There’s a lot of information about nutrition out there but since it’s a very rapidly changing field of science, a lot of that information becomes contradictory almost every week. However, certain facts remain solid and you absolutely must know and follow them to shed fat, gain muscle and improve your overall fitness. So here’s your dose of nutrition facts and you should know them by heart.
#1 Pre-Workout Nutrition is Likely More Important Than Post-Workout
Especially if your workout is short (under an hour) and intense. You expend a lot of energy during a workout but it takes a while for the nutrients to get into your body. A protein shake before the workout will not only provide the needed fuel but increase muscle protein synthesis too.
#2 Morning Carbs and Protein are Very Important
While there have been many fad diets telling you to skip breakfast, it is just bad nutrition. Your body wakes up after fasting all night and it’s very important to activate the metabolic process in your body the very first thing after getting up. So make that breakfast rich in complex carbs and protein. That will not only boost your metabolism but fuel you for the day too.
#3 Blood Leucine Level Peeking is Important
Research shows that leucine, one of the branched-chain amino acids, is one of the key elements in muscle protein synthesis. Whey protein is known to be the top source of leucine and can be used to peek leucine levels in the blood, which is when muscle synthesis is most active. So use whey protein powder or dairy products to max out the muscle gain.
#4 Mixed Nuts are Likely the Most Accessible Natural Source of Protein
So always have some mixed nuts to snack on throughout the day.
#5 Slow Acting Protein Casein Helps You Grow Muscle in Your Sleep
And you don’t necessarily have to consume casein powder, there’s a lot of this protein in fermented dairy products, especially cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. So have that before going to sleep.
#6 You Must Use Vitamin D
Unless you live on a sunny beach and spend all day in the sun, chances are you have vitamin D deficiency. The health benefits of vitamin D are numerous, including its role in physical performance and weight loss. So D-up!
#7 Beef is Good for You
Even if it’s not grass-fed, beef packs great protein content, vitamin B, zinc, iron, and the good cholesterol (HDL) necessary for muscle growth. You definitely don’t have to go vegetarian to be healthy, more so if you’re looking to gain serious muscle.
#8 Lack of Muscle Gain is a Direct Result of Bad Nutrition
Train all you want, but if your diet is lacking in nutrition, especially protein, you will not see any muscle gain. Calculate and quantify what you eat, and make sure you eat enough.
#9 Failing to Lose Fat is Also a Direct Result of Bad Nutrition
The correct nutrition in your diet is also that much more important in fat loss. If you’re not shedding pounds off your belly, you’re likely eating too much carbs. Simple carbs and sugars should be cut off completely if you’re shedding fat.
#10 Workout Intensity Almost Always Beats Duration
Research shows that short but intense workouts are much better for muscle gain as well as fat loss. Long low intensity workouts may even have an adverse effect when your body enters a catabolic state and starts burning muscle instead of fat.
#11 Creatine Improves Your Performance
It supplies your fast-twitch muscle fibers with immediate energy and prevents fast fatigue, thus allowing you to train intensively longer. It also helps muscles retain water, enabling a bigger pump and better transportation of nutrients. Other than the powder, you can load up on creatine from lean meat.
#12 Fruit Juice is as Bad as Soda
The myth that juice is healthy because it comes from fruit is completely false. It has sugar concentration as high as soda and it’s just as bad for you. It contains no fiber and is easily digested in high volumes making it that much easier to load up on sugars. You should drink water instead.
#13 Eggs are Perhaps the Healthiest Source of Protein
Eggs had been vilified for a while in the past due to their high levels of cholesterol, but their reputation has been rectified after discovering that it’s the good kind of cholesterol (HDL). Eggs have great protein value and cholesterol which is necessary for body cell growth.
#14 You Must Use Fish Oil
Fish oil helps to keep up healthy cholesterol levels, it supports insulin function and not only helps you stay healthy but improves your body composition too. That’s why it’s so favored by bodybuilders but it’s useful to anyone.
#15 Be a Milk Drinker
Unless you’re lactose intolerant, you should absolutely drink milk for it’s a natural source of both, whey and casein proteins, the benefits of which we’ve already covered.
