Our friend Anthony from groombuilder.com is here to show you how to get the most out of your wedding workout. In Part 2 of this series, he looks at one of the fundamental pillars of weight loss: what you eat.
Fat Loss: Nutrition
The first question that guys who are trying to lose weight is: “What should I eat?”
Relax: we got you. Master these four fundamental rules of fat loss nutrition and you’ll be well on your way.
Rule #1: Drink plenty of water
According to several studies, a large chunk of Americans STILL don’t drink enough water. Chronic dehydration cripples your metabolism because it forces your body to conserve liquids. Just a 1% level of dehydration can hurt your exercise performance.
But if you’re trying to lose fat, avoid sodas, juices (which has just as much sugar as sodas), energy drinks, and sugary coffee drinks and drink clean water. If you want something besides water — or water with lemon — try black coffee and unsweetened teas.
Start each morning with a tall glass of water to rehydrate and jumpstart your metabolism. Then, drink two liters of water throughout the day as a minimum (or more if you exercise).
Rule #2: Eat more protein
Protein is the key to fat loss. First, it keeps you feeling full, which prevents overeating and needless snacking. Second, it boosts your calorie burn throughout the day because it takes more energy to digest compared to carbs or fat. Third, it prevents any muscle loss that might occur during a caloric deficit.
The rule of thumb is to eat at least one gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. (For instance, if you weight 200lbs at 25% bodyfat, you should eat about 150 grams of protein per day.) Choose good sources of protein: lean meats, nuts, eggs, lentils, beans, fish, and quality protein powders.
Rule #3: Eat more healthy fats
Fat is NOT the enemy. In fact, healthy sources like olive oil, real butter, coconut oil, nuts, flax seeds, avocados, full-fat yogurts, and fatty fish can actually help you get leaner and more muscular — they help you maintain optimal testosterone production and help you reduce hunger. Eating more healthy fats will also allow you to reduce your carbohydrate intake.
Add one serving of healthy fats to each meal. (For example, put an avocado on your salad.) Just make sure to avoid synthetic and artificial fats found in processed foods, which have been linked to many health problems and inflammatory diseases.
Rule #4: Earn your carbs
I don’t care what any fad diet tells you: You need carbs.
But I want you to think of carbs as something you earn. For example, if you stayed in bed all day and did nothing, you haven’t earned any carbs. But if you had a grueling, hour-long workout with heavy strength exercises, you need to fuel up your body with good, clean sources of carbs.
Great sources of carbs include potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, whole grains (wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, etc.), all kinds of fruit, rice, and quinoa. Other than that, eat plenty of colorful vegetables — the more, the merrier.
