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Originally Posted by Adam Campbell
Okay, I'm getting ready to go on vacation, so I don't have time to reply everyone individually. However, I hope this post takes care of most the questions.
The number one question: Can I add this or eat that and still lose fat?
The answer: Of course. HOWEVER, you'd be doing a different diet.
I posted this diet for one reason: JP was looking for something to cut fat fast without having to go into ketosis (the metabolic state in which your body uses fat as it's primary source of energy). He had a few reasons, but one of them was that he really enjoys cycling. So I provided a diet with really simple guidelines that was designed to provide many of the benefits of a low-carb diet--fat loss and reduction of heart disease risk--without compromising his ability to go for long or intense rides as well as hit the weights hard.
However, JP's a smart guy and has some experience at dieting. He may have taken the "guidelines" and tweaked them for his preferences. For instance, more whole grains, more milk, or more beans. I don't really know.
Unfortunately, for most people, using the guidelines I gave, but changing the "rules" won't work. Why? "My" diet was based on the idea that we'll keep insulin levels as low as possible all day long, except pre/post workout and at one meal (when you're allowed your whole grains or beans). Insulin is a very powerful hormone that even at very low levels inhibits your body's ability to burn fat. You boost insulin levels by eating high-sugar or starchy foods.
The other goal of the diet was to provide foods that would automatically regulate the number of calories you eat. Typically, these are foods that are high in protein, high in fat, or high in fiber. Base your diet around these and eliminate other foods, and you will lose fat FAST--especially because these foods don't stimulate signficant increases in insulin (if at all).
So the key to the diet is that you could eat as much of these foods as you want, without having to count calories. Automatic weight loss--a beautfiul thing.
But a lot of people would like to add in different foods or change the rules. For instance, they'd like to eat more whole grains, beans, and milk at more meals. There is NOTHING wrong with this. Those are all great foods. BUT... it's not the diet that I presented, so it doesn't work the SAME way. If you want to eat clean, but enjoy a greater variety of foods, then you really need to count calories. Some people will get away with it b/c they've dieted before and have an understanding of portion control. Those who haven't won't.
If you do the plan as I originally suggested, you WILL lose fat without counting calories. If you make a lot of changes or additions, I don't know what will happen. You might get great results; you might not. As you change the diet, you change the "rules". I just wanted to give JP a really simple plan that made sense metabolically. It DOES work. But if you start eating whole grains or beans at every meal, or drink several servings of milk, you're following a different diet. And you will probably need to count calories. If you count calories, it's called the Testosterone Advantage Plan and is extremely effective; if you don't, it's called The Abs Diet and is hit and miss on its effectiveness. In other words, you can't apply low-carb rules--like you see in phase 1 and 2 of South Beach--to the Testosterone Advantage Plan and make a blanket statement about losing fat. There are too many variables involved that will require you to count calories. I think that if you really accept the idea that insulin is powerful player in fat loss, it will be easy to accept why you only want to eat bread/pasta/rice at one meal a day.
Make no mistake: The plan I originally suggested is low-carb, and I really don't want to modify it for a moderate-carb lifestyle. There's nothing wrong with eating that way, and it can be very effective for achieving your fat loss goals. But I simply don't think it's going to get you where you're going the fastest, in the easiest manner possible as was my original intention and will continue to be. Keep in mind that I'm really promoting a diet that was created by Jeff Volek, who also created the Testosterone Advantage Plan diet. He's evolved his thinking on what is optimal, and I've become a believer through my personal experience, the research that's been presented, and the anecdotal experience of others.
I guess what I'm saying is that if the diet interests you, it's easy enoough to follow as it's laid out: Eat meat, veggies (go for five servings a day), nuts/seeds (three servings a day), eggs, and cheese (yes, any kind) in any amounts that you wish, along with your workout nutrition. This will keep insulin levels very low, and will limit your total caloric intake--the winning combination for fat loss.
I know this isn't necessarily the "popular" approach to dieting among nutritionists, but many of the top metabolism researchers in the country believe in this philosophy, even if they're not vocal about it in the press.
I hope this helps. I guess what I'm saying is that if you feel like you can follow the guidelines I provided, then great. If you don't, find a different diet that will work, but be aware that you need SOME way of gauging portion control. Most diets offer that--TAP, The Zone, Body for Life. Those who aren't low-carb and don't offer that are taking advantage of the marketing hype of "you don't have to count calories" without being able to back up the promise.
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