Chaska Personal Trainer shares her top 10 nutrition tips for weight loss and fitness
The results are here.
According to the National Weight Control Registry, it was found that 89% of people who lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off for at least a year achieved their goals through a combination of diet and exercise. In that study, only 10% were successful using diet alone and only 1% using exercise alone.
That’s a startling statistic, and one you simply can’t ignore if you want to lose fat, build muscle, get toned, and look great.
Okay, now you’re thinking, “If I stick to a ‘meal plan,’ I’ll never eat another cookie again!” Is not true. A good meal plan teaches you how to combine the foods you like for proper nutrition. It focuses on meal timing, portion control, and healthy snacks to boost your metabolism and burn fat fast!
When it comes to nutrition, the old rules don’t necessarily hold true and there are plenty of myths out there telling you how to eat. here are my Top 10 nutrition tips for weight loss and fitness to help you get started:
1. ALWAYS eat breakfast. Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast”. The time you spend sleeping is the longest time you go without eating. When you wake up, hungry or not, your body is. It is vitally important that you replenish your energy system and provide the building blocks necessary to sustain muscle tissue. Since I usually work out in the morning, I start the day with a protein shake mixed with milk (2. Eat every 3-4 hours. Eating frequent meals will help keep your metabolism high and control your blood sugar level. It will help you avoid those energy ups and downs that you experience throughout the day. Make sure they are healthy meals that contain balanced amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
3. Eat within 30 to 45 minutes after your workout. During this time, the body begins to repair the damage caused by exercise by replenishing muscle glycogen (sugar stored as energy in muscle), synthesizing muscle protein (building muscle), and stimulating the immune system. For my post-workout meal I prefer a meal replacement shake with a 3:1 or 4:1 carb to protein ratio. This ratio has been shown to maximize absorption and efficacy.
Four. Eat a lean protein with EVERY meal. Eating a lean protein will help control your insulin response, keep you satiated, and provide building blocks for muscle repair and growth. Remember, more muscle = faster metabolism. A pound of muscle burns 40 to 60 calories per day. So make sure you eat your protein at every meal.
5. Put your fruits and vegetables! I know you’ve heard it a million times, and for good reason. Fruits and vegetables provide you with necessary vitamins and antioxidants, as well as other supernutrients that have been shown to be vital for daily function and health. And when they are fresh they taste so good!
6. Drink plenty of water. On average, a person should consume 96 ounces, not including amounts before, during, and after training (approximately 8 to 16 ounces each). Staying hydrated will keep your energy level high and help you lose weight – a dehydrated person has a 3% lower metabolism and performs at a significantly reduced level. It also helps you feel full so you will avoid overeating. Try drinking a glass of water before each meal (it helps prevent overeating) and sip from a water bottle throughout the day.
7. Be careful with coffee drinks. The average Venti-size Frappuccino weighs in at 530 calories. This staggering number equates to 2.5 bagels or a third of the recommended daily calories for the average woman. Watch out for soft drinks too. A 16 oz. fountain drink can have more than 300 calories. Drinks like this, which contain high amounts of sugar, should be consumed infrequently, as the extra calories they contain are easily stored as fat.
8. Limit alcohol as much as possible. Calories add up really fast with alcoholic beverages, especially mixed drinks – that Monster Margarita is over 1000 calories! Alcohol also has a negative impact on your metabolism and when drunk in excess will make your workouts the next day (or two) suffer. One night of binge drinking can wreak havoc on your entire fitness and weight loss program.
9. Don’t be fooled by “Fat Free”. Fat-free foods, when eaten in excess, will still be stored as fat! Fat free cookies and crackers are made from a lot of SUGAR! Yes, the secret is out! Sugar is as fattening as a substance as fat itself, when eaten in excess.
10. Don’t forget the fiber! Eating fiber has many benefits for your health. Consuming soluble fiber has been shown to protect you from developing heart disease by lowering your cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber consumption reduces the risk of developing constipation, colitis, colon cancer and hemorrhoids. The ADA recommends a minimum of 20-35 g/day.
11. Bonus tip: Take a high-quality multivitamin and EFA supplement. A multivitamin provides key vitamins and minerals that are difficult to obtain unless your diet is nearly perfect. I don’t know about you, but I like to cover my bases when it comes to my health. Be sure to choose a multivitamin supplement that is made from whole foods rather than synthetic materials, as well as being made specifically for your gender. An essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement is essential to provide key omega 3s to maximize overall health, performance and body composition. Studies show that krill oil provides the most effective dosage of EFAs.
Well, there you have them; my top 10 nutrition tips for fat loss and fitness. Take them one at a time if necessary. I promise you that if you can master these, your fitness and fat loss goals will come true.
Have faith and act!
justin yule