One reason I have become a Beachbody Coach is because not only do they produce GREAT workout programs, but because they are also concerned with nutrition as well. Programs like P90X and Insanity come with a suggested eating plan.
When I first read the nutrition plan with P90X my first thought was WOW, this is a lot of food (and you will burn it doing these workouts!). Each of the three phases has an eating plan attached to each, with different protein/fat/carb emphasis as you get more and more fit. Additionally, if you enroll in as a club member at Team Beachbody site, accessible through www.beachbodycoach.com/StJohnsPriest you have access to meal planning as well.
So what diet is best for you? Take this advice from a guy who has tried many diet plans - the best plan is....(drum roll please)...the one that has good nutrition (sorry, the twinkie diet is out) and the one you can stick with!!! Whether that is the eating plan included with the Beachbody products, weight watchers (My wife knocked off some stubborn last few pounds with this), Nutrisystem (my brother and his wife knocked off a few pounds with this and learned portion control), or even the Paleo eating plan (you will have to google this one for yourself), not all plans work as well for, or appeal to all dieters.
So let me tell you what I can't be, and what I prefer....
Sorry - I can't be a vegetarian. Not that I don't eat vegetarian meals - I had a great black bean dish this evening for dinner. I understand there are some do it for health, others for moral reasons. God bless them all. But I have to have meat. I am an "O" blood type (for more on this "Eating right 4 your type" www.dadamo.com ).
I have found that eating "Lower Carb" works best for me. Okay - brace yourself - but I like Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. His research and writing were ridiculed in his lifetime, but even now groups like Weight Watchers and the Food Pyramid types have moved away from complete "Fat Free/High Carb" model so popular in the 1970's and 1980's and onwards. Their programs have become lower carb, allowing for some fats, and mimic Dr. Atkins research.
A few years ago, when Low Carb became all the rage, many people claimed to be doing Low Carb without having ever read Dr. Atkin's book (or the South Beach Diet materials). They either ate nothing but meat and fat (not a Low Carb diet), or adopted all sorts of eliminations and additions. Worse yet the food industry jumped on the bandwagon and started labeling things not so low carb as low carb and even worse, put out all sorts of "Frankenfoods" (created in a laboratory) that looked/tasted sort of like a low carb dish but didn't change the poor habits of the eater.
Low Carb, in a nutshell, is to lower carbs by cutting way back on (or eliminating) starches, while getting calories from meat and vegetables (which do contain carbs), and a smaller amount of fruits (can be higher carb). Like most "way of eating"( WOE), at the beginning you want to break habits and addictions (and lot of folks are addicted to refined flour and sugar). Plus the lack of starches forces your body to burn stored fat for energy (which is what your body fat is for...fuel storage). The science of all this is available in Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. Then, as time goes on and you approach weight and fitness goals, you slowly re-introduce whole grains into your diet, being mindful of addiction or reversal of weight loss.
So whether it is Low Carb (Dr. Atkins. South Beach), Weight Watchers, Pre-packaged systems, or a guided specific system like those in the Beachbody programs, please do THREE important things
1) Actually read the materials so you are actually doing the eating plan, not just making it up as you go along. This is usually what got us into this lack of shape to start with.
2) Don't claim "Program Failure" if it is really "User Failure" - ie...you didn't really follow the plan, gave up, or cheated your way out of it. Stick with it!
3) Plan your meals and cut way back or eliminate eating out (too much temptation/too large portion size/cost) Instead pack and bring healthy lunches to work/school and eat dinner at home with family (and don't forget breakfast - most important meal of the day.
More thoughts on eating right as we go along.
