What to eat. When to eat? What really matters?
These are the 5 main tips I give people most often to get the most bang for your buck from your nutrition and diet intake.
I am over simplifying to get to the point for these.
#1. 20-30g protein at every meal/snack.
Protein builds and repairs muscles along with other vital tissues.
If you’re not consuming protein, you’re consuming a majority of fat and carbs. Not bad things but you should have a balance. If you’re wanting to build muscle and lose fat, YOU NEED TO EAT PROTEIN.
#2. Water. Drink it. 1/2 your bodyweight in oz to start.
You’re made of water. You need it. It helps lubricate tissues, thins blood, and hydrated your entire body. You’ll be surprised what drinking enough water can do for your recovery and brain function as well.
#3. Low carb breakfast.
Even if you’re going to workout right away. Eat the carbs after with protein and low fat. Fat slows the metabolism of protein. You want your body to absorb that protein ASAP. Pair it with carbs as your blood sugar will drop after a workout. You want to get back to stable.
When you wake up you should try and keep your blood sugar stable (no big spikes or drops). Eating primarily protein and healthy fats will do just that. Hold the carbs (which you should be eating if you’re an active human) for right before and after your lifts.
#4. Eat when you’re hungry.
I know. It’s profound. Thank me later when hangry is no more. I don’t care if it’s 6am, or 12am (I hope you don’t have to be up until 9am if you’re awake and hungry at 12am), if you’re hungry, EAT! “Don’t eat past 6pm or 8pm or whatever the freaking rule is, is the largest load of bull crap known to nutrition.
Things that effect how much food you should consume:
- Activity level
- HUNGER
- How many hours you’re awake and functioning for per day
What dictates WHEN you should eat?
Your stomach. Are you hungry? EAT.
** note that when I say “eat” I mean eat REAL FOOD. And I assume you’re eating REAL food throughout the day so when your body tells you it’s hungry, it is actually hungry and not just craving more sugar. #details **
#5. Eat as much real food as you can.
You can’t out supplement a shit diet. Your body will work the best if you’re eating nutrient dense foods. Shoot for 80% real, 20% bars or quick packaged foods to start out. Be realistic.
Great snacks include:
- Beef jerky (natural unsweetened)
- Homemade protein balls. Do your research so you’re not making sugar balls that may as well be oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- Raw veggies
- Raw fruit
- Protein bars (RX bars are my fav, or bulletproof bars).
Your choices increase greatly if you have refrigeration.
Other miscellaneous pointers include lowering sugar intake (educate yourself – know what matters on a food label), make changes to your diet based on ADDING things rather than focusing on elimination (add more water, more veggies etc), be consistent (your body needs variation, but when making changes, be consistent so you can track what’s working), eat enough (not enough “food”, enough total calories of NUTRIENT DENSE food per day). Focus on learning the nutrition and applying it rather than changing your body.
Get the most out of what you put in your pie hole with my 5 tips above.
