mind opener

This week I was doing lots of research on muscle gain, there is so much info out there it can be a little overwhelming! From everything I learned, the one thing that they all had in common was that EATING is the most IMPORTANT part of gaining muscle and also losing fat. You can do all the exercise you want but if your not fueling your muscles properly you end up losing muscle mass and also gaining weight in the long run.

Including protein in all of your meals will help get you the adequate amount of protein that your body needs before and after your workouts and also during the day. I wondered how much protein we should be getting and here's the formula for that:

 

your weight in lbs divided by 2.2= you'll get your weight in kg

then calculate: weight in kg x 0.08(not active) - 1.8 (very active) = protein in g/day

 (if your moderately active it would be between 0.08-1.8)





Keeping yourself hydrated during the day is also essential. I'm not one to drink much water but now that my food consumption is mostly protein I find myself drinking so much water! my body just asks for it. This week, I also started taking multivitamins and minerals and also salmon and fish oil. Just because your on a diet doesn't mean you cannot add good fats in your diet. Avocado, olive oil are just some of the foods you can add to your meal to get the fats your body still needs!

I noticed I was a little on the edge this week. Probably because my hormones and chemicals in the body are changing... I feel moody then I feel happy lol. The only time I'm absolutely in my zone is when I train. It could also be the fact that I'm not having sugar or "comfort" food. I eat every 2-3 hours and if it gets busy at work I realize I get really grumpy if I don't get to eat. I try and cheer myself up and most of the time it works but the moodiness really sneaks up on me. What helps me cheer up? FACEBOOK posts. Here are some of the posts that help me out during the day:

 

 

 

I went to the drug store and there are so many multivitamins and minerals I didn't know what most of them do for your body and this image below helped me understand what this wall of supplements meant.

 

 Reading about all this useful information this week really opened up my mind to the many different types of diets and an understanding of how the body works in terms of protein and what happens to the muscles and lean muscles when they are feed properly and when they aren't.

This bikini competition is doing a lot more to me then just changing my body. I recommend that if you do plan or are on a diet you do some research on food and what you love to eat, perhaps you may find that balance in your diet and enjoy a way of life rather then a diet!