Drink Water – Have a glass first thing in the morning and sip throughout the day to ensure that your body is hydrated. Your body is primarily made up of water and needs it for optimal function!
Eat Protein – Protein is essential to building muscle, keeping you full longer, and saves you empty calories. Focus on hitting your daily target. For most active and healthy individuals, the daily recommendation should align with their target lean body weight. For example, if your target weight is 190 pounds, you should aim for 190g of quality protein. We traditionally encourage splitting this into 4 meals for most athletes. We also strongly encourage consumption of whole foods.
Balance Macro and Micronutrients – We often talk about macros but we need to talk more about micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) and fiber intake. Eat veggies, fruits, nuts, fermented foods to support your gut health and overall function.
Track Your Food but Don't Over Do It – Tracking your food intake should promote your overall wellness but it should not become an obsession. With that in mind, we encourage you to find a sustainable method. For some, it is using tools such as Fitness Pal. For others, it is using hand portion that is often recommended by Precision Nutrition. Regardless of the method, strive to hit your protein target consistently while moderating carb/ fat intake.
Stay Active – This applies to being consistent at the gym but being active outside of the gym, as well. Walk, bike, swim… It is your choice! For most, walking is an easy one. It is a highly underrated activity that promotes cardiovascular health, recovery, better mood, and the list goes on... Set a realistic number of steps and hit it consistently.
Prioritize Rest – Your sleep patterns and rest are important. Goals can vary from person to person but we encourage 7-9 hours of sleep. Incorporate activities that support proper preparation for bedtime. Take a relaxing walk! Have a light conversation with your best friend or significant other with no disruptions! Remove electronics! Have a cup of tea and enjoy your favorite book! The list goes on...
Find Your Tribe - Find your community! There are so many positive effects of belonging to a body of like-minded people. As a gym and business that firmly stands on our belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we encourage everyone to respectfully stand for their values and “do” life with others. It is more than just an occasional social event. Be there for others and let them be there for you!
Bonus Tips - From our experience, when people make a commitment to make a health change, they tend to make better choices for lunch and dinner. Most fail to reach their macro goals for breakfast and snack (s).
Have a “go to” breakfast option that will allow you to hit your goals. Suggestion: Overnight protein oats or protein pudding. Prepare it overnight and voila, it's ready for you in the morning.
When you plan for your upcoming week, outline the meals first, then shop for groceries. Avoid the aisles and work the perimeter to ensure that you shop for quality protein, produce as well as other items that align with suggestions within the T48 Grocery Guide (separate blog).
If you need support with your fitness journey, schedule a “no sweat” intro and we will guide you from there!
In health and wellness,
T48 Athletics Team
