Matador Diet: Tracking Vegetables?

After reading the article on the MATADOR diet I’m thinking I want to try it. I’ve been tracking macros most of this year and i have made some good progress and then ended up losing ground and getting frustrated. This approach sounds more sustainable. Part of what got me frustrated was how tedious it can be to track, so these last few weeks I stopped tracking leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Basically for veggies im just worrying about starches (I pay attention to cooking oils and salad dressings of course). My question: my 30% below maintenance would be about 1730 kcal and im concerned that not tracking these veggies might put me over and defeat the purpose. Conversely I don’t want to make myself crazy weighing every asparagus or cauliflower I eat. Thoughts?

If you are consistent with your vegetable intake and leave that as a fixed point regardless of if you are in a deficit or a maintenance phase you could cut those 30% from the non-vegetable calories and never weigh a single vegetable again.

Or, if you’re insistent on doing so weigh out say portions of two hundred grams of cauliflower/other vegetables once during the weekend and set aside in the fridge grabbing servings as necessary thus reducing the tedium (or at least focusing it to one time a week rather than many times a day)

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The MATADOR Diet

The MATADOR Diet amount to Diet Periodization Strength Training.

Both are based on…

The General Adaptation Syndrome

The the body learn to change and adapt to a new stimulus, such as training and calorie intake. Once adaptation occurs with a diet for weight loss or gain or in a strength training program, progress stops.

The Devil Is In The Details

One of the keys for gaining or losing weight it to count calories. You need to know if you are in a surplus or deficit and if so by how much.

Not counting calories about to writing check without knowing how much money you have in your bank account.

20% Rule

Drs John Ivy and Layne Norton, in separate research, came to the same determination.

Decreasing your calorie intake approximately 20% maximized fat loss while preserving muscle mass.

Increasing your calorie intake approximately 20% maximized increases in muscle mass while minimizing fat gain.

Dr Judd Biasitto Research

Research found that one of the primary keys to success for athletes, everyone, is being obsessive with details.

The bottom line is successful individuals are willing to do what other aren’t.

Kenny Croxdale

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For what it’s worth, I’m a very small female who eats about a kilo of non starchy, low sugar veggies. I don’t track them and I haven’t gained weight not tracking even when I increased intake, so I think you’ll be fine

The Point

If you want to gain or lose weight, first need to know how many calories you average on a daily diet.

You then take that number an either increase or decrease it by 20% to either gain or lose weight.

In either of these situation counting calories is critical.

You situation is completely different.

Base on the information you provided, it’s questionable if you are consuming enough protein.

Kenny Croxdale

I do track protein, fats and non veggies carbs-I get at least 60g/day at90lbs

Tracking Macros

Essentially, that is the same as tracking calories, which works.

Quality Protein

Research indicates that for maintaining or increasing muscle mass, you need to consume a certain amount the amino acid, Leucine per meal.

The highest percentage of Leucine is in daily and meats. Plant proteins are traditionally low in Leucine.

So, the quality of the protein being consumed is another important component part of the picture.

Kenny Croxdale

The vegan propaganda film Game Changers conveniently left that out… Arnold is officially a soy boy