There was an era when people need not worry much about fitness, despite poor health facilities. Since they need to do everything manually, the chances of excess calories were minimal, limited only to a small percentage of rich people who had enough servants to do their bidding. But, then came the era of machines and manual work was reduced to nothing. There went away fitness right out of the window. Now, we have to make extra efforts, spend extra time in looking after our fitness. If we don’t, obesity along with a plethora of lifestyle related diseases comes right away to haunt us.
Now, another important issue remains of time. In our fast-paced life who has enough time to worry about fitness. We have to do with whatever little time there is. Thus, it becomes important to follow a tight fitness regime to make the most of your time and efforts. If we do even a single thing wrong, it all could fall apart in a blink. You have to look after your muscle mass, shape up your body, and take proper nutrition. Thus, we’ve brought to these important fitness tips for planning an efficient weight loss regime.
Most important fitness tips to keep in mind while planning your weight loss regime
1. Pre-workout nutrition is the essence of your workouts
Most people often make the mistake of ignoring pre-workout food. They think that the less they eat the better it is. But, they are wrong. And, I believe you don’t want to be wrong either. It’s very important to take a well-planned pre-workout feed.
A pre-workout diet should chiefly comprise of carbohydrates and proteins. During workouts your muscles rely upon carbs which comes from stored glycogen, and NOT fat as some might believe. In truth, body cannot make use of fats during intense training as there is not enough oxygen to burn fat. Taking smoothies, fruits and vegetables about 1-2 hours prior to workout builds enough glycogen stores for you to carry on the training. If your glycogen levels are low, your training performance will go down. Also, pre-workout protein drinks like casein and whey have been shown through studies to improve the efficiency of your workout session. In fact, your muscles get double benefits from pre-workout protein boost in comparison with post-workout proteins.
2. Post-workout nutrition is needed for recovery
It’s advised to have a post-workout meal within 45 minutes of finishing your workout session. You need to replenish the carbohydrates, fats and protein stores which are essential in tissue repairing and building. Thus, your post-workout diet should consist of carbohydrates, proteins and a few essentials fats. Fluids like smoothies are preferred as they are digested easily. Meal should have two parts of carbs for every part of proteins. While the carbs should have high glycemic index, proteins should be easy to digest like whey. Fats derived from fish or flax oil are excellent for post-exercise meal. Generally, when you’re starting out 200 g of carbohydrates is sufficient. Without this much amount, however, you may feel fatigued and lethargic.
3. Take protein rich diets
Proteins form the building blocks of our muscles, making them an essential part of a fitness nutrition regime. Daily protein intake is governed by the body weight, and for normal meals you need not compare them with the carbs intake. For a high protein intake, you must take 1g protein per pound body weight. So, a 200-pound person would need 200 g protein per day. You must take your meals every 3-4 hours with the required protein amounts. Your dinner should include slow-digesting protein like lean meat for sustained release of amino acids overnight.
4. Drink lots of water
Your daily intake of water should be half an ounce per pound body weight. So, a 200-pound person would need to drink a minimum of 100 ounce per day. Our body, as well as muscles (70%) contain a high amount of water. Thus, dehydrating yourself is not an option. In fact, you must take a cup of water every 15 minutes while working out. For a workout session lasting more than an hour or during games, switch water for sports drink with protein and carbs.
5. If you’re an athlete, you need more
If you’re a sports person requiring agility, plyometrics and weight training your nutrition demands are more. Daily carbohydrate intake should be 2.5 g per pound body weight. So, a 200-pound athlete would require 500g of carbs every day for efficient functioning of body and muscles.
If you’re an endurance athlete like swimmer, marathoner, or a triathlete your carbs need is higher at about 3.5-4.5g per pound body weight. So, a 200-pound athlete would need 700-900g carbs daily for maximum efficiency. In fact, such athletes use carbohydrate loading before an event.
Conclusion
Being fit is a chore in itself. To lose weight or build muscles you need to work hard and smart, while taking good care of nutritional needs of your body. You will lose weight faster and build more muscles with appropriate pre-workout and post-workout diet. Don’t worry if you’re gaining weight but your appearance seems leaner, you’re on the right track, because muscles weight heavier than fat. Always remember that since working out break down muscle and tissues, you require proper nutrition and rest to repair and build your body better and bigger. Proteins are important part of your diet as they are the building blocks of your muscles.
