There are some simple truths about diet and exercise. Some of these simple truths are overlooked. I’ve done my research and my ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer manual provides 5 Rules for Performance Nutrition. These 5 rules apply to everyone, sedentary or active, young or old, fit or out of shape. Get out your pencil and paper and write these rules down as you will need them every day and apply them to your healthy lifestyle. I know what I do!
Rule one: eat at least 5 times a day. Two or three meals a day are simply not enough. Two of these 5 meals can be called snacks, but these snacks must contain the right amount of nutrients and enough calories to carry you through to the next meal. See rule two (below). There are 3 important reasons to do this. They are:
1.) Your blood sugar and insulin levels will stay in check, so your energy levels will stay in check.
2.) You’ll get protein in small amounts throughout the day to support growth and recovery. Plus, the protein will keep your appetite suppressed so you don’t feel as hungry between meals.
3.) And most importantly, body fat will not be stored but used as a source of energy. We like that!
But if you eat little, your body will naturally go into “famine” mode, which means your body will store that fat in preparation for the next “famine” mode.
Rule Two: When planning your daily meals/snacks, a caloric ratio of approximately 1 part fat, 2 parts protein, 3 parts carbohydrate. This rule applies to the average person and is a good place to start. You’ll see in Rule Three (below) how this applies to athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Depending on your energy expenditure over the next 3 hours after a meal, you may need more or less carbohydrate for energy. Low carb diets are not very good because you need carbs for energy. The key is to consume healthy carbohydrates. Keep your carbs mostly low-glycemic carbs, those that are slowly converted to blood sugar, so you can control your insulin levels. Do not eliminate fat from your diet, as it is also needed for energy. It is advisable to eat healthy fats called unsaturated fats like canola oil or olive oil. And keep your saturated fats, from animal sources, low.
Rule Three: Every time you sit down to eat, ask yourself, “What am I going to do for the next 3 hours of my life?” If you are sitting at your desk at work, eat fewer carbohydrate foods. If it’s training, eat more carbs. Remember that pre-workout meals should consist of foods that are low-glycemic carbohydrates because they are slowly converted to blood sugar.
Rule four: You can’t lose fat quickly and efficiently unless you’re following a negative calorie balance diet. That means consuming fewer calories than you expend on a daily basis. Do you want to know your calorie consumption for your height? Read my article titled “How many calories do you need to eat to lose weight?” In this article you will find the formula to calculate your caloric intake based on your weight and daily activity. A zig-zag diet is the best type of diet because you consume more calories on the days you exercise because you eliminate them and on the days you do not exercise you consume fewer calories because you do not eliminate them. For example, our 200-pound man who wants to lose weight will consume 3,420 calories on days of high activity and 3,213 calories on days that he is not as active.
Rule Five: Take an extra daily vitamin supplement because it’s nearly impossible to get all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and active from food alone, especially if you’re following a negative calorie diet.
Other rules consist of the following:
1.) Drink plenty of clean (filtered) water throughout the day. Eight 8-oz. Glasses a day are recommended, but try to drink more. Remember that water helps eliminate toxins and fat is a toxin.
2.) Abstain from drugs, particularly alcohol and tobacco. Alcohol consumption and tobacco use limit your ability to achieve your physical or sports performance goals.