40 Things You Should Know – The one liners.

Ok so this is a two part series that will (hopefully) explain the actual facts, basics and fundamentals behind achieving your desired body composition, exercise performance and general health goals.

It may very well be the complete opposite to what you have seen, heard or do.

So this first part is essentially the ‘one liners’ that are the facts, basics or fundamentals behind it all.  Yes I do realize some are more than one line but one liners sounds better (LOL).

Part 2 will be the science behind it and all the studies that prove it.

Body Composition

Minus lifestyle factors (smoking, sleep patterns, stress) and hereditary factors (illness or diseases).

1.       Calorie surplus = weight gain.  Calorie deficit = weight loss. Meal frequency does not alter the energy balance equation. 

2.       Calorie intake, macronutrient and micronutrient sufficiency determines health NOT food name or type and NOT meal frequency.

3.       Activity + calorie intake, macronutrient and micronutrient sufficiency determines vitality NOT food name or type and NOT meal frequency.

4.       Calorie intake, macronutrient and micronutrient sufficiency determines the activity level ability NOT food name or type and NOT meal frequency.

5.       Long term activity stimuli, calorie intake and macronutrient sufficiency determines body composition NOT food name or type and NOT meal frequency or day to day intake.

6.       Body composition progression requires continual increase in activity stimuli load, appropriate calorie intake and macronutrient sufficiency NOT food name or type and NOT meal frequency.

7.       Activity stimuli progression requires activity load increase, appropriate calorie intake, sufficient macronutrient and micronutrient intake NOT food name or type and NOT meal frequency.

Training

8.       Being sore after a workout does not determine whether the workout was good or not.

9.       Having a pump does not determine if a workout was good or not.

10.   Training progression is what determines if the workout was good or not.

11.   The only way you ‘shock’ the body into growth is to continually increase the activity stimuli load NOT by changing exercises around or doing different exercises.

12.   You can grow muscle.  Muscle tone is girly for muscle growth.  You can’t shape muscle.  Muscle shape is genetic.  You can shape muscle by making it grow.

13.   Abs are achieved by having a low body fat NOT by doing abdominal crunches.

14.   X-Fit is for fitness not muscle growth or gain.

15.   Cardio means cardiovascular exercise NOT fat burning exercise. It actually burns 3 times more carbohydrates regardless of intensity!

Nutrition & Random

16.   Calorie = a unit to measure energy.

17.   Macronutrient = Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat.

18.   Micronutrient = Vitamins and Minerals.

19.   Consuming your daily required calories, macronutrients and micronutrients is far more important than nutrient timing.

20.   The ‘anabolic window’ is a 24-48 hour window not a 30 minute or a 2 hour window.

21.   A calorie is a calorie.

22.  Calories in VS Calories out always applies.

23.   One gram of protein is 4 calories.  One gram of carbohydrate is 4 calories.  One gram of fat is 9 calories.

24.   One gram of protein, carbohydrate and fat is no different between food types and is still the same calorie value.  Our body sees nutrients NOT food names or types. Ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fats (and micronutrients) may vary between food type that is all.

25.   Foods should not be classed as clean or dirty.  If you wash your food, then it is clean.

26.   Carbohydrates at night do not make you fat.  Being in a calorie surplus does.

27.   GI is meaningless in a mixed diet.

28.   Unless you have multiple muscle glycogen depletion workouts in the same day for the same muscle group/s, replenishing muscle glycogen directly post workout is unnecessary.

29.  Insulin is spiked anytime you eat/consume nutrients. Spiking insulin around training with 'simple carbohydrates' is unnecessary.

30.   You can absorb more than 30 grams of protein in one meal.

31.   Protein does not kill your kidneys.

32.   Fat does not make you fat.  Being in a calorie surplus does.

33.   You do not have a fast or slow metabolism. Everyone has a different metabolic function which is determined by a number of different factors (see next point). It should not be classed as fast, slow, high or low. It should have no classification. You can not use that as an excuse,  you just consume too little or too many calories.

34.   Your TEE (Total energy expendature/calorie requirements) is determined by BMR - Base Metabolic Rate (age, gender, lean body mass, overall bodyweight etc etc), NEAT (non exercise associated thermogenesis), EAT (exercise associated thermogenesis) and TEF (thermic effect feeding). TEF is determined by macronutrient balance/intake NOT meal frequency.

35.   Hunger/appetite does not reflect a particular metabolism type.  Feeding frequency, macronutrient balance and hormonal function control hunger/appetite levels.

36.   We are continually in both catabolic and anabolic states.  We have no control over that.

37.   Increased meal frequency does not alter nor have an effect on energy balance.

38.   Supplements supplement your diet.  Diet does not supplement your supplements.

39.   Placebo is real.

40.   Supplements are not steroids.  Steroids are steroids. Supplements will NOT give you steroid like results regardless of the marketing. 

* Note:  If you have any more suggestions please let me know. If I think of something I may have missed. I will update it along the way.

The forgotten Ones

41.  A calorie deficit can be achieved  either dietary or activity induced or a combination of the two.

42.  Studies can prove or disprove anything. The funding source, credibility and methods used in a study prove everything about a study.

43.   Only studies done on humans need be considered. We are not rats, mice or dogs.

44.  Saturated fat is NOT bad nor is Cholesterol.

45. Rocky was a movie. You are not Rocky and you are not in a movie. Cook your damn eggs, do not drink them raw. You can not digest a raw egg, you are not that tough.

46.  Because a 'Pro' does something that is not evidence to base a theory or argument on. The physique does not determine the intelligence level.

47.  Creatine is NOT a steroid.

48. Your metabolism will NOT slow down if you have not eaten in 3 hours or 4 or 5 etc etc, try 60 hours without food!

49. Caffeine and creatine can be take together. They do NOT  'counter act' each other.

50. Caffeine does NOT dehydrate you nor have a negative effect on electrolyte balance .