Nutrition is very important not only for good health, but optimum performance during exercise. At the same time don’t make it a major drama. There are a number of diets out there that you can check out and follow if you’d like; The Zone Diet, Paleo Diet, Weight Watchers, just to name a few. And when I say diet, I don’t mean temporary starvation and weight loss, instead, think of diet as your daily eating plan.
Since I’m not a nutritionist, I cannot give you advice per se however I can certainly make recommendations based on common sense more than anything else.
Eat 5-6 small meals a day or 3 main meals and 3 snacks. Breakfast is very important and should not be skipped (unless you work out first thing in the morning). You must eat within an hour of working out to replenish your carbohydrates and get protein into your muscles to begin repairs. You should also have a small snack before your workout (approx 1 1/2 – 2 hours before) so you have energy and you’re not starving. If you want to snack before bed, make sure it’s healthy (not chips, crackers, cookies, etc) and make it small. It’s actually a good thing to have a small snack of protein and carbs before bed because you repair and replenish your body while you sleep.
You need protein to build and maintain muscle, along with other needs your body demands. You should have a serving of protein at every meal. If you want to get all scientific about it, you should aim for 70-80% of your bodyweight in grams of protein. If you weigh 100 lbs, you should aim for about 75 g of protein intake throughout the day. Good sources of protein are eggs or egg whites if you’re worried about cholesterol, chicken, tuna, salmon, pork, milk, and red meat. Yes. You can eat red meat (unless your doctor tells you otherwise). Protein Powders are a cheap and excellent way to get protein into your diet. A serving of protein is approximately the size of a deck of cards (about 20 grams). Proteins should make up approx 30% of your daily calories.
Carbohydrates are the fuel for your body. They not only supply energy to your muscles but your brain as well. Which is why when you have a carb crash, you get tired – your brain is low on sugar. However, not all carbs are the same. Of course you should have all the veggies you want, and fruits and berries too. Whole grain breads, brown rice, oatmeal are fine too when eaten in limited qualities. Check out the nutrition information on a loaf of bread. One slice is a serving (pile your meat on a slice, then cut it in half for a sandwich). A serving of carbs is the size of your fist. Carbs should make up approx 40% of your daily calories.
Fats have been villianized by those who are “in the know” – but why? Lots of fats are our friends, and do not hurt us!!! And yet people think fat makes you fat. No, excess carbs and calories will make you fat. You should aim to have a little fat with every meal. Good sources of fat are nuts, olives, olive oil, and fish oil capsules. Don’t be afraid of fats, they are not the enemy. Fats should make up approx 30% of your daily calories. Remember, many sources of proteins also have some fat grams in a serving.
Foods to avoid; well, obviously pop/soda, candy, chips, pretzels, cookies, brownies, cakes, fried foods, fast foods (ick), and rich sauces. Also, when you go out to eat, cut the portions in half and take the other half home. You usually get enough food for 2-3 meals and by reducing it right away, you won’t be tempted to eat the whole thing. Please, please, stay away from fast food joints. They do have some healthy choices, but not many. Other sources of carbs that should be eaten in moderation are white rice, potatoes, and white bread – they have a high glycemic index, which means they raise your blood sugar very quickly.
The question always comes up – can I drink? Absolutely!!!! Look, you have to live a little, right? But, again, moderation. One beer or glass of wine with dinner is just fine. The problem happens when you have 3+ every night. Alcohol is a bunch of empty calories so basically you are getting nothing in the manner of nutrition.
You should aim to eat healthy most of the time. However, there will be occasions when it’s unavoidable to “mess up”. Think about birthday cakes at the office, beers with the buds, going to dinner at a friends house. That’s not a big deal. You won’t gain weight by having a couple of cheat meals / snacks every week. And you won’t be all depressed because you ate something bad. Do it, get it over with, and move on. I don’t want you to go crazy, I want you to eat healthy and enjoy life.
One more thing. The food pyramid is wrong. It was put out by the US Dept of Agriculture. Look at it, the base is grains and cereals, next is fruits and veggies then a little bit of protein and fats. Excess carbs and fast foods and snacks, along with lack of activity, is the reason the obesity epidemic is growing in America.
Hydration is very important, not only for the workouts but for daily activities in general. If you can handle it (sometimes I get side aches if I drink water too close to a workout) drink one glass of water 1/2 – 1 hour before the workout, drink water throughout the workout (if you need to) and drink a glass afterwards (1 glass = 8 oz). Also, drink water throughout your day. A good idea is to drink a glass of water 15 minutes before each meal or snack, you’ll feel feel fuller before you eat thus cutting down on how much you eat and you’ll be working your way to your daily intake. Now, there has been great debate on how much water people need to drink to get their daily intake. The assumed number is 8 glasses a day – but that doesn’t take into account other forms of liquid – milk, juice (avoid – mostly sugars, missing out on fiber), coffee, tea, etc (don’t count alcoholic drinks). Drink 8 glasses of some kinds of liquids each day – you’ll stay hydrated. BUT make sure you drink water before and after your workout – this is a must. On hot days drink 2 glasses before and after to stay hydrated and on top of your game.
There – now you know a little about nutrition.
