Nutrition is the Key to Reaching Your Fitness Goals

Whether you want to burn fat or build muscle what, when and how much food you consume can be the key to your success or keep you from succeeding. No matter how often and how hard you workout you cannot out train a crappy diet. Many guys fail to bulk up because they aren’t eating enough or enough of the right things. At the same time many of you fail to lose weight or build muscle tone because you of your eating habits.

A few simple changes can be the difference in finally reaching you goals.

First, eat small meals with correct portion size every 2-3 hours
Plan to eat every 2 -3 hours, whether it’s a full meal or just a healthy snack. When you eat more often, your blood sugar level tends to stabilize, which means you are less likely to experience severe hunger. Since your body only needs so many calories at a given time, excess calories become stored as body fat. The longer you wait between meals, the more likely you are to overeat at your next meal prompting your body to store more body fat.

Second, don’t skip breakfast
Eat a big breakfast, a medium sized lunch, followed by a smaller evening meal, with small frequent snacks in between. After sleeping at night your metabolism has slowed down. Eating a big breakfast gets your metabolism revved up first thing in the morning to help you start burning fat. You should make an effort to eat larger meals in the early part of the day when you are most active, and can use those calories as energy throughout your day. In the later part of the day when you are less active, your body requires fewer calories so make sure to eat smaller meals as the day progresses.

Third, stop drinking your calories
Many people drink a large number of calories during the day without even knowing it. Super sized soft drinks and flavored coffee beverages can have 300 to 700 calories or more. First make sure to stay away from super sized beverages (stick with 8 to 12 ounces), second making the switch to water can lead to a 20 pound weight loss or more over the course of a year. Non-calorie beverages such as water and green tea are your best choices.

Aim for .6 to .7 ounces per pound of body weight. For instance if you weigh 160 pounds aim to get at least 96 ounces per day. Having 16 ounces of water upon waking in the morning is a good idea because you have been dehydrated during your sleep. With each meal you should also drink one to two cups of water. Carrying a water bottle to work or school and sipping throughout the day, helps keep you hydrated and full between meals. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to have a drink as this is a sign that you are already dehydrated.

Remember, Small changes go a long way to getting you where you want to go. Make the change today.

The Definition of Insanity

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Think about this quote for a second and ask yourself, does this quote apply to me?

Well, if you have been doing the same workout for years and aren’t getting the results you want then guess what? You might be a little insane. First of all don’t feel bad at least you’re still going to the gym right? The problem is you need to learn what is going to get you the results you’re after.

Chances are the intensity of your workouts is too low and you’re not breaking out of your comfort zone. Until you push beyond your comfort zone you’ll maintain at best. Don’t be afraid to sweat and don’t be afraid of being sore. These are two indicators that you’re pushing yourself hard, and when you push yourself hard results aren’t far behind.

Stop the insanity now and push yourself to the next level. For more tips visit us www.workoutquest.com