There is no secret to nutrition. Your body needs a certain amount of calories everyday to maintain its current state (stay the same weight). Eat more than you need and your body stores it in reserves called fat. It’s that simple. So what you have to be able to do is find out how many calories you need everyday, and shoot for a number that is lower. The easiest way to do this without a bunch of fancy calculations is this:
Your current body weight X 10 = the amount of calories you need to stay the same weight
So for example, if I weight 200 pounds, I would need 2,000 calories per day to stay the same weight as I am now (200 x 10= 2,000). Once you figure you have figured this number, you have a base line from which you can start.
If you think 2,000 sounds like a lot, think again. Most fast food combos will run you between 1,000 and 1,500 calories! That’s 75% of your daily calories in one stinkin’ meal! The best way to eat during the day is in small portions, but more frequently. Personally, I try to eat every three hours. I also aim for about 400 per meal which, considering I usually eat 6 meals per day, equates to about 2,400 calories per day.
One last point to get you started, a good rule to live by is this: if it didn’t exist 200 years ago, don’t eat it. Basically what this means is stay away from prepackaged foods and soda. Protein bars are a great way to get a meal in if you are busy or at work. I think they are a beautiful thing and I eat them like crazy. These protein bars should be the exception though, not the rule. Get your nutrition from lean meat, potatoes, rice, whole wheat breads, beans, nuts, and fruit. They pack a big nutritional punch and do not contain excess sodium and preservatives.
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