Proper diet accounts for 60% of every athlete’s success. You become an athlete the moment you begin changing your body composition through exercise and diet.
Proteins are the building blocks for muscle. Building muscle in places where you most need it for great performance should always be the primary goal and can be achieved by eating proper levels of high quality “clean” protein like fish and chicken. Fueling your body with clean carbohydrates and good fat is also essential for optimum performance. With clean protein consumption, your lifting program can generate more muscle in all the right places for achieving tone, burning more fat, gaining size and shape, and feeling more confident in your own skin.
What kind of supplements should I take?
Supplements are just that…”Supplements” and are available to us for the purpose of supplementing our diets when they are lacking (too busy to eat, need quicker meals, need more protein, need more carbohydrates etc…). When used correctly they can increase your performance considerably. Advanced athletes who require high levels of nutrition for muscle and recovery almost always depend on supplements in their training. Never take something unless you understand its purpose and unless your body will safely benefit from it.
Do I need vitamins?
Athletes require much more nutrition than “sedentary” people and aren’t likely to get all of the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in their daily diets. Vitamins help you to achieve this monumental task more easily. A strong multi-vitamin will often do the job and can be purchased at the Vitamin Shoppe, GNC or a number of well supplied supplement shops.
Should I eat tons of junk after a big workout to refuel my body?
Proper amounts of “clean” or “Un processed” foods will yield much better results for muscle growth and physical recovery than piles of junk food. Timing is important (faster the better) so get refueled within 30 minutes to an hour after workouts. Foods higher on the glycemic index convert to glucose/sugar faster and work better for refueling. High fat and high fiber foods will slow down the refueling process so avoid eating them for post or pre workout meals. Examples of good refueling, recovery carbohydrates are: carbohydrate beverages, baked potatoes, crackers, pasta, and bread. There are some pretty ridiculous ideas about how to refuel after an event or workout. Sticking to the basics is a smart way to go.