Tips, Tricks and Info

Hey everybody!!

So I know I haven’t posted in a while but literally the last two weeks I have been doing nothing but gathering intel and info. Most of what I have been putting effort in and even experimenting in is Insulin Management and/or Manipulation.

This is all based off of tons of articles I have come across. Unfortunately I will bounce from site to site so I haven’t saved every single link out there, so I will only be able to post links that I can actually remember.

Please NOTE: Mostly all of the info below if for leaning out. Spring and Summer are coming so I’m trying to personally cut down BF% (actually I’m trying to get it under 5% right now - which is a little difficult to say the least because I am also competing in the Crossfit Games.)

I’m going to try and break this down in to Rules to Follow in order to get lean. Explanation will be limited but available upon request. To remind y'all Insulin is a fat storage hormone - so if you seek a leaner sexier body composition - managing and controlling insulin is going to be an almost daily battle. Once you get it under control then you can start to have some fun. So here we go!!

Rules to Follow for Mastering Insulin Management:

1) 100-50g: I don’t usually recommend you guys count or track anything but now I’m going to make a suggestion. Count your carb grams. When you do you want limit your daily carb gram intake to either 100g or 50g. Which one to choose? How bad is your insulin management and how fast do you want to lean out? If you want to take this to war and go full out then 50g. If you would like to ease into this so you get the hang of it 100g. Why 100g? Because liver glycogen storage levels are only 100g - anything over that can either be stored on another organ (possibly) stored as muscle glycogen (possibly) or stored as fat (most likely).

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/one_hundred_gram_carb_cure

Want more info on insulin: http://www.tnation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_insulin_advantage_how_to_bulk_and_cut_on_the_same_day

2) Pre bed: Consume low amount of carbs and fat pre bed time. Pretty much veggies and protein are the way to go 3 or less hours before bed.

3) Morning cardio: If you can knock this out fasted cardio is a great option to strip fat off. Fasted morning cardio is you wake up grab a cup of coffee and perform what is called "Non Panting Cardio" which is you move fast enough that you aren’t losing your breath what so ever. The easiest way is to get on a treadmill, set the incline on a high grade and keep the speed moderate. How moderate? You should be able to have a complete normal conversation on the phone and they wouldn’t know you were doing cardio. You would want to perform this morning cardio for 45mins to 1 hour. Let me warn you that this could be mind numbingly boring. You have to find ways to entertain yourself. If you don’t have a treadmill you can walk quickly around the street, perform super slow ass burpees or row very lightly.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_ultimate_cardio_solution_disclosed 4) Limit fruit: One serving daily perhaps - saved for only post workout and it would possibly probably be better to remove fruit and resort to implementing starchy carbs post workout because they are better at resorting muscle glycogen (not being converted into fat.) http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/3_tricks_for_faster_fat_loss

5) Carb Cycle: Don’t know how? This is one of the best articles I have found on the subject with a time line and what to eat: http://www.tnation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/carb_cycling_for_fat_loss

6) Lift heavy shit: Most people think they need to add in hours of more cardio or do light weight and high reps but what has the most benefit and impact seems to be lifting heavy shit several times. Take this equation into consideration: Movement (Exercise) +load (weight) +lifts (reps - in the 1-8 rep range for multiple sets) = leanness.

7) Circuit train: Pick several movements with various loads and cycle through them for either times or rep counts (meaning hit 20-35 reps for 3-6 rounds or stay at each exercise for a certain amount of time like 1-3 mins.)

8) Sweet tooth: If you are just craving to the point of causing physical harm to either yourself, someone else or small animals then try to stomp that craving with something completely paleo - unless you are gona eat the small animal. Basically if you say “I HAVE TO CHEAT!!" Then do it but pick something that is paleo like the treats below.

Speaking of insulin management - saving the best for last here are the tasty things I have been making + the recipes. Don’t go over board if you want to be lean and make sure that if you do make these you are within your carb limits.

Oatless Oatmeal:

The Stuff


1 handful of walnuts
1 handful of pecans
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 tablespoon almond butter (or any nut butter; I used cashew)
1 banana, mashed
3 omega-3 enriched eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or more if you like it runnier)
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds (optional)
1 handful of berries (optional)
Putting All That Stuff Together
1. A small food processor really helps here, but you could get by without one. Place walnuts, pecans, spice and flax seed into the food pro and give it a few pulses. Don't grind it into powder though; leave it coarse. No food pro? Smash the nuts as best as you can in a sandwich baggie, then add flax and spices. Mix well. Set aside.
2. Add eggs and almond milk to a bowl and whisk until it starts to thicken a little. (A shaker bottle works well here too.)3. Smash together the banana and the nut butter. Combine well with egg mixture.
4. Now add the nut/spice blend and mix well. Warm on the stove or in the microwave until it thickens to whatever consistency you like. Stir frequently. 5. Top with berries, pumpkin seeds or whatever the heck you want. Enjoy.
Yield: Two big bowls of steaming goodness.

Pumkin Pie-Cake:

The Stuff:
2 cups blanched almond flour
Half-can of pure pumpkin (7 or 8 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) Smart Balance butter with omega-3, softened
4 whole eggs, omega-3 enriched preferred (or Egg Beaters)

1/3 cup water

Several whoppin' big dashes of pumpkin pie spice blend (or cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice)
Pam or spray coconut oil (I like the Spectrum brand)

Turning This Stuff Into Cake
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Mix the two together. A hand mixer works best here.
3) Pour into a Pam or coconut oil-sprayed baking dish. Toss into the oven for about 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.