You probably have heard the saying "You are what you eat." It cannot be said enough in my opinion. Sadly, most people eat whatever they feel like eating, whatever tastes good.  Taste cannot be the primary factor in the food that you choose if your goal is to maintain a healthy body, both in performance and in appearance.  How you look is supremely influenced by what you eat.

 

Unhealthy nutrition results in:

Lack of muscle mass High bodyfat Lack of energy

Skin conditions & acne Digestive issues: constipation, heartburn Health risks: diabetes, cancer, heart attack, stroke, obesity, etc…

The list goes on and on and on…The solution? Eat healthy at least 90% of the time. 100% if you're like me

 

What is eating healthy? Eating healthy is providing your body with the nutrients that it needs to perform at its best and to look its best.  The more serious you are about following healthy eating rules, the better you will look and feel, I PROMISE YOU.

Here are some nutrition rules that will help you build muscle, lose fat, minimize your disease risk, improve your mood and energy levels, and so much more…

1. Eat Breakfast. You want to provide your body with nutrients within the first hour of waking up. Your body has been without food for 8 hours or more and you have been burning precious calories in your sleep.  Breakfast will give your body the energy that you need to start your day off feeling great.  

Breakfast choices: OATMEAL (one of the super foods), eggs, bananas, yogurt.

2. Eat Every 3 Hours. The easiest way to do this is to plan your meal times in advance every day.  I eat at the same times every day throughout the month. Break meal times down into breakfast, lunch, dinner, post workout, pre bed and 2 snacks in between.

Benefits of Eating Every 3 Hours:

• Less Hunger. Eating six small meals a day VS a few big meals will decrease your stomach size. You’ll feel full faster and your waist will trim.
• Less Cravings. Not eating for long periods aka eating sporadically usually causes overeating at the next meal or ending at the vending machine.  Long periods between meals also promotes fat storage as the body is unsure when its next nutrients will come. Eat every 3 hours!

Eat at fixed times every day and your body will get hungry at those fixed times. Example: 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, 10pm. Read eat six small meals a day.

3. Eat Protein with Every Meal. You need protein to build and maintain muscle.  Protein also helps fat loss.  Be sure that 25% of your calorie intake is protein.  Know this ratio by keeping a food log with FitDay. See my daily diet showing ideal nutrient ratios for muscle gain.

How much protein do you need each day? To build & maintain muscle, you need to consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day. That’s 150 grams of protein a day if you weigh 150 pounds. The easiest way to reach your protein goal for the day is to eat a whole protein source with each meal.

GOOD Protein Sources:

• Poultry. Chicken, turkey, duck, ground chick, ground turkey. 
• Fish. Tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel
• Eggs. Eat the yolk because it has most of the nutrients.
• Dairy. Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, quark, yogurt, etc.
• Whey. Convenient, fast-digesting, & great for post-workout shakes. Read about post workout nutrition.

BAD Protein Sources:

• Red Meat: Meat from livestock – beef, lamb, & pork. Hard to digest, colon cancer-causing. Read The Dangers of Red Meat.  You can observe precautions mentioned in the article to eat red meat and avoid the dangers.
• Lunchmeat. Salami, bologna, pastrami, sausages, bacon, ham, and hot dogs pose cancer risks just like red meat.  Terrible protein quality.
• Hot Dogs. Same dangers as red meat and lunchmeat.  And the protein quality is horrible!

4. Eat Fruits & Veggies with Each Meal. Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories, which means that you can eat a lot without gaining fat. Fruits & veggies are also full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber which helps digestion.

5. Stay Away From Simple Carbs Except Post Workout, Eat 40% Complex Carbs.

Carbohydrates are organic compounds that are used as fuel source for the body. They are divided into two categories: simple carbs and complex carbs. Simple carbs, like refined sugar or processed white flour products, usually have no fiber, so your body converts them into glucose much more quickly than complex carbs, which have more fiber (brown rice, oats, whole grains, fibrous vegetables) to slow digestion.

Read The Problem With Most People's Diets is Simple Carbs, Not Fats

You want simple carbs post workout!  The reason is that after your workout you want to provide your muscle with the glucose that has been depleted from the fast source possible, simple carbs. This is very important – Read all about the post-workout shake.  Learn about the oats-whey-milk post-workout shake there.

Some examples of simple carbs: lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), candies, syrups, and any processed white flour product (like white bread). Limit eating of candy or white flour foods to almost never!

Complex carbs can be broken down into two categories:

Starchy: unrefined whole grains, brown rice, oatmeal, beans and tubers (potatoes, yams)
 Fibrous: fiber rich vegetables like celery, carrots, whole oats

• Eat Fruits & Veggies with all Meals. These contain little carbs compared to whole grains.
  Raisins = simple sugars. Limit consuption of raisins.

• Exception. If you are a skinny person who wants to gain weight, you need lots of carbs! Focus on complex carbs and eat simple carbs post workout and post post workout. More if needed.

  As a 150 pounder, here's your estimate:

  Calories: 150 x 24 = 3600 calories a day.
  Carbs: 40% = 1440 Carb Calories = 1,440 / (4 Calories Per Gram of Carb) = 360 grams of Carbs Per Day (Mainly Complex Carbs!)
  Protein: 30% = 1080 Fat Calories = 1080 / (4 Calories Per Gram of Protein) = 270 grams of Protein Per Day
  Fat: 30% = 1080 Protein Calories = 1080 / (9 Calories Per Gram of Fat) = 120 grams of Fat Per Day

6. Eat Healthy Fats. The eating of healthy fats improves fat loss and health. The reason is that if you provide your body with the right amount of healthy fat it won't hold on to it as much.  If you don't provide your body with fat, or if you eat sporadically instead of every few hours, your body goes into fat sotrage mode, desperately packing away fat because it is unsure of when it will get it next. 

Fats also combat hunger, digest slowly and are cheap. Eat healthy fats with every meal and avoid artificial trans-fats & margarine. Balance your fat intake. Read The Problem with Most Diets is Simple Carbs, Not Fats.

• Saturated Fats. Increase testosterone levels. Dietary cholesterol is not bound to blood cholesterol. Sources: Real butter, whole eggs, peanut butter.
• Monounsaturated Fats. Protect against heart diseases and cancers. Extra virgin olive oil, olives, mixed nuts.
• Polyunsaturated Fats. Increase testosterone levels, promote fat loss, decrease inflammation, … Fish oil, ground flax seeds, mixed nuts.

7. Drink Water. The best thing to drink is water, and a lot of it. Your body needs it desperately to perform well amidst the incredible strain you are placing on it with your workouts. Water is crucial even for those who don’t workout because your bodily functions (blood circulation, breathing, perspiration, digestion, etc) demand it greatly. Water will give you the fuel you need to work hard getting the body you want.

Split your water intake up over the course of your day.  Strength training causes water loss through sweating which can impair muscle recovery. Drinking water prevents dehydration but also hunger since an empty stomach can make you think you’re hungry.

• Drink a Gallon of (Lemon) Water Per Day. The exact amount is .66 oz per pound of bodyweight.  Drink water with every meal and between meals.  Sip water during your workouts.  I highly recommend adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to your water for flavor.  Also read The Benefits of Lemon Water and The Top 10 Health Benefits of Lemon Water.  I never drink plain water anymore, lemon water tastes much better and is so good for you.
   
• Buy a Brita Water Filter. This will save you money over bottled water and it will give you cleaner water than tap water. Don't forget the lemon juice!
   
• Don't Worry About Overhydration. Eating healthy as explained in this post will make sure that you replenish your electrolytes. You will be safe unless you do ridiculous things like drinking a half gallon of water in 15 minutes.  Spread your water intake sensibly throughout the day.

8. Eat Whole Foods 90% of The Time. Read Foods That Build Muscle. To really get the results you want, 90% of your food intake should consist of whole foods.

• Whole Foods. Unprocessed and unrefined (or little refined) foods that come as close as possible to their natural state. Examples: fresh meat, fish, poultry, eggs, veggies, legumes, fruits, rice, oats, quinoa, …
• Processed Foods. Usually contain added sugars, trans-fats, nitrates, corn syrup, sodium and more chemicals. Examples: bagels, fruit bars, cereals, pizza, cookies, sausages, frozen meals, supplements, …

Example Diet:

• Breakfast: eggs with veggies, orange, green tea
• Snack: mixed nuts, apple, milk
• Lunch: tuna, lettuce, olives, olive oil
• Snack: peanut butter and jelly on wheat bread
• Post workout: Oats-Whey-Milk Shake.
• Dinner: chicken, spinach, carrots
• Pre-bed snack: yogurt, berries, ground flax seeds, fish oil

Since you will be eating six small meals a day, plan your meals in advance.  You will need to prepare your food in advance. Preparation and planning is the key to having a great diet for life.