I hate using the word 'Diet' because it sounds temporary and like you are depriving yourself of something...instead I like to think of it as a 'Lifetime Nutrition Plan', one that can be sustained forever. You should eat foods that you enjoy eating, and you shouldn't be starving yourself. Our bodies need nutrients, and the more natural the foods we eat are the better. Here are my 'top ten tips' for nutrition success...
1. Eat small meals every 3 hours. This increases enzyme production in the digestive system and gets the body's metabolism in a Fat Burning Mode instead of a Fat Storing Mode.
2. Eat low Glycemic Index carbs for breakfast (oatmeal) for sustained energy and high fiber carbs with protein throughout the day to keep your appetite suppressed.
3. Drink 100% Whey Isolate Protein one to two times per day as a snack or a meal. Whey Isolate is low fat, low calorie, low carb and is one of the purest and best forms of protein to help you build quality muscle.
4. Take Multi-Vitamins and Supplements to fill in the gaps in your diet and to help you recover and get the most out of your workout. The Supplements that I take daily are a Multi Pack of Vitamins, Omega 3, 5g of L-Glutamine, 5g of Creatine Malate, and a Recovery Drink of a 4 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein. This helps restore and replenish my glycogen levels after my workout.
5. Avoid stress. Try to keep a relaxed and positive attitude. Stress increases acidity in the body which can lead to an increase in your body storing fat.
6. Prepare your food in advance. I cook large batches of food and then freeze it when it is already cooked, that way it is fast and easy to serve. I like to store it in individual containers or zip-locks, then I just defrost it in the microwave.
7. Schedule your meals ahead and take individual meals in a small cooler with you for your day.
8. Plan your nutrients and meals with a purpose in mind....eat carbs for energy, protein for building and repairing muscle tissue, and fat to store the energy your body needs and fat is also needed to help dissolve fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A,D,E and K.
9. Zigzag your calories regularly to keep your body from plateauing. Switch up your ratio of carbs to protein and/or your daily caloric intake...this will help keep your metabolism from adapting to your nutrition and in a constant Fat Burning Mode. One cheat meal per week is a good thing, it tricks the body and metabolism into thinking that it doesn't need to store fat and that it is not being deprived.
10. Drink more water... drink 3/4 to 1 full gallons of water a day. Most of us don’t have enough water and our bodies are constantly dehydrated. A dehydrated body has trouble releasing water. In order to lose fat you must be able to release water, because fat cells in your body are composed of mostly water. Also, if you are dehydrated, then your body cannot build and recover very well because the muscles need water for both to happen.
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