Fattop: what to eat to lose weight?

Our review today is based on the book “Fatotop: A Ruthless Course in High Performance Training” by fitness industry veteran and online book format pioneer Tom Venuto. What was surprising was that, contrary to the title and my expectations, 80% of the book is about nutrition, not training. According to the author himself, training will not bring visible results unless you change your eating habits. In our today’s article we will talk about how nutrition can make your training process more effective.

Before I plunge you into a ruthless workout environment, here are some numbers and facts that stuck with me:

– Tom Venuto worked on his book for about 14 years. In 2003, the world saw the original version of the 12-week program.

– The initial version of the book became an online sensation. It was immediately on the bestseller lists in the fitness world and remained there for five consecutive years – a record that has not been broken to this day.

– The key workout program is called New Body-28. The workout plan itself was tested over three years.

First day with a book

In a world where all the necessary information can be found on the Internet, reading about dieting not in a trendy blog, but in a book is somehow not accepted anymore. In my opinion, very in vain! The knowledge gained from the book, purely on a psychological level counts as more fundamental and useful. The first day with the book was not easy and very responsible, I did not quite imagine how I would read it in public transportation (after all, the name “Girotop” does not look very sexy). But for the sake of objectivity, I will say that this book attracts and motivates, so to hell with all the prejudices and stereotypes, let’s start getting into the content.

Where does fat grow from? Personal experience of the book’s author

Tom Venuto, book excerpt: “One day when I was 14 years old and in high school, I suddenly realized that I had a fat fold around my waist and man boobs, which I thought was a terrible misfortune for a teenage male. I was terrified to take my shirt off before swim class. When we played basketball in the gym, I prayed that I wouldn’t be called to play for the “shirtless” guys instead of the “naked” guys. And then I saw Arnold Schwarzneger, and my world turned upside down.”

Eat. Part One

The whole point of the method is to learn to understand both the training process and the issue of nutrition. Become an expert for yourself. To look for information about proteins, fats, and carbohydrates not on the “Diet in 3 Minutes” website, but in your own head. Learn to eat right, consciously and deliciously.

From the book, “Our brain doesn’t care whether we diet or starve, it perceives it exactly the same way. It’s stressful for it.”

The Fatotop program makes a more accurate distinction between food groups compared to most diets. Carbohydrates are divided into starchy, fibrous and simple carbohydrates in the meal plan. Proteins are reduced to lean because dieters have no pressing need to scoop extra calories from fat. Dairy products are reduced to low-fat and skim. The categories are all six food groups (three types of carbohydrates, lean proteins, dairy, and fats), all of which are interchangeable, meaning you assemble your diet like a constructor. There are several constructors in the book, with the help of which even a child can plan his diet for the week.

Example of breakfast from the book: scrambled eggs – chatter (lean protein), hot porridge of four cereals (starchy carbohydrates), blueberries (fiber carbohydrates).

In addition, the author’s methodology divides foods into “wonderful” and “terrible”. Many readers of the book “Girotop. Ruthless course of effective training”, who managed to lose more than 45 pounds of weight, began their transformation by eating foods recommended as the 12 best for fat burning, and avoided the “terrible dozen”.

The Terrible Dozen. The 12 foods that will speed up fat burning:

Whole fresh fruits;
Vegetables (any non-starchy);
Yams or sweet potatoes;
Potatoes;
Oatmeal;
Brown rice;
Beans or legumes;
Whole grains;
Low-fat or fat-free dairy products;
Chicken or turkey breast;
Eggs and egg whites;
Lean red meat tenderloin, game meat.

From the book, “This short and simple grocery list is probably one of the most valuable sources of information you’ll find in a book, so keep it handy at all times. The best part is that you’ll be eating the same foods to build muscle. The difference is in their quantity.”

The Terrible Dozen. Foods you’ll have to give up

French fries and other deep-fried foods;
Ice cream and milkshakes;
Doughnuts and pastries;
Candy and confectionery;
Sugar-sweetened soft drinks;
Juices, tea and dessert coffee with sugar;
White bread and white flour products;
Chips, corn straws and tortillas;
Bacon, sausage, processed meats;
Hot dogs and burgers at fast food restaurants;
Pizza;
Sweet cereals for breakfast.

From the book, “If you’re in tears right now because I’ve eliminated all your favorite foods, don’t worry. No food is completely off-limits. What we eat occasionally has almost no effect on body composition or health. What we eat every day is what matters most. Take it seriously.”

Sample diet for a day for women

Meal #1. Time: 6:00 a.m.
Scrambled eggs/omelet (1 whole egg, 2 whites)
Whole grain toast
Spinach
Mushrooms.

Meal #2 Time: 9:00 am
Greek yogurt, vanilla (170 g)
Banana.

Meal #3 Time: 12:30
Chicken breast (113 g)
Baked potato (170 g)
Green salad with cucumber and tomato
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Meal #4 Time: 15:30
Salmon (142 g)
Asparagus (85 g).

Meal #5 Time: 19:30
Lean beef, sirloin (113 g)
Brown rice
Broccoli.

Total: 1690 kCal, 144 g protein, 195 g carbohydrates, 34 g fat.

Example of the diet for a day for men

Meal #1. Time: 6:00
Scrambled eggs/ omelet (2 eggs, 3 whites)
Wholemeal toast
Spinach
Mushrooms
Orange.

Meal #2 Time: 9:00 a.m.
Whey protein with vanilla.
Oat flakes
Banana.

Meal #3 Time: 12:30
Chicken breast (170 g)
Baked potato (226 g)
Green salad with cucumber and tomato
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Meal #4 Time: 15:30
Salmon (142 g)
Asparagus (170 g).

Meal #5 Time: 19:30
Lean beef, sirloin (170 g)
Brown rice
Broccoli.

Total: 2344 kCal, 195 g protein, 278 g carbohydrates, 47 g fat.

Tom Venuto, author of the book: “If I were to describe only one set of foods and say that you have to follow it pedantically, it could create some problems. What if someone is allergic or intolerant to half of the foods? Therefore, the book describes the basic principles of nutrition, knowledge of which will allow you to easily and painlessly replace one product with another. And thus eat properly and diversely.”

What to do if you can not eat by the hour?

Life is not always predictable, and sometimes something happens that prevents even the best plans from coming true. But there is a solution to unexpected problems: plan B is a plan for the very occasion when you can’t follow the basic plan. The author of the book advises you not to get frustrated and, most importantly, not to feel disappointed in any way, because you missed a meal or can not prepare the perfect meal for yourself.

From the book, “One meal does not destroy or build the body. Habits make or break us. Only what we do every day, day after day, week after week, makes a big difference.”

The second, but equally important tip from the book, is to always remember that we have choices. Even at a fast food restaurant, there are choices. You can have grilled chicken and water rather than a double cheeseburger with bacon and a Coke. It’s important to remember that even if you can only choose one dish, you still have a choice. Choose and look for a balance between quality and calories.

Be active

In addition to a fairly detailed nutrition program, which is given a large half of the book, Tom Venuto talks about the importance and necessity of regular exercise and physical activity. The author himself divides workouts into cardio and strength training.

Not sure how much cardio training you need for maximum results and minimum risk? Here is a simple and easy formula, proven by years of research: a reliable starting point is three to four days a week of any cardio exercise of your choice lasting 20-40 minutes. If you need to accelerate fat burning, increase the duration and frequency of your workouts little by little each week until you reach the desired fat-burning level.

In the book you can also find a table to calculate your personalized cardio training plan for 98 days.

What will this book teach you?

The Girotop program outlined in the book consists of successive stages of dieting with an increasing reduction in carbohydrates and an increase in protein intake. The nutritional principle itself, supported by ready-made workout plans, is based on intelligent manipulation of carbohydrates and protein to accelerate fat burning.

Additional aids and an exercise guide can be downloaded completely free of charge at www.BurnTheFatFeedTheMuscle.com

Thank you to Exmo Publishing for help in preparing the material.