Have you ever put so much work into working out only to see almost zero results? One of the main culprits of this is a failure to eat properly.
Without the correct diet, you won’t have the calorie surplus you need to gain muscle mass, or the calorie deficit necessary to lose weight. In fact, without a detailed meal plan, there’s no reliable way to achieve your fitness goals.
For people who haven’t formally studied nutrition, coming up with your own custom meal plan can be intimidating and confusing.
There are so many things to take into account, and it can easily eat up hours every week if you’re forced to start from scratch. Today, we’re going to focus on the importance of nutrition coaching, and cover the basics of a few different custom meal plans.
What is Nutrition Coaching?
It’s incredibly difficult to achieve your fitness goals without changing your eating habits.
For the average person, this means eating a diet rich in lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats. While most people know that eating a greasy hamburger is less healthy than a colourful salad, they don’t know how to choose a healthier carb. That’s where nutrition coaching comes in.
Fitness coaches who are able to help their clients with their nutrition are in more demand than ever. Instead of just focusing on one aspect of the fitness journey, they’re able to take a more holistic approach. This helps to achieve noticeable results faster.
Macros
One huge way that fitness coaches can help their clients with their nutrition is by teaching them about macronutrients and macro nutrition. Following a macro diet is a great way to learn about proteins, carbs, and fats, and how they impact our body.
Instead of looking at food in terms of calories, learning macro nutrition forces us to look at food as fuel. Counting macros means keeping track of what proteins, carbs, and fats you’re eating, and in what ratio. This helps you make food choices that support your fitness goals.
Building a Meal Plan
A meal plan is a great way to take the stress out of your diet. You won’t need to struggle to find a meal that works, and you’ll be prepared to meet moments of temptation head-on.
A Weight Loss Meal Plan
Essentially, a weight loss meal plan is focused on getting you to eat fewer calories than you burn. This means that what calories you are eating need to be fueling you, and giving you enough energy to work out. These nutrient-dense meals can be anything from a piece of chicken on a bed of sautéed kale to a soup rich in legumes, veggies, and complex carbs like brown rice. This meal plan should also limit processed food and added sugar, which are high in calories and extremely nutrient-poor.
A Bodybuilding Meal Plan
If your goal is to bulk up and add muscle, you’ll need to be taking in enough calories so that your body can build this muscle tissue. This means adopting a high-calorie diet with lots and lots of protein. If you’re working out often to try and add muscle, experts recommend upping your daily caloric intake by around 15%. Some fitness coaches also suggest supplementing with protein powder.
How a Custom Meal Plan Can Help You Meet Your Fitness Goals
Trying to establish a new exercise routine, and meet your fitness goals without a meal plan is like starting a race behind everyone else. You’ll likely get there eventually, but it will take longer. Many people who join gyms would love to come up with their own meal plans to support their fitness goals, but just don’t know how to start.
That’s why a fitness coach who can provide custom meal plans is such a great asset. They can work with you to define your goals, then shape a fitness routine and meal plan that can support your success.
Along the way, they’ll assess your progress, and listen to your feedback, shaping the plan to suit your preferences.
Nutrition Coaching: The HouseFit Difference
At HouseFit, we believe that nutrition is so integral to achieving your fitness goals that we’ve included nutrition coaching in every one of our personal training programs.
Our personal trainers have the expert knowledge required to get you the results you’re looking for, whether you’re aiming to lose weight, recover from an injury, or bulk up. Custom meal plans from our trainers are easy to follow, and their support doesn’t end when you leave our gym- they’re with you every step of the way.
To get started, contact us today to get a free 90-minute assessment.