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As with any new health and fitness journey, it's important to establish your goals. Whether you're looking to get muscle definition, lose weight or increase the size of muscles you must remember that those are all totally different things and you need to eat accordingly.
Looking to tone? I'd suggest eating in maintenance mode and pushing hard in your workouts. Want to lose fat? Try eating in weight loss mode and pushing hard in your workouts. Geared towards gaining muscle mass? Try eating in a surplus mode and pushing hard in your workouts. What's the one thing that doesn't change? Pushing hard in your workouts!
Each mode differs and you might think that weight loss mode includes deprivation or restriction. That is far from the truth and I can almost guarantee that most of us are not eating enough nutrient-dense food for our goals. In order to determine which mode is for you and how much food you'll need we'll have to make a few simple calculations and determine whether your activity level is moderate or intense. I can say from my personal experience that eating like a bird is not an option! If you're interested in learning more about how to eat for your goals and sustain healthy habits contact Alexi.
In the meantime, check out this yummy Kafta Party Bowl I put together. I like to call them "party bowls" because meals are truly worth celebrating when they're full of healthy goodness and contain a varity of foods. This one is made with kafta meatballs, veggies, and a cashew tzatziki. Traditionally, tzatziki is made with yogurt so if you can tolerate dairy I see no reason to not go with the real thing. However, the vegan option is an excellent substitue.
STORY TIME
Every time I start a new workout program nutrition gets a little extra attention. Food is so incredibly important to overall health and getting enough of it is even more important when you're training. Who wants to work really hard on their physical fitness only to either hit a plateau or not see any improvement at all? Not I!
Before 2020 came to a close I started a new 9-week home workout program. About 3 weeks into it I started to feel hungry. Actual hunger pangs! I loved it - reminds me that I'm human and capable of listening to my body. This was my clue to recalibrate and check in on how things were going so far. I observed my daily activity level (and no, you don't need a fancy watch to do this), water intake, stress level, and reflected on how much I'm eating. To keep from rambling on here I'll just say there was a lot going on personally. Even though I was being consistant with exercise I was not focusing on my meals and I just wasn't eating enough for my activity level and goals. Taking this mindful approach to my wellness always brings me back to the center.
Believe, Be You, Be Well,
Alexi
Contact: Alexi at info@tropaquawellness.com
*Disclaimer: All information and resources found on TropAquaWellness.com are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivated readers to make their own nutritional and health decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.