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Caloric Requirements
Before we talk about “clean eating”, let’s discuss caloric requirement.
One way to calculate your caloric requirement is with the Harris-Benedict Formula:
I use the following formula(for males):

66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

This gives you your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Now that you know your BMR, multiply your BMR by your activity multiplier from below:

Activity Multiplier
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job

Your BMR X Activity Level = Calories Needed for maintenance : what you need to sustain your body at status quo. If you want to lose weight, subtract 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound per week. Subtract 1000 to lose 2 pounds per week. It is not recommended to go below a 1000 calorie deficit. It is also not recommended to go below 2000 calories a day if you are trying to maintain / build muscle mass. I recommend you start out a fat loss program at a 500 calorie deficit, try that for a couple of weeks, then, if you aren’t getting the results you want, cut 250 off, try that for a couple of weeks, and repeat until you find the level that works for your body. After a few months, change it; your body will become accustomed to a caloric level and needs it to be altered once in a while.

To set up your macronutrient ratios:
Protein is 4 calories per gram.
Carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram.
Fat is 9 calories per gram.
Alcohol is 7 calories per gram.


First, set your protein requirement. A good protein requirement for most people is 0.9 grams per pound of body weight. After getting your protein intake in grams by this formula, multiply it by 4 to get your daily protein requirement in calories.

Subtract that number from the daily calorie target you’ve calculated.
The remaining number divide by two to get your carb calories and fat calories. Divide that by 4 and 9 respectively to get grams per day.

You can play with the ratios if you want. Many people losing weight go for 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fat. Some go for 33 / 33 / 33. You can experiment to find what works for you.

Eating clean

“Eating clean” means, basically, eating the **right kinds** of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are an important energy source for your body and your brain. Some are better than others. The Glycemic Index describes how quickly your body metabolizes foods into sugars. High G.I. foods turn into sugars quickly, causing an insulin spike. Low GI foods metabolize slowly. Try to keep your carbs lower than 75 GI. You can find the GI ratings here: Diabetes - Diabetes Management - Signs of Diabetes - Symptoms of Diabetes, or The Glycemic Index, or various other sources.


Examples of Low GI Carbs:
-Vegetables, Mixed Beans, Oatmeal, Bran, Whole Grain Breads, Whole Grains, Barley, Brown Rice, Low GI Fruits
-Lowfat Milk, Lowfat Yogurt (note: while these dairy products have a low GI, they have a high Insulin Index (the reaction your body produces to the metabolizing of these products), so use in moderation).
-White Rice (note: while having a higher GI, these have a low Insulin Index, so again, use in moderation)

High GI Carbs to Avoid:
-White Bread (includes “wheat bread” – must say “whole wheat” or “whole grain”) this means bagels, tortillas, pitas, and all other forms of bread.
-Potatoes (the worst – very high GI) (sweet potatoes are OK)
-High GI fruits (watermelon, dates, raisins, ) and fruit juice – eat raw fruits instead (one glass of orange juice has over three oranges in it, without the benefits of the fiber in the raw orange.
-Sugar and processed food with sugar or its many forms (high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, molasses, etc)
Pastas (use in moderation, and never with saturated fats, e.g. fettucine alfredo)

Most breakfast cereals (stick to whole grain / bran cereals if you must eat cereals)

Note: There is a whole other subject, called “glycemic loads”, describing the value of the entire item you are eating, that can be taken into consideration, but it is simply too extensive and undeveloped to go into at this time. Look into it yourself at David Mendosa: A Writer About Diabetes (now Diabetes - Diabetes Management - Signs of Diabetes - Symptoms of Diabetes) if you’re interested.

Proteins: Eat lean proteins, low in saturated fats.
Examples of Good Protein Sources:
-Lean Beef (90% lean ground beef, lean steak)
-Chicken (particularly white meat)
-Turkey (particularly white meat)
-Lean pork (tenderloin, lean ham)
-Lowfat dairy products, in moderation
-Cottage cheese (highly recommended form of casein protein)
-Whey protein
-Fish, particularly tuna, salmon, and cod
-Eggs, particularly egg whites (yolks in moderation)
-Soy and soy products, while very good sources of protein, have also been shown in some studies to have potential for causing high estrogen levels and sexual dysfunction. I suggest using these in moderation until testing is completed and a conclusion has been reached. Caveat Emptor.

Proteins to avoid:
-Fatty meats (non-extra lean ground beef, fatty pork (bacon, ribs, etc)
-Fatty dairy (whole milk, most cheese, ice cream)

Fats: Fats, which have been vilified, are an essential ingredient in our diet. Poly and monounsaturated fats must be included in your daily plan. A small amount of saturated fats are also needed. Minimize saturated fats, maximize monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Try to get good Essential Fatty Acids – Omega 3 and Omega 6’s. No more than 1/3 of your fat calories should be saturated fats (if you are on a 40/30/30 plan, 10% of your calories may come from sat fats).

Examples of good fats:
-Fish and fish oils – polyunsaturated, best source of Omega 3’s – cold water fish – tuna, salmon, cod
-Flaxseed oil – some Omega 3, good Omega 6
-Olive Oil - monounsaturated fat
-Avocados – monounsaturated fat
-Nuts – mono, poly, and omega 6s – best are walnuts and almonds

Bad fats:
-Saturated fats – from animal products (fatty beef, pork, milk, etc)
-Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats (trans fatty acids) – Wicked Bad Stuff. (margarine and Crisco are trans fatty acids)

Most vegetable oil and corn oil – use Canola oil if you must use oil, and use in moderation – try not to cook in oil if you can avoid it. If you cook with oil, use an oil with the appropriate smoke point.

Water:
Water is a compound we can’t do without for more than only a few days. The human body is about 60 to 75 percent water, and the brain is said to be about 85 percent water. Even bones are about 20 percent water. The body needs water. Nothing substitutes for water; coffee, tea, alcohol, are not the same as water. Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. Note: The more caffeine you drink, the more water you must drink. Caffeine is a diuretic and flushes water out of your system.

Vitamins and Minerals:
Vitamins and Minerals play a vital role in maintaining the proper biological functioning of everything from muscles to memory. Nutritionists will tell you that they are unnecessary if we consume a properly balanced diet, but few of us consume a “properly balanced diet”. It is highly recommended to consume a good quality multivitamin/mineral supplement daily. It is very difficult to obtain protective levels of some nutrients solely from diet.

Special notes:
1) Avoid mixing high GI carbs with fats
2) Avoid all processed / prepackaged foods
3) Read labels! Be on the lookout for bad stuff!
4) Eat your veggies!
5) Do not eat too little. Your metabolism will slow to a crawl and you will stop burning fat.
6) Do not eat too much. You will store excess as fat.
7) Alcohol, if required, must be kept to a minimum. When you drink alcohol, your body uses the alcohol as an energy source instead of burning your fat stores.

“Clean Eating”:
1) Keep your caloric intake around your computed requirement – not too low, not too high
2) Keep your macronutrient ratios per your computed requirement, say within 10% - track them on FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal if possible
3) Eat low GI carbs, lean proteins, mono & polyunsaturated fats
4) Eat your veggies! Eat your veggies! Eat your veggies!

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Proteins, Fats, and Carbs: How to Balance Your Diet

Dieting can be confusing. High-protein diets claim to help you lose weight quickly, but can lead to high cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. High-carbohydrate diets may be low in fat, but can lead to high triglyceride levels, which cause hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). To add to the confusion, a new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that people who eat very little protein and too much carbohydrate and fat will have more body fat and less muscle mass. So what does this all mean for you? Which diet is best?

Diet and Exercise

First, most of these diets don't make any specific recommendations on physical activity. Exercise is an extremely important component to weight loss or maintaining weight. Routine exercise helps build muscle mass and gives you more energy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes (2.5 hours) per week of "moderate-intensity" activities as well as muscle strengthening exercises twice a week. "Moderate-intensity" activities can include brisk walking, jogging, or bike riding. Basically, you just want to sweat and increase your heart rate. Muscle strengthening exercise can include weight lifting, yoga, pushups, or sit-ups.

Load Up on Lean Protein

Once you increase your physical activity, you will need to make sure you consume enough protein to help build and repair muscles. It is recommended that you aim for 20-25% of your daily calories from protein. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this would be about 400-500 calories from protein (100-125 g) per day. Make sure to choose lean protein such as chicken, fish, beans, lentils, nuts, or non-fat milk. By choosing lean protein, you decrease the amount of fat you consume, which typically is the cause of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Choose Healthy Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are also an important part of a balanced diet. While most diets recommend cutting back on carbohydrates, these foods actually provide you with the energy you need to keep going throughout the day. Aim for 45-60% of your daily calories to come from carbohydrates. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this is between 900-1200 calories (225 - 300g) per day. Choose "healthy" carbohydrates, such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. If you consume mainly refined grains (white bread, cookies, crackers, etc), then it may contribute to weight gain. Find carbohydrates that are high in fiber content, as this will keep you feeling fuller longer. Beans and legumes are also a good source of carbohydrates.

Limit Fat

Finally, limit your fat intake to 15-20% of your daily calories. You still need fat, just in small amounts. Choose "healthy" fats (unsaturated fats) that can help keep your cholesterol within normal limits. These can be found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, avocados, and fish. Try to limit your intake of sweets (junk food), since these fats tend to have more saturated fat which can lead to heart disease and high cholesterol.

In conclusion, all fad diets may work to some extent. However, each has its own possible side effects that could affect your overall health. Try to find a nice balance between all the food groups (fruit, vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, and dairy). Start exercising a little each day, and you will find out how quickly 150 minutes adds up.

Author: Rhea Li

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