Nutrition Tips
Nutritional tip # 1- Consume lots of protein.Consume at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight each day. For example, if you weight 150 pounds, you should be eating at least 150 grams of protein each and every day.
Nutritional tip # 2 - Use nutritional supplements to enhance your nutritional program.Nutritional supplements are meant to enhance an already great nutritional program. If you have the right combination of nutrients and the right nutrition program, a sport supplement schedule may serve to enhance your performance. In order for nutrition supplements to function properly, they must be taken at the proper times and in the proper amounts. I suggest you do your homework when it comes to using weight loosing supplements and make an informed decision before consuming any powder, pill, or brew.
Nutritional tip # 3 - Eat 5-6 small meals a day.Unlike most people's string of painfully low-calorie days, which puts the body in a fat-storing mode since it has no idea when it will be fed next, eating a small meal every three hours keeps our muscles in a fat-burning mode since they're receiving a steady but not excessive supply of nutrients. This practice also helps increase our energy levels and fight the hungry feeling that often leads to cheating with fat-building, between-meal snacks. Eating only 2-3 large meals a day like most people, however, can overwhelm our bodies. Since they can only use a certain amount of food at a time, the remainder will usually be stored as fat.
Nutritional tip # 4 - Consume lots of carbohydrates.Consume at least 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight each day. Make sure that most of these carbohydrates come from compels sources such as pasta, rice, oatmeal, potatoes and yams and fibrous veggies such as broccoli and asparagus. The only time you should be feeding your body fast acting carbs is immediately after your workouts.
Nutritional tip # 5 - Keep good fats in your meal plan.While TV tells us that eating fat makes you fat, the reality of the situation is that since the "fat-free" craze began, studies are showing that Americans continue to get fatter and fatter. While limiting fat intake is a good idea, totally eliminating it is not. Besides being necessary for healthy skin and hair, fat is involved in the production of many hormones, including testosterone. That's why it's almost impossible to build muscle mass when on an extremely low fat diet. Fat also lowers the glycemic index of many high carb foods, so we don't get that huge fat-producing insulin surge commonly associated with eating fat-free goodies by themselves. More importantly, we need a certain amount of fat to process body fat metabolism. In other words, eating too little fat makes it harder for us to burn unwanted fat.
Nutritional tip # 6 - Don't starve yourself.Simply put, fat gains and losses are mathematical events. You're not going to look like a sleek, defined racehorse if you eat like a pig. It's important to eat enough good foods to maintain lean muscle mass, but not overindulging to the point of increasing fat storage. Since this line is an easy one to cross, I recommend writing down in a small notebook the calorie content and macro nutrient breakdown (grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat) of what you eat. This technique also helps keep me more focused on my goal.
Nutritional tip # 7 - Diet ratio.Your diet ratio should be 50 to 55% carbohydrates, 25 to 30% protein and 15 to 20% fat.
Nutritional tip # 8 - Drink lot of water.Drink water...lots of it! I try to drink at least 2 gallons a day during and in between my meals. Muscle is composed of 70 percent water. A high protein diet and intense exercise require more water since these are dehydrating activities. Water is needed to transport vitamins, minerals, and supplements and even foods throughout our bodies. if our water intake is too low, muscle fullness decreases and a toxic buildup of ammonia, urea, and other waste products can result. Contrary to popular belief, restricting water intake can actually lead to more water retention than providing the body with a steady supply.
Nutritional tip # 9 - Consume more calories.When boosting your caloric intake, gradually increase the amount of calories over a period of 7 to 10 days. This way, you are using the extra calories as fuel as opposed to storing it as fat. If you find yourself stuck, gradually increase the amount of calories per day.
Nutritional tip # 10 - Eat whole grains.No more white bread and flower. Eat whole-wheat bread and cook with whole-wheat flower. You will get more nutrients from them and they take longer to digest, so they stick with you longer.
Nutritional tip # 11 - No meals within two hours of bedtime.To prevent unwanted fat storage, I eat my biggest meals early in the day when I'm most active. I particularly limit my carbohydrate foods in later meals. I've found eating too close to bedtime is a good way to lose definition since my body doesn't burn the same level of calories during the sleeping maintenance mode as it does during the waking hours.
Nutritional tip # 2 - Use nutritional supplements to enhance your nutritional program.Nutritional supplements are meant to enhance an already great nutritional program. If you have the right combination of nutrients and the right nutrition program, a sport supplement schedule may serve to enhance your performance. In order for nutrition supplements to function properly, they must be taken at the proper times and in the proper amounts. I suggest you do your homework when it comes to using weight loosing supplements and make an informed decision before consuming any powder, pill, or brew.
Nutritional tip # 3 - Eat 5-6 small meals a day.Unlike most people's string of painfully low-calorie days, which puts the body in a fat-storing mode since it has no idea when it will be fed next, eating a small meal every three hours keeps our muscles in a fat-burning mode since they're receiving a steady but not excessive supply of nutrients. This practice also helps increase our energy levels and fight the hungry feeling that often leads to cheating with fat-building, between-meal snacks. Eating only 2-3 large meals a day like most people, however, can overwhelm our bodies. Since they can only use a certain amount of food at a time, the remainder will usually be stored as fat.
Nutritional tip # 4 - Consume lots of carbohydrates.Consume at least 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight each day. Make sure that most of these carbohydrates come from compels sources such as pasta, rice, oatmeal, potatoes and yams and fibrous veggies such as broccoli and asparagus. The only time you should be feeding your body fast acting carbs is immediately after your workouts.
Nutritional tip # 5 - Keep good fats in your meal plan.While TV tells us that eating fat makes you fat, the reality of the situation is that since the "fat-free" craze began, studies are showing that Americans continue to get fatter and fatter. While limiting fat intake is a good idea, totally eliminating it is not. Besides being necessary for healthy skin and hair, fat is involved in the production of many hormones, including testosterone. That's why it's almost impossible to build muscle mass when on an extremely low fat diet. Fat also lowers the glycemic index of many high carb foods, so we don't get that huge fat-producing insulin surge commonly associated with eating fat-free goodies by themselves. More importantly, we need a certain amount of fat to process body fat metabolism. In other words, eating too little fat makes it harder for us to burn unwanted fat.
Nutritional tip # 6 - Don't starve yourself.Simply put, fat gains and losses are mathematical events. You're not going to look like a sleek, defined racehorse if you eat like a pig. It's important to eat enough good foods to maintain lean muscle mass, but not overindulging to the point of increasing fat storage. Since this line is an easy one to cross, I recommend writing down in a small notebook the calorie content and macro nutrient breakdown (grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat) of what you eat. This technique also helps keep me more focused on my goal.
Nutritional tip # 7 - Diet ratio.Your diet ratio should be 50 to 55% carbohydrates, 25 to 30% protein and 15 to 20% fat.
Nutritional tip # 8 - Drink lot of water.Drink water...lots of it! I try to drink at least 2 gallons a day during and in between my meals. Muscle is composed of 70 percent water. A high protein diet and intense exercise require more water since these are dehydrating activities. Water is needed to transport vitamins, minerals, and supplements and even foods throughout our bodies. if our water intake is too low, muscle fullness decreases and a toxic buildup of ammonia, urea, and other waste products can result. Contrary to popular belief, restricting water intake can actually lead to more water retention than providing the body with a steady supply.
Nutritional tip # 9 - Consume more calories.When boosting your caloric intake, gradually increase the amount of calories over a period of 7 to 10 days. This way, you are using the extra calories as fuel as opposed to storing it as fat. If you find yourself stuck, gradually increase the amount of calories per day.
Nutritional tip # 10 - Eat whole grains.No more white bread and flower. Eat whole-wheat bread and cook with whole-wheat flower. You will get more nutrients from them and they take longer to digest, so they stick with you longer.
Nutritional tip # 11 - No meals within two hours of bedtime.To prevent unwanted fat storage, I eat my biggest meals early in the day when I'm most active. I particularly limit my carbohydrate foods in later meals. I've found eating too close to bedtime is a good way to lose definition since my body doesn't burn the same level of calories during the sleeping maintenance mode as it does during the waking hours.