D I E T - F A Q
What types of food or drink can I switch with which ones ?
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You can only substitute ‘similar’ types of food with each other. Meaning, you can only sub ‘protein’ with ‘protein’ or ‘carb’ with ‘carb’, but you can’t sub ‘protein’ with ‘carb’ or vise versa. For example:
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You can only sub ‘Chicken’ with ‘Fish’ or ‘Unprocessed - Turkey Meat’ and vise versa.
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You can only sub ‘White Meat Fish’ with ‘Salmon’, but it shouldn’t be as frequent since Salmon is still an ‘oily’ fish which won’t be a very healthy option if you have it more than twice a week and if your goal was to lose weight.
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White Meat Fish includes : Hamour , Borui , Fillet , Sea Bass , Sea Bream , Cod fish and is considered to provide the 'purest/leanest' form of 'protein' along side 'egg whites'.
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You can only sub ‘Mixed Veggies’ with ‘Green Salads’ and vise versa.
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You can only sub ‘Brown Rice’ with ‘Sweet Potatoes’ or ‘Quinoa’ and vise versa.
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You can only sub ‘Oats’ with ‘Muesli’ and vise versa, but you cannot sub either one with ‘any type’ of ‘Corn Flakes’ even the “Fitness” branded ones as they are all very high in sugar and are all equally bad for you -despite of what's written on the box!
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You can only sub ‘Organic Skimmed Cow’s Milk’ with ‘Almond Milk’ and vise versa, but you cannot sub either one with ‘Soy Milk’ since Soy has estrogen mimicking compounds that can cause hormonal imbalance especially for women, hence all Soy products should be completely avoided to maintain a healthy diet.
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You can only sub ‘Skimmed Greek Yogurt’ with normal ‘Skimmed Yogurt’ (Organic Yogurt is always preferred than normal Yogurt).
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You can use ‘Warm Water’ with your ‘Oats’ instead of ‘Organic Skimmed Cow’s Milk’ if you can’t have dairy or if you're lactose intolerant.
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You can only have ‘Fresh Tuna Steak’ but never ‘Canned Tuna’ since ‘Canned Tuna’ is full of preservatives, very high in Sodium as well as in mercury -definitely not a healthy option.
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You can only sub 'Egg Whites' with oven baked, air fried or grilled 'Chicken Breasts' or 'Fish Fillet'.
What is the best way to cook my food ?
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Feel free to cook your food like however you want to as long as it’s not ‘fried’ (a.k.a dipped in Oil). So feel free to grill, oven bake, steam or ‘air fry’ any of your food as long as you're NOT ‘frying it in Oil’ then it’s fine.
Using only a hint of ‘Extra virgin - Olive Oil’ or ‘Organic Coconut Oil’ is allowed when cooking your food (a teaspoon or a tablespoon is fine).
Using minimum amount of salt while cooking your food is also highly recommended where you can always sub salt with other delicious herbs & spices that are low on sodium and are much healthier for your blood pressure, heart & kidneys.
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There are literally hundreds -if not thousands- of delicious recipes on how to cook your food in a healthy way, and you can find any of them on YouTube for FREE.
How do I know if I'm having the right amount of food per meal as per recommended in my given 'Diet Plan' ?
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If your main goal was/is to lose weight yet you usually end up feeling completely full after each meal you have, then that should be your first indication that you're eating more than you should, and that you need to start lowering down your food portions per meal by %20-30.
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If your aim was/is to lose weight yet you're 'not' constantly in a 'healthy' caloric deficit, then your body will 'never have to' use any of it's excess fat as a primary source of energy, meaning that you'll never be able to lose weight if your stomach is always full after every meal!
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By 'healthy' caloric deficit I mean having 'small-medium' sized food portions of 'lean', high quality food, without actually tending to starve yourself (not eating for extremely extended long periods of time for the main purpose of losing weight).
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If your aim was/is to lose weight, then always make sure to fill on only %60-65 of your stomach capacity to help constantly force your body to burn excess fat and use it as a primary source of energy.
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Food portions mentioned in your given 'Diet Plan' are 'Post-cooking' not 'Pre-cooking'.
When can I have a 'Cheat Meal' ?
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If your main goal was/is losing weight and trimming down body fat and unwanted extra bodyweight, then you should NOT be having any 'cheat meals' before at least reaching %80 of your targeted weight goal, as having a cheat meal anytime before then will definitely cause you a set back - guaranteed.
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For example, if your current weight is 70 kg and your main goal is reaching 60 kg (meaning that you need to lose 10 kg for you to reach your targeted weight goal), then you should NOT be having any cheat meals before at least losing 8 kg of bodyweight !
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How it works? A good portion of any food that we eat is normally 1) utilized by our bodies to grow, repair & rebuild itself, with some of that food being 2) used for energy release, and the rest of it being 3) stored in our bodies as fat and glycogen, with only a small portion of it 4) leaving our bodies in the form of waste.
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So if you're someone who's overweight with your body already having enough stored fat as it is, then why would you overwhelm it by giving it more fat to burn when it hasn't yet consumed at least %80 of your current unwanted stored body fat?
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The main purpose of eating 'lean' & 'clean' while being in a 'healthy' caloric deficit for anyone who's overweight or anyone who's trying to lose weight, is to constantly force your body to consume 'stored fat' and use it as a primary source of energy.
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Now if you're constantly 'disrupting' that process where your body's trying it's best to burn off your stored fat by having a 'cheat meal' every now and then that includes but not limited to (Wheat / Starch / Fried Food / Pastries / Refined Sugar), then your body will simply redirect it's efforts to burn off that which you just had as a cheat meal, instead of being entirely focused on burning off your unwanted stored fat !
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Finish the job first (or at least %80 of it) then reward yourself with a 'Cheat Meal' that is well deserved, but never before then ;)
Certain types of food or drinks that are mentioned in my given ‘Diet Plan’ are causing me stomach discomfort, what should I do ?
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You should immediately discontinue eating or drinking any type(s) of food or drink that should cause you any sort of stomach discomfort, and rather try it’s substitute from the food/drink examples I have previously mentioned in the answer to question no.1
I can’t start my day without having my cup of coffee, is that ok ?
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Believe it or not, but it’s actually not true how "You can’t start your day or focus without having your cup of ‘joe’ !"... It’s purely psychological and I'm %100 sure about it!
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Coffee or 'caffeine' in general is NOT good for your health, in fact, it is actually quite harmful to your heart as well as to your nervous system. It is also an addictive substance that can easily cause you insomnia, anxiety, so as increase your level of aggression for no apparent reason -which is something none of us would wants or needs- as we would rather seek that which can grant peace, calmness & tranquility.
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If coffee and/or any other caffeinated beverages were by any means a healthy option for people to consume, then I would have been the very first to advocate for it and recommend it, but unfortunately that's not the case. I simply have absolutely nothing to gain from opposing Coffee or Caffeine, or to not recommend to my clients.
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If you go to any doctor with any type of pain or health complaint that is as simple as having a headache, they will all tell you that one of the main things you will have to limit your intake from is 'caffeine'. Same rule applies to why toddlers and teenagers are not allowed any coffee or caffeine until they've reached a certain age... Is it because caffeinated beverages are ‘healthy’? I don't think so.
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So I strongly reckon you avoid caffeinated beverages all together if you want to maintain a good healthy lifestyle, and rather switch to ‘Green Tea’ instead, where it has much lesser caffeine content than coffee or ‘Black Tea’, and it’s full of antioxidants, considered as a natural diuretic, great for your joints, reduces inflammation, and is a great hot beverage that you can have between meals that should also keep your metabolism spiked without causing you all the other 'bad' side effects that comes along with caffeine, especially when you're aiming to lose weight.
Can I have 'Fruit Juice' with my meals ?
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A small glass of %100 Natural 'Home made' Apple, Pomegranate or Watermelon juice with no added sugar is acceptable to have with 1 or 2 of your daily meals but not with every meal as fruit still has sugar (fructose) in it, which is not best to have that often especially if you're trying to lose weight.
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Other juices such as Orange juice is often NOT that recommended (unlike what most people think) as it can be too acidic causing an instant or delayed feeling of heart burn or acid reflux to those who have it often.
I have a 'sweet tooth' and I get sugar craving quite often, what should I do ?
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Having a piece of fruit like an apple, an orange, a kiwi, a couple slices of water melon, a couple slices of cantaloupe, a handful or two of red grapes whenever you get an urge to have something sweet, is a hundred times better and a way healthier option than having a piece of cake, a muffin, a donut, a bar of chocolate (even dark chocolate) or any other type of pastry and/or sweet sugar treat that is mostly pumped with refined sugar that will spike your insulin levels in an abnormal/unhealthy way (Insulin is the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels in our bodies) and such habit of constantly indulging on sweet sugary treats can actually cause Type 2 diabetes for some people on the long run.
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Why is having 'Egg Whites' considered as a MUST for most of my 'workout' days ?
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'Egg Whites' are considered to be the leanest, purest source of protein that can be easily prepared and easily digested, and is considered as an ideal nutritious food to have for breakfast since it is a massive contributor to keeping one's body in an 'anabolic' state, especially first thing in the morning when waking up after many hours of sleep and no food.
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'Egg Whites' have NO other food alternative that can match it's beneficial nutritional value (to have for breakfast) making it a 'power house' for protein and a necessity to have for breakfast especially on most of your 'working out' days.
What other types of food or drinks that I'm allowed to have other than the ones mentioned in my given ‘Diet Plan’ ?
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Anything that I’ve mentioned or did not mention in your given personalized ‘Diet Plan’ has been mentioned or NOT been mentioned for a reason.
Feel free to substitute certain types of food with other types of food that are from the same food category as each other as I explained in my answer to question no.1 but do NOT completely exclude any food items or include new ones to your given 'Diet Plan'.
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Know that I will only include certain type(s) of food or drink that I find best suited for your case when customizing your 'Diet Plan', and I will ‘intentionally’ exclude certain other type(s) of food or drinks that are not best suited for your case or the goal you're trying to accomplish.
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Items that you should NOT be having will include - but not limited to - any type of 'Whey protein' or 'Protein Bar' or any other type of supplementation that was not mentioned in your given 'Diet Plan', any type of "dried fruits" or any type of "nuts" that you might suggest having as a snack between meals, any type of so called "healthy cereals" that you would want to include in your breakfast, or any type of sauce that includes ketchup, BBQ, ranch, thousand islands, mustard or any other sauce that is probably full of sodium and other equally unhealthy ingredients that should derail you from reaching your targeted fitness/weight goal!
Use all and any of your favorite herbs & spices to add flavor to your food instead of using any addictive, artificially manufactured sauces.
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In conclusion, you should NOT be having any type of food or drink or any other kind of supplementation that I didn't mention in your given 'Diet Plan' simply because it will not be good for you ;)
I’m overweight, I just finished my 1st week of training & dieting, and I haven’t lost any weight on the scale, or I’ve lost only 1 kg... Is that normal? And what should I do ?
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If you’re an overweight person who is more than 10-15 kg above your ideal weight, and you've just started with your new given ‘Fitness & Diet’ programs, then you should easily be able to lose anything between 1-2 kg on a weekly basis.
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A ‘healthy’ weight to lose on a monthly basis should be anything between 3-5 kg in total, and by ‘healthy’ I'm referring to losing any extra ‘unwanted’ body weight and never gaining it back again!
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If you've managed to exercise 5 x days that week and fully committed to your given ‘Diet Plan’ without any slip ups or cheating on your diet that is meant to keep you in a ‘healthy’ caloric deficit; a.k.a force your body to use stored fat as a primary source of energy in a 'healthy' way, then there’s absolutely NO chance in he** of you not being able to drop down at least 1.5-2 kg in weight at the end of that week -unless- you didn't really fully commit to your given ‘Diet Plan’ and ‘Nutrition Guide’ as you should have, and exercised less than 5 x days by the end of that week!
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Elevated stress levels and/or lack of sleep and rest can also cause an elevation in your cortisol levels (your stress hormone) which can also lead to undesired water retention that might show up on the scale at the end of that week.
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If you’re a female and you’re on your ‘time of the month’, then that’s also a major contributor and a main cause to why you ain’t losing weight on the scale as you should or expected, or why you’re feeling bloated and that your body’s holding onto some water.
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Summary: Make sure not to skip any of your training days, always be %100 committed to your given ‘Diet Plan’ 7 x days a week without any slip-ups or cheating, and most of all make sure that you get enough rest & sleep so your body can repair/rebuild itself and recover as it should.
I’m overweight, I’ve been losing almost 1.5 - 2.5 kg on a weekly basis, now my weight loss progress has started to slow down... Is this normal ?
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If you’re an overweight person then ‘Yes’, it is normal for you to lose weight faster during your first 1-3 weeks after getting into a new strict ‘Fitness & Diet’ program, then have your weight loss progress slow down during the later on weeks.
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How to fix it? 1) Increase your ‘Post Workout Cardio’ by adding an extra 5-15 mins to your usual 'Post Workout Cardio' time, 2) Decrease your food intake (meal portions) by %20-30 in an attempt to push/force your body to consume more of it's stored fat.
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'IF' you’re in a ‘healthy’ caloric deficit and your 'output' (a.k.a the amount of calories you burn and consume during your workouts and throughout your day) exceeds and out ways your 'input' (a.k.a what you eat & drink during your day), then the outcome should ‘always’ be in your favor to losing more weight!
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In other words, if you constantly make sure that you burn more calories than that which you intake, then your body should 'always' be forced to burn more fat and drop more weight (fat & water).​
My goal is to lose weight, and I’ve managed to work out 5 x days during this past week, and I fully committed to my given ‘Diet Plan’ without any cheating or slip-ups, yet I still haven’t lost any weight... Is this normal ?
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If you’re an overweight person who is more than 10-15 kg above your ideal weight, and you've just started with your new given ‘Fitness & Diet’ programs, then you should easily be able to lose anything between 1-2 kg on a weekly basis.
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A ‘healthy’ weight to lose on a monthly basis should be anything between 3-5 kg in total, and by ‘healthy’ I'm referring to losing any extra ‘unwanted’ body weight and never gaining it back again!
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If you've managed to exercise 5 x days that week and fully committed to your given ‘Diet Plan’ without any slip ups or cheating on your diet that is meant to keep you in a ‘healthy’ caloric deficit; a.k.a force your body to use stored fat as a primary source of energy in a 'healthy' way, then there’s absolutely NO chance in he** of you not being able to drop down at least 1.5-2 kg in weight at the end of that week -unless- you didn't really fully commit to your given ‘Diet Plan’ and ‘Nutrition Guide’ as you should have, and exercised less than 5 x days by the end of that week!
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Elevated stress levels and/or lack of sleep and rest can also cause an elevation in your cortisol levels (your stress hormone) which can also lead to undesired water retention that might show up on the scale at the end of that week.
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If you’re a female and you’re on your ‘time of the month’, then that’s also a major contributor and a main cause to why you ain’t losing weight on the scale as you should or expected, or why you’re feeling bloated and that your body’s holding onto some water.
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Summary: Make sure not to skip any of your training days, always be %100 committed to your given ‘Diet Plan’ 7 x days a week without any slip-ups or cheating, and most of all make sure that you get enough rest & sleep so your body can repair/rebuild itself and recover as it should.
I just finished my 1st week of training & dieting, and it’s been very tough for me... Is this normal ?
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​If you only just started with your given 'Fitness Program' and it's only been your 1st week of training (or even if you're on your 2nd week) and you're feeling muscle soreness and muscle ache across certain parts of your body or all over, then rest assured cause it is perfectly normal to feel this way.
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If you haven't exercised in a while and all of a sudden you started doing so, then your body will start forming a chemical called 'lactic acid' that should spread across your muscles and is usually the main cause of your muscle soreness.
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My one & only advice ? Be patient, do NOT use any pain killers (pills or creams) as 'lactic acid' build up is a part of this natural biological process where your body is simply reacting to muscle exhaustion and will probably need a bit of time to readjust itself to this new type of physical stress that it wasn't used to.
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So rather trust the process and do everything in your power not to lose momentum, and make sure to follow through with your given ‘Fitness Program’ until the very end, as results come later on and not in the beginning!
I feel that I’m losing fat & water which is great, but I also feel that I’m losing muscle mass as well... Is this normal ?
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Losing any muscle mass is usually very unlikely to happen -unless 1) Your food intake was too low on ‘protein’ which I always make sure that's never the case with any of my clients, 2) You’re ‘over-training’ and your body's consuming itself, which would happen if you've decided to add extra stuff to your workouts without consulting with me first to give you the green light to do these extra stuff, 3) You’re not getting enough rest and/or sleep where your body’s not getting a chance to fully repair/rebuild & recover as it should.
What should I do if I felt hungry throughout the day ?
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One of the best hacks you can do whenever you feel hungry at times when you're not supposed to be eating (For example if you felt hungry past 10 or 11 pm), is for you to drink lots of water as your body won’t know the difference once it’s full, and by doing that you’ll diminish any chance for you to eat anything that you shouldn't be eating as you'll have a 'false' since of fullness if you fill up on water.
Having a ‘small’ plate of green salad full of goodness is also a very good wholesome option.
I got stuck at work and there are no 'healthy' food options around here, what should I do ?
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1) Never put yourself in that situation in the first place! How? Always make sure to prep your meals in advance from the night before and take them with you to the workplace so you’d never have to order in ‘junk food’. 2) You can always make an arrangement with any near by restaurant that serves 'healthy' and/or 'grilled' food, and have them deliver your meals everyday straight to the workplace.
I’m out with family or friends, and I'm not sure what to eat or what you might consider as 'Healthy' options ?
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I always tell my clients that even McDonald’s has a ‘Chicken Caesar Salad’! So there are “No Excuses” when it comes to eating right & eating healthy wherever you might be.
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I've made a whole list of healthy food options which you can choose from whenever you're out and about, and they're all mentioned in your given ‘Nutrition Guide’ under the paragraph named 'Be Selective'.
Which supplement brands do you recommend ?
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MuscleTech
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MusclePharm
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Optimum Nutrition
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bpi
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Nature’s Bounty
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Puritan’s Pride
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Gaspari Nutrition
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Nutrex
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Solgar
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Universal
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Dymatize
Can I change my meal timings ?
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God created the human body to function at peak performance when it’s used to receiving or undergoing certain activities at certain ‘fixed’ timings everyday.
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In other words, your body should be at it’s most ‘receptive’ state when it’s used to eating, exercising & resting/sleeping at the same timings everyday. That's why for example if you’re used to waking up @ 6 am in the morning everyday for work during week days, you’ll eventually find yourself waking up on your own around the same time on weekends without even setting up an alarm clock! Same rule applies to your training & your eating, you'll find yourself all hyped up an energized at times when you're used to working out even on your off days, and you'll find yourself getting hungry at times when you're usually used to be eating.
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So don’t confuse your body by constantly changing your eating timings, and rather do your very best to fix your meal timings.