Questions in regards to the study attached:

1. Would you recommend a high protein diet (2.5g/kg/day) to a physically active woman that wants to increase her
maximal strength? Justify your answer.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend a high protein diet to a physically active woman that wants to
increase her maximal strength. According to the study provided, active women that followed a high
protein diet while strength training, while seeing significant fat loss, both protein intake groups saw
significant increases in maximal strength and, therefore, the high protein intake group didn’t see any
noteworthy increase in maximal strength when compared to the lower intake group.

2. Limitations and Novelty: Cite at least one limitation of the article or a novel finding in the literature. Justify your
answer.

As cited in the study, the main limitation of this study would be the discrepancy between the two
protein intake groups; with follow-up research, athletes with a protein intake in a zone of optimality
should be compared to those with a super-optimal daily protein intake. Furthermore, participants’
menstrual cycles were not taken into account, this could have skewed the lean body mass results (due
to bloating/increased water retention during the menstrual cycle).
A novel finding gathered from this research is that a high protein diet significantly increased fat free
mass compared to a lower protein diet (in reference to aspiring female physique athletes). These
results are actually in contrast with prior research done on novice male lifters; however, this previous
study was done in a much shorter time frame and therefore, if given over a longer period of time, the
results could have varied with what was originally found (possibly more closely resembling the findings
of this study).

3. Why the group that consumed large amounts of protein reduced its percentage of fat significantly and the one
that consumed little amount did not? Justify your answer.

Participants that had a higher intake of protein saw a significant loss in the amount of fat mass in
comparison to those who had a lower intake, this is in spite of the fact that the higher protein intake
group also had a total daily higher intake of kilocalories (by approximately 400kcal/day). On the
surface these findings seem to be counterintuitive, however, due to the fact that dietary protein has a
significantly higher thermic effect (as compared to carbohydrates, for example), a substantial portion
of protein calories that are consumed are lost as heat. Furthermore, increases in non-exercise activity
thermogenesis have been observed following overfeeding. These factors can explain the differences in
fat losses between the two groups; a greater portion of energy from excess protein intake was used
for lean tissue building as opposed to adipose storage, concurrently, the higher level of protein intake
positively influenced energy expenditure (due to thermogenesis), thus leading to higher fat loss.

4. What are the dietary recommendations you would give a physically active woman who wants to increase their
muscle mass? Justify your answer.

In regards to a physically active woman that wants to increase muscle mass, or lean muscle mass, I would
recommend a high protein diet (at least 2.5g protein/kg body mass/day), as stated previously per the study,
women who are physically active that eat a high protein diet can see an increase in fat-free mass over time.

Write a 250-word (minimum) essay response for each of the following:

1. Critically evaluate any three popular fat loss programs or diet methods (e.g. intermittent fasting) that are
currently in the marketplace today. How do they stack up against each other relative to their nutritional profile,
ability to support intense training, and ability to provide lasting results? How does evaluation of diet programs help
you in coaching clients? What will you be looking for and why?
The diet methods I will be evaluating in this essay are the ketogenic diet (aka “keto diet”), the paleo
diet, and intermittent fasting; all of these have been linked to weight loss, but some are more
successful than others.
Firstly, I would like to examine one of the most popular fad diets on the market today, Keto. A
ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carb diet, wherein 5 percent of daily caloric intake is from
carbohydrates, 20 percent protein, and subsequently, 75 percent should be from fats (such as oils,
nuts, butter, and avocado). The basis of the keto diet is to put your body into the metabolic state
known as “ketosis”; this metabolic state is achieved by forcing your body to burn fats as fuel due to a
drastically low daily carb intake, causing massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels.
According to research, the keto diet is superior in assisting in weight loss when compared to low fat
diets, this could be due to the fact that fats are harder to break down in the stomach and therefore
take longer to digest, leaving you feeling satiated longer than, for example, a higher carb diet might.
While the ketogenic diet is incredibly efficient when it comes to fat loss, there are quite a few
drawbacks associated with this “extreme” diet; namely, sustainability. Those that have attempted the
keto diet have reported symptoms within the first few weeks of starting the diet known colloquially as
“keto-flu”; when your body first enters ketosis (usually within 2 to 7 days of strictly following a keto
diet), many people experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, general malaise, etc.
this is often associated with a sharp cut in carbohydrate intake, and most people cannot tolerate these
symptoms long enough to truly reap the benefits of a ketogenic diet. On top of the sustainability
issue, a ketogenic diet has also proven ineffective for muscle building in the long run, in fact, has been
linked to muscle loss overtime. Theoretically, keto can be used to build muscle, but it is, first and
foremost, a fat-loss based diet.
Secondly, I would like to visit the paleo diet as a vehicle for weight loss. The paleo diet consists only
of foods available to human beings before agriculture was developed. While this diet had become
centered around weight loss, it was originally derived from the thought that modern diseases could be
linked to the Western diet and the consumption of grains, dairy, and processed foods. Paleo
emphasizes whole foods, lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, etc. Several studies have
linked this diet to significant weight loss, this acn most likely be accredited to the fact that most
sources of carbs are cut from the paleo diet (much like with the keto diet). Paleo, however, faces the
same drawback as the ketogenic diet, which is sustainability. Those that have attempted the paleo
diet have found it to be mildly unsustainable, depending on where they live and the food available to
them. Also much like with the keto diet, due to the naturally low carbohydrate intake associated with
this diet, it is not recommended for those trying to build muscle.
Finally, I would like to take a look at what is quite possibly the most popular diet method on the
market today, intermittent fasting (aka “IF”). Unlike keto and paleo, Intermittent Fasting is a dietary
strategy that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. There are various forms of IF, the most
popular being the “16/8 method” or the “Leangains” protocol (fasting daily for 14-16 hours thus
restricting your eating window to 8-10 hours, within this window) or the “5:2 diet” (eating normally
for 5 days out of the week while the other 2 days subsists of cutting down to 500 (women) or 600
(men) calories. Another very popular (if not the most popular) variant is OMAD, “One Meal A Day”
(fasting for an entire day aside from just one meal). Intermittent Fasting as a whole has been shown
in studies to lead to significantly higher weight loss when compared to other weight loss methods.
Furthermore, some studies have found that IF can increase fat burning and improve metabolism. This
diet is not only the safest when it comes to dietary concerns, but also the most sustainable and
flexible. The sustainability comes in the sense that you aren’t cutting out entire food groups, no foods
are necessarily “taboo”, thanks to this, the urge to “cheat” is lessened greatly. IF has the most
freedom associated with it as, within IF, you are free to eat high protein, low carb, high carb, high fat,
whatever you feel personally benefits your needs the most, you can follow that, IF just cuts out the
ability to “graze” and eat all day by leaving you with only a small window in which you are able to eat.
In conclusion, through my research, while all these diets have shown to be very effective as methods
of weight loss, only one is conducive to both fat loss and muscle building, and that would be
Intermittent Fasting. IF is not only sustainable and versatile, it is also somewhat of a universal method
that can be tailor-made to any clients’ individual needs and individualized to help them more easily
achieve their goals. Keto and Paleo can help a client lose body fat, but it cannot help someone who
wants to bulk up due to the drastically low carb intake associated with both of these diets, IF does not
come with this drawback.

2. Pick three supplements currently on the market. Find research based on the supplements and the ingredients.
What were the results? Were the studies funded by the supplement company? Is this a supplement backed by
credible science? If not, why do you think that so many people are currently using it?

Supplements are something that many a layman would deem “unnecessary” or “a waste of money”,
while that may be true for some, there are actually some supplements out on the market today that
can drastically increase your results when it comes to bodybuilding and strength training. The
supplements I will be looking at today are Creatine Monohydrate, Whey Protein, and Mass Gainers.
Through my research, Creatine and Whey Protein are two of the most universally lauded supplements
available for purchase. Regardless of who you ask, they will undoubtedly point you in the direction of
these things with which to supplement your workouts. First and foremost is whey protein. A byproduct
of milk, whey protein is incredibly high in protein while staying relatively low in calorie, therefore it is
crucial in building muscle especially for those who have a hard time reaching their daily protein intake
goal through other sources.
Creatine is widely considered the most well-studied exercise supplement on the market. Creatine is an
organic acid that is naturally produced by the body that helps supply energy to the muscles. It is most
closely linked with short, high-intensity movements (i.e., sprinting or weightlifting). It is cheap and
effective in that studies have proven creatine to help with performance in the gym, not only in max
weight, but also in the number of reps you can do. With creatine generally being comparatively cheap,
it is definitely worth the investment for the benefits it has been proven to give to weightlifters.
On the other hand, now, talking about a supplement with more mixed reviews, are “mass gainers”.
Now, this isn’t saying that mass gainers are completely ineffective or a complete waste of money,
however, depending on the brand, many mass gainers are just a high carb powder that, in ingesting,
you end up with a lot of empty calories, which can lead to an easy overconsumption of calories,
especially with those inexperienced at counting and tracking their macros. Most people end up
overestimating the calories they need as well as underestimating the calories they take in.
Therefore, I would be more wary to recommend a mass gainer to a client, whereas I would find no
qualms with suggesting a client look into purchasing creatine or whey protein to add to their daily
regimine. On top of all this, however, it does come down to how dedicated the client is in their
workout journey. If a client is just looking to get fit and be happy, supplements aren’t necessarily the
way to go, and could just add unnecessary stress and ultimately turn them away from the gym.

> Case Study

Calculate Yuxi's target heart rate using the Karvonen formula.

Training Program: Design a 24-week periodized training program for Yuxi based on his starting point and his
mid/long-term goals. Be very specific as you design the training program. List the types of exercise, duration, sets,
reps, rest intervals, and so on.

Include the following in your case study:

- A description of your professional responsibilities

- Discussion of any fitness tests, methods of evaluation, and data collection used to assess and evaluate the clients
needs
- Specific conditions that you have identified in Yuxi's profile
- A detailed 24-week comprehensive and periodized training program including specific exercises, sets, repetitions,
suggested rest times, etc. Use an integrated approach in your program recommendations.
- Specific and detailed nutritional strategies and an explanation as to how the strategies will assist in meeting
energy needs
- Explanation for your chosen assessment, programming, and nutritional recommendations.

Keep in mind that Yuxi should be able to take your program and put it into practice without having to contact you
to clarify what you intended by your recommendations or to explain parts of your program.

Don't forget your explanation for WHY you listed and recommended what you did. Reference the concepts and
theories that your program is based on. Be sure to address why the program and exercises recommended are
appropriate for the specific client given the client's history, current abilities, and intended goal(s). For example: if
you are developing a program for a beginner client without any resistance training experience, explain how your
program addresses the lack of experience, initial need for foundational development, process by which you would
safely progress the client, etc.