Eric Johnson
Contributing Writer
We All Workout Because We Want Results
Results happen through hard work in and out of the gym. The hardest part for most is putting in the proper workout in the gym and eating correctly. I always tell my clients, “If it were easy, every body would do it.” When it comes to dieting, there are a few important things. The diet should have 3 main goals:
1) Spare as much muscle mass as possible
2) Lose as much fat as possible
3) Keep up the intensity in the weight room
Macronutrients should drive your diet. Macronutrients refer to Proteins, Carbs, and Fats. In simple terms, 1,000 calories of ice cream is not the same as 1,000 calories of chicken breasts. To determine your macronutrients you can simply go online and search for a “Macronutrient Calculator”. I generally like to aim for about 40%Protein, 30%Carbs, but most importantly my fats are always in a range 20-27%. Now I know this doesn’t add up to 100% but it gives me more room for proteins and carbs.
Fat may be the most confusing part to some. With this being said, a little information on why fat is important. Fats are the body’s preferred source of stored energy and the most efficient molecule for the body to burn. They also promote hormone synthesis mainly in regards to testosterone. Unfortunately, fats are also easily stored as adipose tissue (body fat), so there must be some type of compromise between ingesting enough fat for hormone maintenance and reducing fat intake enough to decrease body fat. Hence, why the Fat macronutrient is always ranging from 20-27%.
Here is a list of some good fats: Omega 3, Natural Peanut butter, Salmon, Avocado
Eric Johnson is a NASM CPT and Team JBT Athlete
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/EJohnsonFitness
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ejohnsonfitness
