By There is only one way to find out what kind of diet works well with you fitness plan, when you go ahead and experiment with different lifestyle habits. A lot of the ones I will discuss in this blog post, are very much standard when you begin a weight loss program. When putting on muscle mass, things do get tweaked slightly, although it all really depends on what your goals are. Once you define your goals, it’s a lot easier to get into more detail about how to cater for that via nutrition – and of course, training routine.
6 steps towards optimal nutrition when starting a fitness regime
- Protein with ever meal.
This is key to getting great results, and also enforcing great eating habits as you progress along the journey. Protein is essential to maintaining and repairing muscle mass. The amount of protein you will need, depends on many variable factors, and you can search online for some great protein calculators. If you want to be a bit more natural about this process, use the palm of your hand to indicate the size of protein needed, according to your body size.
The types of protein are endless, but do focus regularly on the lower calorie variety such as chicken breast, eggs, fish and turkey. Try and limit the amount of red meat that you eat. - Eat a lot more vegetables – go easy on the fruit.
Vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals, including fibre, which keeps you full for longer periods. They are also low on calories, which is great news if you are watching your intake. I would recommend you aim to fill half of your plate with cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli, kale, spinach and cabbage. Use as many green vegetables as you can, drizzling it with cold pressed olive oil and avocado. - Eat your fats.
Fats create a thermogenic environment for your body, as well as reduce inflammation. Don’t be afraid of consuming higher fat foods like salmon (for their omega 3 properties), nuts, avocado and olive oil. You can opt to use coconut oil, as it does not turn rancid when used at higher temperatures. I use coconut oil to fry and bake all of my foods. It’s a wonderful source of healthy fat. - Snack right.
Snacks are really helpful when you are on the go, or feeling the pinch between meals. Here are some healthy options to think about keeping with you, in your bag, and at the office.
– Green bananas for their high fibre, low sugar content
– Nuts, such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios
– Berries of all kinds
– Coconut butter
– Hummus with carrots and celery - Try intermittent fasting.
I have found this to be the best lifestyle plan to achieve not only my weight loss goals, but also increasing my muscle and decreasing inflammation within my body. It’s also a very easy process, and can be used daily for maximum benefit. The key is to fast every day, by changing the timing of your fasting periods. I prefer to extend mine a lot, and use 1 day to eat a lot more during the day. As you progress with fasting, you will not be as hungry, and stretching towards longer periods of time without food will be very easy. As long as you are eating well during the feeding periods, your weight loss and muscle building goals will build over time. - If you want to lose more body fat, go low carb when fasting.
When you fast, your body will naturally go into Ketosis, and you can increase the rate of this, by going low carb during your feeding period. That is, to pick the lowest carb foods (check how much is in your vegetables and protein sources). This can easily be achieved when you fast for extended periods of time. You can try this option of one full week, and then implement it regularly. It’s also essential that you supplement the low carb with higher fat options, and minimal protein. You can read more about this online, and decide for yourself if it’s a suitable option for your goal achievements.
I do hope that this has helped you. Finding the right way is a challenge, but do start with the fundamental basics above, and then as your confidence increases, challenge them with different alternatives.
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