Eat Like an Athlete to Lose Weight

Exercise is excellent for weight loss, but it is most effective when it is combined with a proper diet.

If you are trying to lose weight and are exercising regularly, you may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts by not eating properly. Even the most strenuous exercise regime can be rendered ineffective if you not eating properly. Failure to eat properly hurts you in two ways. First of all, if you are not fueling your body properly, you may not have the energy for long or intense workouts. Secondly, if you are eating too much, you may not be going far enough into calorie deficit to promote weight loss. This article will discuss how carbohydrates, proteins and fats can also be part of a healthy weight loss program. However, before starting any weight loss program, you should consult with your doctor about your fitness and diet plans as well as the use of supplements in your diet.

To lose one pound of body weight, you have to expend 3500 more calories than you consume. This means you can lose one pound of body weight per week by creating a calorie deficit of 500 calories each day of the week. This can be accomplished by cutting 500 calories out of your diet, keeping your diet the same and burning off an additional 500 calories each day through exercise or by a combination of reducing your calorie intake and increasing your exercise to equal a 500 calorie deficit. The combination of reducing your calorie intake and exercising is ideal, especially if you are already consuming too many calories per day. This can help you to return to a healthy eating pattern while the exercises you perform will help to improve your cardiovascular health and tone your muscles.

Carbohydrates Fuel Your Workouts

Despite the popularity of diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates, most athletes do not follow this type of eating pattern. This is because low carbohydrate diets are often not sufficient for athletes who require increased amounts of energy to fuel their daily training sessions. If you want to train like a seasoned athlete, you should be mindful that you also need to eat like an athlete. This means you should be consuming healthy carbohydrates daily so you have enough energy to complete your workouts.

Choosing healthy carbohydrates such as multigrain breads, whole wheat pastas, oatmeal and other whole grains in addition to fruits and vegetables will help your body stay fueled throughout your workouts. However, over processed foods such as white breads and pastas made from white flower may result in weight gain because your body cannot use these nutrients as efficiently. They will help to fuel your workouts effectively, but because they are so highly processed, they do not cause your body to work very hard to digest and utilize these nutrients. As a result, you will not be enjoying the metabolic increase which accompanies the digestion of whole grain foods.

Consume Enough Protein Daily and at the Right Times

Protein consumption is very important for weight loss. You should be consuming enough protein each day to help you feel full, fuel your workouts and help your muscles to grow. Those who are trying to lose weight are wise to incorporate a source of protein in each meal and snack because protein helps them to feel more satiated. This feeling of satiety will keep you from feeling the urge to eat shortly after a meal or a snack. Proper protein consumption is also important if you are exercising to lose weight because the proteins you consume will help you to repair muscles damaged during high intensity workouts. Small muscle tears are an indication of an effective workout, but to enjoy the muscle growth which accompanies these types of workouts, you must consume the protein necessary to repair these muscle tears. The amount of protein you require will vary according to your current weight and lifestyle. If you live a relatively sedentary lifestyle, you should consume 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you live a rather active lifestyle and exercise regularly, you should consume 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Protein consumption is important during a fitness and weight loss routine, but it is not simply important to consume protein, you also need to ensure you are consuming protein at the right times. Protein should be a part of each of your meals and snacks, but it should also be a part of your post workout meal or snack as well. Ideally, you should consume a protein rich meal or snack within the first 90 minutes after your workout to facilitate muscle recovery.

Incorporate Healthy Fats Sparingly

Athletes realize that healthy fats are critical to an ideal diet. You should strive to consume moderate amounts of healthy fats. You can find these fats in items such as olive oil, avocado, salmon and nuts. The unsaturated fats found in these food items are considered healthy, but they are also typically high in calories, so it is important to only use these products sparingly to maintain a healthy diet. This will help you lose weight. It is generally recommended that no more than 20% of your daily calorie intake come from fats.

Consider Adding Supplements to Your Diet

Most seasoned athletes realize a healthy diet sometimes includes chemical supplements. If you are striving to eat more like an athlete to tone up your body, you might want to consider Meltorin. Meltorin is designed to bolster your metabolism. You can learn more about Meltorin at the following web address: www.Meltorin.com.