Eat yourself fit

So this started off as a top tip for my IG feed, but soon became a blog post, who knows it may develop into something more. I think the best way to attack such a huge topic as ?nutrition would be to break it down according to the goals you want to achieve. The three categories we'll consider are Fat/Weight loss, Fitness, and Muscle gain.

Before I offer suggestions on what to eat, we need to figure out how much to eat. My goal here is just to give you a starting point, after which you can manipulate calories up or down depending on your goals.

The most important things to consider in your nutrition are

1. QUALITY: You need to eat food which is as close to it's natural state as possible, so if you're eating chicken, make sure it still looks like chicken. Try to stay away from processed or refined foods

2. QUANTITY: Bit of a straight forward one here, if you want to lose weight, eat less, cut calories don't count them.

3. TIME: The timing of your meals is also important

Breakfast

Remember what you eat first thing in the morning has big impact on how your body burns energy for the rest of the day. A carb-heavy breakfast like cereal, toast or bagels primes your body to prioritise burning carbs, whereas a protein and fat-based breakfast not only supplies a steadier release of energy (so you don't get a sugar crash mid morning and have you reaching for those sweet snacks) but also helps prioritise fat for fuel. This is exactly what you need to get into shape quickly. So in an ideal world, your breakfast would be based around three eggs, another source of lean protein and vegetables.

Lunch

The perfect lunch needs to follow the same nutritional profile as breakfast, especially if you're planning a gym workout after work. Your body will need more high quality fats and protein to keep burning fat and building muscle, and your mid day meal is a great time to load up on salad leaves and mixed veg for their wealth of health boosting benefits. Because we want to maximise fat loss avoid any form of carbs(rice, potatoes, or bread). Don't despair though, you'll have some for dinner. Here's how put together the perfect fat burning lunch: select a salad base, add a protein option, and finish the dish with two or more sides.

Dinner/Supper

You should always try to get your workouts done before you have dinner. Working out will fire up your central nervous system making falling asleep when you need to much harder. Eating a proper meal after training means you will get all the nutrients you eat got straight to work to repair your damaged muscles. Dinner should be high in protein, with moderate amounts of high quality fats, plenty of vegetables, and a small serving of slow release carbs, which may help you sleep better.

Snacks

A quick bite between meals can go a long way in fuelling your successful transformation. The right snack at the right time can help you stick to your fat loss mission. Getting a good dose of nutrients, especially protein and some quality fats outside of the three meals will keep your energy levels stable so you feel great mentally and physically, and provide a steady stream of nutrient dense fuel.

Your best sources of protein and fats are (there are many more but this list will get you started): protein shakes, eggs, brazil nuts, almonds, Greek yoghurts, biltong/jerky, raw veg and humus.

In all of this, remember to drink plenty of water, dehydration will greatly affect your ability to perform well and to burn fat.

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