Nutrition

I've always found nutrition to be the hardest part of staying in shape. Not only is it tough to avoid all the bad temptations out there that can be a hazard to your health, but knowing what is actually good and bad can be hard also. This post will include a lot of random facts from several different resources about nutrition. These sources include the P90X2 Nutrition Guide, The Book of Beast, and Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs.

You've probably heard that your fitness is 20% exercise and 80% nutrition. The reason why nutrition is so important is because eating properly helps you recover properly from work outs and helps you lose weight and build muscle faster (P90X2). Everyone has different goals for getting in shape, whether it's to lose weight, gain muscle, or just feel good. I won't be able to list all the different types of diets, portion plans, or ratios that may be best for you. But below are just some tips to get the most out of your nutrition.

How often do I eat?

If you're serious about getting in shape, it's important to get on a regular eating schedule. You should aim to eat 5-6 "meals" a day, which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with some snacks in between. Shoot for 2-3 hours in between meals. If you have a busy job which prevents you from eating that often, then at least shoot for 3 solid meals, but try to get those snacks in. Try to have your last snack or meal 3 hours before bed. Digestion can mess with your sleeping patterns, and sleep is just as important to your fitness as the actual exercise because your body needs ample sleep time to recover.

Agua

Drink as much water as you can during the day to stay hydrated. Being dehydrated prevents your body from functioning at maximum capacity and can make you feel tired. Aim for half your body weight in ounces (P90X2). Remember, if you're working out an hour every day, your body is going through a lot of fluids...you need to make sure you're replenishing your body.

Caffeine

I don't drink caffeine, never have, and never will, so I can't speak to how it has affected my body. From what I've seen and read, caffeine in moderation is not bad for you. It's when we add a bunch of bad things to it that it can cause real harm. Studies show that 2-3 cups of coffee can be good for you (increases metabolism, boost performance, increased mental acuity) (P90X2), although having more than two cups can cause loss of sleep  and increased cholesterol (DDH). But when people add the sugar, creamers, etc to their black coffee, that's when it goes down hill. However, in moderation, there seems to be more good than bad. Green tea is actually a better alternative if you really want to go the extra mile.

 And just avoid the Monster, Red Bull, and 5 Hour Energy.

Alcohol

I'm not going to sit here and say I don't drink alcohol, because I do. But these days I will only drink for occasions, whether it's out with friends, weddings, etc. Gone are the days of having a beer on the couch while watching football by myself.

However alcohol is not a terrible thing. Studies show that alcohol is actually good for your health in healthy amounts (one glass a day for women, one to two for men) (DDH). Moderate drinkers actually live on average more than people who don't drink at all and people who drink heavily. And I am not just talking about red wine, this includes beer and liquor.

Eating Less

Looking to lose some weight? There are some tricks I learned for Drop Dead Healthy that could help you.

1) Eat on smaller plates (use your kids' plates if you have kids)

2) Use a really small fork (smaller bites, eat more slowly). It takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it's full. By eating slower, you'll consume less.

3) Put a mirror in front of yourself while eating (studies show you eat less if you watch yourself doing it)

4) Chew more. You can get more nutrition out of your food by doing so and it can make you thinner because it forces you to eat slower.

Here's some more healthy food tips that Jacobs received while writing his book:

1) Suck it up and eat veggies

2) Avoid the white stuff, including white bread, pasta, and tortillas. Avoid potatoes too.

3) Shop the perimeter of your grocery store...it'll help you avoid the junk food in the middle aisles.

4) Eat protein in the morning...it keeps you fuller longer and will help you avoid grazing in between breakfast and lunch.

Building Muscle

Lost your weight and now want to build some muscle? Get ready to eat a lot. If you start lifting heavy you'll need to continually refuel your body to build muscle. And you'll have to eat clean if you want to get the best results possible.

You'll also need the three key macronutrients to make it happen; protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Protein helps rebuild muscle and stabilize blood sugar, carbs supply your body energy for the workouts and help increase recovery, and you'll need fat so your body continues to function properly (BofB). Some think protein is the most important of the three, but all three are necessary to get the best results.

Your body is your temple

You only get one body...you need to treat it right. What you eat directly affects your body. Your body takes it in, breaks it down, and sends it back out to your brain, organs, hormones,  bones, and muscles...basically every single cell in your body. Proper nutrition improves your health and vitality,  prevents disease, and helps us reach our fitness goals (BofB).

If you want to get the best results possible from your workouts, you need to put as much work into your nutrition as your exercise. I'm not saying to cut out all the caffeine, alcohol, junk food, etc, but a significant amount will need to be. Think of the long term...if you put in the work now you'll be able to enjoy life a lot longer without the worries of disease, medical bills, and so on.