Dr. John Berardi 27 tips to kick-start your diet on the right foot (part 1)

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Dr. John Berardi’s 27 tips to kick-start your diet on the right foot (part 1)

January 4, 2009 - Follow me on Twitter

Yup, it’s that time of the year again when you set your New Year’s resolution and losing weight and eating a more balanced diet must be right up there on your list.

If you cannot do it by yourself, it’s always good to get some tips from knows a thing or two about food and nutrition.

What a way to start the New Year than by getting some valuable nutrition tips from an expert!

Dr. John Berardi will share his top 27 tips to kick-start your diet and weight loss resolutions.

All of these tips are by sponsored by Precision Nutrition. Precision Nutrition is truly a unique approach to loosing and maintaining the weight off because it’s a holistic (complete approach). This system contains system manuals, a gourmet cookbook, a digital audio/video library, an online membership, and much more. Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want — guaranteed.

Are you ready? Here are Dr. John Berardi tips!

The 27 Tips

Tip #1 Eat Pasta… Carefully

by Dr. John Berardi

As a God-fearing Italian, I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing weight lifter and athlete, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I’ll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I’m trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

Tip #2 The Sunday Ritual

by Dr. John Berardi

To ensure that good foods will be available when you need them, use the Sunday Ritual. This is performed by setting aside three hours every Sunday to write out your menu for the week, shop for the week, and prepare your meals for the week. Cook all the meat, chop all the vegetables, measure out all the yogurt and/or cottage cheese, and distribute all the powders. Have them ready and set aside so that you can grab them in the morning and bring them with you regardless of what your day holds in store for you.

Tip #3 Fish Oil Rules

by Dr. John Berardi

I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA).

Tip #4 Revving Up Metabolism

by Dr. John Berardi

I recommend more calories than most do. That’s because there’s no such thing as a stagnant metabolic set-point. Instead, metabolism chases intake. So, if you want a bigger metabolism, you need a bigger food intake. And if you’re worried about fat gain with this approach, just use outcome-based decision making and adjust energy (calorie) intake every two weeks based on your results. Not much ‘damage’ can take place in only two weeks. So if you end up boosting your metabolism, you’ll be thanking me eternally. And if it turns out you’re consuming too much, you can just adjust down.

Tip #5 The 10% Factor

by Dr. John Berardi

If some people eat one food not on their plan, their failure to be perfect sets in motion a psychological chain of events that leads to frustration and the inability to get right back on the plan. The all-or-nothing mentality sets in and BAM, they’re back to nothing. But it doesn’t have to be this way. 100% nutritional discipline is never required for optimal progress. The difference, in results, between 90% adherence to your nutrition program and 100% adherence is negligible. So allow yourself the extra 10% wiggle room. This will allow you the freedom to eat a few extra things not on your menu without the guilt and subsequent crash.

Tip #6 The Organic Debate

by Dr. John Berardi

The average person should consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a minimum. Athletes probably need even more – I recommend 10-15 servings per day for each of my athletes. Expert often spend too much time arguing about organic vs. regular fruits and veggies. I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they have a higher micronutrient count, but any fruits and veggies are better than none! Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they’re organic or not. Once you’ve done that, worry on.

Tip #7 Eat Fat, Lose Fat

by Dr. John Berardi

To lose fat, sometimes you have to eat fat. Monounsaturated fats and certain polyunsaturates actually speed up the metabolic rate. Lipid researchers believe that the best of the fat burning bunch are the highly unsaturated omega 3s called EPA and DHA. A diet supplemented with omega 3-rich fish oil promotes losses of body fat with simultaneous gains in lean mass.

Tip #8 Fiber Facts

by Dr. John Berardi

Shoot for about 40-50g of mixed fiber per day, but no more. The absolute lower limit is 20g per day. Your main fiber sources should be (in order of importance): vegetables, beans, nuts, fruit, and grains (like oatmeal). If you eat 1 oz of mixed nuts, 1 apple, 2 cups of kidney beans, and 2 cups of mixed vegetables each day, you’ll be getting 41g of fiber. Also, a small amount of supplemental fiber is okay. You can get soluble fiber from psyllium, guar gum, and apple pectin, and insoluble fiber from flax seeds.

Tip #9 Mood Eating

by Dr. John Berardi

Most people eat based on their mood and/or some subjective feelings of hunger. They don’t eat based on what their bodies need. Think of it this way: you’re about to take a long drive on a stretch of highway with no gas station. Do you fail to stop for gas before you hit the road because you’re ‘not in the mood?’ Of course not. Think of eating in the same way. Eating fuels your metabolic engine. So it’s time to start feeling like eating so that you can stop feeling like you’re scrawny.

Tip #10 ZMA for Deep Sleep

by Dr. John Berardi

ZMA is useful for improving the quality of your sleep. For me, ZMA tends not to induce sleep as much as deepen it. Expect your dreams to be extremely vivid! My athletes, when traveling, or when under heavy training loads, usually included 2-3 ZMA capsules before bed.

If you’re looking for more great recipes that are yummy and healthy, you might want to take a look at these two great resources from Dr. Berardi:

The Precision Nutrition System: A complete nutrition program containing seven guidebooks, a gourmet cookbook, and access to member’s only resources. It’s everything you need to get into the shape of your life. From the strategies to the food!

You’ll get more information here on: The Precision Nutrition System

Gourmet Nutrition: Dr. Berardi’s new cookbook for the fit food lover (I love this cookbook and I love the healthy recipes). You’ll find over 120 recipes! This beautifully photographed book is a MUST-HAVE (in my humble opinion) for anyone interested in eating body-friendly food. You’ll love the taste and you’ll love what it does for your body.

You’ll get more information here on: Gourmet Nutrition

Photo by sylvar