A lot of people, not only in our gym, are trying to shape their body, that's logically the main reason why they visit it. Whether it's trying to put on muscle or lose weight - lose fat, it's the diet that is underestimated. Few people pay enough attention to it.
Many of us are willing to spend hours training, invest in season tickets and expensive nutritional supplements, have the best sports shoes or other sports equipment, but the problem is that we have huge deficiencies in the kitchen. Personally, I know that diet is what can take your results and efforts to the next level, so let's give it primary importance...
Frequently asked questions like "I still have fat on my belly, why don't I lose weight, I do a thousand abs in every workout?", "I train my belly for almost an hour" can only be solved in the kitchen, this is what you need to realize! Because you can't see any muscles if you hide them under a layer of fat. Another obstacle are excuses like "I don't have time to cook and weigh my food", "I don't have time"... to these I answer like this: "only when we come to a dead end and through our laziness bring on illness, then miraculously each of us will find time for ourselves and healthy eating" You can lift iron all you want, if you eat sausages or pâté bread for breakfast, fritters for lunch and pizza with a sugary drink for dinner, you're in the aforementioned dead end, you're not going down that road.
We just need to stop and think about where we are actually going in our efforts, what we want to do for ourselves and what our realistic goals are. Dealing with diet doesn't have to be as hard as it seems at first, all it takes is a bit of effort and setting yourself a regimen, there is always a compromise. Why not have a protein drink with an apple for a snack, but instead reach for a bagel from the vending machine? I'm going to have lunch at a restaurant today, how do I solve that? Remember, you always have a choice and the decision is up to you.
Boiled potato instead of baked chips is certainly the better choice, grilled chicken breast takes precedence over fried steak, vegetables are a given, whether mixed salad or steamed. Those who are serious about their figure always prepare for the new day ahead of time, weigh up their groceries and instead of sitting behind social media, think carefully about the timing of each meal, it's not difficult, you really just have to want to. At the end of the day you recap your energy intake, the food nutritional tables will tell you if you're actually eating like an athlete, the internet is full of them. Again, you just need to want to and spend 5 minutes on it.
If you still think you don't have time, can't or whatever else is in your way, think about how serious you are about your figure. A simple rule applies, if you sacrifice 100% for yourself, 100% will come back to you. If you're doing things at fifty percent, don't expect results. Building a physique doesn't start and end in the gym, it's an ongoing and long term process, it's not for a month or three, it's a lifestyle. The following equation will always apply: regular training + balanced regular diet + rest and recovery = success in body shaping.
In the next article, we will go into more detail about the breakdown of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats), teach you how to choose the right foods and which ones to avoid.
