Have you heard the phrase “you can’t out-train a bad diet”? Or have you’ve been told change comes from 80% diet and 20% exercise? Both these statements are true however the distribution is not scientifically proven. The point is to illustrate how important nutrition is when it comes to changing the composition of your body.
Do I need to eat healthy all the time?
When it comes to nutrition, you want to avoid an “all or nothing” mindset. Eating “healthy” all the time is hard, aim to stay consistent, whatever that looks like for you. Ideally if you can be consistent for at least half the week, you will start to see changes over time.
What does this look like? It can be something as simple as getting a 45-minute workout in 3 times a week and eating healthier 5 days a week. Slowly progress from here if you’d like to see change faster. An example of this would be to work up to working out for 45 minutes 5 days a week and eating healthier 7 days a week while still allowing yourself to have the occasional treat.
How do I know what to eat?
Following the Canadian Food Guide is a great place to start! These tips can be used for any snack or meal. Portions can change depending on what your goal, for example, if your goal is to gain muscle, you want to add extra protein.
- Vegetables and fruits, half your plate for easy measurement
- Lean protein, one quarter to one third of your plate or a palm size for easy measurement
- Whole grains, one quarter of the plate or a cupped palm for easy measurement
- Include a small portion of healthy fats at every meal, about a tbsp or the pad of your thumb for easy measurement.
How do I know how much to eat?
Portion sizes can be tough to navigate, first you need to decide what your goal is. Regardless of what the goal is, always eat slowly and mindfully to allow your brain to catch up to your stomach.
- Fat loss, eat until you are 80% full. This will help to keep you in a deficit, ensure you are eating high protein to help replace fat with muscle.
- Muscle gain, eat until you are just over full. This will help to keep you in a surplus, ensure you are eating high protein to help build muscle.
- Maintenance, eat until you are comfortable full. This will help to keep your calories constant to maintain your current composition.
Consistently eating a healthy diet will help achieve the body composition you want. Be mindful, it is not the only part at play. Weight loss and muscle gain are also affected by exercise, sleep, stress, and genetics.
For more help contact us today, we would be honoured to assist you on your journey!