Lean-Muscle Diets To Help Transform Your Physique

Research tells us that we need around 3g of protein per kilogram of lean bodyweight every day in order to build muscle and burn fat. You also need to reduce your carb intake to better allow your body to manage the nutrients we get from our diet. This meal plan has been created for a man weighing 75kg with a body fat percentage of 15 per cent, so his lean body weight is 63.75kg. However, if you’re heavier, you need to work out how much protein you need. Take your weight and divide it by 100. Subtract your body-fat percentage from 100, then multiply the two values together and this is your lean body weight. You need 3g of protein per kg of lean body weight, so multiply this by 3 and this is your daily protein target which needs to be split over four to six meals.

 

Monday

Breakfast: 150g porridge oats cooked with 200ml semi-skimmed milk, ½ a banana and 1tsp honey. Stir in ½ a scoop of whey protein at the end of cooking.

Snack: Post-workout smoothie: blend one scoop of protein powder, 230ml almond milk, 1tsp almond butter, ½ a banana and ice cubes.

Lunch: One medium baked sweet potato with one can of tuna in water (drained) and spinach.

Snack: Two boiled eggs.

Dinner: Salmon fillet with green beans and asparagus.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and six brazil nuts.

 

Tuesday

Breakfast: Two grilled rashers of bacon and two boiled eggs.

Snack: Small pot of hummus and sugar snap peas, carrots and pepper.

Lunch: Ham salad.

Snack: 100g cooked prawns.

Dinner: Two home-made hamburgers with a spinach and cherry tomato salad.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and ten almonds.

 

Wednesday

Breakfast: 150g porridge oats cooked with 200ml semi-skimmed milk, ½ a banana and 1tsp honey. Stir in ½ a scoop of whey protein at the end of cooking.

Snack: Post-workout shake: blend one scoop of protein powder, 230ml almond milk, 1tsp almond butter, a handful of frozen berries and ice cubes.

Lunch: Smoked salmon with spinach, cucumber and mixed salad leaves.

Snack: Two boiled eggs.

Dinner: Chicken and cashew nut stir-fry

Snack: Whey protein mixed with 1tbsp Greek yoghurt, water and ice.

 

Thursday

Breakfast: Two grilled rashers of bacon and two boiled eggs.

Snack: 50g cottage cheese with celery, carrot and cucumber sticks.

Lunch: Roast chicken with baked sweet potato and runner beans.

Snack: 100g cooked prawns.

Dinner: Cod fillet with roasted vegetables.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and ten almonds.

 

Friday

Breakfast: 150g porridge oats cooked with 200ml semi-skimmed milk, ½ a banana and 1tsp honey. Stir in ½ a scoop of whey protein at the end of cooking.

Snack: Post-workout smoothie: blend one scoop of protein powder, 230ml almond milk, 1tsp almond butter, ½ a banana and ice cubes.

Lunch: Tuna salad.

Snack: Raw vegetables with guacamole (chop ½ a ripe avocado, ¼ of a tomato and ¼ of a red onion, and mix with coriander and lime juice).

Dinner: Steak with steamed green vegetables. Small glass of red wine.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and six brazil nuts.

 

Saturday

Breakfast: Two poached eggs, two grilled rashers of bacon, two grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and ½ a can of reduced salt and sugar baked beans.

Snack: Small pot of hummus with celery, carrots and cucumber.

Lunch: Diced lamb grilled on skewers with green and red peppers, cherry tomatoes and one small red onion, plus ½ a baked sweet potato.

Snack: One small can of salmon.

Dinner: Beef meatballs in tomato sauce with green vegetables.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and ten almonds.

 

Sunday

Breakfast: Two poached eggs, two grilled rashers of bacon, two grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and ½ a can of reduced salt and sugar baked beans.

Snack: 50g cottage cheese with celery, carrot and cucumber sticks.

Lunch: Chicken stir-fry.

Snack: 100g cooked prawns.

Dinner: Grilled salmon fillet with roasted vegetables.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and six brazil nuts.

Categories: boiled eggs, diet, Greek yoghurt, grilled rashers, honey stir, Muscle, Protein, skimmed milk, snack 100g, snack greek, vegetables snack, whey protein

How to Eat to Prevent Disease and the Signs of Ageing

It’s easy to say that you want a healthy diet, but what should you actually include? Your wellness doesn’t just come down to eating a few more salads here and there – although that’s better than nothing – but, if you want to guard your wellbeing against chronic disease and the premature effects of ageing, you need a balance of antioxidants, phytochemicals, soy, soluble fibre, omega-3s and other components of food. Luckily, registered dietician and nutritionist Susie Bond, of Health First’s Pro-Health & Fitness Centres, is on hand to tell you the super foods that contain an abundance of these healthful components.

 

1. Vital veggies. As spinach is rich in folic acid, vitamins E, C, B6, beta-carotene and calcium, it’s a food to stick on your shopping list. Bond adds, ‘Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which may reduce the risk of macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in older adults.’ However, if green and leafy isn’t your thing, try something a little more cruciferous. According to Bond, broccoli ‘and other so-called “cruciferous” vegetables are especially rich in sulforaphane, which is a very powerful anti-cancer phytochemical. Other cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts.’

 

2. Necessary nuts and beans. ‘Nuts contain an abundance of important nutrients for heart health, including omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, plant sterols and fibre,’ says Bond. She recommends an ounce of nuts every day, as well as a weekly intake of beans. ‘These include kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc,’ she explains. ‘These little powerhouses provide a healthy dose of cholesterol-free protein and contain an abundance of other essential nutrients such as fibre, zinc and folic acid.’

 

3. Something sweet and special. The next time you want to indulge your sweet tooth, try some berries with Greek yoghurt. ‘Include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cranberries often,’ Bond urges, as all berries are extremely high in antioxidants. She adds, ‘Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt and lower in sugar. It is also a great source of calcium. Yogurt contains probiotics, essential for a healthy digestive tract.’

Categories: Greek yoghurt, nuts, spinach

Which Foods Can Help Make Your Workout Worthwhile?

There are a million little things than can impact your performance on your fitness regime, but your diet is a major player. You want to get the most out of your hard work, so make sure you’re putting the right fuel in your body to improve your wellbeing, and make your workout worthwhile.

 

Start with fruit that’s easily digestible. Fruit gives you a healthy sugar high, as well as the carbohydrates you need to enhance your energy levels. Before your workout, steer your wellness in the right direction by snacking on bananas and apples. These bad boys are loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants, and fibre, making them perfect for that natural boost of energy you’re after. However, avoid fruits from the citrus family where possible as these are harder to digest and so could cause stomach cramps.

 

While you’re eating fruit, why not drizzle on some Greek yoghurt? Greek yoghurt contains twice the protein than normal yoghurt, as well as good carbs. Not only does this add energy, but the combination of protein and carbohydrates is also great for muscle growth. You may as well go ahead and throw some bran cereal in with your fruit and yoghurt, as these are a winning choice when it comes to enhancing physical performance. Not only are bran cereals high in fibre, but they also boost your metabolic rate, help with cell function and prevent dehydration during exercise.

 

That’s breakfast good and covered, but what about the rest of the day? Chicken is a great choice for that time after your workout in which your body craves the nutrients it has lost. You can replenish your body and re-build your depleted muscles with a protein such as chicken, eggs or fish, as this will give your muscles the amino acids they need to grow back stronger and bigger. Some people turn to protein shakes or other liquid meals such as smoothies to get all the essential post-exercise nutrients in just a few gulps. This may be a better option for you if you find the thought of a big meal after exercise daunting, and may help you to build muscle and recover from your workout more successfully, as the nutrients can reach your body faster.

Categories: bran cereals, chicken, Greek yoghurt