny and thats your body type or best for your sport u can just eat in a calorie deficit and do cardio, Cardio is for the heart and to burn extra calories but cardio will not replace diet ever, the nutrition is the foundation for health, longevity, and fuel, food is fuel, water is fuel, black coffee's for caffeine etc, supplements are extra and i use and am not against powders or extra supplements but nothing will replace the core NUTRITION
How to bulk
-To bulk or gain muscle with fat, which is a given over time, u need to eat in a calorie surplus, now u can not lift but of course lifting weights at least 2 times a week will be fantastic and best way for muscle growth, not only way, but most efficient way, whether it's bodybuilding, powerlifting, general weight training, or sports weight training, weights are the best way to grow muscle, IF the NUTRITION is there, u can increase calories by 200 calories a day and wait a week or 2, see how much weight u gain, and if it's more than 1.5Lbs a week MAXIMUM id recommend, if u hit a plateau up it again, see a week if u gain weight too fast or too slow adjust as needed up or down, if u eat 3k calories a day, eat 3,200 a week for example see how your body, looks, performs, and reacts
-Most bulks take time especially to build quality muscle, but cutting the fat is way quicker, especially the more muscle you build after each bulk, u will be able to eat more calories and hence your cut will be less brutal and u will be able to cut on higher calories, (except for competitions specifically they will usually be much deeper of deficits especially bodybuilding competitions)
Health Specific Information
-As I said earlier, health & calories are not always correlated. For example u can eat lots of cereal and sugary foods for carbs, get your protein in, and eat fats from all sources and if u are training hard u will get jacked or lean, because calories in and calories out is the key to weight loss or gain, but for health i could remble and will ramble on a different document specifically, but proper nutrition will be better for u LIVING LONGER because at the end of the day, looks come and go, at 70 u wont look like a peak 25 year old, but u can still look great and be lean and strong and healthy at that age and beyond if u take care of your health early, it's never too late but start NOW
-I would say limit alcohol, it is poison so limit it, we are humans tho and most people need some fun, its ok to have balance, in moderation especially if your goal is health, same with drugs, once again this is health related, so if u are in really bad health it may be good to weigh out what is more important, your life or certain foods and drinks
-Eat whole foods, avoid overly processed foods high in fats and/or sugar, which is most junk food like donuts, cookies, cake, chips, most store snacks, regular popcorn etc.
I would avoid many coffees with sugar, iced or sweet teas, any soda, sports drinks usually are filled with sugar, if u are not an extreme athlete u do need that many calories especially of sugar. I would also avoid sauces with full calories, 1 tablespoon can sometimes be the same as a whole salad which u are eating to be healthy, but if u are trying to lose weight and are eating something healthy and lather it with dressing or a soda u are eating excess calories still, cancelling out your healthy meal.
-Diet soda, diet teas, stevia for sugar, sugar free syrup and low calorie sauces, use them, they may not be great for health but if u are in a real bad situation of obesity or health, the artificial sweeteners and lower calories are without a doubt better than full calorie junk foods and drinks.
-Recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night, rest is needed for recovery and health. Most people have poor sleep or don't get enough sleep for a multitude of reasons.
-Same can be said for sunlight, now I do think sunlight is good, if you are a very busy individual and work indoors a lot I would say supplement with Vitamin D3, not a perfect fix but it will help.
-Supplements are just that supplements, not a re[placement for all other factors above, they are not NEEDED but some i recommend that we don't get enough in daily food consumption or life is Vitamin D3, B12, Zinc, Magnesium, Fish oil or Cod Liver oil, Creatine, Protein powders can be used for convenience of course, everything else I would say personally is hit or miss and u can try them but none are NEEDED.
The Mindset
-This part is gonna be really specific for the mind, the mindset to get into great shape especially if u are very obese, fat, anorexic, have bulimia or severe body dysmorphia it may be hard to fix and habits or get in shape unless u get in tune with your mind, what makes u tick, why do u do these bad habits, why do u over or under eat, where does it stem from, childhood, a breakup, maybe some form of PTSD, bullying whatever it is, u need to be honest with at least yourself and take accountability, u need to show up for yourself and believe u can and will achieve your goal, even if u have to lie, pretend, for some people it's gonna be lonely, that's what it takes for extreme change, if u have great friends and family who all wanna see u change rapidly great, most people don't, they are either alone, or have bad influences, or people who don't even care if they see u do better, in extremes some people may even be jealous, it doesn't matter, U need to fix what u want in YOUR life, so really think, why do i do the things I do?, how do i feel before and after?, during?, is it worth it, what's it gonna take for me to change or stop that habit or habits?, or start doing that thing U need to do
-These are all things i masked myself, at work, at school, i was with family and always thinking why am i doing this thing or that thing, the more u think, whether it's by choice or u just have this burning desire like some do and these questions and feelings flood your brain unless u take some sort of suppressant to stop it, ask yourself, WHY? Why am i doing this, do I want to live like this, always in uncertainty, always asking what if. This can go for any problem or thing you are running from in YOUR life. It has for me and will always continue to, but for fitness and health specifically, u need to think and be honest, because it sucks. It always will suck and you can either get used to it and adapt or always be afraid of even starting.
-U have to be a little delusional, u have to walk and emulate yourself as if u already have achieved your goal. Don’t be cocky but u need to put yourself in that mindset as if u have already achieved your goal so that time will catch up to U, and as u act as if the goal is already achieved, when u actually do achieve your goal, u will already be adapted and u will be carried to ur goal almost
-Self belief is the key, if you truly believe it or not, LIE to yourself, what do you have to lose, NOTHING. U are already losing, so if u emulate who u want to become u will see yourself naturally want to change your habits and actually become that person, if u think deeply, and when tough situations arrive you'll be able to be more rational and think deeper, Who Am I?
-This will help u in the future as u build up those tough decisions like going for that run, not drinking 7 drinks on saturday, hitting the gym even though u dont feel 100% if u did decide to drink the night before etc.
-These small wins will boost your self confidence and belief in Yourself, which is key. U only have to fake it until U DONT anymore, eventually you will become that person, and it may still feel pretend but guess what, once u have a catalog of prior decisions and action to back it up, U have arrived and are now that person and now it is REAL.