If you want to maximize your results in the gym, you need to have a nutrition plan – or at least be mindful with what you are putting into your body.
Whether your goal is to lose fat, build strength, or simply have more energy throughout the day, your food choices matter.
In this post, we’ll break down the basics of fitness nutrition so you know what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat – all in support of your training and long-term results.
What to Eat
You should aim to eat a diet made up of whole, unprocessed foods with as few ingredients as possible. Think foods like chicken, apples, and broccoli — simple, natural, and nutrient-dense. These foods don’t have ingredients.
Compare that to Pop-Tarts, cereal, or even store-bought bread, which come with a long list of additives, sugars, and preservatives. These ultra-processed, high-carb foods can cause energy crashes, spike your blood sugar, and leave you feeling sluggish.
If you want to perform well in the gym, you need to fuel your body with:
- Protein
- Carbs
- Fats
Your protein should come primarily from high-quality sources like chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, and lean cuts of meat.
Your carbohydrates should come mainly from fruits and vegetables.
Your fats should come from healthy sources such as avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon- but kept to a minimum.
The majority of your diet should be protein, with fruit and vegetables as your sides, as opposed to breads, rice, and pasta (starchy food that leave you feeling bloated and craving more).
How Much To Eat
Once you’ve cleaned up the quality of your food, the next step is getting your portions right.
You want to eat enough to fuel your workouts and daily activity, but not so much that it leads to unwanted fat gain. The goal is to feel satisfied, not stuffed.
To perform well, your body needs enough fuel — but not too much. Think of food as energy for your workouts, recovery, and daily activity.
- Eating too little = low energy, poor recovery, muscle loss.
- Eating too much = sluggish workouts, fat gain, and stalled progress.
A good starting point?
- Fill most of your plate with protein and veggies
- Add a small serving of carbs and healthy fat
- Eat until you’re about 80% full
If you want a more precise number, get an InBody scan and talk to a coach.
We can help you set calorie and portion goals that match your body and your training.
When To Eat
When you eat isn’t as important as what you eat and how much, but we often get asked when is the best time to eat. The answer is, it depends.
If you train in the morning, you may want to consider having something in your system, like a piece of fruit, protein shake, or a yogurt.
For some people, eating first thing in the morning and going to workout makes them feel nauseus, so you have to experiment what works best for you.
If you train in the eveningm chances are, you’ve probably already had breakfast, lunch, and maybe even dinner!
Going back to the above rules, if you eat until you are 80% full and your meals are mostly proteins, fruits, and vegetables, you should be properly fueled for your workouts.
You probably want to avoid having a full meal right before your workouts to avoid any nausaeua, bloatedness, or feeling sluggish.
Three meals per day, spaced out every 3-5 hours is plenty. Keep some high protein snacks on hand to avoid cravings for highh-carb, sugary foods.
Nutrition Is Tricky, But We Can Help!
Most people know that they need to eat less and better quality foods.
The part that is challenging is the accountability.
Having a coach to help keep you on track with monthly InBody scans, texting check-ups, and useful tools can make the world of a difference if you are struggling with your nutrition.
Addiitonally, when you are a part of a community of people who are also trying to improve their nutrition, it rubs off on your too.
If you want to talk about your nutrition, book a no-sweat intro chat with us!
