A Simple Nutrition Strategy that WORKS
Let’s talk about a habitual or lifestyle nutrition strategy that is simple. You don’t need to overcomplicate things. I’ll address the endless supplements, fad diets and fasting another time. Regardless of how hard you train, real success in weight management and overall health comes from your diet.
Let’s start with one very basic yet supremely effective tip…eat for what you have planned over the next three hours. Ideally, you should eat 5-6 light meals a day. The small frequent meals provide a more even level of energy throughout the day and reduce the likelihood of overeating since, in theory, the small gaps don’t leave you feeling famished.
As you decide how much and what to eat, think of what the next three hours will bring in terms of activity. If it’s early in the day, you need to be alert and/or plan to exercise…for real…then you need more calories and a higher percentage of carbohydrates for energy. If the next few hours are sedentary or it’s later in the day, back off on the calories and pass on the carbs. Speaking of late evening calories…don’t do it. Put a three-hour window between your last intake of calories and bedtime. As you digest your food, the calories go one of two places…even while you sleep. They get used as energy or stored as fat. That nightly glass of wine before bed is the caloric equivalent of 15.6 pounds of fat annually…stick to water.
Training hard doesn’t entitle you to eat what you want. Don’t toss your hard work into the trash with crappy food.
Post-Training Protein Shake
Exercise creates micro-tears in your muscles and protein helps repair the muscles, making them stronger (protein synthesis). We recommend jump starting that process within 30 minutes after your workout. Your body can only metabolize about 25-30g of protein at a time so keep that in mind as your choose your protein. Anything more than that passes through your body without any real benefit and could take up calories that could be allocated for other nutrients throughout the day. Beware of some candy bars disguised as protein bars.
A Shark HQ favorite is a simple protein shake:
- 1 scoop Vega Sport chocolate protein powder
- 8 oz. Almond Milk
- A dash of cinnamon
(Optional add-ins are banana, peanut butter, berries, spinach, kale or almond butter). Just blend together and get your recovery going!
PS – No kickbacks or commissions for recommendations…just honest information!