You have taken the essential first step towards achieving your goal by establishing your training plan. However, creating a nutrition plan to complement your fitness goals can take time and effort. Where do you begin, and what are the fundamentals of developing a nutrition plan? Most importantly, how can you create a sustainable nutrition plan that you can maintain in the long term?
This article is designed to guide you through creating a plan tailored to your needs and lifestyle that can be followed consistently over an extended period. If you want to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain your current fitness level, you can read on for valuable insights on crafting a healthy diet that aligns with your busy schedule.
THE GOALS OF A NUTRITION PLAN
There is a reason why some of the most successful individuals are also the healthiest, and it goes beyond genetics. While good looks and a healthy metabolism may contribute to well-being, taking care of your body is crucial to achieving optimal health and performance.
This article discusses the importance of proper nutrition and its role in achieving your goals. We will dive into the various objectives of a nutrition plan, such as enhancing athletic performance, maintaining a healthy weight, and preventing chronic diseases. By understanding the purpose of a nutrition plan, you will be better equipped to create a personalised plan that aligns with your goals and helps you maximise your potential.
Goal One: Provide Sufficient Nutrients
The human body is a highly sophisticated machine that requires a constant fuel supply to operate at its best. Food provides the necessary energy and nutrients that enable the body to function optimally. There are three essential macronutrients in food, which we will discuss shortly, and a host of micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, which are critical for maintaining proper bodily function.
A well-designed nutrition plan aims to provide the body with everything it needs to sustain healthy functioning across all systems. The ultimate goal of a sound nutrition plan is to promote overall health and wellness by ensuring that the body receives adequate amounts of all necessary nutrients. Adopting a nutrition plan that meets your needs can help your body perform at its best, enhancing your physical and mental well-being.
Goal Two: Gets You Closer To Your Goals
Maintaining good physical fitness is a common goal for many individuals, but achieving it can be challenging without the right nutrition plan. A well-designed nutrition plan should align with your objectives and provide the fuel your body needs to function optimally.
When creating your nutrition plan, it's crucial to consider your goals. For instance, if you want to shed excess weight, your nutrition plan should be based on a calorie deficit, meaning consuming fewer calories than your body requires to maintain weight. On the other hand, if you're looking to gain weight, you should be in a slight calorie surplus, consuming more calories than your body needs to maintain weight.
In summary, a sound nutrition plan has two essential layers. Firstly, it should cover all your nutritional needs, ensuring your body receives all the vital nutrients it requires. Secondly, it should be tailored to your specific goals, enabling you to get closer to achieving the results you desire. Creating a personalised nutrition plan that addresses these two layers will lead you to a healthier and fitter lifestyle.
Goal Three: Be Sustainable
When it comes to nutrition, sustainability is critical. Many individuals give up on their diets within a few weeks because most diets are designed for short-term adherence. While you may see initial weight loss results, going back to your old eating habits can result in regaining the weight (and sometimes even more).
The key to success is finding a nutrition plan that is sustainable in the long term. A sustainable diet is a healthy way of eating that you can stick with for the rest of your life. It should be flexible and allow for occasional indulgences without derailing your progress.
Consider incorporating healthy and enjoyable foods in moderation when creating a nutrition plan. Avoid overly restrictive diets or ones that eliminate entire food groups. Remember that consistency and balance are the keys to long-term success.
Those three goals are great, but how exactly do you do that?
First, you have to understand what matters in a diet.
Let's find out.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN A DIET
When you Google "a healthy diet", we often encounter conflicting opinions about what constitutes an efficient approach. Some suggest eliminating specific food groups or indulging in particular eating patterns, while others promote drastically altering macronutrient intake. However, to determine what is truly important in a diet, we must first consider what the body requires to function optimally.
#1 Protein
Protein plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal health and well-being. It is a building block for repairing and regenerating tissues, promoting muscle growth, and producing vital enzymes and hormones. Since protein is considered an essential nutrient, the body cannot make it independently, and it must be obtained from the diet. Thus, including high-quality protein in your nutrition plan is critical for overall health. While plant-based protein sources are available, animal-based proteins offer a better nutrient profile overall, as their proteins are complete and of higher value to the body. I review the amino acid differences that explain this point in the About Fat Loss 2.0 ebook. To ensure adequate protein intake, omnivores can incorporate a variety of protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and nuts into their diet.
Nevertheless, that doesn't mean you can't get sufficient protein as a plant-based eater.
If so, focus on nuts, legumes, grains, and other products like tofu and tempeh! Variety is vital in a plant-based nutrition plan, yet we recommend doing so only under professional guidance.
#2 Fat
In addition to protein, fats are another essential nutrient vital to maintaining overall health and well-being. Quality dietary fats are crucial in several critical bodily functions, including hormonal regulation, energy storage, and nutrient absorption. Contrary to popular belief, fats do not contribute to weight gain. Consuming adequate amounts of healthy fats can help the body function optimally. Additionally, the combination of protein and fats in a meal can promote feelings of fullness and satisfaction, making it easier to maintain a healthy diet in the long term. Therefore, incorporating healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish into your diet is essential for optimal health.
Carbs?
While protein and fats are essential nutrients, carbohydrates are not considered vital for the body's optimal functioning. Carbohydrates have been criticised over the years, with some claims suggesting that they contribute to weight gain and the onset of diabetes. However, it's important to note that not all carbohydrates are created equal and are not inherently bad for us. High-quality carbohydrates can be beneficial, especially when providing energy for intense workouts like weight training and intense exercise.
Combining a balanced nutrition plan with a proper training regimen can lead to achieving the ideal body shape. However, it's essential to choose suitable sources of carbohydrates, such as rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, oats, fruits, and starchy vegetables. Sweets and processed carbs should be avoided as much as possible.
HOW DOES A DIET BECOME SUSTAINABLE?
When it comes to nutrition plans, sustainability is crucial for long-term success. Many people struggle to maintain their diets because they're too restrictive, which often leads to constant cravings for their favourite foods. This is why satiety is critical for a sustainable nutrition plan. Crash diets that involve severe calorie restriction are often unsustainable in the long run and can lead to feelings of constant hunger.
Protein and fats have a unique property that makes them essential to any sustainable nutrition plan. They are highly satiating, so they can help regulate appetite and keep hunger at bay. By including protein and fat-rich foods in your diet, you can feel fuller for extended periods, reducing the likelihood of snacking on unhealthy foods between meals. This makes it easier to stick to a healthy eating plan and achieve your desired results in the long term.
COACH TIP: Get Protein In The Morning
When most people think of a "diet," they often envision a restrictive meal plan consisting of small portions and unsatisfying meals. This approach can lead to excessive snacking and calorie intake between meals due to a lack of satiety.
To combat this, prioritise protein and fat-rich meals to promote feelings of fullness and satisfaction.
A solid protein-rich breakfast, such as steak and potatoes or protein oats, can give the body the necessary nutrients to digest for extended periods, helping regulate appetite and curb cravings. Unlike traditional breakfast options like fruit, cereal or coffee, a high-protein meal can keep hunger at bay and lead to better daily dietary habits.
How much do you need?
After discussing various aspects of diet, it's natural to have some questions. One of the most common is how much fat and protein is necessary for the body. The answer is not straightforward and varies based on individual factors.
However, as a general rule, keep in mind the following:
Aim for an optimal daily protein intake of around 0.8-1.6g per kilogram of body weight.
Optimal everyday fat intake should comprise about 20-35% of daily calorie intake.
If you stick to these guidelines and get your nutrients from quality sources, you should not have any problems with appetite or satiety.
In addition to considering your protein and fat intake, your caloric intake is another crucial factor in a sustainable plan. Your nutrition plan must put you in a slight calorie deficit/surplus to achieve your goal. However, it's essential to note that significant deficits or surplus' doesn't necessarily result in better outcomes.
That's why it's crucial to aim for within 300-500 calories per day of your TDEE, which is generally a safe range. This deficit/surplus should align with your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the number of calories you need to maintain your current body weight.
Calculating your TDEE depends on various factors, and you can use the algorithm we placed in the 'About Fat Loss 2.0 ebook' linked earlier to figure it out. Or even jump to this article, where we walk you through how to calculate your TDEE.
KEY POINTS
With all this information in mind, it's worth noting that creating a sustainable nutrition plan is not easy, but it can be simplified by following a couple of main principles.
Here are some of the fundamental principles:
Aim to consume a moderate caloric deficit/surplus of 10-15% daily to achieve sustainable weight loss/weight gain.
Focus on incorporating protein-rich foods into your meals to help regulate appetite and promote satiety.
Incorporate quality dietary fats into your diet to support overall health and well-being.
You can experiment with meal frequency to find the best schedule for your lifestyle.
In addition to the above principles, practising conscious restraint is also essential. Before starting a snack session, ask yourself, "Am I starving or eating out of habit/boredom?" This practice can help you avoid consuming excess calories and maintain your nutrition plan.
TO FINISH
In conclusion, creating a sustainable nutrition plan is all about balance, moderation, and conscious constraint. By focusing on protein-rich and quality fat foods, eating in a moderate caloric deficit/surplus to your TDEE, and experimenting with meal frequency, you can achieve sustainable results while still enjoying the foods you love. It's essential to remember that sustainable results are a gradual process requiring patience and consistency. So, don't be too hard on yourself if you slip up occasionally. With dedication and commitment, you can create a sustainable nutrition plan that will help you achieve your goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle in the long run.
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