As the old saying goes, your diet and nutrition is 80% of your fitness plan. The exact percentage may be hard to pin point, but I guarantee that without a nutrition plan and sound diet, you will not attain your desired results.  Therefore, every individual should cherish and nourish their bodies with good foods that will help them to ensure longevity and success in their fitness goals. Dieting is knowing when to eat, what to eat, and many times what not to eat. A wise man once said, “Know thyself”, but in this situation knowing thy food is indispensable to knowing thyself. There is a correlation between physical health and mental sharpness. For this, to attain your ultimate fitness level or the best version of thyself, it is crucial to have a proper diet. Although your exercise sessions or the amount of time put into workouts may change, it is vital to have a healthy diet for your overall well being.

WHY ARE DIETS CRUCIAL TO OUR FITNESS?

What we eat depict what we are. Even though the amount and type of foods we eat may differ,  it is a major part of a good fitness plan to have a balanced diet to support your activity level. According to the World Health Organization statistics, one of the main causes of death is cardiovascular arrest which is caused by unhealthy eating over an extended period of time(Healthy eating essay). As human beings, watching what you eat is also needed for vitality. A good healthy nutrition says much about your active lifestyle as poor recovery during workouts can be as a result of lack of nutritional support (David Robson, 2015). The correlation between our physical and mental fitness is what we consume. This points to the overarching theme of the necessity of a healthy nutrition plan for fitness. This theme is: Your body demands energy to work. Energy comes from the food we eat which comprises a lot of biological elements. These elements ultimately come in place to provide that energy in the form of carbohydrates. Lack of these elements exposes your body to dangers, weakening your immune system and leaving your body susceptible to diseases which could result in dysfunctions, hormonal imbalances and adrenal fatigue. When this happens, being "fit" tends to become an endless run, never achieving the goals you set out for whether than be physically, emotionally, or aesthetically. As crazy as it may sound... you need to EAT to achieve your fitness goals and improve your help. Kicking the old notion of starvation (or serious caloric deficit) and endless cardiovascular exercises to achieve weight loss.

Nutrition Tips to help you reach your fitness goals

1. Have an Active Balance

A healthy diet provides the body with the required nutrients such as vitamins, fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, fiber and the right amount of calories. This just basically means that you should make your food balanced on a nutrient level to support your overall fitness goals and activity level. Trying to be fit doesn't mean you have to reduce the amount of food your body needs for daily activity. Trying to reduce or restrict yourself rather than nourishing your body with a balanced diet deprives your body of the adequate nutrition, thereby sabotaging your efforts to achieving your desired results. Maybe you will lose weight, but your body will not have the aesthetic appeal as you would imagine and your metabolism and immune system will sustain extensive damage. 

2. Be Disciplined

You have to be disciplined to your plan. There is no way around it. Being disciplined not only has to do with your workout regimen, but being steadfast on what you eat. It is best to stay away from junk foods as one "cheat" meal a week can account to many extra pounds of unneeded calories every month! Instead of eating junk, eat foods that will feed your body when it has been depleted from physical exercise as this helps your metabolism.

3. Make Proteins a Priority

Proteins are the muscles’ building blocks and they are very important in the diet of every individual especially when you are regularly engaging in resistance training. As mentioned with having a balanced diet, you must not "over prescribe" protein either. I recommend 1 to 1.2 times your body weight in grams per day if you are looking to build muscle. At least 0.8 times your body weight in grams to maintain.

As you can see, having a fitness plan that includes very specific instructions in regards to nutrition is crucial to your success. There is no one plan fits all. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IIFYM(if it fits your macros) diet plan as this will give you great flexibility in your diet but also keep you mindful to your total caloric intake as well as macro nutrient goals.

If you need help setting your macros, food ideas, grocery lists, or even a detailed meal plan, I will be more than happy to help you. Drop your email in the comments and I will be sure to reach out to you. Absolutely free of course. Thank you for reading and remember... BE THE BETTER YOU! Now go win the day.

REFERENCES

Natural Balance Foods, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/community/fitness/why-is-protein-important-for-exercise/

David Robson (2015). Successful Fitness Nutrition. Retrieved from https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-six-pillars-of-successful-fitness-nutrition.html

TINA HAUPERT (2013). 5 Tips for Goal-Setting Success. Retrieved from http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20558029,00.html

Healthy Eating Essay (2018). Retrieved from http://www.essay.ws/healthy-eating-essay/