This is a very broad topic with varied opinions from different professional sources, so I’ve decided to break it up into a three part article.
My friend Imann suggested a write a piece about proper diets and how eating the right foods can help one achieve their fitness goals. My immediate response to Imann was “What do you typically eat per day?” and this is what she said…
IMANN
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Breakfast
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Oatmeal
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Snack
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Fruit (Blueberries, Pineapples, Strawberries)
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Lunch
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Turkey Sandwich or Protein Shake
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Snack
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Dinner
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Talapia and Kale or Egg whites w/ Vegetables
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Imann’s daily consumption provides proper nutrition to fuel her rigorous training routine and active lifestyle.
In my next article I will provide an example of what I eat in a typically day and my suggestion for frequency of consumption.
Whether you goal is to lose weight, build muscle, build endurance or a combination of the three, there are certain foods, when consumed properly can, that will help you reach that goal. In this article I will give my personal opinion on the types of food you should eat to build muscle and examples of those foods.
In order to build muscle, you need complete proteins; these are found in eggs, meat, fish, cheese, milk and most other animal products. The protein found in plant products tends to be incomplete, though there are exceptions (e.g. soy beans, quinoa). The rule of thumb is that you need between 1 and 1.5 times your body weight (if you are overweight, then substitute your target body weight) in grams of protein. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should eat between 150 and 225 grams of protein per day if you want to consistently gain muscle. Proteins I recommend that are great for building muscle include fish, poultry breast and eggs. I personally avoid red meats and most dairy products (I will discuss in a later article).
Include carbohydrates in your diet in the morning and post-workout. It is important to have carbohydrates so that your body can tap into glycogen (energy) stores within your muscles while you are working out. If you do not eat enough carbohydrates your body will not have energy reserves and will break down your muscles instead. Good examples are: Brown Rice, Quinoa , Rolled Oats, Sweet Potato, Rye Bread, Wholemeal Spaghetti. Eat complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, bran, beans, whole grains which are broken down over longer periods of time and don't cause spikes in blood sugar.
Carbs get a bad reputation from dieting guides. Because complex carbs are broken down slowly and don’t have a lot of sugar they are acceptable to eat after a workout.
Eat healthy fats. Not all fats are created equal. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that eating healthy fats is actually good for you. You should get about 20% to 35% of your calories from fats. The good fats include nuts, flaxseed and pumpkin seeds, and soy products.
Stay away from saturated and trans fats. These are the "bad" fats. Make sure saturated fats make up no more than 10% of your caloric intake, and that trans fats make up no more than 1% of your caloric intake. Bad fats include Ice cream, candy bars, and packaged snack foods, High-fat cuts of meat, Lard, stick margarine, and vegetable shortening, Fried foods.
Last, but definitely not least, drink plenty of water. Dehydration can mean poor muscle recovery, so make sure you drink lots of water throughout the day. Sip on water throughout your workout. The recommended daily amount for men is about 3 liters, and 2.2 liters for women.