Pre-Workout
Do you lack motivation and energy to go to the gym? If so, take 3 caffeine pills 45 minutes before training. This will be sufficient to perk up your energy levels.
If you are going to be doing a hard training session, eat a portion of complex carbohydrates 1 – 2 hours before training and take 3 Caffeine Pills 45 minutes before training to perk up your energy levels.
Post-Workout
Always have a protein drink and a piece of fruit after training. The fruit is to replenish your glycogen cells. The protein is to repair your muscles.
Never train without a post workout protein drink as you will risk catabolism. When the body is in a catabolic state it will break down healthy muscles and consume them to repair the damaged muscle.
Cheat Days Vs Cheat Meals
There is a big difference between a cheat meal and a cheat day. Cheat days are a myth. A cheat meal once per week can have psychological and metabolic benefits. A cheat meal can psychologically stop you from eating junk food during the week as you can look forward to having your treat at the weekend. The metabolic benefit of a cheat meal is that it can increase the body’s metabolism as it will sense a huge calorie inrush and compensate by burning the calories faster.
If you are having a cheat meal, it is best to have one with a nutritional value. For example, eating a half pound beef burger and chips has more benefits than a pizza.
Cheat days do not work however. They only exist because people want to believe in them. Overloading on calories / carbs / fats for one full day will take you three days to get you back on track. The first day (cheat day) you will lose gains. The second day will get you back to where you were before the cheat day. The third day will make the gains that you should have made on the cheat day. Do not have a cheat day – you are only cheating yourself! A cheat meal is acceptable to your goals though.
Diary
Keep a daily diary. Record what and when you eat it. Record your physical activity. Weigh yourself once per week (morning time is the most accurate). When you plateau and stop making gains, you will be able to look at the diary and work out what you need to do to start making gains again. If you have stopped losing weight you will be able to see where you can reduce calories further or increase exercise to speed up your metabolic rate.
Hydration
You should try to drink 3 litres of water per day. This keeps the body hydrated and helps flush out toxins.Green Tea is one of the best antioxidants around. If you don’t like green tea you can substitute it with Green Tea Extract pills.
Healthy Foods
Take caution when eating healthy foods. People presume that fruits, potatoes and rice are healthy as they are natural and not processed. As they think they are healthy, they think it is okay to over consume these products. Fruit can be high in sugar. Potatoes and rice are high in starch. If you eat excess fruit, potatoes or rice you will most certainly gain weight – probably fat. Limit your portions of fruit with excess sugar (Bananas, Tangerines). Reduce potato and rice portions and replace with green leafy vegetables (Spinach, Lettuce, Asparagus, Cucumber, Radish, Cabbage, Celery, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Mushrooms). Do not eat white rice.
Diet
A diet is for life. You will only be in the condition that you want whilst you are eating and training properly. If you spend three months getting into shape (via dieting and training), you will only keep that figure if you maintain your diet and training regime. Once you come off your healthy diet and training regime you can expect to lose your results and you usually lose them faster than you gained them.
