Calorie adjustment by goal (CAG part two)

This is the second part of step 4. I guess you’ve already decided what body type you are because you are going to need your decision today.

Below are several tables – three for each body type. What you will do is you will take the results from step 1 – 3 (REE, AF, EEPA), sum them together [(REE x AF) + EEPA] and hold on to the result because you will be using it here in this part of step 4. By now you have to have decided also what your goals is – lose excess fat, maintain body weight or gain lean muscle tissue.

If you are ectomorph use these three tables according to your goal:

4a. To Gain Lean Mass:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Add 60	Add 150	Add 240	Add 300
3,000-3,999	Add 80	Add 200	Add 320	Add 400
4,000-4,999	Add 100	Add 250	Add 400	Add 500
5,000-5,999	Add 120	Add 300	Add 480	Add 600

4b.To lose Excess Fat:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Less 500	Less 400	Less 300	Less 200
3,000-3,999	Less 850	Less 700	Less 450	Less 300
4,000-4,999	Less 1000	Less 800	Less 600	Less 400
5,000-5,999	Less 1425	Less 1200	Less 825	Less 700

4c. To maintain:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Less 300	Less 200	Less 100	Less 50
3,000-3,999	Less 450	Less 300	Less 150	Less 60
4,000-4,999	Less 600	Less 400	Less 200	Less 80
5,000-5,999	Less 750	Less 500	Less 250	Less 100

If are a mesomorph work with the following tables:

4a. To Gain Lean Mass:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Add 30	Add 95	Add 170	Add 230
3,000-3,999	Add 40	Add 130	Add 160	Add 235
4,000-4,999	Add 50	Add 165	Add 300	Add 410
5,000-5,999	Add 60	Add 200	Add 365	Add 500

4b.To lose Excess Fat:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Less 650	Less 525	Less 450	Less 325
3,000-3,999	Less 925	Less 800	Less 625	Less 450
4,000-4,999	Less 1250	Less 1025	Less 800	Less 575
5,000-5,999	Less 1425	Less 1200	Less 975	Less 700

4c. To maintain:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Less 450	Less 325	Less 200	Less 100
3,000-3,999	Less 625	Less 450	Less 275	Less 130
4,000-4,999	Less 900	Less 575	Less 350	Less 165
5,000-5,999	Less 975	Less 700	Less 425	Less 200

If you are an endomorph these are your tables:

4a. To Gain Lean Mass:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Add 0	Add 40	Add 100	Add 150
3,000-3,999	Add 40	Add 100	Add 160	Add 200
4,000-4,999	Add 50	Add 125	Add 200	Add 250
5,000-5,999	Add 60	Add 150	Add 240	Add 300

4b.To lose Excess Fat:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Less 650	Less 525	Less 450	Less 325
3,000-3,999	Less 925	Less 800	Less 625	Less 450
4,000-4,999	Less 1250	Less 1025	Less 800	Less 575
5,000-5,999	Less 1425	Less 1200	Less 825	Less 700

4c. To maintain:

	3 heavy days/week	4 heavy days/week	5 heavy days/week	6 heavy days/week
2,000-2,999	Less 450	Less 325	Less 200	Less 100
3,000-3,999	Less 625	Less 450	Less 275	Less 130
4,000-4,999	Less 900	Less 575	Less 350	Less 165
5,000-5,999	Less 975	Less 700	Less 425	Less 200

Here is how you work with this step. I will continue to use the numbers from the previous steps. We have:

(REE x AF) + EEPA = 2121 + 254 = 2375 Cal

Let's assume our person in the example is endomorph type and his/her goal is to lose excess body fat. He/she also works out 4 days a week. We will then look at the third set of tables, table 4b (To lose excess fat). And since the calories from the estimations so far are 2375 then we have to look at the first row - 2,000 - 2,999.

From here: [(REE x AF) + EEPA] - CAG = 2375 - 525 = 1850 Cal a day
This is the result from applying steps 1 through four.

Step 5 to follow...

Calorie adjustment by goal (CAG part one)

I know some of you have already seen this scheme for establishing the daily calorie needs in athletes (and with special application to natural bodybuilding athletes). From this step, however, this concept will seem somewhat different or at leas modified. I’ve done these adjustments based on my knowledge in nutrition.

Let’s continue.

First you will need to decide for yourself (if you haven’t done that yet) what body structure you possess. You have three basic choices: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph.

I am going to give you the definitions so you can make that decision:

Ectomorph: A quick metabolism and a slender body with little fat are hallmarks of an ectomorph. This body type has a lean frame, often with narrow hips, long legs, and a long neck. Some rail-thin ectomorphs have trouble gaining weight.

Fragile, thin, flat chest, delicate build, young appearance, tall, lightly muscled, stoop-shouldered, has trouble gaining weight, muscle growth takes longer.

Mesomorph: Muscular mesomorphs look like natural-born athletes, with wide shoulders, a narrow waist, and broad hips. The weight they gain tends to distribute itself evenly, and they lose fat and build muscle at a fast rate.

Athletic, hard, muscular body, overly mature appearance, rectangular shaped (hourglass shaped for women), thick skin, upright posture, gains or loses, weight easily, grows muscle quickly.

Endomorph: Endomorphs suffer from a slow metabolism. They put on pounds quickly, and they have to fight to keep weight off their heavy bones and sturdy frame. Without exercise, their body fat sticks around, even when they follow a healthy eating regimen.

Also soft body, flabby, underdeveloped muscles, round shaped, over-developed digestive system, trouble losing weight, generally gains muscle easily.

You ought to know, though that you can be somewhere in between. Ex. You can be a mesomorph – ectomorph type or mesomorph – endomorph type and that is normal. Not a whole lot of people can classify themselves as strictly one of the three main body types. Just for the purpose of the task pick one type that describes the closest your body structure and stick to it for now.

I will continue with "part two" of this topic really soon, so stick around..

Energy expenditure from physical activity (EEPA)

We arrived at the 3^rd step – Determining the Energy Expenditure during Physical Activity (EEPA).

The activities below are the actual activities you perform for sports and recreation and are NOT the activities, which we already described in the previous step (walking, watching TV, climbing stares, etc.) and are considered the AF (Activity Factor).

I haven’t come up myself with all the values in the table below. They are a part of the whole formula. The only one I added is the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) sprints/walking on inclined treadmill.

Please, note the values are in Calories per Kilogram per Hour. And this is what you need for the formula since you work with the metric system any way:

Activity Description| | Cal/kg/hour

Aerobic dance, low impact| 5.0

Aerobic dance, high impact| 7.0

Conditioning exercise, cycling, stationary, light effort| 5.5

Conditioning exercise, cycling, stationary, vigorous effort| 7.0

Circuit training, general||| 8.0

Running, 12 min/mile|||| 8.0

Running, 10 min/mile| 10.0

Running, 8.5 min/mile| 11.5

Running, 7.5 min/mile||| 13.5

Running, 6 min/mile|||| 16.0

Sports, basketball, game| 8.0

Sports, football, competitive| 9.0

Sports, golf, carrying clubs| 5.5

Sports, soccer, competitive|| 10.0

Sports, soccer, general|| 7.0

Sports, tennis, doubles||||| 6.0

Sports, tennis, singles| 8.0

Sports, volleyball, competitive, gymnasium||| 4.0

Weightlifting, powerlifting or bodybuilding, vigorous effort| 6.0

HIIT sprints/walking, inclined treadmill| 13.0

Moderate fitness machine training | 3.0

How to use Step 3:

From our example from steps 1 and 2 we have:

Athlete’s weight: appr. 58kg lean body mass.

Suppose he/she trains 3 times a week doing Moderate Fitness Machine Training (3.0 Cal per Kg per Hour) for 30min, and 5 times a week doing 20min HIIT sprints/walking on an inclined treadmill (13.0 Cal per Kg per Hour).

Here is what we do:

(58 x 3.0) / 2 = 174 Cal burned during the Moderate Fitness Machine Training workout for each of these three days.

Note: I divide by 2 because the value 3.0 is for the full hour and he/she trains only 30min so what we get in the parentheses we have to divide by 2 in order to see how much it is for a half the time

(58 x 13.0) / 3 = 251 Cal burned during the HIIT cardio for each of the five sessions in a week.

Note: I divide by 3 because (same as above) the person does only 20min HIIT cardio, which represents 1/3 of an hour.

Now, we have 3 days out of 7 with Machine Fitness Training and HIIT cardio; 2 more days with just HIIT cardio; and 2 days with no Physical Activity (PA).

3 x (174 + 251) + 2 x 251 = 1275 + 502 = 1777 Cal burned for the entire PA throughout the week.

Since we need the EEPA value for one day: 1777 / 7 = 254 Cal

EEPA = appr. 254 Cal/day

Easy so far?

I’m sure it is real easy but it is not post a comment with your question and I will answer shortly.

Stay around for step 4..

Activity Factor (AF)

This step is an easy one compared with the first step (REE). It is called Activity Factor (AF). It adds to the REE the calories you burn during daily activities like walking, climbing stares, working on the computer, driving your car and so on depending on what physical activity your daily routine includes.

AF however doesn’t take in consideration your workouts and cardio sessions at the gym. This will be the next step.

Fine. Here is what you need to determine the Activity Factor:

Activity Factor (AF): Very Light
Description: Sedentary - don't do anything, barely move, sit on the couch and watch TV, roll in bed...
Factor: 1.2

Activity Factor (AF): Light
Description: No planned activities - wandering at home
Factor: 1.4

Activity Factor (AF): Moderate
Description: Some light activities - walking, shopping, climbing stares, running after little brother/sister/kid...
Factor: 1.6

Activity Factor (AF): Heavy
Description: Heavy labor type of work
Factor: 2.0

Example:

Let’s take the daily calories for the REE from the previous step: 1515 Cal

If, other then going to the gym, your daily routine is mostly office work or you can afford to stay at home and browse on the Internet throughout the day, prepare and eat some meals and so forth then you will choose factor1.4.

1515 x 1.4 = 2121 Cal

With other words REE x AF = 2121 Cal. (First Step x Second Step)

This is it for now. We are ready to move on to the next 3^rd step (at least I am)… very soon;-)

Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)

Okay. Let’s find out how to determine the Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) also known as Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). I like to call it REE.

REE is the minimum number of calories you need to maintain normal, basic body functions. This doesn’t include exercise. This is the energy you need during the day and night just to survive.

To determine REE I like to use the revised Harris – Benedict Equation, which in my humble opinion provides the number that is the closest to the real thing. All right. Here is the moment for me to ask the authors of this formula to excuse my dare because I revised it even further.

I’ll explain. In order to use this equation you will need three things: your height, your age (so far so good), and your total body mass. Total body mass is a sum of your lean body mass and your fat tissue. But since the fat tissue doesn’t require energy (it’s an energy itself) why feed it? So, instead of using total body mass in the formula I use lean body mass.

But how do you know your lean body mass? First, you need to find out what your body fat percentage is. You can do this in three ways: You can go and get calipers or body fat analyzer and use them to determine that value; If this is not an option then you can stop by your local gym and politely ask a trainer to help you with that. Most likely he/she will; Or you can use the table below. It’s not very precise since it’s based on your own perception of your body shape (and you are biased;-). But any way, feel free to use it:

Male; Female

Very lean
6; 12

Lean
10; 16

Normal
15; 22

Above average
20; 27

Overweight
25; 32

Now that you know (?) your body fat percentage you use this equation:

Total Body Mass – Total Body Fat = Lean Body Mass

Total Body Fat = Total Body Mass x Body Fat Percentage (as a decimal value)

Example: Let’s say you weigh 150 LB; You score 15% body fat

150 x 0.15 = 22.5 (Total Body Fat)

150 – 22.5 = 127.5 LB Lean Body Mass

But to use your lean body mass in the formula you need to convert this in to kg (kilograms). If you live in Europe or anywhere else where they use the metric system you already know this value. But if you know your lean body mass in LB only you need to do this:

Example: Let’s take the lean body mass value from above: 127.5

127.5 / 2.2 = 57.95 kg or appr. 58kg

Okay. You will also need your height in cm (centimeters) and age. If you use the imperial system then you need to convert inches in cm. One foot has 12 inch. One inch equals 2.54 cm.

Example: Let’s assume you are 5’5

5’5 = [(5 x 12) + 5] x 2.54 = 65 x 2.54 = 165.1 or appr. 165 cm

Now that you know these two values, one thing that’s left is your age. I guess you don’t need a formula for that. For the purpose of the example let’s assume you are 25.

Here is the (revised Harris – Benedict Equation) revised ;-)

Male: 88.362 + (4.799 x height in cm) + (13.397 x lean body mass in kg) – (5.677 x age)

Female: 447.593 + (3.098 x height in cm) + (9.247 x lean body mass in kg) – (4.330 x age)

Now, just for the example I’m going to apply the values from above for a male:

88.362 + (4.799 x 165) + (13.397 x 58) – (5.677 x 25) = 88.362 + 791.835 + 777.026 – 141.925 =

= 1515.298 or approximately 1515 Cal

There you have it. Your REE is 1515 Cal a day. This might seem like a lot of math but following the example it will be really easy. So, pull that calculator from the drawer and find out your REE now!

Then stay tuned for the next step..

Nutrition: How to build your own customized diet plan

In the very first installment called "The Secrets of Natural Bodybuilding" I talked about the three most important aspects in our sport: proper nutrition, proper training and proper recovery. I realize that many of you experience some issues in each of these areas. That's why I decided to discuss in more detail what might me the key issues in each of them.

Let us talk about the NUTRITION aspect first.

Do you know how much calories and what macronutrients ratio you have to eat according to your personal goal? With other words is your diet custom made for your needs or you don't have one cause nobody can put one together for you and you don't know how?

If your answer is no don't worry cause I'll show you how.

It is called Total Energy Expenditure or TEE what you need to find out first.

OK. There are several steps that you need to follow to determine the TEE:

1. Find out the Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) also known as Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
2. Find out the Activity Factor (AF)
3. Find out the Energy Expenditure from Physical Activity (EEPA)
4. Thermal Effect of Food (TEF)

Stay tuned as I will write on the first of these four steps as soon as I find a few minutes again..

Very intense exercise-training is extremely potent and time efficient

Very intense exercise-training is extremely potent and time efficient: a reminder -- Coyle 98 (6): 1983 -- Journal of Applied Physiology: "...All-out sprint training especially stresses recruitment and adaptation of type II (i.e., fast twitch) muscle fibers that are remarkably and equally responsive as type I (i.e., slow twitch) muscle fibers in their ability to increase mitochondrial enzyme activity to high absolute levels (4, 5, 7). In fact, the low-intensity aerobic exercise that is typically prescribed for endurance training or health is not very effective at increasing aerobic enzyme activity in type II muscle fibers, which comprise approximately one-half of the fibers within the thigh (vastus) and calf (gastrocnemius) muscle in most people (6). Thus low-intensity aerobic training is not a very effective or efficient method for maximizing aerobic adaptations in skeletal muscle because it generally does not recruit type II muscle fibers. The present report by Burgomaster et al. (2) provides a reminder of the effectiveness of sprint interval training, performed three times per week, and it demonstrates that large increases in aerobic enzyme activity and aerobic performance capacity previously measured after 7–8 wk (6) can occur after as little as 2 wk and only six sessions."

This is for those of you, who were wondering what type of cardio I perform and recommend...Note that type II muscle fibers are those, which we aim at to increase in size in the sport of bodybuilding!!
Read the whole article by clicking on the link above.

Natural ways to increase testosterone bioavailability in athletes

IvanNikolov.com: "Natural ways to increase testosterone bioavailability in athletes


Being a natural athlete I’ve always sought to find more ways to increase testosterone levels naturally. The question I’ve always asked myself was what are the variables, which determine how much testosterone is boiavailable.

I’ve read articles before, giving some advice on what in my every day life causes my test levels to go up and what causes them to go down. But after an extensive research I couldn’t find an article, explaining in detail how and actually what exactly I should manipulate directly in my system to achieve the effects I desired – namely not only higher levels of circulating testosterone but also how much of it will be available to the corresponding receptors in the cell walls. Moreover, I wanted to know all this in regards to natural bodybuilding…"

This is an excerpt from my most recent article. To read the whole article click on the title and you'll be take there.

Protein vital to keeping muscles strong

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ Protein vital to keeping muscles strong: "...Novice athletes who are just starting a strength-training regimen may want to increase that to about 0.7 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound, as their muscles will break down more than experienced athletes. After six months to one year of weight training, that can be decreased to 0.6 to 0.7 grams. Endurance athletes need 0.5 to 0.6 grams per pound.
it's's kind of a hype but not really,' Volpe said. 'There are different needs for people who are endurance athletes and those who are weight-training athletes compared to the average sedentary population.'...

...Jeffrey A. Schneider, an instructor in the department of health, nutrition and exercise sciences at the University of Delaware, said anything above 0.9 or 1.0 grams per pound isn't utilized.

"It'll get excreted in your urine and some of it will get stored as fat," he said.

Still, additional protein may be necessary in certain cases.

Elite high school, Division I college and professional athletes may require more than the typical amount of daily protein to gain or maintain weight...

...Schneider said protein supplements can be a convenient way to prevent muscle breakdown for active athletes."

A little note: Excess protein will be stored as fat only if the total calorie intake is above what is needed to maintain body weight or with other words only if the calorie balance is positive.

Aminos Aid Athletic Performance

Natural Products Industry Insider - Aminos Aid Athletic Performance: "CHIBA, Japan--Branched-chain amino acids appear to enhance training efficiency in athletes, according to Japanese researchers (J Nutr, 136:538S-43S, 2006). A combination of branched-chain amino acids, arginine and glutamine was studied for its impact on muscle function, fatigue and recovery in exercising athletes. In a dose-response study, administration of 6.6 g/d for 30 days increased indices of blood oxygen-carrying capacity and decreased indices of muscle damage. When the amino acid mixture (7.2 g/d) was given to elite rugby players for 90 days during training, the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood was improved. The researchers concluded the amino acid supplement improved athletic training by improving muscle integrity and blood oxygen-carrying capacity."

And there is one resent study that proves that BCAAs actually enhance athletic performance. Like I already said in one of my comments on previous post BCAAs have worked for me very well and that's why I always use them while training for a competition.

ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES

Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

The rotator cuff muscles hold the head of the long bone of your upper arm tightly in the socket of your shoulder. Sports that require moving the arm over the head repeatedly can cause tearing and swelling of the tendons of these muscles. Baseball pitchers, swimmers, weight lifters and tennis players often suffer this injury. Chronic irritation can cause pain, swelling and tearing of the rotator cuff. If you continue to exercise in spite of the pain, you will tear the tendons from their attachments.

Initially, pain occurs only when you hold your arm over your head and bring it down or forward forcibly. Later, it will hurt when the arm is moved forward for any reason, such as to shake hands. Usually, it hurts when you push things away and does not hurt when you pull objects toward you. A torn rotator cuff will cause tenderness over the tendons, especially when the elbow is raised above the shoulder. It will hurt when you pull your arm across your chest, and you will have difficulty raising your elbow over your shoulder. An arthrogram is often not sensitive enough to diagnose a partial tear of the rotator cuff but can show a complete tear.

The treatment is to avoid any motion that hurts and strengthen the uninjured shoulder muscles. Do weight-lifting exercises that bring the weights toward the body and do not hurt, such as upright rows and downward "lat pulls". You may need surgery if the rotator cuff tendons are torn completely, or if the tendons do not heal within one year."

I posted this article because the rotator cuff injury is being seen very often in the sport of bodybuilding, as many of the movements require rising of the arms over head with weights. Almost every person, who is serious about his bodybuilding training has experienced problems in this particular area. So, it's a good thing for athletes to know how to recognze a rotator cuff injury and also what to do to treat if injured.

Interrelationship between physical activity and branched-chain amino acids.

Entrez PubMed: "Gleeson M.

School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, England, UK. m.gleeson@iboro.ac.uk

Some athletes can have quite high intakes of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) because of their high energy and protein intakes and also because they consume protein supplements, solutions of protein hydrolysates, and free amino acids. The requirement for protein may actually be higher in endurance athletes than in sedentary individuals because some amino acids, including the BCAAs, are oxidized in increased amounts during exercise compared with rest, and they must therefore be replenished by the diet. In the late 1970s, BCAAs were suggested to be the third fuel for skeletal muscle after carbohydrate and fat. However, the majority of later studies, using various exercise and treatment designs and several forms of administration of BCAAs (infusion, oral, and with and without carbohydrates), have failed to find a performance-enhancing effect. No valid scientific evidence supports the commercial claims that orally ingested BCAAs have an anticatabolic effect during and after exercise in humans or that BCAA supplements may accelerate the repair of muscle damage after exercise. The recommended protein intakes for athletes (1.2 to 1.8 g . kg body mass(-1) . d(-1)) do not seem to be harmful. Acute intakes o"

It's interesting to see that they found no scinetific support of the fact that BCAAs are strongly anti-catabolic due to the simple reason that they are very easily utilized as a source of energy. As a natural bodybuilder I know from a personal experience that it's absolutely worth taking those especially during the precontest dieting period while deficient on calories as they really do a great job in supplying the muscle tissue with the critically needed calories and spare it from being used for energy itself. So, since it works for me I am not really convinced that BCAAs don't do the job. I will continue to take them as this is a must in the sport of natural bodybuilding.

Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding

Entrez PubMed: "There is evidence that a relatively high protein intake (approximately 30% of energy intake) will reduce lean mass loss relative to a lower protein intake (approximately 15% of energy intake) during energy restriction. The higher protein intake will also provide a relatively large thermic effect that may aid in reducing body fat. In both the off-season and pre-contest phases, adequate dietary carbohydrate should be ingested (55-60% of total energy intake) so that training intensity can be maintained. Excess dietary saturated fat can exacerbate coronary artery disease; however, low-fat diets result in a reduction in circulating testosterone."

This is a very concise description of the importance and the quantity requirements for macronutrient intake, which application is of highest importance in the sport of natural bodybuilding.

The 5% method

There are several things of most importance in the sport of natural body building, one of them being attempting to become stronger all the time. I am a big fan of all smart techniques that can help me increase my strength. Here is one of them I liked. It's called 'The 5% method' by Alwyn Cosgrove. Here is his own explanation on how it is performed:
"Choose the heaviest weight you can lift eight times (your eight-rep max) and do four sets of seven repetitions, resting three minutes between each set. Do the same for your next two workouts (do one workout every five days), but increase the weight by 5% each session and decrease the reps by one. In your fourth workout, do seven-repetition sets again, but use the weight you used in your second workout. You'll be 5% stronger than when you started. Here's an example:

Workout 1: Do four sets of 7 reps with 100 pounds.
Workout 2: Do four sets of 6 reps with 105 pounds.
Workout 3: Do four sets of 5 reps with 110 pounds.
Workout 4: Do four sets of 7 reps with 105 pounds."

I have to give the credit to guys like A. Cosgrove for the smart stuff they come up with.
Try it and see how it works.