If you don't eat right, you run the risk of losing muscle mass or gaining fat - or not seeing any results at all. But this doctor says there is a perfect formula to achieve both.
Dr. Mike Varshavski is well known on YouTube, where he posts a series of videos explaining all sorts of medical topics, from allergy myths to underwear faults that could be at the root of all your problems. Now he has shared a video explaining the basics of good nutrition and the diet that has helped him gain muscle while burning fat, which is necessary for defining your muscles.
Advertisement
Weight Loss: The Triangle of Healthy Eating
Mike talks about the healthy eating triangle (which has nothing to do with the pyramid you were taught in school) and explains that the term "healthy eating", which seems to mean different things to different experts, boils down to 3 points: consuming the right calories, the right macronutrients, and the right micronutrients (you need to eat a variety of foods, with protein and carbohydrates, if you want to build muscle).
To eat healthily and see results, says Dr. Mike that you must find a balance between these three elements or you will not achieve your goal.
The doctor says what we all need to know is the calories with the units of energy that our body needs to function. And we shouldn't just see them as a number on food packaging, but as essential elements to perform everything we need, from breathing to lifting weights to increasing muscle mass.
Nutrition: Dr. Mike's diet to build muscle and burn fat
The triangle diet is simple and based on the principle that not all diets are created equal and you need to customize it for each person (and you can complement it with drinks that will help you burn more fat).
It all starts with micronutrients, which are essential vitamins and minerals that the body does not produce itself and that must be obtained from the diet. The expert explains that not enough vitamins impair energy levels, the immune system and many other bodily functions, which can even lead to anemia. And you'll never get that muscle back.
"There are two people in a given situation. They have the same maintenance calories and want to lose weight," says Dr. mike “Person A elects to go on the Cookie Diet and her goal is to eat 1500 Cookie calories per day, which is 500 calories below maintenance needs. Person B also eats 1500 calories per day but adheres to the Mediterranean diet, essentially a whole-food, plant-based diet.”
Diet for Fat Burning: Weight loss must be sustained
Mike explains that if you follow the calorie deficit diet, you will lose weight no matter what you eat, but if you don't use the triangle principle, you won't get the macronutrients and micronutrients, meaning the weight loss won't be sustainable and you could lose muscle instead of fat (you can be skinny and still have a high percentage of fat, by the way).
"If you're trying to lose weight or if you're underweight and looking to gain weight, here's what I recommend," says Dr. mike "Calculate your maintenance calories (this is the minimum calories you need to maintain your current weight). If you want to gain weight, add calories to your maintenance calories. If you want to lose weight, eat a little less of the maintenance calories and you will lose weight.
Nutrition for muscle building: Pay attention to the nutrients
Dr. Mike recommends that you can lose about a quarter pound a week, but doing so too quickly can cause problems in your body and even reverse when you stop the diet. In addition, the addition of macro and micronutrients gives your body the tools it needs to build muscle and prevent losing it when you lose weight.
This article originally appeared under the title on GQ México.
This article was written by (Paloma González)
Read more about health here:
How often is it normal to pee? Expert explains when you start suffering from an irritable bladder
The bladder is not a topic that people like to talk about. Birgit Bulla, author of the book Still quite tight? Everything you need to know about the bladder”, finds: This has to change. After all, the organ is affected by diseases much more often than others.
How to avoid back pain when cycling
Especially in the Corona period, the bicycle is the vehicle of the time. When cycling, however, a bad posture can cause lasting pain. An expert offers advice on how to prevent this.
Burpees routine from military training: how to effectively lose fat and build muscle mass
This military training burpees routine is strenuous but highly effective. To keep fit, the military uses its own method of exercise. The push-up stretch jump ensures even more intensive fat burning, fast muscle building and can help with weight loss. We show you how it works.
