Nutrition
10 practical fitness tips…
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OUR 1st ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Don’t waste your time and money on the latest ‘miracle’ fat-loss or muscle-gaining diets. Losing fat or building muscle is dependant on a simple mathematical equation…
EXPLANATION:
If your daily/weekly intake in calories is generally lower than your daily/weekly expenditure of calories, your body will convert your existing body fat into useable energy, causing you to lose body fat. Contrarily, if your daily/weekly intake of calories is generally higher than your daily/weekly expenditure of calories, your body will convert those surplus calories into body fat – unless you are training regularly with heavy weights, in which case muscle will be built (along with some fat unfortunately).
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OUR 2nd ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Read and understand food labels.
EXPLANATION:
The primary reason for eating and drinking is to obtain energy, which is typically measured in units called ‘calories’ (however, sometimes a less-common measurement called ‘joules’ is used). Nearly every type of food consists of carbohydrates, protein, and fat – the precise amounts of which are usually displayed on ‘food labels’. Understanding what you are eating is important for looking, feeling, and performing your best.
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source, and contain 4 calories per gram. Foods which consist primarily of carbohydrates include grain products, fruits, vegetables, and sugary items. The Food & Nutrition Board of the U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends that 45% to 65% of your daily/weekly caloric needs come from carbohydrate sources.
Proteins are the essential building blocks of muscle, and also contain 4 calories per gram. Foods which consist primarily of proteins include dairy, fish and meat products, as well as beans and nuts. The Food & Nutrition Board recommends that 10% to 35% of your daily/weekly caloric needs come from protein sources.
Like carbohydrates, fats are another essential source of energy for the body, and also assist in the transportation of nutrients – however they contain 9 calories per gram! Foods which consist primarily of fat include natural oils, butter, and margarine. Please do not be afraid of fat! Eating ‘fat’ does not make you fat! Your body actually needs specific vitamins and minerals only found in certain fats in order to maximise your muscular development, and is also essential for healthy skin and other aspects of your health – particularly for females. Remember, body fat only accumulates when the average number of daily calories consumed is greater than the number of daily/weekly calories burned – regardless of whether those calories come mainly from carbohydrate, protein, or fat sources. The Food & Nutrition Board recommends that 20% to 35% of your daily/weekly caloric needs come from [good] fat sources.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, almost as many as in one gram of fat! Minimise your alcohol intake or select ‘light’ drinks containing a lower alcohol content. One exception is red wine, which, if drank in moderation, has been suggested to have numerous benefits – including preventing heart, liver and kidney diseases, as well as several kinds of cancer.
An additional word of caution about alcohol: you should never consume alcohol after a workout, as alcohol prevents protein from reaching the muscles until the alcohol has first been digested. After a workout your muscles are craving protein in order to rebuild – and if they don’t get some protein, you’ve not only wasted your time in the gym, but you’ve also made your muscles slightly weaker for the next workout.
To get an idea on what your regular diet is composed of, we encourage you to begin reading food labels, and perhaps keep a one-week food diary. Practical Fitness Tips recommends you explore the following Food Nutrient Database, which has detailed calorie, vitamin, and mineral information for over 6,200 food items.
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OUR 3rd ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Determine how many calories you need to eat to achieve your fitness goal or desired body weight.
EXPLANATION:
To determine the approximate number of daily calories required to lose weight or maintain your current weight, Practical Fitness Tips recommends the following online Calorie Calculator – which was assessed to provide an average ‘middle-ground’ figure (when compared to other similar sources). Note that to build muscle, you should add approximately 15% to the ‘Maintenance’ figure in order to build muscle at a safe rate, whilst minimising any simultaneous (yet inevitable) fat gains. For more information, please visit our Burning Fat or Building & Toning Muscle pages.
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OUR 4th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Never skip breakfast!
EXPLANATION:
Other than your post-workout meal, breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Your body has just gone many hours overnight without food, and is running on ‘low’. Your body needs to literally ‘break its fast’, and replenish energy supplies to continue its natural functions, including keeping your metabolism high and repairing/developing your muscles. Many sources suggest that skipping breakfast can actually lead to gaining fat – as your body attempts to prepare for some sort of famine! At the very least, make sure you grab a meal-replacement bar if you’re in a hurry. Kick-start your day with a large glass of water too.
OUR 5th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
EXPLANATION:
The body is only able to absorb a certain quantity of nutrients at one time. Therefore, rather than eating three standard meals per day (which unfortunately typically consists of eating increasingly more calories as the day progresses), most sources agree that the most optimal eating pattern should consist of smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day every few hours – with an attempt to eat more calories during the first two-thirds of the day, when the average individual is generally more active. This way, your body is given a constant flow of nutrients, your internal organs don’t have to work as hard at processing large volumes of food at the same time, you feel less-sluggish, and your metabolism is boosted.
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OUR 6th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Enjoy a variety of healthy, vitamin-rich foods in moderation.
EXPLANATION:
Most foods can be categorised into four basic ‘food groups’ – including 1) grain products, 2) fruits & vegetables, 3) meat & alternatives, and 4) dairy products. Some suggest there is also a fifth food group – fats & oils. Effort should be made to ensure you eat from each of these food groups several times per day, in an attempt to ensure your body consistently gets all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it requires. When it’s not possible (or appetizing) to eat something from a particular food group at certain meals, try to compensate by eating more from that missed food group at another stage in the day.
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OUR 7th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Ensure you eat enough protein, but don’t overdo it.
EXPLANATION:
An ongoing debate in the fitness world is the amount of protein an active individual needs to consume…
First, it should be mentioned that government health agencies from Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States all recommend between 0.75 and 0.84 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight for the average male. At the other end of the scale, many sources in the bodybuilding community suggest that much, much higher quantities of protein are needed, up to 3.3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight!
However, most reputable sports-related organisations or medical professionals suggest somewhere in-between these high and low figures, and suggest that athletes require significantly more protein than the typical sedentary individual. Due to the wide variations in recommendations, after undertaking extensive research, Practical Fitness Tips has opted to suggest that active males require roughly 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram (or 0.64 grams of protein per pound) of body weight – with females needing approximately 15 percent less – therefore roughly 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram (or 0.54 grams of protein per pound) of bodyweight.
For example, based on our ‘middle-ground’ recommendation:
1) Males – an 80 kilogram (or 176 pound) man would need approximately 112 grams of protein per day – or about 22 or 23 grams of protein (on average) per meal/snack spread over 5 eating sessions daily – ideally with slightly more protein in the post-workout meal.
2) Females – a 60 kilogram (or 132 pound) woman would need approximately 72 grams of protein per day – or about 14 grams of protein (on average) per meal/snack spread over 5 eating sessions daily – ideally with slightly more protein in the post-workout meal.
Note that many leading experts suggest the body is not capable of regularly absorbing any more than roughly 30 grams of protein in any one meal, as this can put a strain on the kidneys. Protein supplements are an effective and convenient way to boost your protein intake without adding unnecessary calories from carbohydrates or fats.
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OUR 8th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Experiment with supplementation, but do your research first!
EXPLANATION:
Practical Fitness Tips firmly believes that most individuals can achieve their health and fitness goals by eating natural, normal foods and sticking to the basic principle mentioned previously in Tip #1 regarding calorie consumption balanced with daily/weekly calorie expenditure. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that supplementing your diet using high-quality, scientifically-formulated products can complement (not substitute) a healthy diet and exercise routine. There are thousands of products out there, but can all typically be divided into two goals: burning fat, or building muscle.
Fat burning supplements (such as Hydroxycut or Animal Pak) come in a variety of forms – some of which contain caffeine (the most popular stimulant used for weight loss), whiles others contain mainly herbal ingredients. For more information on fat burning supplements, and to compare prices and reviews of leading top brands, click here.
Muscle building supplements also come in a variety of forms – from protein powder (to assist you in meeting your recommended daily intake), to creatine monohydrate (an effective, natural product which helps supply energy to muscle). For more information on muscle building supplements, and to compare prices and reviews of leading top brands, click here.
For more information about creatine monohydrate specifically – which is one of the most popular muscle building supplements – Practical Fitness Tips recommends the Creatine Information Centre.
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OUR 9th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Drink around 8 glasses of water per day.
EXPLANATION:
Water makes up approximately two-thirds of one’s body weight, and is essential for hydration, transportation of nutrients, blood flow, regulating your temperature and other key bodily functions. There’s a good reason we’re told we’ll die if our body goes without water for more than a few days! If that’s not reason enough, consider that water contains no calories – however makes you feel fuller sooner, which naturally helps you eat less during meals. Water also helps to dissolve bad fats and flush them through the digestive system. Furthermore, many sources encourage drinking a large glass of water when you first wake up in the morning – as this will boost your metabolism, immune system, concentration levels, and your energy. Drink up! Wondering if you’re consuming enough water? …if your urine is yellow, you need to drink more water!
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OUR 10th ‘NUTRITION‘ TIP:
Don’t eat immediately before going to bed!
EXPLANATION:
The last meal (or ‘snack’) of the day should be consumed at least two hours before going to bed, and should ideally consist of a high quantity of protein and a minimal quantity of carbohydrates and fat. Therefore, cottage cheese, tuna or a special protein drink would be a great choice, whereas simple carbohydrates/sugars (whether found in a dessert or even in fruit) would not be. The body does not require much energy while it sleeps (approximately 40 to 50 calories per hour), therefore eating ‘energy calories’ (found in foods containing carbohydrates and fats) before bed risks being converted into body fat if they go unused. Furthermore, you will sleep better without a full stomach and will therefore be better-rested for the following day’s activities (including your workout)!
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Resources on Nutrition:
1) Diet.com. Your nutrition and health solution! Eat right. Lose weight. Get fit!
2) How Many Calories Do You Need? Calculate how many calories you need to consume to lose or maintain your weight.
3) Food Nutrient Database. Discover how many calories and vitamins are in the foods you eat.
4) Creatine Information Centre. Simple, straightforward information about creatine.
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