Whatever your fitness goals are your diet should be balanced, healthy and provide the proper nutrition to make reaching your goal(s) easier.

Food is the fuel for your exercise and eating the right combination and quantities of nutrients can have a huge impact on your progress.

While calorie and protein intake are two important considerations in determining the ideal nutrition plan for you, your general health is the foundation on which muscle and fitness are built.  You need a plan that’s personalized to your overall health.  If you’ve ever found it difficult to stick with an exercise and nutrition plan because you’re just too tired or feel unwell overall, now is the time to plan for success by incorporating strategies like these to boost your total health:

  1. Maximize the nutrient density of your diet – Read food labels,  shop the perimeter of food stores where the freshest whole foods are generally found. Look for minimal ingredients (5 or less) that you can pronounce and look critically at any processed foods that are labeled as “healthy”.
  2. Match your calories to your goal – As a general rule you’ll need increased calories if your goals are primarily based on increasing muscle mass.  If your goals revolve around weight loss, then decreasing calories will likely be needed.  To get an accurate calorie target for you, consult with a registered dietician or use a reputable online calculatoras a starting point.
  3. Remember macros matter – Identifying the right mix of protein, fat and carbs is a personalized formula that depends on your current weight, age and physical activity.  A general rule for individuals exercising 1-2 hours per day is 30% protein, 25% fat and 45% carbohydrates.  For goals centered more on building muscle you’ll probably need a ratio that’s closer to 30-30-30 for your nutrients.  Overall though the most important factor is finding the right mix that allows you to perform at your best.  Use the general guidelines as a beginning point and then adjust your percentages until you find the mix that works best for you.