By
H.Ortega
Ok, you have your workout regimen planned out now all you have to
do is figure out what to eat and when to eat. Your nutrition plan is
the single most important aspect of getting in shape whether you're
looking to lose weight or build muscle. Without a proper diet plan, you
can forget about seeing any real results from your workouts.
Before we begin let us clear up something right away: Diets don't work! Most people think of a diet
as a temporary change in their eating habits. This is a sure path to failure. When I refer to diet I mean what you eat from day to day. Not a torturous meal plan that you can't wait to quit someday. To truly lose weight and keep it off- you have to commit to changing your eating habits for life. Does that mean a strict boring diet? No. There are plenty of foods out there to choose from, you just have to be willing to try new foods and new variations.
One important tool to have when creating a solid nutrition plan is a food journal. A food journal will help track what you're eating, calories and frequency; this way you can make adjustments quickly and easily to your meal plans to tweak your fat burning - muscle building process.
To build muscle and burn fat, your calorie intake per day should fall between the 2400-3000 ranges, broken up into six meals: 400 to 500 calories per meal. On workout days, you can and should increase your calories slightly. If you're looking to shed excess fat while building muscle, your calorie breakdown should look something like this: 60% Protein - 20% Carbs - 20% Fat. If you're already on the thin side but want to build some muscle and gain weight, your breakdown should look more like this: 40% Protein - 40% Carbs - 20% Fat. If you're really on the thin side and have trouble gaining any weight, you may want to increase your calories to 3500 calories per day. This can easily be done by adding a protein shake to a few of your meals.
Quick tips:
Healthy snacks:
· Peanut Butter (2 tbsp.)
· Greek Yogurt (6 oz.)
· Protein powder / protein bar
· Hard Boiled Egg (1)
· Whole Grain breads
· Rye bread
· Fruits ( Bananas, Apples, Berries, Grapefruit) 1 serving
· Nuts ( Almonds, Peanuts, Walnuts, Pecans) 1 serving
· Bite-Size Vegetables (Broccoli, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Peppers, Green Beans) 1 serving
One great tip that I use all the time: have at least one cheat day per week. Eat whatever you want for 1-2 meals, but don't go crazy and eat a dozen donuts or half gallon of ice cream. Over time you won't need the cheat day but at first it does help.
The right nutrition and exercise plan can have dramatic results in a short period of time but you have to be disciplined and determined to make a change. The right mental attitude for getting in shape and achieving the body of your dreams is critical for success. That will be the next topic of discussion: The right mindset to get results and achieve your goals.
Before we begin let us clear up something right away: Diets don't work! Most people think of a diet
as a temporary change in their eating habits. This is a sure path to failure. When I refer to diet I mean what you eat from day to day. Not a torturous meal plan that you can't wait to quit someday. To truly lose weight and keep it off- you have to commit to changing your eating habits for life. Does that mean a strict boring diet? No. There are plenty of foods out there to choose from, you just have to be willing to try new foods and new variations.
One important tool to have when creating a solid nutrition plan is a food journal. A food journal will help track what you're eating, calories and frequency; this way you can make adjustments quickly and easily to your meal plans to tweak your fat burning - muscle building process.
To build muscle and burn fat, your calorie intake per day should fall between the 2400-3000 ranges, broken up into six meals: 400 to 500 calories per meal. On workout days, you can and should increase your calories slightly. If you're looking to shed excess fat while building muscle, your calorie breakdown should look something like this: 60% Protein - 20% Carbs - 20% Fat. If you're already on the thin side but want to build some muscle and gain weight, your breakdown should look more like this: 40% Protein - 40% Carbs - 20% Fat. If you're really on the thin side and have trouble gaining any weight, you may want to increase your calories to 3500 calories per day. This can easily be done by adding a protein shake to a few of your meals.
Quick tips:
- Eat five to six small meals per day - very important when combating hunger and overeating.
- Drink plenty of water - at least 6-8 12oz servings per day. Drinking plenty of water can help curb your appetite.
- Daily protein intake should be 1-1.5 grams per pound of body weight. Example: if you weigh 150lbs you should be consuming between 150-225 grams of protein per day.
- One supplement recommendation- protein powder. A quick way to add quality protein without the excess calories.
- Avoid excessive fatty foods. Remember your fat intake per day should stay within the 20% range.
- If you're feeling excessively tired during your workout, you may want to move your pre-workout meal within 30-60 minutes prior to your workout. Extra carbs can be your friend if you have low energy during workouts.
- A post workout shake is critical to building muscle. Preferably something with high-glycemic carbohydrates to promote glycogen replenishment, a fast-acting protein to enhance nitrogen balance and amino acids to enhance recovery. My favorite: MyoZene by BioQuest.
- Get some sleep- at least 8 hours per night.
- If you're a hard gainer, consider drinking a protein shake before bed if you want to build muscle and help with recovery.
Healthy snacks:
· Peanut Butter (2 tbsp.)
· Greek Yogurt (6 oz.)
· Protein powder / protein bar
· Hard Boiled Egg (1)
· Whole Grain breads
· Rye bread
· Fruits ( Bananas, Apples, Berries, Grapefruit) 1 serving
· Nuts ( Almonds, Peanuts, Walnuts, Pecans) 1 serving
· Bite-Size Vegetables (Broccoli, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Peppers, Green Beans) 1 serving
One great tip that I use all the time: have at least one cheat day per week. Eat whatever you want for 1-2 meals, but don't go crazy and eat a dozen donuts or half gallon of ice cream. Over time you won't need the cheat day but at first it does help.
The right nutrition and exercise plan can have dramatic results in a short period of time but you have to be disciplined and determined to make a change. The right mental attitude for getting in shape and achieving the body of your dreams is critical for success. That will be the next topic of discussion: The right mindset to get results and achieve your goals.
Get free workout and diet tips. Visit my website: http://www.elitefitnessprograms.org
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