Whether your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, the type of workout and food you use for your diet will determine how successful you are. According to the American Council on Exercise, dieting and exercising together triple your chances of losing weight and keeping it off. It is always recommended that you consult a professional to make sure you don't have any specific allergies or medical conditions that would be made worse by changes in your dietary or exercise habits.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the first type of workout you should do for your diet program. Resistance training will help you build lean muscle, strengthen your bones and help you lose weight. The type of workout you do will depend on the goal of your diet. If you're dieting to lose weight, your workout may include calisthenics--pushups or squats--and weight training. If you are dieting as a bodybuilder, your workout will most likely include workouts where you train one specific muscle per day, such as arms one day and legs another day. Someone who is trying to lose weight should not use a bodybuilding workout since it's likely that you will not consume enough calories to help you fully recover. This can have negative effects on your dieting efforts.
Cardio Exercise
Cardio training should be done regardless of your dieting goals. Cardio training improves lung function, strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure and can help your body utilize calories more effectively, according to the American Council on Exercise. Running is a popular cardio workout and arguably one of the most effective. You can also try jumping jacks or sprints. The American Council on Exercise recommends that you do moderate to intense cardio for at least 20 minutes on most days of the week.
Protein
Your dietary program requires ample amounts of protein. Lean meats such as chicken, fish and turkey are all great foods for most diets. Other sources of protein include legumes--which are also rich in fiber--eggs and peanut butter. Protein will help you build muscle or maintain the muscle you already have while you work out. If your goal is to lose weight, maintaining muscle mass is important because lean mass helps you burn more calories. If your dietary goal is to gain weight, protein will help create new muscle.
Carbohydrates
The type of carbohydrates you eat will depend on how much you are working out as well as what the goal of your diet is. If you are trying to lose weight, eating complex carbohydrates rich in fiber will help control your blood sugar and decrease your chances of storing excess fat on your body. These include foods like oatmeal, vegetables and brown rice--all rich in fiber. If you are an athlete and need a diet that will fuel intense workouts, adding other carbohydrates like pasta and fruits will give your body quick energy to help you sustain long training sessions.
Healthy Fats
Fats should not be ignored in any diet. Since fats are responsible for a variety of cellular functions and are essential for the absorption of certain vitamins, you should always eat foods that contain healthy amounts of unsaturated fats. Good sources of healthy fats include, fish, avocados, olive oil and all natural peanut butter--no sugar added. The National Federation of Professional Trainers recommends that 15 to 25 percent of your calories come from healthy fats. Amounts will vary depending on your body size and goals.
References
- "Sports Nutrition Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers, Mark P. Kelly et al.; 2006
- "American Council on Exercise Personal Trainers Manual"; Cedric X. Bryant; 2003
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