Lose that Last 5kg of Fat In 5 Steps

STEP 1 CALCULATE YO UR CALO RIES

When it comes to calories, Aragon has a simple rule: Eat for your target body weight. Lets say you weigh 85kg but would like to tip the scales at 75kg. Youll adopt the calorie intake of a 75kg man. The formula First, obtain your imperial target body weight (in pounds) by multiplying your metric body weight (in kilograms) by 2.2. If you perform 1 hour or less of exercise a week, multiply your target body weight by 10. Thats how many calories you should consume daily. However, if you work out more than that, add 1 to the multiplier for every additional hour you train. So if your target body weight is 155 pounds (70kg) and you exercise for 3 hours a week, youd multiply 155 by 12 giving you a target of 1,860 calories a day. You can divide those calories into however many meals you want 3, 4, 5 or 6 as long as you dont eat beyond your daily limit. STEP 2 EAT BY THE NUMBERS PROTEIN You probably dont need to be sold on the virtues of protein, since its the raw material for muscle growth. But it also helps extinguish your appetite and aids in fat loss. The formula Eat 1g for every pound of your target body weight. If you want to weigh 155 pounds, youll eat 155g of protein. A gram of protein is about 4 calories. So to calculate the calories youll be eating from protein, multiply the number of grams by 4. In this case, it s 620 calories. FAT For years, this nutrient was considered a dietary demon. However, recent studies clearly show that its not fat that inflates your belly, but too many calories, period. And, it turns out, fat may actually keep you from overeating because it makes you feel full. The end result: You stop eating sooner and stay satisfied longer. The formula Eat half a gram for every pound of your target body weight. If your goal is to weigh 155 pounds, thatd be 77.5g. And since 1g of fat has about 9 calories, thats 697.5 calories from fat. This will be about 40 per cent of your total calories. CARBOHYDRATES Carb-containing foods not only taste good but can also be rich in vitamins and minerals. So you don t need to eliminate them altogether; you just need to make sure you dont eat them in excess. And consuming the right amounts of protein and fat will make that goal far easier, since both keep hunger at bay. Thats one key reason Aragon places a greater priority on protein and fat and leaves the remainder o f your calories for carbs. The formula Add your calories from protein and fat, and subtract that total from your allotted daily calories. Using the 155-pound example, that leaves you with 542.5 calories. This is the amount of calories you can eat from carbs. Just like protein, carbs provide about 4 calories per gram so divide your carb calories by 4 to determine how many grams of carbs you can eat. In this case, its about 135g. STEP 3 CREATE YOUR MENU Build your diet around whole foods those youd find in nature. You should choose mainly meat, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, plus grain products that are made with 100 per cent wholewheat flour. Note that typical junk foods candy, baked goods and sugary drinks dont make the list. Use the food options below as a guide for designing your diet. Mix and match the foods in any way you like while following the calorie, protein, fat and carb guidelines for your target body weight. The nutrition numbers listed dont provide exact amounts of calories and other nutrients, but these ballpark averages allow you to eyeball your intake. You can also analyse your daily diet for free at www.sparkpeople.com. STEP 4 DIAL IN YOUR DIET Follow these rules to make your eating plan even more effective. 1 Consume at least 2 servings of vegetables a day. Vegetables are low in calories and high in belly-filling fibre. 2 Eat at least 2 servings of fruit a day. Fruit provides your muscles with plenty of carbs for energy but has less impact on your blood sugar than grains and other high-starch foods do. This is important because it can help you avoid the cravings and binges that occur when your blood sugar rises quickly and then crashes. Ideally, the majority of your carbs will come from fruits and vegetables. So limit yourself to just 2 daily servings of grains, beans, and high-starch vegetables, and consume the rest of your carbs from produce. 3 On the days you work out, eat 1 hour before you exercise and again within 60 minutes after your last rep. For both meals, aim for 0.25g per pound of your target body weight in protein and carbs. So if your goal is to be 155 pounds, youd eat 39g of each nutrient. This provides your muscles with a healthy dose of nutrients for fuelling your workout and for upgrading your muscles after you re done. Keep in mind that your total protein and carb intake for the day doesnt change; youre just eating strategically for better results. Options are...

A pre-formulated shake that has a mix of protein and carbs. Try Dymatize Nutrition Mega Shake ($105 for 2.3kg from www.nutrifirst.net). Add fruit if it requires more carbs. A shake thats almost entirely protein such as Optimum Nutrition W hey ($85 for 2.3kg from www.nutrifirst.net) along with cup of oatmeal and a piece o f fruit. A tuna-salad or turkey sandwich.

STEP 5 FORGET ABOUT THE DETAILS One meal a week, go ahead and splurge. T heres always room for junk food, as long as its a minority of your intake, says Aragon.

The Simple 5-S tep Diet Plan