Body building can require serious amounts of discipline. Everything from how much time you put into training, to specialist sessions like boot camp training New Jersey, and even what you eat, are all important to achieving your body building goals.
Your fitness trainer in New Jersey will talk you through your workouts and nutrition, but before you even get started, you can learn about 8 of the best foods for trimming fat and building muscle.
Nuts – Nuts contain the healthy fats that can benefit your health. It is important when body building, or performing any kind of exercise, that you don’t avoid fat altogether. Fat can provide significant amounts of energy, and is required for normal function in humans. Eating a variety of nuts will also boost your iron and zinc levels, as well as giving you a good source of some B vitamins and vitamin E. Try incorporating mixed nuts, or alternate different nuts throughout the week.
Beans – Beans are high in protein and fiber. Some beans can have as much as 10g of protein per 1 cup serving, meaning that they’re a great alternative to meat. Beans also have iron and potassium, and they are high in antioxidants.
Fruit – With fruit, anything goes. Two servings a day is a good rule to live by, and there aren’t any particular fruits that you should target or avoid. Fruits contain natural sugar, vitamins, and minerals, which are highly varied depending on the fruits that you eat. Many fruits are also high in fiber. They’re a great way to add some sweetness to your diet, without resorting to high sugar alternatives that lack other nutritional benefits.
Whole Grains – Try and incorporate as many of these as you can, whether this is through breakfast cereal mixes, substituting white rice for whole grain rice, or white bread for whole grain bread etc. Whole grains are beneficial because they can help to reduce cholesterol, they’re high in fiber, and they have a low G.I. to help you feel fuller for longer, which is important when you’re working out but don’t want to overdo your caloric intake.
Oily Fish – Fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines, are high in Omega 3 fatty acid, which is known to be beneficial for heart health, brain function, and can even act as an anti-inflammatory to combat joint pain. If you’re not a huge fish eater, you can instead take an Omega 3 supplement, or a Green Lipped Mussel extract.
Leafy Vegetables – These are the leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli etc. Magnesium, iron, calcium, and various vitamins like C, K, and A, are just some of the nutrients that can be consumed from these vegetables. Leafy greens are also low in calories and can be used to add variety into many protein based dishes.
Lean Meat – We’re not going to leave any meat off the list here. As long as you are eating lean, you’re going to find a number of benefits. Lean keeps the meat healthier because you limit saturated fat, which can increase cholesterol. You can either trim the cuts that you buy, or purchase only lean cuts. Keep a balance of red and white meats. Lean beef and pork provide excellent amounts of vitamins and minerals, as do chicken and turkey. Avoid processed meats, which are potentially carcinogenic, and often have high levels of sodium.
Dairy – Dairy can provide calcium, other vitamins, and protein. Make sure you’re choosing low fat products, because some dairy can contain high levels of saturated fat. Look for fortified dairy products that provide Vitamin D, which is important for maintaining bones and joints.
Of course no single food is going to take you to your goal alone. Your exercise and dietary choices will both factor into how successful you are in your body building pursuit. Talk to your New Jersey fitness trainer to develop a plan that works for you and your unique circumstances. With the right approach, and a good amount of commitment, you can realize your potential, no matter how far you want to take your body building.