If we had to give the gym newbie a piece of advice beginner in gym when it comes to what to eat it would be, don’t go too hard on yourself and keep it simple. You can drive yourself batshit crazy calculating every nutrient ratio every time you eat daily and still end up with zero results.
You will get the calories and nutrients you need to fuel your daily activities with a well-balanced diet. When it comes to eating to support your exercise, it’s not as simple as choosing veggies over pizza. You need to get the right kind of food at the right time and in the right quantity.
Therefore you are better off focusing on basic fundamentals, which is why we have strained out 10 simple guidelines.
- START OFF YOUR DAY RIGHT
Starting your day with healthy and balanced meals which your body needs to power your muscles and brain. Breakfast is especially important if you have planned to start working out. Skipping breakfast can make you feel lightheaded or lethargic while you’re working out.
- How to consume calories
The total calorie you consume plays a very important role in weight control, muscle building and health. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will store them as new muscle or fat. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.
If your aim is losing weight, you have to create a calorie deficit. Whereas if you are trying to gain and increase muscle mass, then you need to eat more than your body burns each day.
- HYDRATE YOUR BODY WELL
Staying properly hydrated before any workout is also one of the most important and basic element. Your performance would hamper a lot if you haven’t consumed enough water.
Drinking water helps not only in better protein absorption but absorbing other minerals and vitamins from food as well. try to drink at least 3-4 liters of water each day.
- PROTEIN IS THE FOUNDATION
If you are a beginner you should know that your relationship with protein should be a permanent one. Protein repairs damaged muscle and stimulate growth-supporting hormones in the body. If your aim is to build muscles, you need to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day.
- CARBS DRIVE THE PROCESS
If your goal is gaining mass you need carbs, and plenty of them, to get your body growing. Carbs fuel training, allowing you to push harder and longer. If you follow a low-carb diet, you won’t be able to train as hard as you need to and your energy balance will fall. Start by consuming 2-3g of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day. The majority of your carbs should be complex, coming from such sources as potatoes, whole-wheat pieces of bread and portions of pasta, and oatmeal.
- FATS
Fat provides us with energy for long period exercise, but exercise intensity has to be lower for oxygen present to burn it. Fat is also an essential source of energy for reproduction, growth and increased demands of physical activity.
Fat is the most calorie dense macronutrient out of all. For every gram of fat consumed 9 Kcal of energy is yielded. Thus, the body finds it the most difficult nutrient to use as energy and it will be kept as the last resort for energy requirements.
- KEEP THE POST-WORKOUT MEAL “QUICK”
Your post workout meal should be consumed within 30-40 minutes after training, consume 25-30 grams of protein (whey protein is a fast digestive protein and works best in this case). Also consume 50-60 grams of fast-digesting carbs such as fat-free cookies, muffins, bananas or oats. The fast-digesting combo of whey and simple carbs almost immediately reverses muscle breakdown that results from intense training.
- EAT BIG BEFORE TRAINING
People say that you shouldn’t work out on a full stomach. But consuming a larger meal an hour or so pre-workout helps you train harder. It supplies the body with enough carbs and protein that prevent muscle breakdown. It protects your muscles from going carbolic and experiences an energy boost, which should allow you to train harder and longer.
- GO FOR REAL FOOD
Supplements just help to enhance your diet. What you eat, i.e. the real food is the foundation. Beginners or even people who have been working out since a while believe supplements are the basis of their nutrition and they never see the results they hope for because they lack the ideal diet plan that would get them from being flab to fab.
- TAKE A BREAK
Some days off, along with adequate nutrition, allow the body to recover more fully from training sessions. The same is true with eating. It’s a good idea to have a “cheat day” every 10-14 days and eat, in addition to what you normally do. Ice creams or rolls whatever you want and on the next day you’ll need to get right back on your cleaner diet.
Follow these rules daily, make them your habit and they’ll become second nature. You’ll learn more about nutrition in the coming months and years. ParaFit believe in science-based nutrition, real results, and consistency. In our meal plans, there are no boiled and tasteless food. We believe in making your fitness journey easy and happier.
