Macro-nutrients
Nutrients are broken up into two main groups which are macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the ones that you need in large quantities: fats, carbohydrates and protein. You get your daily energy needs from macronutrients. Though a calorie you eat from a piece of fruit and piece of pizza will give you the same amount of energy, calories from good and bad foods have different affect on the body which is why you need consume more of the good over the bad.
Fats
Dietary fat gets a bad reputation because of its name “fat” People assume that because they're eating fat, they'll get fat. However, this is not the way it works; Fat doesn't make you fat, excess calories make you fat!!! Fat can be split into three main groups: saturated, unsaturated and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats come from animals sources and are usually labeled as 'bad fats' because of their effects on the body, mainly increasing levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol. Sources include dairy products, meat and eggs.
Unsaturated fats come mainly from vegetable sources and generally have a positive effect on your body which is why they're known as 'good fats'. They raise levels of good (HDL) cholesterol and certain types can protect against heart disease. Sources include vegetable oils (olive and canola are among the best), nuts and fish. If saturated fats are the 'bad fats' then Trans fatty acids are the 'very bad fats'. These fats are found in any food that contains partially or hydrogenated vegetable oil and is a way that manufacturers can increase shelf life and improve flavor. Unfortunately that comes at a high cost of decreased nutritional value. Trans fatty acids have been shown to lower levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind) while at the same time raising levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). Any food that contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil contains Trans fat and should be avoided at all costs!!
Unsaturated fats come mainly from vegetable sources and generally have a positive effect on your body which is why they're known as 'good fats'. They raise levels of good (HDL) cholesterol and certain types can protect against heart disease. Sources include vegetable oils (olive and canola are among the best), nuts and fish. If saturated fats are the 'bad fats' then Trans fatty acids are the 'very bad fats'. These fats are found in any food that contains partially or hydrogenated vegetable oil and is a way that manufacturers can increase shelf life and improve flavor. Unfortunately that comes at a high cost of decreased nutritional value. Trans fatty acids have been shown to lower levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind) while at the same time raising levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). Any food that contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil contains Trans fat and should be avoided at all costs!!
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. Greatly reducing or even eliminating your intake of carbs as some diets suggest will severely decrease your energy levels which will make it difficult to raise your physical activity levels and even function correctly daily. So the key is eating healthy carbs while ridding your diet of the unhealthy carbs. In our ebook we give you the best complex carbs to include in your diet. Like fats, carbs have also gotten a bad reputation. Fortunately for carb lovers, not all carbs are the same. Carbohydrates can be split into two main groups: simple and complex. Simple carbs are the ones you should stay away from. The problem with simple carbs is that they're digested very quickly which will leave you hungry which will start a vicious cycle of wanting more and more thereby increasing your calorie intake. These foods are packed with sugars but contain very little if any other nutrients, they're know as empty calories. These sources include soda, fruit juices, potato chips, pastries, sports drinks, cookies, breakfast cereals, white breads and candy. If eaten at all, simple carbs should be set aside for during and after a hard workout.
Complex carbs are the ones you should be eating more of. These carbs are found in 100% whole wheat flour (bread and pasta), brown rice and vegetables. These foods are also high in vitamins, minerals and fiber which can lower cholesterol levels and prevent certain types of cancer. Foods that are high in complex carbs are digested a lot slower than simple carbs which means you'll get a much more stable release of energy. This will help you cut down on your calorie intake and help you avoid sugar crashes.
Proteins
Proteins are used as the construction materials for all body tissue. Protein is used to repair muscle tissue after a hard workout which is why you not only need an adequate amount, but also the right kind. Protein is also broken into two main categories: complete and incomplete.
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Proteins are made of amino acids. Some amino acids the body can make and others it cannot. The ones that it can make are non-essential because we don't need to eat them since our body can make them. The ones that the body cannot make are called essential because we must get them through our diet. To build or repair tissue which of course includes muscle the body needs all of the essential amino acids. A complete protein is one that contains all the essential amino acids. These come mainly from animal sources. An incomplete protein is one that is lacking in one of the essential amino acids. These proteins are mainly found in non-animal sources such as bread, rice, beans, nuts and vegetables.
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Proteins are made of amino acids. Some amino acids the body can make and others it cannot. The ones that it can make are non-essential because we don't need to eat them since our body can make them. The ones that the body cannot make are called essential because we must get them through our diet. To build or repair tissue which of course includes muscle the body needs all of the essential amino acids. A complete protein is one that contains all the essential amino acids. These come mainly from animal sources. An incomplete protein is one that is lacking in one of the essential amino acids. These proteins are mainly found in non-animal sources such as bread, rice, beans, nuts and vegetables.
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Micro-nutrients
While macronutrients are the substances you need large quantities of, micronutrients are the ones you need small amounts of. They include vitamins and minerals. These nutrients don't give you energy but instead help assist functions within the body. Without micronutrients, you wouldn't be able to utilize the calories you take in or function properly. This is why it's vital that you eat a wide variety of foods to include whole wheat, fruits and vegetables. These foods are very high in nutrients. Taking a multivitamin can also help plug any holes in your diet. Nutrition isn't complicated but if you don't understand it, you'll build your diet around lies and misinformation. Eating the right foods will help you exercise and function better. You can go online and do a search for calorie calculators to estimate how many calories are needed daily to maintain, gain or lose weight. Most calorie calculators are based on your age, height, gender and your activity level. Calorie Calculators are not an exact science so you should give the number of calories given a two-week trial run and then assess your progress. If you are trying to gain weight (muscle) and not seeing any results increase your calories by 250 per day. Within a few weeks of experimenting and listening to your body, you will be able to determine what the right amount of calories per day for your fitness goals!!! However, if you are gaining weight to quickly and in this process you notice you are putting on more fat than desired subtract 250 calories per day. Again, within a few weeks of experimenting and listening to your body you will be able to determine what the right amount of calories per day for your fitness goals!!!
When trying to gain muscle you have to look at eating as if it is a job. Example, I hear people complain about not being able to gain weight, the reason is very simple; they are not eating anywhere near as much as they need to. Some people may even think they are eating a lot, but when they add it all up at the end of the day, they are usually only about halfway there. Putting on serious muscle requires dedication and you are going to have to get used to eating more than you ever thought you could if you want to be successful in building muscle and strength. However, just don’t eat anything to increase your daily consumption of calories.
You should BASE YOUR DIET AROUND NATURAL, WHOLE FOOD SOURCES!! You must EAT AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF GOOD CARBOHYDRATES!!!! Although it’s long been the hype among bodybuilders that you need to follow a high-protein diet to build muscle, you have to focus more on good carbs and good fats to get big.
Although, I always hear about the need to consume at least 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day in order to build muscle. In my opinion this is a lie. This is a ridiculous recommendation started by the supplement companies when they first started selling protein powder on the bodybuilding public. I have never come across a scientific study to prove this claim. In fact, I decided to try this assumption out on myself and identical twin brother for three months. I only consumed .8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, daily. My twin brother Kevin consumed anywhere from 1.5 to high as 2 grams of protein per pound thru his diet.
We kept everything else in our diets the exact same!!! My twin brother Kevin did not experience any more muscle growth or strength than I did and again I only consumed .8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily!!! Also, my brother’s body fat was a full 1% higher!!! The only time you would need to go above .8 grams per pound would be if your body-fat levels are higher than 15%. If you are incredibly lean, you should focus on maintaining a higher carbohydrate intake and shoot for only .6 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. If you are a bit higher on the body-fat scale and are trying to get leaner, you should limit your carbohydrate intake and increase your protein intake to ensure that you will not lose too much muscle while dieting.
In our recommended programs it suggests in how many grams of carbs and protein you need daily and several reasons why your body would fall into a catabolic state...... which for most people happens 2-3 times a day. Knowing this information and preventing will jump start your muscle building efforts. Packing on muscle requires two steps: lifting weights and eating more. When you workout, you cause tiny tears in your muscles that are later repaired which is what makes you bigger, faster and stronger. When your body is repairing, it's in an anabolic state. To gain the most weight, you need to keep your body from going in the opposite direction, what's known as a catabolic state when your body is breaking tissue down. The longer you can keep your body in an anabolic state, the more muscle you'll build and the quicker you'll gain weight.
It’s also a good idea to keep a diet journal. That way at the end of the day you can total up everything and verify that you are eating enough. You may be under the impression that you are eating enough to gain muscle and weight. However, after you jot down everything and did the math you may be shocked to find that you are hundreds and sometimes thousands of calories short.Click here to find how many calories you need daily to gain or lose weight. To gain muscle you are going to have to comprehend some basic nutrition info and get to know how many calories, carbs, fat, and protein are in the foods you eat daily. You don’t have to know the exact nutritional value of everything you eat but you do need to have a good idea and be able to make a good guess. Keeping a diet journal will help you make progress at a much faster rate because you will know immediately how many calories you are consuming daily. In our ebook we go into detail regarding muscle building nutrition.
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