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Ever heard the 80% Nutrition 20% Exercise rule? In other words, keeping a schedule of monitoring your food in 4 to 6 planned meals a day with a couple of hours exercising, which applies to both weight-gaining and losing strategies.

It becomes a little easy while gaining because regular exercise can boost body metabolism and hunger, resulting in eating more, to sum up, calories. However, most of us want to primarily lose some of that stubborn fat deposits at the stomach or elsewhere. And this is where the concept of calorie management is very important to understand.

Because, unless you take good command of your diet, it's nearly impossible to achieve the weight losing hustle just by exercising.

What is a Calorie?

Calorie means Energy. Just like Oxygen(which provides energy in the form of ATP), every living creature needs a certain amount of calories(energy in the form of heat) to sustain life. And those calories come from the nutrients present in our food.

In other words, a calorie(or kilocalorie) is a unit of heat energy(Cal or kcal) needed to raise the temperature of 1 unit .kg water by 1 degree Celsius. You might have heard about 'joule', another unit of energy that is used in physics. They keep a relation in between which is -

1 calorie = 4.18 Joule

A normal adult's body (male or female) requires a certain amount of calories from his/her food for proper body functionality and it also impacts our growth with unplanned gaining or losing weight. That's right. Too many calories in your diet increase the risk of gaining weight and won't let your belly fat go away until you control over it.

Further ahead, we are going to discuss how many calories you should consume in a day by understanding the concept of BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate).

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

It is the amount of energy or calories needed in a day when the body is at complete rest with the digestive system fully inactive, which means if you don't eat anything all day, your body still needs these many calories for all the primary organs to function and keep you alive.

An adult male has a BMR of 1500 to 1800 calories per day whereas a female adult requires about 1400 to 1600 calories. According to the Harris-Benedict formula published in 1919 by the Carnegie Institute of Washington -

Put your values herein required units as mentioned :

Gender :

Age (in years) :

Height (in cm) :

Weight (in kg) :

Result :

For example, I am a 26 years old male, with 5'11" height and 72 kgs of weight. So putting my details on the above formula, I get a total of 1783 Kcal which is my body's minimum energy requirement for a day when I don't move a muscle for the whole long day.

However, apart from anybody laying alone on a hospital bed, we people perform various jobs in a day including the basics like walking, talking, eating and much more. All these activities need some extra amount of energy in the form of calories to burn, from the food we consume.

How BMR helps you determine your Daily Calorie Needs?

After getting an idea of our BMR, we can averagely or dedicatedly control the required amount of calories we need for weight gaining or losing goals just by consuming more or fewer calories in a day than we burn in total. In the next part of the study, we shall observe and understand more about calculating calories in our food.

Afterward, we know the BMR value, the next step is to determine how many calories we burn in a day. That will help in evaluating the total energy expenditure by multiplying the BMR with a PAL factor (Physical Activity Level), suggested by Harris-Benedict duo -

Sedentary Active - Minimal or light exercise, multiply your BMR by 1.25

Moderately active - Moderate exercise schedule, 3 to 5 days a week, multiply your BMR by 1.5.

Very active - Tough exercise six to seven days a week, multiply your BMR by 1.75

Unstoppable - Extremely hard exercise, 7 days a week, multiply your BMR by 1.9.

Or you can simply use this equation -->

[Total Calorie Expenditure = BMR + Calories you burn in a day - total calories in your food/day ]

If the value comes positive, you are on a calorie deficit diet(you're consuming lesser calories than you burn in a day), which is going to help losing weight

If the value comes negative, that means you are bulking up, consuming extra calories that may increase your weight.

In the next part, we will be discussing how many calories are subjected to how much bodyweight gain or loss. In addition, we will go through a full diet plan with calorie deficit and bulking goals and their effects on time, and the amount of dedication we decide to put in the process.

Photo by Travis Yewell on Unsplash

Taking care of our diet prior to the workout we do, is the most essential step to body-building or any other fitness activity we do. Having a better knowledge and understanding of what we need in our food is sometimes a tricky process. Anything in our natural diet chart comes with a variety of nutritional as well as anti-nutrition factors which are to be studied on priority by a consumer in order to take care of their transformation goals.

Most of the time, newcomers in the bodybuilding sport keep their focus revolving around a 'more protein and less fat intake' diet to build muscles and lose fat for a hyper-physique, however, they ignore the other nutritional component in their food like carbs, glycogen, saturated fats, etc which if taken in an unbalanced amount, can directly affect your progress.

Similarly, there are misconceptions about several nutrition sources among the newcomers, which again is going to affect the diet, which has a much greater role in any of the sport you are involved in.

Do check the 5 misconceptions about food listed below and if you find any contradictory statement, please propose an argument in the comment box.

1. Peanut butter is a better protein-supplement than peanuts.

If you google about the protein value in both peanuts and peanut butter, it will be 26 grams of protein per 100 grams of peanut which is 1g more than peanut butter(25g in 100g of quantity) which is an extracted data of USDA.

Apart from protein, peanut has low saturated fats i.e. 7 grams that peanut butter(10 grams) in a 100g quantity comparison which makes 'raw peanut' a little better choice because saturated fats are not good for your health. It is also not a better lean source of protein than peanuts because it has a greater carbohydrate value.

More nutrients like dietary fiber, potassium, iron, etc are having a slightly larger value in raw peanuts which makes it a better choice. Also, peanut comes way cheaper than peanut butter.

Advantage of Peanut butter: You can use it as an alternative to milk butter in order to cut a large number of unhealthy fats present in the milk butter.

2. Carbohydrates increase fat.

Take this very straight concept into the mind: Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in your body which further breaks into glycogen, starch, and dietary fiber in the body. The amount of carbs intake actually depends on how much energy is being utilized by the consumer in any activity performed for the whole day.

Talks like rice promote fat in the body is a myth because rice doesn't even contain 1 percent of any fat in it. If you're putting a good amount of work into exercising or possibly into your 9 to 5 job or anything, a good amount of carbs are essential in your diet.

Essential to Understand: Carbohydrates will only have their reverse effects when you aren't utilizing the energy you consumed. Sitting all day long without much physical activity will lead to your carbs intake getting stored as fat.

3. Eat after 8 pm and you'll gain unwanted fat.

Talking about myself, I have a very bad habit of late-night eating and sleeping, but I never felt getting a bulked-up belly or anything that has been said about this. Moreover, it depends on an individual based on body metabolism.

If you follow the rule of your last meal before 8 pm, that is good for you, however, the advice is misleading at a point. In actuality, what we eat has a more dominant principle than when we eat.

A 2008 research examined that people with the habit of taking late-night meals actually tend to consume more calories than their body needs. And that is where the problems start to arise. Also, it surely depends on what you eat based on healthy and unhealthy choices.

4. Skip a meal, as a weight-losing activity.

Keeping yourself hungry and eating a lot afterward, won't help you unless you are balancing your calorie intake with the amount of burning.

Sometimes skipping a meal results in slowing down of metabolism i.e. the ability of food breakdown in the body. This may cause a person to gain weight instead of losing. It may lead to tiredness, anxiety, and other complications triggered by hunger. Instead of this, you can balance your food to a low-calorie diet in order to balance other nutrients and keep your energy level good.

5. Eating Low-fat food helps you lose weight.

Read the 2nd & 4th point again and you can reconsider your thoughts about this one. Eating extra calories or carbs without much physical activity is not going to leave any better impression on the results. Also, Fats are an essential component of your diet whether you are an athlete or a beginner.

Yes, not all fats are bad for your health. Unsaturated fats are healthy for you in moderation whereas saturated and trans fat have a poor reputation in the diet.

Read the article about the same here: Not all Kinds of Fat are Bad For Your Health

Food photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com

Read for: Pre-workout Meal | Quality weight gain | Weight Loss Training for beginners

Food on our table plays a vital role when it comes to possessing better health and physique. In all kinds of bodybuilding courses, from big & bulky to sharp & lean muscle objective, roughly 80 % of the role is entertained by the nutritional value we consume in our daily life. This article is going to elaborate on the various Indian traditional foods and other eatables to be implemented on a regular diet schedule and what food to avoid on a priority basis for weight gain or loss target.

Traditional Indian cuisine is undoubtedly famous all around the world for its distinctive ingredients, techniques, and dishes consisting of vegetables, grains, wheat, lentils, and fruits as well as meat. At the same time, it is healthier than most of the continental foods out there, especially when cooked at home with fresh spices and oil with no trans fat.

Enjoying your precious meal while taking care of your diet at the same time is possible when you are sticking to a clear diet plan with the required knowledge of the nutrition you're going to need.

Hereby, we will be observing a full day diet plan, which will be beneficial in several terms:

Lose, or gain quality weight.

If you're looking to lose or gain some weight, you need to monitor your food as a priority followed by any physical activity involvement. In order to lose weight, the simple mathematical concept says a person needs to burn more calories than consuming. While gaining weight, the quality always matters and is not going to work if you eat high-calorie foods which may add to just fat.

Better health with better food

A better diet is always needed for a healthier life. Good food leads to good digestion and better metabolism keeping your body and mind more fresh and active, preventing. A healthy diet includes important nutrients like Carbohydrates, minerals & vitamins, good fats, and lean proteins in a required amount for the desired result.

Reduce fat(obesity) related to health risks

Increased risk of many health problems including diabetes, cholesterol, heart disease, certain cancers, and much more are basically triggered by unplanned obesity followed by an unplanned and unhealthy diet.

Keep up with the energy for your workout

When you're taking the right meals at the right time, it keeps your energy level good and your mind more positive to perform everyday consistent longer-duration workouts, eliminating the habits of procrastination and anxiety.

Irrespective of specifically losing or gaining weight objectives, presenting the fundamentals to balance your diet for better and effective results if coordinated with your workout. Also considering the workout scheduled to be in the morning (right after you get up) which is the best time to do it.

Hereby, the discussion includes the key measures that will categorize your food into 6 different parts for a whole day.

1. Pre-Workout Diet

If you prefer to workout in the morning, the first thing to do right after you wake up is to go for a quick pre-workout meal which is basically '1-hour prior meal to your workout' mainly requires a good amount of carbohydrates, about 40 to 60 grams. This is going to help you with regaining adequate energy which will increase your workout performance.

Note: Pre Workout Diet is not necessarily subjected to weight gain/loss strategies, while it is more relevant to fulfill your workout energy requirements.

Some best examples :

2 to 3 bananas
Cornflakes
Oatmeal
"200 ml Cold Milk + 2 Bananas" Shake.
2 boiled sweet potatoes and a peanut butter sandwich.
Brown bread with peanut butter
Roasted gram flour (sattu)

2. Workout Hydration

It means getting the right amount of water before, during, and after exercise. Drink plenty of water throughout your workout. This is the time when you should drink the most water compared to other times in a day.

On average, the necessity for most individuals ranges in about 17 – 20 ounces of fluids 1 hour prior to exercising, then 8 to 10 ounces during warm-up, 7 – 10 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes while exercising. (Note: 1 liter = 33.8 ounces)

A consumption rate of 1 liter or more per hour of heavy workout is good as it fulfills the fluid requirement by regulating your body temperature and helps transport nutrients to give you energy more effectively i.e. better metabolism. That will help you burn unwanted fat faster and grow visible ripped muscles. If you're not hydrated, your body can't perform at its best level.

Make a habit of keeping a 1 or 2 liter-sized bottle full of water with you when you start to exercise. This will help you easily track the amount of water intake at a time.

3. Post-Workout Meal

Time to replace your ordinary 'breakfast' with a healthy and delicious Post-workout meal. The purpose of this food is to supply an adequate amount of protein which is primary to recover your torn muscles which are caused by weightlifting and resistance training.

It also helps to recover from Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) which is the muscular strain which you might have experienced post 8 to 10 hours after trying a new workout.

Also, it has to be carbohydrate enriched which will help you regain your energy to some extent. You don't need to consume enough carbohydrates here because our next meal will be targeting plenty of carbs. Just make sure to focus on more protein enriched food.

Some best examples :

Mixed Peanuts + Chickpea + Green Moong Soaked in water for 6 hours (20 to 30 grams each)
4-6 Boiled eggs
Fish
poultry meat
Yogurt and fruit
Light Tofu
Soya chunks ( not more than 50 grams a day)

4. Afternoon Main Meal

The majority of Indian people do have a choice - Homemade green vegetable dishes with Rice and Dal. That's it!

Together all is a real hunger-satisfying North as well as South Indian meal which holds all good aspects of good health.

Rice is the main source of carbohydrates, enough to keep you energetic all day. Pulses, good for protein with any green vegetables which are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber but low in calories, a complete package.

It would be great if you prefer to go with "brown rice" which holds an advantage over white rice in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. People may have a misconception that white rice leads to obesity. That's not true. 100 grams of brown rice contains 0.9 grams of fat whereas the same amount of white rice contains 0.3 grams of fat which is even lesser.

5. Sunset Snacks.

Keep it simple and healthy. You can prefer to have fruits like apple, papaya, watermelon, etc if you're following a weight-loss diet or a glass of milk mixed with cornflakes is a great choice for those who are onto weight gaining mode. Or any of the items mentioned above in pre & post-workout foods will be more than okay.

6. Evening Meal

Which depends on your hunger level. Keep it light, healthy, and easier to digest. Nothing can be a better example than cooked vegetables with chapatis enough to fill up your belly with good satisfaction. Or it can be anything healthier less oily homemade food.

Other examples :

Macaroni
Vegetable with curry and salads

Do's and Don'ts

You must avoid the habit of eating deep-fried meals from hotels, restaurants & roadside vendors on an everyday schedule like breakfast or possibly your main meal. As they may use low-quality trans-fat oil (which is generally solid at room temperature) which is extremely bad for your health.
Make a habit of cooking your own food which will help you track the right nutrition more accurately.
You don't have to completely give up on all your favorite junk foods. Consider a cheat day in a week when rules will be ruled out.
Avoid using oils that contain trans-fat for everyday cooking. Olive oil is a healthy option followed by coconut or mustard oil.
Avoid eating rice twice a day because that's not necessarily required. If you feel more hungry, stick to the food with more protein and fiber.
Drink water half an hour before your main meals to trigger better digestion.

Food photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com

What is the Pre-Workout Diet?

It is the routine food intake that we need to take before we get ready for our exercise or any other potential sports activity. In order to perform your best at your 'on-schedule workout' for an hour or more, your body needs a sufficient amount of energy that will help you train longer with high intensity.

You might have experienced a feeling of getting exhausted too soon during a workout followed by tardiness the next time you try to cope up again. This is one possible outcome, if you fail to provide an adequate amount of Pre-Workout Nutrition to your body, it may also cause delays in muscle recovery and possible injury which is never a part of your plan.

There are great advantages to get when you add & follow up on this healthy snacky meal, that includes -

Improved physical performance
Improved Metabolism
Reduced premature fatigue
Minimized muscle breakdown

The Right Time to Pre-Workout Diet?

To be honest, it differs from person to person depending upon the daily habits and body tendency to digest the food that we consume at a time. A good metabolic rate is required to breakdown the food in a shorter time period which depends on the frequency of our daily activity. Research studies recommend it to be 2-3 hours of gap when you choose the food that is heavier to digest.

However, as mentioned in the title, it can be more, but should never be less than 30 minutes when you must choose the food that is easier to digest. It usually doesn't have to be a 'half an hour gap schedule' for every day but when you are running a little out of time with your busy lifestyle, that moment when you've still got covered with alternatives to follow.

What to eat in a Pre-Workout Diet?

To understand more in-depth about the food we need to choose before our exercise, let us see the possible nutrition supplements that our body requires for a particular time.

Carbohydrates

They are the primary source is the energy that we need to consume. It combines dietary fiber, starch, and sugar providing glucose to fuel our muscles in the form of glycogen. For an hour of intense body training, an adult person needs around 1 gm of carbohydrate per kg of body weight which for example, will be around 75 grams of carbs for a 75 kg person. Examples include:

2 to 3 Bananas
2 to 4 Sweet potatoes
Beans
Oats/cereal meals
Milk products

Protein

Protein has got all the benefits in terms of muscle building and diet planning. Combining protein along with carbohydrates has been proved effective to increase protein synthesis increasing our muscle performance. Some lean sources of protein include:

'Egg whites'(Quantity: 2 to 4 )
Fish (80 to 100 grams)
Peanuts, Almond mixed with Bengal Grams (Chickpea)
Chicken (around 100 grams)
pulses
Broccoli

Fat

Fat is the source of food for longer and moderate to low-intensity workouts because the body digests fats more slowly than carbohydrates. Healthy fats must be our priority when it comes to nutrition for our workout. For example:

Peanuts or Peanut butter with brown bread
Olive oil cooked breakfast
Whole Eggs (2 to 4 Egg white + Egg yolk)
Fatty fish
Avocados
Cheese
Chia Seeds

Caffeine

The caffeine present in your cup of coffee or dark chocolate can be an effective pre-workout energy boost to set you up. According to a study published in 2012, consuming a pre-workout supplement containing caffeine improves muscular endurance and delay fatigue. It also enhances the fat burning process, if taken in a moderation for pre-workout diet. A few caffeine-containing diets may include :

Coffee Beans
Green tea & black tea
Dark chocolate
Energy drink
Cocoa Beans

Taking a summary

To maximize the performance in your workout, you need to take the right food in the right proportion with all the required nutrition.

Carbohydrates, mostly use of glycogen, is required for high-intensity workouts, while followed by Protein consumption which increases muscle protein synthesis.

Fats fuel our body for moderate to low-intensity workouts for a longer duration. Learn more about healthy fats at Not all Kinds of Fat are Bad For Your Health

Caffeine is another energy-boosting supplement that enhances the durability of your workout.

The amount of intake can be increased by increasing the duration between your workout and the meal. Avoid drinking water after taking your pre-workout meal as you will need plenty of them during training to keep yourself hydrated.

What is a Calorie?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Put your values herein required units as mentioned :

How BMR helps you determine your Daily Calorie Needs?

Or you can simply use this equation -->

1. Peanut butter is a better protein-supplement than peanuts.

2. Carbohydrates increase fat.

3. Eat after 8 pm and you'll gain unwanted fat.

4. Skip a meal, as a weight-losing activity.

5. Eating Low-fat food helps you lose weight.

Why bananas are one of the most popular pre-workout snacks?

What is a Free Radical?

Lose, or gain quality weight.

Better health with better food

Reduce fat(obesity) related to health risks

Keep up with the energy for your workout

1. Pre-Workout Diet

Some best examples :

2. Workout Hydration

3. Post-Workout Meal

Some best examples :

4. Afternoon Main Meal

5. Sunset Snacks.

6. Evening Meal

Other examples :

Do's and Don'ts

These are the major parts of dietary fats :

Here are a few examples of foods with saturated fat:

Here are the two major divisions of Unsaturated fats.

Few examples of foods with higher enriched monounsaturated fat :

Here are some best sources of Polyunsaturated fats(Omega 3 fatty acids) :

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