Fitness : What To Eat In What Amount?

The amount of information regarding diet and nutrition on the Internet is overwhelming. Everyone has an opinion about how many calories you should be eating, which foods are the best, and which foods to avoid. It’s no wonder so many of us feel lost!

Although you may have already given up trying to wade through all the available material, I want you to know the facts. The truth is, that the rights foods eaten in the right amounts can do more than keep your stomach from rumbling between meals. Proper nutrition and meal planning will help fuel your body throughout the day, help boost energy levels in the gym, and be the primary way your body gains or loses weight.

Yes, good nutrition will require a little thought and preparation up front, but it’s essential for your fitness goals. In order to make those goals a reality, you’ll need to:

-Calculate how many calories you need to eat each day.
-Determine how much carbs, fats, and protein you should consume.
-Learn the easy way to measure your macros (Protein/Carbs/fat)
-Adopt a diet of moderation and sensibility.
-Getting a handle on basic portion sizes for your go-to protein sources, as well as key complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, gives you a great advantage when it comes to choosing and preparing meals. If you don’t have a scale readily available to weigh out your food, turn to your hand:

-Proteins: Use the size of your palm as a guide to measure out a 4-ounce serving per meal.
-Carbs: Use the size of your fist to estimate the amount of carbs you should be consuming at each of your main meals.
-Fat: For liquid fats such as oils, spreads, and butters, incorporate two thumb-sized portions 3-4 times per day, preferably not around your training session. For solid fats such as nuts and seeds, you’ll have to count out one serving, which you can often find on the label. For example, 24 almonds is equivalent to roughly one serving size.
Remember, you don’t need to memorize portion sizes for every food, just the basic ones that make up the core of your fat-loss or muscle-building goal.

–Protein is the building block of muscle and is integral to the diet of an active individual. As a general guideline, your protein intake should stay steady around 1 gram of protein per pound of lean mass (or 0.8-1.0 gram per pound of body weight).

While fat and carbohydrate intake can be modified according to your training plan and fitness goals, protein intake should remain relatively constant no matter what. This is especially true in times of calorie restriction for fat loss.

Aim to get about 30 grams of protein at each of your meals. To cut the fat, opt for chicken and turkey without the skin and leaner cuts of steak like loin and round. When eating out, avoid any proteins that come battered and fried.

Good sources of complete protein: Skinless chicken or turkey, 90 percent (or leaner) ground beef, low-fat or nonfat dairy, eggs, fish and shellfish, pork loin, tofu, and protein powder.

-Your carbohydrate intake may be adjusted depending on your training level, physical progress, energy levels, and body cues. The best method for finding that ideal carb consumption is to just ask yourself: “How’s this working out for me?”

There is no magic number; everyone reacts to carbs a little differently. Keep in mind that your carbohydrate needs will vary based on your workouts. You may want more carbs on a leg day than you want on arm day. And timing your carbs around your workout can also give you extra energy in the gym. Try to consume roughly 25 percent of your daily carbs about 1-2 hour before you workout, and another 25 percent of your daily carbs post workout.

The important thing to remember about carbohydrates is that some of them can be broken down faster and more easily than others. Fast-digesting carbs like refined sugar are called simple carbs. Your body can use these types of carbs almost immediately. The problem, though, is that eating these carbs can spike your blood sugar quickly, and they aren’t a sustainable form of energy. And because these carbs are so readily usable, they also get stored as fat easily.

Complex carbs like oatmeal, however, take a little longer to digest, don’t spike your blood sugar as dramatically, and often contain more fiber than their simple counterparts.

If you stick to complex carbs like these instead of eating mostly refined carbs like doughnuts or cake, your energy levels will stay more consistent throughout the day.

Good sources of carbohydrates: Sweet potatoes, quinoa, lentils and beans, oats, berries, green veggies, brown rice, squash, and whole-grain bread.
–Dietary fats often get a bad rap when you’re trying to eat clean, but they’re far too important to eliminate entirely. Not only do they contain a number of key vitamins and help us absorb a number of others, but they’re also essential in the production of key muscle-building hormones like testosterone.

Aim to get about 30 percent of your daily calories from dietary fats. While the majority of your fat should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources, a little saturated fat from animal proteins is nothing to fear!

Eating fat is part of a balanced, healthy diet. But how much you need in your diet depends entirely on your body and your goals.

Good sources of healthy fats: Avocados, nut butters, olive oil, coconut oil, almonds, and salmon.

Hope this will helps you achieve your fitness goals!

Dave