Frequently Asked Questions On Nutrition

1) How many meals a day should I eat?
This has to be one of the most frequently asked questions. First, eating six small meals a day is a must for those who are serious about adding muscle and decreasing body fat. The importance of eating frequently and spreading it throughout your waking hours is that it encourages the body to store greater amounts of carbohydrates within muscles. This fuel reserve, called muscle glycogen, promotes mass gain by energizing muscles, giving them the fuel they need to recover. Also, by eating six or so times daily, you provide your muscles with a constant supply of glycogen; eating only three to four meals a day deprives you of this fuel source. Not to mention that the greater glycogen stores increase water retention inside muscles, encouraging growth and tissue repair. You must also understand that eating more often provides a nearly nonstop influx of nutrients and protein. Muscles use amino acids-the building blocks of protein- to repair damage caused by hard training. Amino acids also help manufacture important hormones that regulate growth and support the immune system. A strong immune system plays a vital role in recovery from a hard workout.

2) What does "eating clean" mean?
Eating clean means avoiding foods that are not conducive to adding muscle and decreasing body fat, such as fried foods, butter and refined foods, including fast foods. "Clean" often means "natural" and "low-fat." Clean foods include fish, fowl, lean red meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and fruit. Clean foods are generally more nutrient based-they have lots of vitamins, minerals and/or fiber- and they are prepared with little or no added fat.

3) Can I eat fast food and still put on muscle?
Understand that fast food doesn't fit the bill as "clean" food. If you have a fast metabolism, you could eat there daily- but just one of your six meals- and make good gains as long as you make decent choices. Stick with burgers without the mayo or choose chicken sandwiches that are neither breaded nor fried. Skip the fries. Example of some great choices include Burger King's Original Chicken Sandwich, Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich and the 6-inch roast beef or turkey sandwich from Subway. So if you are in a hurry and don't have time to prepare your meal, you could eat a fast food meal...just as long as you make the right choice and you eat this meal at an appropriate time.