Nutrition How is nutrition supporting your goals?

[Ryan T]

Hey folks,

I think it would be intestesting to get a feel for where the general community is at on their views of nutrition. Many times we seem so focused on styles of eating (meal frequency, specific foods consumed, tweaks and hacks, etc... that I wonder if we are really thinking about how the nutrition is supporting our goals. For me, I have been focusing on meal frequency, but I think there's more to it.

If you would like to participate, pick the one that best describes your current situation. Only one choice is allowed so think critically and honestly about what you are doing.

To give an example, here is the thought process behind my vote.

• Goals: S&S Simple and body comp 28.3% to 15% both by 1/1/2019.
• Vote: Fat Loss
• Rationale: I think there's a lot of coordinated muscle engagement and neural adaptation that is yet to be done to maximize the muscle I already have to support Simple. I think I can gain strength and shed fat at the same time. I am also really tired of the feeling of abdominal fat pushing over my belt and making my pants tight.

 

[North Coast Miller]

My current reasons are fat loss and muscle gain, so I didn't cast a vote.

I've increased my protein by approx 50 grams/day and cut back on dietary fat. My carb intake is about the same - have added one serving to augment the higher intensity I'm pushing on my workout days.

I'm expecting a slow drift toward dropping comp a few % and adding 5-8lbs by late Summer.

 

[Ryan T]

@Steve Freides I don't have the display votes publicly checked. Does that mean that no one will be able to see the votes, or just the particular person's vote? If it's the former, is there a way to update it where everyone can see the number of votes cast in each category? When I go to the edit screen, the option is not available to me anymore.

 

[Ryan T]

My current reasons are fat loss and muscle gain, so I didn't cast a vote.

That's a great goal and thanks for responding. I expect there might be a lot of folks that are thinking down that route. In an effort to really hone in on things, I thought limiting the choices a little more might make it interesting. Is there one of those two attributes that takes even a slight edge over the other, even if it's a 51/49% split?

 

[Steve Freides]

@Steve Freides I don't have the display votes publicly checked. Does that mean that no one will be able to see the votes, or just the particular person's vote? If it's the former, is there a way to update it where everyone can see the number of votes cast in each category? When I go to the edit screen, the option is not available to me anymore.

I'm pretty sure anyone can click on View Results and see them. I've never used the "publicly" option so I'd have to experiment so see what it does and doesn't do - will try to do that in the next day or two if at all possible.

-S-

 

[Oscar]

I voted "habitual". My bodyweight already is where I want it to be, so my body comp will improve when I get stronger.

 

[Ryan T]

Thanks for all the votes so far. Let's see if we can get community engagement up to 50 votes before the 2 weeks are up. If you haven't done so yet, please consider voting!

 

[Ryan T]

So far we have 12 votes. Please consider voting and let us know what your doing with your nutrition to support your goals! I think it would be awesome to get a greater representation of the community here. Remember you don't have to comment if you don't want to.

Perhaps after the voting is done we can have a discussion on our takeaways from this.

 

[offwidth]

So far we have 12 votes. Please consider voting and let us know what your doing with your nutrition to support your goals! I think it would be awesome to get a greater representation of the community here. Remember you don't have to comment if you don't want to.

Perhaps after the voting is done we can have a discussion on our takeaways from this.

It's a good topic and I would have voted, but there wasn't a selection that fit my goals.

 

[Ryan T]

It's a good topic and I would have voted, but there wasn't a selection that fit my goals.

For future reference what would have been an option that would more accurately describe your goals? I was trying to limit things on purpose, but perhaps I went to far.

 

[Hung]

i don't know if i do it right, but cutting down food makes me loose weight so that means half bodyweight press was achieved faster

 

[ali]

Vote for general health, could have been habitual, don't think about it.

A missing category and one I would have voted for:

To cook and enjoy good food.

 

[offwidth]

For future reference what would have been an option that would more accurately describe your goals? I was trying to limit things on purpose, but perhaps I went to far.

1. Specific Health Reasons ( not general)
2. Performance Reasons

 

[JeffC]

I want to be big and strong so I eat for strength. That means putting on fat and I accept that. I’d rather be big and strong than skinny with abs.

I eat a lot, but I eat like an adult. Lots of meat, fish, dairy, nuts, oils, eggs, greens, veg, fruit, berries, grains, rice(What is rice?). Basically everything. I bring a small picnic cooler to work with me. The joke is I bring enough food for a family of four. I limit sugar and empty calories. I spend about $400 a week at Costco. My one year olds eat what I eat.

I eat well. Maybe a little too well.

 

[Anna C]

I don't know how to vote, so I'll just comment. I eat to support my training and life. Currently attempting to support strength gains, so some some muscle increase, but keeping overall weight gain to a minimum. I aim for 165g of protein daily and get the rest of the calories in about half and half calories of carbohydrates (maximizing veggies/fruits/fiber, and minimizing processed food and sugar) and fat (healthy fats like avocado as much as possible). Mostly I eat simple foods - dinner might be one meat cooked simply + some steamed veggies. I don't eat out much at all. Almost all my food comes from grocery store. I do smoothies for breakfast some days and eggs other days. Lots of salad with meat for lunches. When I want to lose fat, I eat about the same, but ensure an overall calorie deficit, but low-carb has worked well for me at times to lose fat, too. I'm usually not very good at losing weight but I am good at maintaining and good at training, so it all works out. I don't really do "tricks" in terms of manipulating macros, fasting, eating wierd stuff or superfoods, supplements (except whey powder - I do use that), etc. Food is pretty simple, and I don't like to make it complicated. Once or twice a year I enjoy cooking as an activity like on holidays, but most of the time it's purely functional. I love microwave steamable veggies and stuff like that - it's really easy to eat pretty healthy these days. I appreciate the availability of food in my life and I never forget that many people in the world don't have enough or don't have access to quality food. It makes me feel a responsibility to utilize this essential life resource efficiently.

 

[kenaces]

I voted for fat loss as that is my main goal for now. That said I also am eating for long term health - lots of fruit/veggies/almost no junk food.... I have also been trying to up my protein to help with my strength training/recovery.

 

[Antti]

I don't really like the four options or the reasoning behind them. But I went with what was possible. I chose muscle gain.

The reason? I want to get stronger, and muscle gain is an obvious part about how I want to get stronger. Of course - we've talked a lot about this on the forum - one can get stronger without gaining more muscle, but it's not as efficient as doing it with hypertrophy. And I don't want to get stronger inefficiently. I also think more muscle mass is healthy. The only bad part about it for me is is the grocery bill, and of course having to shop for new clothes.

I am also overweight, and I want to lose fat. But I think I've got a handle on how to do it, and I've steadily improved my body composition for a long time now. So I reckon it's just a matter of time for me now. For the next 5-10 years muscle gain will come first for me, and after that, if necessary, I may put losing fat first until I'm at a healthier level.

 

[Ryan T]

I don't really like the four options or the reasoning behind them. But I went with what was possible.

Yeah I'm getting the feeling that perhaps folks would have been happier if I had done something different. I really appreciate you participating, giving your thoughts and rationale for voting.

I may not do another poll, but I wanted to try to get some of the most common buckets of options I could think of and present it in a way that could give us a snapshot of where folks are at. You know, engage the community in this forum a other than the sort of one-off posts and threads. Perhaps I should have started a thread and asked for suggestions before I created the poll ;-)

 

[Marc]

You can really use nutrition as a tool. In fact monitoring your calories/macros is the absolute best and fastest way to cut fat, just no discussion about it.
I undestand counting calories/macros it is not for everybody and one can really cut fat without doing it, you just have to get an intuition for it.
Of course the same approach can also be used for all the other goals bit I see most of the benefits of counting calories when fat loss is the primary goal. For muscle/strength gain just eat a little bit over satiety. For strenght gain and health choose "adult foods" most of the time and eat until confortably satiated.

 

[Ryan T]

You can really use nutrition as a tool. In fact monitoring your calories/macros is the absolute best and fastest way to cut fat, just no discussion about it.
I undestand counting calories/macros it is not for everybody and one can really cut fat without doing it, you just have to get an intuition for it.
Of course the same approach can also be used for all the other goals bit I see most of the benefits of counting calories when fat loss is the primary goal. For muscle/strength gain just eat a little bit over satiety. For strenght gain and health choose "adult foods" most of the time and eat until confortably satiated.

I've started weighing the food I eat and trying to remember how the portion looks. Eventually, I would like to stop weighing food and be able to visually estimate the amounts I'm eating. That also goes for measuring out actual portion sizes for packaged items like cottage cheese, crackers etc... and desserts like ice cream, dark chocolate, m&ms etc... I know I'm not supposed to be eating stuff, but I figure if I end up getting weak on it, it would be better to know how much I'm eating so I can hold it to a limit.