Brandon--The Importance of Nutrition Planning

The Importance of Nutrition Planning

So you have just started working out and you’re putting in endless hours in the gym, but you find little to no improvement. However what most beginners don’t realize is that what you put into the gym means absolutely NOTHING without the proper nutrition. When working out, nutrition is just as important. Here are some simple steps to help you find the right nutrition plan for you.

Step 1: What Should Be In My Plan?

            Nutrition plans can be very difficult for beginners because they often know very little about what is important and what isn’t when it comes to macronutrients. When dieting, it is vital to know that you will be eating a lot of food. There are four major factors that should be involved in your diet:

• Calories: Calories are basically the energy that comes from the foods you eat. They come from the other three factors. Calories are essential because you will burn off calories when you exercise. As a result it is vital to make sure you consume enough calories.
• Carbohydrates: Carbs are the most important source of energy your body needs. When your body consumes carbs, they are turned into glucose for the body to use.
• Protein: Protein is the key to building muscle. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which help build and recover muscles.
• Fats: Like carbs, fats are a source of energy that the body can use, but is a more concentrated form of energy.

Step 2: Set Up a Plan  

            Now that you know what should be in your diet, the next step is to set up your nutrition plan. The ideal nutrition plan has about 2,500 calories, 218g of carbs, 218g of protein, and 83g of fat (via Bodybuilding.com). However, it is important to find a nutrition plan that is right for you. For instance, if you plan to add mass, you should increase the amount of all of your macros. Make sure to eat about 5-6 meals a day and to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. To know more about what should be in your plan visit the link: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/meal-plan-for-every-guy.html

Step 3: What Kinds of Foods Should Be In My Plan?

            The next step would be to pre-plan your meals. It is important to eat all of your meals and no NEVER skip any of them.

• Meal #1: Your first meal, also known as breakfast, should consist of simple foods, like oatmeal, a protein shake, eggs, and egg whites. It is important that you have a good breakfast because it is the base of your nutritional requirements.

• Meals #2-4: These meals will contain the carbs and protein needed to build muscle. An example would be brown rice and chicken breast. Foods like rice, potatoes, etc. provide you with carbs while other foods like chicken, fish, and other meat and poultry will provide you with the protein that your body needs. Your pre-workout meal (approximately meal # 3 or #4) should be a big meal because this is the meal that will fuel you before your workout. Make sure to eat this meal around 1 to 2 hours before you exercise.

• Meal #5: This is your post-workout meal. This is a very important meal that shouldn’t be missed. This is because after your workout, you have about half an hour to replenish your muscles. This is known as the anabolic window. Foods like chicken rice, fish, etc., should be consumed along with a protein shake.

• Meal #6: This meal should be eaten before you go to sleep. This meal will help feed you throughout the night. Foods like potatoes and poultry should be eaten in this meal.

Step #4: Happy Eating!

            Congratulations! Now you know the basic idea behind nutrition! Now all that’s left to do is to follow your meal plan and to put in the work at the gym and you will start seeing the results you want.

            Personally, I have always struggled with nutrition. When I started out, I was just a scrawny kid who thought that lifting weights alone would get me big. I was only eating less than half of what I was supposed to eat and I wasn’t gaining anything. It wasn’t until I started to look into why I wasn’t improving is when I noticed that I wasn’t eating enough and I wasn’t eating well. After that, I started to eat more and eat my required macros and I started to see improvement. I cannot stress it enough that your nutritional requirements are just as important. Any professional bodybuilder like Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Kai Greene, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger understands the importance of your macronutrients and are living examples that a good nutrition is vital.