High Protein Low Carb Diet
In five weeks, I have reduced my body weight by 40 pounds and my body fat percentage to 15%. This was accomplished by following a high protein low carb diet. This type of diet excels in developing lean muscle while slowly eliminating fat reservoirs in the stomach and thigh areas. However, this type of diet is best utilized with a stringent exercise plan including at least 20 minutes of intense cardiovascular activities per day.
The high protein low carb diet works on two basic principles that are often overlooked. First is meal distribution. Meal distribution refers to the number of meals you eat per day and at what time in the day these meals are consumed. Meal distribution is extremely important as the high protein low carb diet works by increasing your natural rate of metabolism, which is why this diet will keep the weight off even after it is stopped.
I typically follow a 6 meal distribution. The cycle begins at 8:00 am and another meal is eaten every two and a half hours afterwards with the last meal at 8:30 pm. Never eat within two hours of going to bed, this will slow down your metabolism at night and greatly hinder your ability to lose weight and put on muscle.
The second most important aspect of a high protein low carb diet is meal scaling. Meal scaling refers to the amount of carbohydrates consumed at different times. The two types of meal scaling are day based and schedule based. Schedule based meal scaling should revolve around a repeating schedule. My schedule consists of a 3 day routine repeating over a five week time period. The first day of the routine is when you consume the most carbohydrates, I adhere to 150g on this day. The next day each decrease your carbohydrate intake by 1/3 of the number of carbohydrates consumed on the first day. Therefore, a typical schedule consists of; 1st day: 150g carbs, 2nd day: 100g carbs, 3rd day: 50g carbs. This cycle should be repeated until the desired weight is reached or for a predetermined amount of time. I typically focus on a five week routine.
Day based meal scaling refers to the number of carbs ingested during each of the six meals during the day. This is done by dividing the number of grams of carbs alotted for that day by fifteen. This number is your base portion. The first meal of the day should be 4x the base portion, the second and third should be 3x the base portion, the fourth and fifth should be 2x the base portion, and the last meal should be 1x the base portion. By adhering to scaling, the metabolism is trained to metabolize higher in the morning, producing energy and releasing fat reservoirs later in the day. This will maximize your fat loss. As for the protein intake.
I usually follow a portion of 1.5g of protein for every pound of your desired weight. For instance, if your target weight is 160 pounds, every day you would consume 240g of protein. In addition to the high protein low carb restrictions of this diet, it is also recommended to drink 2 gallons of water a day. This trains your body not to retain water, giving your body a more “cut” look. In addition, by not consuming salts, this effect is even more increased.
The final key to this type of diet is for quick losses. By avoiding fruits and dairy products, fat loss is achieved quicker. This is because these types of products contain simple sugars and fats that are easily converted to fat cells in your body. Instead, complex sugars, such as those found in rice and potatoes should be consumed instead. This diet is not for the uncommitted, but will definitely increase you ability to reach your target weight and body fat percentage if you follow it stringently.