3 Key Ingredients to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

Abs are built in the gym but made in the kitchen.

Forget the diets, fixes, and trends. They don’t work in the long run. Your nutrition should focus on three key ingredients: 

1. Calories In v. Calories Out
2. Macronutrient Breakdown 
3. Timing

How much should you eat? 

It depends how active you are. Nutrition expert Alan Aragon suggests using this to find your ideal Calories In v. Calories Out: 

• Take the average number of hours you work out per week. 
• Add 10 to that number (use 8 or 9 if you sit most of the day). 
• Now multiply it by your Goal Weight in pounds

The result will be your ideal number of calories to eat per day. For example, for a person who trains 4 hours per week, sits in an office most of the day, and wants to get to 175 pounds, their ideal caloric intake will be 2,100 calories per day. 

What should you eat?

Your macronutrient breakdown simply looks at how many of your calories should be carbs, proteins, or fats. Now these numbers can change depending on your goals (weight loss is very different than gaining muscle mass), but a general approach should be: 

• 50% carbohydrates
• 30% protein
• 20% fat

Of course, it’s best to prioritize whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and avoid refined sugar. But as with everything, the key is moderation and indulging once in a while won’t derail your efforts.

When should you eat?

It depends on the macronutrient.

Carbs should be eaten during or within a 3-hour period after your workouts, because they provide energy to the body in the form of insulin. 

Protein should be eaten throughout the day, evenly spaced between meals, because it takes time to digest and absorb. 

Fats should be eaten with protein as far away from workouts as possible, because they slow down digestion for the body to absorb nutrients.

It is commonly said that fitness is 80% nutrition, 20% exercise, and that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. That’s why following these diet tips, while exercising regularly with HYGEAR, is a great way to get the fit physique you’re looking for.