Let's talk nutrition, since it's in the title and all

[rob_s]

Eating healthy is something I think is part of the survivalist mentality. If you don't exercise, eat healthy, wear your seatbelt, etc. then buying a $3k gun and stockpiling enough food to outlast Armageddon is pointless at best.

What sort of guidelines do you use to govern your eating habits? What have you found works well for you?

I did the whole Body for Life diet/exercise thing about 6 or 7 years ago with an ex. I was looking to gain and she was looking to lose and it worked very well for both of us. Fell off the wagon for awhile but kept up working out, and eventually found the Zone Diet which addresses portions similar to the way BFL does, but also talks a lot about ratios of protein:carbs:fat.

Now I pretty much work off of a combination of the two. The biggest thing I try to keep an eye on is balancing the carbsrotein in the way that the Zone says to. Zone works off of "blocks" and a block of carbs is 9 grams, a block of protein is 7 grams, and a block of fat is 1.5 grams. I don't get too nuts about it, but basically I try to buck the carb-heavy way that most Americans eat, and also try to limit portions and eat more than 3 times a day. I don't worry too much about what's considered "bad" for you (an Egg McMuffin is actually pretty well Zone balanced). I'll split a large restaurant meal in half and save half for later, and skip one side altogether since most places want to give you two sides of carbs which is way too much.

I love it when I sit down to a small, healthy meal and some fatbody says "hey, look at what the skinny guy is eating!" Yeah, tubby, take notes while you're at it!

I also love the way I feel when I'm eating right. If I have a good day where I get my exercise and eat the way I want to, I just feel so much more energized and positive. I can get by on less than 6 hours sleep a night too when I'm sticking to my plan, but when I'm off the wagon I need the full 8.

Finally, as much as possible I try to avoid supplements and such. I try to get all my nutrition from actual food and not vitamins and supplements unless I have specific goals I'm trying to achieve with the supplements.

Just curious as to what other folks who are into nutrition use as a guideline or a plan.

[ZDL]

100 words:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

[WillBrink]

Eating healthy is something I think is part of the survivalist mentality. If you don't exercise, eat healthy, wear your seatbelt, etc. then buying a $3k gun and stockpiling enough food to outlast Armageddon is pointless at best.

Agreed. As I often open my seminars to LEOs with "you all wear vests to avoid getting shot, but statistically speaking, most of you in this room with die of heart disease." That tends to get their attention.

Good luck with your nutrition and training program.

[ZDL]

Agreed. As I often open my seminars to LEOs with "you all wear vests to avoid getting shot, but statistically speaking, most of you in this room with die of heart disease." That tends to get their attention.

Good luck with your nutrition and training program.

lol 80-90% of my coworkers... Easily.

[WillBrink]

lol 80-90% of my coworkers... Easily.

Yes, CVD is the number one killer in the US, and LEOs suffer higher rates then the average person! I hate to see a man or woman give that much to their community only to die young.

[ZDL]

Yes, CVD is the number one killer in the US, and LEOs suffer higher rates then the average person! I hate to see a man or woman give that much to their community only to die young.

I've noticed the lbs are directly correlated to the amount of stripes or brass someone is wearing............................just saying.

I struggle with nutrition from a commitment and love of food standpoint. I understand what works, why it works, and how to make it work but sometimes, I'm simply weak. It falls at my feet. The quickest way for me to get back in line with my nutrition is noticing my performance in my workouts and in my life. They are closely related enough that a minute or 2 drop off in time or effort is often related directly to my diet.

I follow a paleo/zone methodology. Quality food, right quantities, right frequency. I attempt to view food as a drug... This helps me swallow that last piece of broccoli sometimes.

[Ghostface03]

100 words:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

Well put! I have been cranking up the bran/ fiber also.

[John Frazer]

The Zone diet is great because after a while you can adjust it as precisely as clicking windage and elevation.

Not putting on the muscle you want? Add a block of protein.

Getting sleepy between meals? Subtract a block of carbs and replace with fat.

Feeling fine but hungry all the time? Add a little more fat.

A great simple summary to get started is at http://frontrangecrossfit.typepad.co...ion_packet.pdf

The only things I'd add to that packet's instructions is that the chart assumes protein sources are low-fat, so it doesn't count the "hidden fat blocks" in some foods. For example, an ounce of full-fat cheese (1 block of protein) can contain about 5 fat blocks. A whole egg is 1 protein block but 1-2 fat blocks, depending who you ask. I eat a lot of cheese and eggs, so I allow for that and feel great.

[Fringe]

I am currently struggling with carb intake and trying to cut back. I am pretty healthy and work out regularly and enjoy physical activity. I had a physical this year and the doc said my sugar was a little high, only because the FDA or whomever, raised the number. I would have been normal a few years ago, but was a little over normal this year. We deduced that it was carb intake and probably my alcohol consumption. Now I can deal with working on the carbs, but my beverages are a little harder!

As far as working out, I have been with the same trainer for almost ten years. I love it and was instantly hooked when I started. He is young and works me with crazy creative exercises that are fun. It is expensive but worth every penny, because the days I absolutely do not feel like going, I know he will be waiting on me so I go and feel so much better after. Good stuff.

[chadbag]

In general we should all avoid simple carbs and use complex carbs for our carb intake

simple carbs -- processed white flour, sugar, white rice, potatoes, normal pasta, I assume alcohol, etc

complex carbs -- whole grains and flours from whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, etc

simple carbs are highly glycemic and cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. Complex carbs are less glycemic and do not cause such rapid and high spikes.

If you do eat pasta or potatoes or white rice etc, make sure you eat protein with it as well, at the same time (meat sauce, etc) since this will tone down or reduce the glycemic index of the pasta, potatoes, etc.

(If you eat oatmeal, do not eat instant oatmeal -- the processing it has undergone makes it more glycemic than whole oats or old fashioned oats)

Chad