Whether you are just beginning a workout regimen or an avid fitness enthusiast your diet is extremely important. Why? Because you diet fuels you and can work in conjunction with your workouts, if you are eating the right amount of the proper foods. Every time you put something in your mouth you are given the chance to fuel your body with nutrients it can use - but depending on what and how much you eat you are at risk for also storing anything excess that your body can’t use. Excess is what we gain weight from.
I personally think it is ok to enjoy treats and believe everything should be eaten in moderation - no restricting! However, I do encourage clients to keep these 3 ideas in mind when they are working to lose weight!
1. Don't trick yourself by thinking "I worked out today, I can eat this." That is simply not how it works.
2. At the end of the day it's calories in (food we eat), vs. calories out (calories burned through exercise and daily activity). To lose weight, we need to burn more than we consume consistently over a period of time. It is much easier to consume than to burn.
3. Know what is in your food. The granola bar that says, "whole grain, low fat, high protein" - actually take a look at it's ingredients. You would be surprised to learn what is in it! How many grams of sugar is in it? Sometimes things like granola bars end up being about the same as an ice cream bar nutrition wise!
