Hi Guys, wanted to post this in conjunction with the sample body workout link. This post and, hopefully thread, will consider nutritional concepts. All input, personal or otherwise, is welcome. Nutrition is a difficult thing, but I will speak generally.
Breakfast - contrary to popular belief, breakfast SHOULD be your biggest meal. People will generally have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and then a huge serving for dinner. THIS IS COMPLETELY BACKWARDS. Try to remember this motto; "Eat like a King for breakfast, a Prince for lunch, and a Peasent for dinner." Basically, you can pretty much have however much you want for breakfast. Your first meal of the day is the fuel that your body will run on for the remainder of that day, so you might as well make it a good one.
What I will do is hardboil about 15-20 eggs on Sunday night. Then, for the ensuing week, I wake up, throw on a campbells or chunky chicken noodle soup before I shower, and plop in 2-3 egg whites. Sound rediculous? Its really not.
Lunch 1 - In my experience, eating a huge lunch makes me real tired for the rest of the day. If you work 9-5 and plan on going to the gym after work, try not to have a great deal during your lunch break. I recommend a whole wheat turkey (or other cold cut) sandwich with mustard, if you can, as opposed to mayo. This is a good source of complex carbs and protein. If one sandwich won't cut it, try chugging a bottle of water before and after your meal. This will falsely make you feel "full."
This is titled Lunch 1 because, in the event that you have either two lunch breaks or don't work at all, it is quite alright to have another small meal like this one about 3 hours later. Say Breakfast at 8, Lunch 1 at 11, and Lunch 2 at 2. This is truly optimal.
Pre-workout (around 5) - Assuming you are average Joe and don't have an NO Xplode drink, have a granola bar and a banana about 20 minutes before the gym, with cool but not COLD water. Granola bars will provide energy, as will bananas to a degree, and bananas provide potassium and will aid in not cramping. Chances are you're hungry after work, but you dont' want to stuff yourself and have to lump around in the gym. Yikes...
Post-workout // dinner - Again, assuming you don't have a protein shake, you will want to have a source of protein within 20-30 minutes of lifting. This meal should provide carbohydrates (complex ones!) and protein. Steak and potatoes, obviously, is an excellent choice, as is fish. Your dinner should not be a glutton fest - in fact, it is rare that the body is able to process more than 40 grams of protein per meal (unless you are on amino acids and/or steroids). You do not need to eat until you are stuffed. 8 oz fish and a cup of potatoes is more than sufficient after a lift. An optimal meal would be something like 8-10 oz steak, 1-1.5 cups pottatoes or rice, and 1 cup of green veggies. I prefer brocooli, but don't mind pees in my chicken and rice.
Before bed - So you ate dinner and showered, and have a late night rumble in your stomach. It is OK to eat a bit before bed - believe it or not sleep is actually a catabolic process. An 8 oz glass of milk and
a banana
a poptart
a few pretzel sticks
some slices of cold cuts
or an egg white or two
...are all acceptable late not snacks. Again, do not eat until you are stuffed. Slam down some water before and after your meal if you need to feel more full. Trust me, the water thing works.
This is an average Joe meal plan. I am not prescribing this for body builders. But if you are a dude who goes to the gym, works up a sweat, and wants to feel generally healthy, then I think this nutritional plan is a good idea. I welcome all other ideas...
WhatAWanker...perhaps you could post your sample diet on here? I am gonna shoot you a PM tommorrow, but by all means post. You give an excellent idea for those that have the means and are willing to pack on serious muscle.
-skeptic
Breakfast - contrary to popular belief, breakfast SHOULD be your biggest meal. People will generally have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and then a huge serving for dinner. THIS IS COMPLETELY BACKWARDS. Try to remember this motto; "Eat like a King for breakfast, a Prince for lunch, and a Peasent for dinner." Basically, you can pretty much have however much you want for breakfast. Your first meal of the day is the fuel that your body will run on for the remainder of that day, so you might as well make it a good one.
What I will do is hardboil about 15-20 eggs on Sunday night. Then, for the ensuing week, I wake up, throw on a campbells or chunky chicken noodle soup before I shower, and plop in 2-3 egg whites. Sound rediculous? Its really not.
Lunch 1 - In my experience, eating a huge lunch makes me real tired for the rest of the day. If you work 9-5 and plan on going to the gym after work, try not to have a great deal during your lunch break. I recommend a whole wheat turkey (or other cold cut) sandwich with mustard, if you can, as opposed to mayo. This is a good source of complex carbs and protein. If one sandwich won't cut it, try chugging a bottle of water before and after your meal. This will falsely make you feel "full."
This is titled Lunch 1 because, in the event that you have either two lunch breaks or don't work at all, it is quite alright to have another small meal like this one about 3 hours later. Say Breakfast at 8, Lunch 1 at 11, and Lunch 2 at 2. This is truly optimal.
Pre-workout (around 5) - Assuming you are average Joe and don't have an NO Xplode drink, have a granola bar and a banana about 20 minutes before the gym, with cool but not COLD water. Granola bars will provide energy, as will bananas to a degree, and bananas provide potassium and will aid in not cramping. Chances are you're hungry after work, but you dont' want to stuff yourself and have to lump around in the gym. Yikes...
Post-workout // dinner - Again, assuming you don't have a protein shake, you will want to have a source of protein within 20-30 minutes of lifting. This meal should provide carbohydrates (complex ones!) and protein. Steak and potatoes, obviously, is an excellent choice, as is fish. Your dinner should not be a glutton fest - in fact, it is rare that the body is able to process more than 40 grams of protein per meal (unless you are on amino acids and/or steroids). You do not need to eat until you are stuffed. 8 oz fish and a cup of potatoes is more than sufficient after a lift. An optimal meal would be something like 8-10 oz steak, 1-1.5 cups pottatoes or rice, and 1 cup of green veggies. I prefer brocooli, but don't mind pees in my chicken and rice.
Before bed - So you ate dinner and showered, and have a late night rumble in your stomach. It is OK to eat a bit before bed - believe it or not sleep is actually a catabolic process. An 8 oz glass of milk and
a banana
a poptart
a few pretzel sticks
some slices of cold cuts
or an egg white or two
...are all acceptable late not snacks. Again, do not eat until you are stuffed. Slam down some water before and after your meal if you need to feel more full. Trust me, the water thing works.
This is an average Joe meal plan. I am not prescribing this for body builders. But if you are a dude who goes to the gym, works up a sweat, and wants to feel generally healthy, then I think this nutritional plan is a good idea. I welcome all other ideas...
WhatAWanker...perhaps you could post your sample diet on here? I am gonna shoot you a PM tommorrow, but by all means post. You give an excellent idea for those that have the means and are willing to pack on serious muscle.
-skeptic
Comment