Start your day of the right way
too many people make the mistake of skipping out on breakfast. Having a high protein meal rich in vitamins and minerals 1 to 2 hours after waking up can kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn calories throughout the day, reduces mindless snacking and helps to control your appetite throughout the day. It also gives you the energy you need to get things done and helps you to focus at work, school and your performance in the gym.
Meal prep
preparing your meals a day or two days ahead will enable you to maintain a healthy lifestyle by having your meals on hand during the day. You will have full control over portion sizes and what ingredients and sauces are in your food. It will also help to regulate your metabolism; you’ll be prepared at snack time when hunger strikes with something nourishing, so you can feed your body regularly and keep your metabolism in check. Snacking regularly will stop your body falling into a catabolic state, which results in the loss of lean body tissue (including muscle) and a depression of your metabolic rate. It will also save you money, instead of forking out up to £5 to £10 at your shop on your lunch break on meal deals and unhealthy food you can pocket that extra money and use it for better use
Hydration, drink 2 to 3 litres of water per day
water plays a vital role in how our body function as your body is made up of 60 % of water. Water also plays a big key during exercise. If you’re not properly hydrated, your body can’t perform at its highest level. You may experience fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness, or more serious symptoms.
Have more fibre in your diet
fibre is important because it helps with your digestive system, it helps to control blood sugar levels and food that are high in fibre are more filling which will keep you fuller for longer. Recommended amount is 25 – 30 g a day good sources of fibre are nuts, vegetables, porridge and beans.
Complex rather than simple
carbohydrates are a major macronutrient and one of your body’s primary sources of energy. There are two different types of carbohydrates; complex and simple. Complex carbs are in foods like oats, sweet potato and whole wheat bread where as simple carbs are in regular potatoes, white bread, cookies, cereals and soda drinks. These complex carbs pack in more nutrients and fiber and digest more slowly than simple ones and thus provide better energy and keep you feeling full for longer. Simple carbs are full of sugar which is digested quickly and spikes up your glucose and blood sugar levels leaving you feeling immediately energized but then feeling more tired and drained throughout the day.
Eat every 2 to 3 hours
eating a well-balanced portioned meals 4 – 6 times a day will help you to speed up your metabolism but will also prevent you from overeating and snacking up high sugary snacks
Know what your Basal Metabolic Rate is
your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the minimum amount of calories that your body needs to function while resting for 24 hours. This number of calories reflects how much energy your body requires to support vital body functions. Whether your goal is to lose weight (body fat), gain weight (lean muscle), or to just maintain your current weight, knowing your basal metabolic rate can help you attain and maintain your goals.
Pre-workout
nutrient timing is crucial to enable you to get maximum gains from your workouts. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or train for a specific sport you need to feed your body the right nutrients in the right amounts at the right time. What you eat before prepares your body for your workout, what you eat during (if appropriate) enhances the session itself, and what you take in afterwards maximizes the work completed while preparing your body for the next session.
A solid pre-workout meal
can prevent muscle breakdown and improve energy repair and recovery. Good preworkout meals 2 hours before training are chicken and rice and 45 minutes to an hour before training banana with a protein shake
Post workout
you have an optimal window of time to take in carbohydrates and protein after each workout. The longer you wait to refuel, the less efficient the body becomes at putting these nutrients to work. Consume quality carbohydrates to refuel your glycogen stores in preparation for your next workout while taking in protein to help repair and rebuild your muscles as well. For muscle building taking in post-workout protein is essential. The amino acids in protein are the building blocks of muscle, and true growth cannot occur without them. Examples of quality post-workout recovery meals are a protein shake with fruit or tuna on whole wheat toast.
Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day
sleep plays a big part in our productivity and concentration levels during the day. Sleep also plays an important role in weight gain and nutrition. Research has shown that people with short sleep duration tend to weigh significantly more than those who get adequate sleep and that short sleep duration is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity. Also sleep deprived individuals tend to have a bigger appetite and tend to eat more calories due to the affect it has on your hormones.
By incorporating these steps into your daily routine you’ll get the best fitness results possible! Good luck James.
