Make the Most Out of your Nutrient Intake?

How to get the Most Out of your Diet.

Bodybuilders and most serious athletes often develop the habit of eating exactly the same foods day after day, either because they assume that this is the best way of monitoring their protein and nutritional intake, or simply because of convenience. Eating the same thing over and over can be quite boring and tasteless. A diet which mostly relies on tuna and chicken for the daily protein intake for example, could be considered deficient, since nether chicken or fish has the amino acid balance required to be considered a perfect protein.

Chicken is low in some of the branch chain amino acids, {amino acids are the building blocks of protein} which are important in building and maintaining muscle mass. Eating from the same sources every day may lead to deficient in one or more amino acids, this may actually reduce muscle growth, since the body will be forced to sacrifice a muscle cell in order to access an essential amino acid.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY PROTEIN POWDERS AND SUPPLEMENTS REALLY HELP, THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE IN THEM!

Vary your protein intake. Furthermore deriving protein from a variety of sources like lean pork, turkey variety, fish beans {especially brown beans}, lean beef, low fat milk, low fat yoghurts, tofu and lentils in addition to a regular uptake from well known sources such as chicken and tuna, can help prevent deficiencies and ensure that full use is made of every gram of protein consumed. For more information on protein or carbohydrate intake check out the top 110 foods page. http://www.pumpnutrition.com.au/nutrition-detailed.php?id=5

Cook with care.

Depending on cooking preparation methods the nutrient content of foods can vary greatly some cooking procedures can significantly reduce vitamins and minerals, and dare I say destroy proteins, thus removing much of the value of what might appear to be a nutritious dietary regime.

Freshness is Important.

Do not let foods lying around for long periods of time, on the kitchen bench or even in the refrigerator. Try to avoid cutting fruits or vegetables and storing them since this leads to dehydration and nutrient breakdown. Do not over cook. Foods that been exposed to prolonged heat and high temperatures destroys vitamins and protein, not mention flavor. Use Fresh Unprocessed, Low Fat Foods Wherever possible, Choose fresh vegetables and fruits, lean cuts of meat and fish, and get your carbohydrates, from rice, pasta, or baked potatoes. Also look for low fat sauces, toppings like balsamic vinegar etc. Stay away from canned foods with lots of additives and preservatives. I know it’s almost impossible to avoid this stuff, but keep it as a minor part of your overall diet. If you consistently eat this way, not only will it help you with quality gains, but you will also be healthier, and feel better and have more energy.

Prepare Your Own Meals

Most true bodybuilders and some serious athletes learn to be quite creative cooks finding 101 ways to cook a skinless chicken breast. Seriously though, if you can prepare your own food, you guarantee that its low in fat, high in protein, contains low GI carbohydrates and fiber, this provides an ideal muscle building nutritional mix and not to mention cheaper than buying food from the canteen. Plan your meals maybe a couple days in advance, and purchase the food you need accordingly. Cook meals and store in plastic containers refrigerate, and so it is ready to be taken to work, school, ect. This is generally what serious athletes will do to ensure they are keeping well nourished with nutrients.

Eat More Often.

Small Frequent Meals. This is extremely important, small frequent meals are easier for your body to digest, absorb and assimilate. They help to keep your metabolic rate active and minimize the possibility that fat will be stored. The mechanical, chemical and enzymatic processes involved in breaking down foods to pass through the walls of the intestine are accomplished most efficiently with a smaller quantity of food Small meals also help stabilize blood levels of amino acids and sugar, which helps promote more constant energy levels and better appetite {as our appetite is largely influenced by sugar levels}. Consuming food frequently also minimizes catabolic pathways {catabolic meaning muscle breakdown} since nutrients are supplied every few hours.

The Importance of Water Intake

Drink plenty of water; almost 70 per cent of your bodyweight is made of water. Your kidneys are constantly removing waste material from your blood stream, and periodically will excrete these by-products via urine. In addition you are constantly losing moisture from breath, skin, {sweat}, etc. In hot weather or while training, this loss is accelerated dramatically.

You need to consume water constantly during the day for two main reasons. Firstly, you must maintain water balance. As soon as you start to lose more than you replace, you begin to dehydrate. Even as little as a two per cent imbalance impairs performance markedly. Many athletes suffer performance degradation, not because they run out of energy, but because they are dehydrated. It’s extremely important to drink throughout the day, but drink much more while working out, for a better workout. The second reason is for general health. Keeping the system flushed with water not only improves kidney function, but improves general metabolism leading to faster workout recovery and better gains.

Drink 3-4 liters of good quality water per day.

G e t R e s u l t s A c h i e v e G o a l s