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Macronutrient Breakdown, Part I

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The Truth About Carbs and Two Fat Burning Recipes

In my last post, I talked about macronutrient combination—a really important topic, and the first step towards developing an understanding of macronutrients in general.

The next step is to move beyond combination and general discussion, and learning about each macronutrient in it’s own right. And so, in both this series of posts, I am going to give you the nuts and bolts (AND some recipes!).

Carbohydrates seem to be the “focus” of my diets (especially fat loss diets), so it makes sense to start there. Carbs have taken a real beating in the media ever since a some guy named Atkins (you may have heard of him) decided we weren’t allowed to eat donuts anymore. (Prior to this we were allowed to eat donuts, but they had to be reduced fat; this made us feel better about ourselves).

All joking aside, carbs do get kind of a bad rap; or, at least, a worse one than they deserve. Carbs come in a variety of forms. Some are good for you, and some are bad. The bad ones are usually highly processed and broken down so completely that they are no longer recognizable.

Of course, if you process the crap out of anything, it isn’t going to be healthy after a point. This doesn’t mean carbs are “evil” and to blame for all the ills of the world from the Nazis to the obesity epidemic– it just means processed food is great at making people fat.

Anyway, carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules, which your body breaks down into fuel, especially when you’re working hard. Sugars, starches and fiber are all basic forms of the carbohydrate.

Sounds pretty basic, right?

Well, here is where it gets a bit trickier, although I’m going to try and make this as simple as possible.

There are two main types of carbohydrates: simple and complex.

NOTE: We could also mention Fibrous Carbs that you can find in foods like green veggies, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, spinach, cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini…buuuut we won’t. For the purposes of this discussion of carbs I only want to touch on stuff that “counts.” I usually don’t recommend counting calories (or carbs for that matter) coming from fibrous carbs.

SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES are made up of chains of molecules that don’t branch off. Examples of simple carbohydrates would include table sugar, syrups, and soda. Most of the time, these carbs should be avoided (exceptions include post-workout and cheat days), and are usually the “bad carbs” we fitness pros talk about.

Also included on this list are things like candy, snuggles, cake, beer, puppies, cookies, fun, and unicorn magic. In other words, the best ones.

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES on the other hand, do branch off—sometimes a bit wildly. Complex carbohydrates include oatmeal, apples, cardboard and peas.

For a long time, people believed that complex carbohydrates were far better for you than simple carbohydrates, but that isn’t always the case.

You see, your body takes both complex and simple carbohydrates, and tries to break them down into useable sugar energy to fuel your muscles and organs. It’s not the type of carbohydrate that really matters, but how quickly your body can break it down, and how much it will spike your blood glucose levels.

Instead of using the simple method of dividing complex carbs from simple ones, a slightly more sophisticated way to “rate” carbohydrate quality is something called the Glycemic Index  (GI for short). The Glycemic Index attempts to classify foods by how quickly and how high foods boost blood sugar levels.

For a while, the GI was all the rage, and people argued that by following a get low GI diet, you’d keep insulin levels in check even while eating higher carbs overall.  This has turned out to be only partially true. Which is to say that while it’s probably better to eat low GI foods than high GI ones, there probably won’t be a tremendous difference in your waistline if you’re still eating your weight in sweet potatoes instead of Cheerios.

The Truth About Carbs

Neither low carb diets nor low GI diets are a cure all for fat loss; the main thing is to eat the right amounts of healthy foods that fuel metabolism, which in turn will help you burn fat.

The important thing to remember is that your body needs carbs, even if some of the fad diets tell you otherwise. Without carbohydrates, your body will begin to break down your muscle tissue to fuel your body, which will sabotage your efforts.

Carb lovers lament low carb diets and anti-carb crusaders posit that you can avoid them for the most part and still do well. The truth is a bit of middle ground. So, yes, speaking generally you should avoid “simple carbs” and “high-GI foods,” but that doesn’t mean you can eat complex carbs or LOW GI foods all day, either.

For my part, I acknowledge that carbs are not the devil; however, I find that my clients do better on low(er) carbs than not, in terms of fat loss.

As a general rule, I like to have people eating in the area of 100 grams of carbs per day.

Getting more specific, I like to set carbohydrate intake at around .5 to .75 grams PER POUND of lean body mass.

As for energy: carbs yield 4 calories per gram.

Now, as I mentioned in my blog post yesterday,  it is my belief that you should avoid eating carbohydrates and fats together (in significant amounts).

I’ll go further and say that I feel generally, you shouldn’t eat carbs by themselves, either.

Instead, you should try to have carbs with protein.

People who oppose my stance on macronutrient combination are quick to point out that eating carbs and fat together slows the rate of digestion of the carbs, lowers the glycemic/insulin response, and can generally offset some of the negatives that come with carbohydrate consumption.

Having said that—protein can do the same damn thing. And in many cases, do it better.  On top of that, you don’t have the issues I discussed yesterday.

For that reason, I think it’s best to ONLY consume carbohydrates when you’re also going to consume protein. [NOTE: cheat days don’t count for this rule, or any other, because they are cheat days. Duh.]

Now, without further adieu, I’m going to hook you up with TWO recipes from Dave Ruel’s Metabolic Cooking , both of which fall under the catergory of PROTEIN + CARB Meals.

One is a fast and delicious shake, and the other is the most awesome chili I’ve ever had.

Enjoy!

 PROTEIN + CARB MEAL

Krazy Kiwi Smoothie
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 scoop BioTrust Low Carb Vanilla Protein
  2. 1⁄2 cup low fat cottage cheese
  3. 1 medium peeled kiwi fruit
  4. 1 cup water
  5. 5 ice cubes
Instructions
  1. Blend. Like, in a blender.
  2. Set to, “blend.” Wow, complicated.
Notes
  1. NUTRITION FACTS
  2. - Per Serving –
  3. Calories: 262
  4. Protein: 46g
  5. Carbs: 15g
  6. Fat: 2g
Roman Fitness Systems https://romanfitnesssystems.com/
I like this shake for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s tasty and takes about 3 minutes to prepare. Plus, it has Kiwis, which are my 4th favorite fruit (behind apples, watermelons, and strawberries–in that order). Moreover, it has the word “kiwi” in there, which makes me think of my buddy from New Zealand, Chris the Kiwi.

PROTEIN + CARB MEAL

Turkey Chili
Yields 9
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1.5 lbs of ground turkey or chicken
  2. 1 cup of diced onion
  3. 1 diced red bell pepper
  4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 1⁄2 teaspoon of chili powder
  6. 1 teaspoon of curcuma
  7. 1 teaspoon of oregano
  8. 1 can (15oz) chick peas
  9. 1 can (15oz) red beans
  10. 2 large tomatoes, diced
  11. 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
  12. Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a pan, cook the turkey, red pepper, onion, garlic for 5-6 mins, until it is almost cooked.
  2. Transfer everything in a big casserole. Add chili powder, curcuma, oregano, beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce intensity and stir for 20 min or desired thickness.
Notes
  1. NUTRITION FACTS
  2. - Per Serving (1 cup)-
  3. Calories: 206
  4. Protein: 27g
  5. Carbs: 20g
  6. Fat: 2g
Roman Fitness Systems https://romanfitnesssystems.com/
This chili recipe is insanely delicious. Plus–and this is great for the dudes–you can make it ONCE and feed yourself for like a week. Or freeze and have some handy for when you’re in a pinch. On top of that, the recipe has just the right balance of flavour (I spelled it like a Canadian, as a nod to Dave) and spice. I don’t really care for spicy food, so it’s cool that I can have a lot of taste without feeling like my mouth is on fire, as with most chili.

This might be my new go-to recipe for when I don’t want steak. Well, I always want steak. But this might be my go-to recipe for when I don’t have any.

Keep in mind that when you pick up Metabolic Cooking, you get these…

…and over 250 MORE recipes to help you burn fat, get lean, and enjoy your time in the kitchen.

Screen Shot 2013-06-19 at 12.14.22 PM

So pick up Metabolic Cooking NOW and don’t miss out on the awesome savings. 

NOTE: Here is a quick link jump to the entire series:

Macronutrient Breakdown Part I: The Truth About Carbs

Macronutrient Breakdown Part II: The Truth About Fat

Macronutrient Breakdown Part III: The Truth About Protein

Okay, so who’s making these this week? Let’s this going. I’ll post part 2: all about fat and TWO more recipes.

About the Author

John Romaniello is a level 70 orc wizard who spends his days lifting heavy shit and his nights fighting crime. When not doing that, he serves as the Chief Bro King of the Roman Empire and Executive Editor here on RFS. You can read his articles here, and rants on Facebook.

Comments for This Entry

  • Jim Holub

    You have a list of "free veggies" in your book and recommend eating them 3 times per day. By "free" do you mean these should NOT be counted towards your carb or caloric intake?

    September 23, 2015 at 5:54 pm

  • jordan scarpe italia

    jordan scarpe italia Hi there! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading through your posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same topics? Thanks a ton!

    June 6, 2014 at 4:55 pm

  • The Truth about FAT and why it's all that (plus two awesome recipes)

    [...] was no consideration of other factors such as smoking rates, stress factors, sugar and refined carbohydrate intake, macronutrient combination, exercise frequency, and other lifestyle factors.   In fact, to my [...]

    November 30, 2013 at 11:51 am

  • Miguel Ramos

    Nitpick: Without further "ado" NOT further "adieu". It's a way of saying "without further interruptions" BEFORE yo get into the main subject not after you finished it.

    June 23, 2013 at 1:02 pm

  • Carlos J Mora

    Man you make complicate thing simple and have a great sense of humor. thank you for all the hard work!

    June 21, 2013 at 12:00 pm

  • john

    Hey Roman, About your article about macronutrient combinations. You specify its best not to add CARBS and FAT together but in MAN 2.0 which i am following and am currently on stage 3 surge. Your guidelines there especially post workout is combining 100+g carbs with 50+g of fat. In all the mealplan guides you combine both fats and carbs and protein together. Would it be more beneficial if i ate all the fats before my workouts and not combine carbs and fats together? thanks john

    June 21, 2013 at 8:53 am

  • Matt Feato

    I don't seem to have a "blend" setting on my blender. Halp me?

    June 21, 2013 at 4:52 am

  • Shane McLean

    Roman, I really like how you make it easy for EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND. You can take a complex subject and break it down.By the way, think you book is awesome. Cannot wait get stuck into it when I get healthy.

    June 21, 2013 at 2:42 am

  • Guest

    Thanks Roman.

    June 21, 2013 at 12:42 am

  • Chris

    Great info as always, and with a touch of humor as well. Thanks Roman.

    June 21, 2013 at 12:38 am

  • Eliran

    Insightful, thanks! :)

    January 9, 2013 at 3:50 pm

  • Eitel

    Roman, great article. I prefer to eat my cals rather than drink them. Do you recommend Post-Workout nutrition be a shake as opposed to food because of fast absorption? If it doesn't matter, can you give examples of what protein and carb food sources you would recommend for post-workout nutrition? Thanks!

    January 9, 2013 at 3:15 pm

  • Joe Evilsizor

    Sorry Roman, small correction. The research clearly indicates that unicorn magic is actually fairly low in carbohydrate content but very rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Granted there have only been a handful of well documented studies, and these were all performed on magic from grass fed unicorns. More studies need to be done on all unicorns, especially those that feast soley on rainbows.

    January 9, 2013 at 6:18 pm

  • John P Gemini

    What about for the building of the musclezzzzzz!!! I want more beeceps and treeceps ... Just more carbz following this rule??

    January 9, 2013 at 4:19 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Then, by all means, read them. Best of luck, The huge fucking idiot

    June 19, 2012 at 11:36 pm

  • Elizabeth McIntosh

    Not only do you provide great info but you make me laugh while doing it! Puppies and Unicorns? Awesome!

    June 19, 2012 at 11:27 am

  • Michael Custer

    Hey Roman, do you know how many vegetarian recipes the cookbooks has? I know they include some recipes, but how much is a more relevant question for me since I'm not a meat eater. Thanks man!

    June 13, 2012 at 10:09 am

  • Val Neiser

    luv ya! these look great...thanks.

    June 12, 2012 at 9:58 pm

  • John

    Roman, following on your P+F and P+C article; why not have only P+F meals on rest days and P+C on workout days? So is there a minimum fat % needed to be consumed for testosterone and other functions? If so, would the above strategy work as long as your weekly intake is maintained (although not on a daily basis)?

    June 12, 2012 at 9:53 pm

  • James

    What be your opinion on Poliquin's  protein goal diet, where he recommends no carbs except from green veggies until you reach 10% bodyfat, also 18.-2g protein per pound of bodyweight. This is what he stated on the biosig course. Interested to hear your opinion on this type of diet for getting lean. Cheers

    June 12, 2012 at 9:41 pm

  • Lian

    Loving recipes, the chilli is a must for a cold rainy weekend forecast for us poor rain soaked Brits, I know what I'm cooking on Saturday :-)

    June 12, 2012 at 5:28 pm

  • Lauren DiCola

    Hey Roman, you said to really not count the carbs from fibrous, green veggies, but even when the fiber is subtracted out, there are still carbs. A big salad can still have a good amount of carbs in it. A carb is still a carb, so can you really eat large amounts of veggies without caring about the carb content? Thanks for the help!

    June 12, 2012 at 4:58 pm

    • Roman Fitness Systems

      Hey Lauren! The reason I don't generally count them is because you'd really have to consume a tremendous amount for the carbs to be appreciable. A huge salad might only have 10g carbs - and they're so low GI, especially when you count the fiber, that it's not generally going to affect you in any real way, especially for the average person. Sure, for a figure competitor or BBer, I would count them, but those are very specific cases.

      June 12, 2012 at 5:27 pm

  • Trevor Rackley

    Great stuff, always good to get more info on nutrition

    June 12, 2012 at 3:49 pm

  • Robert Cadena

    Do certain fruits digest faster than others? what fruit is best for post workout

    June 12, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    • Derek Solis

      Coach, good question, let me ponder on tha

      June 12, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    • Roman Fitness Systems

      The rate of digestion will be determined by fiber. It varies from fruit to fruit, but, the easiest way is by feel. Anything "hard" like apples or pears will have more fiber than something "soft" like bananas. For post work, bananas are my fave

      June 12, 2012 at 2:55 pm

    • Mark Ortlieb

      I read somewhere that fructose is a poor post-workout sugar, something about the fact that it's processed first by the liver and doesn't supply much quick glycogen to the muscles (I probably got the physiology wrong, sue me). The take-away being that it's best to consume a combination of simple and complex sugars found in maltodextrin and dextrose for best results following an intense workout.

      June 12, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    • Roman Fitness Systems

      Yup, essentially. Its why I generally recommend post workout shakes. But, while fruits are not as good as something like, bananas are the best of the bunch (pun intended)

      June 12, 2012 at 5:25 pm

  • Loreto Paz Ansaldo

    In both of these recipes the carbs are fruit or veggies. Is it ok to get carbs just from those? We don't *need* starches or sugar, just fiber, or do we?

    June 12, 2012 at 12:21 pm

    • Roman Fitness Systems

      In the chili recipe, the majority of the carbs come from the chick peas and the red beans - both very starchy. But, speaking generally, no, you don't need stuff like sugar, obv.

      June 12, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    • Daniela García

      starchy but low GI, right? as well as kiwi, fibrous-low GI?

      June 12, 2012 at 8:06 pm

    • Loreto Paz Ansaldo

      so as long as the starch is low GI it's ok to eat, generally speaking? are potatoes better than pasta and bread because of this? or because potatoes are "natural" and the other two processed? and sweet potatoes better than white potatoes? so much to know!

      June 12, 2012 at 8:41 pm

    • Daniela García

      as long as I understand it deppends on the purpuse of your carbs...as Roman said, post-workout carbs are supposed to be high GI cause you want insulin to raise....but for every other meal, if your trying to get lean, fibrous and low GI carbs are ok....except for a lot of lowGI fruit (melon, grapefruit, berries) cause they raise your amount of total carbs...

      June 12, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    • Daniela García

      claro q tambien te puedo explicar todo esto en español si prefieres, jajaja

      June 13, 2012 at 12:06 am

    • Elizabeth McIntosh

      Loreto Paz Ansaldo You want to avoid white starches as much as possible... pasta, bread, potatoes, rice and choose the brown (unbleached/processed) kind. You're body will thank you for it :) Definitely stick with sweet potatoes instead of white, they're healthy and nutritious and they're great with chicken and turkey AND in chili!

      June 19, 2012 at 11:30 am

  • Michael

    Interesting articles as always :) I am 18 years old weighing 82 kgs with 15%/16% bodyfat. This month I'm always striving to lose some of my belly body fat, by eating mostly fruits, and as protein: eggs,chicken, low-fat milk, yogurts and whey protein. I try not to eat carbohydrates after 6pm. As fats, right now, I'm having peanut butter and almonds. Also, as a workout routine, I split it in upper/lower schedule. Can you give some advice please, what can I additionally do to lose my belly fat? Thanks a lot :) And keep up the good work aye :):)

    April 21, 2011 at 9:59 am

  • John Romaniello

    Happy to help. It depends on what the issue is. If you simply don't know how/what to eat, then the posts on this blog and some others will help. Also, for a tremendous resource on how to eat for a healthy lifestyle, check out Isabel De Los Rios and the Diet Solution Program. Now, on the other hand, if the issue is sticking to a diet... The main thing I would suggest is try to create a menu for yourself for each day, and try to stick to it. Another thing would be the "flash diet." Which just means that you take pictures of everything you eat. it helps a lot. That way you have a record of your food, and it keeps you accountable.

    April 11, 2011 at 11:19 am

  • charlotte

    Hey Roman, Love your blog, really interesting. Myself and a lot of girlfriends are really trying to shape up and get lean for the summer. I think we are on track with the fitness.... we work out 4 times a week, kettlebells/ cardio- we have a pt..... the part which we fall down is eating..... any tips which you would be kind enough to share with us?

    April 11, 2011 at 10:43 am

  • scobee

    awesome post- 2 questions- 1. Is there another name for circuma? Not familiar with that one... 2. Any good substitute for cottage cheese (dairy allergy)?

    April 9, 2011 at 10:05 am

  • Pj

    Yo ! Roman, you crack me up mate !! Keep em coming :) Pj- UK

    April 8, 2011 at 12:23 pm

  • Justine

    That Kiwi smoothie was awesome. Full of flavoUr....Yip, here in South Africa we spell correctly too!! LOL!

    April 8, 2011 at 5:56 am

  • Sophie

    I'm happy and grateful to be a Canadian.

    April 7, 2011 at 9:23 pm

  • Murray

    Very true Roman, about carbs and I also am a great believer that all food should be eaten with some protein and that includes fruit.

    April 7, 2011 at 7:00 pm

  • Caleb

    Hey Roman, Great post, but there is one thing. I saw that you put you should try to have protein with carbs. Ive recently been doing some research on bettering digestion and most carbs supposedly shouldnt be combined with protein. I didnt totally believe this, but I decided to test it out. (No reason for me to ramble on about something I havent tried myself.) For a week I separated my carbs and protein, (I had most of my fat with protein). Meal plan, protein, carbs, protein, carbs, protein. To my amazement I lost 2% BF, from 188 to 184 in a week! not to mention I had more energy and never had that brick in a gut feeling! What do you think? During this period I didnt change my training regime.

    April 7, 2011 at 6:49 pm

  • Jody

    With the added fat and, in some cases, skin, added to ground turkey, what about using a good 90/10 or 97/3 ground beef instead? Beef has so much more flavor!

    April 7, 2011 at 3:52 pm

  • Calvin Leighton

    Hey Roman, I just gotta say, that Turkey Chilli looks superb, don't suppose you could send me some?? just Kidding!! Great website!! Great Tips! Keep up the good work, well done!!

    April 7, 2011 at 2:34 pm

  • Veronica

    thanks I love the receipes. Cooked the tuna burger tonight and was yummy....

    April 7, 2011 at 1:51 pm

  • ganchome

    Roman, What about egg whites or whole eggs in smoothies for that matter? Should I be afraid of salmonella? I hear raw egg whites is one of the only ways to get pure and substantial amounts of the amino acid cystine?

    April 7, 2011 at 1:48 pm

  • Seth

    do you think it's acceptable to only eat fibrous carbs like fruits and veggies and if so can you get away with a higher carb diet? thanks

    April 7, 2011 at 12:59 pm

  • Pamela

    Wow! That turkey chili sounds amazing: easy to make and yummy and healthful! Thanks!

    April 7, 2011 at 11:17 am

  • Cheryl Stephenson

    Love it ,love it ,love it! Thanks for posting some sane information in layman's terms.Great blog!

    April 7, 2011 at 9:33 am

  • sinclair

    good stuff. Makes me think about food.

    April 7, 2011 at 8:55 am

  • Rich

    Mastering food intake is what I need to help me achieve my goal, and has not been easy. This must be my next focus. The question for me always seems to be, how do I determine how much protein, carb and fat (40-30-30) do I know I'm getting and how much do I need for my body type and my goals? Thanks for the insight and leading us to a great cooking reference!

    April 7, 2011 at 7:26 am

  • E

    Just bought Metabolic Cooking and the added meal plans. Plan on going out for this week's grocery shopping and get the ingredients I need for Week 1. Already have most of the spices, so I just need to make sure I get the main ingredients and lots of veggies!

    April 7, 2011 at 6:58 am

  • Rick

    That turkey chili sounds good!!!!! Thank you for posting

    April 7, 2011 at 6:34 am

  • kathy

    As an ex-atkins devotee (I fell off the wagon), I always enjoy reading different takes on carbs. thanks for making your blog educational and enjoyable!

    April 7, 2011 at 6:25 am

  • Tracy

    Thanks for all the amazing info. Just cant get enough of it! Keep it coming.

    April 7, 2011 at 6:21 am

  • Ruben

    What about carbs coming from bread, pasta, rice? You don't mention them? Now I am in a gaining fase I add more carbs(rice, pasta, potatoes), so I probably would eat your chili with some rice now, but when I wil diet down I just cut out those extra carbs. This afternoon I will eat a tuna steak with a chicory, garden cress and apple salad (with I nice yoghurt-mustard dressing) and quinoa. Can you give a website where we can find that glycemic index?

    April 7, 2011 at 3:46 am

  • Sharon

    re supper: Chicken cacciatore (chicken, tomato, zucchini). One dish, two nights for the two of us. re fibrous vs. simple/complex: Fibrous carbs don't get digested and come out the other end when they are done... re chili: My husband's chili is nearly as simple: Ground beef (extra lean), kidney beans, diced tomato, chili seasoning (Sauer's), and elbow macaroni. Skip the macaroni if you want lower carbs. Tastes yummy. We went to an oyster roast recently and there were three kinds of chili, one subtitled "Bambi chili" (venison), one extra tomato-ey, and one that had so much in the way of beans and chick peas that it tasted... different. Good, just different.

    April 7, 2011 at 2:49 am

  • Sara

    How do you tell if a vegetable (like carrots) or a fruit is a fibrous carb or a complex carb or a simple carb?

    April 7, 2011 at 1:53 am

  • diego

    do you recommend this type of eating for an athlete who trains 2 a day? i find that i have to combine fats and carbs just to keep my cals up. i do strength training in the am and sports in the pm. i usually have four meals and a PW shake a day. sample meals would be 4 eggs and .5 cup of oats and 1cup of berries with whey or salmon with sweet potato. i have been reading alot of nate miyaki's work and his style of eating sort of fits into my lifestyle, have any thoughts on his articles? thanks!

    April 7, 2011 at 1:34 am

  • Adrian

    Thanks for the info Roman, like your post. Fruits contain simple carbs with the perfect amount of fibre so that you don't get a sugar spike. They absorb more quickly than complex carbs which make them a great way to restore both blood sugar and muscle glycogen levels after a heavy workout. And they contain loads of vitamins and minerals, not to mention the all important amino acids. Taste pretty good too!

    April 7, 2011 at 1:21 am

  • John Romaniello

    Hell yea it has. We'll have to put your before/after pictures in a blog to silence haters.

    April 7, 2011 at 12:39 am

  • John Romaniello

    That sounds delish! I'll be doing a post on artificial sweeteners in the near future, as well!

    April 7, 2011 at 12:38 am

  • John Romaniello

    I'll have to thank Nate for sending you over =) Regarding your question - yep, I take peri/para workout nutrition into account for the guidelines

    April 7, 2011 at 12:34 am

  • John Romaniello

    Not in huge amounts. 'cados are a healthy fat but pretty dense.

    April 7, 2011 at 12:31 am

  • John Romaniello

    Crazy how different foods affect different people! I have a friend who eats cookies before bed and maintains a six pack, but when he eats ice cream he gains fat.

    April 7, 2011 at 12:29 am

  • John Romaniello

    My pleasure! Carbs do get a bit of a hard time, I'll do more of this type of stuff. You'll like the one on fats, I think!

    April 7, 2011 at 12:27 am

  • John Romaniello

    Not overly soupy, but you can play with the broth. I also added a bit of beef stock to bring out some flavor. Flavour. lol, canada.

    April 7, 2011 at 12:26 am

  • John Romaniello

    For building muscle, I like 1g-1.5g carbs per pound of LBM on workout days, and about .8g-1 per pound of LBM on non-workout days

    April 7, 2011 at 12:25 am

  • John Romaniello

    Heck yea! AWESOME point. Without question, whole proteins are superior to processed proteins for slow digestion. Processing anything to great extent will--as I alluded to in the post--make it more easily absorbed. In the case of some proteins, this is what we want every now and then. I'll touch on all of this in part 3, which will cover protein =)

    April 7, 2011 at 12:23 am

  • John Romaniello

    I was mostly just being an asshole for the sake of being funny. I appreciate the remonstration, though. While I thank you for vote of confidence, it's really your own fault for expecting better from me. C'mon now! I use the term "side-boob" in my comment rules section.

    April 7, 2011 at 12:22 am

  • John Romaniello

    Alas, snuggles are riddled with carbs =(

    April 7, 2011 at 12:20 am

  • Edgar

    So if yu have to consume around 100 per day if on a fat loss diet, how much on a muscle building diet?

    April 6, 2011 at 11:44 pm

  • Dan

    As always great infor Roman. Keep up the good work!!!!

    April 6, 2011 at 11:30 pm

  • Tyler Carter

    Oh man, I JUST made chili on monday, although my version isn't too different than this one. I might have to take the best of each version for my next batch. Is it soup-y? It seems like the chicken broth would make it very much like soup.

    April 6, 2011 at 11:26 pm

  • Mia

    Thanks for this info! I have just started returning carbs into my diet... whereas before I had always been feeling guilty about them. Now I don't :) You can check out what I actually eat all day by going to: http://thehairanalysisjournal.blogspot.com/ (This is actually based on my hair analysis, but has changed drastically since I started on the Final Phase Fat Loss Program :)LOVE IT.... now if someone could exercise for me, that would be great :) (Just joking... not)

    April 6, 2011 at 11:23 pm

  • Paul

    Hey Roman, I am a big follower of Nate Green, which has since turned me into a big follower of you. I have a question about the baseline carbohydrate intake. You say 0.5g to 0.75g of Lean Body Mass, I am wondering if this includes a Peri/Post Workout concoction. Thanks!

    April 6, 2011 at 11:02 pm

  • Michaela

    Thank you lord for clearing carbs' bad name, AND acknowledging that not eating any will lead to muscle break down for fuel. I've personally lived that in the past, and it is a TRULY disheartning process. Thanks for sharing the truth, and doing it in a relaxed, relatable way.

    April 6, 2011 at 10:46 pm

  • Ziad

    Hi Roman, great post. What about PROCESSED PROTEIN? The protein shakes we buy aren't naturally occurring - they've had the hell processed out of them. Thanks

    April 6, 2011 at 10:38 pm

  • friday

    Today's post helped a bit on how to combine foods. Keep it up ... I'll get there. :-)

    April 6, 2011 at 9:52 pm

  • Jim

    Dr. Atkins was not a fat ass. He was certainly controversial, but not deserving of name calling. I expect better from a guy like you John.

    April 6, 2011 at 9:41 pm

  • Mark

    Good idea on chickpeas in the chilli. I've got to try it soon. Keep em' coming.

    April 6, 2011 at 9:15 pm

  • Joanne

    You have become my new favorite nite time reading......great stuff. I have 2 kiwis in the house (I always have protein mix) so I can make the shake in the morning. Before reading your blog tonite, I was busy making a batch of protein jello with fruit. I use sugar free jello (I now, its still not good because of the artificial sugar), almond milk, plain yogurt, lowfat cottage cheese 4 scoops of protein and frozen mixed berries. It makes 8 servings so it lasts me the week.

    April 6, 2011 at 8:52 pm

  • Isabel smith

    I appreciate your information and will continue to apply your ideas. These ideas will allow us to change our eating patterns and still enjoy a variety of yummy foods. Keep throwing good eating hints to us! Is

    April 6, 2011 at 8:51 pm

  • marty

    Great post Roman, I'm in your coaching program and eat the way you prescribe and my body has responded great to it.

    April 6, 2011 at 8:43 pm

  • Dan

    Awesome info! Yesterday's blog seemed logical enough but left me wondering. The P+C now makes perfect sense. Keep this going, I want to se part III... Thanks Roman!

    April 6, 2011 at 8:29 pm

  • tara

    what about potatoes? sorry, missed the GI thing. could you post a recipe for the aforementioned cardboard?

    April 6, 2011 at 8:23 pm

  • Debbie

    Love the chilli recipe. For those that want to know Curcuma is also known as Tumeric

    April 6, 2011 at 8:23 pm

  • michael lord

    I look at a cookie and I gain weight but I can eat ice cream now and again and all is well.

    April 6, 2011 at 8:22 pm

  • lpa

    so all carbs - sugar, fiber and starch - can be simple or complex? also, why does the food pyramid we all know recommend so many grains, what should they really be trying to say?

    April 6, 2011 at 8:15 pm

  • lpa

    so can all kinds of carbs - starch, sugar and fiber - be complex or simple? also, why does the food pyramid we all know recommend so many grains?

    April 6, 2011 at 8:13 pm

  • Bob

    100 g of carbs? If I shoot for a 2000 cal/day intake then i'm looking at around 60g of fat and 265g of protein. Is this too much of either? I'm 50 and 153 lbs, using your FPFL program and working hard 4-5 days a week.

    April 6, 2011 at 8:10 pm

  • couseret

    What about avocados...32g fat, 21g carbs, 3g protein? One shouldn't eat avocado with itself?

    April 6, 2011 at 8:04 pm

  • Eileen

    Love your blog, always a fun read! Interesting too.

    April 6, 2011 at 7:50 pm

  • Alan Andrus

    Just a point of fact, not argumentative, but carbs are not required for a human body to live. Fat and protein are required for our hearts to keep beating. Of course there are benefits of eating foods with carbs, such as micronutrients that help your bod to look and feel better. My biggest concern is that studies show that very low carb diets can lead to chronic depressive states in humans.

    April 6, 2011 at 7:39 pm

  • Chad

    Ok, i dont know if your steak fetish has anything to do with this, but your blog has some serious Meat to it . Its a blast to read, and your pretty damn funny too! Unfortunately this wont help your EGO problem , but props to you!

    April 6, 2011 at 7:31 pm

  • TJ Carrell

    The turkey chili sounds very good. I buy ground turkey every week, mix some onions with it, brown it in olive oil, add some salt, pepper, chopped tomatoes, and a dash of steak sauce, and take it to work for supper. Plenty of protein, and good lean meat.

    April 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm

  • Jake

    Hey Roman! Just started keeping up to date on your blog and videos since Dave mentioned you in one of his emails, so great to see you are giving him props for his recipes. I just bought Metabolic Cooking, and it looks great. I look forward to trying it out this weekend. I am 18, and in the past year I've really gotten interested in fitness and have gained some muscle. However, I am really motivated to lose the last bit of belly fat for the summer, and both you and Dave provide great resources. Thanks for all you do!

    April 6, 2011 at 7:26 pm

  • dmreid

    I eat a lot of veggies and not so much of the rest of the carbs.... so I see my question was answered ... regarding fiber! Thanks! However, what's this about cardboard listed as a complex carb? You got me there.. LOL. Looking forward to more information! D

    April 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm

  • Dave

    Love the chilli..gotta spice it up tho !!

    April 6, 2011 at 7:06 pm

  • Dave

    Love the chilli, gotta spice it up though!

    April 6, 2011 at 7:05 pm

  • sharon

    What if you are not a meat eater? I am not a full fledge vegetarian, I only eat fish/seafood. I am allergic to all Soy products and Avocados.

    April 6, 2011 at 7:03 pm

  • dngdly

    what should the balance between protein carps and fat be to lose weight should it be 30/30/20/ or what. I mean how much protein should you eat per grms of carbs ratio wise?

    April 6, 2011 at 6:56 pm

  • Stacy

    Another great post R......The recipes sound great and look very easy to make. Thanks for sharing

    April 6, 2011 at 6:49 pm

  • jason

    great follow up! Too often "carbs" are lumped together.. I'm all over the chili recipe..re:P+C: an egg white ommlette with veggies.. can i just add on the black beans to get up to my carb #'s?.. Will the fiber content factor in? thanks, J

    April 6, 2011 at 6:47 pm

  • Melyssa

    I am curious why you peel the kiwi? I recently read somewhere that the skin, as with many other fruits, hold a lot of nutrients as well. And yes, I agree. I have done the Atkins diet. I've done it 3x. And every time, I gained the weight back faster. It's a really hard diet to keep up with. I just try to eat well balanced meals and stay active. So far, if I ever have more than one consecutive cheat day, or if I don't workout for a week (oh no!), I don't blow up like a balloon.

    April 6, 2011 at 6:45 pm

  • Cheri

    Thanks for the recipes, I can't wait to make the chili!

    April 6, 2011 at 6:34 pm

  • Bernd

    "These carbs aren’t good to eat most of the time (few exceptions)" What are these exceptions? Post workout?

    April 6, 2011 at 6:29 pm

  • Laura Messing

    Great post...your information is always really helpful.

    April 6, 2011 at 6:13 pm

  • Aimee

    Curcuma? Is this a derivative of cumin? Regardless: salivating.

    April 6, 2011 at 6:01 pm

  • rocky

    I had the "Almond Joy" shake this morning from Daves book and damn was that good.. But quick question Roman, i know you reccomend 100grams of carbs when cutting but what about when you're trying to put on some mass.?

    April 6, 2011 at 6:00 pm

  • charity pratt

    Fabulous...you and the post ;)

    April 6, 2011 at 6:00 pm

  • Ted

    "Also included on this list is candy, cake, beer, cookies, fun, snuggles, puppies and unicorn magic." No snuggles? :( Sad panda.

    April 6, 2011 at 5:38 pm

  • Tony Roe

    Very nice! My menu for the next few days consists of Prograde Workout (:P), chicken salads (with copious amounts of broccoli, spinach and peppers), shrimpiez and omelets. I have a frozen piece of salmon and a frozen rib eye that I might get into sometime this week as well (as I know you'll agree - it's always a good time for steak)! I'd like to make that chili sometime, though! Also, I wonder how well Metabolic Drive Vanilla would substitute into the Krazy Kiwi shake (or maybe I'll try out an apple version). -Tony

    April 6, 2011 at 5:36 pm

  • Josseline

    I have learnt the hard way that cutting carbs completely out of your diet is a BAD thing. Thank goodness I finally came to my senses, found more accurate information pertaining to the importance of having carbs in your diet, the amount, the timing and the quality of carbs; It all really makes such a difference. It was great that you mentioned the fact that at certain times, and I will emphasize CERTAIN times it is ohk, actually beneficial to consume more simpler forms of carbs. Reading on Tnation last night (I'm slowly getting hooked on that site, damn theres some AWESOME info there!) about insulin and how its an anabolic hormone, and that it doesnt care if its muscle or fat that it builds, its just doing its job. So knowing how to manipulate your insulin levels at the right time can really make a difference in gaining lean mass and keeping or losing body fat. It was interesting to read that during and post workout glucose is the prefereable source of carb source, over fructose and galactose as insulin will shuffle the glucose straight to your muscles, as opposed to fructose and galactose which are taken to the liver first...

    April 6, 2011 at 4:57 pm

  • John Romaniello

    100 carbs not including fiber. Great question!

    April 6, 2011 at 4:51 pm

  • Sara

    Hey Roman -- is the 100g of carbs that you suggest as a general guideline net carbs or does it include fiber?

    April 6, 2011 at 4:48 pm

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