When I first started on my workout journey, many years ago, I made a lot of mistakes. Partly due to my own ignorance. But mostly due to the huge amount of misinformation that is published online and in magazines here in Canada. Canadian diet and workout supplement companies make a lot of money from this misinformation. And it can be difficult to sift through the lies and find the truth.

One of the biggest mistakes I made wasn’t actually concerning my workouts at all. Rather it was my diet that was the issue. People often underestimate just how important diet is in the grand scheme of getting physically fit. But the truth is that all the working out in the world won’t matter if you don’t fix your diet first.

Today we are going to talk about the impact your diet has on your exercise. How your eating habits can be changed to help you see better results. The types of food you should be eating. And debunking some of the more harmful diet lies put out there by diet companies.

How Your Diet Helps

Our bodies are complex machines. And, like any machine, they need fuel to function properly. Too many fad diet plans will promote unhealthy eating habits such as reducing your caloric intake and essentially starving yourself. This should be totally avoided! If you are working out regularly then you actually need to be eating more.

Our bodies burn calories to create energy. And they need protein to repair our muscles and help them grow stronger. If you aren’t getting enough calories and protein then your workout sessions are essentially useless. You won’t see any improvements and could actually end up causing your body harm.

While diet is the most important step in effectively working out, there may be a number of other reasons you aren’t seeing results. One of these could be linked to low testosterone. The growth hormone responsible for muscle growth. Testosterone production in the body can be hindered by eating a lot of trans fats. So changing your diet to include all natural and healthier foods will help to stem this.

Certain foods like legumes, fatty fish, and eggs can help the body produce more testosterone naturally. If this still isn’t helping you should consult a doctor. It could be that your body is unable to produce enough testosterone alone. They might suggest you start a steroid treatment. Steroids, when paired with a healthy diet, will help you workout for longer and promote healthy muscle growth.

You can either get a prescription or buy them online. Pg Anabolics is a favorite of mine. I favor them because they offer a huge range of options and these are the best steroids in Canada to help you get your body to a healthier point.

When To Eat

There is a lot of information out there about the right time to eat during the day in relation to when you workout. The most important thing you need to know is that working out on an empty stomach is not advisable at all! Not only will it mean you have less energy to workout with, but it can cause health issues in the long run.

Ideally you want to eat a couple of hours before your workout. Digested food will act as fuel for your workout. So it isn’t advisable to go right after your meal. But, if you have to, it should be fine. Just try to avoid making a habit of it.

You should then try to eat within the two hour segment after your workout. This will ensure your body can begin the muscle healing process and replenish your energy. It is vitally important that you do eat after a workout!

What To Eat

What you eat is just as important as when you eat. You should try to have three meals a day, with some snacks in between. Try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. But you can enjoy them from time to time. Moderation is, as always, the key.

For breakfast consider having plenty of high energy fruits such as bananas, oranges, apples, berries. Pair that with some natural greek yogurt and granola. I am also a big fan of protein yogurts as well.

For lunch you should try to get your daily intake of leafy greens and vegetables. A nice salad, perhaps paired with chicken, is an ideal choice. If you are planning your workout for after lunch you could incorporate a pre-workout shake as well.

For snacks you could have protein bars, nuts, fruit, yogurts, vegetables with hummus, or flapjacks. Try to avoid anything that is high in sugar or artificial sweeteners. If you are a coffee drinker you should consider having your coffee without sugar going forward.

For your dinners you should consider dishes that contain chicken, salmon, ground beef, turkey, or meat substitutes like jackfruit. Pair with rice, couscous, potatoes, leafy greens, tofu, and vegetables.