There Is No Such Thing as Bad Foods
Before you get your panties in a bunch, you need to hear me out now. Some foods should be avoided at all costs, and most of them are the obvious foods. At the same time, it needs to be understood that almost all foods have times that they should not be consumed.
The 3 Questions that are always asked are
- What to eat
- When to Eat
- How Much to Eat
What to Eat
Quick List of Foods to Avoid
- Sodas and Juices- juices provide empty calories
- High Processed Meats- meats like bacon and sausage are loaded with crap
- Frozen Desserts
- Cookies
- White Flour Products- Can be hard to avoid but effort should be made
- Potato Chips
Quick List of Foods to Add
- Boneless Chicken Breasts
- Cooking Spray- much healthier than oils
- Dried Fruit- Excellent For those trying to gain weight
- Variety of Cheeses
- Eggs
- Fresh Fruit- Also provide sources of water
- Beans
- Salmon
Other Tips
- Eat smaller meals more consistently throughout the day
- Eat every 2-3 Hours
- Eat Vegetables with every meal
When to Eat
Much of eating to better yourself as an athlete and get maximal gains out of your food comes from eating the foods you want to eat at the right times of the day. There are certain times of the day that your body is more likely to gain fat than others. There is no reason to get incredibly complicated, but there are a few tips that can help you maximize the foods you eat.
Easy Tips to Follow
- Sugar should be avoided all the time unless it is 30 minutes prior or after a workout
- High fiber food is good all the times except in the hour after a workout
- Carbohydrates should be avoided when eaten close to bedtime
- To increase recovery get a protein and carb shake in at the latest 15 minutes after an exercise
How Much To Eat
This is a question I get asked a lot, and at the end of the day, you have to decide what you are trying to do. I belive that athletes should eat as many calories as they expand. This would mean the athlete is not gaining weight or losing weight. Some circumstances and sports are exceptions to this.
The first step to figuring out how much to eat is figuring out how much food you even eat in the first place. I use a website called fitday.com
The site allows you to put in the foods you eat and it will tell you how much calories you consume. Sometimes more importantly it says you what percentage of the food you eat is fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
Seeing the display can give you a real vision of what you are doing and how you can improve yourself. For example, if the goal is gaining muscle mass and your protein intake is only 15% of your total calories than you know you need to increase protein intake and decrease the carbohydrates.
