While
working out and transforming your body, a commonly overlooked factor is
diet. Sure, working out hard
will allow for some change in your physique, but the true task is to feed
your body the necessities it requires for gaining lean muscle mass,
decreasing body fat and keeping up the energy level for these extra
activities.
Now, I’m not talking about the diet you get out of a can or in a pill, or
the one that limits your food choices to one food group (or one food!). I am
talking about smart food choices; a lifestyle change that is fairly easy to
adjust to and one that anyone can live with.
Have
you ever seen a person who works out like crazy, but never look any
different? I think every gym has
one of these. These people are
not doing one of two things: varying their workouts or not making wise food choices.
It is likely the latter, where they have not been taught the
basics…
Here, I will detail the very simple science behind food choices and how to
incorporate them by choosing from simple charts of the food option examples
for the different nutrients our bodies need.
Keeping in mind too, that it is okay to indulge sometimes, but a
lifestyle change of healthy eating will not only ensure a maintained
physique, but also healthy insides for disease prevention.
Use these basic nutrition tips to help you get started and you will
be sure to achieve the success you have been looking for.
Note**When starting a new program of any sort (diet or exercise) be sure to
consult with your physician first**
THE
MUSCLE NUTRIENT: PROTEIN
It
has been said that protein is the staple of any diet, especially to serve
the dietary needs of an athlete. Next
to water, protein is the most abundant material in the human body.
It is present in muscle, bone, connective tissue skin and blood.
While consuming enough protein is essential for growth and
development of the body, eating huge amounts will not build muscle unless
you are strength training at a high intensity in order to cause muscle
hypertrophy (muscle growth). This means you should not fall into the
high-protein fad that seems to be the latest trend in
North America. The following is a protein recommendation list based on the current
Recommendation for Dietary Allowance (RDA):
Sedentary
or those who exercise infrequently = 0.4grams/1 pound of body weight
Active exerciser = 0.5-0.6grams/1 pound of body weight
Very active/weightlifter/endurance athlete = 0.7-0.8grams/1 pound of body
weight
In
general, about 15-20% of your total daily calories should come from protein. Here is a list of some good sources of protein to get you
started:
Chicken
breast,
turkey,
orange
roughy,
salmon,
tuna,
top
round/sirloin steak,
lean
ground beef,
egg
whites,
low
fat cottage cheese
THE
ENERGY NUTRIENT: CARBOHYDRATES
The
supermarket shelves are filled with tons of “low carb” items and every
new fad diet screams to ‘cut the carbs, pass those potatoes and resist the
rice!! Low carbohydrate diets
will ultimately affect your stamina and endurance, so they are in fact
necessary since they are the body’s main source of fuel. Carbohydrates fuel the body by providing our muscles with glycogen,
while working out, and helps us to optimize our athletic performance. Carbohydrates should be from minimally processed sources like eating
true whole wheat bread versus white bread or even enriched bread (read
labels carefully – sometimes the brown packaging or the name “health/12-
grain” bread can be deceiving).
Carbohydrates
should make up about 55-60% of your total caloric intake, depending on your
activity level. Here is a list
of food sources of carbohydrates to help you:
baked
potatoe,
sweet
potatoe,
brown
rice,
wild
rice,
squash,
pumpkin,
oatmeal
(whole oats),
whole
wheat bread/tortilla
THE
ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT: FAT
Fats
are an important and necessary nutrient for everyone. That is, some fats – you see, there are those that are saturated
and are not good for your cholesterol levels, potentially causing clogged
arteries. The fats that are
considered good for your body are unsaturated fats. These can actually help protect against heart disease by reducing
cholesterol and providing the body with extra energy. Basic rule here, if it is a solid at room temperature, it is usually
saturated (bad) ; if it is a liquid at room temperature it is unsaturated
(good). Of course, here is a
list to help you with some of the good fats you should include in your diet:
safflower
oil,
olive
oil, flax
seed oil,
sesame
oil,
fish
body oils (EFAs=essential fatty acids)
THE
HYDRATION NUTRIENT: WATER
Drinking
water during exercise is necessary to sustain performance and to avoid
injury. What to drink and how
often to drink it really depends on the duration and type of workout you are
doing. There are some activities like long distance running which may
require more than water (sports drinks help to also replenish lost
electrolytes). A general hydration rule is to drink one 8oz glass of water
for every 15-20 minutes of exercise.
Now
that you are armed with your food basics, you can incorporate this into your
existing regimen to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
Below are some other quick tips to follow to make this transition
more easily:
-
Eat
smaller meals more frequently throughout the day to feed your metabolism
and raise it naturally, so you are able to burn calories at a more
efficient rate
-
Prepare
foods in advance so when you are “starving hungry”, you are less
likely to eat junk
-
Season
meats/fish the night before so that they are tastier when cooked
-
Don’t
deprive yourself; if you crave chocolate chip cookies, have one or
you’ll end up eating an entire bag tomorrow!
-
Chew
slowly and serve small portions at a time so you stop eating when you
are full
-
Do
not skip meals – this sets you up for overeating
-
Keep
a diet journal so you can stay on top of your new lifestyle change
Train
Hard…Train Natural…Love your Body!
Karen
Lisa Borders is a drug-free natural athlete and the 2004 International
Fitness Model Champion where she outclassed over 225 competitors to take the
most prestigious title in Fitness Modelling.
