When trying to build muscle or los body fat, proper nutrition is just as important if not more than your fitness routine. Consuming the proper amount of calories as it relates to your goals will dictate weight gain or loss and the types of calories you consume can directly relate to increasing lean muscle mass along with assisting in recovery. All foods consist of either proteins, carbohydrates or fats. These three macronutrients all have different responsibilities when it comes to nourishing your body.
Proteins are the conterstone of recovery from a workout session. They consist of amino acids that help build muscle and decrease soreness. Beef, pork, chicken, seafood, eggs, dairy and tofu are great and dense protein sources. To start, try and consume 1 gram of protein per pound of boyd weight daily. Protein has 4 calories per gram and most people should be consuming 10-35% of their total daily calories through protein.
Carbohydrates are convertred to fuel and gives you energy for your workouts. Your body converts carbs to glucose and can either use it immediately or store it in your muscles. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, rice and beans are great sources of healthy carbohydrates to have throughout your diet. Each gram of carbohydrate also has 4 calories each. Two grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight is a great daily goal for consumption and your daily total calorie intake should be 40-65%.
Fats are also a great source of energy and healthy fats such as Omega 3 can be fantastic for heart health. Salmon, buts, olive oil, avocados and other fats are great for joint and aid in fat loss. Fats are the most calorically dense macronutient at calories per gram and ideally make up 20-35% of your daily foods.
Finding the right combination of calories, balanced with the proper percentages of macronutrients can be a missing link to achieving your health and fitness goals. If you need assistance with finding the best combination of nutrition to help aid in performance and recovery, please do not hesitate to schedule a Strategy Meeting with one of our coaches via Zen Planner.
