All about Diet & Bodyweight when Training
(Fundamentals)
A person’s diet is everything that they eat or drink. The word “diet” can also be used to describe a period of specially chosen foods that a person eats to lose or gain weight, or to achieve some other desired outcome.
Therefore, diet & bodyweight have a strong correlation, and a change in one influences a change in the other.
The common saying “you are what you eat” is essentially true, although other factors, such as the air you breathe, your environment, and lifestyle choices, also play a role.
Generally considered good food types:
Vegetarian, Vegan, or Pescetarian, Low sugar, low salt, low fat
Generally considered bad food types:
Junk food / Fast food
Avoid eating substantial and rich foods (especially on the same day and before a training session, or any heavy exercise).
Always try to eat a small to medium-sized meal (preferably a hot one) as soon as possible after a training session. Protein and carbohydrates are the best forms of post-training nourishment. This will aid faster recovery and more efficient muscle repair. Some great examples of post-training foods include eggs, bananas, lean white meat such as chicken or fish, beans, pulses, rice, pasta, fruit, and yogurt.
Even if you cannot get your hands on a substantial meal immediately after training, you should eat something/anything at all, rather than delay. The first half hour after training is critical. Recent scientific studies have shown that muscle recovery rates following a gym workout are increased by 20% if a meal is consumed within half an hour.
Avoid eating less than an hour before any training session and limit pre-training food to easily digestible, natural, and nutritious foods. You should not feel hungry when you begin a training session. If you do, then you should train lightly (using lower weights and fewer reps) and try to take on small snacks or liquid food as you progress through the session. However, note that this is not recommended as standard practice; however, it’s better than training while hungry.
I will describe some typical questions that often arise from my students and discuss my typical answers. In my role as coach and mentor, I often receive questions about diet & bodyweight, and there are usually one of three reasons for these types of questions:
1) The person wants to lose weight
2) The person wants to gain weight
3) The person wants to change the shape of their body, get in shape, or shape up