Many people before starting any diet have a goal that they want to reach. And with this goal in mind, it’s a lot easier to do the diet. The thing though is that there are times that the goals are unrealistic and for some, the goals are not healthy. That’s why the best option for you is to talk to a dietitian before you start your diet plan. This way you can be sure that you would be well-guided along the way. That’s the case with the 7% body fat diet. This diet is considered to be unhealthy for people because 7% of body fat is quite small. And there some effects that this could have on the body. But if you’ve decided that you would try this out then we will be looking at what this diet is all about.
For any diet, there are always do’s and don’ts. This means that there are certain things you can do and eat while on this diet. And there are certain things that you can’t do and eat while on this diet. Before you opt for any diet you must find out all these. This would give you an idea of how you can go about the diet. So let’s take a look at what to eat when you are on the 7% body fat diet.
Body Fat
When it comes to your body fat you must maintain a good percent of your body fat. It’s true that when your body fat percentage is low there is a reduced risk of having conditions like back pain and arthritis. But when it becomes too low as well this could be harmful to the body. That’s because fat is essential for the proper functioning and survival of the body.
For men, the recommended fat percentage is about 10-22%. While for women it’s about 20-32%. For people that are athletes, they could go a bit lower. For men, they could go as low as 5-10%, and for women, it could be as low as 10-13%. So for men that are athletes, it would be okay to have a body fat percentage of about 7%. But for women that would be too low.
When you have a low percentage of body fat you would have to go for regular checkups. This is to ensure that there are no problems in the body because of the reduced fat content.
What to Eat When You Are On The 7% Body-Fat Diet
When it comes to what you eat you have to be a bit careful. Some foods would sure help out with getting the 7% body fat. But some would hinder it. So let’s take a look at some foods to include in your diet.
- Carbs– white rice, potatoes, whole fruits, and sweet potatoes
- Proteins- fish, lean beef, chicken breast, eggs, turkey (should be white meat)
- Fats– olive oil, coconut oil, egg yolks, and avocados
- Free foods– nonstarchy veggies, pickles, hot peppers, green veggies, sauerkraut
- Seasonings- hot sauce, vinegar, pepper, salt, soy sauce, salsa, and mustard
Things You Must Do
Determine your macros
For many diets, this is the first step you must do. And that’s because when it comes to weight loss everything should be intentional. You don’t lose weight by mistake. So when you calculate your macros and have an idea of just how much you should be eating this would help out a lot in your diet. This would involve you monitoring everything that goes into the mouth. Also, make sure that you get a good amount of each of the micronutrients. That way there is a balance. Some calculators can help you calculate your macros.
Eat healthily
This is another thing that you must bear in mind. Your body needs healthy food for it to function properly. Avoid processed and junk foods as much as you can. The protein you consume should be lean meat. Also, the carbs you consume should be more starch. You can also opt for whole fruits and veggies. For whole fruits, 1-2 in a day would be enough. And as for oils make sure you go for healthy oils such as olive oil and avocado oil. All these would help out with getting the 7% body fat that you want.
Rest and stay hydrated
For athletes, this is very important. It’s not just about the food you eat or the supplements you take. It also involves how well you rest and how well you drink water. Make sure you drink a whole lot of water. Make sure that you have about 7 hours of rest in a day. This would get your body to function as it should. And with that, you would be able to maintain a good body weight. If drinking a lot of water would seem like a problem then you can add lemon to your water. This would add a bit of taste to your water.
Cycle your carbs
This is the last thing you have to bear in mind when doing this diet. As soon as you start to see progress in the loss of fat you have to kick your metabolism. So it’s advised that you go for high carb days and low carb days. When you do this there would be an increase in the metabolic rate of your body. And with this, there would be an increased loss of fat. In no time you would be able to have the 7% body fat that you want. And that way your performance as an athlete would improve.
When it comes to diet consistency is key especially for diets such as the 7% body fat diet. Make sure you don’t break the cycle. And make sure you rest and stay hydrated as much as you can. This would indeed get your body into the right shape. In no time you would see the changes in your body. if you would still be needing help with regards to navigating the whole diet then talk to a dietitian about it.
